Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Investment of Firms in Brazil: Do Financial Restrictions, Unexpected Monetary Shocks and BNDES Play Important Roles?

Our objective in this paper is to estimate the dynamics of firm investment in Brazil. For this purpose, we built an original database with confidential and public data containing balance sheet and financial information of 5,026 public and private firms from the third quarter of 1994 to the fourth quarter of 2010. We then classify these firms as financially restricted or not, according to several classification schemes found in the literature. Our results show that unexpected monetary policy, financial restrictions and Brazil´s development bank, BNDES, financing policies are very important to explain the dynamics of investment in Brazil. Our results are robust to several model specifications, econometric techniques and classifications schemes of financially and non-financially restricted firms.
Body dissatisfaction: Do associations with disordered eating and psychological well-being differ across race/ethnicity in adolescent girls and boys?

OBJECTIVE This study examined whether body dissatisfaction, and its associations with disordered eating and psychological well-being, differ significantly across racial/ethnic groups of adolescents. METHOD Cross-sectional analysis using data from a large, population-based study of adolescents participating in Eating and Activity in Teens, 2010 (EAT 2010) (N = 2,793; Mage = 14.4 years). The sample was socioeconomically and racially/ethnically diverse (81% racial/ethnic minority; 54% low or low-middle income). RESULTS Body dissatisfaction differed significantly across racial/ethnic groups; Asian American girls and boys reported the most dissatisfaction with their bodies. Among boys, the relationship between body dissatisfaction and unhealthy weight control behaviors was moderated by race/ethnicity (p < .01), with a significantly weaker association for African American boys compared with those in other groups. Otherwise, the associations between body dissatisfaction and dieting and disordered eating did not vary significantly across racial/ethnic groups. Associations between body dissatisfaction and depressive symptoms and (boys') self-esteem differed significantly across racial/ethnic groups. CONCLUSION In this study, with the exception of boys' unhealthy weight control behaviors, body dissatisfaction was associated with measures of dieting and disordered eating for youth across racial/ethnic groups. In addition, the association between body dissatisfaction and psychological well-being interacted significantly with adolescents' racial/ethnic backgrounds (with the exception of girls' self-esteem). Findings highlight specific racial/ethnic differences in the associations between body dissatisfaction and psychological well-being, and underscore the importance of addressing body dissatisfaction in youth of all racial/ethnic backgrounds.
Income differences in stroke mortality: A 12-year follow-up study of the Swedish working population

Aims: This study explored the association between income and stroke mortality in the total working population in Sweden and examined whether the associations differ by gender or for stroke subtypes intracerebral haemorrhage (ICH) or brain infarction (BI). Methods: This was a register-based study among nearly 3 million working women and men (30–64 years in 1990) with a 12-year follow up (1991–2002) for mortality from stroke (4886 deaths). Income was measured as annual registered income from work in 1990. Gender-specific Cox regressions were applied with adjustments for sociodemographic covariates. Results: The age-adjusted hazard ratio (95% confidence interval) of lowest versus highest income quartile was 1.80 (1.48−2.19) for any stroke, 1.68 (1.29−2.17) for ICH and 2.23 (1.53−3.22) for BI in women, and the corresponding figures for men were 2.12 (1.92−2.34), 2.02 (1.77−2.31), and 2.09 (1.77−2.46). Adjustment for covariates attenuated these associations to 1.69 (1.33−2.15) for any stroke and 1.56 (1.14−2.14) for ICH in women and to 1.98 (1.74−2.24) for any stroke and 1.77 (1.44−2.19) for BI in men. In contrast, adjustment for covariates amplified the estimates to 2.36 (1.52−3.66) for BI in women and to 2.05 (1.73−2.44) for ICH in men. Conclusions: Risk of stroke mortality was highest in the lowest income group, with a gradient for the intermediate groups, in both women and men. The risk of mortality from BI was highest in women with the lowest income and the risk of ICH was highest in men with the lowest income.
Chronic Atrial Fibrillation Is a Biatrial Arrhythmia: Data from Catheter Ablation of Chronic Atrial Fibrillation Aiming Arrhythmia Termination Using a Sequential Ablation Approach

Background—Termination of chronic atrial fibrillation (CAF) can be achieved by catheter ablation using a stepwise approach. However, there are limited data on the contribution of the right atrium to the CAF process. Furthermore, the prognostic value of CAF termination remains unclear. Methods and Results—Eighty-eight patients (61±10 years of age) underwent de novo ablation of CAF in 2006 at our institution. The ablation procedure was performed sequentially in the following order: pulmonary vein isolation, defragmentation of the left atrium, coronary sinus, and right atrium. Attempted procedural end point was termination of CAF. Consecutive arrhythmias occurring after AF termination were mapped, and ablation was attempted. AF termination was achieved in 68 (77%) patients: in 37 (55%) patients it occurred in the left atrium, in 18 (26%) patients in the right atrium, and in 13 (19%) patients in the coronary sinus. In 54 patients, at least one redo was performed (total number of procedures: 154). After the first redo, another 30 patients were in sinus rhythm (total 63), 8 patients were in atrial tachycardia (AT), and 17 patients were in AF. Another 11 patients underwent a second redo. After a mean follow-up of 20±4 months, 71 (81%) patients were in sinus rhythm, 1 (1%) patient was in AT, and 16 (18%) patients were in AF. Patients with CAF termination had predominantly ATs as recurrent arrhythmias (83%), whereas those without mainly presented with recurrent CAF (85%). The overall success rate in patients with CAF termination was 95% compared with 5% of patients without CAF termination in 2 procedures (n=12). In almost all redo procedures attributable to AT, at least 1 AT during redo was documented previously. Conclusions—AF termination is a prognostic important end point of catheter ablation for CAF. Termination of AF was achieved in both atria and the coronary sinus, suggesting a biatrial substrate of CAF. Subsequent arrhythmias often recur during follow-up and, therefore, should be targeted for ablation.
Efficient three‐drug cocktail for disease induced by mutant superoxide dismutase

There is currently no effective pharmacological treatment for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Because evidence suggests that multiple pathways may contribute to ALS pathogenesis, we tested in a mouse model of ALS (SOD1G37R mice) a combination approach consisting of three drugs for distinct targets in the complex pathway to neuronal death: minocycline, an antimicrobial agent that inhibits microglial activation, riluzole, a glutamate antagonist, and nimodipine, a voltage‐gated calcium channel blocker. The efficacy of this three‐drug cocktail was remarkable when administered in the diet from late presymptomatic stage (8–9 months). It delayed the onset of disease, slowed the loss of muscle strength, and increased the average longevity of SOD1G37R mice by 6 weeks. The protective effect of the treatment was corroborated by the reduced immunodetection signals for markers of gliosis and neurodegeneration in the spinal cord of SOD1G37R mice. These results indicate that such three‐drug combination may represent an effective strategy for ALS treatment. Ann Neurol 2003
A New Test for the Detection of the Pricing Role of Aggregate Idiosyncratic Risk in the Predictive Regression

The standard test for the pricing role of aggregate idiosyncratic risk in the conventional predictive regression considers aggregate total idiosyncratic risk a reasonable proxy for its undiversified component, which should be priced as theory suggests. However, when the priced component is relatively small, the test has little statistical power to reject the null hypothesis that idiosyncratic risk does not matter, even when the priced component, albeit small, explains an economically large portion of future excess return variation. We propose a simple regression-based method that can, under certain conditions, substantially improve the power of the test when economically important alternative hypotheses are true, but sacrifices little in the size of the test for the improved power. Based on the new test, we strongly reject the proposition that idiosyncratic risk does not matter and uncover a significantly positive relationship between aggregate undiversified idiosyncratic risk and future market excess returns.
N400-like Semantic Incongruity Effect in 19-Month-Olds: Processing Known Words in Picture Contexts

To understand mechanisms of early language acquisition, it is important to know whether the child's brain acts in an adult-like manner when processing words in meaningful contexts. The N400, a negative component in the event-related potential (ERP) of adults, is a sensitive index of semantic processing reflecting neural mechanisms of semantic integration into context. In the present study, we investigated whether the mechanisms indexed by the N400 are already working during early language acquisition. While 19-month-olds were looking at sequentially presented pictures, they were acoustically presented with words that were either congruous or incongruous to the picture content. The ERP averaged across the group of 55 children revealed an N400-like semantic incongruity effect in addition to an early phonologicallexical priming effect. The results suggest that both lexical expectations facilitating early phonological processing and mechanisms of semantic priming facilitating integration into semantic context are already present in 19-month-olds. The child's specific comprehension abilities are reflected in strength, latency, and hemispheric differences of the semantic incongruity effect. Spatio-temporal differences in that effect, thus, indicate changes in the organization of brain activity correlated with the child's behavioral development.
CCR6 selectively promotes monocyte mediated inflammation and atherogenesis in mice

Summary The chemokine receptor CCR6 is expressed by various cell subsets implicated in atherogenesis, such as monocytes, Th17 and regulatory T cells. In order to further define the role of CCR6 in atherosclerosis, CCR6-deficient (Ccr6 -/-) mice were crossed with low-density lipoprotein receptor-deficient (Ldlr -/-) mice to generate atherosclerosis-prone mice deficient in CCR6. Compared to Ldlr -/- controls, atherosclerotic burden in the aortic sinus and aorta were reduced in Ccr6 -/- Ldlr -/- mice fed a high fat diet, associated with a profound depression in lesional macrophage accumulation. Local and systemic distributions of T cells, including frequencies of Th1, Th17 and regulatory T cells were unaltered. In contrast, circulating counts of both Gr-1high and Gr1low monocytes were reduced in Ccr6 -/- Ldlr -/- mice. Moreover, CCR6 was revealed to promote monocyte adhesion to inflamed endothelium in vitro and leukocyte adhesion to carotid arteries in vivo. Finally, CCR6 selectively recruited monocytes but not T cells in an acute inflammatory air pouch model. We here show that CCR6 functions on multiple levels and regulates the mobilisation, adhesion and recruitment of monocytes/macrophages to the inflamed vessel, thereby promoting atherosclerosis, but is dispensable for hypercholesterolaemia-associated adaptive immune priming. Targeting CCR6 or its ligand CCL20 may therefore be a promising therapeutic strategy to alleviate atherosclerosis. Note: The review process for this manuscript was fully handled by G. Y. H. Lip, Editor in Chief.
Long/Short Equity Investing

Investors who have the flexibility to invest both long and short can benefit from both “winners” and “losers. ” This will be especially advantageous if the latter — the short-sale candidates — are less efficiently priced than the winners — the purchase candidates. This is likely to be the case in markets in which investors hold diverse opinions and short selling is restricted. Short positions can be combined with long positions to create market-neutral, hedge, or equitized strategies. Practical issues include restrictions on shorting, trading requirements, custody issues, and tax treatment.
Employment Protection Legislation in Europe: Employment and Well-Being

This cumulative thesis is on the effect of institutionally induced adjustment costs in labor markets. I study the effect of employment protection legislation for permanent workers on employment and well-being. In the first chapter, I review identification strategies for the effect of employment protection legislation, give an overview of my findings and discuss their external validity. In the preceding empirical chapters, I employ quasi-experimental approaches in order to identify the (causal) effect of employment protection at the individual- and at the establishment-level on temporary employment and on well-being proxied by life satisfaction.
Anti‐IgG Antibodies and Antinuclear Antibodies in Allergic Patients

With an indirect immunofluorescencc technique 77 % of 96 patients with type I allergy and 40% of 20 patients with intrinsic bronchial asthma showed positive reactions for IgG ami‐IgG antibodies in serum. They were present partly in an aggregated state not directly detectable before treatment with dithiothreitol. The aggregates could be removed by precipitation with polyethylene glycol. The IgG ami‐IgG in hyposensitized patients were directed against both F(ab′)2 and Fe fragments of rabbit IgG. Thirty of the type I allergic patients were examined once during hyposensitization as well. Before treatment 87% and IgG anti‐IgG (titres 9–72). After ≥ 13 months of treatment 100% were positive (titres 35–288), Fight patterns were also examined after hyposensitzation had been discontinued for at least 12 months. The titres of IgG ami‐IgG had then reverted lo the levels obtained before hyposensitization. Of 116 controls matched for sex and age, 79r had IgG ami‐IgG anybodies, is suggested that the production of IgG anti‐IgG may be stimulated by the presence of immune complexes and that purity, amount and/or combination of allergens administered during hyposensitization may influence the production of anti‐JgG antibodies. Neither IgK anti‐IgG nor antinuclear antibodies seem to be of particular significance in allergic patients.
Modulation of Sinorhizobium meliloti quorum sensing by Hfq-mediated post-transcriptional regulation of ExpR.

In Sinorhizobium meliloti, the timing of quorum sensing (QS)-dependent gene expression is controlled at multiple levels. RNA binding protein Hfq contributes to the regulation of QS signal production, and this regulation is exerted both in the manner that involves the acyl homoserine lactone receptor ExpR, and via expR-independent mechanisms. In the expR+ strain of S. meliloti, deletion of hfq resulted in the hyper-accumulation of QS signals at low population densities, increased diversity of the QS signals in mid-to-late exponential phase and then led to a sharp decrease in QS signal accumulation in stationary phase. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction revealed that the accumulation of expR and sinI (but not sinR) mRNA was increased in the late exponential phase in an hfq-dependent manner. A translational, but not transcriptional, expR-uidA reporter was controlled by hfq, while both transcriptional and translational sinI-uidA reporters were regulated in the hfq-dependent manner. In co-immunoprecipation experiments, expR mRNA was bound to and then released from Hfq, similar to the positive controls (small regulatory RNA SmrC9, SmrC15, SmrC16 and SmrC45). Neither sinI nor sinR transcripts were detected in the pool of RNA heat-released from Hfq-RNA complexes. Therefore, post-transcriptional regulator Hfq controls the production and perception of QS signals, and at higher population densities this control is mediated directly via interactions with expR.
Forecasting Housing Prices with Google Econometrics

In this research note we report on our current efforts on developing a leading indicator of housing prices that could be used to forecast housing prices. Specifically we use Google search index at city level to predict Case-Shiller index. The methodology is based on Granger causality where we carry out two way regressions with lagged variables and joint F-tests to determine the direction of causality.
Troponin Elevations Following Vascular Surgery in Patients Without Preoperative Myocardial Ischemia

Objectives A normal preoperative myocardial perfusion-imaging (MPI) test in advance of vascular surgery predicts a low risk of postoperative clinical events at 30 days. Among patients undergoing vascular surgery with a normal preoperative MPI, cardiac troponin I (cTnI) elevations are common and predictive of a poor long-term outcome. Methods The study cohort comprised 182 patients. Between January 2005 and December 2009, we studied these patients, who had no evidence of myocardial ischemia on preoperative MPI and were undergoing vascular surgery. Blood was obtained in all of the patients in the first 2 days following vascular surgery, and cTnI levels were measured. The values that exceeded the upper reference limit (URL) were categorized as either low (+) (greater than or equal to the URL but less than three times the URL) or high (+) (greater than or equal to three times the URL). Long-term survival was determined from the time of the vascular operation. Results The mean age of the population was 69 ± 8 years, and the mean revised cardiac risk index was 1.80 ± 0.77. The most common indication for vascular intervention was an expanding abdominal aortic aneurysm (n = 96, 52.5%). Within 48 hours of surgery, 58 patients (32%) had a typical rise and fall in TnI, with at least one value exceeding the URL. Of these patients, 17 (9%) were classified as high (+) and 41 (22.5%) as low (+). At 1 year post–vascular surgery, mortality was 8% for the overall cohort. A high (+) Tn elevation was an identifier of decreased 1-year survival (29%) relative to normal (3%) and low (+) (14%; P < 0.001). Stratified cTn was an independent predictor of the long-term risk of death. Conclusions Among patients undergoing vascular procedures without evidence of myocardial ischemia on MPI, an elevation in TnI is common and predictive of long-term mortality risk.
Politicians of a Feather, Tweet Together

David Mayhew brilliantly sets the stage in 1974 when he argued that candidates are seekers of re-election (Mayhew, 1974). Based on this premise, one would expect potential candidates to utilize every effort possible to help realize this goal, including incorporating new technology into their campaigns. This paper analyzes Twitter usage among candidates running for office within the U.S. Congress, prior to the 2010 elections to determine whether traditional forms of campaigning have been replaced or supplemented with social media, specifically Twitter. Data was gathered on 884 candidates who ran for election during 2010 to determine relationships between total number of Congressional Tweets and incumbency, years in office, political experience, expenditures, candidate’s party, chamber of congress, candidate’s sex, and candidate’s age. Through a linear regression analysis, the candidate’s sex uniquely displayed high correlations with the number of Congressional Tweets. Additionally, the regression analysis displayed correlations among incumbency, expenditures, Congressional Chamber, and party identification. This data is most easily explained through a political economy approach to transaction costs and campaigning.
Distribution of ceftazidime in rat tissues

The pharmacokinetics and tissue distribution of ceftazidime (CFT), a third generation cephalosporin antibiotic commonly used in clinical practice, were investigated in rats after intravenous administration of the antibiotic. Studies using intravenous bolus administration were carried out at two dose levels (5 and 20 mg) of the antibiotic. Results of these studies showed a linear disposition of CFT, no differences between the arterial and venous plasma compartments, and linear distribution in all of the tissues assayed. Experiments carried out under steady‐state conditions after constant infusion of the antibiotic showed that CFT distribution was restricted to the extracellular water of the rat tissues, as deduced from the tissue‐to‐plasma partition coefficients lower than 1 obtained in these experiments. Concentration of CFT in the extracellular water appears to be equal to that of plasma at the same sampling time. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Essays on central banking in Vietnam

Difficulties of the central bank of Vietnam during the last decade in controlling price inflation and securing its inflation goals have launched and nurtured a vigorous debate on whether the current monetary policy strategy, in place since 1992 remains always appropriate. lnspired of this idea, this thesis aims to examine the relevance of the quantitative monetary targeting framework. Furthermore, the thesis recommends some arrangement in order to improve monetary policy efficiency. After an introductory chapter, Chapter 2 propose the state of the art of the economy of Vietnam. Two following chapters investigate the conditions that an effective money targeting strategy requires and whether they are fully satisfied in Vietnam. Indeed, the existence of a stable money demand function in the long run is considered in Chapter 3, and a significant predictive power that money should have on inflation is tested in Chapter 4. It is proved that the money demand function is stable and the hypothesis according to which money growth may forecast future inflation cannot be rejected. The monetary targeting is therefore still relevant for Vietnam. The last two chapters compute and suggest various monetary policy indicators by means of exhaustive evaluation exercises. Different core inflation measure and a composite index of financial conditions are introduced, which are justified to be meaningful for the policy making process of the central bank.
Social Impact Bonds: Blockbuster or Flash in a Pan?

ABSTRACT Despite the general hype, Social Impact Bonds’ (SIB) rate of adoption is still modest. The mismatch between widespread interest and actual adoption raises interesting questions as to whether we are still in the early adoption phase of SIBs and massive diffusion is yet to come, or we are observing a marginal phenomenon. In order to shed some light on this issue, the paper provides a review of the cases in which the SIB model has been already applied, exploring the specific configuration employed, with the purpose to identify regular configuration patterns and their deviation from a prototypical structure.