Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Factors Influencing Health-Related Quality of Life of Overweight and Obese Children in South Korea

The purpose of this study was to identify factors influencing health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of overweight and obese children in Korea. This study employed a cross-sectional descriptive study design. A total of 132 overweight and obese children participated in the study. Anthropometric measurements included body mass index, percent body fat, and waist–hip ratio. The instruments included lifestyle patterns, psychosocial characteristics (stress, self-esteem, and depression), and HRQoL. The study found that significant predictors of HRQoL included self-esteem, depression, and physical stress; these variables accounted for 58.7% of the variance (p < .05), while children with low monthly household income had significantly lower HRQoL, compared with that of their counterparts (p < .05). HRQoL has multiple dimensions, thus, in addition to lifestyle change, health programs for overweight and obese children should focus on psychological health, and consider social and environmental factors as well.
Confirmatory Factor Analysis of Singleand Multiple-Factor Competing Models of the Dissociative Experiences Scale in a Nonclinical Sample

Previous research on the Dissociative Experiences Scale (DES) has demonstrated that (a) dissociation is quantifiable in both clinical and nonclinical samples and (b) a three-factor structure (amnesia, depersonalization, and absorption) is tenable for clinical samples. The factor structure for nonclinical samples is less clear, with one- and multiple-factor solutions proposed. To clarify the DES factor structure in nonclinical samples, confirmatory factor analyses were conducted on (a) one-, two-, three-, and four-factor first-order models and (b) two bifactor (hierarchical) models of DES scores for two samples of nonclinical university students. Results ofΔχ2 and goodness-of-fit indices support the three-factor (first-order) model as best fitting of the data for these samples. The utility of this DES model for screening both dissociative pathology and elevated normal dissociative behavior in clinical and nonclinical populations is discussed.
Asset Pricing Tests in the Egyptian Stock Market

This paper empirically tests and compares the applicability of five alternative asset pricing models for 55 stocks listed on the EGX-100 for the Egyptian stock market: 1) the CAPM, 2) the Fama-French three factor model, 3) the Cahart model 4) the four factor model of Chan and Faff (2005, liquidity-augmented Fama-French three factor model) 5) and the five-factor model (liquidity and momentum-augmented Fama-French three factor model). This sample is split into six portfolios sorted on size and book-to-market ratio. The tests employ time series regression of Black, Jensen and Scholes (1972). Our results show evidence that with respect to the quality of prediction, FF three factor model leads to a remarkable enhancement over the CAPM, and the other models don’t show a significant increase over the FF three factor model. GRS (1989) F-statistics accept FF three factor model and reject the appropriateness of the other models.
Prognostic Value of Proinflammatory Cytokines in Breast Cancer

Cytokines are factors that are known to have both tumor-promoting and inhibitory effects on breast cancer growth. Different cytokines play an important role in controlling the immune system. This study was carried out to investigate the alterations in serum levels of proinflammatory cytokines (IL-1α, IL-6 and TNF-α) in breast cancer patients, and its relation with progression of this cancer. The current results revealed that there is significant elevation in median serum levels of IL-1α, IL-6 and TNF-α, P<0.001 in breast cancer patients, as compared with control groups, this elevation was significantly associated with advanced stage, P<0.001. These finding suggest that serum levels of IL-1α, IL-6 and TNF-α appears to be of some prognostic value in breast cancer.
Expression and cellular localization of metalloproteases ADAMs in high graded carotid artery lesions

Metalloproteases with a disintegrin domain (ADAM) has already been implicated in various cellular processes such as cytokine and growth factor shedding, proliferation, migration, and degradation of extracellular matrix. Their role in the development and progression of atherosclerosis in carotid lesions is however unknown. The aim of the study was to analyze expression of proteolytic ADAMs (8, 9, 10, 12, 15, 17) and their inhibitors TIMP-1, -3 in patients with high-graded carotid artery stenosis. Atherosclerotic plaques were obtained from 44 patients undergoing carotid endarterectomy (CEA) and analyzed by histochemistry, immunohistochemistry, and SYBR green-based real-time PCR. All ADAMs analyzed in our study were expressed in early as well as in advanced atherosclerotic carotid lesions. The highest expression within the plaque was observed for ADAM15 followed by ADAM8. Furthermore, a significant increase was observed in the expression of ADAM10 and ADAM12 in unstable plaques compared to unstable lesions (p = 0.05 and p = 0.036, respectively). In contrast, expression of TIMP-1 was significantly reduced in the same lesions (p = 0.020). Macrophages and smooth muscle cells showed the highest staining intensity and were positive for all ADAMs and TIMPs tested, with the exception of ADAM9. Endothelial cells at the lumen side were positive for ADAM 15 and TIMP-1, neovessels were positive also for ADAM12. In conclusion, the ADAM family of proteases seems to play an important role in the maintenance of proper vessel physiology and some ADAMs such as ADAM10 and ADAM12 might also contribute to the progression of atherosclerosis.
Correlation between X-ray cross-complementing group 1 polymorphisms and the onset risk of glioma: A meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the association of X-ray cross-complementing group 1 (XRCC1) Arg399Gln, Arg194Trp and Arg280His polymorphisms with the risk of glioma. DATA SOURCES: A systematic literature search of papers published from January 2000 to August 2012 in PubMed, Embase, China National Knowledge Infrastructure database, and Wanfang database was performed. The key words used were “glioma”, “polymorphism”, and “XRCC1 or X-ray repair cross-complementing group 1”. References cited in the retrieved articles were screened manually to identify additional eligible studies. STUDY SELECTION: Studies were identified according to the following inclusion criteria: case-control design was based on unrelated individuals; and genotype frequency was available to estimate an odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI). Meta-analysis was performed for the selected studies after strict screening. Dominant and recessive genetic models were used and the relationship between homozygous mutant genotype frequencies and mutant gene frequency and glioma incidence was investigated. We chose the fixed or random effect model according to the heterogeneity to calculate OR and 95%CI, and sensitivity analyses were conducted. Publication bias was examined using the inverted funnel plot and the Egger's test using Stata 12.0 software. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Association of XRCC1 Arg399Gln, Arg194Trp, and Arg280His polymorphisms with the risk of glioma, and subgroup analyses were performed according to different ethnicities of the subjects. RESULTS: Twelve articles were included in the meta-analysis. Eleven of the articles were concerned with the Arg399Gln polymorphism and glioma onset risk. Significantly increased glioma risks were found only in the dominant model (Gln/Gln + Gln/Arg versus Arg/Arg: OR = 1.26, 95%CI = 1.03–1.54, P = 0.02). In the subgroup analysis by ethnicity, significantly increased risk was found in Asian subjects in the recessive (OR = 1.46, 95%CI = 1.04–2.45, P = 0.03) and dominant models (OR = 1.40, 95%CI = 1.10–1.78, P = 0.007), and homozygote contrast (OR = 1.69, 95%CI = 1.17–2.45, P = 0.005), but not in Caucasian subjects. For association of the Arg194Trp (eight studies) and Arg280His (four studies) polymorphisms with glioma risk, the meta-analysis did not reveal a significant effect in the allele contrast, the recessive genetic model, the dominant genetic model, or homozygote contrast. CONCLUSION: The XRCC1 Arg399Gln polymorphism may be a biomarker of glioma susceptibility, especially in Asian populations. The Arg194Trp and Arg280His polymorphisms were not associated with overall glioma risk.
Ubiquitously expressed genes participate in cell‐specific functions via alternative promoter usage

How do different cell types acquire their specific identities and functions is a fundamental question of biology. Previously significant efforts have been devoted to search for cell‐type‐specifically expressed genes, especially transcription factors, yet how do ubiquitously expressed genes participate in the formation or maintenance of cell‐type‐specific features remains largely unknown. Here, we have identified 110 mouse embryonic stem cell (mESC) specifically expressed transcripts with cell‐stage‐specific alternative transcription start sites (SATS isoforms) from 104 ubiquitously expressed genes, majority of which have active epigenetic modification‐ or stem cell‐related functions. These SATS isoforms are specifically expressed in mESCs, and tend to be transcriptionally regulated by key pluripotency factors through direct promoter binding. Knocking down the SATS isoforms of Nmnat2 or Usp7 leads to differentiation‐related phenotype in mESCs. These results demonstrate that cell‐type‐specific transcription factors are capable to produce cell‐type‐specific transcripts with alternative transcription start sites from ubiquitously expressed genes, which confer ubiquitously expressed genes novel functions involved in the establishment or maintenance of cell‐type‐specific features.
Time of Care Required by Patients Discharged from a Rehabilitation Unit

Forrest G, Schwam A, Cohen E: Time of care required by patients discharged from a rehabilitation unit. Am J Phys Med Rehabil 2002;81:57–62. ObjectiveTo determine the amount of care (measured in time) required by patients discharged from an inpatient rehabilitation unit. DesignA total of 103 consecutive patients discharged from an inpatient rehabilitation unit to home were contacted 1 mo after discharge and asked to report the amount of help that they required at home. Correlations were made between the time of help that the subjects reported needing and their age, sex, living situation, marital status, diagnosis, and the score on the FIM™ at the time of discharge from the rehabilitation unit. ResultsThe score on the FIM correlated with the time of help reported by the patients. Linear regression analysis showed that each 5-point decrement in FIM score correlates with the need for about 1 hr per day of help with mobility, basic activities of daily living, and instrumental activities of daily living. ConclusionsThe FIM can be used to provide an estimate of the amount of time it will take families to provide help for patients discharged from a rehabilitation unit.
Electrophysiological evidence for vestibular activation of the guinea pig hippocampus

&NA; Vestibular information modulates hippocampal activity for spatial processing and place cell firing. However, evidence of a purely vestibular stimulus modulating hippocampal activity is confounded as most studies use stimuli containing somatosensory and visual components. In the present study, high‐frequency electrical stimulation of specific vestibular sensory regions of the right labyrinth in anaesthetized guinea pigs induced an evoked field potential in the hippocampal formation bilaterally with a latency of about 40 ms following stimulation onset. Field potentials localized in the hippocampal formation occurred with stimulus current parameters that were too small to produce eye movements. This provides direct electrophysiological evidence of vestibular input to the hippocampus.
A gap junction-based cardiac electromechanics model

Action potential propagation in cardiac tissue is mainly governed by highly resistive gap junctions, which causes the tissue to behave as a network of active cell nodes interconnected by resistors. This property causes the action potential propagation to be less dependent on the level of mechanical deformation. This study proposes that the electrical conductivity in cardiac electromechanical simulations should be held fixed relative to the material frame, reproducing the dominant effect of intercellular gap junctions on the tissue electrical resistance instead of the more commonly employed spatial frame. Our simulations showed that the implementation of gap junction-based conductivity resulted in similar activation times at given material point, irrespective of the level of deformation. In contrast, the activation time of a given material point using spatial-based conductivity was dependent on the deformation experienced by the tissue. These findings have implication on more complex electromechanical simulations such as spiral wave since gap junction-based conductivity is independent of contraction, in contrast to spatial-based conductivity. Therefore, selection of the appropriate electrical conductivity assumption is highly crucial in electromechanics models of cardiac tissue.
The academic identity of students in early childhood field-based initial teacher education

Student academic identity is defined as the appropriation of academic values and practices within a sense of self, reflecting the willingness and commitment to the practices of the academic community (White & Lowenthal, 2011). As such academic identity is an important aspect of becoming academically literate. Within this research student academic identity is identified as consisting of five elements: self-theory, achievement indicators, agency-beliefs, motivation and dispositions. There is limited research presenting a holistic view of the phenomenon examining all of these five elements. Furthermore, my extensive search yielded no available literature on student academic identity pertaining to early childhood Field-Based Initial Teacher Education (FBITE) in Aotearoa New Zealand. With this in mind, the overall aim of this research was to critically examine the nature and significance of academic identity for students in early childhood FBITE in Aotearoa New Zealand. To achieve this aim, questions were posed which explored how students experienced academic identity; the multiple identities of students and their relationship to student academic identity; the multiple contexts of learning and their relationship to student academic identity; and finally the significance of student academic identity. A structural-constructivist approach was used to investigate the significance of context on personal experiences of academic identity. The external contexts of significance included: programmes of study, the early childhood community and the wider socio-political context of early childhood education in Aotearoa New Zealand. Within this theoretical framework an interpretive qualitative research design was used with participation from four tertiary providers of FBITE as well as from Associate Teachers from the early childhood community. Data were collected from students, Teacher Educators and Associate Teachers utilising openended questionnaires, group and individual interviews, in conjunction with documentary analysis.
LBP and sCD14 patterns in total hip replacement surgery performed during combined spinal/epidural anaesthesia

Abstract Background. Danger patterns and pattern recognition receptors have been targets in the investigation and treatment of systemic inflammatory response syndrome and sepsis. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-binding protein (LBP) presents LPS and gram-positive bacterial cell wall products to the receptors TLR4/MD-2 and TLR2, respectively. Low concentrations of LBP stimulate responses to LPS and peptidoglycan, whereas higher concentrations inhibit these responses. Soluble CD14 (sCD14) presents the LBP-LPS complex to CD14-negative cells, and it modulates the biological activity of circulating LPS. In this study, we aimed to elucidate the physiological reactions to LBP and sCD14 after total hip replacement surgery during spinal/epidural anaesthesia. Methods. Seven patients with coxarthrosis were operated upon with a total hip replacement, which is a defined trauma to bone and muscles in conjunction with a certain amount of blood loss. Venous blood samples were taken before the operation and at 1 h, 3 days and 6 days after surgery. LBP and sCD14 were measured by conventional ELISA. To correct for hemodilution, each parameter was adjusted for hematocrit. A panel of cytokines was measured using Luminex technology to evaluate the trauma reaction. Results. IL-6 levels peaked 24 h after the operation, whereas IL-1β and IL-10 levels remained unchanged. Systemic levels of LBP were increased 24 h after surgery, whereas sCD14 remained steady. However, the dilution-corrected sCD14 values increased significantly, and the levels of both LBP and sCD14 peaked at day 3 after surgery. Conclusion. Aseptic trauma primes the innate immune system for the posttraumatic release of LBP and sCD14.
Sectoral Employment and Shifts in the Aggregate Phillips Curve

This study develops a two-sector model based on the production-employment characteristics described by Fuchs [6] and estimates expectational Phillips curves for Goods and Services.1 We analyze sectoral Phillips curves, with the curve for the Service sector being steeper than that for the Goods sector and thus reflecting the fact that wages respond more to business cycles than unemployment for Service sector workers. Thus, the secular trend towards Service sector employment tends to pivot the observed aggregate Phillips curve-making it steeper. The analysis of the estimated sectoral Phillips curves suggests that for zero price inflation, a 4 percent unemployment rate would result in roughly 3.0 percent wage inflation in 1950, but a 3.4 percent rate for 1970. We recognize that the stability of the wage inflation-unemployment relationship is the center of controversy, with several studies questioning the empirical methods used [4, 18] as well as the theoretical underpinnings
Learning uncertainty in regression tasks by artificial neural networks

We suggest a general approach to quantification of different forms of uncertainty in regression tasks performed by artificial neural networks. It is based on the simultaneous training of two neural networks with a joint loss function. One of the networks performs predictions and the other simultaneously quantifies the uncertainty of predictions by estimating the locally averaged loss of the first one. Unlike in many classical uncertainty quantification methods, the targets are not assumed to be sampled from a probability distribution of an a priori given form. We analyze how the hyperparameters affect the learning process and, additionally, show that our method even allows for better predictions compared to standard neural networks without uncertainty counterparts. Finally, we show that particular cases of our approach include maximization of log-likelihood, assuming Gaussian or Laplace noise.
Early postnatal switch in magnesium sensitivity of NMDA receptors in rat CA1 pyramidal cells

1 Whole‐cell patch‐clamp recordings of iontophoretically induced N‐methyl‐D‐aspartate (NMDA) receptor‐mediated currents (INMDA) in CA1 pyramidal cells in hippocampal slices from 1‐ to 40‐day‐old rats were used to characterize developmental changes in the Mg2+ sensitivity of NMDA receptors. 2 The dose‐response relations for extracellular Mg2+ blockade of INMDA indicated a high affinity binding of Mg2+ to NMDA receptors at membrane potentials more negative than −60 mV, independent of postnatal age. 3 Depolarizing the cells unblocked NMDA receptors by decreasing their affinity for Mg2+. The efficacy of depolarization in unblocking NMDA receptors markedly increased after postnatal day 4 (P4), endowing the receptors with a greater voltage dependence. 4 The NR2B subunit‐specific NMDA antagonist ifenprodil reduced INMDA in pyramidal cells of all ages. The sensitivity of INMDA to ifenprodil was greatest during the first postnatal week and decreased thereafter, indicating an enhanced contribution of NR2B subunit‐containing NMDA receptors to INMDA in the first week after birth. 5 In the first postnatal week, the ifenprodil‐insensitive INMDA component had a lower voltage dependence than the total INMDA. In older pyramidal cells, the voltage dependence of the ifenprodil‐insensitive component and the total INMDA were similar. 6 In another set of CA1 pyramidal cells, single‐cell reverse transcription and polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR) were used to characterize concomitant developmental changes in NMDA subunit mRNA expression. The mRNA for the NR2D subunit was detected during the first postnatal week in 50% of the cells and disappeared thereafter. The proportion of cells expressing the NR2A and NR2B subunits remained relatively constant throughout the first five postnatal weeks. 7 We conclude that NMDA receptors in hippocampal CA1 pyramidal cells are effectively blocked by Mg2+ at all ages. After 4 days they become much less sensitive to Mg2+ at depolarized membrane potentials. This postnatal switch in voltage control of Mg2+ binding to NMDA receptors may be due to the downregulation of NR2D subunit expression in developing CA1 pyramidal cells.
Costs and Benefits of Audit Quality in the IPO Market: A Self-Selection Analysis

This study examines the tradeoffs that an entrepreneur makes in an initial public stock offering between the incremental costs and benefits of selecting a Big 6 audit firm. The benefit of hiring a Big 6 auditor is assumed to be reduced underpricing, consistent with Beatty (1989) and Balvers, et al. (1988). The cost of hiring a Big 6 auditor is higher auditor compensation. Evidence drawn from a sample of IPOs during the early 1990s is consistent with a differentiated market for audit services where owners select the type of auditor that minimizes the sum of underpricing and auditor compensation costs.
A Study of the Advancement of Women in Municipal Government Bureaucracies

Abstract If women's advancement to the highest-level decision-making positions in governmental bureaucracies is to be enhanced, a better understanding of the continued impediments to such progress is essential. This study employs a large, previously underutilized national data set obtained from the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) to answer two questions. To what extent are women represented in the top-level administrative positions in municipal governments? And, are the impediments to women reaching the highest-level administrative posts in municipal governments related to the policy outputs and/or organizational cultures of these agencies? We find that (1) the underrepresentation of women in top-level administrative positions in distributive and regulatory agencies is pervasive across cities, suggesting that women continue to be confronted by the presence of glass ceilings in such agencies; and (2) even though women are well-represented among administrative cadres in redistributive agencies in many cities, their full representation at the uppermost administrative levels is still an elusive goal.
Name-Based Behavioral Biases: Are Expert Investors Immune?

ABSTRACT The market comprises investors with a broad range of expertise. As a result, investors may make decisions differently from one another. Research reveals that investors use name-based heuristics, or short-cuts, including alphabetical ordering (Itzkowitz, Itzkowitz, and Rothbort [2015]), name fluency (Anderson and Larkin [2012], Green and Jame [2013]), and name memorability (Grullon, Kanatas, and Weston [2004]) when trading stocks, resulting in irrational decisions. Because experts and novices process information differently, name-based biases may not affect all investors equally. The authors test and confirm the hypothesis that, compared to novices, expert investors are relatively immune to name-based biases.