Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Brexit: The Economics of International Disintegration

This paper reviews the literature on the likely economic consequences of Brexit and considers the lessons of the Brexit vote for the future of European and global integration. Brexit will make the United Kingdom poorer because it will lead to new barriers to trade and migration between the United Kingdom and the European Union. Plausible estimates put the costs to the United Kingdom at between 1 and 10 percent of income per capita. Other European Union countries will also suffer economically, but their estimated losses are much smaller. Support for Brexit came from a coalition of less-educated, older, less economically successful and more socially conservative voters. Why these voters rejected the European Union is poorly understood, but will play an important role in determining whether Brexit proves to be merely a diversion on the path to greater international integration or a sign that globalization has reached its limits.
Does the relationship between innovation and competition vary across industries? Comparison of public and private research enterprises

ABSTRACT The relationship between innovation and competition remains unclear despite the substantial number of theoretical and empirical papers on this topic. Firms in different industries differ substantially in terms of the innovation strategy they adopt and the technological performance they achieve: sectors provide firms with a set of opportunities and constraints shaping the way they organize their innovation activities. By introducing, national factors, knowledge, capital, firm’s external linkage, sectoral characteristics and R&D public policies, our econometric study confirms that the relationship between competition and innovation takes an inverted U-shape due to the simultaneous influence of two opposing forces (‘Schumpeterian effect’ and the ‘escape competition effect’). However, we show further that this general result does not hold if we distinguish between public and private sector industries: we find an inverted-U shaped relationship between innovation and competition in the public sector, but, due to the high level of competition among private firms, not in the private sector. Moreover, we show that the public research sector is ‘innovative’ while the private sector seems to be a ‘catch-up’ sector. It suggests the key theoretical assumption that public manufacturing industries are technologically neck-and-neck with their counterparts in the private sector.
Sweating the “small stuff”: High-reliability organizing as a foundation for sustained superior performance

Achieving and sustaining superior relative performance is central to strategic organization research. Recently, strategic organization researchers have turned their attention to the broader set of people doing strategy work, how they do it, and what contributes to superior performance. We deepen this focus by arguing that operational activity on the front line is strategic. To illustrate how everyday operations become strategic, we draw on insights from high-reliability organizing to illustrate how leaders, through practices and behaviors, support a more strategic front line and a specific set of discursive practices known as mindful organizing. The everyday mindful work of front line operations is a crucial source of emerging opportunities and threats that underlie superior relative performance. We discuss the methodological implications of applying high-reliability organizing approaches to study strategic organization and how strategic organization research can broaden and enrich research on high reliability.
Effect of hormonal replacement therapy on skin biophysical properties of menopausal women

Background/purpose: Hormonal replacement therapy (HRT) has been shown in the past to influence well being as well as several somatic features in menopausal women. The aim of this analysis was to study the effect of HRT on various biophysical properties of the skin of menopausal women. Two sub‐samples were built to test the effect (1) of ‘short‐term’ HRT in recently menopausal women (n=15), and (2) the effect of ‘medium‐ and long‐term’ HRT in menopausal women (n=78).
The Critical Role of ECB in Addressing the Effects of the Recent Global Financial Crisis in the Eurozone

The Eurozone area was among the largest victims of the recent global financial crisis, as many member states faced bankruptcy or showed the derailment of their sovereign debts and deceleration of growth, if not recession. The present study tries to shed light on the crucial role of the European Central Bank (ECB) in addressing the severe negative effects of the credit crunch in the Eurozone, based on a qualitative assessment of the data provided on its official published reports. The analysis covers all the related measures taken, both conventional and unconventional, for the time period up to 2014, which focused on addressing the impairments caused in the existing transmission mechanism. Even more, it is pointed out that there is still a long way to run in order to achieve the desirable banking convergence. In conclusion, certain policies are suggested so as the role of ECB to be more effective and ensure financial stability along with equal and sustainable growth among all the member states, a necessary treaty for social welfare.
Factors associated with HIV-1 infection among sex workers of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

ObjectiveTo study the prevalence and risk factors for HIV infection among sex workers of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Design and methodsCross-sectional survey on socio-demographic characteristics, behaviours, and HIV serological status of sex workers attending two health centres of Addis Ababa. ResultsHIV prevalence among sex workers was 274 of 372 (73.7%). Several factors were significantly associated with an increased risk of being HIV-infected [among others, working in ‘shared rooms', high number of clients, use of injectable hormones, and positive Treponema pallidum particle agglutination (TPPA) serology], and others with a decreased risk (being born in Addis Ababa, high level of education, peer education on sex work, condom use, use of oral pill, and use of condoms for contraception). Of interest, sex workers who were using condoms for contraception were, compared with others, more likely to use condoms consistently (65 versus 24%, respectively;P < 0.001), and less likely to be HIV-infected (55 versus 86%, respectively;P < 0.001). In multivariate analysis [log-binomial model, giving estimates of the prevalence ratio (PR)], being born in Addis Ababa (PR = 0.74; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.61–0.91), using condoms for contraception (PR = 0.73; 95% CI, 0.64–0.85), and a positive TPPA serology (PR = 1.21; 95% CI, 1.09–1.36), remained significantly associated with HIV infection. ConclusionsHIV prevalence was remarkably high among sex workers of Addis Ababa. Condom use was higher, and HIV prevalence lower, in sex workers using condoms not only for prevention of HIV and sexually transmitted diseases, but also for contraceptive purpose. This finding is of particular interest for its implications for prevention strategies among sex workers in the developing world.
A home-based rehabilitation program for the hemiplegic upper extremity by power-assisted functional electrical stimulation

Purpose. To assess the effects of daily power-assisted functional electrical stimulation (FES) home program therapy in chronic stroke. Methods. A total of 20 consecutively enrolled stroke patients with spastic upper-extremity impairments >1 year after stroke were recruited for this non-blinded randomized controlled trial. Subjects were assigned to control and FES groups and followed for 5 months. The FES group used a power-assisted FES device to induce greater muscle contraction by electrical stimulation in proportion to the integrated electromyography (EMG) signal picked up on surface electrodes. Target muscles were the extensor carpi radialis longus (ECRL) and extensor carpi radialis brevis (ECRB), extensor digitorum communis (EDC), extensor indicis proprius (EIP), and deltoid (Del). Patients underwent 30 ∼ 60 min FES sessions at home about 6 days/week. Root mean square (RMS) of ECRL, EDC and Del maximum voluntary EMGs, active range of motion (ROM) of wrist and finger extension and shoulder flexion, modified Ashworth scale (MAS), and clinical tests were investigated before and after FES training. Results. The FES group displayed significantly greater improvements in RMS, active ROM, MAS and functional hand tests, and was able to smoothly perform activities of daily life using the hemiplegic upper extremities. Conclusions. Daily power-assisted FES home program therapy can effectively improve wrist and finger extension and shoulder flexion. Proprioceptional sensory feedback might play an important role in power-assisted FES therapy.
Pitch accent variation and realization in interactive discourse in Australian English

This paper examines pre-nuclear and nuclear pitch accent variation and realization in map task interactions for Standard Australian English. An analysis of pitch accent choice in accented words reveals that pitch accent type is not always critical to the realization of information structure categories; for instance in the case of informational focus participants often use a range of pitch accent shapes. Nevertheless nuclear bitonal accents (e.g. L+H* pitch accents) are scaled higher than simple H* pitch accents across the board in line with previous findings for other English varieties. Furthermore there is evidence of an interaction between dialog act, pitch accent choice and realization with more rising and/or higher scaled accents used in particular kinds of interactions.
The Effect of Consumption Taxes on Poverty and Income Inequality in Kenya

Kenya faces high poverty level with the 47 per cent of the population living below the poverty line. The Gini coefficient was 0.445 in 2013, an indication of high inequality in welfare of the people (KNBS and SID, 2013). Consumption tax contributes significantly to total collections and was about 39 per cent of total tax revenues in 2015 (KNBS, 2016). There have been continuous reforms in the administration of consumption taxes. With the global agenda giving high priority to poverty eradication and enhancing equity, a study focusing on how consumption taxes influences income distribution is crucial. This paper investigates how consumption taxes can be used to reduce poverty and promote income equality in Kenya. Two OLS models are estimated; one to show the effect of consumption on income inequality and the other to show how consumption taxes influence welfare through its effect on GDP per capita. The findings confirm that consumption taxes are regressive. Consumption tax is positively related to GDP per capita. The research recommends restricted use of differentiated rates. The differentiated rate should be well targeted to the poor; lower rates are to be applied on basic goods which the poor spend more of their income on compared to the rich. Taxes collected can be utilized to provide essential facilities targeting the poor. It is necessary for the government to ensure the tax system is efficient and at the same time it redistributes wealth
Localization of the mRNA for the Angiotensin II Receptor Subtype 2 (AT2) in Follicular Granulosa Cells of the Rat Ovary by Nonradioactive In Situ Hybridization

SUMMARY The ovary is one of the organs in which an intrinsic renin-angiotensin system (RAS) has been described. Among angiotensin II receptors, the angiotensin II receptor sub-type 2 (AT2) is believed to play an important role in mediating or modulating a variety of intraovarian processes. Previous studies were mainly based on ligand binding techniques using AT2 receptor-specific antagonists. Despite the recent cloning of the AT2 gene, no information is available about the exact intraovarian distribution of AT2 mRNA expression. Therefore, we analyzed ovaries from sexually mature, untreated rats by nonradioactive in situ hybridzation using an AT2-specific anti-sense RNA probe. Experiments were performed on perfusion-fixed ovaries obtained from different stages of the estrous cycle. As an important finding, strong AT2 mRNA expression could be demonstrated exclusively in follicular granulosa cells. Follicles containing AT2 mRNA-positve granulosa cells were mainly in the advanced tertiary stage of follicular development, already exhibiting features of atresia. In addition, individual collapsed, definitive atretic follicles also showed strong AT2 mRNA expression solely in granulosa cells. In corpora lutea and in other structures of the ovary, no message for the AT2 receptor could be detected under these conditions. These data may contribute to a better understanding of the effects exerted by an intraovarian RAS.
Preliminary criteria for the classification of Sjögren's syndrome. Results of a prospective concerted action supported by the European Community.

OBJECTIVE Different sets of diagnostic criteria have been proposed for Sjögren's syndrome (SS), but none have been validated with a large series of patients or in a multicenter study. We conducted the present study involving 26 centers from 12 countries (11 in Europe, plus Israel), with the goals of reaching a consensus on the diagnostic procedures for SS and defining classification criteria to be used in epidemiologic surveys and adopted by the scientific community. METHODS The study protocol was subdivided into two parts. For part I, questionnaires regarding both ocular and oral involvement were developed; they included 13 questions and 7 questions, respectively. For part II a limited set of diagnostic tests was selected, and the exact procedure to be followed in performing these tests was defined. Part I of the study included 240 patients with primary SS and 240 age- and sex-matched controls. Two hundred forty-six patients with primary SS, 201 with secondary SS, 113 with connective tissue diseases but without associated SS, and 133 control patients were studied in part II. RESULTS The study resulted in (a) the validation of a simple 6-item questionnaire for determination of dry eyes and dry mouth, which showed good discriminant power between patients and controls, to be used in the initial screening for sicca syndrome; and (b) the definition of a new set of criteria for the classification of SS. The sensitivity and specificity of the criteria in correctly identifying patients with either the primary or the secondary variant of SS were also determined. CONCLUSION Using the findings of this prospective multicenter European study, general agreement can be reached on the diagnostic procedures to be used for patients with SS. Final validation of the preliminary classification criteria for SS is underway.
Resistance to serum bactericidal activity distinguishes Brazilian purpuric fever (BPF) case strains of Haemophilus influenzae biogroup aegyptius (H. aegyptius) from non-BPF strains. Brazilian Purpuric Fever Study Group

We studied the ability of normal human serum to lyse H. influenzae biogroup aegyptius (H. aegyptius) isolates recovered from patients with Brazilian purpuric fever (BPF clone) or non-BPF clone strains. BPF clone isolates, although similar to non-BPF clone isolates with regard to the ability to fix C3 to their surfaces, could be distinguished from non-BPF clone strains by their resistance to lysis in vitro following incubation with normal adult human serum.
The neurotoxicity induced by ethanol withdrawal in mature organotypic hippocampal slices might involve cross-talk between metabotropic glutamate type 5 receptors and N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors.

BACKGROUND We recently reported that the sodium salt of acamprosate (Na-acamprosate) demonstrates the characteristics of an antagonist at metabotropic glutamate type 5 receptors (mGluR5s) rather than at N-methyl-d-aspartate receptors (NMDARs). Because mGluR5s are able to enhance the function of NMDARs, this interplay may be involved in the dysregulation of glutamatergic transmission during ethanol withdrawal. The following studies use organotypic hippocampal slice cultures at a mature age to investigate the potential for this interplay in the neurotoxicity associated with withdrawal from long-term ethanol exposure. METHODS At 25 days in vitro, organotypic hippocampal slice cultures prepared from male and female 8-day-old rats were exposed to an initial concentration of 100 mM ethanol for 10 days before undergoing a 24-hr period of withdrawal. The effects of Na-acamprosate; 2-methyl-6-(2-phenylethenyl)pyridine (SIB-1893), a noncompetitive antagonist at mGluR5s; 7-(hydroxyimino)cyclopropa[b]chromen-1a-carboxylate ethyl ester, a noncompetitive antagonist at mGluR1s; dizocilpine (MK-801), a noncompetitive NMDAR antagonist; and staurosporine on the neurotoxicity induced by ethanol withdrawal were assessed by determining differences in propidium iodide uptake. Polypeptide levels of mGluR5s and the NR1 and NR2B subunits of NMDARs were also determined via Western blot analyses after 10 days of ethanol exposure. RESULTS Significant neurotoxicity was always evident in the CA1 hippocampal region after a 24-hr withdrawal period. This spontaneous neurotoxicity resulted from intrinsic changes induced by the long-term presence of ethanol. Na-acamprosate (200-1000 microM), SIB-1893 (200-500 microM), MK-801 (20 microM), and staurosporine (200 nM) were all neuroprotective. The polypeptide levels of mGluR5s and NR1 and NR2B subunits of NMDARs were all increased after ethanol exposure; however, the increase in mGluR5s did not achieve statistical significance. CONCLUSIONS From this model of long-term ethanol exposure and withdrawal, the functional interplay between mGluR5s and NMDARs might represent a novel target for the prevention of neurotoxicity associated with ethanol withdrawal.
Life in the Goldilocks Zone: Perceptions of Place Disruption on the Periphery of the Bakken Shale

ABSTRACT Community impacts from oil development in the Bakken Shale, located in the north central region of the United States, have been well reported in the press, including highly publicized accounts of social disruption. Less examined are communities on the periphery of such development, which experience related impacts unique to their location. Twenty-eight long-time residents from three Bakken periphery communities were interviewed to evaluate social and environmental impact perceptions, including perceived risks of place disruption. Findings suggest that whereas place meanings and identities were disrupted by the oil boom in Bakken core communities, they remain intact in these periphery communities. Findings further suggest periphery residents view their proximal location to the Bakken region as a social and economic “Goldilocks Zone:” close enough to benefit from spillover economic impacts, yet far enough away to avoid serious negative social impacts. This research extends understanding of place disruption and development impacts in energy periphery communities.
Screening digital rectal examination and prostate cancer mortality: a case-control study

Background Prostate cancer is the second most common cause of death from cancer in men in the United States. Digital rectal examination is the oldest and most commonly used screening test for prostate cancer, but as yet there are no studies which demonstrate its effectiveness. Methods A case-control study was conducted among members of a large health maintenance organisation to estimate the effect of screening digital rectal examination on mortality from prostate cancer. 150 men, aged 40–84 when cancer was diagnosed, who developed fatal prostate cancer, and 299 male controls matched for age who did not die from prostate cancer were studied. A history of screening digital rectal examination during the 10 years before the date on which cancer was diagnosed was determined from medical records. Results A similar proportion of men who died from prostate cancer and controls had undergone at least one screening digital rectal examination during the 10 year interval (odds ratio = 0.84, 95% confidence interval 0.48 to 1.46). Similar results were obtained when a shorter interval (such as five years before diagnosis) during which screening histories were evaluated was considered, or in analyses in which men with a history of benign prostatic hypertrophy were excluded. Conclusions The data suggest that screening digital rectal examination does not reduce mortality from prostate cancer to any appreciable degree.
The knowledge, concerns and healthcare practices among physicians regarding electronic cigarettes

ABSTRACT Background: Electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) are battery-powered devices that deliver aerosolized nicotine. With easy access and over-the-counter availability, many patients consider using electronic cigarettes for smoking cessation. Few studies have looked at long-term safety/efficacy and physician knowledge/attitudes toward e-cigarettes. Physicians have insufficient guidelines for advising their patients about e-cigarettes. Objective: 1) To identify knowledge and attitude of health care practitioners toward electronic cigarettes. 2) To identify the effect of level of training, experience and speciality on knowledge and practice of electronic cigarettes. 3) To identify factors influencing electronic cigarettes advise/prescribing practice. Methods: An anonymous online questionnaire was sent to residents, fellows, and faculty in pre-selected specialties at Saint Louis University (SLU) Hospital. Results: We received 115 responses. Nine percent reported being ‘very familiar’ with e-cigarettes, while 25% reported no familiarity; 18% of physicians would advise e-cigarettes as nicotine-replacement therapy if asked by patients; 91% were aware of the nicotine content of e-cigarettes, but only 20% and 39%, respectively, were aware of the presence of carcinogens and polyethylene glycol. Only 63% of respondents knew what ‘vape’ meant. Lack of evidence regarding long-term safety (76%), e-cigarettes as starter products for nonsmokers (50%), absence of Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations (51%) and marketing to youth (42%) were major concerns. Stricter regulations (54%), warning labels similar to tobacco products (53%), restricting advertising (36%), banning sales to minors (34%), and banning use in public spaces (25%) were favored as regulatory measures. More than 50% of physicians see a role for e-cigarettes as part of ‘harm-reduction strategy’. Conclusions: Further research is needed to assess whether e- cigarettes could be an effective smoking-cessation tool. There is an apparent knowledge deficit among physicians and an urgent need for evidence-based guidelines to aid with advising patients enquiring about e-cigarettes.
Examining Functioning and Contextual Factors in Individuals with Joint Contractures from the Health Professional Perspective Using the ICF: An International Internet‐Based Qualitative Expert Survey

Purpose: The aim of this study was to identify disease‐related aspects of functioning and disability in people with joint contractures from a health professionals' perspective and to describe the findings, using categories of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF). Design: An Internet‐based expert survey. Methods: We asked international health professionals for typical problems in functioning and important contextual factors of individuals with joint contractures using an Internet‐based open‐ended questionnaire. All answers were linked to the ICF according to established rules. Absolute and relative frequencies of the linked ICF categories were reported. Findings: Eighty experts named 1785 meaning units which could be linked to 256 ICF categories. Among the categories, 24.2% belonged to the component Body Functions, 20.7% to Body Structures, 36.3% to Activities and Participation, and 18.8% to Environmental Factors. Conclusion: Health professionals addressed a large variety of functional problems and multifaceted aspects due to the symptom joint contractures. Clinical Relevance: International health professionals reported a large variety of aspects of functioning and health, which are related to joint contractures.