Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Justice needs, strategies, and mechanisms for the displaced : Reviewing the evidence

This paper provides an overview of the evidence available about the specific justice needs of people displaced because of conflict. It discusses the strategies they use to respond to these needs; the justice and security providers available to displaced people; and the various mechanisms in place to promote and support justice and help them address their justice concerns. A systematic review of the scientific and nonscientific sources available, focused on conflict-affected countries in sub-Saharan Africa, illustrates that little is known about any of these topics. Limited evidence shows displaced people face violence, exploitation, and abuse, while the justice mechanisms available and accessible to them vary greatly. In some instances, the displaced engage with the prevailing mechanisms of justice in their host communities, while in others they replicate or reinvent their original justice systems. We identify the flaws (or gaps) in the literature and argue for more in-depth studies paying attention to the specific justice needs of displaced people. We believe further reflection can help bring about the development of more effective justice-enhancing mechanisms to respond to the needs of this particular group.
Dietary assessment methods for micronutrient intake: a systematic review on vitamins

The EURRECA Network of Excellence is working towards the development of aligned micronutrient recommendations across Europe. The purpose of the present study was to define how to identify dietary intake validation studies in adults pertaining to vitamins. After establishing a search strategy, we conducted a MEDLINE and EMBASE literature review. A scoring system was developed to rate the quality of each validation study according to sample size, statistical methods, data collection procedure, seasonality and vitamin supplement use. This produced a quality index with possible scores obtained ranging from 0·5 to 7. Five thousand four-hundred and seventy-six papers were identified. The numbers meeting the inclusion criteria were: for vitamin A, 76; vitamin C, 108; vitamin D, 21; vitamin E, 75; folic acid, 47; vitamin B12, 19; vitamin B6, 21; thiamine, 49; riboflavin, 49; and niacin, 32. The most frequently used method to ascertain dietary intake was the Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ), whereas dietary records (DR) and 24-h recalls were the most used reference methods. The correlation coefficients (CC) between vitamin intakes estimated by FFQ and the reference method were weighted according to the study's quality index and ranged from 0·41 to 0·53 when the reference method was the DR and from 0·43 to 0·67 when the reference was 24-h recalls. A minority of studies (n 33) used biomarkers for validation and in these the CC ranged from 0·26 to 0·38. The FFQ is an acceptable method of assessing vitamin intake. The present review provides new insights regarding the characteristics that assessment methods for dietary intake should fulfil.
Differential transport of platinum compounds by the human organic cation transporter hOCT2 (hSLC22A2)

Background: Solute carriers (SLCs), in particular organic cation transporters (OCTs), have been implicated in the cellular uptake of platinum‐containing anticancer compounds. The activity of these carriers may determine the pharmacokinetics and the severity of side effects, including neuro‐ and nephrotoxicity of platinum‐based chemotherapy. As decreased drug accumulation is a key mechanism of platinum resistance, SLCs may also contribute to the development of resistance. Here, we define the role of hSLC22A2 (OCT2) in the cellular uptake of platinum compounds.
Th17 promotes acute rejection following liver transplantation in rats

T help cell 17 (Th17), recently identified as a new subset of CD4+ T cells, has been implicated in autoimmune diseases, tumor immunity, and transplant rejection. To investigate the role of Th17 in acute hepatic rejection, a rat model of allogeneic liver transplantation (Dark Agouti (DA) to Brown Norway (BN)) was established and isogeneic liver transplantation (BN to BN) was used as controls in the study. The expression of Th17-related cytokines in the liver and peripheral blood was determined by immunohistochemistry, flow cytometry, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), or real-time quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). Strong expression of interleukin-17A (IL-17A), IL-6, transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β), IL-8, and myeloperoxidase (MPO) was observed in liver allografts. The ratios of Th17 to CD4+ lymphocytes in the liver and peripheral blood were dramatically increased in the allograft group compared with the control (P<0.01). Secreted IL-17 and IL-6 in liver homogenate and serum were significantly elevated in the allograft group, while secreted TGF-β was increased in liver homogenate and decreased in serum compared with the control (P<0.01). The messenger RNA (mRNA) levels of IL-17, IL-21, and IL-23 were enhanced in the allografts compared with the control (P<0.01). Correlation analysis showed significant correlations between IL-17 and IL-6 and TGF-β and between IL-17 and IL-21 and IL-23. The present study demonstrates that Th17 plays a role in promoting rat liver allograft rejection.
Genuine episodic memory deficits and executive dysfunctions in alcoholic subjects early in abstinence.

BACKGROUND Chronic alcoholism is known to impair episodic memory function, but the specific nature of this impairment is still unclear. Moreover, it has never been established whether episodic memory deficit in alcoholism is an intrinsic memory deficit or whether it has an executive origin. Thus, the objectives are to specify which episodic memory processes are impaired early in abstinence from alcohol and to determine whether they should be regarded as genuine memory deficits or rather as the indirect consequences of executive impairments. METHODS Forty recently detoxified alcoholic inpatients at alcohol entry treatment and 55 group-matched controls underwent a neuropsychological assessment of episodic memory and executive functions. The episodic memory evaluation consisted of 3 tasks complementing each other designed to measure the different episodic memory components (learning, storage, encoding and retrieval, contextual memory, and autonoetic consciousness) and 5 executive tasks testing capacities of organization, inhibition, flexibility, updating, and integration. RESULTS Compared with control subjects, alcoholic patients presented impaired learning abilities, encoding processes, retrieval processes, contextual memory and autonoetic consciousness. However, there was no difference between the 2 groups regarding the storage capacities assessed by the rate of forgetting. Concerning executive functions, alcoholic subjects displayed deficits in each executive task used. Nevertheless, stepwise regression analyses showed that only performances on fluency tasks were significantly predictive of some of the episodic memory disorders (learning abilities for 40%, encoding processes for 20%, temporal memory for 21%, and state of consciousness associated with memories for 26%) in the alcoholic group. DISCUSSION At alcohol treatment entry, alcoholic patients present genuine episodic memory deficits that cannot be regarded solely as the consequences of executive dysfunctions. These results are in accordance with neuroimaging findings showing hippocampal atrophy. Moreover, given the involvement of episodic memory and executive functions in alcohol treatment, these data could have clinical implications.
Inhibition of TGF-β1 Signaling Promotes Central Memory T Cell Differentiation

This study affirmed that isolated CD8+ T cells express mRNA and produce TGF-β following cognate peptide recognition. Blockage of endogenous TGF-β with either a TGF-β–blocking Ab or a small molecule inhibitor of TGF-βRI enhances the generation of CD62Lhigh/CD44high central memory CD8+ T cells accompanied with a robust recall response. Interestingly, the augmentation within the central memory T cell pool occurs in lieu of cellular proliferation or activation, but with the expected increase in the ratio of the Eomesoderm/T-bet transcriptional factors. Yet, the signal transduction pathway(s) seems to be noncanonical, independent of SMAD or mammalian target of rapamycin signaling. Enhancement of central memory generation by TGF-β blockade is also confirmed in human PBMCs. The findings underscore the role(s) that autocrine TGF-β plays in T cell homeostasis and, in particular, the balance of effector/memory and central/memory T cells. These results may provide a rationale to targeting TGF-β signaling to enhance Ag-specific CD8+ T cell memory against a lethal infection or cancer.
Structural Quarterly Projection Model for Belarus

Belarusian authorities contemplate transiting to inflation targeting. The paper suggests a small structural model at the core of the forecasting and policy analysis system. A well-researched canonical structure of Berg, A. , Karam, P. and D. Laxton (2006) is extended to capture specifics of Belarusian economy and macroeconomic policy. The modified model’s policy block reflects a monetary targeting regime and allows for transition from it to an interest-rate-based framework. Adding wages, directed lending and dollarization allow for studying implications of activist wage policy, state program lending, and dollarization for macroeconomic stability and the strength of the policy transmission mechanism.
Accounting for Relatedness in Family Based Genetic Association Studies

Objective: Assess the differences in point estimates, power and type 1 error rates when accounting for and ignoring family structure in genetic tests of association. Methods: We compare by simulation the performance of analytic models using variance components to account for family structure and regression models that ignore relatedness for a range of possible family based study designs (i.e., sib pairs vs. large sibships vs. nuclear families vs. extended families). Results: Our analyses indicate that effect size estimates and power are not significantly affected by ignoring family structure. Type 1 error rates increase when family structure is ignored, as density of family structures increases, and as trait heritability increases. For discrete traits with moderate levels of heritability and across many common sampling designs, type 1 error rates rise from a nominal 0.05 to 0.11. Conclusion: Ignoring family structure may be useful in screening although it comes at a cost of a increased type 1 error rate, the magnitude of which depends on trait heritability and pedigree configuration.
Social Capital and Organizational Citizenship Behavior: Double-Mediation of Emotional Regulation and Job Engagement

Despite an enduring interest in emotional labor, the effects of social capital on the emotional regulation process remain relatively underexplored. Using the job demands-resources model, we propose that social capital provides employees with the job resources required for deep acting. We also propose a double-mediation effect of deep or surface acting and job engagement, through which employee social capital can increase organizational citizenship behavior (OCB). Empirical results using data from 330 employees selling financial or insurance products in South Korea support our hypotheses that deep acting by sales employees and job engagement sequentially mediate the positive relationship between social capital and OCB.
Financial Performance and Dividend Policy

Past studies on the relationship between dividend policy and firm performance continue being an unresolved predicament with few studies interrogating the causality relationship between financial performance and dividend policy. The purpose of this study was to establish the nature of relationship between financial performance and dividend policy of firms listed at the Nairobi securities exchange. The study applied positivism research philosophy and descriptive causal research design. The study was anchored on hypothetical view that the relationship between financial performance and dividend policy of firms listed at the Nairobi securities exchange is not significant which was tested against a sample size of 31 firms listed at the Nairobi securities exchange selected using purposive sampling technique. The research findings were as follows: There was a statistically significant direct association between return on equity and dividend policy. This implies that as firm profitability improve; a corresponding proportionate change in dividend payout ratio is initiated by management. In addition, it was established that there was a statistically significant positive linkage between operating cash flows and dividend policy which denotes that as cash flow levels from operating activities change, dividend payout ratio will change in the same direction leading to increased distribution of cash dividend to investors. Also, a statistically significant direct connection between price earnings and dividend policy was established. This relationship shows that increase in share market value positively prompts increased dividend payout ratio whereby the management follow a more acceptable dividend policy by the shareholders. However, market to book value depicted a weak insignificant inverse relationship with dividend policy and was dropped. In general it was concluded that the link between financial performance and dividend policy of firms listed at the Nairobi securities exchange was significant. The study outcome augment existing knowledge on financial performance and dividend policy for it is evident that firms with ability to generate income directly influence dividend payout ratio and therefore, top management should focus on financial performance strategies and not dividend policy which is irrelevant. Regulatory bodies such as Capital Market Authority and Centre for Corporate Governance use these research findings to improve their financial viability assessment approach of firms listed at the Nairobi securities exchange.
Identiﬁcation and Functional Characterization of Neo-Poly(A) Polymerase, an RNA Processing Enzyme Overexpressed in Human Tumors

Poly(A) polymerase (PAP) plays an essential role in polyadenylation of mRNA precursors, and it has long been thought that mammalian cells contain only a single PAP gene. We describe here the unexpected existence of a human PAP, which we call neo-PAP, encoded by a previously uncharacterized gene. cDNA was isolated from a tumor-derived cDNA library encoding an 82.8-kDa protein bearing 71% overall similarity to human PAP. Strikingly, the organization of the two PAP genes is nearly identical, indicating that they arose from a common ancestor. Neo-PAP and PAP were indistinguishable in in vitro assays of both speciﬁc and nonspeciﬁc polyadenylation and also endonucleolytic cleavage. Neo-PAP produced by transfection was exclusively nuclear, as demonstrated by immunoﬂuorescence microscopy. However, notable sequence divergence between the C-terminal domains of neo-PAP and PAP suggested that the two enzymes might be differentially regulated. While PAP is phosphorylated throughout the cell cycle and hyperphosphorylated during M phase, neo-PAP did not show evidence of phosphorylation on Western blot analysis, which was unexpected in the context of a conserved
The Bank Card Market: a Comparative Analysis of Ukraine and its Neighboring Countries

Abstract The purpose of this study is to define the major determinants of the bank card market to investigate the banking sector of different countries. Using three models of ranking, we discuss what can be used to rank the financial market and how it translates into the ranking of the bank card market. We use comparative analysis to verify our assumption, referring to a total of 8 countries: Ukraine and its neighboring countries. Afterward, we conduct a more in-depth analysis of two cases (Poland and Ukraine) as two similar bank card markets. The research question is founded on the assumption that for a comparative analysis, it is necessary to use a system of interrelated indicators of bank payment cards, ATMs and POS terminals as the explicative variables.
Assessment of Total Choline Intakes in the United States

Objective: Choline is an essential nutrient and plays a critical role in brain development, cell signaling, nerve impulse transmission, and lipid transport and metabolism. This analysis aimed to assess usual intakes of choline and compare them with the dietary reference intakes for U.S. residents aged ≥2 years. Methods: The National Cancer Institute method was used to assess usual intakes of choline from foods according to data for participants in the 2009–2012 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES; n = 16,809). Results: Suboptimal intakes of choline are prevalent across many life-stage subpopulations in the United States. Only 10.8 ± 0.6% of 2009–2012 NHANES participants aged ≥2 years (15.6 ± 0.8% of males and 6.1 ± 0.6% of females) achieved the adequate intake (AI) for choline. Children aged 2–3 years were the most likely to exceed the AI (62.9 ± 3.1%), followed by children aged 4–8 years (45.4 ± 1.6%) and children aged 9–13 years (9.0 ± 1.0%), compared to adolescents aged 14–18 years (1.8 ± 0.4%) and adults aged ≥19 years (6.6 ± 0.5%). When comparing by age and gender, males consumed significantly more choline than females for all age groups. Conclusions: These data indicate that there is a need to increase awareness among health professionals and consumers regarding potential suboptimal intakes of choline in the United States, as well as the critical role that choline plays in health maintenance throughout the lifespan. Food scientists and the food and dietary supplement industries should consider working collectively with government agencies to discuss strategies to help offset the percentage of the population that does not meet the AI. Revision of the dietary reference intakes for choline should include replacement of the AI with an estimated average requirement and a recommended dietary allowance, so that more accurate population estimates of inadequate intakes may be calculated.
Homicide, Psychopathy, and Aging—A Nationwide Register‐based Case‐comparison Study of Homicide Offenders Aged 60 Years or Older *

Abstract: With populations aging there have been some concerns on elderly offending. We compared elderly homicide offenders with a younger comparison group with special emphasis on psychopathy. We analyzed nationwide register‐based material on all homicide offenders aged 60 or older who were in a forensic psychiatric examination in Finland 1995–2004 and their gender‐matched comparison group of younger homicide offenders. The offenders 60 years or older were diagnosed less often than the younger ones with drug dependence and personality disorders and more often with dementia and physical illnesses. The mean Psychopathy Checklist—Revised total scores as well as factor and facet scores were lower in the 60 or older age group. The group 60 years or older had significantly lower scores on eight individual items of social deviance. The interpersonal/affective factor 1 scores did not differ. Understanding the possible underlying phenomena of violent behavior may provide help for developing services for the elderly.
Pride, Paternalism, Prejudice—Images of the Working Class

What has happened with the image of the working class? The hero in the construction of the Nordic Model was the labor movement (and the working class). For a long time, this was the dominant picture of the Norwegian working class. However, the societal trends of the past decades have, in a peculiar way, given the working class a central place in political discussions and in the public sphere, but now, a more ambivalent image emerges. In a somewhat paternalistic way, the worker image in political and academic debates as well as in part of the public sphere is typically that of a person unsuccessful in the educational system. Even a third image is identifiable in the public sphere—a prejudice imagery—in which the class is labelled as unhealthy, abusing the welfare system, culturally unsophisticated, and politically dangerous, moving toward right-wing populism. The ambition of the paper is to present these different images of the working class.
Alcohol and drug use in victims of life-threatening trauma.

OBJECTIVE Alcohol and drug use has been implicated as a contributing factor to all types of trauma. This investigation seeks to determine the prevalence of alcohol and drug use in patients who are victims of life-threatening injuries and the association of alcohol and drug use with intentional trauma. METHODS The Medical Center of Louisiana at New Orleans (Charity Campus) trauma registry was used to identify patients sustaining life-threatening injuries that presented to our American College of Surgeons Level 1 trauma center over a 6-month period. Serum ethanol levels and urine toxicology were assessed at initial presentation for all patients. RESULTS A total of 557 patients were evaluated. Seventy percent (n = 319) of tested patients (n = 450) had positive serum ethanol and/or urine toxicology results. Male gender (75% vs. 55%; p < 0.001) was associated with positive screens; ethnicity was not. No difference in hospital days or mortality was seen between positive and negative screens. Victims of intentional trauma showed a higher percent of positive screens (80% vs. 63%; p < 0.005). CONCLUSION These data suggest that alcohol and drug use is associated with life-threatening injury, especially intentional injury. Prevention of substance abuse is essential for the prevention of trauma.
Current understanding of cellular and molecular events in intervertebral disc degeneration: implications for therapy

Until recently, material removed from the intervertebral disc (IVD) at surgery consisted either of ‘loose bodies’ from the centre of the IVD or discal tissue displaced (prolapsed) into the intervertebral root or spinal canals. This material is best regarded as a by‐product of disc degeneration and therefore not representative of the disease process itself. Recent advances in surgical techniques, particularly anterior fusion, in which large segments of the anterior part of the IVD are excised with the anatomical relationships between different components intact, have generated material that can be investigated with modern molecular and cell biological techniques. This is an important area of study because degeneration of the lumbar IVDs is associated, perhaps causally, with low back pain, one of the most common and debilitating conditions in the West. ‘Degeneration’ carries implications of inevitable progression of wear‐and‐tear associated conditions. Modern research on human IVD tissue has shown that this is far from the case and that disruption of the micro‐anatomy described as degeneration is an active process, regulated by locally produced molecules. The exciting consequence of this observation is the possibility of being able to inhibit or even reverse the processes of degeneration using targeted therapy. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.