Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Co-ethnic concentration and trust in Canada’s urban neighbourhoods

This study investigates the relationship between the density of people’s ethno-racial in-group in their neighbourhoods (co-ethnic concentration) and trust in their neighbours. Previous studies demonstrate that ethno-racial diversity decreases trust in others, however, these studies rely on overly broad definitions of diversity and of trust, and often do not disaggregate the effects for Whites and ethno-racial minorities. Hence, this study examines the relationship between co-ethnic concentration and trust, focusing on how this relationship may change depending upon one’s ethno-racial status. Putnam’s (2007) analysis leads to a paradox in the sense that, according to the same principle that predicts declining trust amongst Whites, increasing diversity should lead to greater levels of trust for ethno-racial minorities whose share of the population increases with diversification. The findings demonstrate that there is a positive relationship between co-ethnic concentration and trust in neighbours and that this relationship holds for Whites as well as ethno-racial minorities.
The Concept of a Toolbox of Outcome Measures for Children With Cerebral Palsy

Accurate and well-targeted measurement of a child’s abilities and participation in daily activities pre- and post-intervention is essential to understanding the effects of therapies provided by pediatric practitioners. There is growing interest in identification of outcome core sets for specified client groups. This article elaborates on the concepts to consider when selecting and interpreting measures from an outcomes toolbox for children with cerebral palsy. Principles discussed include use of self-report measures to open a dialogue with the child/parent; a holistic assessment approach to identify a child’s challenges, strengths, and contextual factors that can influence functioning; links between measurement and heightened engagement of the child/family in the rehabilitation process and goals; and the need to plan the evaluation and dialogue aspects of the assessment process. If clinicians across the international rehabilitation community draw from the same toolbox, the end result could be a cohesive approach and common language to outcome measurement.
Takotsubo cardiomyopathy in acute coronary syndrome; clinical features and contribution of cardiac magnetic resonance during the acute and convalescent phase

Abstract Objectives. Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TTC) is a diagnostic entity that is increasingly being recognized. Data from cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging and its impact on differential diagnosis are limited. Methods and results. After 26 months, coronary angiography revealed normal coronary arteries and left ventriculography and/or echocardiography left ventricular dysfunction with apical ballooning in 20 patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Four patients were excluded from CMR and in three patients an alternative diagnosis was revealed. Thirteen patients (all female; 60 ± 8 years) with TTC underwent a multisequential CMR, in which all showed myocardial oedema with an elevated T2 ratio in the apical region (2.4 ± 0.4; p < 0.001 vs. healthy controls), and five patients an elevated global relative enhancement (gRE; 3.7 ± 1.4; p < 0.05 vs. healthy controls). No late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) was detected on CMR. Follow-up after 132 ± 33 days showed a normalized left ventricular ejection fraction, myocardial mass, T2 ratio, and gRE in all patients. Conclusions. TTC is a small but definite group among patients with ACS and normal coronary arteries. CMR allows differentiating TTC from other causes such as myocarditis and cardiomyopathies, as well as to identify the transient increase of myocardial mass and resolution of myocardial oedema as the systolic dysfunction improves. Therefore, CMR might add valuable information for the differential diagnoses and therapeutic decision-making in patients with suspected TTC.
International advisory councils and internationalization of governance: a qualitative analysis

ABSTRACT This paper discusses the emergence of international advisory councils (IACs) at universities around the world and introduces the concept of internationalization of governance. Global trends in the field of higher education, such as the quest to create world-class universities and advance in global rankings, the rise of new public management, and internationalization have primed universities to create adjacent governing structures in the form of IACs. Primarily composed by international members, external to the university, IACs are positioned to offer advice on the strategic direction of the institution and its main challenges. In order to better understand this new phenomenon, we interviewed 20 members of different IACs and 6 representatives of universities hosting such structures. This paper presents the thematic analysis conducted on these interviews, answering questions about the composition, structures, modes of operation and effectiveness of IACs, as well as the motivations of members joining IACs and the driving rationales of host institutions. In addition, this paper advances a typology of IACs where three types of IACs are identified: transformative, prestige-oriented and symbolic.
Regulatory Effectiveness: Namibia's Communications Regulatory Framework

Communications regulatory frameworks are established to achieve regulatory objectives such as affordable pricing, universal ICT access and usage, and competition. These objectives may however not be met. In this paper however, we present the regulatory outcomes of Namibia’s communications regulatory framework. We studied the performance of the two dominant and publicly owned telecommunications corporations. We assessed how the national institutional endowment in relation to the regulatory governance and regulatory incentives, such as benchmarking, influenced the performance of the telecommunications sector. We use this analysis to explain the effectiveness of the regulatory framework in achieving the regulatory purpose. One of the major findings of the study was that the roles of the Minister of ICT, as policy maker and as shareholder representative over the dominant public operator Telecom Namibia Limited (TN) are in conflict. There is a concentration of the telecommunications market, with the exit of the only privately owned mobile cellular operator. A paradigm shift in policy is therefore required to address the poor performance of Namibia’s communications regulatory framework to be able to achieve the regulatory purpose.
Elongation of (CTG)n repeats in myotonic dystrophy protein kinase gene in tumors associated with myotonic dystrophy patients

Length of (CTG)n triplet repeats in myotonic dystrophy protein kinase gene (DMPK) was estimated in tumors, normal tissues of the same organs, muscles, and leukocytes from three myotonic dystrophy (DM) patients and a non‐DM patient. Using cDNA 25 as a probe, a Southern blot analysis of EcoRI‐ and BglI‐digested DNA from these tissues demonstrated the longest expansion of the repeats in the tumors of DM patients. In all tissues from a non‐DM patient, the repeat length was confirmed to be stable by PCR analysis. Our data suggest that expanded (CTG)n repeat in tumor tissues may have increased the instability. This study emphasizes the importance of a long‐term prospective study on the incidence of tumors in DM to clarify the pathological interrelation between the two entities. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Muscle Nerve 22: 1271–1274, 1999.
Paying for Improved Electricity Services in Developing Countries: Any Role for Previous Mitigation Action?

Self-generation (via small backup generators) is a common strategy often adopted by households to mitigate the impact of poor public electricity provision on their welfare. What is less well known, however, is whether (and how) ownership of a backup generator influences households’ behavior to pay for service reliability. This paper examines whether (and how) the ownership of a backup generator affects the households’ decisions to pay for improved grid service reliability in two south-western states of Nigeria. I employ event study methods, matching each household owning a backup to a control group of one or more non-backup households with similar characteristics. The results reveal that ownership of a backup generator significantly increases (rather than decreases) willingness to pay for reliability. This is despite the fact that owning a backup generator reduces the welfare impacts of unreliability, and despite facing fewer interruptions from the national grid. I also explore the extent to which the backed-up households’ WTP behavior might be linked to the cost of backup generation. Using the data on backup capacity from 461 households, I find that the cost (i.e., N34.73 or US$0.22) of self-generating a kWh is substantially higher than the stated WTP amount (i.e., N24.28 or $0.16) for an expected 1kWh improvement in public provision, suggesting that the decision of households with backup generators to pay higher amounts than non-backup households might be influenced by the previous (mitigation) costs of auto-generation.
The Negative Event Scale: Measuring frequency and intensity of adult hassles

Abstract This study examined the structure, concurrent validity, and reliability of a hassle measure for middle-aged adults in both event frequency and intensity recordings. The measure included a range of interpersonal day-to-day events and re-examined aspects of the primary appraisal confounding debate between Lazarus and colleagues (Lazarus, Delongis, Folkman, & Gruen, 1985) and Dohrenwend and Shrout (1985). Of the 373 participants, 73% were female, 72% were in paid work, 69% were in permanent relationships and 62% had children. Principal component analyses of separate hassle frequency and intensity scores highlighted components consistent with previous research. There were seven interpersonal and four non-interpersonal subscales associated with negative events with family and friends, work, health, money, and household. The subscales had very good reliability and concurrent validity and there were generally strong correlations (i.e. up .84) between frequency and intensity scores for each subscale. Given some important sampling limitations (e.g. female overrepresentation) the findings show a psychometrically sound hassle scale for adults.
Effects of (±) dobutamine and its (+) and (‐) enantiomers in the isolated rat portal vein

Summary— Employing the isolated rat portal vein for testing (±) dobutamine, and its (+) and (‐) enantiomers, we have confirmed the results obtained by Ruffolo et al (1981, 1983) using different methods. In the rat portal vein, (‐) dobutamine acts as an alpha agonist, less potent than noradrenaline. The race‐mate acts as an alpha‐agonist with about half the potency of (‐) dobutamine. The (+) isomer shows no effects. In the presence of the alpha blocker BE 2254, all compounds, (±), (+) and (‐) dobutamine, showed dose‐dependent beta effects. These were surely the result of the action on β2 adrenoreceptors since they could be antagonized by the potent and specific β2 antagonist ICI 118–551. We have found that (+) dobutamine is, as a β2 agonist, 355 to 1 480 times less potent than isoprenaline and 12–16 times more potent than (‐) dobutamine. The pA2 of ICI 118–551 against (+) dobutamine is 9,36 (±0,04). This high value is further proof that the beta receptor population of the rat portal vein is β2.
Pericyte‐derived bone morphogenetic protein 4 underlies white matter damage after chronic hypoperfusion

Subcortical small vessel disease (SVD) is characterized by white matter damage resulting from arteriolosclerosis and chronic hypoperfusion. Transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGFB1) is dysregulated in the hereditary SVD, CARASIL (cerebral autosomal recessive arteriopathy with subcortical infarcts and leukoencephalopathy). However, very little is known about the role of the largest group in the TGFB superfamily – the bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) – in SVD pathogenesis. The aim of this study was to characterize signaling abnormalities of BMPs in sporadic SVD. We examined immunostaining of TGFB1 and BMPs (BMP2/BMP4/BMP6/BMP7/BMP9) in a total of 19 post‐mortem human brain samples as follows: 7 SVD patients (4 males, 76–90 years old); 6 Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients (2 males, 67–93 years old) and 6 age‐matched disease controls (3 males, 68–78 years old). We subsequently investigated the effects of oxygen–glucose deprivation and BMP4 addition on cultured cells. Furthermore, adult mice were subjected to chronic cerebral hypoperfusion using bilateral common carotid artery stenosis, followed by continuous intracerebroventricular infusion of the BMP antagonist, noggin. In the SVD cases, BMP4 was highly expressed in white matter pericytes. Oxygen–glucose deprivation induced BMP4 expression in cultured pericytes in vitro. Recombinant BMP4 increased the number of cultured endothelial cells and pericytes and converted oligodendrocyte precursor cells into astrocytes. Chronic cerebral hypoperfusion in vivo also upregulated BMP4 with concomitant white matter astrogliogenesis and reduced oligodendrocyte lineage cells, both of which were suppressed by intracerebroventricular noggin infusion. Our findings suggest ischemic white matter damage evolves in parallel with BMP4 upregulation in pericytes. BMP4 promotes angiogenesis, but induces astrogliogenesis at the expense of oligodendrocyte precursor cell proliferation and maturation, thereby aggravating white matter damage. This may explain white matter vulnerability to chronic hypoperfusion. The regulation of BMP4 signaling is a potential therapeutic strategy for treating SVD.
Analysis of drug resistance‐associated mutations in treatment‐naïve individuals infected with different genetic forms of HIV‐1 circulating in countries of the former Soviet Union

There are few data on drug resistance‐associated mutations in the former Soviet Union since, studies have usually been focused on the env or gag genes for subtype information. This study examines the prevalence and patterns of resistance‐associated mutations to reverse transcriptase and protease inhibitors (RTI, PRI) in 278 HIV‐1‐infected treatment‐naïve subjects from countries of Eastern Europe, and defines characteristic polymorphisms of RT and PR sequences in HIV‐1 subtype A viruses. Blood samples were collected between 1997 and 2004. Plasma RNA was used for PR‐RT amplification by reverse transcription coupled with nested PCR and sequencing. Phylogenetic analysis was done with neighbor‐joining trees and bootscanning. Analysis of drug resistance mutations, with Stanford University HIV Drug Resistance Database's algorithm, resulted in an overall prevalence of 12.9% resistance to RTI and 3.9% to PRI. The most frequent substitutions in the RT region were at positions 62 and 236. V77I substitution in PR was found in 47.8% of samples. Polymorphisms in subtype A sequences were identified. This is the first study reporting the prevalence and patterns of both PRI and RTI resistance‐associated mutations in naïve HIV‐1 infected patients from the former Soviet Union. These data underline the importance of genotypic resistance testing of chronically HIV‐1‐infected patients before initiating treatment, in order to select the most suitable drug regimen. J. Med. Virol. 77:337–344, 2005. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
High frequency magnetic properties of FeCoBSi/SiO/sub 2/ and (FeCo/CoB)/SiO/sub 2/ multilayer thin films

Soft magnetic, magnetostrictive (Fe/sub 90/Co/sub 10/)/sub 78/Si/sub 12/B/sub 10/ thin films and Fe/sub 50/Co/sub 50//Co/sub 80/B/sub 20/ multilayers are used in high frequency applications like stress sensors or transmission-line structures. The devices are based on strip-lines with incorporated magnetic thin films, in order to increase the inductance of the strip. However, relatively thick (/spl ap/1 /spl mu/m) magnetic layers are necessary to reach a high inductance. In both investigated applications high losses (imaginary part of permeability /spl mu//sub ac/") are deteriorating the high frequency properties and thus applicability of the devices. One source of losses are eddy currents in the magnetic layers. A possible way to reduce these eddy currents is to fabricate magnetic/dielectric multilayers. Theory predicts important changes in permeability, when comparing the multilayers with a corresponding single layer magnetic film. Fig.1. shows a calculation for a 2/spl mu/m FeCoSiB and a 25/spl times/80 nm/50 nm FeCoSiB/SiO/sub 2/ multilayer. /spl mu/' is reduced by a factor of 1.6 whereas /spl mu/" is decreased by a factor of 6.2 at 0.1 GHz. The resonance peak in /spl mu/" is shifted to higher frequencies.
Identification of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae RNA:pseudouridine synthase responsible for formation of psi(2819) in 21S mitochondrial ribosomal RNA.

So far, four RNA:pseudouridine (Psi)-synthases have been identified in yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Together, they act on cytoplasmic and mitochondrial tRNAs, U2 snRNA and rRNAs from cytoplasmic ribosomes. However, RNA:Psi-synthases responsible for several U-->Psi conversions in tRNAs and UsnRNAs remained to be identified. Based on conserved amino-acid motifs in already characterised RNA:Psi-synthases, four additional open reading frames (ORFs) encoding putative RNA:Psi-synthases were identified in S.cerevisiae. Upon disruption of one of them, the YLR165c ORF, we found that the unique Psi residue normally present in the fully matured mitochondrial rRNAs (Psi(2819)in 21S rRNA) was missing, while Psi residues at all the tested pseudo-uridylation sites in cytoplasmic and mitochondrial tRNAs and in nuclear UsnRNAs were retained. The selective U-->Psi conversion at position 2819 in mitochondrial 21S rRNA was restored when the deleted yeast strain was transformed by a plasmid expressing the wild-type YLR165c ORF. Complementation was lost after point mutation (D71-->A) in the postulated active site of the YLR165c-encoded protein, indicating the direct role of the YLR165c protein in Psi(2819)synthesis in mitochondrial 21S rRNA. Hence, for nomenclature homogeneity the YLR165c ORF was renamed PUS5 and the corresponding RNA:Psi-synthase Pus5p. As already noticed for other mitochondrial RNA modification enzymes, no canonical mitochondrial targeting signal was identified in Pus5p. Our results also show that Psi(2819)in mitochondrial 21S rRNA is not essential for cell viability.
Sustainability of the tourist supply chain and governance in an insular biosphere reserve destination: the perspective of tourist accommodation

ABSTRACT Small islands in peripheral regions are currently perceived as attractive tourist destinations. Governance plays an important role as a strategy for the revival of such destinations to achieve a more productive, environmental, social and sustainable management structure. ‘Good’ governance of a destination depends on all the actors involved in the tourism network. Such governance requires a redefinition of relations between government and society and minimal boundaries between public and private sectors. This paper has analysed the level of implementation of corporate social responsibility (CSR) in a tourist destination that is a biosphere reserve (BR), the island of Fuerteventura (Canary Islands, Spain), from a comprehensive approach involving a tourism supply chain (TSC) with private and public agents. The focal firms analysed within the TSC have been tourist accommodation establishments in Fuerteventura. The paper shows that the level of involvement of tourist accommodation in CSR is positive. However, this involvement is not sufficiently high to meet the requirements of a destination designated as a BR. Therefore, coordination policies should be developed that promote governance systems and further enhance sustainability in the destination.
CPUY11018, an azimilide derivative, ameliorates isoproterenol‐induced cardiac insufficiency through relieving dysfunctional mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum

Deterioration of cardiac performance under stress may be partly mediated by dysfunctional mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) that is likely related to an activation of NADPH oxidase (NOX) and an increase in pro‐inflammatory factors. We investigated if a new compound CPUY11018 (CPUY) derived from Azimilide could ameliorate the stress impaired cardiac performance.
Extravascular lung water measurement using transpulmonary thermodilution in children

Objective: Measurement of extravascular lung water (EVLW) may be useful in the treatment of critically ill children and can be performed at the bedside using the transpulmonary thermodilution technique (TPTD). There are currently no data to verify the accuracy of these measurements in (small) children. We compared the results of TPTD measurement with the clinical gold standard transpulmonary double indicator dilution (TPDD) measurement in young children. Design: Prospective clinical study in children. Setting: Catheterization laboratory of a university hospital. Patients and Methods: Twelve children (<2 yrs or <12 kg) under general anesthesia. Interventions: None. Measurements and Main Results: Measurements were performed using injections of ice-cold indicator (saline or dye) through a central venous catheter. Mean cardiac index was 3.91 L/min/m2, mean intrathoracic blood volume index (ITBVITPDD) was 614.9 mL/m2, and mean extravascular lung water index (EVLWITPDD) was 11.7 mL/kg. The correlation coefficient between EVLWITPDD and EVLWITPTD is 0.96 (95% confidence interval: 0.87–0.99; p < 0.0001). Bland–Altman analysis for EVLW measurements showed a mean bias of 2.34 mL/kg (18.13%) and limits of agreement ±2.97 mL/kg (19.78%). The difference between measurements via the right atrium compared with the femoral vein was 2.8% for cardiac output, 8.2% for global end-diastolic volume, and 0.1% for EVLW. Conclusion: Clinical measurement of EVLW in young children can be performed using the TPTD with the injection catheter inserted in the femoral vein. Further studies are needed to clarify the clinical value of these measurements.
The Impact of Ageing and the Speed of Ageing on the Economic Growth of Least Developed, Emerging and Developed Countries, 1990–2013

Studies relating ageing and countries’ economic performance address mostly developed economies. However, extant studies demonstrate that less developed countries (LDC) and emerging economies (EE) are reaching the transition process faster than those from developed regions, which renders the speed of ageing, besides ageing, a critical variable to explore in this context. Comparing system dynamic panel data estimations for 40 LDC, 19 EE and 28 developed countries (DC), between 1990 and 2013, we uncovered that ageing is detrimental to countries’ economic growth, with noticeable nuances depending on countries’ development level. The current level of ageing significantly and negatively impacts on DC's growth but not on that of LDC or EE. For these latter groups, the most relevant issue is the speed of ageing. The current annual growth of old age dependency ratio significantly diminishes EE's growth prospects whereas the lagged annual growth of the ageing index and the old age dependency ratio significantly curtails LDC's growth. Such results emphasize the need for urgent public policies that might mitigate the imbalance in LDCs’ age structure before the speed of ageing leads LDCs to become even much poorer.