Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Let's Blame Everyone: Executive and Legislative Evaluations of Economic Performance in Brazil and Chile

In this paper we bring together institutional, contextual, and behavioral perspectives in a comprehensive model that explores determinants of executive and legislative approval based on economic performance in Brazil and Chile. Our main question is, do voters attribute responsibility for the state of the economy to their representatives in the Legislative Branch as they apparently do to officeholders in the Executive Branch? We search for answers to this question with an eye on how active the distinct branches of government are in economic policy-making and voters’ levels of political sophistication. Our main hypothesis is that less sophisticated voters will blame politicians indiscriminately for the state of the economy, independent of how influential each branch of government is on economic policy. More sophisticated voters will better discern the role each branch plays in economic policy-making and will not blame representatives in the Legislative Branch for the state of the economy when Congress is not active in economic policy-making. The cases of Brazil and Chile under Cardoso and Lagos offer the perfect opportunity to test this hypothesis, which is confirmed by our data.
Innovation for Reducing Blood Culture Contamination: Initial Specimen Diversion Technique

ABSTRACT We hypothesized that diversion of the first milliliter of venipuncture blood—the initial specimen diversion technique (ISDT)—would eliminate incompletely sterilized fragments of skin from the culture specimen and significantly reduce our blood culture contamination rate (R). We studied our hypothesis prospectively beginning with our control culture (C) definition: one venipuncture with two sequentially obtained specimens, 10 ml each, the first specimen (M1) for aerobic and the second (M2) for anaerobic media. The test ISDT culture (D) was identical, with the exception that each was preceded by diverting a 1-ml sample (DS) from the same venipuncture. During the first of two sequential 9-month periods, we captured D versus C data (n = 3,733), where DMX R and CMX R are R for D and C specimens. Our hypothesis predicted DS would divert soiled skin fragments from DM1, and therefore, CM1 R would be significantly greater than DM1 R. This was confirmed by CM1 R (30/1,061 [2.8%]) less DM1 R (37/2,672 [1.4%]; P = 0.005), which equals 1.4%. For the second 9-month follow-up period, data were compiled for all cultures (n = 4,143), where ADMX R is R for all (A) diversion specimens, enabling comparison to test ISDT. Our hypothesis predicted no significant differences for test ISDT versus all ISDT. This was confirmed by DM 1 R (37/2,672 [1.4%]) versus ADM 1 R (42/4,143 [1.0%]; P = 0.17) and DM2 R (21/2,672 [0.80%]) versus ADM2 R (39/4,143 [0.94%]; P = 0.50). We conclude that our hypothesis is valid: venipuncture needles soil blood culture specimens with unsterilized skin fragments and increase R, and ISDT significantly reduces R from venipuncture-obtained blood culture specimens.
Factors influencing haematological recovery after allogeneic haemopoietic stem cell transplants: graft‐versus‐host disease, donor type, cytomegalovirus infections and cell dose

Platelet recovery after allogeneic haemopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) and predictive factors were analysed in 342 patients with haematological malignancies. All patients were prepared with cyclophosphamide plus total body irradiation, and received an unmanipulated HSCT from an HLA‐identical sibling (n = 270), a matched unrelated donor (n = 67) or an identical twin (n = 5). The source of stem cells was peripheral blood (n = 15) or bone marrow (n = 327). Graft‐vs.‐host disease (GvHD) prophylaxis consisted of cyclosporin A with or without methotrexate. The proportion of patients with < 50 × 109/l platelets on d +50, d +100, d +200 and d +365 after HSCT was 26%, 27%, 14% and 11% respectively. Thrombocytopenia was independent of the degree of complete donor chimaerism. Four variables were predictive of platelet recovery: donor type, acute GvHD, cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection and number of cells infused at transplant. Recipients of an unrelated graft had lower platelet counts (49 × 109/l) on d +50 than identical sibling grafts (108 × 109/l) (P < 0·001) and twin grafts (149 × 109/l) (P < 0·001). Patients with GvHD grades 0, I, II, III and IV had significantly different platelet counts on d +50 (153 × 109/l, 102 × 109/l, 85 × 109/l, 32 × 109/l and 22 × 109/l; P < 0·001) and thereafter. Thrombocytopenia was more frequent in patients with high‐level CMV antigenaemia (> four positive cells/2 × 105) (P < 0·0001) and in patients who received a low cell dose at transplant (≤ 4·1 × 108/kg) (P = 0·009). Platelet counts predicted transplant‐related mortality (TRM) and were higher at all time intervals in patients surviving the transplant. Patients with grade II GvHD and > 50 × 109/l platelets had a lower TRM than patients with grade II GvHD and ≤ 50 × 109/l platelets (14% vs. 40%, P < 0·0001).
Robotic-Assisted Video Endoscopic Inguinal Lymphadenectomy in Carcinoma Vulva: Our Experiences and Intermediate Results

Objectives To describe the technique of robotic-assisted video endoscopic inguinal lymphadenectomy (R-VEIL) in patients with carcinoma vulva and discuss the advantages of the technique and oncological outcome. Methods Twelve patients of squamous cell cancer of vulva underwent 22 R-VEIL procedures from February 2011 to February 2015. Their preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative data were retrospectively analysed. Results The mean age of patients was 61 years (range, 32–78 years). The mean operative time was 69.3 minutes (range, 45–95 minutes). The mean blood loss was 30 mL (range, 15–50 mL). No intraoperative complication was observed. The mean drain output was 119 mL (range, 50–250 mL), and the drains were removed at a mean of 13.9 days (range, 8–38 days). The average number of superficial and deep inguinofemoral lymph nodes retrieved was 11 (range, 4–26). Two patients had positive lymph nodes on histopathology (16.67%). Postoperative complications were lymphocele (6 groins), chronic lower limb lymphedema (6 cases), prolonged lymphorrhea (1 groin), and cellulitis (2 groins). Over a follow-up period ranging from 7 to 67 months, 1 patient developed recurrence in the inguinal nodes and died 7 months after the recurrence. Conclusions The R-VEIL allows the removal of inguinal lymph nodes within the same limits as the open procedure for inguinal lymph node dissection and has a potential to reduce the surgical morbidity associated with the open procedure. Long-term oncological results are not available though our initial results appear promising. Prospective multi-institutional studies are required to prove its efficacy over open inguinal lymph node dissection.
Facilitating Participation of Students with Severe Disabilities

School-based occupational therapy is the largest employer of occupational therapists. School-based occupational therapists work extensively with students with severe disabilities. Over the past decade, one significant change in the field of severe disabilities has been the advocacy of best practices. This paper discusses the implications of best practices for school-based occupational therapy practice and examines strategies that occupational therapists use to tackle such challenges. Focuses of the discussions are centered on the issues relative to curriculum, educational setting and instructional strategies. The theme of Activity and Participationproposed in International Classification of Functioning(WHO, 2001) guides our discussions. Specific strategies in aligning school-based occupational therapy practice with best practices in severe disabilities are proposed and highlighted.
Planning for large-scale multiagent problems via hierarchical decomposition with applications to UAV health management

This paper introduces a novel hierarchical decomposition approach for solving Multiagent Markov Decision Processes (MMDPs) by exploiting coupling relationships in the reward function. MMDP is a natural framework for solving stochastic multi-stage multiagent decision-making problems, such as optimizing mission performance of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) with stochastic health dynamics. However, computing the optimal solutions is often intractable because the state-action spaces scale exponentially with the number of agents. Approximate solution techniques do exist, but they typically rely on extensive domain knowledge. This paper presents the Hierarchically Decomposed MMDP (HD-MMDP) algorithm, which autonomously identifies different degrees of coupling in the reward function and decomposes the MMDP into a hierarchy of smaller MDPs that can be solved separately. Solutions to the smaller MDPs are embedded in an autonomously constructed tree structure to generate an approximate solution to the original problem. Simulation results show HD-MMDP obtains more cumulative reward than that of the existing algorithm for a ten-agent Persistent Search and Track (PST) mission, which is a cooperative multi-UAV mission with more than 1019 states, stochastic fuel consumption model, and health progression model.
Improvement of an in‐gel tryptic digestion method for matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization‐time of flight mass spectrometry peptide mapping by use of volatile solubilizing agents

The combination of matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry (MALDI‐TOF MS), in‐gel enzymatic digestion of proteins separated by two‐dimensional gel electrophoresis and searches of molecular weight in peptide‐mass databases is a powerful and well established method for protein identification in proteomics analysis. For successful protein identification by MALDI‐TOF mass spectrometry of peptide mixtures, critical parameters include highly specific enzymatic cleavage, high mass accuracy and sufficient numbers and sequence coverage of the peptides which can be analyzed. For in‐gel digestion with trypsin, the method employed should be compatible both with enzymatic cleavage and subsequent MALDI‐TOF MS analysis. We report here an improved method for preparation of peptides for MALDI‐TOF MS mass fingerprinting by using volatile solubilizing agents during the in‐gel digestion procedure. Our study clearly demonstrates that modification of the in‐gel digestion protocols by addition of dimethyl formamide (DMF) or a mixture of DMF/N,N‐dimethyl acetamide at various concentrations can significantly increase the recovery of peptides. These higher yields of peptides resulted in more effective protein identification.
[Construction and validation of a respiratory epidemiological questionnaire].

This paper illustrates the principles of construction and validation of an epidemiological questionnaire by using various aspects of the questionnaire prepared for the Epidemiological Study of the Genetic and Environmental Factors in Asthma, Bronchial Hyper-responsiveness and Atopy (EGEA). Standardised international questionnaires (for adults and children) were adapted and augmented for the requirements of the study. New areas in relation to international epidemiological studies are described (detailed descriptions of asthma and allergic rhinitis, trigger factors exposure tovarious environmental factors and family history). Various aspects of validation are discussed: the acceptibility by the study of missing data in the description of asthmatic symptoms, the construct validity for a score for allergic rhinitis, the reliability of a new self-administered questionnaire for perceived hyper responsiveness to various stimuli and the validity of reported family history using information obtained from family members. Some of these elements could be used in the context of other clinical and epidemiological studies. The complete questionnaire, together with the source of the questions, instructions for interviewers and the method of coding are presented in an appendix available on the internet (http://www.splf.org/bbo/revues-articles/RMR/depotElectronique/2001-110_Kauffmann/Kauffmann2002.htm) which supplements the printed paper.
Targeted Deletion of mNth1 Reveals a Novel DNA Repair Enzyme Activity

ABSTRACT DNA N-glycosylase/AP (apurinic/apyrimidinic) lyase enzymes of the endonuclease III family (nth in Escherichia coli and Nth1 in mammalian organisms) initiate DNA base excision repair of oxidized ring saturated pyrimidine residues. We generated a null mouse (mNth1−/−) by gene targeting. After almost 2 years, such mice exhibited no overt abnormalities. Tissues of mNth1−/− mice contained an enzymatic activity which cleaved DNA at sites of oxidized thymine residues (thymine glycol [Tg]). The activity was greater when Tg was paired with G than with A. This is in contrast to Nth1, which is more active against Tg:A pairs than Tg:G pairs. We suggest that there is a back-up mammalian repair activity which attacks Tg:G pairs with much greater efficiency than Tg:A pairs. The significance of this activity may relate to repair of oxidized 5-methyl cytosine residues (5meCyt). It was shown previously (S. Zuo, R. J. Boorstein, and G. W. Teebor, Nucleic Acids Res. 23:3239-3243, 1995) that both ionizing radiation and chemical oxidation yielded Tg from 5meCyt residues in DNA. Thus, this previously undescribed, and hence novel, back-up enzyme activity may function to repair oxidized 5meCyt residues in DNA while also being sufficient to compensate for the loss of Nth1 in the mutant mice, thereby explaining the noninformative phenotype.
A novel functional co-operation between MyoD, MEF2 and TRalpha1 is sufficient for the induction of GLUT4 gene transcription.

We report tripartite co-operation between MyoD, myocyte enhancer factor-2 (MEF2) and the thyroid hormone receptor (TRalpha1) that takes place in the context of an 82-bp muscle-specific enhancer in the rat insulin-responsive glucose transporter (GLUT4) gene that is active in both cardiac and skeletal muscle. In the L6E9 skeletal muscle cell line and in 10T1/2 fibroblasts, a powerful synergistic activation of the GLUT4 enhancer relied on the over-expression of MyoD, MEF2 and TRalpha1 and the integrity of their respective binding sites, and occurred when linked to either a heterologous promoter or in the context of the native GLUT4 promoter. In cardiac myocytes, enhancer activity was dependent on the binding sites for MEF2 and TRalpha1. Furthermore, we show that in 10T1/2 fibroblasts, the forced expression of MyoD, MEF2 and TRalpha1 induced the expression of the endogenous, otherwise silent, GLUT4 gene. In all, our results indicate a novel functional co-operation between these three factors which is required for full activation of GLUT4 transcription.
The Short-Run Effect of Monetary Policy Shocks on Credit Risk: An Analysis of the Euro Area

We examine the credit channel of monetary policy from 2000 to 2015 in the Euro Area using daily monetary policy shock and credit risk measures in an autoregressive distributed lag model. We find that an expansionary monetary policy shock leads to a short-run increase in the credit risk of non-financial corporations. This dysfunctionality of the credit channel is driven by the crisis-dominated post-2009 period. During this period, market participants may have interpreted expansionary monetary policy shocks as a signal of worsening economic prospects. We further distinguish policy shocks aiming at short- and long-run expectations of market participants, i.e. target and path shocks. The adverse effect disappears for crisis countries when the European Central Bank targets long-run rather than short-run expectations.
Caveolin-1 increases proinflammatory chemoattractants and blood-retinal barrier breakdown but decreases leukocyte recruitment in inflammation.

PURPOSE Caveolin-1 (Cav-1), the signature protein of caveolae, modulates inflammatory responses, and innate immunity. However, Cav-1's role in retinal inflammation has not been rigorously tested. In this study, we examined the effect of Cav-1 ablation on the sensitivity of the retina to inflammation. METHODS Cav-1 knockout (KO) mice were challenged by intravitreal injection of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and inflammatory cell recruitment was assessed by flow cytometry and immunohistochemistry. Leukostasis was assessed in retinal flatmounts after perfusion with FITC-labeled Concanavalin A (FITC-ConA). Chemoattractants were measured by multiplex immunoassays. Blood-retinal barrier (BRB) breakdown was assessed quantitatively by a FITC-dextran permeability assay. The ratio of extravascular to total immune cells was determined by CD45 immunohistochemistry of retinal flatmounts. RESULTS Inflammatory challenge resulted in significant blunting of proinflammatory cytokine (monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 [MCP-1/CCL2], CXCL1/KC, IL-6, and IL-1β) responses as well as reduced inflammatory BRB breakdown in Cav-1 KO retinas. Paradoxically, Cav-1 deficiency resulted in significantly increased recruitment of immune cells compared with controls as well as increased leukostasis. A similar ratio of extravascular/total leukocytes were found in Cav-1 KO and wild-type (WT) retinas suggesting that Cav-1 deficient leukocytes were as competent to extravasate as those from WT mice. We found increased levels of circulating immune cells in naïve (not challenged with LPS) Cav-1 KO mice compared with controls. CONCLUSIONS Caveolin-1 paradoxically modulates inflammatory signaling and leukocyte infiltration through distinct mechanisms. We hypothesize that Cav-1 expression may enhance inflammatory signaling while at the same time supporting the physical properties of the BRB.
Acute kidney injury: Epidemiology and assessment

An evolving understanding of epidemiology and pathophysiology of acute organ dysfunction in the setting of critical illness has given rise to new concepts and terminology for a syndrome once known as either acute tubular necrosis or acute renal failure. Indeed, the clinical syndrome known as acute tubular necrosis does not actually manifest the morphological changes that the name implies. Similarly, a precise biochemical definition of acute renal failure was never proposed, and until recently there has been no consensus on the diagnostic criteria or clinical definition. The RIFLE criteria were developed to achieve diagnostic standardization and the term acute kidney injury (AKI) has been proposed to encompass the entire spectrum of the syndrome from minor changes in renal function to requirement for renal replacement therapy. AKI is not acute tubular necrosis nor is it acute renal failure. Small changes in kidney function in hospitalized patients are important and are associated with significant changes in short and possibly long‐term outcomes. The RIFLE criteria provide a uniform definition of AKI and have now been validated in numerous studies. The population incidence of AKI is approximately 2000–3000 patients per million population per year. The incidence of AKI is increasing and ICU patients with AKI have a longer length of stay and therefore generate greater costs. In addition, AKI is associated with increased mortality, even after correction for covariates. Patients with AKI who are treated with RRT, still have a mortality of 50–60 %. Of surviving patients, 5–20 % remain dialysis‐dependent at hospital discharge.
An Analysis of the Performance of the “1/N” Naïve Portfolio Strategy in Korean Stock Markets

In this study, we compare three measurements of 12 asset-allocation strategies to a “1/N” portfolio using historical data of Korean stock markets, which is a representative emerging market, from January 2000 to December 2015. We find that in Korean stock markets the asset allocation strategies with short sale constraint have better performance than the “1/N” portfolio (i.e., high Sharpe ratios and high certainty-equivalent returns). While these optimal asset-allocation models have higher turnover than the “1/N” portfolio, the Sharpe ratio of short sale constraint is still higher than the “1/N” portfolio when we consider transaction costs. The results are surprising because no asset-allocation strategies are consistently dominant on “1/N” portfolio using US stock market data.
Rate, composition and efficiency of growth in feedlot steers reimplanted with growth stimulants.

Eighty Charolais-cross steer calves (283 kg) were fed a moderately high-energy (2.89 Mcal ME/kg) diet for 189 d to examine the effects of reimplantation of 36 mg of zeranol (Ralgro) or 200 mg progesterone plus 20 mg estradiol benzoate (Synovex-S) on the rate, composition and efficiency of gain, skeletal size and carcass parameters in a comparative slaughter trial. The implant treatments included unimplanted controls (C), Ralgro initially (R1), Synovex-S initially (S1), Ralgro initially and a reimplant at 84 d (R2) and Synovex-S initially and a reimplant at 84 d (S2). Both implants increased (P less than .06) gains by 8.1% from 0 to 84 d. Ralgro and Synovex-S increased (P less than .01) daily gains by 11.5% and 25.2%, respectively, from 84 to 189 d. The duration of the response to a single implant appeared to be in excess of 140 d; thus, reimplantation did not further increase daily gains. Reimplantation did improve (P less than .05) feed utilization in Ralgro implanted steers, however. Ralgro and Synovex-S increased (P less than .01) the rate of empty body (EB) protein accretion by 14.1% and 24%, respectively, without affecting EB fat growth. The efficiency of protein gain per unit protein (P less than .05) or energy intake (P less than .04) was improved, but the efficiency of energy gain per unit energy intake was not affected by implantation. Carcass weights of implanted steers were 5% greater (P less than .04) when adjusted to an equal carcass fatness. Both growth stimulants increased hip height (P less than .02), wither height (P less than .08) and body length (P less than .08) over C steers at slaughter.
MR imaging of head trauma: Visibility of contusions and other intraparenchymal injuries in early and late stage

The aim of this study was to investigate the visibility of traumatic brain lesions on conventional magnetic resonance images (MRI) in early and late phase. Thirty-six patients were studied 1 week and 1 year after a traumatic brain injury. A similar MRI technique was used in both studies; T2-weighted fast or turbo spin echo images, fluid attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) images and T1-weighted images were used for analysis. The number and extent of contusions and semi-quantitative score of other traumatic intraparenchymal lesions were compared in the early and late phase. Contusions were seen in 18 patients both in acute and 1 year MRI; the number and extent of visible contusions was significantly decreased at 1 year. Other traumatic intraparenchymal lesions were detected in 12 patients in early MRI and in 10 patients in late MRI. The number of visible lesions and the semi-quantitative scores were significantly lower at 1 year. There is a significant decrease in the visibility of both cortical contusions and other intraparenchymal injuries in late MRI studies compared with studies in acute stage using conventional imaging techniques. Thus, early phase MRI is essential for the detection of brain injury at least using conventional imaging techniques.