Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Management of pain and fatigue in the joint hypermobility syndrome (a.k.a. Ehlers–Danlos syndrome, hypermobility type): Principles and proposal for a multidisciplinary approach

Joint hypermobility syndrome (JHS), or Ehlers–Danlos syndrome (EDS) hypermobility type (EDS‐HT), is a underdiagnosed heritable connective tissue disorder characterized by generalized joint hypermobility and a wide range of visceral, pelvic, neurologic, and cognitive dysfunctions. Deterioration of quality of life is mainly associated with pain and fatigue. Except for the recognized effectiveness of physiotherapy for some musculoskeletal features, there are no standardized guidelines for the assessment and treatment of pain and fatigue. In this work, a practical classification of pain presentations and factors contributing in generating painful sensations in JHS/EDS‐HT is proposed. Pain can be topographically classified in articular limb (acute/subacute and chronic), muscular limb (myofascial and fibromyalgia), neuropathic limb, back/neck, abdominal and pelvic pain, and headache. For selected forms of pain, specific predisposing characteristics are outlined. Fatigue appears as the result of multiple factors, including muscle weakness, respiratory insufficiency, unrefreshing sleep, dysautonomia, intestinal malabsorption, reactive depression/anxiety, and excessive use of analgesics. A set of lifestyle recommendations to instruct patients as well as specific investigations aimed at characterizing pain and fatigue are identified. Available treatment options are discussed in the set of a structured multidisciplinary approach based on reliable outcome tools. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
General Equilibrium Perspective on Twin Deficits Hypothesis: An Empirical Study with US Results

Abstract This study proposes an alternative analytical framework for testing the so-called twin deficits hypothesis from the general equilibrium perspective. The income–expenditure equilibrium takes both the behavioural relationships of the saving and investment into consideration. The empirical results of cointegration tests show that the US fiscal balance, current account balance, real income and interest rates (short- and long-run) are co-movement for the observed periods between 1970Q2 and 2011Q4. Also, the causality tests suggest that budget deficit does indirectly Granger-cause current account deficit via short-run interest rate and real income. The real income and interest rates variables determining the behavioural relationships are important in understanding the US twin deficit slogan. In short, the empirical results validate the twin deficits hypothesis in the USA. Some policy implications have been drawn, especially on the implementation of the “fiscal cliff” policy. This study also recommends portfolio balance approach for future twin deficits research.
Use of Swedish moist snuff, smoking and alcohol consumption in the aetiology of oral and oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma. A population-based case-control study in southern Sweden

Conclusions. The results of this study confirm that both smoking of tobacco and alcohol consumption are risk factors for oral and oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OOSCC). The use of moist snuff had no effect on the risk of OOSCC, probably due to the low levels of tobacco-specific N-nitrosamines in Swedish moist snuff. Objective. The aims of this population-based case-control study in southern Sweden were to establish risk estimates for cigarette and alcohol consumption and to evaluate whether Swedish moist snuff is a risk factor for OOSCC. Material and methods. Between September 2000 and January 2004, 132/165 consecutive cases (80%) diagnosed with OOSCC and 320/396 matched controls (81%) were investigated. All subjects were interviewed and examined according to a standardized protocol. Results. Individuals who drank ≥350 g of alcohol/week showed an increased risk of OOSCC (OR 2.6; 95% CI 1.3–5.4). Total lifetime consumption of tobacco for smoking (>250 kg) had a dose–response effect on the risk of OOSCC (OR 4.7; 95% CI 2.4–9.1). We found no increased risk of OOSCC associated with the use of Swedish moist snuff (OR 1.1; 95% CI 0.5–2.5).
Skill acquisition in ‘high tech’ export agriculture: a case study of lifelong learning in Peru’s asparagus industry

As one of the world’s largest exporters of asparagus, Peru has developed a high‐tech system of asparagus production, processing and delivery that requires well‐trained and responsive workers. In this study we examine the role of both private and public sectors in preparing workers for the asparagus industry and the implications of this skill acquisition for lifelong learning policies. Drawing on surveys of managers and workers located at every link of the chain of asparagus production, we conclude that the private sector has taken the lead in providing lifelong learning opportunities for asparagus workers. The public sector’s most important contribution has been the establishment and support of an agricultural university in Lima that prepares many of the professionals working in asparagus production. We also find that asparagus workers have relatively high (by Latin American standards) levels of formal public education. We conclude by identifying several government‐sponsored initiatives that may be expanded or improved to support the continued development of asparagus and other high‐yield export crops.
Assessing service quality, satisfaction, and performance on implementing maritime policy in Taiwan

The main purpose of this paper is to assess the relationships among policy service quality, policy satisfaction, and policy performance after Taiwan government’s implementation of maritime policy. We use some statistical tools through descriptive statistics, factor analysis, and hypothesis testing of regression analysis to investigate this issue. The main results show that: policy service quality has positive effect on policy satisfaction and performance; and policy satisfaction has positive effect on policy performance. This study recommends the public sector and relevant research units promoting the maritime policy should take this into priority for consideration. Regardless of the development of policy content to the future implementation and policy implementation, it should take this as premise for development prior to conducting deliberate assessment and to effectively improve the service quality of maritime policy; so that the participants of maritime policy will attain satisfaction towards the overall policy satisfaction and performance for maritime policy. Key words: Maritime policy, service quality, satisfaction, performance.
Principal components at work: the empirical analysis of monetary policy with large data sets

The empirical analysis of monetary policy requires the construction of instruments for future expected inflation. Dynamic factor models have been applied rather successfully to inflation forecasting. In fact, two competing methods have recently been developed to estimate large-scale dynamic factor models based, respectively, on static and dynamic principal components. This paper combines the econometric literature on dynamic principal components and the empirical analysis of monetary policy. We assess the two competing methods for extracting factors on the basis of their success in instrumenting future expected inflation in the empirical analysis of monetary policy. We use two large data sets of macroeconomic variables for the USA and for the Euro area. Our results show that estimated factors do provide a useful parsimonious summary of the information used in designing monetary policy. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Epidemiological and Experimental Links between Air Pollution and Type 2 Diabetes

There is increasing evidence suggesting links between exposure to environmental toxins and susceptibility to type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM). In this review, we summarize the experimental evidence to support this association that has been noted in many epidemiologic studies. Inflammation in response to particulate matter (PM2.5) exposure in air pollution represents a common mechanism that may interact with other pro-inflammatory influences in diet and life style to modulate susceptibility to cardiometabolic diseases. The role of innate immune cytokines released from macrophages in the lung is well known. In addition, chemokine triggers in response to air-pollution exposure may mediate a cellular response from the bone marrow/spleen through toll-like receptors (TLRs) and Nucleotide Oligomerization Domain receptors (NLRs) pathways to mediate inflammatory response in organs. Emerging data also seem to support a role for PM2.5 exposure in endoplasmic reticulum stress-induced apoptosis and in brown adipose tissue dysfunction. Decreased expression of UCP1 in brown adipose tissue may account for reduced thermogenesis providing another link between PM2.5 and insulin resistance. The implications of an experimental link between air-pollution exposure and type 2 DM are profound as air pollution is a pervasive risk factor throughout the world and even modest alleviation in exposure may provide substantial public health benefits.
Behavioral Implications of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles

The challenge to those who create generally accepted accounting principles is to develop a set of principles that is both technically and behaviorally sound. Too many of our current principles have undesirable behavioral implications that lead to corporate actions that give the illusion of performance where none exists. Control systems with behavioral attributes that allow and encourage responsible management by self control, rather than command through inflexible rules, are the most appropriate in times of change within complex business environments. Such an approach is needed today for our financial accounting system if we are to encourage positive managerial operating and reporting responses.
Social media and democracy

The impact of social and digital media in political discussions and activities is often assessed in terms of either its utopian or dystopian potential. As Farrell notes, analysis between the two poles of ‘help’ and ‘harm’ generally focuses on causal effects and ‘homophily’ in political media access, use and activity (2012: 39–40). The books reviewed here examine these complexities, and provide a more nuanced understanding of the relationships between digital media and political discourses. They also respond to the widely perceived need for further consideration of the new citizenuser (Anstead et al. in Loader and Mercea, p. 92; see also Loader and Mercea 2011), and for context-based examination of the democratic potential and shortcomings of digital media. The promise of social media centres on its highly interactive and personal realm of information and communication. Web 2.0 platforms, such as Twitter, Facebook, blogs and others, are becoming increasingly part of everyday experience. They are constantly evolving and expanding into new areas of networking and access, such as apps, Australian Journal of Political Science, 2013 Vol. 48, No. 4, 519–527, http://dx.doi. org/10.1080/10361146.2013. 846296
Personal reflections on the governing of private schools

Much of what we understand about school governance is generally under-researched, and there has been almost no recent research undertaken into the governing of schools in the non-maintained, private or independent sectors that are financed by the payment of fees. These schools broadly follow a model of governance that is similar to that of the maintained sector in their constitution, with some notable differences around how governors are appointed and their roles are conceived. This article aims to analyse the nature of independent school governance generally, focusing on a case study of a small private school located in the Midlands, England. The context of this school is a fairly unique one, with governance being held accountable to non-executive trustees who have overall control of the school operation, but who devolve that responsibility to the governing body. This article starts with a review of the current governance model in private schools, then looking in more depth at the characteristics of governance in this independent school. An analysis of the findings is then explored, with some thoughts and conclusions around opportunities for further exploration into private school governance.
A LAT-associated function reduces productive-cycle gene expression during acute infection of murine sensory neurons with herpes simplex virus type 1

Herpes simplex virus (HSV) persists in the human population by establishing long-term latent infections followed by periodic reactivation and transmission. Latent infection of sensory neurons is characterized by repression of viral productive-cycle gene expression, with abundant transcription limited to a single locus that encodes the latency-associated transcripts (LATs). We have observed that LAT- deletion mutant viruses express viral productive-cycle genes in greater numbers of murine trigeminal ganglion neurons than LAT+ HSV type 1 at early times during acute infection but show reduced reactivation from latent infection. Thus, a viral function associated with the LAT region exerts an effect at an early stage of neuronal infection to reduce productive-cycle viral gene expression. These results provide the first evidence that the virus plays an active role in down-regulating productive infection during acute infection of sensory neurons. The effect of down-regulation of productive-cycle gene expression during acute infection may contribute to viral evasion from the host immune responses and to reduced cytopathic effects, thereby facilitating neuronal survival and the establishment of latency.
Work–Family Balance: Is the Social Economy Sector More Supportive … and is this because of its More Democratic Management?

Abstract This research compares perceived organizational support to work–family balance measures and policies in various work environments to determine whether the organizational context can be a mediating variable or whether the social economy sector, with its mission and management approach (participatory decision-making) might have an influence on organizational support to work–family balance. We studied the social economy sector and compared findings with three other sectors in the public service that have a public service mission but not the same democratic or participatory management mode: a metropolitan police service, social work, and nursing, all in the same city. Our research identifies many significant differences between the four sectors, essentially owing to the characteristics of the social economy sector. In addition to our quantitative research, we conducted interviews (36) in the sector and results indicate that the specificity of the social economy sector, i.e. mission and management mode, explain the overriding concern for work–life balance in the social economy sector.
LRP-1–CD44, a New Cell Surface Complex Regulating Tumor Cell Adhesion

ABSTRACT The low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 1 (LRP-1) is a large endocytic receptor mediating the clearance of various molecules from the extracellular matrix. In the field of cancer, LRP-1-mediated endocytosis was first associated with antitumor properties. However, recent results suggested that LRP-1 may coordinate the adhesion-deadhesion balance in malignant cells to support tumor progression. Here, we observed that LRP-1 silencing or RAP (receptor-associated protein) treatment led to accumulation of CD44 at the tumor cell surface. Moreover, we evidenced a tight interaction between CD44 and LRP-1, not exclusively localized in lipid rafts. Overexpression of LRP-1-derived minireceptors indicated that the fourth ligand-binding cluster of LRP-1 is required to bind CD44. Labeling of CD44 with EEA1 and LAMP-1 showed that internalized CD44 is routed through early endosomes toward lysosomes in a LRP-1-dependent pathway. LRP-1-mediated internalization of CD44 was highly reduced under hyperosmotic conditions but poorly affected by membrane cholesterol depletion, revealing that it proceeds mostly via clathrin-coated pits. Finally, we demonstrated that CD44 silencing abolishes RAP-induced tumor cell attachment, revealing that cell surface accumulation of CD44 under LRP-1 blockade is mainly responsible for the stimulation of tumor cell adhesion. Altogether, our data shed light on the LRP-1-mediated internalization of CD44 that appeared critical to define the adhesive properties of tumor cells.
From the Cover: Roles of mmu_piR_003399 in Microcystin-Leucine Arginine-Induced Reproductive Toxicity in the Spermatogonial Cells and Testis

Our previous work has demonstrated that microcystin-leucine arginine (MC-LR) is a potent toxin for the reproductive system of male mice and it exerts cytotoxicity in spermatogonial cells, resulting in the constitutional and functional changes of the mouse testis. The present study was designed to investigate the functions of P-element-induced wimpy (piwi)-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) in MC-LR-induced reproductive toxicity in male mice. We observed an increase in the mmu_piR_003399 level in spermatogonial cells and mouse testicular tissues following treatment with MC-LR. Moreover, our data confirmed that cyclin-dependent kinase 6 (CDK6) was the target gene of mmu_piR_003399. Increases in the concentration of mmu_piR_003399 were correlated with the reduced expression of CDK6 both in vitro and in vivo. mmu_piR_003399 induced cell cycle arrest at the G1-phase, down-regulated sperm counts and sperm motility, and compromised sperm morphology. On the contrary, suppressing the expression of mmu_piR_003399 could substantially attenuate MC-LR-induced pathology in mice including cell cycle arrest, reduced mature sperm counts, sperm viability loss and abnormal sperm morphology. Furthermore, our data supported that mmu_piR_003399 existed in mouse serum and plasma, and its level was increased in MC-LR-treated mice. In conclusion, we demonstrate that mmu_piR_003399 plays a crucial role in regulating MC-LR-induced reproductive toxicity.
Host–parasite interactions that guide red blood cell invasion by malaria parasites

Purpose of reviewMalaria is caused by the infection and proliferation of parasites from the genus Plasmodium in red blood cells (RBCs). A free Plasmodium parasite, or merozoite, released from an infected RBC must invade another RBC host cell to sustain a blood-stage infection. Here, we review recent advances on RBC invasion by Plasmodium merozoites, focusing on specific molecular interactions between host and parasite. Recent findingsRecent work highlights the central role of host–parasite interactions at virtually every stage of RBC invasion by merozoites. Biophysical experiments have for the first time measured the strength of merozoite–RBC attachment during invasion. For P. falciparum, there have been many key insights regarding the invasion ligand PfRh5 in particular, including its influence on host species tropism, a co-crystal structure with its RBC receptor basigin, and its suitability as a vaccine target. For P. vivax, researchers identified the origin and emergence of the parasite from Africa, demonstrating a natural link to the Duffy-negative RBC variant in African populations. For the simian parasite P. knowlesi, zoonotic invasion into human cells is linked to RBC age, which has implications for parasitemia during an infection and thus malaria. SummaryNew studies of the molecular and cellular mechanisms governing RBC invasion by Plasmodium parasites have shed light on various aspects of parasite biology and host cell tropism, and indicate opportunities for malaria control.
People's Mobility and Guanxi Networks: A Case Study

The increase in the movement of people from rural to urban areas since the mid-1980s represents the largest labor migration ever experienced in China. Because migration is a process of selection, it is imperative that the major dynamics determining the selection are studied. What are the critical characteristics of migrants that help them to realize their mobility from rural areas to urban areas? While educational attainment, gender, age, marital status and personal skills are important variables in the selection process, the present paper examines how social networks (guanxi connections) play a significant role in the process of migration selection in China. A case study from one of the northern villages in rural China is used to explore how social networks have shaped and given meaning to migration. The present paper elaborates on how people's social mobility has coincided with and been reinforced by people's physical mobility.
Changes in Earnings Differentials in the 1980s: Concordance, Convergence, Causes, and Consequences

This paper analyzes changes in U.S. earnings differentials in the 1980s between race, gender, age, and schooling groups. There are four main sets of results to report. First, the economic position of less-educated workers declined relative to the more-educated among almost all demographic groups. Education-earnings differentials clearly rose for whites, but less clearly for blacks, while employment rate differences associated with education increased more for blacks than for whites. Second, much of the change in education-earnings differentials for specific groups is attributable to measurable economic factors: to changes in the occupational or industrial structure of employment; to changes in average wages within industries; to the fall in the real value of the minimum wage and the tall in union density; and to changes in the relative growth rate of more-educated workers. Third, the earnings and employment position of white females, and to a lesser extent of black females, converged to that of white males in the 1980s, across education groups. At the same time, the economic position of more-educated black males appears to have worsened relative to their white-male counterparts. Fourth, there has been a sizable college-enrollment response to the rising relative wages of college graduates. This response suggests that education-earnings differentials may stop increasing, or even start to decline, in the near future.
The influence of caprylic acid on counts of salmonellas and coliforms in chickens experimentally infected with Salmonella enteritidis.

Medium-chain fatty acids are efficient antimicrobial agents. In our in vitro experiments, caprylic acid (C 8:0) was found the most effective fatty acid against salmonellas. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of caprylic acid on counts of salmonellas and coliforms in chickens experimentally infected with Salmonella enteritidis. Fourteen days old chickens were fed a commercially available diet. Treatment groups received a diet supplemented with 0.25 % and 0.5 % of caprylic acid. The feed of treated birds was infected with 5 ml of overnight-grown bacterial culture per one kilogram of feed. On the eighth day of the experiment, chickens were slaughtered and crop and cloaca contents sampled for microbiological analyses. Differences between control and treated samples were evaluated by the Student s t-test. Caprylic acid at both concentrations significantly decreased counts of salmonellas and coliforms in all samples, the effect of caprylic acid in the crop contents, however, was more pronounced. Antibacterial activity of caprylic acid was dose-dependent. It can be concluded that caprylic acid is able to reduce numbers of salmonellas in the gastrointestinal tract of chickens and has a potential to improve health status of infected animals.