Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A mixed treatment comparison of the short-term efficacy of biologic disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs in established rheumatoid arthritis

Abstract Background: The short-term efficacy of biological disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (bDMARDs) for the treatment of established moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has been demonstrated by various randomized placebo or active treatment controlled trials. However, there is a lack of direct comparison of these agents. Scope: To compare the short-term efficacy of nine bDMARDs – abatacept, adalimumab, anakinra, certolizumab, etanercept, golimumab, infliximab, rituximab and tocilizumab – in patients with established RA. Findings: A systematic review was conducted to obtain all available efficacy data for each included bDMARD. Medline, EMBASE, and Cochrane clinical trials were searched for trials in patients with RA. Twenty-seven trials were retrieved from a systematic literature search and included in the meta-analysis. Mixed treatment comparison (MTC) techniques were used to perform indirect comparisons. Analyses were conducted to estimate the odds ratio of an ACR20, ACR50, and ACR70 response at approximately six months if treated with a bDMARD compared with placebo or methotrexate. Between-drug comparisons were also made. The analyses were performed including recommended doses only (as per the product information). All drugs except anakinra and golimumab demonstrated a statistically significant advantage compared to control treatment for ACR20 responses. The between-drug comparisons revealed a statistically significant advantage for certolizumab compared to most bDMARDs for ACR20, ACR50 and ACR70 response and for etanercept versus adalimumab and anakinra for ACR20 and ACR50 response, as well as a statistically significant advantage for tocilizumab versus anakinra for ACR50 response. Conclusion: The analyses, using MTC of efficacy of nine bDMARDs suggest that treatment with anakinra is inferior to other bDMARDs and that etanercept and certolizumab may be more effective than other bDMARDs. There are some limitations of our analyses due to MTC assumptions, variations in trial design and the fact that only ACR outcomes at six months were included.
ARE TEACHERS READY TO INTEGRATE SCIENCE CONCEPTS INTO SECONDARY AGRICULTURE PROGRAMS

For the past two decades, the idea of integrating more science concepts into the secondary agriculture curriculum has gained support. The purpose of this study was to assess the confidence and competence of agriculture instructors to teach concepts related to science. The sample was derived from the population of agriculture instructors teaching in secondary schools of a selected Missouri. For this descriptive research, an instrument was developed to assess the instructors’ perceived level of competence to teach selected grade level expectations (GLE) for science in grades 9 to 11. A second instrument, obtained from the American Board for Certification in Teacher Excellence, was used to assess the general biological science knowledge of the teachers. Agriculture instructors perceive that they are competent to teach nearly all of the selected concepts associated with the selected GLE. On the other hand, less than 10% of the teachers scored high enough on the examination to indicate proficient knowledge of biological science, raising questions regarding their competence to teach this subject matter.
Low-cost ferrite permanent magnet assisted synchronous reluctance rotor an alternative solution for rare earth permanent magnet synchronous motors

This paper proposes two low-cost ferrite V permanent magnet assisted synchronous reluctance rotors (VPMSynRM) as an alternative solution to the rare earth inserted tangential permanent magnet synchronous motor (PMSM). Finite element (FEM) approach has been utilized to show the performance of the proposed rotors. The purpose of the proposed solution is to replace only the rotor of such a PMSM that is already in production, so the size of the stator and the number of windings will remain unchanged. The motivation of this study is to reduce the cost of the rotor by changing the type of PM and by the choice of suitable rotor geometry.
The role of communication in business relationships and networks

Owing to the strong position of traditional marketing communications (especially advertising) research and consumer marketing related theories in the general field of marketing, the prevailing concepts of communication can be labeled as “mass communicative” in current marketing discourse as a whole. However, along with the rise of various “relational approaches” in marketing, the focus of marketing research seems to shift from products and firms as a central unit of analysis to people, organizations and the social processes that bind actors together in ongoing relationships. In these interactive relationship/network contexts, the nature of communication is hardly mass communicative. This article aims at presenting a theoretical framework on the role of communication in business relationships and networks. The interaction/network approach to marketing means moving from the current perspective of marketing’s mass‐communicative effects and consequent communicative behaviors of organizations to the “lower level” of interpersonal communication processes occurring within business relationships and networks.
Cascaded optical band pass filters in radio-over-fiber link

In this paper, we propose and experimentally verify that optical filters with fast linear roll-off property, when incorporated in an optical transmitter, can minimize not only the fading effect commonly observed in high bit rate, long distance fiber links, but also improve the link Carrier-to-Noise ratio, and at the same time can maintain the 3rd order inter-modulation distortions at a relatively low level.
A strategic model for agile virtual enterprise partner selection

Purpose – This paper aims to provide a practical model usable by organizations to help form agile virtual enterprises. The model helps to integrate a variety of factors, tangible and intangible, strategic and operational, for decision‐making purposes.Design/methodology/approach – A comprehensive development of factors is determined from the literature and an analytical network process (ANP) methodology is introduced for decision model development. An illustrative example is presented.Findings – The results provide a robust model that will aid decision makers and agile virtual enterprise brokers form partnerships within these organizational structures.Research limitations/implications – The paper introduces a conceptual model with an illustrative validating example. A practical application and reapplication of the model are required to further validate the model. ANP can require significant managerial input for its application, potentially causing fatigue for decision makers.Practical implications – Practi.
The Unevenness of Democracy at the Subnational Level: Provincial Closed Games in Argentina

Democratization studies initially focused on processes at the national level, but in recent years, there has been a growing interest in the spatially uneven nature of democracy at the subnational level. This article draws on examples from Argentina and develops an analytical framework of closed games to analyze the functioning of subnational democracy. It argues that the less democratic provinces or states of nationally democratic countries are not necessarily authoritarian and that the concept of subnational authoritarianism prevents us from seeing political dynamics that may arise in the context of a reasonably well-functioning electoral democracy and may result in subnational closed games. The article takes into account the role of political families, media ownership, control of access to business opportunities, and control of the provincial state.
Dead Regions in the Cochlea : Implications for the Choice of High-Frequency Amplification

Cochlear hearing loss is sometimes associated with complete destruction of the inner hair cells (IHCs) within the cochlea (Schucknecht 1964, 1974; Engström 1983). For reviews, see Schucknecht (1974) and Borg, Canlon and Engström (1995). Sometimes the IHCs may still be present, but may be sufficiently abnormal that they no longer function. The IHCs are the transducers of the cochlea, responsible for converting the vibration patterns on the basilar membrane into action potentials in the auditory nerve. When the IHCs are non-functioning over a certain region of the cochlea, no transduction will occur in that region. For this reason, I refer to such a region as a dead region. I have proposed (Moore 2001) that a dead region should be defined in terms of the characteristic frequencies (CFs) of the IHCs and/or neurones immediately adjacent to the dead region. For example, if there are surviving IHCs and neurons with CFs up to 2000 Hz, but not above, this would be described as high-frequency dead region starting at 2000 Hz. This definition is appropriate even if the CFs of the IHCs and neurones are shifted from “normal” values, as can happen in cases of cochlear hearing loss (Sellick, Patuzzi and Johnstone 1982; Ruggero, Rich, Recio, Narayan and Robles 1997). The definition also allows for an easy interpretation of the psychoacoustic results that will be presented later in this paper. The diagnosis of dead regions is clinically important for two reasons. Firstly, if there are one or more extensive dead regions, the benefit of a hearing aid is likely to be limited, and aided speech intelligibility is
Global Competition, International Trade, and Regional Concentration: The Case of the German Chemical Industry during the 1980s

The present transition from a Fordist to a post-Fordist stage of development is characterized by a structural crisis (the crisis of Fordism). Within the industrial sector, this crisis is associated with economic decline (especially in terms of employment) and substantial reorganization and modernization activities. The way in which the spatial patterns of production will be affected is largely unclear. In the case of the German economy, an increasing number of scholars are worried about the threats which might originate from global restructuring processes of industrial activities. In this context, the economic and spatial structure of the German chemical industry will be analyzed in this paper. It will be argued that the recent economic decline of the chemical industry of western Germany is not indicative of a general deindustrialization trend. The chemical industry is, because of its development path, characterized by a strong tendency to concentrate both economically and regionally. Only a few dominant firms, which form the basis for the spatial development of the industry, have retained, and will retain, technological leadership within the industry (particularly Bayer, Hoechst, and BASF). Their allocation of resources between world regions has remained relatively constant over the past twenty years. It seems unlikely that this geographical distribution will be dramatically changed in the near future through cost-induced relocation activities. Location decisions will, rather, be characterized by a distinct market orientation. This does not, however, imply that chemical production will be shifted away from German locations to other chemical core regions. In contrast to the situation in western Germany, the future existence of chemical production in eastern Germany seems questionable. This is not related to the Fordist crisis but is a consequence of remnants from the previous planned economy and problems associated with German unification.
Comparing the environmental impacts of pasture-based and confinement-based dairy systems in Nova Scotia (Canada) using life cycle assessment

A life cycle assessment (LCA) of dairy systems in Nova Scotia was conducted to compare environmental impacts of typical pasture and confinement operations. Data on material and energy inputs and outputs of these systems were obtained from local researchers and industry, and life cycle impacts in 11 categories were quantified. Use of concentrate feeds, N fertilizers, transport fuels and electricity were dominant contributors to environmental impacts. Somewhat surprisingly, grazing cows for five months per year (typical of pasture systems in Nova Scotia) had little effect on overall environmental impact. Scenario modelling suggests, however, that prolonged grazing is potentially beneficial. Compared with total confinement, a seven-month grazing scenario performed better in seven of the environmental impact categories evaluated with greatest potential improvements associated with acidification potential, ozone depletion potential, human toxicity and fresh water ecotoxicity. In contrast, land use was the only category in which an increased reliance on pasture is predicted to result in a marked increase in environmental impact.
Origin of Hexavalent Chromium in Drinking Water Wells from the Piedmont Aquifers of North Carolina

Hexavalent chromium [Cr(VI)] is a known pulmonary carcinogen. Recent detection of Cr(VI) in drinking water wells in North Carolina has raised public concern about contamination of drinking water wells by nearby coal ash ponds. Here we report, for the first time, the prevalence of Cr and Cr(VI) in drinking water wells from the Piedmont region of central North Carolina, combined with a geochemical analysis to determine the source of the elevated Cr(VI) levels. We show that Cr(VI) is the predominant species of dissolved Cr in groundwater and elevated levels of Cr and Cr(VI) are found in wells located both near and far (>30 km) from coal ash ponds. The geochemical characteristics, including the overall chemistry, boron to chromium ratios, and strontium isotope (87Sr/86Sr) variations in groundwater with elevated Cr(IV) levels, are different from those of coal ash leachates. Alternatively, the groundwater chemistry and Sr isotope variations are consistent with water–rock interactions as the major source for Cr(.
Adult attachment insecurities are associated with obsessive compulsive disorder.

OBJECTIVES Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) is one of the most disabling and highly prevalent anxiety disorders (ADs). Current cognitive models of OCD implicate views about the self and world in the maintenance of the disorder. However, little research has focused on issues that may lead to vulnerability to such views. In particular, a person's attachment insecurities (attachment anxiety, avoidance) may be important risk factors increasing the likelihood of such non-adaptive perceptions (Doron & Kyrios, 2005). DESIGN Participants meeting criteria for OCD were compared with cohorts meeting criteria for other ADs and healthy controls on a range of measures including adult attachment, OC symptoms, cognitions, and mood. METHODS Diagnosis of the clinical groups was established using the Anxiety Disorders Interview Schedule for DSM-IV (Brown, Di Nardo, & Barlow, 1994). The clinical relevance of attachment insecurities was ascertained by comparing their prevalence in an OCD sample (N = 30), an ADs sample (N = 20), and a community sample (N = 32). RESULTS Attachment anxiety was significantly higher in individuals with OCD, even when controlling for depression. CONCLUSIONS Addressing attachment anxiety in individuals presenting with OCD may be important for enhancing therapeutic outcomes. However, findings are based on cross-sectional data that preclude conclusions relating to causal influence.
Consumption-Saving Investigation: United States

This paper uses historical data from the United States to investigate the simple Keynesian consumption-income relationship. When structural breaks are taken into account, the theory of the simple Keynesian consumption function performs quite well in describing what is seen in the US data. Students and instructors of macroeconomic theory should be interested in these results, which demonstrate that the simple Keynesian consumption function does indeed perform quite well as a first approximation of the consumption-income relationship.
Central Bank Design in General Equilibrium

We study the effects of alternative institutional arrangements for the determination of monetary policy in the context of a capital-theoretic, general equilibrium economy. We consider three institutional arrangements for determining monetary policy. The first, unconditional majority voting, always leads to a substantial inflation bias. The second, a simple form of bargaining which we interpret as a policy board, generally improves on the unconditional majority voting outcome. Finally,we consider a constitutional rule which always achieves the social optimum.
Multiple Multinational Tourism Positioning Using Correspondence Analysis

Multinational tourism research involves analysis of multiple origins, multiple tourist destinations, and multiple attributes for destination selection . For example, tourist perceptions of a destination may vary across countries of origin. This can have important implications for which countries to target with tourism promotion, or which of the destination's attributes should be stressed in the promotion. Correspondence analysis is a technique which can handle problems of this complexity where other multiattribute analytical methods cannot. This technique is applied to empirical tourist perception data on Singapore and other Pacific Rim countries. A discussion of how the Singapore Tourist Promotion Board can use the resulting output to improve Singapore's positioning in the tourism market is presented.
A Transactions Theory of Trade Credit Use

This paper derives a transactions theory of trade credit use from the motives of trading partners to economize on the joint costs of exchange. In the formal analysis, uncertain delivery time is used to generate a demand by firms to hold inventories of both goods and money. Trade credit is viewed as a mechanism that separates the exchange of money from the uncertainty present in the exchange of goods. By forewarning both trading partners of the timing of money flows, credit permits a reduction in precautionary money holdings and the more effective management of net money accumulations.
The Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor KRP6 Induces Mitosis and Impairs Cytokinesis in Giant Cells Induced by Plant-Parasitic Nematodes in Arabidopsis[W]

This work points to an unexpected role for KRP6 during mitosis, suggesting that not all KRPs regulate the cell cycle in the same manner. The findings support the idea that plant-parasitic nematodes have evolved the ability to exploit plant cell cycle genes to the benefit of gall establishment. In Arabidopsis thaliana, seven cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) inhibitors have been identified, designated interactors of CDKs or Kip-related proteins (KRPs). Here, the function of KRP6 was investigated during cell cycle progression in roots infected by plant-parasitic root-knot nematodes. Contrary to expectations, analysis of Meloidogyne incognita–induced galls of KRP6-overexpressing lines revealed a role for this particular KRP as an activator of the mitotic cell cycle. In accordance, KRP6-overexpressing suspension cultures displayed accelerated entry into mitosis, but delayed mitotic progression. Likewise, phenotypic analysis of cultured cells and nematode-induced giant cells revealed a failure in mitotic exit, with the appearance of multinucleated cells as a consequence. Strong KRP6 expression upon nematode infection and the phenotypic resemblance between KRP6 overexpression cell cultures and root-knot morphology point toward the involvement of KRP6 in the multinucleate and acytokinetic state of giant cells. Along these lines, the parasite might have evolved to manipulate plant KRP6 transcription to the benefit of gall establishment.
Effect of Polyclonal Antibodies on the Cardiac Sodium‐Calcium Exchanger a

We have previously reported the purification of the cardiac sodium-calcium exchanger from canine myocardium and the generation of polyclonal antibodies against the purified exchanger. ' The polyclonal antibodies immunoprecipitated 97% of the sodium-calcium exchange activity from detergent-solubilized sarcolemma and reacted with prominent proteins of 75, 120, and 140 kDa (reducing conditions) on immunoblots of the purified exchanger. Only one major protein, centered at 140 kDa, was detected under nonreducing conditions. Subsequently, antibodies against the 75 , 120-, and 140-kDa proteins were antigen purified and found to immunoprecipitate 92,91, and 83% of the exchange activity, respectively. Furthermore, the antigen-purified antibodies exhibited cross-reactivity with each of the other two prominent proteins. These data are consistent with those reported by Philipson et a L 2 with the exception of minor differences in the molecular weights reported, and suggest that the three proteins are immunologically related and that all are related to the sodium-calcium exchanger. The purpose of the present study was to determine the effect of these antibodies on sodium-calcium exchange activity manifested by sarcolemmal vesicles (70% sealed WO, 0-12% sealed I/O, remainder leaky) from canine ventricle. The vesicles were exposed to increasing concentrations of affinity-purified IgG from preimmune or immune serum. Antibodies from the immune serum stimulated exchange activity 3.5-fold in a dose-dependent manner with half-maximal stimulation at 0.5 pg IgG/pg sarcolemma1 protein (FIG. 1). Conversely, IgG from preimmune serum had little or no effect between 0.01 and 10 pg IgG/pg. A separate experiment was carried out to further test whether the stimulation observed with IgG from the immune serum (anti-NCX) was specific. Four IgG fractions were tested: (1) from the rabbit that was subsequently immunized against the sodium-calcium exchanger (preimmune); (2) anti-NCX; (3) from a rabbit immunized against total sarcolemmal proteins (anti-SL); and (4) from a rabbit immunized against a prominent sarcolemmal protein of 82 kDa enriched by a
Thiolactomycin resistance in Escherichia coli is associated with the multidrug resistance efflux pump encoded by emrAB

Thiolactomycin (TLM) and cerulenin are antibiotics that block Escherichia coli growth by inhibiting fatty acid biosynthesis at the beta-ketoacyl-acyl carrier protein synthase I step. Both TLM and cerulenin trigger the accumulation of intracellular malonyl-coenzyme A coincident with growth inhibition, and the overexpression of synthase I protein confers resistance to both antibiotics. Strain CDM5 was derived as a TLM-resistant mutant but remained sensitive to cerulenin. TLM neither induced malonyl-coenzyme A accumulation nor blocked fatty acid production in vivo; however, the fatty acid synthase activity in extracts from strain CDM5 was sensitive to TLM inhibition. The TLM resistance gene in strain CDM5 was mapped to 57.5 min of the chromosome and was an allele of the emrB gene. Disruption of the emrB gene converted strain CDM5 to a TLM-sensitive strain, and the overexpression of the emrAB operon conferred TLM resistance to sensitive strains. Thus, activation of the emr efflux pump is the mechanism for TLM resistance in strain CDM5.