Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Public health at a crossroads: assessing teaching on economic globalization as a social determinant of health

This article examines how public health faculty prepare students to respond to economic globalization, and more broadly considers the response of public health academics to structural challenges that fall within the realm of global economics, politics, and policy. At this moment, public health is at a crossroads of formalizing its education through graduate competencies and certifications. This research undertook in-depth interviews with public health faculty from across the US to explore how students are prepared to critically consider root causes and respond to political and economic trends shaping health. These interviews reveal a general dearth of attention to globalization, as well as several factors shaping public health academic knowledge production. These include the deep influence and shortcomings of funding resources; a general lack of critical perspective in public health; and both methodological and faculty competence deficiencies. Interviewees also discuss political influences and conflicting student demands, as well the strength of public health as an interdisciplinary profession and potential opportunities for improving public health's responsiveness. Interestingly, while there was near unanimity regarding public health's role and obligation to advocate for change on these issues, there was also uncertainty about how to appropriately model and teach advocacy skills, and tension over public health's role in politics and policy. While public health has a rich history of addressing structural and political factors shaping health, this research reveals an ongoing need to define public health's role in contemporary politics and policy, and in advocating for change at the global policy level.
Styles of coping and social support in a cohort of adults with congenital heart disease

Objective: To determine styles of coping, that is personal ways of dealing with problems, and social support, or support from the social environment, in a cohort of adults with congenital heart disease. Methods: We subjected 362 patients with congenital heart disease, aged from 20 to 46 years, belonging to five diagnostic groups, to extensive medical and psychological examination from 20 to 33 years after their first open heart surgical procedure. During psychological examination, 342 patients filled in questionnaires concerning styles of coping, specifically the Utrecht Coping List, and social support, using the Social Support List. Results: Overall, styles of coping in the total sample are comparable to those of peers in the general population, except for lower active problem solving, which can be attributed to female patients. Males with congenital heart disease showed more favourable styles of coping compared to their peers, such as higher seeking of social support, lower passive reaction patterns, and lower expression of negative emotions. Compared to the reference group, the total cohort of patients reported to receive less social support, but also to experience less discrepancies between desired and received social support, indicating feelings of independence in these adults. Females with congenital heart disease were found to seek and receive more social support compared to their male counterparts. Conclusion: Overall, few differences in styles of coping were found between the patients and their reference groups. Perceived social support in the sample of patients was favourable.
Diagnosis and treatment of hyperprolactinemia: an Endocrine Society clinical practice guideline.

OBJECTIVE The aim was to formulate practice guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of hyperprolactinemia. PARTICIPANTS The Task Force consisted of Endocrine Society-appointed experts, a methodologist, and a medical writer. EVIDENCE This evidence-based guideline was developed using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) system to describe both the strength of recommendations and the quality of evidence. CONSENSUS PROCESS One group meeting, several conference calls, and e-mail communications enabled consensus. Committees and members of The Endocrine Society, The European Society of Endocrinology, and The Pituitary Society reviewed and commented on preliminary drafts of these guidelines. CONCLUSIONS Practice guidelines are presented for diagnosis and treatment of patients with elevated prolactin levels. These include evidence-based approaches to assessing the cause of hyperprolactinemia, treating drug-induced hyperprolactinemia, and managing prolactinomas in nonpregnant and pregnant subjects. Indications and side effects of therapeutic agents for treating prolactinomas are also presented.
Monetary policy transmission and house prices, a VAR approach. A case study of South Africa (1994 to 2011).

We analyse the role of financial and macro-economic variables in the conduct of monetary policy, particularly the role played by monetary policy in the house price boom of the early 2000s. The analysis is performed in the setup of a New Keynesian open economy. We estimate a five variable Recursive Vector Autoregressive model consisting of the short term interest rate, house prices, inflation, output and the exchange rate. Quarterly data from 1994 to 2011 was inputted in Eviews (6) to run the model. We find a significant causal relationship between the short term interest rate and house prices; the impulse response results show an instant response of house prices to a shock in monetary policy. We conclude that the house price boom of the early 2000s was partially attributed to an overreaction to a shock in monetary policy. We also find evidence of exchange rate passthrough to the consumer price index as in (Mishkin, 2008). We conclude that perhaps monetary policy should take cognisance of asset price fluctuations and exchange rate volatility in determining the policy instrument.
The relationship among organisational learning, continuous improvement and performance improvement: An evolutionary perspective

This paper records the research on the relationship between organisational learning (OL), continuous improvement (CI) and performance improvement from an evolutionary perspective. The research may contribute to the literature by providing new explanations to the questions such as whether OL and CI are equal and how OL and CI influence each other. The research is based on the survey data from about 500 companies in 15 countries/regions. Data analysis is based on structural equation modelling (SEM). OL is treated as an evolutionary process and measured separately by previous learning and current learning. The results can be summarised as follows. First, CI directly contributes to performance, while OL does not contribute directly. Second, CI and OL do enhance each other, but there is a time lag. Well-established learning capability contributes to CI, and CI in return supports current OL. The relationship is evolutionary like rolling a snowball. The result suggests that companies have to be patient when implementing OL and also incorporate OL with CI or other problem-oriented programmes.
Following the pathway of female entrepreneurs: A six‐country investigation

– There has been increased policy and research interest in the growing number of female entrepreneurs and their potential contribution to both the local and global economy. Nevertheless, the extant literature on female entrepreneurship is often limited to the start‐up phase of business. An important gap in the literature is an enquiry into the development of these female‐owned organisations from inception to maturity, and their growth in domestic and/or international markets. This paper therefore aims to address key themes such as motivation to start‐up, growing the business, gender issues and the challenges faced by these women. , – An innovative, internet‐based methodology was employed to collect the data in the chosen locations. Using internet resources such as online media, company web sites and other pertinent sites, a significant volume of information was gathered. Any information gaps or issues requiring further clarification were then addressed via e‐mail exchanges with the individual entrepreneur. , – Initial findings demonstrate threads of commonality between female entrepreneurs in different countries. It also highlights differences in the experiences of these women, not only across countries but also within certain countries. A comprehensive discussion of these findings is contained in the paper. , – This research has highlighted a number of issues which merit further investigation; however, the issue of social responsibility within this sample of female entrepreneurs would indicate that women have much more socially‐oriented motives for starting and developing a business. The authors would like to investigate this further using qualitative investigation of a larger sample within one country before drawing any definitive conclusions. , – Given a limited understanding of such issues mentioned above, this contribution seeks to provide an insight into the heterogeneous experiences of female entrepreneurs using cross‐national data rather than a one‐country study.
Expression of interleukin‐6 in osteoarthritic chondrocytes and effects of fluid‐induced shear on this expression in normal human chondrocytes in vitro

This study tested the effect of fluid‐induced shear on interleukin‐6 expression in normal human articular chondrocytes in vitro. As determined by Northern blot analysis, interleukin‐6 mRNA expression occurs in chondrocytes from osteoarthritic cartilage but not in normal chondrocytes. Applying fluid‐induced shear stress to primary high density cultures of chondrocytes increased interleukin‐6 mRNA signal 4‐fold at 1 hour and 10 to 15‐fold at 48 hours compared with unsheared control cultures. At 48 hours, fluid‐induced shear stress increased interleukin‐6 protein levels in the culture medium 9 to 10‐fold compared with unsheared controls, mRNA signals for interleukin‐1α, interleukin‐1β, and tumor necrosis factor‐α in RNA from sheared or control chondrocytes were not detected by Northern blotting. Transforming growth factor‐β mRNA signal was detectable but was not affected by shear. In contrast, human lung fibroblasts (WI‐38) responded to fluid‐induced shear with increased signal for transforming growth factor‐β but not interleukin‐6, mRNA. Both cell types did respond to interleukin‐1α with increased interleukin‐6 mRNA signal. These data demonstrate that distortional forces, such as fluid‐induced shear stress, alter interleukin‐6 levels in normal chondrocytes in vitro and suggest that increased interleukin‐6 expression in osteoarthritic cartilage may result, in part, from alterations in the mechanical loading of the tissue.
Human Lin28 Forms a High-Affinity 1:1 Complex with the 106~363 Cluster miRNA miR-363

Lin28A is a post-transcriptional regulator of gene expression that interacts with and negatively regulates the biogenesis of let-7 family miRNAs. Recent data suggested that Lin28A also binds the putative tumor suppressor miR-363, a member of the 106~363 cluster of miRNAs. Affinity for this miRNA and the stoichiometry of the protein–RNA complex are unknown. Characterization of human Lin28’s interaction with RNA has been complicated by difficulties in producing stable RNA-free protein. We have engineered a maltose binding protein fusion with Lin28, which binds let-7 miRNA with a Kd of 54.1 ± 4.2 nM, in agreement with previous data on a murine homologue. We show that human Lin28A binds miR-363 with a 1:1 stoichiometry and with a similar, if not higher, affinity (Kd = 16.6 ± 1.9 nM). Further analysis suggests that the interaction of the N-terminal cold shock domain of Lin28A with RNA is salt-dependent, supporting a model in which the cold shock domain allows the protein to sample RNA substrates through transient electrostatic interactions.
Maturational changes in ovine pulmonary vascular responses to inhaled nitric oxide

Developmental changes in modulation of pulmonary vasomotor tone by endothelium‐derived nitric oxide (EDNO) may reflect maturational differences in endothelial synthesis of and/or vascular smooth muscle response to nitric oxide. This study sought to determine whether pulmonary vascular sensitivity and responsiveness to nitric oxide change during newborn development, and whether this is related to changes in guanylate cyclase activity. Pulmonary artery dose‐responses to inhaled nitric oxide (iNO, 0.25–100 parts per million) were measured in hypoxic, indomethacin‐treated, isolated lungs from 1‐day (1‐d)‐ and 1‐month (1‐m)‐old lambs. The lungs of 1‐m‐old lambs were ventilated with 4% (oxygen) O2, and lungs of 1‐d‐old lambs were ventilated with either 4% or 7% O2 in order to achieve similar stimuli or vasomotor tone. Cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) concentrations in the perfusate were measured at iNO concentrations of 0, 5, and 100 parts per million (ppm). Basal and stimulated pulmonary guanylate cyclase activity was also measured in lung extracts in vitro.
Fc receptor inside‐out signaling and possible impact on antibody therapy

Fc receptors (FcR) are expressed on immune cells and bind to the Fc tail of antibodies. This interaction is essential for FcR‐mediated signaling and triggering of cellular effector functions. FcR activation is tightly regulated to prevent immune responses by non‐antigen bound antibodies or in the absence of ‘danger signals’. FcR activity may be modulated at the plasma membrane via cross‐talk with integrins. In addition, cytokines at the site of infection/inflammation can increase FcR avidity, a process referred to as inside‐out signaling. This regulatory mechanism has been described for FcγRI (CD64), FcγRIIa (CD32a), and FcαRI (CD89) and is also well‐known for integrins. Key cellular events during inside‐out signaling are (de)phosphorylation, clustering, cytoskeleton rearrangements, and conformational changes. The latter can be studied with antibodies that specifically recognize epitopes exposed by the active (high affinity) or inactive (low affinity) state of the FcR. These antibodies are important tools to investigate the role of FcR activation in disease settings. Research on FcR has gained momentum with the rise of monoclonal antibodies (mAb) entering the clinic for the treatment of cancer and other diseases. The clinical outcome of mAb therapy may be improved by increasing FcR avidity by cytokine stimulation.
Oil Price Shocks and Real GDP Growth: Testing for Non-linearity

This paper presents evidence of a non-linear relationship between real GDP growth and oil price changes for the US economy. We also argue that this non-linearity is not merely due to the use of data from the mid-1980s onwards, as most authors, so far, seem to believe. In fact, we find the existence of non-linearity with the use of data earlier than 1984, and even before 1977. Furthermore, we question that the non-linear transformations of oil prices proposed in the literature are the most appropriate ones for reflecting such non-linearity.
Development of a learner-centered learning process for a course

A learner-centered learning process combines the concepts of competence directed curriculum design and constructivism based learning process design. We define general competences(critical reflection, creativity, research attitude) and course domain specific ones (content topics). Constructivism learning theory means active construction of new knowledge based on learner's prior experience. We defined general, collaborative and assessment design elements. A Model for the development of the learning process has been built. Attention goes to the blended ICT based model.
Mitogen-activated Protein Kinase Plays an Essential Role in the Erythropoietin-dependent Proliferation of CTLL-2 Cells*

Erythropoietin (EPO) and its receptor (EPOR) are required for development of erythrocytes. It has been shown that the ectopic expression of EPOR confers EPO-dependent proliferation on an interleukin 3 (IL3)-dependent cell line, Ba/F3, whereas the IL2-dependent T cell line, CTLL-2 expressing the EPOR (T-ER), fails to proliferate in response to EPO. However, the molecular basis of the EPO unresponsiveness in CTLL-2 has not been clarified. We found that the expression level of JAK2 in T-ER cells was much lower than that in Ba/F3 cells. Therefore, we examined the effects of forced expression of JAK2 in T-ER cells. In T-ER transformants expressing JAK2 (T-JER), EPO induced tyrosine phosphorylation of the EPOR, JAK2, and STAT5, and consequently STAT5-responsive genes including bcl-X and cis1were normally induced. Furthermore, T-JER cells were resistant to apoptosis until at least 72 h after switching from IL2 to EPO. Although T-JER cells could not continuously proliferate in the presence of EPO, additional expression of JAK2 in T-JER (T-JJER) to a level similar to that in Ba/F3 cells supported long term proliferation in response to EPO. JAK2 was equally co-immunoprecipitated with the EPOR among T-JER, T-JJER, and Ba/F3 cells expressing the EPOR (BF-ER). However, EPO-dependent mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase activation was observed in T-JJER and BF-ER cells but not in T-JER cells. EPO-dependent long term proliferation of T-JER cells was conferred by expression of the constitutively activated form of MEK1. Our results suggest that MAP kinase activation is, at least in part, an important component for mitotic signal from the EPOR, and CTLL-2 cells probably lack signaling molecule(s) in JAK2 and the Ras-MAP kinase pathway.
Esc1, a Nuclear Periphery Protein Required for Sir4-Based Plasmid Anchoring and Partitioning

ABSTRACT A targeted silencing screen was performed to identify yeast proteins that, when tethered to a telomere, suppress a telomeric silencing defect caused by truncation of Rap1. A previously uncharacterized protein, Esc1 (establishes silent chromatin), was recovered, in addition to well-characterized proteins Rap1, Sir1, and Rad7. Telomeric silencing was slightly decreased in Δesc1 mutants, but silencing of the HM loci was unaffected. On the other hand, targeted silencing by various tethered proteins was greatly weakened in Δesc1 mutants. Two-hybrid analysis revealed that Esc1 and Sir4 interact via a 34-amino-acid portion of Esc1 (residues 1440 to 1473) and a carboxyl-terminal domain of Sir4 known as PAD4 (residues 950 to 1262). When tethered to DNA, this Sir4 domain confers efficient partitioning to otherwise unstable plasmids and blocks the ability of bound DNA segments to rotate freely in vivo. Here, both phenomena were shown to require ESC1. Sir protein-mediated partitioning of a telomere-based plasmid also required ESC1. Fluorescence microscopy of cells expressing green fluorescent protein (GFP)-Esc1 showed that the protein localized to the nuclear periphery, a region of the nucleus known to be functionally important for silencing. GFP-Esc1 localization, however, was not entirely coincident with telomeres, the nucleolus, or nuclear pore complexes. Our data suggest that Esc1 is a component of a redundant pathway that functions to localize silencing complexes to the nuclear periphery.
Spurious rejections by cointegration tests induced by structural breaks

The effects on three cointegration tests are examined when the series analysed are independent integrated processes, each with a structural break. Although there are differences in detail among the tests, the results indicate in all cases that, when structural breaks are neglected in the analysis, spurious rejections, indicating the presence of cointegration, can occur.
Theoretical study of L‐type Ca2+ current inactivation kinetics during action potential repolarization and early afterdepolarizations

• The L‐type Ca2+ current (ICa) plays an important role in regulation of excitation–contraction coupling and development of cardiac arrhythmias. • We studied theoretically ICa inactivation and the relative contributions of voltage‐dependent inactivation (VDI) and Ca2+‐dependent inactivation (CDI) to total inactivation, and we present an improved mathematical model of rabbit ventricular ICa. • The model proposes that inactivation observed when Ba2+ is the charge carrier includes a small contribution from ion‐dependent inactivation (in addition to pure VDI), usually neglected by other modelling studies. • The model, identified and validated against a broad set of experimental data, is applied to study the relative roles of VDI and CDI (and the relative contributions of different Ca2+ sources to total CDI) during normal and abnormal repolarization. • The model predicts that CDI is crucial for repolarization, and that impairment of CDI may be arrhythmogenic by affecting intracellular Ca2+ cycling, through its effect on the ICa time course and Na+–Ca2+ exchanger activity.
Unintended responses to performance management in dutch hospital care: Bringing together the managerial and professional perspectives

Abstract As part of a major health care reform starting in 2005, the Netherlands introduced a Diagnosis-Related Group (DRG) system of hospital care reimbursement and performance measurement. The DRG system was applied to all hospital care, meaning that it affected the overwhelming majority of Dutch specialist medical professionals. To better understand the consequences of this new system, and the responses of medical professionals to its implementation, we conducted and analysed an original set of sixty-six semi-structured interviews focused on medical specialists’ perception and utilization of the system. Our findings indicate that these professionals’ behaviours can seldom be ascribed to financial motives alone. Many responses of medical professionals to the new system were attributed to value-based motivations, related to upholding professional ethos and accommodating the dynamics of the professional process. Even responses that might be characterized at first as financially driven could not be entirely understood as perverse effects of the performance management system, as they too usually had an ancillary aim of safeguarding the professional tenets of the medical establishment.
Right Hemisphere Semantic Processing of Visual Words in an Aphasic Patient: An fMRI Study

This study was designed to identify the neural network supporting the semantic processing of visual words in a patient with large-scale damage to left-hemisphere (LH) language structures. Patient GP, and a control subject, RT, performed semantic and orthographic tasks while brain-activation patterns were recorded using functional magnetic resonance imaging. In RT, the semantic-orthographic comparison activated LH perisylvian and extrasylvian temporal regions comparable to the network of areas activated by non-brain-damaged subjects in other neuroimaging studies of semantic discrimination. In GP, the same comparison activated homologous right-hemisphere regions, demonstrating the ability of the right hemisphere to subserve visual lexicosemantic processes. The results are discussed within the context of the normal right hemisphere's capacity for semantic processing of visual words. Examining results from functional neuroimaging studies on recovery in the context of innate hemispheric abilities may enable reconciliation of disparate claims about mechanisms supporting recovery from aphasia.
Beyond Ideal Types of Municipal Structure

Increasingly, scholars of local governments are calling attention to a new era of municipal reform and to the convergence of the mayor-council and council-manager forms of governments. A major conclusion of this literature is that these two familiar ideal types no longer adequately describe the structure of most American cities. This article contributes to this question by examining the charters of 263 Michigan cities. We use the adapted cities framework advanced by H. George Frederickson, Gary Johnson, and Curtis Wood to examine the patterns of adaptation to Michigan's mayor-council and council-manager cities. We find that the governance structure in most Michigan cities is not accurately described by either of the ideal types. Mayor-council cities are especially likely to use charter provisions that deviate significantly from conventional depictions of the form.