Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The relationship between methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase polymorphism and hematological malignancy.

BACKGROUND Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) is the key enzyme for folate metabolism. Previous studies suggest a relationship between its single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) of C677T and A1298C with a variety of tumor susceptibility including hematological malignancy. SNP frequency distribution in different ethnic populations might lead to differences in disease susceptibility. There has been little research in Chinese people on the MTHFR SNP with the susceptibility of the hematological malignancy. Therefore, this study investigated the relationship between MTHFR SNPs and hematological malignancy in Jiangsu province in China. METHODS Gene microarray was used to detect MTHFR C677T and A1298C single nucleotide polymorphism loci on 157 healthy controls and 127 patients from Jiangsu province with hematological malignancies (30 with multiple myeloma, 28 with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, 22 with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, 40 with acute myeloid leukemia, and seven with chronic myeloid leukemia). RESULTS The allele frequency of 677T was 41.3% in patients and 33.1% in controls, showed significant difference (chi2 = 4.08, p = 0.043); 677TT genotype with a high susceptibility to hematological malignancy (OR 1.96, 95% CI 1.01 - 4.45, p = 0.041). In subgroup analyses, the genotypes 677TT and 1298CC were associated with significantly increased multiple myeloma risk (TT vs. CC: OR 8.92, 95% CI 1.06 - 75.24, p = 0.006; CC vs. AA: OR = 4.80, 95% CI 1.56 - 14.73, p = 0.044). No associations were found between polymorphisms and susceptibilities to acute lymphoblastic leukemia, acute myeloid leukemia, or non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. CONCLUSIONS MTHFRC677T polymorphisms influence the risk of hematological malignancy among the population in Jiangsu province. Both MTHFR 677TT and MTHFR 1298CC genotypes increase susceptibility to myeloid leukemia.
Growth Cone Form Is Behavior-Specific and, Consequently, Position-Specific along the Retinal Axon Pathway

Video time-lapse microscopy has made it possible to document growth cone motility during axon navigation in the intact brain. This approach prompted us to reanalyze the hypothesis, originally derived from observations of fixed tissue, that growth cone form is position-specific. The behaviors of DiI-labeled retinal axon growth cones were tracked from retina through the optic tract in mouse brain at embryonic day (E) 15–17, and these behaviors were matched with different growth cone forms. Patterns of behavior were then analyzed in the different locales from the retina through the optic tract. Throughout the pathway, episodes of advance were punctuated by pauses in extension. Irrespective of locale, elongated streamlined growth cones mediated advance and complex forms developed during pauses. The rate of advance and the duration of pauses were surprisingly similar in different parts of the pathway. In contrast, the duration of periods of advance was more brief in the chiasm compared to those in the optic nerve and tract. Consequently, in the chiasm, growth cones spent relatively more time pausing and less time advancing than in the optic nerve or tract. Thus, because growth cone form is behavior-specific and certain behaviors predominate in particular loci, growth cone form appears to be position-specific in static preparations, due to the fraction of time spent in a given state in different locales.
Positive effect of the induction of p21WAF1/CIP1 on the course of ischemic acute renal failure.

BACKGROUND The p21 protein is found in the nucleus of most cells where it modulates cell cycle activity. At low levels, p21 stabilizes interactions between D cyclins and their cyclin-dependent kinases (cdks), but at high levels after induction by several different stress pathways, it causes cell cycle arrest. The p21 mRNA is induced in murine kidney after several types of acute renal failure, including cisplatin administration, ischemia-reperfusion, and ureteral obstruction. We reported that after cisplatin injection, mice with a p21 gene deletion developed much more severe renal damage than wild-type mice. To dissociate the effects of cisplatin-induced DNA damage and subsequent initiation of DNA damage-dependent cell death pathways from effects of acute renal failure, we have now examined mice after ischemia-reperfusion, a model of renal failure not associated with genotoxin-induced DNA damage early after the injury. METHODS Wild-type and p21(-/-) mice were made ischemic by clamping both renal hila for 30 or 50 minutes. At various times after reflow, mortality and parameters of renal function and morphology were quantified. Also, the nuclear proteins p21 and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) were localized in kidney sections by immunohistochemistry. RESULTS Kidney function was more impaired and mortality increased significantly in p21(-/-) mice as compared with p21(+/+) mice. We found more cell cycle activity, indicated by increased number of mitotic cells and nuclear PCNA-positive cells, in kidney of p21(-/-) mice. CONCLUSIONS In this study, p21(-/-) mice were more susceptible to ischemia-induced acute renal failure, with similarly elevated levels of parameters of cell cycle activity. We propose that the increased and inappropriate cell cycle activity in kidney cells is responsible for the increased kidney impairment and mortality.
Environmental organisations and the Europeanisation of public policy in Central and Eastern Europe: the case of biodiversity governance

How has Europeanisation of environmental policy, as represented by the adoption of European Union (EU) biodiversity policies, influenced the agendas and repertoires of action employed by environmental non-governmental organisations (ENGOs) in Hungary, Poland and Romania? The EU's environmental acquis gave ENGOs new and often forceful tools to reach their aims by emphasising the importance of collaborative relations between state and non-state actors and by offering opportunities to civil society actors to circumvent their national governments in the policy process. Implementation of the EU's Natura 2000 network in Hungary, Poland and Romania further reinforced endogenously driven professionalisation and institutionalisation of civil society groups. While EU accession benefited from the expertise of professional ENGOs, the logic of the accession process together with the weakness of both state actors and civil society has not led to the development of sustainable cooperative state–society relations in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE).
NecroX‐5 suppresses IgE/Ag‐stimulated anaphylaxis and mast cell activation by regulating the SHP‐1‐Syk signaling module

IgE/Ag‐stimulated mast cells release various pro‐allergic inflammatory mediators, including histamine, eicosanoids, and pro‐inflammatory cytokines. NecroX‐5, a cell permeable necrosis inhibitor, showed cytoprotective effects in both in vitro and in vivo models. However, the anti‐allergic effect of NecroX‐5 has not yet been investigated. The aims of this study were to evaluate the anti‐allergic activity of NecroX‐5 in vivo and to investigate the underlying mechanism in vitro.
Resolving Disputed Financial Reporting Issues: Effects of Auditor Negotiation Experience and Engagement Risk on Negotiation Process and Outcome

SUMMARY: In an experiment involving a dyadic negotiation between a computer‐simulated client and practicing auditors, we examine the effects of engagement risk and auditor negotiation experience on the process and outcomes of client‐auditor negotiations. We find that auditors with lower negotiation experience who encounter a high risk client use a more concessionary negotiation strategy, achieve a negotiated outcome that is more aggressive (consistent with the client's aggressive preference), and are less confident that the outcome they negotiate is acceptable under GAAP compared with the negotiation process and outcome results of auditors with higher negotiation experience. In contrast, auditors with higher negotiation experience use a less concessionary strategy, achieve an outcome that is more conservative regardless of risk context, and are more confident that the outcome they negotiate is acceptable under GAAP. This study illustrates the important roles that engagement risk, task‐specific negotiation.
Science for Agriculture: A Long-Term Perspective

Preface by T. W. Schultz. Under contract with Iowa State Press for a revision, 2004. A 9-chapter book (about 200 pages) that documents the evolution, development, and economic impacts of public agricultural research, especially the state agricultural experiment stations over the past 150 years. Received Quality of Research Discovery Award given by Am. Agr. Econ. Assoc.
Effects of Budget Deficit on Current Account Balance: Analysis of Twin Deficits Hypothesis in Case of Turkey

There are generally two different views that explain development process of Twin deficits. The first approach that tries to explain “Twin Deficits Hypothesis” is Conventional Keynesian Approach and the other one is Ricardian Equivalence Approach. While the Conventional Keynesian proposition claims that budget deficits led to current account deficits, on the other hand the Ricardian Equivalence Hypothesis claims that there is no relationship between the budget deficits and current account deficits. In this paper the relationship between foreign trade balance and current account balance is researched by using annual data for 1975 and 2010 periods in Turkey. In order to search the direction and size of the association between analyzed variables, Johansen cointegration and error correction model have been employed. The empirical findings of the study reveal that for the concerning period, it is found that there is a relationship between budget deficits and current account deficits in both the short and long run. These results support the Conventional Keynesian Theory and refuse the Ricardian Equivalence Hypothesis.
Comment on: “Gálvez et al.: Interactive pediatric emergency checklists to the palm of your hand ‐ How the pedi crisis app traveled around the world”

placement. Despite complications from under or over-pressurizing ETT cuffs, they are commonly used because they reduce the number of intubations compared to uncuffed ETTs. One method to ensure appropriate pressure in a cuffed ETT is to measure the pressure with a manometer. Cuff pressure manometers are commonly used by many pediatric anesthesiologists and are required monitors in some countries. There are multiple cuff measurement devices commercially available, and the Posey Cufflator is commonly used at our institution. It performs two functions: (i) a manometer that is applied to the pilot balloon to measure the ETT cuff pressure, and (ii) a hand pump that allows air to be inserted into or released from the cuff. During a quality improvement (QI) project at our center, we used the Cufflator to assess cuff pressures of ETTs that had pressures checked via auscultation of cuff leak at peak airway pressure of 20 cm H2O. An unintended discovery during the QI study was that the process of measuring the cuff pressure released approximately 5-10 cm H2O of air pressure. In some cases a leak was created, which was more prominent with smaller ETTs (Figure 1). Examination of the product monograph reveals that the manometer is not specifically designed for spot checks, but only for insertion or release of pressure with the hand pump. Correspondence with multiple institutions confirms that this product is often routinely used for spot-checking. Our suggestion would be to not use the Cufflator for spot checks, or if so, to ensure that the cuff pressure is readjusted to an adequate level after each assessment. Alternatively, the Cufflator can be adapted with an IV t-piece for continuous cuff pressure monitoring and intermittent adjustments. DISCLOSURES
Short-Sale Constraints and the Idiosyncratic Volatility Puzzle: An Event Study Approach

Using three natural experiments, we test the hypothesis that investor overconfidence produces overpricing of high idiosyncratic volatility stocks in the presence of binding short-sale constraints. We study three events: IPO lockup expirations, option introductions, and the 2008 short-sale ban on financial firms. Consistent with our prediction, we show that when short-sale constraints are relaxed, event stocks with high idiosyncratic volatility tend to experience greater price reductions, as well as larger increases in trading volume and short interest, than those with low idiosyncratic volatility. These results hold when we benchmark event stocks with non-event stocks with comparable idiosyncratic volatility. Overall, our findings suggest that biased investor beliefs and binding short-sale constraints contribute to idiosyncratic volatility overpricing.
The Performance of Expert Valuation Witnesses in Australia

Abstract Earlier research in the UK found that the performance of expert valuation witnesses was inconsistent. This paper aims to examine the organisation, training and performance of the expert valuation witness in Australia. After reviewing the legal context, the paper examines the criticisms that have been made of expert witnesses and carries out survey work of expert valuation witnesses in Australia, using a comparable survey instrument to that used earlier in the UK. The paper concludes that the current expert witness system is operating reasonably well in Australia, but that more formal training may help to overcome potential bias.
Fortune Favours the Prepared Region: The Case of Entrepreneurship and the Capitol Region Biotechnology Cluster

The US Capitol region ranks as one of the important biotech clusters in the US. This article documents the general dimensions of the innovative milieu and highlights the historical development of the cluster. The Capitol region biotechnology cluster, in essence, is the result of three reinforcing sets of factors: pre-existing resources, entrepreneurship and the incentives and infrastructure provided by government. Due to significant investments in science and technology the region was prepared to capitalize on technological opportunities in biotechnology as well as institutional policy changes that facilitated technology-based entrepreneurship.
Microscopic colitis: the tip of the iceberg?

Objectives The aims were to determine whether a wide variation exists between hospitals in the diagnosis of microscopic colitis and to assimilate clinical data. Design Retrospective study of 90 patients with microscopic colitis aged between 16 and 92 years from 11 hospitals in south-east England. Methods A questionnaire was designed to collect relevant data from all patients in whom a new diagnosis of microscopic colitis had been made at the source hospital between January 1990 and December 1996. The inclusion criteria were presentation with watery diarrhoea, a normal endoscopy and a histological report of microscopic colitis. Histology slides were then requested and reviewed. Clinical data were analysed with reference to the confirmed diagnosis. Results The number of patients diagnosed at each hospital ranged between zero and 30, with a median of six. Sixty-eight patients had histological slides reviewed. The numbers of patients with a final reviewed diagnosis of collagenous colitis, lymphocytic colitis and microscopic colitis, type undesignated, were 37, 18 and seven respectively. In thirty-one patients (34%) there was a recent history of the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Conclusions These data confirm that there is wide hospital variation in the diagnosis of microscopic colitis. Furthermore, the small group with the undesignated type may be associated with the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
SOME SIMPLIFIED FORMULAE FOR OPTIMAL INCOME TAXATION

This paper attempts a reinterpretation of some results on optimal income taxation by recasting the model in a framework which makes it possible to use the analytical tools of optimal commodity taxation. In the context of a linear income tax this leads to three alternative formulae for the optimal marginal tax rate which highlight the equity-efficiency tradeoff more readily than previous formulations. Given the general equilibrium practice of treating labor services as just another commodity, we should expect the treatment of optimal income taxation to parallel that of commodity taxation. In fact there seems to be very little contact between the literature on the two. This is often confusing to students. To remedy this we take the model of optimal linear income taxation, due to Sheshinski (1972), and recast it in a framework which allows us to use the analytical tools of optimal commodity taxation. We first show that this leads to a tax formula which is similar to one of optimal commodity taxes when individuals are unequal. Next, we reformulate the model so as to achieve a result which is very similar to Diamond's (1975) work on commodity taxation; this result can be given in two alternative versions, each of which has an interesting economic interpretation. All three formulae can be interpreted in a way that highlights the equity-efficiency conflict more readily than previous formulations. There are several reasons for the usual differences in the treatments of the two cases. First, a non-linear schedule (with varying marginal tax rates) is commonly sought for income taxation, while commodity taxes are usually restricted to be linear, i.e. proportional to revenue in the ad valorem case or quantity in the specific case. But recent work by Mirrlees (1976) and Seade
Total chemical synthesis of human matrix Gla protein

Human matrix Gla protein (MGP) is a vitamin K–dependent extracellular matrix protein that binds Ca2+ ions and that is involved in the prevention of vascular calcification. MGP is a 10.6‐kD protein (84 amino acids) containing five γ‐carboxyglutamic acid (Gla) residues and one disulfide bond. Studies of the mechanism by which MGP prevents calcification of the arterial media are hampered by the low solubility of the protein (<10 μg/mL). Because of solubility problems, processing of a recombinantly expressed MGP‐fusion protein chimera to obtain MGP was unsuccessful. Here we describe the total chemical synthesis of MGP by tBoc solid‐phase peptide synthesis (SPPS) and native chemical ligation. Peptide Tyr1‐Ala53 was synthesized on a derivatized resin yielding a C‐terminal thioester group. Peptide Cys54‐Lys84 was synthesized on Lys‐PAM resin yielding a C‐terminal carboxylic acid. Subsequent native chemical ligation of the two peptides resulted in the formation of a native peptide bond between Ala53 and Cys54. Folding of the 1–84‐polypeptide chain in 3 M guanidine (pH 8) resulted in a decrease of molecular mass from 10,605 to 10,603 (ESI‐MS), representing the loss of two protons because of the formation of the Cys54‐Cys60 internal disulfide bond. Like native MGP, synthetic MGP had the same low solubility when brought into aqueous buffer solutions with physiological salt concentrations, confirming its native like structure. However, the solubility of MGP markedly increased in borate buffer at pH 7.4 in the absence of sodium chloride. Ca2+‐binding to MGP was confirmed by analytical HPLC, on which the retention time of MGP was reduced in the presence of CaCl2. Circular dichroism studies revealed a sharp increase in α‐helicity at 0.2 mM CaCl2 that may explain the Ca2+‐dependent shift in high‐pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC)‐retention time of MGP. In conclusion, facile and efficient chemical synthesis in combination with native chemical ligation yielded MGP preparations that can aid in unraveling the mechanism by which MGP prevents vascular calcification.
European policymaking on the tobacco advertising ban: the importance of escape routes

Abstract This article analyses the European Union policymaking process regarding tobacco advertising. While others already highlighted the importance of intergovernmental bargaining between member states to explain the outcome of the tobacco advertising case, the main aim of this article is to identify the use of escape routes by the Commission, the European Parliament, the Council and interest groups that played an important role in overcoming the deadlock. When looking at the different institutions that structure policymaking, we argue that indeed focusing on escape routes provides a clear insight in the process and in what strategies were necessary to ‘make Europe work’. In the end, it appears to be a combination of escape routes that resulted in the final decision.
Wealth Accumulation and Housing Choices of Young Households: An Exploratory Investigation

This paper describes the wealth accumulation of American youth and relates this behavior to their eventual housing choices. We develop a data set that links wealth profiles of youth with constant- quality house prices and tenure choice. A panel data set is compiled for youth age 20-33 for the years 1985 through 1990. We construct wealth profiles for each household over the six year period and indicate how wealth varies with labor supply, marriage, fertility, gender, education, race/ethnicity, and tenure choice. We find renters' wealth accumulates rapidly in the year before and year of first homeownership. The factors related to this increase are marriage, increased labor supply by married women, and gifts/inheritances. Of particular interest is the finding of an inverse U-shaped relationship between the local real price of housing and middle and upper income renters' wealth and married female labor supply. Also, youth in high housing cost localities tend to live in groups at a greater rate compared to those in low cost areas.
Measuring, Adjusting, And Forecasting Beta: The Case Of All The Lebanese Listed Firms

Beta is commonly used in many publications as a measure of risk of an investment or as an index for safety. Such a risk assessment has never been done for the Lebanese stock market. This paper presents the alternative types of models for estimating future correlation coefficients and the sources of their forecast errors. Betas of all the Lebanese listed firms are measured and a special tailored adjustment technique is conceived to fit their constraints.
Asset price dynamics, inflation and sectoral composition of output: a dependent economy model

This article develops a dependent economy model that focuses on the interactions between inflation and asset price dynamics under a flexible exchange rate and rational expectation. We assume that money wage adjusts instantaneously to clear the labour market. The asset prices are represented by the Tobin’s q and exchange rate. Using this framework, we will examine implications of monetary policy, fiscal policy, tariff liberalization and exogenous capital flows for inflation and asset prices, which in turn determine the allocation of labour and the sectoral composition of output. The effects of different exogenous and policy-induced shocks critically depend on the difference in the speeds of adjustment in commodity price and asset prices and multiple cross effects generated by changes in these prices.