Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Why are Wages Cyclical in the 1970s?

This article investigates cyclicality in real wages between 1969 and 1982, using Panel Study of Income Dynamics data. There is little evidence that movements in and out of the labor market induced aggregate wage cyclicality during these years. However, cyclicality in the movement of workers between heterogeneous labor-market sectors affected aggregate wage cyclicality. While sector location is important, sector selectivity is not correlated with wages. Yet, even within sectors, cyclicality is present in real wages over this time period and is the result of cyclicality in overall wage levels, as well as in the coefficients associated with particular worker characteristics.
Administer and collect medical questionnaires with Google documents: a simple, safe, and free system.

AIM Questionnaires are an invaluable resource for clinical trials. They serve to estimate disease burden and clinical parameters associated with a particular study. However, current researchers are tackling budget constraints, loss of funding opportunities, and rise of research associated fees. We aimed at exploring alternative avenues taking advantage of the free Google docs software for questionnaire administration. This presents an opportunity to reduce costs while simultaneously increasing efficiency and data fidelity. MATERIAL AND METHODS Google documents were used as a platform to create online questionnaires that were automatically hosted via a unique URL. Password protected access to the URL link and a unique study ID gave patients around the clock access from anywhere in the world. Unique study ID ensured confidentially of all self-reported data. Patient responses were secured using a "Cloud" database where the data was automatically sorted, scaled and scored by custom Excel formulas. Researchers downloaded real-time questionnaire responses in multiple formats (e.g. excel) which was then analyzed with a statistical software of choice. RESULTS This simple workflow provided instant questionnaire scores that eliminated the use for paper-based responses and subsequent manual entry of data. Ease of access to online questionnaires provided convenience to patients leading to better response rates and increase in data fidelity. The system also allowed for real time monitoring of patient's progress on completing questionnaires. Online questionnaires had 100% completion rate compared to paper-based questionnaires. CONCLUSIONS Google docs can serve as an efficient and free platform to administer questionnaires to a clinical population without sacrificing quality, security, and fidelity of data.
TINJAUAN SEJARAH HUKUM PASAL 33 UUD 1945 SEBAGAI IDEOLOGI EKONOMI (THE LEGAL HISTORY REVIEW OF ARTICLE 33 UUD 1945 AS ECONOMIC IDEOLOGY)

Article 33 of the 1945 Constitution is intended by its drafters as the economic ideology of Indonesia. It contains the idea of economic sovereignty as complement to the political independence of Indonesia. As a formulation containing an ideological notion, it should be understood through comprehensive tools of thinking, along the multi-disciplinary mode of thinking that constitutes the background of its formulation. A number of economists involved in the process of the amendment of the article has failed to comprehend its position and status. This essay is a historical overview of the position of Article 33 of the 1945 Constitution and the nature of Indonesian way of thinking. ABSTRAK Pasal 33 UUD 1945 dimaksudkan oleh perumusnya sebagai ideologi ekonomi Indonesia. Di dalam pasal tersebut terkandung gagasan mengenai kedaulatan ekonomi untuk melengkapi kemerdekaan politik Indonesia. Sebagai rumusan yang mengandung gagasan ideologis, Pasal 33 seharusnya dipahami dengan perangkat pemikiran yang komprehensif, sejalan dengan multidisiplin-pemikiran yang telah melatarbelakangi penyusunannya. Sejumlah ekonom yang terlibat dalam proses perubahan Pasal 33 UUD 1945 gagal memahami posisi dan kedudukan pasal tersebut. Artikel ini merupakan tinjauan sejarah hukum atas kedudukan Pasal 33 UUD 1945 di dalam konstitusi dan alam pikir keindonesiaan.
Cost-effectiveness of screening for colorectal cancer in France using a guaiac test versus an immunochemical test

Objectives: The aim of this study was to compare the cost and the effectiveness of two biennial fecal occult blood screening tests for colorectal cancer: a guaiac nonrehydrated test (G-FOBT) and an immunochemical test (I-FOBT) with the absence of screening. Methods: A Markov model was developed to compare these strategies in a general population of subjects aged 50 to 74 over a 20-year period. Results: Compared with the absence of screening, G-FOBT and I-FOBT were associated with a decrease in colorectal cancer mortality of 17.4 percent and 25.2 percent, respectively. With regard to cost-effectiveness, expressed as cost per life-year gained, I-FOBT was the most effective and most costly alternative. Compared with no screening, G-FOBT and I-FOBT presented similar discounted incremental cost-effectiveness ratios: €2,739 and €2,819 respectively per life-year gained. When compared with G-FOBT, I-FOBT presented an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of €2,988 per life-year gained. Sensitivity analyses showed the strong influence of the I-FOBT lead time, of the participation rate to screening for I-FOBT, and of the purchase price of the I-FOBT on the discounted incremental cost-effectiveness ratios. Conclusions: Compared with the absence of screening and with G-FOBT, the biennial two-stool immunochemical test can be considered a promising method for mass screening for colorectal cancer.
A multicenter, randomized phase III trial comparing second-line chemotherapy (SLC) plus best supportive care (BSC) with BSC alone for pretreated advanced gastric cancer (AGC).

4004 Background: Currently no evidence that SLC in AGC patients will result in substantial prolongation of survival when compared to BSC exists, and there is potential for toxicity from the treatment. The efficacy and safety of SLC using either single-agent docetaxel or irinotecan was evaluated in a randomized phase III trial. METHODS Two-hundreds two patients with AGC, one or two prior chemotherapy regimen(s) involving both fluoropyrimidines and platinum, and an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status (PS) 0 or 1 were randomly assigned 2:1 to SLC or BSC. Choice of SLC, either docetaxel 60 mg/m2 every 3 weeks or irinotecan 150 mg/m2 every 2 weeks, was left to the discretion of investigators. Randomization was stratified by PS and the number of prior chemotherapy. All patients received standard BSC regimen a priori defined in the study protocol. Primary endpoint was the overall survival (OS). RESULTS Between Sep 2008 and Sep 2010, 193 eligible patients, 74% with one prior chemotherapy and 54% with PS 0, were enrolled: SLC (n=128) or BSC (n=65). SLC was generally well tolerated, with all-cause deaths within 30 days of random assignment of 3% and 4%, respectively, on SLC and BSC arm. As of current analysis, 128 (66%) patients died. In the intent-to-treat population, a significant difference in OS (5.1 months for SLC v 3.8 months for BSC) was observed (hazard ratio, 0.63; 95% confidence interval, 0.47-0.86; P=0.004). The OS benefit for SLC was relevant in most of the prospectively defined subgroups including age, gender, PS, number of prior treatments, number of metastatic sites, hemoglobin levels, and response to prior chemotherapy. Significantly more patients on SLC arm received further salvage chemotherapy than those on BSC arm (40% v 22%, respectively; P=0.011). CONCLUSIONS This is the largest phase III trial comparing SLC plus BSC with BSC alone in AGC. In pretreated patients, SLC is tolerated and significantly improves OS when added to BSC.
The preference for Europe: Public opinion about European integration since 1952

To determine how public opinion matters for the politics of European integration, we need to know what Europeans say about Europe. Yet, despite a proliferation of analyses of public support for Europe, fundamental questions remain. First, does aggregate opinion reflect a single preference for Europe? Second, is the content of opinions similar across countries? Third, have opinions about Europe become more structured over time? Finally, what are the long-term dynamics in opinions about Europe? To answer these questions, we construct a new dataset of historical public opinion since 1952 in France, Germany, Italy, and the United Kingdom. Over the long run, aggregate opinion toward Europe reflects one dominant underlying dimension and its content is similar across countries. We examine the trends in support for Europe.
Intestinal Blood Flow at Various Intraluminal Pressures in the Piglet with Closed Abdomen

The influence of intraluminal pressure on intestinal blood flow was studied in two segments of the small intestine and two of large intestine ligated after insertion of intraluminal catheters in ten piglets. Intestinal segments were inflated in stepwise increments in intraluminal pressures of 15, 30, 45 and 60 mmHg and blood flow was measured with radioactive micro-spheres using four isotopes (Ce, Cr, Sr, Sc). Other segments were inflated to a pressure of 60 mmHg and then pressure decreased in a stepwise fashion to 30, then 0 mmHg for the last two injections. Small and large intestinal blood flow fell progressively with increasing intraluminal pressure. At 60 mmHg a forward flow of 25% of normal was still present. Furthermore, not only was there an absolute decrease in blood flow with increasing intraluminal pressure but this decrease was disproportionately large in the intestinal mucosa. A hyperemic response lasting approximately 15 minutes was observed after complete decompression. The intestinal blood flow distal to the ligated segments was always moderately increased as compared to intestinal blood flow proximal to the segments. The results reported herein are at some variance from other reported studies performed with the abdomen open and on isolated segment preparations. The reasons for these variations are discussed.
Pharmacological rescue of hERG currents carried out by G604S and wide type hERG co‐expression

Mutations in human ether‐a‐go‐go‐related gene (hERG) can lead to type 2 long‐QT syndrome (LQT2). The authors previously identified the hERG mutation G604S results in a loss of function and obviously decreased current amplitude and impaired channel protein trafficking when co‐expressed with WT‐hERG. The present study further investigates the biological and electrophysiological consequences of pharmacologic chaperones in HEK293 cells expressing G604S‐hERG or co‐expressing G604S‐hERG and WT‐hERG. It was found that a low temperature (27°C), thapsigargin, NS1643 and E‐4031 fail to rescue the G604S mutation. Interestingly, only E‐4031 treatment resulted in a significant increase in hERG currents in cells co‐expressing G604S‐hERG and WT‐hERG, correspondingly more mature protein band at 155 kDa by Western blotting and an increased membrane staining by confocal microscopy. In addition, E‐4031 treatment shifted the steady‐state half maximal activation voltage (V1/2) of the inactivation curve by +8 mV in cells co‐expressing G604S‐hERG and WT‐hERG. The present experimental results suggest that a G604S mutation is resistant to pharmacological rescue. E‐4031 treatment resulted in a significant increase in hERG currents by promoting the hERG channel processing and trafficking in cells co‐expressing G604S‐hERG and WT‐hERG.
Inflation Linkages within the Eurozone: Core vs. Periphery

We examine the process of inflation transmission among GIIPS countries (Greece, Ireland, Italy, Portugal and Spain) and Germany. Our findings suggest that inflation spillovers have increased since 2001. We also find that peripheral economies are (dis‐)inflation transmitters to the core. This finding is significant for policy formulation, given the very low inflation environment that currently exists in the Euro area and the macroeconomic implications that arise from this.
Combined parallel and partial fourier MR reconstruction for accelerated 8‐channel hyperpolarized carbon‐13 in vivo magnetic resonance Spectroscopic imaging (MRSI)

To implement and evaluate combined parallel magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and partial Fourier acquisition and reconstruction for rapid hyperpolarized carbon‐13 (13C) spectroscopic imaging. Short acquisition times mitigate hyperpolarized signal losses that occur due to T1 decay, metabolism, and radiofrequency (RF) saturation. Human applications additionally require rapid imaging to permit breath‐holding and to minimize the effects of physiologic motion.
Presence of telomeric G‐strand tails in the telomerase catalytic subunit TERT knockout mice

Telomerase consists of two essential subunits, the template RNA (TR; telomerase RNA) and the catalytic subunit TERT (telomerase reverse transcriptase). Knockout mice with a mTR (mouse TR) deletion have been described and well characterized. However, mice with a mTERT (mouse TERT) deletion have not been reported.
Effect of microstructure characteristics on tetracalcium phosphate–nanomonetite cement in vitro cytotoxicity

MC3T3E1 murine pre-osteoblastic cells were used to evaluate the cytotoxicity of tetracalcium phosphate (TTCP)–nanomonetite (DCPA) cement. The starting cement powder mixture was prepared by the in situ reaction between TTCP and a diluted solution of orthophosphoric acid in a planetary ball mill. The cements in the form of pressed cement powder mixture discs differ from each other by the method of pre-treatment and degree of the transformation of cement components in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS). For the evaluation of TTCP–DCPA cement to be non-cytotoxic, it was sufficient to apply the short-time soaking in PBS solution, regardless of whether the cement components were completely transformed or not. If the texture motif and hydroxyapatite particle morphology were properly developed during the initial stage of hardening, the cement cytotoxicity or osteoblast proliferation were insignificantly influenced by the soaking time or the texture stability during cell cultivation, but the lattice ordering enhanced cell proliferation. Results showed that the surface texture and the hydroxyapatite particle morphology are crucial for in vitro cement cytotoxicity evaluation.
The Cross-Racial Establishment of Trust between Transplant Community Organizations and Englewood Residents

Current research lacks holistic understanding of African American trust, and why it differs from the trust of other ethnic/ racial groups. In order to better understand why this is, I will explore how African Americans in underserved and impoverished neighborhoods determine which organizations and institutions to trust. My study finds that the cause of erosion of trust within Englewood may be linked to minimal fiduciary trust between residents and city officials and administration. Further, my study finds that the race of an individual was not significant in determining whether Englewood residents trusted them. Document Type Thesis Degree Name Bachelor of Arts (BA) Department or Program Environmental Studies Second Department or Program Sociology and Anthropology First Advisor Todd Beer Second Advisor David Boden Third Advisor Rebecca S. Graff Fourth Advisor Benjamin Goluboff
Clinical diffusion mismatch better discriminates infarct growth than mean transit time–diffusion weighted imaging mismatch in patients with middle cerebral artery–M1 occlusion and limited infarct core

Background and purpose Our purpose was to compare clinical diffusion mismatch (CDM) and mean transit time (MTT)-diffusion mismatch as predictors of infarct growth in patients with proximal middle cerebral artery (MCA) occlusion and small infarct core on presentation. Methods Retrospective analysis of consecutive stroke patients with: (1) MCA-M1 occlusion; (2) MRI performed ≤10 h from symptoms onset; and (3) baseline MRI-diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) volume ≤25 mL. Definitions included: CDM=baseline National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score ≥8 and DWI volume ≤25 mL; MTT-DWI mismatch=visually assessed unthresholded MTT lesion ((MTT-DWI))/DWI) ≥20% and ≥10 mL larger than the DWI lesion; and significant infarct growth (>20% (≥5 mL) increase in infarct volume on follow-up). Uni-/multivariate analyses were performed to define the predictors of infarct growth. Results 63 stroke patients with MCA-M1 occlusions and MRI within 10 h of onset were evaluated. 20 patients were excluded on the basis of DWI volume >25 mL leaving 43 patients (mean age 75.8 years; median NIHSS=13) in the study cohort. On univariate analysis, larger admission DWI volume (p<0.0001), baseline NIHSS score ≥8 (p=0.001), lack of IV and/or endovascular treatment (p=0.021), glucose levels >125 mg/dL (p=0.024), poor CT angiography collaterals (p=0.046), and lower admission Alberta Stroke Program Early CT score (ASPECTS) (p=0.049) predicted infarct growth. Baseline NIHSS score ≥8 was the only independent predictor of stroke growth in the multivariate analysis (p=0.001). All patients had MTT-DWI mismatch >20%. There was no significant association between the amount of MTT-DWI mismatch and infarct growth (p=0.33). Conclusions CDM is the most powerful predictor of infarct growth in patients with MCA-M1 occlusion and small infarct core. Most of these patients will have a significant oligemic MTT lesion regardless of admission NIHSS score.
Opening the Black-Box in Lifelong E-Learning for Employability: A Framework for a Socio-Technical E-Learning Employability System of Measurement (STELEM)

Human beings must develop many skills to cope with the large amount of challenges that currently exist in the world: media empowerment for an active and democratic citizenship, knowledge acquisition and conversion for lifelong and life-wide learning, 21st century skills for matching demand and supply in labor markets, and dispositional employability for unpredictable future career success. One of the tools for achieving these is online education, in which students have the chance to manage their own time, content, and goals. Thus, this paper analyzes these issues from the perspective of skills gained through e-learning and validates the Socio-Technical E-learning Employability System of Measurement (STELEM) framework. The research was carried out with former students of the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya. Exploratory and confirmatory factorial analyses validate several consistent and reliable scales in two areas: (i) employability, based on educational social capital, media empowerment, knowledge acquisition, knowledge conversion, literacy, digitalness, collaboration, resilience, proactivity, identity, openness, motivation, organizational culture, and employment security; and (ii) socio-technical systems existing in this open online university, based on its information and communications technology (ICT), learning tasks, as well as student-centered and organizational approaches. The research provides two new psychometrical scales that are useful for the evaluation, monitoring, and assessment of relationships and influences between socio-technical e-learning organizations and employability skills development, and proposes a set of indicators related to human and social capital, valid in employability contexts.
Seasonal Population Dynamics of the Potato Psyllid (Hemiptera: Triozidae) and Its Associated Pathogen “Candidatus Liberibacter Solanacearum” in Potatoes in the Southern Great Plains of North America

ABSTRACT The potato psyllid, Bactericera cockerelli (Sulc) (Hemiptera: Triozidae), and its associated pathogen “Candidatus Liberibacter solanacearum” (Ca. L. solanacearum), the putative causal agent of zebra chip (ZC) disease in potatoes (Solanum tuberosum L.), were sampled in commercial potato fields and untreated control plots for 3 yr in multiple locations in Texas, Kansas, Nebraska, and Colorado. Populations of the potato psyllid varied across years and across potato growing regions. However, the percentage of potato psyllids infected with Ca. L. solanacearum although variable across years, was consistently highest in the Lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas (LRGV), the reported overwintering location for this pest. The numbers of Ca. L. solanacearum—infected psyllids collected on field traps and large nymphs counted on leaf samples were both positively correlated with the final percentage of ZC in tubers. In the LRGV, where vector and disease pressure is the highest, population levels of immature life stages of the psyllid and percentage of ZC differed greatly between commercial and untreated fields. These results show that the pest management program that was used can be effective at controlling development of the psyllid and ultimately reducing the incidence of ZC.
Analysis of heat-processed corn foods for fumonisins and bound fumonisins

Thirty retail samples of heat-processed corn foods, i.e. corn flakes, corn-based breakfast cereals, tortilla chips and corn chips, were analysed for fumonisins — fumonisin B1 (FB1), fumonisin B2 (FB2) and hydrolysed FB1 (HFB1) — as well as for protein- and total-bound FB1. Bound (hidden) fumonisins cannot be detected by conventional analysis. Improved methods for the determination of bound FB1 were developed. The protein-bound FB1 was extracted with 1% sodium dodecylsulfate (SDS) solution. The SDS, which interfered with high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis, was then separated from protein-bound FB1 by complexing with methylene blue followed by solvent extraction and hydrolysis with 2 N KOH. To measure total-bound FB1, the sample itself was hydrolysed with KOH. In both cases, clean-up was accomplished on an OASIS polymeric solid-phase extraction column and the bound fumonisins were determined by HPLC measurement of HFB1. Fourteen of 15 samples of corn flakes and other corn-based breakfast cereals analysed contained detectable levels of FB1 with a mean in positive samples of 67 ng g−1 (13–237 ng g−1). Two samples also had detectable levels of FB2 (21–23 ng g−1). Bound FB1 was found in all samples; the mean protein-bound FB1 measured was 58 ng g−1 (22–176 ng g−1) and the mean total-bound FB1 measured was 106 ng g−1 (28–418 ng g−1), reported as FB1 equivalents after correction for recoveries of HFB1. There was an average of about 1.3 times more FB1 in the bound form compared with extractable FB1, and this was about twice as much as protein-bound FB1. Seven of the 15 samples of alkali-processed corn-based foods, such as tortilla chips and corn chips, contained FB1 and three contained HFB1 with means in measurable positive samples of 78 (48–134) and 29 (13–47) ng g−1, respectively. Five of these alkali-processed corn foods contained bound FB1; the mean measurable protein-bound FB1 was 42 ng g−1 (39–46 ng g−1) and the mean measurable total-bound FB1 was 100 ng g−1(54–209 ng g−1). HFB1 derived from bound FB1 in selected samples was confirmed by HPLC with mass spectrometry (MS).