Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
[Selective cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitors. A population-based analysis of use in France over a three-year period and comparison with randomised clinical trials].

OBJECTIVES The use of selective cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitors is highly controversial today, mainly because of doubts about cardiovascular tolerance. Few studies have assessed the use of these drugs in daily clinical practice. This study aims to assess the changes in their use in daily practice in France and to compare it with their use in randomized clinical trials. METHODS The French National Health Insurance Fund AMPI database of self-employed workers in non-agricultural occupations was used to obtain the following information: patients requesting reimbursement for celecoxib and rofecoxib between November 2000 and October 2003, morbidity assessed by enrollment on the lists of chronic diseases for which care is fully (100%) reimbursed, pregnancy (assessed by the payment of physicians' or hospital fees for delivery or by maternity benefits), and concomitant drugs (by claims for reimbursement). We compared these patients with those in randomized clinical trials (RCT) of celecoxib or rofecoxib published in either English or French before November 2003; we focused on their demographic characteristics, morbidity, pregnancy and concomitant drug use. RESULTS Use of COX-2 inhibitors in France did not vary over the study period, except for patients' mean age (range: 64.2-62.9 years), proportion of women (56.7%-54.7%) and use of gastroprotective drugs (18.2%-28.4%). The mean age of patients in our study was 10 years older than that of RCT patients, and the proportion of women in our study was 15% lower. The percentage of women who took these drugs while pregnant was 0.02% in our study and 0.09% in the RCT. The percentage of patients with long-term chronic disorders overall was higher in our study than in the RCT, and the percentage for all specific long-term diseases except rheumatoid arthritis was also higher (for example, more patients had cardiovascular diseases or diabetes in our study [15%] than in the RCT [6%]). Patients in our study also used concomitant drugs from 9 of the 14 principal Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical classification groups more frequently than RCT patients: for cardiovascular drugs, for example, the figures were 55% and 5%, respectively. CONCLUSION The demographic characteristics, prevalence of chronic morbidity and use of concomitant drugs among COX-2 inhibitor users in France varied little over the three years after marketing approval. Compared with RCT patients, these users were less often female, were older and more often had cardiovascular diseases. Cardiovascular events occurring among COX-2 inhibitor users in France should be evaluated.
Information, Policy, and the Sources of Fat and Cholesterol in the U.S. Diet

Increasing empirical evidence indicates that consumers are incorporating information linking fat and cholesterol consumption to heart disease and cancer into their basic dietary decisions. The authors analyze food consumption data for individuals to determine which food categories were involved in the overall reductions in fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol consumption and whether these categories differed during the periods before and after the change in regulations governing producer health claims. The results indicate that reductions occurred in more food groups during the 1985–1990 period compared with the 1977–1985 period. The evidence is consistent with the hypothesis that producer claims are an important source of detailed information and inconsistent with the hypothesis that the health claims policy led to sufficient deception to slow dietary improvements underway prior to the change.
The Debt Burden of Bachelor's Degree Recipients. Stats in Brief. NCES 2017-436.

Statistics in Brief publications present descriptive data in tabular formats to provide useful information to a broad audience, including members of the general public. They address simple and topical issues and questions. They do not investigate more complex hypotheses, account for inter-relationships among variables, or support causal inferences. We encourage readers who are interested in more complex questions and in-depth analysis to explore other NCES resources, including publications, online data tools, and publicand restricted-use datasets. See nces.ed.gov and references noted in the body of this document for more information. This Statistics in Brief was prepared for the National Center for Education Statistics under Contract No. EDIES-12-C-0095 with RTI International. Mention of trade names, commercial products, or organizations does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government. As of May 2013, total outstanding student loan debt in the United States had reached $1.2 trillion, up from $1 trillion fewer than 18 months before (Chopra 2013b). The growth in debt is due primarily to increases in both the rate of borrowing and the average amount borrowed, especially among graduates of 4-year institutions. 1
Employment While in College, Academic Achievement, and Postcollege Outcomes: A Summary of Results

This paper uses panel data that cover the 1972-79 period obtained from the National Longitudinal Survey of the High School Class of 1972 to study how male students' employment while in college influences their academic performance, persistence in school, decisions to enroll in graduate school, and postcollege labor market success. Its analytic framework treats in-school employment as endogenous and determines persistence by a comparison of expected utilities.
Exchange Rate Volatility in Pakistan and Its Impact on Selected Macro Economic Variables (1980-2014)

Among the developing countries, Pakistan experienced a unique downward trend in rupee value and frequent transitions in the exchange rate systems. These distinctive features make Pakistan economy an interesting case study for the empirical examination of the rupee exchange rate and its role in the monetary policy and macroeconomic performance. The purpose of the present study is to find out which of the macroeconomic indicators has led the Pak-rupee exchange rate volatility during the study period. Furthermore, the effect of the exchange rate volatility on foreign exchange reserves and selected macroeconomic variables has also been studied in the framework of a regression approach. Time series annual data covering the period of 1980 to 2014 has been used for the empirical analysis. Augmented Dickey Fuller test has been used for checking the unit root in the data. Ordinary Least Squares method is used for the estimation of regression equations. For avoiding the problems of spurious relationship between the variables and series implications for the standard errors, various diagnostic tests have been applied. Initially study has taken exchange rate as dependent variable and some selected macroeconomic variables as independent variables. The result show that exchange rate has negative relationship with the variables such as inflation (INF), foreign direct investment (FDI), imports (IMP) and positive with GDP per capita (PCGDP) and exports (X), which is also supported by the theory and results. As there is two-way relationship between exchange rate and several macroeconomic variables, some selected macroeconomic variables are taken as dependent variables and exchange rate as independent variable. The results show that exchange rate volatility has negative impact on foreign exchange reserves (FOREX), and imports (IMP) and positive on GDP per capita (PCGDP) and exports (X). On the basis of the findings, it has been recommended that foreign factors in addition to the domestic factors should also be taken into account for the stability of exchange rate. Moreover, instead of targeting the monetary aggregates, the State Bank of Pakistan should follow a rule based monetary policy where exchange rate fluctuations should also be taken into account. Moreover, instead of devaluations of rupee for increasing exports, the government is required to follow import substitution policies. Furthermore, to increase the inflow of foreign exchange reserves in the country, the development of export sector of the country can play an important role.
Villitis of Unknown Etiology Is Associated with a Distinct Pattern of Chemokine Up-Regulation in the Feto-Maternal and Placental Compartments: Implications for Conjoint Maternal Allograft Rejection and Maternal Anti-Fetal Graft-versus-Host Disease1

The co-presence of histoincompatible fetal and maternal cells is a characteristic of human placental inflammation. Villitis of unknown etiology (VUE), a destructive inflammatory lesion of villous placenta, is characterized by participation of Hofbauer cells (placental macrophages) and maternal T cells. In contrast to acute chorioamnionitis of infection-related origin, the fundamental immunopathology of VUE is unknown. This study was performed to investigate the placental transcriptome of VUE and to determine whether VUE is associated with systemic maternal and/or fetal inflammatory response(s). Comparison of the transcriptome between term placentas without and with VUE revealed differential expression of 206 genes associated with pathways related to immune response. The mRNA expression of a subset of chemokines and their receptors (CXCL9, CXCL10, CXCL11, CXCL13, CCL4, CCL5, CXCR3, CCR5) was higher in VUE placentas than in normal placentas (p < 0.05). Analysis of blood cell mRNA showed a higher expression of CXCL9 and CXCL13 in the mother, and CXCL11 and CXCL13 in the fetus of VUE cases (p < 0.05). The median concentrations of CXCL9, CXCL10, and CXCL11 in maternal and fetal plasma were higher in VUE (p < 0.05). Comparison of preterm cases without and with acute chorioamnionitis revealed elevated CXCL9, CXCL10, CXCL11, and CXCL13 concentrations in fetal plasma (p < 0.05), but not in maternal plasma with chorioamnionitis. We report for the first time the placental transcriptome of VUE. A systemic derangement of CXC chemokines in maternal and fetal circulation distinguishes VUE from acute chorioamnionitis. We propose that VUE be a unique state combining maternal allograft rejection and maternal antifetal graft-vs-host disease mechanisms.
AbiG, a genotypically novel abortive infection mechanism encoded by plasmid pCI750 of Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris UC653

AbiG is an abortive infection (Abi) mechanism encoded by the conjugative plasmid pCI750 originally isolated from Lactococcus lactis subsp. cremoris UC653. Insensitivity conferred by this Abi manifested itself as complete resistance to phi 712 (936 phage species) with only partial resistance to phi c2 (c2 species). The mechanism did not inhibit phage DNA replication. The smallest subclone of pCI750 which expressed the Abi phenotype contained a 3.5-kb insert which encoded two potential open reading frames. abiGi (750 bp) and abiGii (1,194 bp) were separated by 2 bp and appeared to share a single promoter upstream of abiGi. These open reading frames showed no significant homology to sequences of either the DNA or protein databases; however, they did exhibit the typical low G+C content (29 and 27%, respectively) characteristic of lactococcal abi genes. In fact, the G+C content of a 7.0-kb fragment incorporating the abiG locus was 30%, which may suggest horizontal gene transfer from a species of low G+C content. In this context, it is notable that remnants of IS elements were observed throughout this 7.0-kb region.
[A sufentanil dosage study in general surgery].

Sufentanil is widely used for cardiac surgery in initial doses up to 15 micrograms/kg. It was expected that for general surgery much smaller doses would be appropriate. The aim of the study, therefore, was to find a dosage scheme for sufentanil that could be used in general surgery for operations lasting 1 h. METHODS. In 62 patients (Table 1), anesthesia was induced with 15 micrograms sufentanil and 0.2 mg/kg etomidate. According to a random group allocation, a bolus injection of sufentanil was administered 1 min before incision, so that the patients received 0.5, 1.0 or 1.5 micrograms/kg along with the initial dose. During maintenance anesthesia, repeat doses of 10 micrograms sufentanil were injected as required (rise in blood pressure and/or heart rate by more than 20%, or other stress signs i.e., sweating, movement). Intubation was facilitated by means of atracurium 0.5 mg/kg. Increments of 5-10 mg were given when needed. RESULTS. In the group of patients who had received 1.0 micrograms/kg, both the number requiring repeat doses, and the total number of repeat doses were significantly lower than in the 0.5 microgram/kg group. A further increase to 1.5 micrograms/kg did not prove to have any advantage and it led to a drop in blood pressure, that was more pronounced and of longer duration than in the other groups. CONCLUSION. A dose of 1.0 micrograms/kg, therefore, appeared to be the optimum initial dose in general surgery for operations lasting at least 1 h.
Jointly Optimal Taxes for Different Types of Income

We develop and estimate a model of jointly optimal income taxes for different types of income. Compared to standard optimal tax formulas, optimal schedular income tax rates additionally depend on cross-elasticities between tax bases capturing fiscal externalities. We discuss two applications: the taxation of different income sources such as labor or capital income and the taxation of couples. For these applications, we calculate income type-specific optimal tax rates for Germany using rich panel data from administrative tax records. We first estimate income-type specific elasticities with respect to the next-of-tax rate and show that responses to taxes differ substantially by income source and by gender. Second, we calculate social welfare weights implicit in the German personal income tax schedule which again differ between income sources and by gender. Using these estimates, we consider a tax simplification reform by calculating optimal schedular linear income tax rates. We find that optimal tax rates are significantly lower for labor income than for self-employment and capital income as well as for married women than men.
Role of the Multidrug Efflux Systems ofPseudomonas aeruginosa in Organic Solvent Tolerance

ABSTRACT Multidrug efflux pumps with a broad substrate specificity make a major contribution to intrinsic and acquired multiple antibiotic resistance in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Using genetically defined efflux pump mutants, we investigated the involvement of the three known efflux systems, MexA-MexB-OprM, MexC-MexD-OprJ, and MexE-MexF-OprN, in organic solvent tolerance in this organism. Our results showed that all three systems are capable of providing some level of tolerance to organic solvents such as n-hexane andp-xylene. Expression of MexAB-OprM was correlated with the highest levels of tolerance, and indeed, this efflux system was a major contributor to the intrinsic solvent tolerance of P. aeruginosa. Intrinsic organic solvent tolerance was compromised by a protonophore, indicating that it is substantially energy dependent. These data suggest that the efflux of organic solvents is a factor in the tolerance of P. aeruginosa to these compounds and that the multidrug efflux systems of this organism can accommodate organic solvents, as well as antibiotics.
Evolution of Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) Recognition and Signaling: Fish TLR4 Does Not Recognize LPS and Negatively Regulates NF-κB Activation1

It has long been established that lower vertebrates, most notably fish and amphibians, are resistant to the toxic effect of LPS. Furthermore, the lack of a TLR4 ortholog in some fish species and the lack of the essential costimulatory molecules for LPS activation via TLR4 (i.e., myeloid differentiation protein 2 (MD-2) and CD14) in all the fish genomes and expressed sequence tag databases available led us to hypothesize that the mechanism of LPS recognition in fish may be different from that of mammals. To shed light on the role of fish TLRs in LPS recognition, a dual-luciferase reporter assay to study NF-κB activation in whole zebrafish embryos was developed and three different bony fish models were studied: 1) the gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata, Perciformes), an immunological-tractable teleost model in which the presence of a TLR4 ortholog is unknown; 2) the spotted green pufferfish (Tetraodon nigroviridis, Tetraodontiformes), which lacks a TLR4 ortholog; and 3) the zebrafish (Danio rerio, Cypriniformes), which possesses two TLR4 orthologs. Our results show that LPS signaled via a TLR4- and MyD88-independent manner in fish, and, surprisingly, that the zebrafish TLR4 orthologs negatively regulated the MyD88-dependent signaling pathway. We think that the identification of TLR4 as a negative regulator of TLR signaling in the zebrafish, together with the absence of this receptor in most fish species, explains the resistance of fish to endotoxic shock and supports the idea that the TLR4 receptor complex for LPS recognition arose after the divergence of fish and tetrapods.
Impact of Corruption, Defense Spending and Political Instability on Economic Growth: An Evidence from Pakistan

The defense expenditures of the Pakistan economy remain high to sustain a credible deterrence, due to the significant geopolitical position, regional instability as well as a constant conflicting with India since the independence. This study will analyze the effect of defense expenditures on economic growth with some other political factors, such as corruption, defense spending and political-instability. The empirical results of the study observed that there exist positive defense expenditures positive relationship between defense expenditure and economic development which caused expansion of aggregate demand, production and employment generation in the economy which is also suggested by the Benoit (1973, 1978), and Faini et al. (1984). The empirical result shows the negative, statistically significant relationship between inflation, exchange rate and economic growth of the Pakistan economy. The empirical results also show that there exist negative association between political instability and economic growth of the Pakistan. Corruption is the one of the important social factor, which has a positive effect on the economic growth due to weak institutions and function poorly.
A unified hydrophobicity scale for multispan membrane proteins

The concept of hydrophobicity is critical to our understanding of the principles of membrane protein (MP) folding, structure, and function. In the last decades, several groups have derived hydrophobicity scales using both experimental and statistical methods that are optimized to mimic certain natural phenomena as closely as possible. The present work adds to this toolset the first knowledge‐based scale that unifies the characteristics of both α‐helical and β‐barrel multispan MPs. This unified hydrophobicity scale (UHS) distinguishes between amino acid preference for solution, transition, and trans‐membrane states. The scale represents average hydrophobicity values of amino acids in folded proteins, irrespective of their secondary structure type. We furthermore present the first knowledge‐based hydrophobicity scale for mammalian α‐helical MPs (mammalian hydrophobicity scale—MHS). Both scales are particularly useful for computational protein structure elucidation, for example as input for machine learning techniques, such as secondary structure or trans‐membrane span prediction, or as reference energies for protein structure prediction or protein design. The knowledge‐based UHS shows a striking similarity to a recent experimental hydrophobicity scale introduced by Hessa and coworkers (Hessa T et al., Nature 2007;450:U1026–U1032). Convergence of two very different approaches onto similar hydrophobicity values consolidates the major differences between experimental and knowledge‐based scales observed in earlier studies. Moreover, the UHS scale represents an accurate absolute free energy measure for folded, multispan MPs—a feature that is absent from many existing scales. The utility of the UHS was demonstrated by analyzing a series of diverse MPs. It is further shown that the UHS outperforms nine established hydrophobicity scales in predicting trans‐membrane spans along the protein sequence. The accuracy of the present hydrophobicity scale profits from the doubling of the number of integral MPs in the PDB over the past four years. The UHS paves the way for an increased accuracy in the prediction of trans‐membrane spans. Proteins 2009. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
The association of perceived organizational justice and organizational expectations with nurses’ efforts

Background: One important factor in growth, progress, and increase in work efficiency of employees of any enterprise is to make considerable effort. Supreme leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran also addressed the issue of need for more efforts. The goal of this study was to determine the association of perceived organizational justice and organizational expectations with efforts of nurses to provide a suitable model. Materials and Methods: The current study was a descriptive study. The study group consists of all nurses who worked in hospitals of Isfahan. Due to some limitations all nurses of the special unit, surgery wards and operating room were questioned. The data collection tools were the Organizational Justice Questionnaire, organizational expectations questionnaire, and double effort questionnaire. Content validity of the mentioned questionnaires was confirmed after considering the experts’ comments. The reliability of these questionnaires, using the Cronbach’s alpha, were 0.79, 0.83 and 0.92, respectively. The Pearson correlation and the structural equation model were used for the analysis of data. Findings There was a significant correlation between the perceived organizational justice and the double effort of nurses during the surgery of patients. Correlation of the expectation from job, usefulness of job, and its attractiveness with double effort of nurses before the surgery was also statistically significant. Moreover, it was shown that the root of the mean square error of estimation (RMSEA) was 0.087, the fitted goodness index (GFI) was 0.953, the value of chi-square was 268.5, and the model was statistically significant (p < 0.001). Conclusions: Today Justice is an essential need for human life and its importance in organizations and social life of individuals is evident.
Genetic Determinants Involved in the Susceptibility of Pseudomonas aeruginosa to β-Lactam Antibiotics

ABSTRACT The resistome of P. aeruginosa for three β-lactam antibiotics, namely, ceftazidime, imipenem, and meropenem, was deciphered by screening a comprehensive PA14 mutant library for mutants with increased or reduced susceptibility to these antimicrobials. Confirmation of the phenotypes of all selected mutants was performed by Etest. Of the total of 78 confirmed mutants, 41 demonstrated a reduced susceptibility phenotype and 37 a supersusceptibility (i.e., altered intrinsic resistance) phenotype, with 6 mutants demonstrating a mixed phenotype, depending on the antibiotic. Only three mutants demonstrated reduced (PA0908) or increased (glnK and ftsK) susceptibility to all three antibiotics. Overall, the mutant profiles of susceptibility suggested distinct mechanisms of action and resistance for the three antibiotics despite their similar structures. More detailed analysis indicated important roles for novel and known β-lactamase regulatory genes, for genes with likely involvement in barrier function, and for a range of regulators of alginate biosynthesis.