Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
International price comparisons of Alzheimer's drugs: a way to close the affordability gap

ABSTRACT Background: Alzheimer's drugs are believed to have limited availability and to be unaffordable in low- and middle-income countries compared to high-income countries. The price, availability and affordability of Alzheimer's drugs have not been reported before. Methods: During 2007 an international survey was conducted in 21 countries in six continents (Argentina, Australia, Brazil, the Dominican Republic, France, India, Japan, Macedonia, Mexico, New Zealand, Nigeria, the Philippines, Portugal, Serbia, South Korea, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Uganda, the U.K. and the U.S.A.). Prices of Alzheimer's drugs were compared using the affordability index (the total number of units purchasable with one's daily income) derived from purchasing power parity (PPP) converted prices as well as raw prices. Results: Donepezil is available in all 21 countries, whereas the newer drugs are less available. A 5 mg tablet of branded originator donepezil costs just US$0.26 in India and US$0.31 in Mexico, whereas it costs US$6.64 in the U.S.A. Pricing conditions of rivastigmine, galantamine and memantine appear to be similar to that of donepezil. The cheapest branded originators are from India and Mexico. However, in terms of PPP, Alzheimer's drugs in other low- and middle-income countries are much more expensive than in high-income countries. Most people in low- and middle-income countries cannot afford Alzheimer's drugs. Conclusions: Alzheimer's drugs, albeit available, are often unaffordable for those who need them most. It is hoped that equitable differential pricing will be applied to Alzheimer's drugs.
Does anti-mutated citrullinated vimentin have additional value as a serological marker in the diagnostic and prognostic investigation of patients with rheumatoid arthritis? A systematic review

Objective: To review the diagnostic and prognostic value of anti-mutated citrullinated vimentin (MCV) in rheumatoid arthritis, taking into account the already available serology. Methods: Medline was searched via PubMed (1966 to May 2008) for anti-MCV and related terms, arthritis and arthropathies. Studies with anti-MCV, arthritis/arthropathy, and primary data on diagnosis and/or prognosis were included. Their methodological quality was assessed using the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies (QUADAS) instrument for diagnostic studies and the modified Hayden list for prognostic studies. Results: Of 14 eligible studies, 11 included diagnostic data and 3 included prognostic data. No study evaluated anti-MCV as an added diagnostic test to the already available anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (CCP) and rheumatoid factor serology. One study included the optimal patient spectrum resulting in a sensitivity of 0.59 and specificity of 0.98. A total of 10 diagnostic case-control studies using the same anti-MCV kit showed a sensitivity of 0.64–0.84 and a specificity of 0.79–0.96. This almost equalled the performance of anti-CCP in the same studies. The prognostic evaluation of anti-MCV was limited by differences in study methodology, outcome and statistical modelling. Individual studies showed moderate associations for anti-MCV and radiological progression with the strength of the association comparable to that of anti-CCP. Conclusions: Study heterogeneity, choice of study population and methodological limitations limited overall conclusions about the true diagnostic and prognostic test performance of anti-MCV. Evidence from the diagnostic case-control studies suggests that anti-MCV may be used as an alternative for anti-CCP.
An analysis of earnings management: A comparison of seven countries.

This article examines the systematic differences in earnings management including the possible impact of cross-country differences in culture on earnings management in seven countries: India, Hong Kong (China), Japan, France, the United Kingdom, Canada, and the United States. A set of traditional financial variables (firm performance, business cycles) and cultural variable (Uncertainty Avoidance, Individualism, Power Distance) were used to test the hypotheses developed in this paper. Regression results indicate both the traditional financial variables and cultural variables can explain the choices of accounting accruals in different countries when the Jones Model serves as a dependent variable. Also, the Jones Model provides the most statistical explanatory power in the regression model on the international level. This paper's primary contribution to the existing literature is the thorough analysis of discretionary accruals and their relationship to traditional financial variables and cultural variable using a large data set. --Leaf ii.
Alzheimer disease and risk of stroke

Objective: To investigate the risk of stroke in patients clinically diagnosed with Alzheimer disease (AD) compared with non-AD patients with similar vascular risk factors. Methods: Using data obtained from Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database, we evaluated the risk of ischemic stroke (IS) and intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) in patients with AD (n = 980) who had no history of stroke, vascular dementia, or other cerebral degenerative diseases. Our evaluation period spanned from 2000 to 2010. We performed a 1:5 case-control matched analysis, in which cases were matched to controls according to their estimated propensity scores, which were based on demographics and existing vascular risk factors. This approach reduced selection bias. Cox proportional hazards regression analysis was then used to estimate the risk of IS and ICH in AD, conditional for matched pairs. Results: Overall, patients with AD had a higher risk of IS and ICH than those without AD. The incidence of IS in AD cases and non-AD controls was 37.8 and 23.2 per 1,000 person-years, with an adjusted hazard ratio of 1.66 (95% confidence interval, 1.37–2.01, p < 0.001). The incidence of ICH in AD cases and non-AD controls was 5.2 and 3.0 per 1,000 person-years, with an adjusted hazard ratio of 1.70 (95% confidence interval, 1.03–2.79, p = 0.037). Conclusion: Clinical diagnosis of AD is associated with considerably increased risk of stroke development.
An outline of Mandarin phonetics

cation for those of worker and poor peasant background, and the diversity of schools and techniques which have been employed to provide education for the mass. The creation of study classes in Mao's thought, charges of school domination by revisionist and bourgeois intellectuals, criticism of lecture methods and teacher-student relationships, and ubiquitous attacks on the "black commander of the educational circle," Liu Shao-ch'i, fix the theme for all the readings in this volume: the Maoist vision and the means through struggle and mass mobilization to achieve it. The biographical guide in the appendix all too briefly identifies fifty-four persons whose names appear in the documents, but only eight of these survived unscathed in the Cultural Revolution. The glossary of fifty-one terms and phrases (with romanization and characters) is more helpful and provides a nice summary of key concepts and slogans. The lack of an index, however, places a burden on the user, especially as the section headings can only offer broad clues to general content. Those having access to press translations will already be familiar with some of the entries, and readers of the journal Chinese Education, also published by International Arts and Sciences Press and now edited by Peter Seybolt, will find twenty-eight of these thirty-two documents in Vols. 1-6 (1968-1973). Seybolt believes that educational theory and practice of a society are the best indicators of its values and future direction. This is true insofar as socialization broadly or narrowly conceived has a bearing on perception, and perception on reality. It is too much to claim, however, that the observations expressed in these translations yield enough of the crucial information we need to evaluate contemporary Chinese education in practice. We also need a deeper appreciation of the educational realities beyond the base areas in pre-liberation days, and even earlier. The document on chronology referred to above contemptuously dismisses Lu Ting-i's putative slander of Mao in a 1962 summary of developments in education during the previous thirteen years. Lu reportedly said, "The standard for students has declined steadfastly and it cannot be compared with the better schools of Peiyang warlordism and the Kuomintang era. " Slander, indeed! A 113
Australia and the three little dragons: are their equity markets interdependent?

This paper analyses price linkages between the equity market of Australia and those of Hong Kong, Singapore and Taiwan using cointegration, Granger-causality, variance decomposition and impulse response analyses based on MSCI database covering the period 1975–1995. The results show that the Australian market is not significantly linked with any of these markets.
Persistence of Physical Symptoms in and Abnormal Laboratory Findings for Survivors of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome

Sir—We performed a cross-sectional study to assess the physical symptoms in and abnormal laboratory findings for survivors of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) at their first follow-up visit after discharge from Princess Margaret Hospital (Hong Kong, China). Sixty-two patients who experienced the onset of SARS symptoms during the period from 18 March 18 2003 through 30 March 2003 were recruited. All patients had pneumonia and positive SARS-associated coronavirus (SARS-CoV) seroconversion. The mean age (� SD) was 37.07 � 12.96 years, the ratio of male subjects to female subjects was 0.82, and the intubation rate was 9.6%. In this cohort, 90.3% of patients received treatment with ribavirin and corticosteroids [1]. The median interval (� SD) between the onset of SARS symptoms and the first follow-up visit was weeks. 6.59 � 1.07 Symptoms reported at the first followup visit included palpitation (45.1% of patients), exertional dyspnea (41.9%), malaise (40.3%), easy forgetfulness (30.6%), chest discomfort (22.5%), hand tremor (21%), dizziness (17.7%), depression (16.1%), myalgia (12.9%), headache (9.6%), diarrhoea (8.1%), cough (8.1%), insomnia (6.5%), and hair loss over the scalp (3.2%). No patient reported sputum production. Patients described palpitation as a paroxysmal, fast heart beat or extra heart beat sensation. A sinus tachycardia with resting heart rate of 100–110 beats/ min was identified in 18% of patients complaining of palpitation. Laboratory findings included the fol
Predicting case numbers during infectious disease outbreaks when some cases are undiagnosed

We describe a method for calculating 95 per cent bounds for the current number of hidden cases and the future number of diagnosed cases during an outbreak of an infectious disease. A Bayesian Markov chain Monte Carlo approach is used to fit a model of infectious disease transmission that takes account of undiagnosed cases. Assessing this method on simulated data, we find that it provides conservative 95 per cent bounds for the number of undiagnosed cases and future case numbers, and that these bounds are robust to modifications in the assumptions generating the simulated data. Moreover, the method provides a good estimate of the initial reproduction number, and the reproduction number in the latter stages of the outbreak. Applying the approach to SARS data from Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan and Canada, the bounds on future diagnosed cases are found to be reliable, and the bounds on hidden cases suggests that there were few hidden cases remaining at the end of the outbreaks in each region. We estimate that the initial reproduction numbers lay between 1.5 and 3, and the reproduction numbers in the later stages of the outbreak lay between 0.36 and 0.6. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Publications in Major Marketing Journals: An Analysis of Research Productivity of Asia-Pacific Universities

The authors examine the marketing research productivity of Asia-Pacific universities using a set of 20 marketing journals during 1991-2000. A weighted Journal of Marketing-equivalent page count is used to account for different font and page sizes of the journals, different lengths in articles, coauthorships, and affiliations. A total of 106 universities are evaluated. The top 3 universities are, in order, the University of NewSouth Wales, the National University of Singapore, and Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. School history does not seem to relate to research productivity. Indeed, several prominent universities are not ranked as highly as other more recently established ones. In achieving publication, the degree of research emphasis and research strategy of a university might play a more important role than years of operation. A majority of the top 20 Asia-Pacific universities have made significant progress in research output during 1991-2000.
Social networks and opportunity recognition: A cultural comparison between Taiwan and the United States

This paper investigates the moderating effect of national cultural contexts on the relationship between social networks and opportunity recognition. Data obtained from Taiwan and the United States support the proposition that cultural contexts, specifically the individualism-collectivism dimension, moderate the relationship between tie strength, structural holes, and opportunity recognition. Results indicate that in the United States, tie strength is negatively associated with opportunity identification and structural holes are positively associated with opportunity identification; whereas in Taiwan we find the opposite. The results also show that the interaction effect between bridging ties and tie strength on opportunity recognition varies depending on the cultural context. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Octreotide and Graves' ophthalmopathy and pretibial myxoedema.

tibial myxoedema, exophthalmos, and excessive lacri-Octreotide and Graves mation. Octreotide 100 [tg thrice daily controlled the ophthalmopathy and pretibial lacrimation after four days and the erythema of her myxoedema pretibial skin after six. After three months' treatment her eye movements and skin changes had almost fully returned to normal (table). She remained stable six weeks after stopping treatment. Case 5-A 62 year old man with exophthalmos and diplopia in all directions of gaze improved on octreotide Departments ot Internal Existig treatments for severe Graves' ophthalmopathy 100 tg thrice daily for three months (table) and such as immunosuppressive agents, orbital irradiation, remained stable six weeks after stopping treatment. and Radiology, National and decompression are not fully satisfactory. The Case 6-A 43 year old woman with Graves' disease Taiwan University extraocular muscles and fat cells show immuno-for 20 years developed progressive exophthalmos and Hospital, Taipei, reciiyto insuli-iegot atr IF1,Iad fr20yasdvlpdporsieeohhlo Taiwan, Republic of China reactivity al in litke growth factor-(IGF-1)s and pretibial myxoedema after a thyroidectomy. Three T C Chang, MD, professor of months' treatment with octreotide 100 [tg thrice daily interal medicine pretibial myxoedema.2 Octreotide, a potent long acting reduced her exopthalmos (table) and her skin S C S Kao, MD, assistant somatostatin analogue,3 suppresses IGF-1 actiVity changes. She remained stable one month after stopping professor ofophthalmology either indirectly, by reducing plasma concentrations of treatment K M Huang, MD, associate growth hormone or directly, by blocking the effect of professor ofradiology IGF-1 on peripheral tissue.4 We report the therapeutic effect of octreotide in six patients with Graves' Comment ProfessorChang. ophthalmopathy, three of whom also had pretibial Octreotide may inhibit local synthesis of IGF-l from myxoedema. inflammation or through postreceptor inhibition4 and BMJ 1992;304:158 thereby inhibit glycosaminoglycan synthesis by fibro-Case reports blasts in the orbit and skin. Control of epiphora is probably related to inhibition of exocrine secretion Case I-A 27 year old woman with thyrotoxicosis whereas rapid improvement in itching and erythema had been treated with methimazole. She developed may indicate inhibition of release of inflammatory progressive exophthalmos, diplopia, and sore eyes, mediators. Our experience suggests that octreotide with epiphora. Octreotide 100 [ig thrice daily controlled treatment is effective in Graves' ophthalmopathy and the epiphora after two days and soreness after a week. pretibial myxoedema and is associated with minor side Her diplopia began to improve after three weeks. Her effects: mild abdominal discomfort in the first week of condition remained …
Sociodemographic Differences in the Association Between Obesity and Stress: A Propensity Score-Matched Analysis from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES)

Few population-based studies have used an econometric approach to understand the association between two cancer risk factors, obesity and stress. This study investigated sociodemographic differences in the association between obesity and stress among Korean adults (6,546 men and 8,473 women). Data were drawn from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey for 2008, 2009, and 2010. Ordered logistic regression models and propensity score matching methods were used to examine the associations between obesity and stress, stratified by gender and age groups. In women, the stress level of the obese group was found to be 27.6% higher than the nonobese group in the ordered logistic regression; the obesity effect on stress was statistically significant in the propensity score-matched analysis. Corresponding evidence for the effect of obesity on stress was lacking among men. Participants who were young, well-educated, and working were more likely to report stress. In Korea, obesity causes stress in women but not in men. Young women are susceptible to a disproportionate level of stress. More cancer prevention programs targeting young and obese women are encouraged in developed Asian countries.
EXAMINING THE IMPACT OF INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES OF INFORMATION PROCESSING STYLES IN TECHNOLOGY-ENHANCED SECOND VOCABULARY LEARNING

Many studies have been conducted to verify the effectiveness of technology-enhanced visual aids in second language learning, and conclude the positive effects of the aids both in incidental and intentional vocabulary learning. On the other hand, previous research by Sato & Suzuki (2010, 2011, 2012) to compare the effectiveness of still pictures with animations depicting the schematic images of English prepositions found no significant difference between the pictorial and animated images. This indicates that successful second vocabulary learning with technological aids results not only from the technology itself, but the individual factors of the learners who use the technology. This study, therefore, explores the individual factors that affect the learning of prepositions through the use of animations, focusing on information processing styles and the first language of the learners. The results of our research conducted both in Taiwan and Japan show that the Taiwanese received a positive effect in the post-test administered immediately after using the visual aids whereas the Japanese received a positive effect in the delayed-test two weeks later. Besides, the imagers, who prefer using images in processing information, tend to get better results than the verbalizers, who prefer using languages in their information processing, whether they are Taiwanese or Japanese. From these findings, we conclude the importance of individual factors in examining second vocabulary learning with technology.
Testing for Financial-Led, Export-Led and Import-Led Growth Hypotheses on Four Asian Emerging Economies

The main objective of this study is to investigate the dynamic relationships between economic growth and macroeconomic variables, namely financial deepening, exports and investment for the cases of Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan and Thailand. The vector errorcorrection model (VECM) is employed to distinguish between shortrun and long-run causal effects in examining the three led-growth determinants. The out-of-sample dynamics of the system are also picked up through variance decomposition analysis. The empirical results suggest that financial deepening leads to economic growth in South Korea, Singapore and Thailand. In terms of exports, the findings demonstrate that export-led growth hypothesis is supported for all four Asian economies, namely Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan and Thailand. Apart from export promotion strategies and financial liberalisation, the evidence also shows that economic growth in these four Asian economies is found to be generated by capital formation or investment.
Environmental Pollution and Skin Involvement Pattern of Chronic Arsenicosis in Bangladesh

Correspondence to: M. Rahman, Department of Health and Environment, Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Faculty of Health Science, Linkoping University, 58185 Linkoping, Sweden In Bangladesh, a large part of the population have been drinking arsenic contaminated water with concentrations above 50 pg/l, the permissible limit set by the World Health Organization"). Some 30-70 million people are believed to be exposed, i.e., the populations of 41 districts out of the 64 in this country. Arsenic exposure is known to cause skin disorders such as keratosis, hyperpigmentation and hypopigmentation. Arsenic contamination of well water has caused cutanous skin lesions such as keratosis, hyperpigmentation and hypo pigmentation not only in Bangladesh 4) but also in Argentina, Chile, India, Taiwan and Thailand'). Characteristic skin lesions due to arsenic toxicity may be used as an indicator of high exposure and are quite distinctive, in contrast to other clinical manifestations of arsenic intoxication including weakness, conjunctival congestion, edema, portal hypertension, bronchitis and hepatomegaly. Arsenic is a known carcinogen causing skin cancer and various internal cancers'). In contrast to cancers, which take decades to develop, characteristic arsenical skin lesions are generally observed five to ten years after the commencement of exposure. Skin lesions pose a public health problem in Bangladesh. Subjective symptoms are usually mild, but patients with obvious palmoplantar keratosis may have pain during while and/ or working and the consequent disfigurement leads to social isolation. Arsenic levels in the present study ranged from non-detectable to 4776 pg/l. Here we evaluate the different patterns of skin lesions associated with arsenic exposure in a cross-sectional study that was conducted in Bangladesh and reported in this paper. Material and Methods
National and Gender Measurement Invariance of the Utrecht-Management of Identity Commitments Scale (U-MICS)

The purpose of this study was to examine the psychometric properties of the Utrecht-Management of Identity Commitments Scale (U-MICS), a self-report measure aimed at assessing identity processes of commitment, in-depth exploration, and reconsideration of commitment. We tested its factor structure in university students from a large array of cultural contexts, including 10 nations located in Europe (i.e., Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, and Switzerland), Middle East (i.e., Turkey), and Asia (i.e., China, Japan, and Taiwan). Furthermore, we tested national and gender measurement invariance. Participants were 6,118 (63.2% females) university students aged from 18 to 25 years (Mage = 20.91 years). Results indicated that the three-factor structure of the U-MICS fitted well in the total sample, in each national group, and in gender groups. Furthermore, national and gender measurement invariance were established. Thus, the U-MICS can be fruitfully applied to study identity in university students from various Western and non-Western contexts.