Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Informal work in a flexible labour market

Informal employment is a pervasive and persistent feature of most developing and developed economies. Labour taxation and labour market regulations are deemed two major causes for operating in the informal sector. Using data from France, Italy, and Spain, we analyse gross job flows and gross worker flows in the formal and informal sectors in the presence of lenient employment protection legislation, and investigate the way traditional policy interventions may favour transitions from one sector to the other. We show that optimal outcomes in terms of reduction and formalisation of informal jobs across the three countries examined are achieved with the combination of lower payroll taxes for permanent contracts and higher inspection rate for firms operating in the informal sector. Coupling lower firing costs with more frequent labour inspections also reduces informality, but this comes at the cost of an increased ratio of temporary to total employment.
Using Criticality of GPU Accesses in Memory Management for CPU-GPU Heterogeneous Multi-Core Processors

Heterogeneous chip-multiprocessors with CPU and GPU integrated on the same die allow sharing of critical memory system resources among the CPU and GPU applications. Such architectures give rise to challenging resource scheduling problems. In this paper, we explore memory access scheduling algorithms driven by criticality of GPU accesses in such systems. Different GPU access streams originate from different parts of the GPU rendering pipeline, which behaves very differently from the typical CPU pipeline requiring new techniques for GPU access criticality estimation. We propose a novel queuing network model to estimate the performance-criticality of the GPU access streams. If a GPU application performs below the quality of service requirement (e.g., frame rate in 3D scene rendering), the memory access scheduler uses the estimated criticality information to accelerate the critical GPU accesses. Detailed simulations done on a heterogeneous chip-multiprocessor model with one GPU and four CPU cores running heterogeneous mixes of DirectX, OpenGL, and CPU applications show that our proposal improves the GPU performance by 15% on average without degrading the CPU performance much. Extensions proposed for the mixes containing GPGPU applications, which do not have any quality of service requirement, improve the performance by 7% on average for these mixes.
Impact of Chemical and Biological Fungicides Applied to Grapevine on Grape Biofilm, Must, and Wine Microbial Diversity

This study was aimed to measure the impact of the application of a bio-fungicide against Botrytis cinerea on the microbiota involved in the alcoholic fermentation (AF) of Tempranillo Rioja wines. For this purpose, a bio-fungicide composed of the biological control bacterium Bacillus subtilis QST713 was applied to the vineyard. The microbial diversity was analyzed from grape biofilm to wine. Impact on microbial diversity was measured employing indexes assessed with the software PAST 3.10 P.D. Results were compared to non-treated samples and to samples treated with a chemical fungicide mainly composed by fenhexamid. Overall, the impact of the biological-fungicide (bio-fungicide) on the microbial diversity assessed for grape biofilm and for musts was not remarkable. Neither of the tested fungicides enhanced the growth of any species or acted against the development of any microbial groups. The bio-fungicide had no significant impact on the wine microbiota whereas the chemical fungicide caused a reduction of microbial community richness and diversity. Although environmental threats might generate a detriment of the microbial species richness, in this study the tested bio-fungicide did not modify the structure of the microbial community. Indeed, some of the Bacillus applied at the grape surface, were detected at the end of the AF showing its resilience to the harsh environment of the winemaking; in contrast, its impact on wine quality during aging is yet unknown.
The role of blood flow restriction training for applied practitioners: A questionnaire-based survey

ABSTRACT The purpose of the study was to investigate the current use of blood flow restriction (BFR) by practitioners during exercise/training. A questionnaire was developed and data were obtained from 250 participants, with 115 stating that they had prescribed BFR as an intervention. The most common exercise intervention used in combination with BFR was resistance exercise (99/115), followed by during passive (30/115) conditions, and during aerobic exercise (22/115). The main outcome measure for using the technique was to increase muscle mass (32.6%) followed by rehabilitation from injury (24.2%). Over half of respondents (57.4%) reported that they did not use the same cuff widths for the lower body and upper body, with varying final restriction pressures also being utilised during each different exercise modality. Most practitioners performed the technique for ~10 min each training session, 1–4 times per week. Eighty percent of practitioners rated the use of BFR as very good-excellent. The incidence rate of side effects was largest for delayed onset muscle soreness (39.2%), numbness (18.5%), fainting/dizziness (14.6%) and bruising (13.1%). These results indicate that the use of BFR training is widespread amongst practitioners; however, care should be taken to ensure that practice matches current research to ensure the safety of this technique.
Astragalus Membranaceus Improving Asymptomatic Left Ventricular Diastolic Dysfunction in Postmenopausal Hypertensive Women with Metabolic Syndrome: A Prospective, Open-Labeled, Randomized Controlled Trial

Background: Postmenopausal women with metabolic syndrome (MetS) have increased cardiovascular morbidity and left ventricular diastolic dysfunction (LVDD). The various protective effects of astragalus membranaceus (AM) have been described in previous studies. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the effects of different doses of AM on diastolic function in postmenopausal hypertensive women with MetS. Methods: This was a prospective, randomized controlled study. The postmenopausal hypertensive patients with MetS were enrolled from Lanzhou University Second Hospital from March 2014 to April 2015. Patients were divided into three groups: control group (received conventional medical treatment), AM Group 1 (received AM capsules at 5 g/d additionally), and AM Group 2 (received AM capsules at 10 g/d additionally). Echocardiographic and clinical characteristics were evaluated before and 12 months after treatment. Quantitative data were analyzed using unpaired t-test, analysis of variance, and multiple linear regression analysis. Results: A total of 154 patients were subjected to final analysis. In the AM Group 2, significant improvements were noted in diastolic function 12 months after treatment than those of the control group, including the early diastolic mitral annular velocity (E’; 0.065 ± 0.007 m/s vs. 0.061 ± 0.008 m/s, P = 0.014), the ratio of the early diastolic mitral peak flow velocity to the late diastolic mitral peak flow velocity (E/A; 0.81 ± 0.05 vs. 0.80 ± 0.06, P = 0.012), the ratio of E’ to the late diastolic mitral annular velocity (E’/A’; 0.56 ± 0.12 vs. 0.51 ± 0.13, P = 0.048), and the ratio of the early diastolic mitral peak flow velocity (E) to E’ (E/E’; 10.70 ± 1.30 vs. 11.37 ± 1.73, P = 0.031). After treatment, E/E’ (10.70 ± 1.30 vs. 11.24 ± 1.56, P = 0.021), deceleration time (DT; 261.49 ± 44.41 ms vs. 268.74 ± 53.87 ms, P = 0.046), and E’/A’ (0.56 ± 0.12 vs. 0.52 ± 0.13, P = 0.019) values improved more significantly than those of AM Group 2 before treatment. Besides, waist circumference was positively correlated with E’ (r = 0.472; P = 0.003) and E’/A’ (r = 0.321; P = 0.047). In addition, the waist-to-hip ratio was a significant predictor of DT (r = 0.276; P = 0.041), E’ (r = −0.590; P < 0.001), E/E’ (r = 0.454; P = 0.004), and E’/A’ (r = −0.377; P = 0.018). Conclusions: Conventional medical plus AM therapy improved diastolic function. Moreover, WC and WHR might be risk factors for LVDD. Chinese Clinical Trial Register: ChiCTR-TRC-11001747. http://www.chictr. org.cn/showprojen.aspx? proj=7798.
History-Based Response Threshold Model for Division of Labor in Multi-Agent Systems

Dynamic task allocation is a necessity in a group of robots. Each member should decide its own task such that it is most commensurate with its current state in the overall system. In this work, the response threshold model is applied to a dynamic foraging task. Each robot employs a task switching function based on the local task demand obtained from the surrounding environment, and no communication occurs between the robots. Each individual member has a constant-sized task demand history that reflects the global demand. In addition, it has response threshold values for all of the tasks and manages the task switching process depending on the stimuli of the task demands. The robot then determines the task to be executed to regulate the overall division of labor. This task selection induces a specialized tendency for performing a specific task and regulates the division of labor. In particular, maintaining a history of the task demands is very effective for the dynamic foraging task. Various experiments are performed using a simulation with multiple robots, and the results show that the proposed algorithm is more effective as compared to the conventional model.
Naringenin attenuates highly active antiretroviral therapy‐induced sperm DNA fragmentations and testicular toxicity in Sprague‐Dawley rats

Highly active antiretroviral therapy has evolved over the years, leading to a boost in the quality of life in people living with HIV and AIDS. However, growing evidence has shown that highly active antiretroviral therapy has deleterious effects on the testes and the overall reproductive capacity. Therefore, this study is to determine the adjuvant potential of Naringenin on highly active antiretroviral therapy‐induced perturbations in fertility of male Sprague‐Dawley rats. Thirty adult male Sprague‐Dawley rats were divided into six groups viz – Control; H: 30 mg/kg of highly active antiretroviral therapy (EFV, 600 mg + FTC, 200 mg + TDF, 300 mg); N40: Naringenin, 40 mg/kg; N80: Naringenin, 80 mg/kg; HN40: highly active antiretroviral therapy + Naringenin, 40 mg/kg; HN80: highly active antiretroviral therapy + Naringenin, 80 mg/kg. The rats were euthanized after 4 weeks. Results showed that there was a significant decrease in sperm count (p < 0.001), spermatozoa with normal morphology (p < 0.001) and progressive sperm motility (p < 0.05) of H compared to the control and the HN groups. Likewise, fragmentations increased (p < 0.05) in tail lengths of sperm DNA in H compared to control. HN40 and HN80 decreased tail lengths compared to H (p < 0.001). There was also a decrease in %tail DNA and tail moment in HN40 (p < 0.001) compared to H. Luteinizing hormone significantly increased (p < 0.05) in HN40, HN80, and N40 (p < 0.001) but decreased in H (p < 0.05) compared to control. The diameter of the seminiferous tubules also decreased (p < 0.05) in H compared to control, N80, and HN40. Likewise, the area of the seminiferous tubules in group H decreased (p < 0.05) compared to N80 and HN80. The seminiferous tubules epithelium increased (p < 0.05) in N40 and HN40 compared to H. This study establishes that highly active antiretroviral therapy has deleterious effects on the testicular microanatomy, sperm parameters, and sperm DNA of Sprague‐Dawley rats, which may impair fertility but Naringenin is a potential complimentary adjuvant.
The role of SH3GL3 in myeloma cell migration/invasion, stemness and chemo-resistance

Multiple myeloma (MM) is an incurable cancer characterized by clonal expansion of malignant plasma cells in the bone marrow and their egress into peripheral blood. The mechanisms of myeloma cells migration/invasion have remained unclear. Herein, we found SH3GL3 was highly expressed in the CD138-negative (CD138−) myeloma cells. The migration/invasion capability of CD138− cells was significantly higher than that in the CD138-positive (CD138+) cells. Silencing SH3GL3 using shRNA reduced myeloma cells migration/invasion. Conversely, overexpression of SH3GL3 increased myeloma cells migration/invasion. Moreover, SH3GL3 is also associated with the stemness and chemo-resistance of CD138− myeloma cells. Elevated expression of stem cell and multi-drug resistant markers were seen in the myeloma cells with overexpressed SH3GL3; while knocking-down SH3GL3 reduced the expression of these markers. A marked increase in p-PI3K and p-FAK was observed in the cells with overexpressed SH3GL3. To test if FAK/PI3K signaling pathway was involved in the SH3GL3-mediated myeloma cells migration, the cells transfected w/wo SH3GL3 cDNA were treated with FAK inhibitor 14 and PI3K inhibitor LY294002. Inhibition of FAK and PI3K attenuated SH3GL3-mediated migration /invasion. Our findings indicate that SH3GL3 plays an important role in myeloma cell migration/invasion, stemness and chemo-resistance. The SH3GL3-mediated myeloma cell migration/invasion is mediated by FAK/PI3K signaling pathway.
A Method for Characterising Human Intervertebral Disc Glycosaminoglycan Disaccharides using Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry with Multiple Reaction Monitoring

Intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration results in the depletion of proteoglycans and glycosaminoglycans (GAGs), which can lead to structural and mechanical loss of IVD function, ingrowth of nociceptive nerve fbres and eventually discogenic pain. Specifc GAG types as well as their disaccharide paterns can be predictive of disease and degeneration in several tissues but have not been comprehensively studied within the IVD. A highly sensitive mass spectrometry based technique with multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) was used to provide characterisation of chondroitin sulphate (CS), hyaluronic acid (HA), heparan sulphate (HS) and their disaccharide sulphation paterns across diferent anatomical regions of human IVDs. Principal component analysis further distinguished important regional variations and proposed potential ageing variations in GAG profles. CS was the GAG in greatest abundance in the IVD followed by HA and HS. Principal component analysis identifIed clear separation of GAG profiles between nucleus pulposus and annulus fibrosus in young and old specimens. Distinct patterns of predominantly expressed disaccharides of CS and HS between young and old IVD samples, provided preliminary evidence that important alterations in disaccharides occur within IVDs during ageing. This technique offered a novel approach to identify and quantify specific GAG disaccharides in human IVDs and the data presented were the first to offer insight into the spatial distribution as well as association with ageing of GAGs and GAG disaccharide sulphation patterns across the human IVD.
Resilience of Farm Women Working the Third Shift

ABSTRACT Background: We examined physical health and work experiences in a Saskatchewan population of farm women, and determined how participation in the “third shift” (a phenomenon where women engage in off-farm employment, farm labor, and as homemakers) relates to their demographic, physical health, and work experiences. Materials and Methods: This is a cross-sectional epidemiological study. Reports from 980 women who lived or worked on Saskatchewan farms were analyzed to describe their health status, comorbidities, use of medications, and exposures to farm work. Regression models were used to explore determinants of participation in the third shift. Results: Two hundred and sixteen were women [22.0%] engaged in the “third shift”, and these women consistently reported significantly longer mechanized and non-mechanized farm work hours. Compared to women not involved in the third shift, participants in the third shift were more likely to be: 41–50 years of age [ORAdj 2.06 (1.12, 3.77)], and involved in beef cattle production [ORAdj 1.62 (1.05–2.49)], large animal chores [ORAdj 1.66 (1.04–2.66)], use of shovels/pitchforks [ORAdj 1.67 (1.08–2.57)], combine operation [ORAdj 1.72 (1.08–2.74)], and have higher levels of education [e.g., ORAdj 0.46 (0.29–0.72) for high school or less]. Descriptively, reduced engagement in the third shift was associated with “fair or poor” health status [ORCrude 0.32 (0.14–0.76)] and more co-morbidities [e.g., ORCrude 0.50 (0.33, 0.75) for 2 or more versus none reported]. Conclusion: This study found that farm women often report high levels of work, including engagement in the third shift. Women engaged in the third shift are also generally healthier than non-engaged women, consistent with a healthy worker effect.
Enhanced Secondary- and Hormone Metabolism in Leaves of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Medicago truncatula1[OPEN]

Mycorrhization and phosphate fertilization share cytokinin-improved shoot growth, while enhanced abscisic acid biosynthesis and jasmonate-regulated secondary metabolism are specific to mycorrhization. Arbuscular mycorrhizas (AM) are the most common symbiotic associations between a plant’s root compartment and fungi. They provide nutritional benefit (mostly inorganic phosphate [Pi]), leading to improved growth, and nonnutritional benefits, including defense responses to environmental cues throughout the host plant, which, in return, delivers carbohydrates to the symbiont. However, how transcriptional and metabolic changes occurring in leaves of AM plants differ from those induced by Pi fertilization is poorly understood. We investigated systemic changes in the leaves of mycorrhized Medicago truncatula in conditions with no improved Pi status and compared them with those induced by high-Pi treatment in nonmycorrhized plants. Microarray-based genome-wide profiling indicated up-regulation by mycorrhization of genes involved in flavonoid, terpenoid, jasmonic acid (JA), and abscisic acid (ABA) biosynthesis as well as enhanced expression of MYC2, the master regulator of JA-dependent responses. Accordingly, total anthocyanins and flavonoids increased, and most flavonoid species were enriched in AM leaves. Both the AM and Pi treatments corepressed iron homeostasis genes, resulting in lower levels of available iron in leaves. In addition, higher levels of cytokinins were found in leaves of AM- and Pi-treated plants, whereas the level of ABA was increased specifically in AM leaves. Foliar treatment of nonmycorrhized plants with either ABA or JA induced the up-regulation of MYC2, but only JA also induced the up-regulation of flavonoid and terpenoid biosynthetic genes. Based on these results, we propose that mycorrhization and Pi fertilization share cytokinin-mediated improved shoot growth, whereas enhanced ABA biosynthesis and JA-regulated flavonoid and terpenoid biosynthesis in leaves are specific to mycorrhization.
Bidding for Multiple Keywords in Sponsored Search Advertising: Keyword Categories and Match Types

Although keyword auctions are often studied in the context of a single keyword in the literature, firms generally have to participate in multiple keyword auctions at the same time. Advertisers purchase a variety of keywords that can be categorized as generic-relevant, focal-brand, and competing-brand keywords. At the same time, firms also have to choose how the keywords can be matched to search queries: exact, phrase, or broad. This study empirically examines how keyword categories and match types influence the performance of advertising campaigns. We build a hierarchical Bayesian model to address the endogeneity problem contained in the simultaneous equations of the click-through rate, the conversion rate, cost per click, and rank, and we use the Markov Chain Monte Carlo method to identify the parameters. Our results suggest that it is important to differentiate among the various bidding strategies for various keyword categories and match types. We also report results related to financial performance suc.
Potentially inappropriate prescribing according to STOPP and START and adverse outcomes in community-dwelling older people: a prospective cohort study.

AIMS This study aims to determine if potentially inappropriate prescribing (PIP) is associated with increased healthcare utilization, functional decline and reduced quality of life (QoL) in a community-dwelling older cohort. METHOD This prospective cohort study included participants aged ≥65 years from The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (TILDA) with linked administrative pharmacy claims data who were followed up after 2 years. PIP was defined by the Screening Tool for Older Persons Prescriptions (STOPP) and Screening Tool to Alert doctors to Right Treatment (START). The association with number of emergency department (ED) visits and GP visits reported over 12 months was analyzed using multivariate negative binomial regression adjusting for confounders. Marginal structural models investigated the presence of time-dependent confounding. RESULTS Of participants followed up (n = 1753), PIP was detected in 57% by STOPP and 41.8% by START, 21.7% reported an ED visit and 96.1% visited a GP (median 4, IQR 2.5-6). Those with any STOPP criterion had higher rates of ED visits (adjusted incident rate ratio (IRR) 1.30, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.02, 1.66) and GP visits (IRR 1.15, 95%CI 1.06, 1.24). Patients with two or more START criteria had significantly more ED visits (IRR 1.45, 95%CI 1.03, 2.04) and GP visits (IRR 1.13, 95%CI 1.01, 1.27) than people with no criteria. Adjusting for time-dependent confounding did not affect the findings. CONCLUSIONS Both STOPP and START were independently associated with increased healthcare utilization and START was also related to functional decline and QoL. Optimizing prescribing to reduce PIP may provide an improvement in patient outcomes.
Integration host factor and LuxR synergistically bind DNA to coactivate quorum‐sensing genes in Vibrio harveyi

The cell–cell signaling process called quorum sensing allows bacteria to control behaviors in response to changes in population density. In Vibrio harveyi, the master quorum‐sensing transcription factor LuxR is a member of the TetR family of transcription factors that both activates and represses genes to coordinate group behaviors, including bioluminescence. Here, we show that integration host factor (IHF) is a key coactivator of the luxCDABE bioluminescence genes that is required together with LuxR for precise timing and expression levels of bioluminescence during quorum sensing. IHF binds to multiple sites in the luxCDABE promoter and bends the DNA in vitro. IHF and LuxR synergistically bind luxCDABE promoter DNA at overlapping, essential binding sites that are required for maximal gene expression in vivo. RNA‐seq analysis demonstrated that IHF regulates 300 genes in V. harveyi, and among these are a core set of 19 genes that are also directly bound and regulated by LuxR. We validated these global analyses by demonstrating that both IHF and LuxR are required for transcriptional activation of the osmotic stress response genes betIBA‐proXWV. These data suggest that IHF plays an integral role in one mechanism of transcriptional activation by the LuxR‐type family of quorum‐sensing regulators in vibrios.
Successful Treatment of T‐cell Post‐Transplant Lymphoproliferative Disorder with the Retinoid Analog Bexarotene

T‐cell post‐transplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD) is a rare life threatening complication of organ transplantation. It is usually resistant to treatment with reduction in immunosuppression or chemotherapy and carries a poor prognosis. We report on a combined kidney and pancreas transplant patient with Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) positive T‐cell PTLD that had recurred after chemotherapy and reduction in immunosuppression. The patient was successfully treated with bexarotene, a novel synthetic retinoid analog, achieving a complete clinical response. Bexarotene may be a promising treatment for T‐cell PTLD.