Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Sevoflurane and isoflurane protect the reperfused guinea pig heart by reducing postischemic adhesion of polymorphonuclear neutrophils.

BACKGROUND Polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMNs) contribute to reperfusion injury. Because volatile anesthetics can reduce PMN adhesion in the reperfused, nonworking heart, the authors analyzed whether this action of volatile anesthetics affects cardiac performance after ischemia and reperfusion and further clarified the underlying mechanism. METHODS Isolated guinea pig hearts perfused with crystalloid buffer and performing pressure-volume work were used. Hearts were subjected to 15 min global ischemia and 20 min reperfusion. In the intervention groups an intracoronary bolus of 3 x 10(6) PMNs was applied in the second min of reperfusion, either in the absence or presence of 0.5 or 1 minimum alveolar concentration sevoflurane or isoflurane. The number of sequestered PMNs was calculated from the difference between coronary input and output (coronary effluent) of PMNs. Performance of external heart work, determined pre- and postischemically, served as criterion for recovery of myocardial function. Additionally, the expression of the integrin CD11b on the cell surface of PMN was measured before and after coronary passage. RESULTS Injection of PMN in the reperfusion phase, but not under nonischemic conditions, reduced recovery of external heart work significantly (from 55+/-7% to 19+/-11%). Addition of sevoflurane or isoflurane in concentrations of 0.5 and 1 minimum alveolar concentration to the perfusate reduced postischemic PMN adhesion from 36+/-8% to basal values (20+/-7%) and prevented decline of cardiac function. CD11b expression on PMNs increased significantly during postischemic coronary passage under control conditions. Again, both anesthetics in both concentrations inhibited that activation. CONCLUSIONS Volatile anesthetics reduce PMN adhesion in the reperfused coronary system and thereby preserve cardiac function. Reduced expression of the adhesion molecule CD11b on PMNs in the presence of sevoflurane or isoflurane is, at least in part, responsible for the cardioprotective effect.
Breathing during prolonged exercise in humans.

1. Six normal subjects cycled to endurance or for 60 min at four work rates (WR 1‐4): mean of 34% working capacity (93 watts for 60 min); 43% (120 watts for 56 min); 63% (177 watts for 37 min); and 84% (233 watts for 12 min), to determine how breathing pattern and dyspnoea change during prolonged activity. Four to six minutes were allowed to establish steady state and subsequent changes were considered to be endurance related. 2. Dyspnoea (Borg scale, 0‐10) increased with the duration of activity at all work rates. 3. Ventilation (VE) did not change at WR1; increased from 44 to 47 l min‐1 at WR2; from 60 to 88 l min‐1 at WR3; and from 111 to 132 l min‐1 at WR4. Dyspnoea was significantly and independently related to ventilation and duration of activity: dyspnoea = 0.004 VE1.36 time 0.25 (r = 0.81; partial F 202 and 26 respectively). 4. Inspiratory resistance did not increase at any work rate. Dynamic elastance remained constant during WR1, WR2 and WR3 but increased from 7.4 to 9.1 cmH2O l‐1 during WR4. 5. Peak inspiratory pressure did not increase, and the increase in VE was accomplished by an increased breathing frequency without change in duty cycle. 6. Duration of activity is an important contributor to dyspnoea independent of changes in respiratory muscle contractile activity.
A mass assignment based ID3 algorithm for decision tree induction

A mass assignment based ID3 algorithm for learning probabilistic fuzzy decision trees is introduced. Fuzzy partitions are used to discretize continuous feature universes and to reduce complexity when universes are discrete but with large cardinalities. Furthermore, the fuzzy partitioning of classification universes facilitates the use of these decision trees in function approximation problems. Generally the incorporation of fuzzy sets into this paradigm overcomes many of the problems associated with the application of decision trees to real‐world problems. The probabilities required for the trees are calculated according to mass assignment theory applied to fuzzy labels. The latter concept is introduced to overcome computational complexity problems associated with higher dimensional mass assignment evaluations on databases. ©1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Governing Without Surviving? An Italian Paradox: Law-Making in Italy, 1987-2001

Almost 25 years ago, Di Palma portrayed the Italian political system as one in which parties, executives and political élites survived without governing. Much of his interpretation was based upon a careful empirical investigation of the actual functioning of the legislative process. We adopt the same perspective in order to evaluate if, after the major events and institutional transformations which have shattered the Italian political landscape, Di Palma's original hypothesis still holds at the turn of the century. In spite of the lack of control of the ordinary legislative process exhibited by executives in the last four legislatures (1987-2001), together with a marked systemic instability, the last few years have witnessed the successful introduction of significant reforms in several sectors. Paradoxically, during the 1990s, the major political actors have shown themselves to be more capable of governing than of surviving.
Impact of Mentoring Functions on Career Development: Moderating Role of Mentoring Culture and Mentoring Structure

Mentoring is a valuable resource for learning and coping with major organizational changes. It brings value to everyone involved in this relationship, that is, mentees, mentors and the organization. The present study examine the impact of mentoring functions on career development. Further, it also investigates the role of mentoring culture and mentoring structure as moderator. Employees working in call centres in India have been selected for data collection. Reliability and validity has been proved with the help of confirmatory factor analysis. Structural equation modelling has been used for hypotheses testing. Results revealed that mentoring functions significantly affect career development of call centre employees. Further, mentoring culture and mentoring structure moderate the relationship between mentoring functions and career development.
The Structure and Distribution of Household Wealth in Australia

This article uses data from the second wave of the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (or HILDA) Survey to provide an overview of the structure and distribution of household wealth in Australia. The data confirm that wealth is very unequally distributed, with the bottom half of the distribution owning less than 10 per cent of total household net worth, while the wealthiest 10 per cent account for 45 per cent. The article also includes an analysis of the factors associated with household wealth that indicates that wealth is significantly related to a range of factors including age, country of birth, parental occupational status, education, marital status, working hours, income, self-reported savings behaviour, a willingness to take risks and even various lifestyle behaviours, such as smoking and alcohol consumption.
Ex Ante Impact Assessment under Imperfect Information: Biotechnology in New Member States of the EU

Some argue that the lack of modern agricultural development in the former socialist countries of Central and Eastern Europe has made cutting‐edge biotechnology attractive. However, enthusiasm for planting genetically modified (GM) crops varies greatly in the enlarged European Union (EU) and especially among the New Member States (NMS); the Czech GM maize area is progressively growing whereas Hungary imposed a de facto ban on GM crops. Remarkably, the Hungarian ban was not supported by any cost–benefit assessment. In the literature, ex ante impact assessments of monopolistically priced technologies are often based on cross‐sectional comparisons of average cropping budgets. Such assessments ignore heterogeneity of farmers and underestimate the true impact of these technologies because of homogeneity bias. Therefore, we propose an improved method by explicitly modelling farmer heterogeneity under imperfect information, and assess the potential value and benefit sharing of GM crops in the two NMS using a stochastic partial equilibrium model. The total potential value of GM crops is estimated at €82 million for both countries, of which €60 million (73%) accrues to farmers and €22 million (27%) to the gene developers and the seed industry. This is in line with the literature on global benefit sharing of first‐generation GM technologies.
Joint Projects without Commitment

This paper concerns the pattern of contributions to a joint project when commitments and enforceable contracts are not available. We analyse a game in which partners alternate in making contributions to the project until the project is completed. Contributions are sunk when they are made. The game has a unique subgame perfect equilibrium path, which is inefficient in the sense that socially desirable projects may not be completed. By contrast, in a "subscription game" in which the cost of the contribution is borne only if and when the contributions committed to the project cover its cost, the outcome is efficient.
Social Capital in Rural Australia

Abstract In Australia, as in the rest of the industrialised world, social capital has been identified as a key element in rural regeneration. For example, the Prime Minister, John Howard, speaks openly of the need for a ‘social coalition’ between communities, governments and businesses that will build social cohesion and trust at community level. For two decades successive Australian governments have followed the world-wide trend in industrialised nations to devolve responsibility for social welfare programs to local areas and to nongovernment agencies, the stated rationale being to break down welfare dependency and to promote individual responsibility. The dismantling of the welfare state and the triumph of capitalism have been defining features of the Australian landscape in recent years.
The "Big C": Identifying Contagion

This paper surveys and assesses the academic literature on defining, measuring, and identifying financial contagion and the various channels by which it can occur. It also includes new empirical analysis of recent trends and causes of contagion, highlighting contagion risks in the euro area. The paper defines "interdependence" as high correlations across markets during all states of the world and "contagion" as the spillovers from extreme negative events. Interdependence has increased dramatically over time, especially within the euro area, even after controlling for global shocks and changes in volatility. Not surprisingly, negative events in one country also quickly affect others. Regression analysis shows that a country is more vulnerable to contagion if it has a more levered banking system, greater trade exposure, weaker macroeconomic fundamentals, and larger international portfolio investment liabilities. Countries are less vulnerable, however, if they have larger international portfolio investment assets (which can provide a buffer against shocks) and are less reliant on debt (versus equity) for international financing. These results have important implications for understanding contagion and for analyzing policies designed to mitigate contagion, especially for the current crisis in the euro area.
Greek Ministerial Advisers: Policy Managers, Not Experts?

This article investigates the policy-making role of Greek ministerial advisers. This is achieved by classifying those actors using typologies developed in empirical studies of political staff in Westminster systems, according to policy roles, nature and dimension of policy advice activities, and the policy cycle. This small N comparative study locates the Greek ministerial adviser in the ministerial cabinet tradition and argues that this agent fits best the role of a coordinator and policy manager, who vertically steers policy and networks with other political staff across a fragmented executive core government.
The Influence of Innovative Organizational Culture on Marketing Strategy Formulation and Results

ABSTRACT This article's objective is to analyze the influence innovative organizational culture has on marketing strategy formulation and results, and how this relationship affects organizational performance. The theoretical basis lies in Menon et al.'s (1999) model. The methodology included a survey with medium to large Brazilian companies in different sectors. The final sample consisted of 153 questionnaires that were valid for analysis. Techniques for statistical analysis including singular and multivariate methods were used, from which the relationships between constructs were established by structural equation modeling. Results show a positive relationship between innovative organizational culture, the marketing strategy process, and organizational performance. However, innovative culture does not have a direct influence on performance.
The Face-Inversion Effect as a Deficit in the Encoding of Configural Information: Direct Evidence

We report four experiments leading to conclusions that: (i) the face-inversion effect is mainly due to the deficits in processing of configural information from inverted faces; and (ii) this effect occurs primarily at the encoding stage of face processing, rather than at the storage stage. In experiment 1, participants discriminated upright faces differing primarily in configuration with 81% accuracy. Participants viewing the same faces presented upside down scored only 55%. In experiment 2, the corresponding discrimination rates for faces differing mainly in featural information were 91% (upright) and 90% (inverted). In experiments 3 and 4, the same faces were used in a memory paradigm. In experiment 3, a delayed matching-to-sample task was used, in which upright-face pairs differed either in configuration or features. Recognition rates were comparable to those for the corresponding upright faces in the discrimination tasks in experiments 1 and 2. However, there was no effect of delay (1 s, 5 s, or 10 s). In experiment 4, we repeated experiment 3, this time with inverted faces. Results were comparable to those of inverted conditions in experiments 1 and 2, and again there was no effect of delay. Together these results suggest that an ‘encoding bottleneck’ for configural information may be responsible for the face-inversion effect in particular, and memory for faces in general.
Long-Run and Short-Run Behavior of Korea's Current Account

Recent research indicates that an error correction mechanism exists for current account imbalances in Germany, Japan, and the United States. In this paper, I test whether current account imbalances in Korea are also self-correcting. The Empirical results are ambiguous: while no conintegrating relationship can be detected, and error correction mechanism can. Using standard econometric methods, estimates of a small-scale macroeconomic model detect no effect of Korea's lagged net foreign claim position on any relevant variable. However, I do find that the current account is influenced by Korea's lagged net foreign claim position in a direct estimate of Korea's current account. [F32]
Sun-induced frowning fosters aggressive feelings

We tested whether aggressiveness can be triggered by the involuntary frowning that occurs when people face the sun, due to the fact that sun-induced frowning involves the same pattern of facial muscle activation as in the expression of anger (interestingly, Charles Darwin remarked on the sunshade-like nature of frowning). In line with data showing that experimentally and unobtrusively induced facial and body displays facilitate congruent feelings, we found that participants walking against the sun without sunglasses scored higher in a self-report measure of anger and aggression compared to those walking with the sun behind and/or wearing sunglasses. We also suggest that frowning at the sun affects mood very quickly, because we did not find any effect of walking time on self-reported aggressiveness. Our results provide the first evidence of the ecological validity of the facial feedback hypothesis.
Technological change, mobile plants and regional development

Thwaites A. T. (1978) Technological change, mobile plants and regional development, Reg. Studies 12, 445–461. This paper presents an examination of the role of the mobile plant in the self-sustained economic growth of the Development Areas in Britain. It is suggested that long term economic development generated from within the Regions is highly dependent upon the ability of local establishments to produce and to absorb new technology. A survey of the literature reveals that mobile plants often do not satisfy those conditions which appear most conducive to rapid technological advance and adoption within manufacturing firms. Therefore, whilst the explicit aims of Regional Policy to reduce unemployment and distress in the peripheral areas of Britain have been largely met through plant mobility, the implicit long term aims of industrial regeneration through technological spin-off and linkages seem less likely to occur.
Association of mating-type with mycelium growth rate and genetic variability of Fusarium culmorum

BackgroundBarley is an important crop used widely in Europe for food production, feed and malting. Unfortunately it is often colonised by fungi from the Fusarium genus. Fusarium culmorum is a global pathogen causing root rot and crown rot in small-grain cereals, resulting in a reduction in yield and grain quality. F. culmorum produces the highly toxic chemicals trichothecenes. ExperimentalProceduresChemotypes and mating-type idiomorphs (MAT) were identified using Polymerase Chain Reactions (PCR) and genetic diversity was determined using Sequence-related Amplified Polymorphism (SRAP) and Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA (RAPD). Physiological features such as mycelium growth rate were also evaluated.ResultsAs many as 94% of isolates was classified as a 3ADON producing and only two isolates displayed NIV chemotype. The average growth rate at 15°C and 25°C equalled 5.32 mm/day and 13.5 mm/day, respectively. The MAT idiomorph amplification revealed that 60% of isolates possessed MAT1-2 idiomorph. Among 32 obtained SRAP and RAPD markers, eight were associated with mycelium growth rate.ConclusionsIt was shown first time that F. culmorum isolates with MAT1-2 idiomorph in the genome grew slower than these with MAT1-1. High level of genetic variability was determined based on amplification of SRAP and RAPD markers.
Cross-Border Mergers & Acquisitions: The Facts as a Guide for International Economics

Using a detailed and large data set on cross-border merger and acquisitions we discuss the relationship between theory and observed empirical characteristics: (i) most FDI is in the form of M&As, (ii) firms engaged in M&As seem to be 'market-seeking', (iii) M&As come in waves (the most recent wave is still unfolding), (iv) economic integration (international deregulation) stimulated M&As, (v) the size of and inequality between M&As grows over time. Our contention in this chapter is that these stylized facts drive and should drive recent theoretical contributions in the field of international economics that try to understand cross-border mergers and acquisitions. Although some models (notably Neary, 2003) explain a number of the characteristics, a full-fledged model of cross-border M&As that, at least in principle, can deal with all the characteristics is still lacking.
A Simulation Study of the Ventricular Myocardial Action Potential

A mathematical model based on the formalism of the Hodgkin¿Huxley equations was implemented on a microcomputer system and used to simulate the membrane action potential of ventricular myocardial fibers. The complete model is constituted in part from the representation used by Beeler and Reuter [1] and from a simplified version of a model used by us to simulate the Purkinje fiber action potential [3]. The experimental results from the frog ventricular myocardial preparation were reconstructed successfully in the present study. It was also shown that the Purkinje fiber and ventricular myocardial action potentials could be simulated by means of qualitatively similar models. The major differences are a simpler representation of the potassium current and a more prominent role of the calcium current in the representation used for the ventricular myocardial fiber.
Location, Location, Location: Does Place of Work Really Matter?

This paper examines the work attitudes of home- and office-based workers. A review of the existing literature finds both pessimistic and optimistic accounts of the impact of homeworking on employee attitudes and behaviours. Drawing on a survey of 749 managerial and professional employees in knowledge-intensive industries, the study finds more support for the optimistic perspective. The findings suggest that homeworking is positively associated with employee well-being and a more balanced work–home relationship. There is no evidence that organizational citizenship behaviours are reduced by homeworking but there is some support for homeworking undermining employees' perception of the organization as supporting their careers and personal development.
Role for the Adenovirus IVa2 Protein in Packaging of Viral DNA

ABSTRACT Although it has been demonstrated that the adenovirus IVa2 protein binds to the packaging domains on the viral chromosome and interacts with the viral L1 52/55-kDa protein, which is required for viral DNA packaging, there has been no direct evidence demonstrating that the IVa2 protein is involved in DNA packaging. To understand in greater detail the DNA packaging mechanisms of adenovirus, we have asked whether DNA packaging is serotype or subgroup specific. We found that Ad7 (subgroup B), Ad12 (subgroup A), and Ad17 (subgroup D) cannot complement the defect of an Ad5 (subgroup C) mutant,pm8001, which does not package its DNA due to a mutation in the L1 52/55-kDa gene. This indicates that the DNA packaging systems of different serotypes cannot interact productively with Ad5 DNA. Based on this, a chimeric virus containing the Ad7 genome except for the inverted terminal repeats and packaging sequence from Ad5 was constructed. This chimeric virus replicates its DNA and synthesizes Ad7 proteins, but it cannot package its DNA in 293 cells or 293 cells expressing the Ad5 L1 52/55-kDa protein. However, this chimeric virus packages its DNA in 293 cells expressing the Ad5 IVa2 protein. These results indicate that the IVa2 protein plays a role in viral DNA packaging and that its function is serotype specific. Since this chimeric virus cannot package its own DNA, but produces all the components for packaging Ad7 DNA, it may be a more suitable helper virus for the growth of Ad7 gutted vectors for gene transfer.