Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
(UBS Pensions series 8) UK Annuity Rates and Pension Replacement Ratios 1957 - 2002

This paper constructs a time series of annuity rates in the UK for 1957-2002, and examines the pricing of UK annuities, and the relationship between the accumulation and decumulation phases of a defined contribution pension scheme by focusing on the properties of the pension replacement ratio. Using data on annuity returns and the returns on other financial assets, the paper simulates replacement ratios, to build up a frequency distribution of the pension replacement ratio for a UK individual. These frequency distributions illustrate the risk in the pension replacement ratio faced by an individual who saves in a typical defined contribution pension scheme.
Mannose-Containing Oligosaccharides of Non-Specific Human Secretory Immunoglobulin A Mediate Inhibition of Vibrio cholerae Biofilm Formation

The role of antigen-specific secretory IgA (SIgA) has been studied extensively, whereas there is a limited body of evidence regarding the contribution of non-specific SIgA to innate immune defenses against invading pathogens. In this study, we evaluated the effects of non-specific SIgA against infection with Vibrio cholerae O139 strain MO10 and biofilm formation. Seven day old infant mice deficient in IgA (IgA-/- mice) displayed significantly greater intestinal MO10 burden at 24 hr post-challenge when compared to IgA+/+ pups. Importantly, cross-fostering of IgA-/- pups with IgA+/+ nursing dams reversed the greater susceptibility to MO10 infection, suggesting a role for non-specific SIgA in protection against the infection. Since biofilm formation is associated with virulence of MO10, we further examined the role of human non-specific SIgA on this virulence phenotype of the pathogen. Human non-specific SIgA, in a dose-dependent fashion, significantly reduced the biofilm formation by MO10 without affecting the viability of the bacterium. Such an inhibitory effect was not induced by human serum IgA, IgG, or IgM, suggesting a role for the oligosaccharide-rich secretory component (SC) of SIgA. This was supported by the demonstration that SIgA treated with endoglycosidase H, to cleave the high-mannose containing terminal chitobiose residues, did not induce a reduction in biofilm formation by MO10. Furthermore, the addition of free mannose per se, across a wide dose range, induced significant reduction in MO10 biofilm formation. Collectively, these results suggest that mannose containing oligosacchardies within human non-specific secretory IgA can alter important virulence phenotypes of Vibrio cholerae such as biofilm formation, without affecting viability of the microorganism. Such effects may contribute significantly to innate immune defenses against invading pathogens in vivo in the gastrointestinal tract.
Un Modello Econometrico Per Il Credito Bancario Alle Famiglie in Italia (An Econometric Model to the Bank Credit to Families in Italy)

This paper presents the estimation of an econometric model for bank lending to households in Italy in the period 1984-2003. The model consists of two equations: loans for house purchase and other loans to households (typically consumer credit and loans in the current account). Both equations show a close relationship with the economic trend and the level of real interest rates; household mortgages are also influenced by the dynamics of the housing market and the equity market. The work verifies the existence of structural changes in the equations in relation to the changes occurred in the credit market in the second half of the nineties and breaks down the contribution to growth in lending to households between the different factors.
Do bulges of early- and late-type spirals have different morphology?

We study HST/NICMOS H-band images of bulges of two equal-sized samples of early- (T R C 3 ≤ 3) and late-type spiral (mainly Sbc-Sc) galaxies matched in outer disk axis ratio. We find that bulges of late-type spirals are more elongated than their counterparts in early-type spirals. Using a KS-test we find that the two distributions are different at the 98.4% confidence level We conclude that the two data sets are different, i.e. late-type galaxies have a broader ellipticity distribution and contain more elongated features in the inner regions. We discuss the possibility that these would correspond to bars at a later evolutionary stage, i.e. secularly evolved bars. Consequent implications are raised, and we discuss relevant questions regarding the formation and structure of bulges. Are bulges of early-type and late-type spirals different? Are their formation scenarios different? Can we talk about bulges in the same way for different types of galaxies?
The Power of the Picture: How Narrative Film Captures Attention and Disrupts Goal Pursuit

Narrative transportation is described as a state of detachment that arises when one becomes immersed in the narrative of a story. Participants viewed either an intact version of an engaging 20 min film, “Bang You’re Dead! ,” (1961) by Alfred Hitchcock (contiguous condition), or a version of the same film with scenes presented out of order (noncontiguous condition). In this latter condition, the individual scenes were intact but were presented out of chronological order. Participants were told a cover story that we were interested in the amount of gun violence depicted in films. Both groups were given the goal to remember to lift their hand every time they heard the word “gun” spoken during the film. Results revealed that participants were significantly less likely to remember to execute their goal in the contiguous condition, presumably because this narrative transported viewers’ attention and thereby “hijacked” processing resources away from internal goals.
Acute vision loss and choroidal filling delay in the absence of giant-cell arteritis

Giant-cell arteritis (GCA) is a visually devastating disease that often progresses to severe bilateral vision loss if untreated. Diagnosis of GCA is made challenging by the protean nature of the disease and the lack of a simple test that is both highly sensitive and specific. Choroidal filling delay on fluorescein angiography (FA) has been touted as a highly characteristic feature of GCA-related vision loss, although knowledge of both the sensitivity and specificity of this finding remains unproven. We report our experience of delayed choroidal filling on FA in a series of seven patients referred to an academic neuro-ophthalmology practice due to concern for GCA. Despite the FA findings, our examination, diagnostic testing, and long-term follow-up excluded the diagnosis of GCA in all cases, suggesting that choroidal perfusion abnormalities may occur in the absence of GCA. When evaluating a patient for acute vision loss, the astute clinician must remain cognizant of the limitations of FA in the diagnosis of GCA.
miR-34a is a common link in both HIV- and antiretroviral therapy-induced vascular aging

Both HIV and antiretroviral therapy could induce vascular aging with unclear mechanisms. In this study, via microarray analysis, we identified, for the first time, that miR-34a expression was significantly increased in both HIV-infected, and antiretroviral agents-treated vessels and vascular endothelial cells (ECs) from these vessels. In cultured ECs, miR-34a expression was significantly increased by HIV-Tat protein and by the antiretroviral agents, lopinavir/ritonavir. Both HIV-Tat protein and antiretroviral agents could induce EC senescence, which was inhibited by miR-34a inhibition. In contrast, EC senescence was exacerbated by miR-34a overexpression. In addition, the vascular ECs isolated from miR-34a knockout mice were resistant to HIV and antiretroviral agents-mediated senescence. In vivo, miR-34a expression in mouse vascular walls and their ECs was increased by antiretroviral therapy and by HIV-1 Tat transgenic approach. miR-34a inhibition could effectively inhibit both HIV-Tat protein and antiretroviral therapy-induced vascular aging in mice. The increased miR-34a was induced via p53, whereas Sirt1 was a downstream target gene of miR-34a in both HIV-Tat protein and antiretroviral agents-treated ECs and vessels. The study has demonstrated that miR-34a is a common link in both HIV and antiretroviral therapy-mediated vascular aging.
Linking preferred orientations to elastic anisotropy in Muderong Shale, Australia

The significance of shales for unconventional hydrocarbon reservoirs, nuclear waste repositories, and geologic carbon storage has opened new research frontiers in geophysics. Among many of its unique physical properties, elastic anisotropy had long been investigated by experimental and computational approaches. Here, we calculated elastic properties of Cretaceous Muderong Shale from Australia with a self-consistent averaging method based on microstructural information. The volume fraction and crystallographic preferred orientation distributions of constituent minerals were based on synchrotron x-ray diffraction experiments. Aspect ratios of minerals and pores, determined from scanning electron microscopy, were introduced in the self-consistent averaging. Our analysis suggested that phyllosilicates (i.e., illite-mica, illite-smectite, kaolinite, and chlorite) were dominant with ∼70 vol:%. The shape of clay platelets displayed an average aspect ratio of 0.05. These platelets were aligned parallel to the bedding plane with a high degree of preferred orientation. The estimated porosity at ambient pressure was ∼17 vol:% and was divided into equiaxial pores and flat pores with an average aspect ratio of 0.01. Our model gave results that compared satisfactorily with values derived from ultrasonic velocity measurements, confirming the validity and reliability of our approximations and averaging approach.
Characteristics of Amino Acids in the Atmospheric and Marine Environment

The number of studies focusing on atmospheric Organic Nitrogen (ON) deposition (wet and dry) has increased steadily in recent years, but comparatively little has been done to draw together this disparate knowledge. The global view confirms the quantitative importance of ON in atmosphere. These studies have a cumulative da ta also helps to clarify some of the uncertainly that arises from the generally locally and temporally limited scale of the individual studies. Because of analytical and procedural changes in recent decades assessments are made of the comparability of the data set caution is needed in comparisons of individual studies but the overall trends in the compiled set are more robust. With regard to the sources, it is likely that some of the organic material observed is not locally generated but undergoes extensive or long-range atmospheric transport. Key word: Amino acidschiralityorganic nitrogennatural ecosystem
The Madisonian Turn : Political Parties and Parliamentary Democracy in Nordic Europe

This volume examines these claims and their implications. The authors find that the Nordic states have moved away from their previous resemblance to a Westminster model toward a form of parliamentary democracy with more separation-of-powers features---a Madisonian model. These features are evident both in vertical power relations (e.g., relations with the European Union) and horizontal ones (e.g., increasingly independent courts and central banks). Yet these developments are far from uniform and demonstrate that there may be different responses to the political challenges faced by contemporary Western democracies.
Towards the string dual of N=1 SQCD-like theories

We construct supergravity plus branes solutions, which we argue to be related to 4d N=1 SQCD with a quartic superpotential. The geometries depend on the ratio Nf/Nc which can be kept of order one, present a good singularity at the origin and are weakly curved elsewhere. We support our field theory interpretation by studying a variety of features like R-symmetry breaking, instantons, Seiberg duality, Wilson loops and pair creation, running of couplings and domain walls. In a second part of this paper, we address a different problem: the analysis of the interesting physics of different members of a family of supergravity solutions dual to (unflavored) N=1 SYM plus some UV completion.
Pricing Interest Rate Derivatives : A General Approach 1

Pricing Interest Rate Derivatives: A General Approach The relationship between affine stochastic processes and bond pricing equations in exponential term structure models has been well-established (see Duffie and Kan [44]). We extend this linkage to the pricing of interest rate derivatives. This paper shows that, if the term structure model is exponential-affine, then there is a simple linkage between the bond pricing solution and the prices of many widely traded interest rate derivative securities. Our results are general, and apply to m-factor processes with n diffusions and l jump processes. Regardless of the number of shocks, the pricing solutions require at most a single numerical integral, making the model easy to implement. We discuss many options that yield solutions using the methods of the paper. Fast estimation of these models is possible by vectorizing the equations for the pricing solutions. We provide examples illustrating the use of the models. Interest Rate Derivatives: A General Approach . 1
Association of resistin polymorphism, its serum levels and prevalence of stroke in Japanese type 2 diabetic patients

Aims/Introduction: Resistin, an inflammatory cytokine, might be involved in the development of atherosclerosis. In a recent paper, we showed that resistin polymorphism might be a risk marker for stroke susceptibility in Japanese type 2 diabetic patients. We tested whether the serum resistin levels might be also a risk marker of stroke independently from RETN polymorphism.
Impact of LL‐37 on anti‐infective immunity

Host defense peptides (often called cationic antimicrobial peptides) have pleiotropic immunomodulatory functions. The human host defense peptide LL‐37 is up‐regulated at sites of infection and has little or no antimicrobial activity in tissue‐culture media but under the same conditions, demonstrates immunomodulatory effects on epithelial cells, monocytes, and dendritic cells (DC). These effects include the induction of chemokine production in a mitogen‐activated protein kinase‐dependent manner in epithelial cell lines and monocytes and profound alterations of DC differentiation, resulting in the capacity to enhance a T helper cell type 1 response. Although the exact mechanisms of interaction between LL‐37 and these cell types have not been elucidated, there is evidence for specific (i.e., receptor‐mediated) and nonspecific interactions. The relative significance of the direct antimicrobial activities and immunomodulatory properties of LL‐37 and other cationic host defense peptides in host defense remains unresolved. To demonstrate that antimicrobial activity was not necessarily required for protection in vivo, model peptides were synthesized and tested for antimicrobial and immunomodulatory activities. A peptide with no antimicrobial activity was found to be protective in animal models of Staphylococcus aureus and Salmonella infection, implying that a host defense peptide can protect by exerting immunomodulatory properties.
Chromatic Polynomials Of Some (m, l)-Hyperwheels

In this paper, using a standard method of computing the chromatic polynomial of hypergraphs, we introduce a new reduction theorem which allows us to find explicit formulae for the chromatic polynomials of some (complete) non-uniform (m,l) hyperwheels and non-uniform (m,l) hyperfans. These hypergraphs, constructed through a “join” graph operation, are some generalizations of the well-known wheel and fan graphs, respectively. Further, we revisit some results concerning these graphs and present their chromatic polynomials in a standard form that involves the Stirling numbers of the second kind.
Maintaining Approximate Maximum Matching in an Incremental Bipartite Graph in Polylogarithmic Update Time

A sparse subgraph G' of G is called a matching sparsifier if the size or weight of matching in G' is approximately equal to the size or weight of maximum matching in G. Recently, algorithms have been developed to find matching sparsifiers in a static bipartite graph. In this paper, we show that we can find matching sparsifier even in an incremental bipartite graph. This observation leads to following results: 1. We design an algorithm that maintains a (1+epsilon) approximate matching in an incremental bipartite graph in O(log^2(n) / (epsilon^{4}) update time. 2. For weighted graphs, we design an algorithm that maintains (1+epsilon) approximate weighted matching in O((log(n)*log(n*N)) / (epsilon^4) update time where \maxweight is the maximum weight of any edge in the graph.
Interest-Centric Mobile Ad Hoc Networks

Mobile ad hoc Networks (MANETs) pose significant shared communication medium constraints such as finite memory, number of access channels, and bandwidth to the development of effective communication protocols. Furthermore, multihop message forwarding multiplies the amount of simultaneous transmissions, which augment both channel contention and network congestion, increasing interference and reducing protocol performance. With these issues in mind, we propose a variation of MANET which we called interest-centric mobile adhoc network or simply Radnet in which every participant node implements in the network layer an Active Prefix (AP) composed of a prefix and an application interest, which the Radnet protocol uses for node identification, message addressing, probabilistic message forwarding, and name search in a distributed way. To evaluate the effectiveness of Radnets for generating lower disturbance in the shared communication medium, thus enabling resource savings, and reducing message overheads, we compared the simulated performances of Radnet protocol (RP) against those of AODV and AODV + Gossip3 (G3AODV) protocols. The results showed that RP achieved a 16 percent higher message delivery rate and one order of magnitude lower latency and message overhead for short 0.5 kB messages in scenarios with 150 mobile nodes. For 5 kB messages, however, AODV and G3AODV rarely ran until the end, due to their overwhelming message overheads, while Radnet protocol showed performances similar to that of the short message case. To evaluate the use of Radnets in practice, we ran experiments in the laboratory, including a chat application on a 20-node Radnet.
Topological model and analysis of the P2P BitTorrent protocol

In this paper, we propose a directed and weighted graph model for describing P2P networks using BitTorrent protocol. Then, we analysis the topological properties of the model based on complex networks theory. We find that the node strength follows a power-law distribution and that there exists a positive correlation between flow betweenness and out-strength.
Using the Consumer Experience with Pharmacy Services Survey as a quality metric for ambulatory care pharmacies: older adults' perspectives

Objectives To describe older adults' perceptions of evaluating and comparing pharmacies based on the Consumer Experience with Pharmacy Services Survey (CEPSS), describe older adults' perceived importance of the CEPSS and its specific domains, and explore older adults' perceptions of the influence of specific CEPSS domains in choosing/switching pharmacies. Design Focus group methodology was combined with the administration of a questionnaire. The focus groups explored participants' perceived importance of the CEPSS and their perception of using the CEPSS to choose and/or switch pharmacies. Then, using the questionnaire, participants rated their perceived importance of each CEPSS domain in evaluating a pharmacy, and the likelihood of using CEPSS to switch pharmacies if their current pharmacy had low ratings. Descriptive and thematic analyses were done. Setting 6 semistructured focus groups were conducted in a private meeting room in a Mid-Western state in the USA. Participants 60 English-speaking adults who were at least 65 years, and had filled a prescription at a retail pharmacy within 90 days. Results During the focus groups, the older adults perceived the CEPSS to have advantages and disadvantages in evaluating and comparing pharmacies. Older adults thought the CEPSS was important in choosing the best pharmacies and avoiding the worst pharmacies. The perceived influence of the CEPSS in switching pharmacies varied depending on the older adult's personal experience or trust of other consumers' experience. Questionnaire results showed that participants perceived health/medication-focused communication as very important or extremely important (n=47, 82.5%) in evaluating pharmacies and would be extremely likely (n=21, 36.8%) to switch pharmacies if their pharmacy had low ratings in this domain. Conclusions The older adults in this study are interested in using patient experiences as a quality metric for avoiding the worst pharmacies. Pharmacists' communication about health and medicines is perceived important and likely to influence older adults' pharmacy selection.
Inferring Developmental Modularity from Morphological Integration: Analysis of Individual Variation and Asymmetry in Bumblebee Wings

Organisms are built from distinct modules, which are internally coherent but flexible in their relationships among one another. We examined morphological variation within and between two candidate modules: the fore‐ and hindwings of bumblebees (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Bombus empatiens). We used the techniques of geometric morphometrics (Procrustes superimposition) to analyze the variation of landmark configurations in fore‐ and hindwings. Regression was used to correct for size‐related shape variation (allometry). Principal component analysis revealed patterns of variation that were remarkably similar for individual variation and fluctuating asymmetry (FA). Because covariation of FA among parts must be due to direct transmission of the developmental perturbations causing FA, this agreement of patterns suggests that much of individual variation is also due to direct developmental interactions within each developing wing. Moreover, partial least squares analysis indicated that the patterns of shape covariation between fore‐ and hindwings were nearly the same as the patterns of within‐wing variation. Shape covariation of FA was only found in bees that had been reared under elevated CO2 concentration but not in bees from the control treatment, suggesting that the mechanisms of developmental interactions between fore‐ and hindwings are related to gas exchange. We conclude that the fore‐ and hindwings are developmental modules that maintain internal coherence through direct developmental interactions and are connected to each other only by relatively few links that use the system of interactions within modules.
Kostadinov and Sanes 1 Protocadherin-dependent Dendritic Self-avoidance Regulates Neural 1 Connectivity and Circuit Function 2 3

17 Dendritic and axonal arbors of many neuronal types exhibit self-avoidance, in which branches 18 repel each other. In some cases, these neurites interact with those of neighboring neurons, a 19 phenomenon called self/non-self discrimination. The functional roles of these processes remain 20 unknown. Here, we used retinal starburst amacrine cells (SACs), critical components of a 21 direction-selective circuit, to address this issue. In SACs, both processes are mediated by the 22 gamma-protocadherins (Pcdhgs), a family of 22 recognition molecules. We manipulated Pcdhg 23 expression in SACs and recorded from them and their targets, direction-selective ganglion cells 24 (DSGCs). SACs form autapses when self-avoidance is disrupted and fail to form connections 25 with other SACs when self/non-self discrimination is perturbed. Pcdhgs are also required to 26 prune connections between closely spaced SACs. These alterations degrade the direction 27 selectivity of DSGCs. Thus, self-avoidance, self/non-self discrimination, and synapse elimination 28 are essential for proper function of a circuit that computes directional motion. 29