Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Populating the social realm: new roles arising from social procurement

Abstract Employment requirements, as part of social procurement, are increasingly used in construction procurement as a tool to mitigate issues of exclusion on the job market. To create a better understanding how employment requirements nurtures a new type of actor, here named the “employment requirement professional” (ERP), the aim of this paper is to study how this role is framed in terms of work practices and professional identity. Building on 21 semi-structured interviews in the Swedish construction sector, a detailed account of who works with employment requirements, how and why they conduct their work is provided. The findings show how ERPs mediate between contrasting interests when they create new social procurement roles and practices; how they enact different approaches to promote social sustainability, how their roles are formed by multiple and reciprocal lines of actions, and how they make sense of who they are and what type of work they engage in. The research contributes to a discussion on effects from social procurement in construction and the emergence of a new professional role, their identity and work practices.
From The Cover: An algorithm for progressive multiple alignment of sequences with

Dynamic programming algorithms guarantee to ﬁnd the optimal alignment between two sequences. For more than a few sequences, exact algorithms become computationally impractical, and progressive algorithms iterating pairwise alignments are widely used. These heuristic methods have a serious drawback because pairwise algorithms do not differentiate insertions from deletions and end up penalizing single insertion events multiple times. Such an unrealistically high penalty for insertions typically results in overmatching of sequences and an underestimation of the number of insertion events. We describe a modiﬁcation of the traditional alignment algorithm that can distinguish insertion from deletion and avoid repeated penalization of insertions and illustrate this method with a pair hidden Markov model that uses an evolutionary scoring function. In comparison with a traditional progressive alignment method, our algorithm infers a greater number of insertion events and creates gaps that are phylogenetically consistent but spatially less concentrated. Our results suggest that some insertion (cid:1) deletion ‘‘hot spots’’ may actually be artifacts of traditional alignment algorithms.
Death in the Balance: Alternative Participation of the Caspase-2 and -9 Pathways in Neuronal Death Induced by Nerve Growth Factor Deprivation

The data presented here demonstrate that sympathetic neurons have the potential to activate two alternative caspase-dependent pathways either of which is capable of mediating death induced by NGF deprivation and that these neurons have the potential to switch from one pathway to the other. The presence of these two alternative pathways to trophic factor deprivation-induced death may have implications for ensuring the correct development of the nervous system. In wild-type neurons, a caspase-2-dependent pathway is required for death, and a caspase-9-dependent pathway appears to be suppressed by endogenous inhibitors of apoptosis proteins (IAPs). In contrast, for caspase-2-null neurons, death is dependent on the caspase-9 pathway. The mechanism underlying the shift is the result of a threefold compensatory elevation of caspase-9 expression and a doubling of levels of direct IAP binding protein with low pI (DIABLO)/second mitochondria-derived activator of caspase (Smac), an IAP inhibitor, both at the mRNA and protein levels. These findings resolve seemingly discrepant findings regarding the roles of various caspases after NGF deprivation and raise a cautionary note regarding the interpretation of findings with caspase-null animals. The choice of the death-mediating caspase pathway in the sympathetic neurons is thus dependent on the regulated relative expression of components of the pathways including those of caspases, IAPs, and IAP inhibitors.
Adiponectin in Cardiovascular Inflammation and Obesity

Inflammation is widely known to play a key role in the development and progression of cardiovascular diseases. It is becoming increasingly evident that obesity is linked to many proinflammatory and obesity-associated cardiovascular conditions (e.g., metabolic syndrome, acute coronary syndrome, and congestive heart failure). It has been observed that adipokines play an increasingly large role in systemic and local inflammation. Therefore, adipose tissue may have a more important role than previously thought in the pathogenesis of several disease types. This review explores the recently described role of adiponectin as an immunomodulatory factor and how it intersects with the inflammation associated with both cardiovascular and autoimmune pathologies.
Myocardial Protective Effect of Extracellular Superoxide Dismutase Gene Modified Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stromal Cells on Infarcted Mice Hearts

Aim: Extracellular superoxide dismutase (ecSOD) is a unique scavenger of superoxide anions and a promising target of gene therapy for ischemia/reperfusion injury (I/R). However, conventional gene therapies have limitation in effectiveness and efficiency. This study aimed to investigate the protective effects of ecSOD gene modified bone marrow mesenchymal stromal cells (BMSCs) on cardiac function improvement in mice infarcted heart. METHODS & RESULTS: BMSCs were isolated from Fluc+ transgenic mice (Tg FVB[Fluc+]) and transfected by adenovirus combined with human ecSOD gene. ELISA was performed to determine ecSOD protein level. Female syngeneic FVB mice were randomized into 5 groups: (1) Sham group (sham); (2) MI group (MI); (3) MI+BMSCs group (BMSC); (4) MI+BMSCs-vector group (BMSC-vector); (5) MI+ BMSCs-ecSOD group (BMSC-ecSOD). MI was accomplished by ligation of the left anterior descending artery. BMSCs (2x106) were injected into the border zone of infarction. In vivo bioluminescence imaging (BLI) was performed to monitor transplanted BMSCs viability. Echocardiography and histological staining revealed that BMSCs-ecSOD significantly reduced myocardial infarction size and improved cardiac function. Lucigenin chemiluminescence, DHE and TUNEL staining demonstrated that BMSCs-ecSOD delivery reduced ROS level and cell apoptosis both in vivo and in vitro. Western blot assay revealed that ecSOD supplementation increased FoxO3a phosphorylation in cardiomyocytes. Moreover, quantitative real-time PCR showed that pro-apoptotic factors (bim and bax) were decreased while the anti-apoptotic factor mir-21 expression was increased after ecSOD intervention. CONCLUSION: Intra-myocardial transplantation of adenovirus-ecSOD transfected BMSCs could exert potential cardiac protection against MI, which may be partly through reduction of oxidative stress and improvement of BMSCs survival.
Learning by Disinflating

Disinflationary episodes are a valuable source of information for economic agents trying to learn about the economy. In this paper we are particularly interested in how policymakers can themselves learn by disinflating. The approach differs from the existing literature, which typically focuses on the learning of private agents during a disinflation. We build a model where both the policymaker and private agents learn, and ask what happens if the policymaker has to disinflate to satisfy a new central bank mandate specifying greater emphasis on inflation stabilisation. In this case, our results show that inflation may fall dramatically before it gradually rises to its new long run level. The potential for inflation to undershoot its long run level during a disinflationary episode suggests that caution should be exercised when assessing the success of any change in the policymaker's mandate. JEL classification: D83, E52, E58 Keywords: Disinflation, Escape Dynamics, Learning, Monetary Policy
Rewinding Roe v. Wade: Understanding the Accelerated Adoption of State-Level Restrictive Abortion Legislation, 2008–2014

ABSTRACT Since 2008 the volume of state-level legislation regulating abortion has dramatically increased, with nearly 300 restrictive laws passing in 33 states. While the character of these laws is varied, many have the potential to significantly limit access to abortion for some women. Using a multilevel modeling approach, we investigate a wide variety of state-level factors associated with these developments. We find that a larger number of antiabortion policies have passed in states under full Republican control, with fewer female Democratic legislators, and states with a stronger presence by the conservative Evangelical movement within state governments. We also examine more substantive restrictions on clinics, abortion seekers, and funding in a separate analysis, and symbolic restrictions and those intended to discourage women seeking abortions in another. Most of the variation in both types of restrictions is explained by GOP control and conservative Evangelical movement influence. One noteworthy difference, however, is that the presence of more female Democratic legislators is associated with reductions in the passage of the more symbolic types of restrictions, but not more substantial and consequential restrictions. Following the expectations of the political mediation model, we test whether the impacts of multiple factors are contingent upon the presence of full GOP control of state governments. We find that GOP legislative majorities passed substantially more antiabortion legislation in the context of states with majorities of pro-life legislators, more female Republican legislators, more pro-life nonprofits per capita, and stronger conservative Evangelical movement influence in state governments. Overall, we view these policy developments as a product of the convergence of decades of investment by the conservative Evangelical antiabortion movement into GOP institutions with the political opportunities provided by unusually high levels of state-level Republican party control following the 2010 elections.
Adoption of Retail Internet Banking: A Study of Demographic Factors

This study focuses on the adoption of retail internet banking among consumers in the Klang Valley, Malaysia and the impact of demographics factors on such adoption behavior. This study adopts a quantitative approach using surveys conducted at banks. The results indicate that while the hypotheses pertaining to gender, race, income, educational level and occupation were not supported but age is supported. Therefore, the current research indicates that the age of retail banking consumers affects the adoption of internet banking among Malaysian consumers. The result also suggests that consumers in the age group below 25 years old are the major contributor to the differences. Based on these findings, we conclude that younger consumers are more likely to adopt internet banking. Therefore, the result suggests implications for retail bankers in Malaysia to adopt appropriate strategies to encourage retail internet banking for other age categories of consumers in Klang Valley. By doing so, it enables the banks in Malaysia to save costs of maintaining physical distribution systems through providing bigger scale of Internet retail banking services.
Green Management Matters Only if it Yieds More Green: An Economic/Strategic Perspective

This essay was written in response to the theme of this years Academy of Management Meeting, Green Management Matters. I assert that firms should adopt green management practices only if such activities complement the organizations business and corporate-level strategies and ultimately, enhance profitability or shareholder wealth. To illustrate this, I outline an economic/strategic perspective on green management practices, focusing on the strategic benefits and competitive dynamics associated with this activity. I also identify specific tactics firms can employ to achieve such strategic goals, as well as the functional areas affected by these decisions.
Key Activities Under Joint Input-output, Econometric and DEA Approaches: The Case of Turkey

Área temática de la comunicación: 1. Aspectos metodológicos del análisis input-output RESUMEN / ABSTRACT RESUMEN EN CASTELLANO (150 palabras): Recientes contribuciones en el análisis input-output (ten Raa and Rueda-Cantuche, 2007) muestran que los multiplicadores input-output hacia atrás pueden calcularse utilizando datos a nivel de establecimientos y técnicas econométricas, manteniendo así las propiedades estadísticas de consistencia e insesgadez. Este análisis puede además extenderse a los multiplicadores hacia delante e incluso utilizando en esta ocasión tablas de origen y destino. En cualquier caso, el análisis input-output estándar proporciona estas dos medidas para la identificación de sectores clave sin llegar la literatura a acuerdo alguno sobre cuál sería el método más idóneo. Para sortear este aspecto, incorporamos el enfoque llamado Análisis Envolvente de Datos con el objetivo de identificar actividades clave (que no sectores clave) en términos del crecimiento potencial de producción y empleo tanto hacia delante como hacia atrás que pudieran generarse. El trabajo empírico se realiza para la economía turca. ABSTRACT IN ENGLISH (150 words): Recent contributions in input-output analysis (ten Raa and Rueda-Cantuche, 2007) show that backward input-output multipliers can be computed by using firms' micro data and econometrics, thus keeping statistical properties of consistency and unbiasedness. The analysis can be extended to forward multipliers and with supply and use tables instead of micro data. However, standard input-output analysis provides the former two impact measures as starting points to identify key sectors by means of several indicators, for which there is no general agreement on the most appropriate. In order to circumvent this issue, this paper adds the DEA approach to the extended econometric framework with the aim of identifying key activities (instead of key sectors) in terms of the backward and forward potential increase of outputs and employment. The empirical work is carried out for the Turkish economy.
Facilitating adoption of network services with externalities via cost subsidization

This paper investigates the adoption level of a network service where the net utility perceived by each user incorporates three key features, namely, user service affinity heterogeneity, a network externality, and a subscription cost. Services with network externality face a "chicken and egg" adoption problem in that the service requires customers in order to attract customers. In this paper we study cost subsidization as a means to "reach the knee" and thereby change the equilibrium adoption level from zero to one. By focusing on a simple subsidy structure and a simple model for user heterogeneity, we can derive explicit expressions for quantities of natural interest, such as the minimum subsidy required, the minimum subsidy duration, and the aggregate cost of the subsidy to the service provider. We show that small or large subsidies are inefficient, but that there is a Pareto efficient frontier for "intermediate" subsidies wherein subsidy duration and aggregate cost are in tension with one another.
Deconvolution of mineral absorption bands: An improved approach

Although visible and near-infrared reflectance spectra contain absorption bands that are characteristic of the composition and structure of the absorbing species, deconvolving a complex spectrum is nontrivial. An improved approach to spectral deconvolution is presented here that accurately represents absorption bands as discrete mathematical distributions and resolves composite absorption features into individual absorptions bands. The frequently used Gaussian model of absorption bands is first evaluated and shown to be inappropriate for the Fe 2+ electronic transition absorptions in pyroxene spectra. Subsequently, a modified Gaussian model is derived using a power law relationship of energy to average bond length. This modified Gaussian model successfully depicts the characteristic 0.9-}xrn absorption feature in orthopyroxene spectra using a single distribution. The modified Gaussian model is also shown to provide an objective and consistent tool for deconvolving individual absorption bands in the more complex orthopyroxene, clinopyroxene, pyroxene mixtures, and olivine spectra. The ability of this new modified Gaussian model to describe the Fe 2+ electronic transition absorption bands in both pyroxene and olivine spectra strongly suggests that it be the method of choice for analyzing all electronic transition bands.
Spinorial space-time and the origin of Quantum Mechanics. The dynamical role of the physical vacuum

Is Quantum Mechanics really and ultimate principle of Physics described by a set of intrinsic exact laws? Are standard particles the ultimate constituents of matter? The two questions appear to be closely related, as a preonic structure of the physical vacuum would have an influence on the properties of quantum particles. Although the first preon models were just « quark-like » and assumed preons to be direct constituents of the conventional « elementary » particles, we suggested in 1995 that preons could instead be constituents of the physical vacuum (the superbradyon hypothesis). Standard particles would then be excitations of the preonic vacuum and have substantially different properties from those of preons themselves (critical speed…). The standard laws of Particle Physics would be approximate expressions generated from basic preon dynamics. In parallel, the mathematical properties of space-time structures such as the spinoral space-time (SST) we introduced in 1996-97 can have strong implications for Quantum Mechanics and even be its real origin. We complete here our recent discussion of the subject by pointing out that: i) Quantum Mechanics corresponds to a natural set of properties of vacuum excitations in the presence of a SST geometry ; ii) the recently observed entanglement at long distances would be a logical property if preons are superluminal (superbradyons), so that superluminal signals and correlations can propagate in vacuum ; iii) in a specific description, the function of space-time associated to the extended internal structure of a spin-1/2 particle at very small distances may be incompatible with a continuous motion at space and time scales where the internal structure of vacuum can be felt. In the dynamics associated to iii), and using the SST approach to space-time, a contradiction can appear between macroscopic and microscopic space-times due to an overlap in the time variable directly related to the fact that a spinorial function takes nonzero values simultaneously in a whole time interval. Then, continuous motion can be precluded at very small spacetime scales. If discrete motion is required at such scales, the situation will possibly be close to that generating the Feynman path integral. More generally, Quantum Mechanics can naturally emerge from the spinorial space-time and from other unconventional spacetime structures in a fundamental preon dynamics governing the properties of vacuum. In such scenarios, the application of Godel - Cohen mathematics to quantum-mechanical calculations can possibly yield substantially different results from those recently obtained using the standard quantum approach without any preonic underlying structure. This is also a crucial open question for Quantum Mechanics and Particle Physics. This paper is dedicated to the memory of Bernard d’Espagnat
Profiles of Language and Behavior in Students With Emotional Disturbance

Although global associations between language and behavioral development are well established, relations among components and subgroups within these disorders remain unclear. The primary aim of this study was to explore whether language components differed by behavioral subtypes: internalizing only, externalizing only, or both. To control for confounding factors identified in prior studies related to sampling and measurement, we conducted profile analyses of receptive, expressive, pragmatic, semantic, syntactic, or higher order language skills in 46 boys with emotional disturbance (ED) using one comprehensive language measure. On average, the internalizing-only group outperformed all other behavioral subgroups. Absence of interaction effects indicated similar patterns of performance, with all groups performing lowest in pragmatic language. We also report prevalence rates of language deficits in the sample and analyze results using two different grouping strategies. Discussion includes the importance of considering comorbidity and establishing independent behavioral subgroups in research, as well as implications for assessment and intervention in practice.
Effects of respiratory-muscle exercise on spinal curvature.

DESIGN Randomized controlled study. SETTING Laboratory. PARTICIPANTS 26 healthy swimmers randomly assigned to an exercise (n = 13; Ex) or control group (n = 13; Cont). INTERVENTION The Ex group performed respiratory-muscle exercises for 10 min thrice a week for 4 wk. CONTEXT Respiratory-muscle exercises are used not only in the rehabilitation of patients with respiratory disease but also in endurance training for athletes. Respiration involves the back and abdominal muscles. These muscles are 1 of the elements responsible for posture control, which is integral to injury prevention and physical performance. However, the effects of respiratory-muscle exercise on posture remain unclear. OBJECTIVE To examine the potential of respiratory-muscle exercise for improving posture. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Spinal curvature, pulmonary function, and trunk-muscle strength were measured for both the groups at baseline and after 4 wk. The data were compared between the Ex and Cont groups with Mann-Whitney U test and preintervention and postintervention within groups with a Wilcoxon signed rank-sum test. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION The spinal curvature was significantly different in the Ex group, indicating a decrease in the thoracic (-13.1%, P < .01) and lumbar (-17.7%, P < .05) angles. The Ex group presented with lower thoracic (-8.6%) and lumbar (-20.9%) angles at postexercise than the Cont group (P < .05). With respect to trunk-muscle strength, only trunk-flexion strength significantly increased from pretest to posttest in the Ex group (P < .05). For pulmonary function, forced vital capacity and forced expiratory volume in 1.0 s were significantly increased after 4 wk in the Ex group (P < .05). The results suggest that respiratory-muscle exercise straightened the spine, leading to good posture control, possibly because of contraction of abdominal muscles.
A dominant vimentin mutant upregulates Hsp70 and the activity of the ubiquitin-proteasome system, and causes posterior cataracts in transgenic mice

Vimentin is the main intermediate filament (IF) protein of mesenchymal cells and tissues. Unlike other IF–/– mice, vimentin–/– mice provided no evidence of an involvement of vimentin in the development of a specific disease. Therefore, we generated two transgenic mouse lines, one with a (R113C) point mutation in the IF-consensus motif in coil1A and one with the complete deletion of coil 2B of the rod domain. In epidermal keratins and desmin, point mutations in these parts of the α-helical rod domain cause keratinopathies and desminopathies, respectively. Here, we demonstrate that substoichiometric amounts of vimentin carrying the R113C point mutation disrupted the endogenous vimentin network in all tissues examined but caused a disease phenotype only in the eye lens, leading to a posterior cataract that was paralleled by the formation of extensive protein aggregates in lens fibre cells. Unexpectedly, central, postmitotic fibres became depleted of aggregates, indicating that they were actively removed. In line with an increase in misfolded proteins, the amounts of Hsp70 and ubiquitylated vimentin were increased, and proteasome activity was raised. We demonstrate here for the first time that the expression of mutated vimentin induces a protein-stress response that contributes to disease pathology in mice, and hypothesise that vimentin mutations cause cataracts in humans.