Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Proinflammatory Caspase-2-Mediated Macrophage Cell Death Induced by a Rough Attenuated Brucella suis Strain

ABSTRACT Brucella spp. are intracellular bacteria that cause an infectious disease called brucellosis in humans and many domestic and wildlife animals. B. suis primarily infects pigs and is pathogenic to humans. The macrophage-Brucella interaction is critical for the establishment of a chronic Brucella infection. Our studies showed that smooth virulent B. suis strain 1330 (S1330) prevented programmed cell death of infected macrophages and rough attenuated B. suis strain VTRS1 (a vaccine candidate) induced strong macrophage cell death. To further investigate the mechanism of VTRS1-induced macrophage cell death, microarrays were used to analyze temporal transcriptional responses of murine macrophage-like J774.A1 cells infected with S1330 or VTRS1. In total 17,685 probe sets were significantly regulated based on the effects of strain, time and their interactions. A miniTUBA dynamic Bayesian network analysis predicted that VTRS1-induced macrophage cell death was mediated by a proinflammatory gene (the tumor necrosis factor alpha [TNF-α] gene), an NF-κB pathway gene (the IκB-α gene), the caspase-2 gene, and several other genes. VTRS1 induced significantly higher levels of transcription of 40 proinflammatory genes than S1330. A Mann-Whitney U test confirmed the proinflammatory response in VTRS1-infected macrophages. Increased production of TNF-α and interleukin 1β (IL-1β) were also detected in the supernatants in VTRS1-infected macrophage cell culture. Hyperphosphorylation of IκB-α was observed in macrophages infected with VTRS1 but not S1330. The important roles of TNF-α and IκB-α in VTRS1-induced macrophage cell death were further confirmed by individual inhibition studies. VTRS1-induced macrophage cell death was significantly inhibited by a caspase-2 inhibitor but not a caspase-1 inhibitor. The role of caspase-2 in regulating the programmed cell death of VTRS1-infected macrophages was confirmed in another study using caspase-2-knockout mice. In summary, VTRS1 induces a proinflammatory, caspase-2- and NF-κB-mediated macrophage cell death. This unique cell death differs from apoptosis, which is not proinflammatory. It is also different from classical pyroptosis, which is caspase-1 mediated.
Solar Power Shaping: An Analytical Approach

The focus of our work is the use of an energy storage system (ESS) to integrate solar energy generators into the electrical grid. Although, in theory, an ESS allows intermittent solar power to be shaped to meet any desired load profile, in practice, parsimonious ESS dimensioning is challenging due to the stochastic nature of generation and load and the diversity and high cost of storage technologies. Existing methods for ESS sizing are based either on simulation or on analysis, both of which have shortcomings. Simulation methods are computationally expensive and depend on the availability of extensive data traces. Existing analytical methods tend to be conservative, overestimating expensive storage requirements. Our key insight is that solar power fluctuations arise at a few distinct time scales. We separately model fluctuations in each time scale, which allows us to accurately estimate ESS performance and efficiently size an ESS. Numerical examples with real data traces show that our model and analysis are tight.
Performance management and accountability in complex public programmes

This paper examines the assessment of performance in complex public programmes. It reviews and critiques ways currently used to do this, and offers an alternative framework which it is argued is more responsive to the multilayered nature of performance in such programmes. It then demonstrates the applicability of this framework to a specific public programme. This is the Social Programme of the Rural Development Commission, which seeks to identify and meet social needs in rural areas of England. It ends by drawing some general conclusions from this exercise.
They Would If They Could: Assessing the Bindingness of the Property Holding Constraints for Reits

This study examines the bindingness of the property holding constraints which REITs face on their portfolios, and illustrates how these constraints hinder REITs from exploiting opportunities to time the property market and thereby generate profits by taking advantage of the market's predictability. I first simulate a filter-based market timing strategy, which I show outperforms a buy-and-hold strategy out of sample over a wide range of levels of transaction costs. I further show that this strategy requires a substantial number of transactions with holding periods that are shorter than four years, and that imposing a four-year holding constraint significantly reduces the excess returns the strategy generates. I then analyze actual holding periods of properties in REIT portfolios and find that there seems to exist a large degree of demand for short property holding periods, and that thus the four-year constraint is quite binding. I proceed to model holding period as a function of current market performance, finding that REITs are more likely to hold a property beyond four years the higher the profit from the transaction, since this longer holding period is necessary in order for them to retain these capital gains. By contrast, this effect is insignificant for UPREITs, which, I argue, are not affected by the constraint, implying that those firms which are allowed to sell properties before four years to realize capital gains often do so. The results thus give strong support to my hypothesis that REITs are severely bound by this holding constraint, and further illustrate why REITs are unable to realize short-term property appreciation profits, as shown in Muhlhofer (2008).
Long-Term Results after Midcarpal Arthrodesis

Abstract Background and Purpose Midcarpal arthrodesis is a well-accepted treatment option for advanced carpal collapse. In this study, we retrospectively assessed survival, analyzed complications and reviewed the long-term follow-up after midcarpal fusion. Materials and Methods The computerized medical records of 572 patients who had undergone 594 four-corner fusions between 1992 and 2001 were explored. Furthermore 56 patients with 60 midcarpal fusions were randomized for clinical and radiological follow-up at a mean of 14.7 years. Results Forty midcarpal fusions (6.7%) had to be converted into complete wrist arthrodesis. The reasons were ongoing pain in spite of a well-healed midcarpal fusion (31) or nonunion (9). Sixty-three patients (11%) required revision surgery because of nonunion (22), hematoma (8), wound infection (3) or persisting pain (31). In clinical follow-up the mean Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand (DASH) score was 20.4. Pain at rest was infrequent, a mild increase with daily activity was complained of (mean visual analog scale [VAS] 3.3). The mean active range of wrist motion for extension and flexion, ulnar and radial deviation and supination and pronation reached 62.5%, 68.4%, 94.7%, and mean grip strength 84.9% of the unaffected side. All patients had radiographic abnormalities, with frequent evidence of osteoarthritis of the lunate fossa. Patients with preserved carpal height appeared to have less pain, better DASH scores and a better range of motion. Conclusions The midcarpal arthrodesis is a long-lasting treatment option for advanced carpal collapse and has good long-term results. Level of Evidence Level IV, Therapeutic study.
Immunohistochemistry for the imprinted gene product IPL/PHLDA2 for facilitating the differential diagnosis of complete hydatidiform mole.

OBJECTIVE To determine if immunohistochemistry for PHLDA2 (also known as IPL and TSSC3), the product of a paternally imprinted, maternally expressed gene, can be used as a tool in the differential diagnosis of molar gestations. STUDY DESIGN Twenty-five cases (15 complete moles, 5 partial moles and five hydropic abortions) were stained by immunohistochemistry for PHLDA2 and scored (without knowledge of the diagnosis) for positivity in the villous cytotrophoblast and then compared to adjacent sections stained by p57KIP2 immunohistochemistry. RESULTS All partial moles and hydropic abortions were positive for PHLDA2 and p57KIP2. There was strong PHLDA2 staining of the cytoplasm in virtually all cells of the villous cytotrophoblast, while p57KIP2 was localized to the nucleus in a subset of those cells. All complete moles were negative for both markers in the villous cytotrophoblast. CONCLUSION Immunohistochemistry for PHLDA2 serves as a practical and reliable diagnostic marker for the discrimination of complete mole from partial mole and hydropic abortion. Since the immunohistochemical diagnosis of complete mole is based on a negative result, absence of staining, the use of both markers (PHLDA2 and p57KIP2) together could increase the level of confidence when making this prognostically important distinction.
Genetic Admixture in Brazilians Exposed to Infection with Leishmania chagasi

Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) in northeast Brazil is a disease caused by infection with the protozoan Leishmania chagasi. Infection leads to variable clinical outcomes ranging from asymptomatic infection to potentially fatal disease. Prior studies suggest the genetic background of the host contributes to the development of different outcomes after infection, although it is not known if ancestral background itself influences outcomes. VL is endemic in peri‐urban areas around the city of Natal in northeast Brazil. The population of northeast Brazil is a mixture of distinct racial and ethnic groups. We hypothesized that some sub‐populations may be more susceptible than others to develop different clinical outcomes after L. chagasi infection. Using microsatellite markers, we examined whether admixture of the population as a whole, or markers likely inherited from a distinct ethnic background, differed between individuals with VL, individuals with an asymptomatic infection, or individuals with no infection. There was no apparent significant difference in overall population admixture proportions among the three clinical phenotype groups. However, one marker on Chr. 22 displayed evidence of excess ancestry from putative ancestral populations among different clinical phenotypes, suggesting this region may contain genes determining the course of L. chagasi infection.
Corporate Governance and Firm Performance: The Effects of Regulation and Competitiveness

We propose that the extent to which regulation and competitiveness play a role in the country environment has a complex, interactive effect on the relationship between corporate governance and firm performance. Using an analytical method, we develop an algorithm to express these effects, and offer proofs to show that our algorithm meets central conditions that are identified based on extant research findings in this domain. An illustration traces the performance of firms with different corporate governance standards across various environmental conditions.
Sexual Difference in Pattern of Hormone Accumulation in the Brain of a Songbird

After adult zebra finches (Poephila guttata) received injections of tritiated testosterone, fewer hormone-concentrating cells were found in females than in males in two brain regions involved in song: hyperstriatum ventrale pars caudale and magnocellular nucleus of the anterior neostriatum. In some other regions, no sexual difference was detected. It is, therefore, possible that sex differences in the sensitivity of specific neural populations to hormones underlie the striking anatomical dimorphism observed in neural regions controlling song.
Can total quality management help innovation

In the modern complex business world, innovation has become the basis for creating and sustaining competitiveness. When planning business strategy, it is necessary to have a proper understanding of innovation and the total quality management (TQM) process. In this paper, various types of innovation and its linkage with the TQM process will be looked at with suitable examples.
Decreased Catalase Activity but Unchanged Superoxide Dismutase Activity in Brains of Patients with Dementia of Alzheimer Type

Abstract: “Oxidative stress” may be of significance in the etiopathogenesis of dementia of Alzheimer type (DAT). Therefore, we measured activities of the enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT), which detoxicate reactive oxygen species. Enzyme activities were measured postmortem in basal ganglia, cortical, and limbic brain regions of patients with DAT and age‐matched controls. SOD activity increased with age in basal nucleus of Meynert. However, there was no significant difference in SOD activity between DAT and controls. CAT activity was independent of age and postmortem time. There were significant reductions in CAT activity in parietotemporal cortex, basal ganglia, and amygdala in DAT compared with controls (p < 0.05 to 0.01). Our findings are in line with the assumption that reactive oxygen species could contribute to the pathogenesis of DAT. Absence of these changes in basal nucleus of Meynert might reflect retrograde degeneration of cholinergic fibers.
Turkish college students’ attitudes towards money

This research was carried out with 300 Turkish college students in Ankara in order to investigate attitudes to money. The questionnaire was given to subjects from three different universities. The data were analysed by using explanatory variables, including gender, age and family type. Findings indicated that college students’ money attitudes relating to the past and future were linked to selected demographics, especially gender and age variables. The results of this study are important to the understanding of financial behaviour of college students and to enable professionals in the field of family and consumer sciences to be more effective in their advice and teaching.
Determining the wildlife value orientation (WVO): a case study of lower Kinabatangan, Sabah.

Purpose – The aim of this article is to explore wildlife value orientation (WVO) beliefs of community members involved in the Miso Walai Homestay program in Lower Kinabatangan, Sabah.Design/methodology/approach – The researcher utilized the qualitative method of thematic analysis and the sampling technique of purposive/judgemental method which reached saturation point at 16 respondents, who were all local community employees of the Miso Walai Homestay program. A total of 13 semi‐structured questions were posed to all interviewees in their native Bahasa Melayu language or English.Findings – Interviewees expressed preference for viewing wild species not in enclosed structures but in their natural habitat. This was also the view of tourists in the homestay program. This community recognizes that community‐based ecotourism can be a means of habitat protection and income for both wildlife protection and the local community.Originality/value – This case study may not only contribute to an increased satisfaction.
Influence of food acidulants on bioaccessibility of zinc and iron from selected food grains.

Four common acidulants in Indian dietary, i. e. , citric acid, tamarind (Tamarindus indica), amchur (Mangifera indica), and kokum (Garcinia indica) were examined for a possible influence on the bioaccessibility of zinc from selected food grains. Among the four acidulants examined, amchur and citric acid generally enhanced the bioaccessibility of zinc and iron from all the food grains studied. The increase in zinc bioaccessibility produced by citric acid was around 40% in rice and chickpea, while amchur produced around 60% increase from decorticated green gram. This positive influence of acidulants on zinc bioaccessibility from food grains was seen both in the raw and cooked form. Tamarind and kokum, the other two acidulants tested, generally did not have a favourable influence on zinc and iron bioaccessibility. This lack of positive influence of these two acidulants on mineral availability could be attributable to the presence of significant amounts of tannin in them. Citric acid and amchur also generally enhanced the bioaccessibility of iron from these food grains.
Atlantic Ocean Forcing of North American and European Summer Climate

Recent extreme events such as the devastating 2003 European summer heat wave raise important questions about the possible causes of any underlying trends, or low-frequency variations, in regional climates. Here, we present new evidence that basin-scale changes in the Atlantic Ocean, probably related to the thermohaline circulation, have been an important driver of multidecadal variations in the summertime climate of both North America and western Europe. Our findings advance understanding of past climate changes and also have implications for decadal climate predictions.
Profiling the desirable psychological contract for different groups of employees: evidence from Greece

This study aimed to examine potential variations in employees' perceptions of the desirable psychological contract, based on gender, age, and educational level. A total of 1145 employees – 642 of whom were female – aged between 18 and 64, who had attended all educational levels, participated in the study. T-tests and analyses of variance suggest that there is no uniform view of the psychological contract content among different groups of employees. With the exception of involvement with decision-making affecting the organization, women tend to expect more from their employment relationship. As for age groups, the ‘new generation’ emphasizes balance in personal life, the ‘old generation’ is rather indifferent, while the ‘desert generation’ is the most demanding and attached to the ‘old psychological contract’. Finally, individuals with at least college education have relatively increased expectations, with the exception of co-worker support for personal problems and continuous training.
State, labour and market in post-revolution Serbia

Workers played a key role in the October 2000 revolution in Serbia that overthrew Milošević and his Socialist Party regime. Since then, the trade union movement has begun to consolidate itself into three separate union federations, each with its own distinct orientation. Serbia's economic problems have persisted, leading to heavy dependence on privatisation, foreign direct investment and loans and grants from international financial institutions. This environment has both constrained and shaped the strategies of the unions. This labour experience is difficult to compare with those of advanced western democracies, and is still conditioned by legacies from the past.
Corporate social responsibility: what motivates management to disclose?

Purpose - – The purpose of this paper is to provide empirical evidence on the significance of signal breaches from technical trading indicators in explaining variations in the level of corporate social responsibility disclosures (CSRD) by firms. The authors seek to determine whether firms disclose corporate social responsibility (CSR) information in a genuine attempt to report their impact on society and environment or whether firms use CSRD as a shield to legitimise their business operations. Design/methodology/approach - – Signal breaches from the Moving Average Convergence Divergence and Chande’s TrendScore technical trading indicators were utilised, while the voluntary environmental and social accounting disclosure index developed by Williams (1998) was adapted to measure the extent of CSRD by Singaporean firms in 2011. Ordinary least squares regression was the principal multivariate statistical technique used to analyse the data collected. Findings - – Findings of this paper indicate a positive and significant association between the number of technical indicator signal breaches for a firm and the level of CSRD by that firm, particularly in the environment, energy, human resources and products and customers categories. Research limitations/implications - – The collection of CSRD information is based solely on annual reports and within the context of Singapore. Results, therefore, are not completely generalisable to different jurisdictional settings. Practical implications - – Findings suggest that firms with a volatile stock price trend provide greater CSRD, possibly as a legitimacy strategy to distract or change the perceptions of investors from its current legitimacy status. Findings, therefore, highlight to regulators the need to strengthen regulatory requirements and implement stricter guidelines on CSR reporting, given the importance of CSRD to users. Social implications - – Findings from this study have several implications for various stakeholders including investors, regulators and society in general. Overall, findings also suggest that stakeholders should not rely solely on CSRD in their decision-making process. Originality/value - – This is the first paper that has proxied stock price movement by using breaches in technical trading indicators when examining reported levels of CSRD by firms. Moreover, results greatly build on the sparse CSR research on Singapore.
Bank Finance Versus Bond Finance

We present a dynamic general equilibrium model with agency costs where: i) firms are heterogeneous in the risk of default; ii) they can choose to raise finance through bank loans or corporate bonds; and iii) banks are more efficient than the market in resolving informational problems. The model is used to analyze some major long-run differences in corporate finance between the US and the euro area. We suggest an explanation of those differences based on information availability. Our model replicates the data when the euro area is characterized by limited availability of public information about corporate credit risk relative to the US, and when european firms value more than US firms the flexibility and information acquisition role provided by banks.
EFFICIENT SORTING IN FRICTIONAL LABOR MARKETS WITH TWO-SIDED HETEROGENEITY

This paper studies how search externalities and wage bargaining distort vacancy creation and the allocation of workers to jobs in markets with two-sided heterogeneity. To do so, I propose a model of a frictional labor market where heterogeneous workers decide which job to look for and firms decide which technology to adopt. At equilibrium, there is perfect segmentation across sectors, which is determined by a unique threshold of workers' productivity. This threshold is inefficient because of participation and composition externalities. The Pigouvian tax scheme that decentralizes optimal sorting shows that these externalities have opposite signs. Furthermore, their relative strength depends on the distribution of workers' skills, so that when there are many (few) skilled workers, too many (few) high-technology jobs are created.