Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Gastrin releasing peptide receptor expression is decreased in patients with Crohn’s disease but not in ulcerative colitis

Background: Gastrin releasing peptide (GRP) and neuromedin B are bombesin (BN)-like peptides involved in regulating motility and inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract, which may be useful in treating inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Three bombesin-like peptide receptors have been reported, but no studies have investigated their localisation in normal and inflamed human intestine. Aim: To localise and characterise BN receptors in normal intestine and to see whether this is modified in IBD. Methods: Full thickness intestinal tissue samples were collected from 13 patients with Crohn’s disease (CD), 11 with ulcerative colitis (UC), and 19 controls. BN receptor expression was characterised and quantified with storage phosphor autoradiography using BN, GRP, neuromedin B, and the synthetic analogue BN(6–14) as ligands. Results: Only BN receptor type 2 (high affinity for GRP) was present in intestinal tissue. Minimal BN binding was detected in the mucosa. In normal colonic smooth muscle, mean BN binding was 336 fmol/g tissue in longitudinal muscle, including the myenteric plexus, and 71 fmol/g in circular muscle. In CD, colonic smooth muscle BN binding was significantly decreased (longitudinal muscle, 106; circular muscle, 19 fmol/g), in contrast to UC (377 and 62 fmol/g, respectively). In CD, a small (not significant) decrease was seen in ileal muscle compared with controls (111 v 169 and 18 v 32 fmol/g tissue for longitudinal and circular muscle, respectively). Conclusions: Only the GRP receptor is expressed in human intestine; expression is highest in longitudinal muscle and myenteric plexus of the colon. Expression is decreased in inflamed and non-inflamed colon of CD, but not in UC.
Antineuronal Nuclei Immunohistochemical Staining Patterns in Childhood Ependymomas

NeuN, the mouse-derived monoclonal antibody to the reportedly neuron-specific nuclear protein, has been observed to react with many different types of normal, postmitotic neurons throughout the central and peripheral nervous systems. We retrospectively examined 23 surgical specimens (collected from 20 patients) originally diagnosed at our institution between 1983 and 1999 as ependymoma (9), myxopapillary ependymoma (1), anaplastic/malignant ependymoma (10), and primitive neuroectodermal tumor with ependymal differentiation (3). The ependymomas included lesions from the spine (3), cerebrum (5), and posterior fossa (15). Representative formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded sections from each tumor were subjected to immunohistochemical staining with antibody against NeuN (Chemicon International, Inc, Temecula, CA). Five astrocytomas, four primitive neuroectodermal tumors, and normal cerebral cortex and ependyma from autopsy brains of premature newborns, term infants, and older children served as controls. Thirteen ependymal tumors had positive nuclear staining ranging from rare tumor cells to numerous groups of cells; of these, 9 were anaplastic ependymomas and had the most staining. These studies suggest that some ependymomas arise from a pluripotential neuroglial cell. (J Child Neurol 2001;16:548-552).
Who guards the guards? formal validation of the Arm v8-m architecture specification

Software and hardware are increasingly being formally verified against specifications, but how can we verify the specifications themselves? This paper explores what it means to formally verify a specification. We solve three challenges: (1) How to create a secondary, higher-level specification that can be effectively reviewed by processor designers who are not experts in formal verification; (2) How to avoid common-mode failures between the specifications; and (3) How to automatically verify the two specifications against each other. One of the most important specifications for software verification is the processor specification since it defines the behaviour of machine code and of hardware protection features used by operating systems. We demonstrate our approach on ARM's v8-M Processor Specification, which is intended to improve the security of Internet of Things devices. Thus, we focus on establishing the security guarantees the architecture is intended to provide. Despite the fact that the ARM v8-M specification had previously been extensively tested, we found twelve bugs (including two security bugs) that have all been fixed by ARM.
River Basin Management Planning with Participation in Europe: From Contested Hydro-politics to Governance-Beyond-the-State

In recent years, new forms of governance have emerged in Europe engaging actors beyond the state in the act of governing. Water policy in general and basin management in particular, through the EU Water Framework Directive, is clearly one of the policies affected by these new forms of steering. Through two case studies carried out in Spain, this article analyses how in a few years hydro-politics in Europe has moved from a stage of social contestation to a new scenario of consensual governance. Wondering about the democratic qualities of these mechanisms and questioning the role of civil society on them, the research shows important differences in objectives and forms between social movements and the state around these new forms of governance. Although social movements are replacing strategies of contestation by strategies of collaboration with the state, the reproduction of geometries of power and the impossibility of tackling a political debate about the given framework of values established in a neo-liberal and market-driven context make the participation of civil society on governance mechanisms really difficult in terms of freedom and equality. We conclude that governance may be useful to avoid social conflict in a deliberative way, but is failing thinking citizens from a perspective of commonality.
International stock market efficiency: a non-Bayesian time-varying model approach

This article develops a non-Bayesian methodology to analyse the time-varying structure of international linkages and market efficiency in G7 countries. We consider a non-Bayesian time-varying vector autoregressive (TV-VAR) model, and apply it to estimate the joint degree of market efficiency in the sense of Fama (1970, 1991). Our empirical results provide a new perspective that the international linkages and market efficiency change over time and that their behaviours correspond well to historical events of the international financial system.
Identifying potential wellbeing tourism segments in Finland.

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to identify potential Finnish wellbeing tourism segments based on factors connected to tourists' lifestyles, and find out if there are statistically significant differences between the segments concerning demographic factors, factors related to travelling behaviour, and interests in diverse activities.Design/methodology/approach – Potential tourists are segmented based on activities, interests and opinions (AIO‐segmentation). The data of the tourist profiles for the research were collected during 2007 and 2008 by self‐administered electronic questionnaire. In total 1,012 sufficient responses were obtained. Collected data were analyzed by using factor‐cluster method in order to group respondents into different segments.Findings – Altogether six segments were identified: Sport and nature people interested in technology; Home appreciating travellers; Family and health oriented sport and nature people; Culture appreciative self‐developers; Material wellbeing appreciative.
Prolonged enhancement of the micturition reflex in the cat by repetitive stimulation of bladder afferents

1 Prolonged modulation of the parasympathetic micturition reflex was studied in cats anaesthetized by α‐chloralose. Reflex discharges were recorded from a thin pelvic nerve filament to the bladder and evoked by stimulation of the remaining ipsilateral bladder pelvic nerves or urethral branches of the pudendal nerve. 2 Stimulation of bladder or urethral afferents at Aδ intensity evoked micturition reflexes with a latency of 90‐120 ms. Such reflexes were much enhanced following repetitive conditioning stimulation of the same afferents at 20 Hz for 5 min. 3 The reflex enhancement lasted more than 1 h after the conditioning stimulation. The effect was not prevented by a preceding complete transection of the sympathetic supply to the bladder. A prolonged suppression of the reflex was obtained after conditioning stimulation of afferents in the dorsal clitoris nerves. 4 It is proposed that the prolonged modulations of the micturition reflex represent physiological adaptive processes, which preserve a flawless function of the bladder during life. The observations provide a theoretical explanation for the beneficial effect of electric nerve stimulation in patients with voiding disorders.
Global decentralization policies for education and Tanzanian primary school principals’ responses

Blackmore and Sachs’ (2007) opinion that “educational reform needs to be seen within a broader context of restructuring in economic and social relations among the individual, the state and new modes of governance” (p. 1) is relevant for expressing the essence and influence of the global decentralization policies in Tanzania and elsewhere. The 1995 decentralization of the management of primary schools in Tanzania was the outcome of the World Bank’s policies and the International Monetary Fund’s conditions following the economic instabilities of the 1980s. Assuming that public systems are inefficient, autonomy in decision-making and competition are seen as means of achieving high quality and efficiency (Bonal, 2002; Carnoy, 1995; Martinez & Garcia, 1996). The need for autonomy, external accountability and competition has created new managerial roles for school principals even though their core function is to lead instruction (Lingard & Christie, 2003; Reitzug, West, & Roma, 2008; Stewart, 2006). This study explores how principals in Tanzania are harmonizing these roles and is informed by political discourse analysis and decolonizing theories (Abdi & Shultz, 2012; Blackmore & Sachs, 2007; Dimmock & Walker, 2005; Fairclough & Fairclough, 2012; Nyerere, 1968; Wagenaar, 2011). Qualitative interpretive case study is also used to analyze the principals’ experiences. The implementation of a borrowed culture in new contexts creates tensions; thus, the adoption of new roles in the context of decentralization creates conflicts and imbalances. Given that education is a public good, educational policies should be decolonized and separated from market influences.
Corporate governance in a developing economy: barriers, issues, and implications for firms

Purpose – Effective corporate governance is significant for firms in developing countries because it can lead to managerial excellence and help firms with a weak corporate governance structure to raise capital and attract foreign investors. The purpose of this paper is to examine the barriers, issues, and challenges hindering effective development and implementation of corporate governance in Nigeria.Design/methodology/approach – A combination of quantitative and qualitative research methods was employed to collect information. Specifically, data were collected from 296 managers, company presidents, and board of directors in selected firms. Descriptive data and interview analyses are presented with respect to the barriers and issues hindering effective corporate governance development and implementation in Nigeria.Findings – The study provides significant current information on corporate governance and barriers hindering its development and implementation in Nigeria. The findings reveal a number of constr.
Lags in Employment Adjustment and Inter-Industry Differentials: an Analysis Using Dynamic Inter-Related Factor Demand Functions

Based on an analysis of dynamic inter-related factor demand functions estimated for different industry groups over the period 1960-61 to 1993-94, the present study provides evidence of existence of significant adjustment lags in employment which can complement other documented factors in providing an explanation for the observed relative movement in output and employment groeth. In terms of the econometric approach, the present study attempts to fill some of the gaps in earlier empirical work by highlighting the importance of inter-relatedness in factor demand and the heterogeneity across labour types as well as across industries.
Adaptive Capacities of Spatial Planning in the Context of Climate Change in the European Alps

Abstract This study delivers empirical evidence regarding the adaptive capacities of spatial planning systems and related factors both supporting and hindering climate change adaptation in the European Alps. Many international and national adaptation strategies consider spatial planning an important policy field for climate change adaptation. Existing adaptation studies, which focus on spatial planning, support these expectations but deliver only a small amount of empirical evidence regarding the specific capacities of spatial planning that support or hinder climate change adaptation. The objectives of this study are firstly to assess how climate change adaptation is addressed in spatial planning systems, and secondly to identify the adaptive capacities of spatial planning to climate change. The study focuses on spatial planning systems in the European Alps and builds upon a content analysis of spatial planning legislation and instruments, as well as an expert survey administered to planning authorities. The findings suggest two approaches for building adaptive capacities: enhancing access to relevant climate information and professional support for spatial planning authorities, and mainstreaming adaptation within the institutional framework of spatial planning.
On the Relationship between Voluntary Disclosure, Earnings Smoothing and the Value-Relevance of Earnings: The Case of Switzerland

Abstract This paper examines whether voluntary disclosure by Swiss firms constrains the use of discretionary accruals to smooth earnings, and explores the effect of voluntary disclosure on the value relevance of earnings. We focus on Swiss firms because Switzerland's financial reporting system provides managers with extensive discretion in corporate disclosure, and there are important variations in the level of information provided in their annual reports. We consider that managers can choose two different ways to voluntarily convey information, either through the quality and quantity of annual report disclosure or, through compliance with International Accounting Standards (IAS)/International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) or US Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP). Relying on a simultaneous equations approach, our results suggest that Swiss firms use discretionary accruals to smooth earnings. However, this relation is reduced for firms that voluntarily disclose more information in their annual report or comply with IAS/IFRS or US GAAP. Moreover, we show that discretionary accruals of high disclosers or of firms voluntarily complying with IAS/IFRS or US GAAP receive a lower valuation weight.
Systematic meta-review of depot antipsychotic drugs for people with schizophrenia

Background Long-acting depot antipsychotic medication is a widely used treatment for schizophrenia. Aims To synthesise relevant systematic Cochrane reviews. Method The Cochrane Database was searched and summary data were extracted from randomised controlled clinical trials of depots. Results Standard dose depot v. placebo resulted in significantly less relapse but more movement disorders. Those on depots (v. oral drugs) showed more global change on one outcome measure; relapse and adverse effects showed no difference. Comparisons showed no convincing advantages for one depot over another. Conclusions Depot antipsychotics are safe and effective. They may confer a small benefit over oral drugs on global outcome. Those for whom depots are most indicated may not be represented. Large studies are required to discern differences in relapse rates and long-term adverse effects, and data on satisfaction, quality of life and economics.
Successful women entrepreneurs: a six-country analysis of self-reported determinants of success ? more than just dollars and cents

In this qualitative six-country analysis, we present self-reported definitions and determinants of success among female entrepreneurs in Canada, Ireland, Czech Republic, Poland and Japan. The women became entrepreneurs because they felt rejected: the 'push factor'. While some women defined success in terms of profits, many used non-financial factors such as number of clients, number of employees, years in business, or because 'my peers say so'. The most important success factor was networking. Business education and training was second. Country differences are reported and the significance for new and established women entrepreneurs and the institutions supporting their efforts are discussed.
Chlorophyll a is the crucial redox sensor and transmembrane signal transmitter in the cytochrome b6f complex. Components and mechanisms of state transitions from the hydrophobic mismatch viewpoint

The cytochrome (cyt) b6f complex is involved in the transmembrane redox signaling that triggers state transitions in cyanobacteria and chloroplasts. However, the components and molecular mechanisms are still unclear. In an attempt to solve this long-standing problem, we first focused on the unknown role of a single chlorophyll a (Chla) in cyt b6f with a new approach based on Chla structural properties. Various b6f X-ray crystal structures were analyzed to identify their differences, which correlate with differences in Chla molecular volume. We found that the distance of the Rieske [2Fe-2S] cluster to Chla correlates with the distance between a pair of residues at the Qo-site and the distance between a pair of residues at the opposite membrane side. These correlations were accompanied by the rotation of a key peripheral residue and by changes in the hydrophobic thickness of cyt b6f. Parallel analysis of cyt bc1 crystal structures allowed us to conclude that Chla acts as the crucial redox sensor and transmembrane signal transmitter in b6f for changes in the plastoquinone pool redox state. The hydrophobic mismatch induced by the changed hydrophobic thickness of cyt b6f is the driving force for the structural reorganizations of the photosynthetic apparatus during induction and the progression of state transitions in cyanobacteria and chloroplasts. A mechanism for LHCII kinase activation in chloroplasts is also proposed. Our understanding of the dynamic structural changes in bc-complexes during turnover at the Qo-site and state transitions is augmented by the time-sequence ordering of 56 bc crystal structures.
Differential expression of oestrogen receptors in human secondary lymphoid tissues

Many autoimmune diseases including rheumatoid arthritis (RA), Sjögren's syndrome (SS) and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) occur much more frequently in women than in men. There is much evidence that oestrogen is the major cause of this gender difference. Interestingly, oestrogen relieves the symptoms of RA and SS but it exacerbates SLE. This contradictory effect of oestrogen on autoimmune diseases is not well understood. Most of the effects of oestrogen are mediated by two receptors: oestrogen receptor α and β (ERα and ERβ). To determine whether these contradictory effects of oestrogen relate to the involvement of distinct effects of the two ERs, we investigated expression of ERα and ERβ in human secondary lymphoid tissues. We observed that, in tonsils, ERβ is expressed in lymphocytes of germinal centres (GC) and the follicular mantle zone as well as in granulocytes, while ERα is expressed only in activated germinal centres but not in the follicular zone. ERβ is the predominant ER in human leucocytes from peripheral blood, spleen and in leucocytes infiltrating cancers in both males and females. In addition, in different human lymphoma cell lines including Hodgkin lymphoma, Burkitt lymphoma, and multiple myeloma, ERβ is abundant while ERα is not detectable. Our results indicate that ERβ is the predominant type of ER in mature lymphocytes. We suggest that ERα and ERβ have distinct roles in secondary lymphoid tissues and that further studies with ERβ‐specific agonists will help to elucidate the role of ERβ in these tissues. Copyright © 2005 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
N-terminal Serine Dephosphorylation Is Required for KCC3 Cotransporter Full Activation by Cell Swelling*

Background: KCC3 lacking the two known phosphorylation sites is still regulated by cell swelling and WNK3. Results: Dephosphorylation of serine 96 is necessary for full activation of the cotransporter. Conclusion: Serine 96 is a third phospho-site involved in KCC3 regulation. Significance: The finding of new phosphorylation sites sheds light on an increasingly complex regulation of K+:Cl− cotransporters. The K+:Cl− cotransporter (KCC) activity is modulated by phosphorylation/dephosphorylation processes. In isotonic conditions, KCCs are inactive and phosphorylated, whereas hypotonicity promotes their dephosphorylation and activation. Two phosphorylation sites (Thr-991 and Thr-1048) in KCC3 have been found to be critical for its regulation. However, here we show that the double mutant KCC3-T991A/T1048A could be further activated by hypotonicity, suggesting that additional phosphorylation site(s) are involved. We observed that in vitro activated STE20/SPS1-related proline/alanine-rich kinase (SPAK) complexed to its regulatory MO25 subunit phosphorylated KCC3 at Ser-96 and that in Xenopus laevis oocytes Ser-96 of human KCC3 is phosphorylated in isotonic conditions and becomes dephosphorylated during incubation in hypotonicity, leading to a dramatic increase in KCC3 function. Additionally, WNK3, which inhibits the activity of KCC3, promoted phosphorylation of Ser-96 as well as Thr-991 and Thr-1048. These observations were corroborated in HEK293 cells stably transfected with WNK3. Mutation of Ser-96 alone (KCC3-S96A) had no effect on the activity of the cotransporter when compared with wild type KCC3. However, when compared with the double mutant KCC3-T991A/T1048A, the triple mutant KCC3-S96A/T991A/T1048A activity in isotonic conditions was significantly higher, and it was not further increased by hypotonicity or inhibited by WNK3. We conclude that serine residue 96 of human KCC3 is a third site that has to be dephosphorylated for full activation of the cotransporter during hypotonicity.
Proponents and Opponents: Where Do They Stand on the Employee Free Choice Act and Neutrality and Card-Check Agreements?

The Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA) is a top priority for Democrats in the current Congress. Passage is also a priority for the union representing the largest number of hotel workers, UNITE HERE. The debate over the bill, including the neutrality and card-check agreement provisions, is polarized between the union and management stakeholders. This qualitative study used grounded theory to explore the degree of polarization between the San Francisco hotel labor-relations stakeholders. The results confirmed expectations that the union representative and other stakeholders have divergent views on key issues, National Labor Relations Act organizing process, the impact of neutrality, and the impact of the EFCA on employees, with the union on one end of the continuum and others at times on the complete opposite end. It also identified employees as being the central theme of the debate. However, regarding the views on the impact of the EFCA on San Francisco labor relations, there was virtual agreement that the impact would be mild. While the labor situation in San Francisco is unique since it represents a city with a high degree of union representation among hotel workers, it is a indicator of how polarized the views are on the EFCA.