Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Information Technology in Context: Studies from the Perspective of Developing Countries

From the Publisher: Many information technology development projects and policy initiatives for the implementation of information and communication technology in developing countries seem to ignore the fact that the process of implementing such systems is closely linked with the social processes of the area involved. This book uses a wide range of case studies from throughout the developing world to illustrate the importance of context. It elaborates on the organizational, national and sectoral contextual aspects that are implicated in the development and use of information systems and uses a broadly 'interpretive' approach, reporting on the experiences and perceptions of all those involved in the process. The contributors bring together a variety of theoretical perspectives providing a broad analysis of IT development in context. Author Biography: C. Avgerou: Senior lecturer in information systems. G.Walsham: Professor of information systems.
Asymmetry in Stochastic Volatility Models: Threshold or Correlation?

We compare the ability of correlation and threshold effects in a stochastic volatility model to capture the asymmetric relationship between stock returns and volatility. The parameters are estimated using maximum likelihood based on the extended Kalman filter and uses numerical integration over the latent volatility process. The stochastic volatility model with only correlation does a better job of capturing asymmetry than a threshold stochastic volatility model even though it has fewer parameters. We develop a stochastic volatility model that includes both threshold effects and correlated innovations. We find that the general model with both threshold effects and correlated innovations dominates purely threshold and correlated models. In this augmented model volatility and returns are negatively correlated, and volatility is more persistent, less volatile and higher following negative returns even after counting for the negative correlation.
Phrase-Level Combination of SMT and TM Using Constrained Word Lattice

Constrained translation has improved statistical machine translation (SMT) by combining it with translation memory (TM) at sentence-level. In this paper, we propose using a constrained word lattice, which encodes input phrases and TM constraints together, to combine SMT and TM at phrase-level. Experiments on English‐ Chinese and English‐French show that our approach is significantly better than previous combination methods, including sentence-level constrained translation and a recent phrase-level combination.
Contraselectable Streptomycin Susceptibility Determinant for Genetic Manipulation and Analysis of Helicobacter pylori

ABSTRACT Many Helicobacter pylori genetic studies would benefit from an ability to move DNA sequences easily between strains by transformation and homologous recombination, without needing to leave a conventional drug resistance determinant at the targeted locus. Presented here is a two-gene cassette that can be selected both (i) against, due to a Campylobacter jejuni rpsL gene (dominant streptomycin susceptibility in cells also carrying an rpsL-strr allele), and (ii) for, due to an erm gene (erythromycin resistance). This rpsL,erm cassette's utility was assessed by using it to replace four gene loci (mdaB, frxA, fur, and nikR) in four streptomycin-resistant [Strr] strain backgrounds (derivatives of 26695, SS1, X47, and G27MA). The resultant 16 strains (phenotypically erythromycin resistant [Ermr] and Strs) were each transformed with wild-type genomic DNAs, and Strr derivatives were selected. The desired Erms Strr isolates were obtained at frequencies that ranged from 17 to 96% among Strr transformants, with the Erms yield apparently depending on the strain background and genome location of the targeted locus. The ease of isolating unmarked transformants described here should be valuable for many H. pylori molecular genetic and evolutionary analyses.
The Spanish Business Cycle and its Relationship to Europe

This paper studies the relationship between Spanish real aggregate fluctuations and those of its Europe neighbors in the last decades. It studies the ability of alternative International Real Business Cycle models (based on Backus, Kehoe and Kydland (1994) with different degrees of international interdependencies, to capture the observed comovement between the Spanish and European business cycles and compares the fit of those models using a probabilistic measure based on Gregory and Smith (1991, 1993) and Canova (1994, 1995).
First and second moment reversion for a discretized square root process with jumps

Mean-reversion is an important component of many financial models. When simulations are performed with numerical methods, it is therefore desirable to reproduce this qualitative property. Here, we study a square root process with jumps that has been used to model interest rates and volatilities, and we characterize the parameter regimes under which the first and second moments revert to steady state values. We then consider a class of implicit theta methods and investigate the same moment properties for the corresponding stochastic difference equation. We find that the theta method is unconditionally stable in first and second moment for theta values below a cutoff level. This cutoff level depends on the parameters governing the mean reversion and the jumps, but is always more favourable than the value of one half that arises in the deterministic setting. In the case of high jump intensity, large jump magnitude or slow mean reversion, it is even possible for the explicit Euler–Maruyama type method from this class to be unconditionally stable. We also establish upper and lower bounds for the second moment steady state that are close to that of the continuous-time process for small step-sizes. Numerical experiments are given to illustrate the results.
ASSESSING KILLER WHALE PREDATION ON STELLER SEA LIONS FROM FIELD OBSERVATIONS IN KENAI FJORDS, ALASKA

The behavioral and predatory patterns of Gulf of Alaska (GOA) transient killer whales (Orcinus orca) were studied between 2000 and 2005 using remote video and vessel-based observations near the Chiswell Island Steller sea lion (Eumetopias jubatus) rookery and in the broader Kenai Fjords (KF) region of the northern GOA. GOA transient killer whales were observed on 118 d over the 6-yr period; the median group size was two (range: 1‐9). Nine predation events were observed from vessels and an additional sixteen were inferred from remote video studies; all involved Steller sea lions. Estimates from field observations suggest that fifty-nine sea lions were consumed over the summer seasons of 2002‐2005; whereas estimates based on published caloric requirements of transient killer whales would suggest a loss of 103 sea lions over the same time period. GOA transients spent a large proportion (43%) of their time resting which may be a strategy for conserving energy. Predation
Data-Snooping Biases in Tests of Financial Asset Pricing Models

We investigate the extent to which tests of financial asset pricing models may be biased by using properties of the data to construct the test statistics. Specifically, we focus on tests using returns to portfolios of common stock where portfolios are constructed by sorting on some empirically motivated characteristic of the securities such as market value of equity. We present both analytical calculations and Monte Carlo simulations that show the effects of this type of data-snooping to be substantial. Even when the sorting characteristic is only marginally correlated with individual security statistics, 5 percent tests based on sorted portfolio returns may reject with probability one under the null hypothesis. This bias is shown to worsen as the number of securities increases given a fixed number of portfolios, and as the number of portfolios decreases given a fixed number of securities. We provide an empirical example that illustrates the practical relevance of these biases.
Relationships between drug activity in NCI preclinical in vitro and in vivo models and early clinical trials

An analysis of the activity of compounds tested in pre-clinical in vivo and in vitro assays by the National Cancer Institute's Developmental Therapeutics Program was performed. For 39 agents with both xenograft data and Phase II clinical trials results available, in vivo activity in a particular histology in a tumour model did not closely correlate with activity in the same human cancer histology, casting doubt on the correspondence of the pre-clinical models to clinical results. However, for compounds with in vivo activity in at least one-third of tested xenograft models, there was correlation with ultimate activity in at least some Phase II trials. Thus, an efficient means of predicting activity in vivo models remains desirable for compounds with anti-proliferative activity in vitro. For 564 compounds tested in the hollow fibre assay which were also tested against in vivo tumour models, the likelihood of finding xenograft activity in at least one-third of the in vivo models tested rose with increasing intraperitoneal hollow fibre activity, from 8% for all compounds tested to 20% in agents with evidence of response in more than 6 intraperitoneal fibres (P< 0.0001). Intraperitoneal hollow fibre activity was also found to be a better predictor of xenograft activity than either subcutaneous hollow fibre activity or intraperitoneal plus subcutaneous activity combined. Since hollow fibre activity was a useful indicator of potential in vivo response, correlates with hollow fibre activity were examined for 2304 compounds tested in both the NCI 60 cell line in vitro cancer drug screen and hollow fibre assay. A positive correlation was found for histologic selectivity between in vitro and hollow fibre responses. The most striking correlation was between potency in the 60 cell line screen and hollow fibre activity; 56% of compounds with mean 50% growth inhibition below 10–7.5 M were active in more than 6 intraperitoneal fibres whereas only 4% of compounds with a potency of 10–4 M achieved the same level of hollow fibre activity (P< 0.0001). Structural parameters of the drugs analysed included compound molecular weight and hydrogen-bonding factors, both of which were found to be predictive of hollow fibre activity. © 2001 Cancer Research Campaign
Similar Gaps, Different Origins? Women Readers and Editors at Greek Wikipedia

As a global, multilingual project, Wikipedia could serve as a repository for the world's knowledge on an astounding range of topics. However, questions of participation and diversity among editors continue to be burning issues. We present the first targeted study of participants at Greek Wikipedia, with the goal of better understanding their motivations. Smaller Wikipedias play a key role in fostering the project's global character, but typically receive little attention from researchers. We developed two survey instruments, administered in Greek, based on the 2011 Wikipedia Readership and Editors Surveys. Consistent with previous studies, we found a gender gap, with women making up only 38% and 15% of readers and editors, respectively, and with men editors being much more active. Our data suggest two salient explanations: 1) women readers more often lack confidence with respect to their knowledge and technical skills as compared to men, and 2) women's behaviors may be driven by personal motivations such as enjoyment and learning, rather than by "leaving their mark'' on the community, a concern more common among men. Interestingly, while similar proportions of men and women readers use multiple language editions, more women contribute to English Wikipedia in addition to the Greek language community. Future research should consider how this impacts their participation at Greek Wikipedia.
CONTROLLING VELOCITY AND STEERING FOR BICYCLE STABILIZATION

Control of a naturally unstable riderless bicycle around zero equilibrium speed is investigated. A simple parametric model is derived. It predicts basic known dynamics. Jacobian linearization reveals that zero speed tilt stabilization is a MIMO non-minimum phase problem. It is shown that at certain operating conditions, the bicycle can be controlled only through velocity or steering. Combining both loops to maintain vertical balance at all speeds is the challenge. Some control structures and ideas are explored.
On the origin of mass–metallicity relations, blue tilts and scaling relations for metal-poor globular cluster systems

We investigate formation processes and physical properties of globular cluster systems (GCSs) in galaxies based on high-resolution cosmological simulations with globular clusters. We focus on metal-poor clusters (MPCs) and correlations with their host galaxies by assuming that MPC formation is truncated at a high redshift (z trun ≥ 6). We find that the correlation between mean metallicities (Z gc ) of MPCs and their host galaxy luminosities (L) flattens from z = z trun to 0. We also find that the observed relation (Zg c α L 0.15 ) in MPCs can be reproduced well in the models with Z gc ∼ L 0.5 at z = z trun when z trun ∼ 10, if mass-to-light ratios are assumed to be constant at z = z trun . A flatter L-Z gc at z = z trun is found to be required to explain the observed relation for constant mass-to-light ratio models with lower z = z trun . However, better agreement with the observed relation is found for models with different mass-to-light ratios between z = z trun and 0. It is also found that the observed colour-magnitude relation of luminous MPCs (i.e. 'blue tilts') may only have a small contribution from the stripped stellar nuclei of dwarf galaxies, which have nuclei masses that correlate with their total mass at z = z trun . The simulated blue tilts are found to be seen more clearly in more massive galaxies, which reflects the fact that more massive galaxies at z = 0 are formed from a larger number of dwarfs with stellar nuclei formed at z > z trun . The half-number radii (R e ) of GCSs, velocity dispersions of GCSs (a) and their host galaxy masses (M h ) are found to be correlated with one another such that R e α M h 0.57 and σ α M h 0.32 . Based on these results, we discuss the link between hierarchical merging histories of galaxies and the physical properties of MPCs, the origin of the L-Z gc relation and non-homology of GCSs.
Motoneuronal TASK Channels Contribute to Immobilizing Effects of Inhalational General Anesthetics

General anesthetics cause sedation, hypnosis, and immobilization via CNS mechanisms that remain incompletely understood; contributions of particular anesthetic targets in specific neural pathways remain largely unexplored. Among potential molecular targets for mediating anesthetic actions, members of the TASK subgroup [TASK-1 (K2P3.1) and TASK-3 (K2P9.1)] of background K+ channels are appealing candidates since they are expressed in CNS sites relevant to anesthetic actions and activated by clinically relevant concentrations of inhaled anesthetics. Here, we used global and conditional TASK channel single and double subunit knock-out mice to demonstrate definitively that TASK channels account for motoneuronal, anesthetic-activated K+ currents and to test their contributions to sedative, hypnotic, and immobilizing anesthetic actions. In motoneurons from all knock-out mice lines, TASK-like currents were reduced and cells were less sensitive to hyperpolarizing effects of halothane and isoflurane. In an immobilization assay, higher concentrations of both halothane and isoflurane were required to render TASK knock-out animals unresponsive to a tail pinch; in assays of sedation (loss of movement) and hypnosis (loss-of-righting reflex), TASK knock-out mice showed a modest decrease in sensitivity, and only for halothane. In conditional knock-out mice, with TASK channel deletion restricted to cholinergic neurons, immobilizing actions of the inhaled anesthetics and sedative effects of halothane were reduced to the same extent as in global knock-out lines. These data indicate that TASK channels in cholinergic neurons are molecular substrates for select actions of inhaled anesthetics; for immobilization, which is spinally mediated, these data implicate motoneurons as the likely neuronal substrates.
Nuclear Calcium Signaling Controls Expression of a Large Gene Pool: Identification of a Gene Program for Acquired Neuroprotection Induced by Synaptic Activity

Synaptic activity can boost neuroprotection through a mechanism that requires synapse-to-nucleus communication and calcium signals in the cell nucleus. Here we show that in hippocampal neurons nuclear calcium is one of the most potent signals in neuronal gene expression. The induction or repression of 185 neuronal activity-regulated genes is dependent upon nuclear calcium signaling. The nuclear calcium-regulated gene pool contains a genomic program that mediates synaptic activity-induced, acquired neuroprotection. The core set of neuroprotective genes consists of 9 principal components, termed Activity-regulated Inhibitor of Death (AID) genes, and includes Atf3, Btg2, GADD45β, GADD45γ, Inhibin β-A, Interferon activated gene 202B, Npas4, Nr4a1, and Serpinb2, which strongly promote survival of cultured hippocampal neurons. Several AID genes provide neuroprotection through a common process that renders mitochondria more resistant to cellular stress and toxic insults. Stereotaxic delivery of AID gene-expressing recombinant adeno-associated viruses to the hippocampus confers protection in vivo against seizure-induced brain damage. Thus, treatments that enhance nuclear calcium signaling or supplement AID genes represent novel therapies to combat neurodegenerative conditions and neuronal cell loss caused by synaptic dysfunction, which may be accompanied by a deregulation of calcium signal initiation and/or propagation to the cell nucleus.
MOST RECENT FINDINGS IN EARNINGS MANAGEMENT AREA: INTERESTING INSIGHTS FROM TRADITIONALLY TOP 5 LEADING ACCOUNTING JOURNALS

A meta-analysis was conducted over the last 5 years comprising traditionally top 5leading accounting research. The paper overviews emerging research and identify both frameworkpapers that attracted significant attention and leading scholars in the field. The earningsmanagement area exhibits considerable momentum, found largely driven by North Americanscholars focused research groups. The main goal of the paper was to offer a thoroughlyunderstanding of what literature has achieved so far and to identify further research trends thatscholars can use. In this respect present study can guide researchers, but also given the economicimplications of the earnings management activities, our audience can comprise as wellpractitioners, accounting regulators or managers. Conclusions are developed based on the sampleassessed.
The Performance of Gatekeepers in Innovator Networks

We investigate the impact of actors' positions within regional innovator networks on their innovative performance. The networks of four selected regions are based on information on patent applicants and inventors. Count data regressions show positive effects on innovation of both the total number of relations and of access to a larger knowledge base. However, when looking at innovators that are characterised by multiple internal and external contacts, our results suggest that these gatekeepers are not able to reap all the benefits associated with their brokering position. This implies that gatekeepers exert external effects on the innovation system.
Membrane Potential and Conductance Changes Underlying Length Tuning of Cells in Cat Primary Visual Cortex

Spike responses for many cells of cat primary visual cortex are optimized for the length of a drifting grating stimulus. Stimuli that are longer or shorter than this optimal length elicit submaximal spike responses. To investigate the mechanisms responsible for this length tuning, we have recorded intracellularly from visual cortical neurons in the cat while presenting drifting grating stimuli of varying lengths. We have found that the membrane potential responses of the cells also exhibit length tuning, but that the suppression of spike responses at lengths longer than the preferred is 30–50% stronger than the corresponding suppression of the membrane potential responses. This difference may be attributed to the effects of spike threshold. Furthermore, using steady injected currents, we have measured changes in the excitatory and inhibitory components of input conductance evoked by stimuli of different lengths. We find that, compared with optimal stimuli, long stimuli evoke both an increase in inhibitory conductance and a decrease in excitatory conductance. These two mechanisms differ in their contrast sensitivity, resulting in stronger end stopping and shorter optimal lengths for high-contrast stimuli. These patterns suggest that response suppression for long stimuli is generated by a combination of active inhibition from stimuli outside the excitatory receptive field, as well as decreased excitation from other cortical cells that are themselves end-inhibited.
Resting States Are Resting Traits – An fMRI Study of Sex Differences and Menstrual Cycle Effects in Resting State Cognitive Control Networks

To what degree resting state fMRI is stable or susceptible to internal mind states of the individual is currently an issue of debate. To address this issue, the present study focuses on sex differences and investigates whether resting state fMRI is stable in men and women or changes within relative short-term periods (i.e., across the menstrual cycle). Due to the fact that we recently reported menstrual cycle effects on cognitive control based on data collected during the same sessions, the current study is particularly interested in fronto-parietal resting state networks. Resting state fMRI was measured in sixteen women during three different cycle phases (menstrual, follicular, and luteal). Fifteen men underwent three sessions in corresponding time intervals. We used independent component analysis to identify four fronto-parietal networks. The results showed sex differences in two of these networks with women exhibiting higher functional connectivity in general, including the prefrontal cortex. Menstrual cycle effects on resting states were non-existent. It is concluded that sex differences in resting state fMRI might reflect sexual dimorphisms in the brain rather than transitory activating effects of sex hormones on the functional connectivity in the resting brain.
A Novel Peptide-Based SILAC Method to Identify the Posttranslational Modifications Provides Evidence for Unconventional Ubiquitination in the ER-Associated Degradation Pathway

The endoplasmic reticulum-associated degradation (ERAD) pathway is responsible for disposing misfolded proteins from the endoplasmic reticulum by inducing their ubiquitination and degradation. Ubiquitination is conventionally observed on lysine residues and has been demonstrated on cysteine residues and protein N-termini. Ubiquitination is fundamental to the ERAD process; however, a mutant T-cell receptor α (TCRα) lacking lysine residues is targeted for the degradation by the ERAD pathway. We have shown that ubiquitination of lysine-less TCRα occurs on internal, non-lysine residues and that the same E3 ligase conjugates ubiquitin to TCRα in the presence or absence of lysine residues. Mass-spectrometry indicates that WT-TCRα is ubiquitinated on multiple lysine residues. Recent publications have provided indirect evidence that serine and threonine residues may be modified by ubiquitin. Using a novel peptide-based stable isotope labeling in cell culture (SILAC) approach, we show that specific lysine-less TCRα peptides become modified. In this study, we demonstrate that it is possible to detect both ester and thioester based ubiquitination events, although the exact linkage on lysine-less TCRα remains elusive. These findings demonstrate that SILAC can be used as a tool to identify modified peptides, even those with novel modifications that may not be detected using conventional proteomic work flows or informatics algorithms.