Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The conditional impact of military intervention on internal armed conflict outcomes

Previous studies of internal armed conflict outcomes have found evidence that rebel-biased military intervention increases the likelihood of rebel victory, but little indication that pro-government interventions improve the odds of government victory. Our argument, grounded in a theory of the utility and limitations of military force in civil wars, anticipates that armed intervention increases the probability of victory for the supported side only when that belligerent’s primary challenge is a lack of conventional war-fighting capacity. Empirical analyses of internal armed conflicts from 1945 to 2010 support these expectations. Direct interventions in support of opposition movements have substantively large, robust effects on conflict outcomes. In contrast, government-biased interventions are only effective in increasing the odds of an outcome favorable to the government when the fighting capacity of rebel forces matches or exceeds that of the state.
Topological Rigidity for Certain Families of Differentiable Plane Curves

It is shown that the topological classification and the smooth classification are generically the same for certain families of plane curves in a semi‐local case (that is, the double local case). The normal form of transversely joined two families of plane curves with second‐order contact at the envelope is also given.
A low dark current and high quantum efficiency monolithic germanium-on-silicon CMOS imager technology for day and night imaging applications

A low noise, high quantum efficiency (QE) Ge photo diode was integrated in a standard 0.18 µm CMOS foundry process, enabling night imaging under moonless conditions in a high resolution CMOS image sensor (10 µm pitch, VGA). The Ge diode dark current measured at wafer probe (−45°C) in the imager chip is 25 fA per pixel and the pixel QE at λ=1.3 µm is 44% and 32% for best die at half and full VGA resolution respectively. To our knowledge this is the first large-scale integration of single crystal Ge diodes into a silicon product.
The Value and Dangers of Antimalarial Therapy in Arthritis with Special Relation to the Ophthalmic Complications

The first treatment of rheumatoid arthritis should be on general lines, with rest, physical treatment and salicylates; next may come a choice between the use of gold and antimalarials. They both act slowly and for some period after cessation, and both, unlike steroids, appear to affect the rheumatoid factor advantageously and only slowly the sedimentation rate. They are both toxic to some patients. In a different category are the steroids and corticotrophin, whichtemporarily control the inflammatory reaction and may sometimes be used together with the gold
Genetics and insurance in the United Kingdom 1995–2010: the rise and fall of “scientific” discrimination

Around the millennium there was extensive debate in the United Kingdom about the possible use of predictive genetic tests by insurance companies. Many insurance experts, geneticists, and public policymakers appeared to believe that genetic test results would soon become widely used by the insurance industry. This expectation has not been borne out. This article outlines the history of exaggerated perceptions of the significance of genetic test results to insurance, with particular reference to the United Kingdom, suggesting reasons why they arose and also why they have declined. The article concludes with some speculation about how policy on genetics and insurance might develop in future.
Negotiating with tradition: Curriculum reform and institutional transition in a conservatoire

The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland has recently transformed its curriculum through a process of curriculum reform. This has been a major institutional transition and has challenged many of the traditional practices of the conservatoire. Taking the global thinking on curriculum reform as its starting point, the conservatoire’s aspiration has been to open up the traditionally narrow conservatoire curriculum: to provide more flexibility in terms of student choice and, importantly not only for our particular institutional circumstances but also for the direction of travel in the creative professions, to provide opportunities to collaborate with other artistic disciplines. This article reflects on the process of this project, the challenges that we negotiated and the emerging outcomes.
Analysis of the mammalian talin2 gene TLN2.

We have utilised genomic and EST databases to assemble the sequence of the human talin2 (TLN2) gene. Talin2 protein is similar in size and sequence to talin1 throughout its length (74% identity, 86% similarity). The major differences are in (i) the size of the genes, the TLN2 gene is >200 kb compared with approximately 30 kb for TLN1 due to a difference in intron size, although intron/exon boundaries, with the exception of two, are strictly conserved; (ii) the expression patterns, TLN1 gives rise to an approximately 8-kb mRNA which is observed in all tissues, whereas TLN2 gives rise to multiple transcripts with the highest levels in heart.
Evolutionary optimization of Markov sources for pseudo random scan BIST

Recent work by Basturkmen et al. (2002) showed that Markov sources lead to scan BIST designs of lower cost compared to earlier proposed methods in scan BIST. However the method presented by Basturkmen et al. utilizes tests generated using a deterministic test generator for target faults in synthesizing the Markov source to generate the tests. The requirement of a deterministic test generator may hinder the use of this procedure in industrial settings since the BIST tool must also include a deterministic ATPG tool that may add to the cost of the BIST tool. In this paper we investigate a procedure to synthesize BIST controllers with Markov sources for test generation using Evolutionary Algorithms (EAs). This allows us to avoid using the deterministic ATPG needed previously. Additionally we do not employ inversion logic used in by Basturkmen et al., thereby potentially reducing the hardware in the BIST controller. Nevertheless, the proposed method achieves close to 100% fault efficiency using far fewer tests than required by pseudo random tests. In this work, similar to that of Basturkmen et al., we employ Markov sources based on finite state machines (FSMs) with transitions controlled by additional inputs. Hence, transition probabilities (TPs) of the FSM are determined by the 1-probability on a corresponding input.
Targeting intercellular adhesion molecule-1 prolongs survival in mice bearing bevacizumab-resistant glioblastoma

Intercellular cell adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1; also known as CD54) is overexpressed in bevacizumab-resistant glioblastoma. In the present study, we tested our hypothesis that highly expressed ICAM-1 mediates glioblastoma’s resistance to antiangiogenic therapy. We validated ICAM-1 overexpression in tumors resistant to antiangiogenic therapy using real-time polymerase chain reaction, immunohistochemistry, and Western blotting. We also detected ICAM1 expression in most glioma stem cells (GSCs). We investigated the mechanism of ICAM-1 overexpression after bevacizumab treatment and found that ICAM-1 protein expression was markedly increased in a time-dependent manner in GSC11 and GSC17 cells under hypoxic conditions in vitro. We also found that hypoxia induced ICAM-1 overexpression through the up-regulation of phosphorylated signal transducer and activator of transcription (p-STAT3). Hypoxia-induced p-STAT3 increased the mRNA transcription of ICAM-1, which we could inhibit with the STAT3 inhibitor AZD1480. Next, we used GFP-tagged ICAM-1 shRNA lentivirus to knock down ICAM-1 in GSC11 and GSC17 glioma cell lines. Then, we injected shICAM-1 GSC11 and scramble glioma stem cells into the brains of nude mice. Mice bearing tumors from shICAM-1 GSC11 cells survived significantly longer than mice injected with control cells did. The tumor sizes was significantly decreased in mice bearing tumors from shICAM-1 cells than that in mice bearing tumors from GFP-tagged GSC11 control cells. Knocking down ICAM-1 suppressed tumor invasion in vitro and in vivo and inhibited macrophage infiltration to the tumor site in bevacizumab-treated mice. Our findings suggest that ICAM-1 is a potentially important mediator of tumor migration and invasion in bevacizumab-resistant glioblastoma. Targeting ICAM-1 may provide a new strategy for enhancing the efficacy of antiangiogenic therapy against glioblastoma and preventing the invasive phenotype of the disease.
A Survey of Employees' Perception and Satisfaction at the Integration Phase of Cross-border Acquisition

Tampereen ammattikorkeakoulu Tampere University of Applied Sciences Bachelor of Business Administration International Business CHUNG, SEE KYUNG: A Survey of Employees’ Perception and Satisfaction at the Integration Phase of CrossBorder Acquisition Bachelor's thesis 91 pages, appendices 34 pages August 2014 The case company, Robit Rocktools Ltd. has stood at the on-going integration phase of cross-border acquisition of Korean company since 2011. It seemed appropriate and valuable to evaluate the outcomes of acquisition performance at this moment. Hence, this paper intended to explore employees’ perspectives and attitude toward acquisition by offering a comprehensive job satisfaction survey to the case company. The theoretical framework mainly encompassed ground knowledge of cross-border merger and acquisition as well as implications of culture and human resource management in relation to integration phase of cross-border acquisition. A constructed survey questionnaire was set up in the online program and the questionnaire was distributed in three languages of English, Finnish and Korean. The target sample was all employees of the company (N: 96) and among them, 75 responses were collected and analyzed. Given the results of survey, a majority of participants of survey were likely to be highly satisfied in their jobs and acquisition outcomes. However, it is also exposed that there were still some issues the company should take into considerations seriously for achieving a competitive edge in global market. Particularly production employees in an acquired company revealed less satisfaction concerning work and acquisition outcomes compared to other departments and regions. More active communication and deeper cultural understanding are to seek among them. This study concluded that likewise literature reviewed in the study, a successful crossborder acquisition performance is depending on how to develop the most applicable integration strategy and exploit effectively. In the respect of culture and human resource management, the most appropriate integration strategy and tactics are anticipated to set up. Thus, strategy and tactics which can foster integration between acquired and acquiring companies were recommended in discussion and suggestion.
Type of academic training and causal attributions for social problems.

To provide evidence of the effects of academic training on causal attributions, university students in social science, commerce and engineering were compared at different points of their training in terms of their explanations of poverty and unemployment. Results of cross-sectional analyses showed no field differences in causal attributions at the beginning of the first academic year but significant differences at the end of the year, with social science students blaming the system more than commerce or engineering students. Longitudinal analysis showed that, within a six-month interval, the causal attributions of the students changed significantly as a function of their field of study. Differential employment prospects, while not accounting for the effects of academic training, were found to be related to attributional change. These results confirm the hypothesis that causal attributions are affected by socialization in a particular culture and that exposure to the culture of the social sciences reinforces a system-blame ideology. The implications of these findings for theories of the attribution process and theories of intergroup relations are discussed.
Low editing efficiency of GluR2 mRNA is associated with a low relative abundance of ADAR2 mRNA in white matter of normal human brain

The ionotropic glutamate receptor (GluR) subunits GluR2, GluR5 and GluR6 are subject to RNA editing at their Q/R sites, resulting in significant alterations in the channel properties of the receptors. RNA editing at the Q/R site of GluRs is both developmentally and regionally regulated. Here we provide the first quantitative measurements of both mRNAs of the GluR subunits and mRNAs of the RNA editing enzymes ADAR1–ADAR3 in a comparison of the efficiency of editing at the Q/R site with the expression levels of ADAR mRNA in human brain. We demonstrate that the Q/R site of GluRs in white matter is edited significantly less than in grey matter. In addition, by means of quantitative reverse transcription‐polymerase chain reaction methods, we demonstrate that the relative abundance of ADAR2 mRNA to GluR2 mRNA is significantly lower in white matter than in grey matter and that the GluR2 Q/R site editing decreased only when the ratio of ADAR2 mRNA (not that of ADAR1 mRNA) to GluR2 mRNA dropped below a threshold (20 × 10−3). These results suggest that Q/R site of GluRs editing is regulated in a regional, and hence presumably cell‐specific, manner and that the GluR2 Q/R site editing is critically regulated by ADAR2 in human brain.
Measuring Confrontation During Recovery From Addiction

The effect of confrontation on recovery from addiction continues to be a topic of considerable debate. Although many residential treatment programs view some form of confrontation as an integral part of recovery, a number of studies have found confrontation from professional treatment staff to be counterproductive. One of the problems inherent in the current debates about confrontation is the lack of a comprehensive measure of confrontation that assesses different dimensions. This study describes the development of the “Alcohol and Drug Confrontation Subscale” (ADCS), a 72-item instrument designed to measure the quantity and frequency of confrontation that individuals receive about drug or alcohol use–related problems. Confrontation is defined as an individual being told “bad things” might happen to them if they do not make changes to address a drug or alcohol use–related problem or make changes to maintain sobriety. The instrument also measures the respondents' perceptions about their relationships with confronters (three-item alpha =. 79) and perceptions about the confrontational statements (three-item alpha =. 63). The sample included 108 individuals entering three sober living housing organizations in Northern California between 2003 and 2005. They indicated that receiving confrontational statements about alcohol or drug use–related problems was common, especially from spouses/significant others (56% of those with significant others) and family members (60%). Participants who reported receiving more confrontation reported having more positive views about their relationships with confronters and about confrontational statements than those who received less confrontation. Additional studies are necessary to establish validity, generalize results to more diverse populations, and assess confrontation at different time points during recovery.
TGF-β3 Inhibits Antibody Production by Human B Cells

TGF-β is a pleotropic cytokine involved in various biological processes. Of the three isoforms of TGF-β, TGF-β1 has long been recognized as an important inhibitory cytokine in the immune system and has been reported to inhibit B cell function in both mice and humans. Recently, it has been suggested that TGF-β3 may play an important role in the regulation of immune system in mice. Murine CD4+CD25-LAG3+ regulatory T cells suppress B cell function through the production of TGF-β3, and it has been reported that TGF-β3 is therapeutic in a mouse model of systemic lupus erythematosus. The effect of TGF-β3 on human B cells has not been reported, and we herein examined the effect of TGF-β3 on human B cells. TGF-β3 suppressed B cell survival, proliferation, differentiation into plasmablasts, and antibody secretion. Although the suppression of human B cells by TGF-β1 has long been recognized, the precise mechanism for the suppression of B cell function by TGF-β1 remains elusive; therefore, we examined the effect of TGF-β1 and β3 on pathways important in B cell activation and differentiation. TGF-β1 and TGF-β3 inhibited some of the key molecules of the cell cycle, as well as transcription factors important in B cell differentiation into antibody secreting cells such as IRF4, Blimp-1, and XBP1. TGF-β1 and β3 also inhibited B cell receptor signaling. Our results suggest that TGF-β3 modifying therapy might be therapeutic in autoimmune diseases with B cell dysregulation in humans.
Comparison and Outcome Analysis of Patients with Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy Triggered by Emotional Stress or Physical Stress

Background: Previous studies revealed that takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TTC) is triggered by physical and emotional stresses. This study was performed to determine the short- and long-term prognostic impact of emotional- and physical stress associated with TTC. Methods and results: Our institutional database constituted a collective of 84 patients diagnosed with TTC between 2003 and 2015. The patients were divided into two groups as per the presence of emotional stress (n = 24, 21%) or physical stress (n = 60, 52.6%). The endpoint was a composite of in-hospital events (thromboembolic events and life-threatening arrhythmias), myocardial infarction, all-cause of mortality, re-hospitalization due to heart failure, stroke, and recurrence of TTC. A Kaplan–Meier analysis indicated a significantly lower event-free survival rate over a mean follow-up of 5 years in the emotional group than the physical stress group (log-rank, p < 0.01). Multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed only emotional stress (HR 0.4, 95% CI: 0.2–0.9, p < 0.05) as a negative independent predictor of the primary endpoint. Conclusion: Rates of in-hospital events and short- as well as long-term events were significantly lower in TTC patients suffering from emotional stress as compared to patients with physical stress.
Saponin contents and anticarcinogenic effects of ginseng depending on types and ages in mice.

AIM To compare the anticarcinogenic effects of fresh, white, and red ginseng (Panax ginseng C A Meyer) roots and their saponins. METHODS Lung adenoma in newborn N:GP (S) mice was induced by a subcutaneous injection of benzo(a)pyrene 0.5 mg. After weaning, ginseng powders or extracts were given in the drinking water for 6 wk. In the 9th wk the incidence and multiplicity of lung adenoma were counted. RESULTS Anticarcinogenic effects were found in 6-year-dried fresh ginseng, 5- and 6-year white ginseng, and 4-, 5-, and 6-year-red ginseng powders. Anticarcinogenic effects were also found in 6-year-dried fresh ginseng, 5- and 6-year-white ginseng, and 4-, 5-, and 6-year-red ginseng extracts. The content of major ginsenosides Rb1, Rb2, Rc, Rd, Re, Rf, Rg1 showed a little higher tendency in fresh or white ginsengs than red ginseng. This tendency was increased as the cultivation ages were increased. But there was no relationship was found between ginsenoside contents and preparation types or cultivation ages. CONCLUSION Long-cultivated ginseng and red ginseng contain a higher amount of anticarcinogenic components.
Peanut-based ready-to-use therapeutic food: acceptability among malnourished children and community workers in Bangladesh.

OBJECTIVES To assess the acceptability of a ready-to-use therapeutic food (Plumpy'nut(®) [PPN]) among 1) care givers of malnourished children and 2) community health workers (CHWs) at a nutrition rehabilitation centre in an urban slum in Dhaka, Bangladesh. METHODS This was a cross-sectional semi-structured questionnaire survey conducted between April and June 2011 as part of a nutritional programme run by Médecins Sans Frontières. The study population included care givers of malnourished children aged 6-59 months who received PPN for at least 3 weeks, and CHWs. RESULTS Of the 149 care givers (93% female) interviewed, 60% expressed problems with PPN acceptability. Overall, 43% perceived the child's dissatisfaction with the taste, 31% with consistency and 64% attributed side effects to PPN (nausea, vomiting, loose motion, diarrhoea, abdominal distension and pain). It is to be noted that 47% of children needed encouragement or were forced to eat PPN, while 5% completely rejected it after 3 weeks. Of the 29 CHWs interviewed, 48% were dissatisfied with PPN's taste and consistency, and 55% with its smell. However, 91% of the care givers and all CHWs still perceived a therapeutic benefit of PPN for malnourished children. CONCLUSION Despite a therapeutic benefit, only 4 in 10 care givers perceived PPN as being acceptable as a food product, which is of concern.
Insights on the Host Stress, Fear and Growth Responses to the Deoxynivalenol Feed Contaminant in Broiler Chickens

Mycotoxins pose an important danger to human and animal health. Poultry feeds are frequently contaminated with deoxynivalenol (DON) mycotoxin. It is thus of great importance to evaluate the effects of DON on the welfare related parameters in poultry industry. In the present study, the effects of contamination of broiler diet with 10 mg DON/kg feed on plasma corticosterone and heterophil to lymphocyte (H/L) ratio as indicators of stress, tonic immobility duration as an index for fear response and growth performance of broiler chickens were studied. In addition, the effect of a microbial feed additive either alone or in combination with DON contamination on these different aspects was also evaluated. The results showed that DON feeding significantly affected the welfare related parameters of broiler chickens. The feeding of DON contaminated diet resulted in an elevation of plasma corticosterone, higher H/L ratio and increased the fear levels as indicated by longer duration of tonic immobility reaction. Furthermore, DON reduced the body weight and body weight gain during the starter phase definitely at the second and third week. However, during grower phase, feeding of DON decreased the body weight at the fourth week and reduced the body gain at the fifth week. Addition of the microbial feed additive, a commercial antidote for DON mycotoxin, was able to overcome DON effects on stress index (H/L ratio), fearfulness and growth parameters of broilers. In conclusion, we showed for the first time that the DON feeding increased the underlying fearfulness and physiological stress responses of broilers and resulted in a reduction in the welfare status as indicated by higher plasma corticosterone, higher H/L ratio and higher fearfulness. Additionally, feeding the microbial feed additive was effective in reducing the adverse effects of DON on the bird's welfare and can improve the performance of broiler chickens.
Method Issues in Business Ethics Research: Finding Credible Answers to Questions that Matter

This paper is an essay based on many years of reviewing journal submissions and discussions with business ethics scholars on a range of themes regarding methods. To some extent, it contains condensed thoughts from two experienced scholars in the field, which we hope will be useful, especially to emerging scholars who, to some extent, may still be wrestling with some of the issues raised in the paper. The validity and reliability of research methods in business ethics research is discussed in terms of legitimate methods to employ in the discipline, the epistemic challenges in the discipline, the debate between qualitative and quantitative methods, and some considered comments on ‘researching well’ in this discipline. Within each theme, we attempt to convey our distilled thoughts in the hope that methods employed in future studies will avoid some of the failures we have observed in the past.