Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
CSF-1 Receptor-Dependent Colon Development, Homeostasis and Inflammatory Stress Response

The colony stimulating factor-1 (CSF-1) receptor (CSF-1R) directly regulates the development of Paneth cells (PC) and influences proliferation and cell fate in the small intestine (SI). In the present study, we have examined the role of CSF-1 and the CSF-1R in the large intestine, which lacks PC, in the steady state and in response to acute inflammation induced by dextran sulfate sodium (DSS). As previously shown in mouse, immunohistochemical (IHC) analysis of CSF-1R expression showed that the receptor is baso-laterally expressed on epithelial cells of human colonic crypts, indicating that this expression pattern is shared between species. Colons from Csf1r null and Csf1op/op mice were isolated and sectioned for IHC identification of enterocytes, enteroendocrine cells, goblet cells and proliferating cells. Both Csf1r−/− and Csf1op/op mice were found to have colon defects in enterocytes and enteroendocrine cell fate, with excessive goblet cell staining and reduced cell proliferation. In addition, the gene expression profiles of the cell cycle genes, cyclinD1, c-myc, c-fos, and c-myb were suppressed in Csf1r−/− colonic crypt, compared with those of WT mice and the expression of the stem cell marker gene Lgr5 was markedly reduced. However, analysis of the proliferative responses of immortalized mouse colon epithelial cells (lines; Immorto-5 and YAMC) indicated that CSF-1R is not a major regulator of colonocyte proliferation and that its effects on proliferation are indirect. In an examination of the acute inflammatory response, Csf1r +/− male mice were protected from the adverse affects of DSS-induced colitis compared with WT mice, while Csf1r +/− female mice were significantly less protected. These data indicate that CSF-1R signaling plays an important role in colon homeostasis and stem cell gene expression but that the receptor exacerbates the response to inflammatory challenge in male mice.
Prognostic Factors that Determine Visual Outcome following Cataract Surgery Complicated by Vitreous Loss

Purpose To identify prognostic factors that determine visual outcome following phacoemulsification cataract surgery complicated by vitreous loss. Methods A retrospective cohort study. All cases of vitreous loss during phacoemulsification surgery at a university hospital, between June 2000 and December 2005, were identified from the hospital computer database. By reviewing the medical notes, preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative data were collected. Outcome of interest was presence of poor visual outcome (best-corrected visual acuity [BCVA] <6/12). Chi-square and Mann-Whitney U tests were used to compare groups of poor and good visual outcome. Results A total of 230 consecutive cases (eyes) were identified; medical notes were available for 228. Mean patient age was 78.4 years (SD 11); median follow-up 13.4 weeks (range 1–203). In multivariable logistic regression analysis poor visual outcome was independently associated with poor preoperative vision (BCVA <6/12) (OR 3.78, 95% CI 1.76–8.11), age-related macular degeneration (OR 3.04, 95% CI 1.16–8.00), cystoid macular edema (OR 3.85, 95% CI 1.29–11.51), and secondary pars plana vitrectomy (PPV) for nuclear fragment loss (OR 4.42, 95% CI 1.03–19.02). Primary PPV for nuclear fragment loss, age >70, ocular comorbidity, axial length, vitreous loss during irrigation/aspiration, or lens implantation, anterior chamber lens, and secondary lens implantation were not significant associations (p≥ 0.05). In 33 (14.5%) eyes BCVA was reduced by at least one Snellen line compared to before surgery. Conclusions Poor visual outcome was associated with poor preoperative vision, age-related macular degeneration, cystoid macular edema, and secondary PPV following nuclear fragment loss. Primary PPV for nuclear fragment loss was not a significant association.
Unsupervised learning of depth during coordinated head/eye movements

Autonomous robots and humans need to create a coherent 3D representation of their peripersonal space in order to interact with nearby objects. Recent studies in visual neuroscience suggest that the small coordinated head/eye movements that humans continually perform during fixation provides useful depth information. In this work, we mimic such a behavior on a humanoid robot and propose a computational model that extracts depth information without requiring the kinematic model of the robot. First, we show that, during fixational head/eye movements, proprioceptive cues and optic flow lie on a low dimensional subspace that is a function of the depth of the target. Then, we use the generative adaptive subspace self-organizing map (GASSOM) to learn these depth-dependent subspaces. The depth of the target is eventually decoded using a winner-take-all strategy. The proposed model is validated on a simulated model of the iCub robot.
The Twin Deficits Phenomenon in Some MENA Countries

The main purpose of this paper is analyses the short and long run relationship between budget deficit and trade deficit in some MENA countries. The data cover the period from 1971-2000 (and for I.R. IRAN 1959-2003). The relationship between these variables will be analyses in short and long run by using Johansen co-integration tests, ECM, and Granger causality test. The empirical evidence provides support to the view of Ricardian Equivalence in Iran (Islamic Rep.), Jordan, Kuwait, Morocco, Oman, and Tunisia. But, the empirical evidence proves the validity of Keynesian proposition (conventional view) only Egypt, Bahrain, Oman, and Turkey.
Discrete Riesz transforms and sharp metric $X_p$ inequalities

$ \renewcommand{\subset}{\subseteq} \newcommand{\N}{\mathbb N} $For $p\in [2,\infty)$ the metric $X_p$ inequality with sharp scaling parameter is proven here to hold true in $L_p$. The geometric consequences of this result include the following sharp statements about embeddings of $L_q$ into $L_p$ when $2< q<p<\infty$: the maximal $\theta\in (0,1]$ for which $L_q$ admits a bi-$\theta$-H\"older embedding into $L_p$ equals $q/p$, and for $m,n\in \N$ the smallest possible bi-Lipschitz distortion of any embedding into $L_p$ of the grid $\{1,\ldots,m\}^n\subset \ell_q^n$ is bounded above and below by constant multiples (depending only on $p,q$) of the quantity $\min\{n^{(p-q)(q-2)/(q^2(p-2))}, m^{(q-2)/q}\}$.
High employment generating industries in Portugal : an input-output approach

An increase in the unemployment rate is one of the most serious consequences of macroeconomic crises. In Portugal, the impact of the deep recession of 2009 has been particularly strong. In this paper, after quantifying this macroeconomic problem, an input-output approach is used in order to identify the high employment generating (or destructing) industries. This approach is particularly interesting because it considers not only the direct flows of job creation and destruction, but also the employment changes attributable to the indirect and induced effects of interindustry connections (the flows of intermediate inputs’ supply and demand). Using the so-called hypothetical extraction (or “shut-down of industry”) method and the employment and input-output data of the Portuguese economy, the key sectors in terms of multipliers, elasticities and the creation of jobs are identified. The empirical results of this paper can be useful in improving the policy responses to the crisis and implementing the most appropriate measures to stimulate the economy.
Opposing Europe? The Comparative Party Politics of Euroscepticism: Volume 1: Case Studies and Country Surveys

The project of European integration now spans Europe, but in becoming bigger and broader the European Union has brought on itself significant criticism. As the EU becomes deeper, wider, and more ambitious, so opposition and scepticism become more prominent for citizens and more problematic for elites. Concerns about a 'democratic deficit' and the distance between European elites and publics have come to be a common feature of European politics. As a consequence Euroscepticism has become a part of the terrain of conflict between political parties across Europe. Opposing Europe? provides the first comprehensive review of party-based Euroscepticism across the breadth of contemporary Europe, and the first in-depth comparative academic study of Euroscepticism. This, the first of two volumes, is made up of chapters that map, describe, and analyse Euroscepticism in the party systems of a range of countries and the European Parliament. Each is written to a common frame of reference that differentiates 'hard' and 'soft' Euroscepticism. The volume looks across Europe and includes EU member states and candidate and non-member states in order to draw out comparative lessons that relate to the nature of political parties, party systems, and the domestic politics of European integration. Opposing Europe? is a groundbreaking, 'state of the art' book that provides a definitive review of a key issue in European politics. It is also one of the few attempts to integrate the fields of EU studies with both West European and East European studies in order to draw lessons about the way in which the EU interacts with domestic politics in both member and non-member states. Examining the way that parties position themselves and compete on the European issue provides powerful lessons for the trajectory of the European integration project more generally and on the prospects for the emergence of a European political system and polity.
Medical interventions for children with trisomy 13 and trisomy 18: what is the value of a short disabled life?

UNLABELLED Children with trisomy 13 and trisomy 18 (T13 or T18) have low survival rates, and survivors have significant disabilities. Life saving interventions (LSIs) are generally not recommended by many healthcare providers (HCPs). After a diagnosis of T13 or T18, many parents chose termination of pregnancy or comfort care at birth, but others consider treatment to prolong the lives of their children. While LSIs may be effective at prolonging the life of some children, the quality of life of survivors and the possible burden on the family may be considered negatively by HCP, which may lead to conflicts with families. Resource allocation considerations are often invoked to withhold LSI for T13 or T18 even though they are seldom mentioned for older patients with comparable outcomes. CONCLUSION We should strive to improve communication with parents by 1. Investigating these conditions further to be able to better inform parents and 2. Providing balanced information for families and personalised care for each child.
The theory of committees and elections . And Committeedecisions with complementary valuation

Foreword R.H. Coase. Introduction. Preface. Preface to 1958 Edition. Part 1: The Theory of Committees and Elections. 1. A Committee and Motions. 2. Independent Valuation. 3. Can a Motion be Represented by the Same Symbol on Different Schedules? 4. A Committee Using a Simple Majority: Single-peaked Preference Curves. 5. A Committee Using a Simple Majority: Other Shapes of Preference Curves. 6. A Committee Using a Simple Majority: Any Shapes of Preference Curves, Number of Motions Finite. 7. Cyclical Majorities. 8. When the Ordinary Committee Procedure is in Use the Members' Scales of Valuation may be Incomplete. 9. Which is the Most Suitable Method of Election? 10. Examination of Some Methods of Election in Single-Member Constituencies. 11. Proportional Representation. 12. The Decisions of a Committee Using a Special Majority. 13. The Elasticity of Committee Decisions with an Altering Size of Majority. 14. The Elasticity of Committee Decisions with Alterations in the Members' Preference Schedules. 15. The Converse Problem: the Group of Schedules to Correspond to a Given Voting Matrix. 16. A Committee Using a Simple Majority: Complementary Motions. 17. International Agreements, Sovereignty and the Cabinet. Part 2: History of the Mathematical Theory of Committees and Elections (Excluding Proportional Representation). 18. Borda, Condorcet and Laplace. 19. E.J. Nanson and Francis Galton. 20. The Circumstances in which Rev. C.L. Dodgson (Lewis Carroll) wrote his Three Pamphlets. 21. Appendix: Text of Dodgson's Three Pamphlets and of 'The Cyclostyled Sheet'. Part 3: Committee Decisions with Complementary Valuation. Committee Decisions with Complementary Valuation. Part 4: Related Papers. Appendix 1: On Arrow's Impossibility Theorem. Appendix 2: The Unity of Political and Economic Science. Appendix 3: Transitivity and Non-transitivity of Majorities. Appendix 4: Partial Justification of the Borda Count. Appendix 5: Arrow's Work and the Normative Theory of Committees. Bibliography. Index.
Does Anticipation of Government Spending Matter? Evidence from an Expectation Augmented VAR

How does private consumption react to an exogenous increase in government expenditure? Standard structural vector autoregressions (SVARs) usually report a positive GDP as well as consumption response, while event studies report a negative consumption response. We investigate in a SVAR whether anticipation of the fiscal shock reverses the sign of this dynamic response to a negative one. As a methodological contribution, we model expectation formation within a SVAR framework. We show for the US that consumption falls in reaction to an expenditure shock once the model allows for one-period-ahead anticipation of this shock. Modelling anticipation of fiscal shocks is thus crucial to correctly capture their macroeconomic effects. Differences in results between event studies and VARs can be explained by missing anticipation in VARs. When re-estimating the two models (with and without anticipation) for non-defense related expenditures, we find a positive consumption response for both models. The implications of our results for macroeconomic theory are briefly discussed.
The role of R & D in new firm growth December 2008

Innovative start-ups are an important driver of economic growth. This article presents empirical evidence on the effects of R&D on new product development, inter-firm alliances and employment growth during the early life course of firms. We use a dataset that contains a sample of new firms that is representative for the whole population of start-ups. This dataset covers the first six years of the life course of firms. R&D reveals to play several roles during the early life course of high tech as well as high growth firms. The effect of initial R&D on high tech firm growth runs via increasing levels of inter-firm alliances in the first post-entry years. R&D efforts enable the exploitation of external knowledge. Initial R&D also stimulates new product development later on in the life course of high tech firms, but this does not seem to affect firm growth. R&D does not affect the growth rate of new low tech firms, which seems to be driven mainly by the growth ambitions of the founding entrepreneur. The results show that R&D matters for a limited but important set of new high tech and high growth firms, which are key in innovation and entrepreneurship policies. JEL-classification: D21, L23, L25, L26, M13
Salt Bridge Switching from Arg290/Glu167 to Arg290/ATP Promotes the Closed-to-Open Transition of the P2X2 Receptor

P2X receptors are trimeric adenosine-5’-triphosphate (ATP)-gated cation channels involved in fast signal transduction in many cell types. In this study, we used homology modeling of the rat P2X2 receptor with the zebrafish P2X4 X-ray template to determine that the side chains of the Glu167 and Arg290 residues are in close spatial vicinity within the ATP-binding pocket when the rat P2X2 channel is closed. Through charge reversal mutation analysis and mutant cycle analysis, we obtained evidence that Glu167 and Arg290 form an electrostatic interaction. In addition, disulfide trapping indicated the close proximity of Glu167 and Arg290 when the channel is in the closed state, but not in the ATP-bound open state. Consistent with a gating-induced movement that disrupts the Glu167/Arg290 salt bridge, a comparison of the closed and open rat P2X2 receptor models revealed a significant rearrangement of the protein backbone and the side chains of the Glu167 and Arg290 residues during the closed-to-open transition. The associated release of the Glu167/Arg290 salt bridge during channel opening allows a strong ionic interaction between Arg290 and a γ-phosphate oxygen of ATP. We conclude from these results that the state-dependent salt bridge switching from Arg290/Glu167 to Arg290/ATP fulfills a dual role: to destabilize the closed state of the receptor and to promote the ionic coordination of ATP in the ATP-binding pocket.
Apprenticeship Learning for Model Parameters of Partially Observable Environments

We consider apprenticeship learning -- i.e., having an agent learn a task by observing an expert demonstrating the task -- in a partially observable environment when the model of the environment is uncertain. This setting is useful in applications where the explicit modeling of the environment is difficult, such as a dialogue system. We show that we can extract information about the environment model by inferring action selection process behind the demonstration, under the assumption that the expert is choosing optimal actions based on knowledge of the true model of the target environment. Proposed algorithms can achieve more accurate estimates of POMDP parameters and better policies from a short demonstration, compared to methods that learns only from the reaction from the environment.
Genetic and Functional Analysis of the DLG4 Gene Encoding the Post-Synaptic Density Protein 95 in Schizophrenia

Hypofunction of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor-mediated signal transduction has been implicated in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. Post-synaptic density protein 95 (PSD95) plays a critical role in regulating the trafficking and activity of the NMDA receptor and altered expression of the PSD95 has been detected in the post-mortem brain of patients with schizophrenia. The study aimed to examine whether the DLG4 gene that encodes the PSD95 may confer genetic susceptibility to schizophrenia. We re-sequenced the core promoter, all the exons, and 3′ untranslated regions (UTR) of the DLG4 gene in 588 Taiwanese schizophrenic patients and conducted an association study with 539 non-psychotic subjects. We did not detect any rare mutations at the protein-coding sequences of the DLG4 gene associated with schizophrenia. Nevertheless, we identified four polymorphic markers at the core promoter and 5′ UTR and one single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) at the 3′UTR of the DLG4 gene in this sample. Genetic analysis showed an association of a haplotype (C–D) derived from 2 polymorphic markers at the core promoter (odds ratio = 1.26, 95% confidence interval = 1.06–1.51, p = 0.01), and a borderline association of the T allele of the rs13331 at 3′UTR with schizophrenia (odds ratio = 1.19, 95% confidence interval = 0.99–1.43, p = 0.06). Further reporter gene assay showed that the C-D-C-C and the T allele of the rs13331 had significant lower activity than their counter parts. Our data indicate that the expression of the DLG4 gene is subject to regulation by the polymorphic markers at the core promoter region, 5′ and 3′UTR of the gene, and is associated with the susceptibility of schizophrenia.
Balancing Delays and Energy Consumption in IPS-Enabled Networks

We are witnessing a growing interest around the cost of security in terms of energy consumption. For instance, in wired networking, some proposals have been put forward to try to balance the efficacy of intrusion detection with the need to save energy dynamically, by changing the amount of resources dedicated to security analysis and routing on the basis of current load. These hybrid energy-aware Routers/Intrusion Prevention Systems have the ability to combine the packet forwarding activity with the possibility to perform packet inspection according to the actual energy availability, in such a way that allows sanitizing the traffic and save routing energy. However, while this allows early detection and discard of malicious packets, it may, on the other side, introduce additional delays in the packet delivery. In this paper we empirically assess to which extent the aggressive packet analysis needed to achieve substantial energy savings impacts upon the delay in the packet delivery.
Digital Democracy: Discourse and Decision Making in the Information Age

From the Publisher: Is direct democracy in the age of remote communication possible? Examining the impact of information and communication technologies (ICTs) and their consequences for political institutions, Digital Democracy offers a critical assessment of the concept of an emergent electronic democracy. The international contributors discuss concepts and issues such as democracy and cyberspace, local democracy, global control and interactive ICTs. Investigating the impact of technology on government, they examine the implications of televising the British House of Commons, the effects of ICTs on political parties, and issues surrounding the use of closed-circuit television. Finally, they explore the relationship between ICTs and citizenship with chapters covering democracies online as well as ways to strengthen communities in the Information Age. text for diverse courses on the social and policy implication of ICTs. " --Leslie Regan Shade, Univ. of Ottawa for Canadian Journal of Communication, Vol. 24, 1999
Measuring Wealth Mobility

In the economic literature on mobility measurement issues are generally disregarded. The aim of the paper is to assess their impact on the analysis of Italian households' mobility across the wealth distribution in the 1989-2004 period. The paper shows that response (or measurement) errors and transitory shocks may account up to 30-50 per cent of the observed mobility (depending on the index used). Moreover, also the dynamics of mobility is likely to be biased by the dynamics of response (or measurement) errors. In the case of Italy, the declining level of observed mobility is downward biased by the increasing difficulty in measuring household wealth (which results in an increase of response errors). Measurement issues appear to be more important than socio-demographic characteristics to explain mobility.
MMP-1 is a prognostic marker for hematogenous metastasis of colorectal cancer.

BACKGROUND Degradation of basement membrane and extracellular matrix by matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) is believed to be an essential step in the complicated process of hematogenous metastasis. MMP-1 is a member of collagenases, a family of MMPs that degrades collagens type I, II, and III, main components of the interstitial stroma. The purpose of this study was to investigate the expression of MMP-1 in colorectal cancer and its correlation with hematogenous metastasis. Patients and Methods. We examined 133 cases of colorectal cancer (Dukes A: 72; Dukes B: 26; Dukes C: 23; Dukes D: 12). Sections were cut from formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded samples containing the deepest site of cancer invasion and stained immunohistochemically with a monoclonal antibody to MMP-1. According to the area of the tumor that was stained, patients were divided into high- and low-MMP-1 expression groups. RESULTS MMP-1 expression was observed in the cytoplasm of cancer cells, some stromal cells, and a few normal epithelial cells of colonic mucosa. High MMP-1 expression was found in 47 (35.3%) cases and low in 86 (64.7%). Hematogenous metastasis was identified in 14 (29.8%) of high-MMP-1 groups and 12 (13.9%) of low-MMP-1 groups. MMP-1 expression significantly correlated with hematogenous metastasis of colorectal cancer, but no correlation was found between MMP-1 expression and the other clinicopathological features investigated. CONCLUSIONS MMP-1 expression may be a novel marker for hematogenous metastasis of colorectal cancer, and its inhibition may be a strategy for prevention of metastasis.