Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Soluble triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells-1 in acute respiratory infections

Levels of the soluble form of the triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells (sTREM)-1 are elevated in severe sepsis. However, it is not known whether sTREM-1 measurements can distinguish milder bacterial infections from noninfectious inflammation. The present authors studied whether serum sTREM-1 levels differ in community-acquired pneumonia, exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma and controls, and whether sTREM-1 may be used as a surrogate marker for the need for antibiotics. Serum sTREM-1 levels in 150 patients with pneumonia, COPD and asthma exacerbations and 62 healthy controls were measured. Serum sTREM-1 levels were significantly elevated in pneumonia (median 295.2 ng·mL-1), COPD (280.3 ng·mL-1) and asthma exacerbations (184.0 ng·mL-1) compared with controls (83.1 ng·mL-1). Levels were higher in pneumonia and Anthonisen type 1 COPD exacerbations than in type 2 and 3 COPD and asthma exacerbations. The area under the receiver operating characteristics curve for sTREM-1 as a surrogate marker for the need for antibiotics was 0.77. Serum levels of the soluble form of the triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells-1 were elevated predominantly in pneumonia and Anthonisen type 1 COPD exacerbations versus type 2 and 3 chronic obstructive pulmonary disease exacerbations, asthma and controls. Serum levels of the soluble form of the triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells-1 has moderate but insufficient accuracy as a surrogate marker for the need for antibiotics in lower respiratory tract infections.
The OmniTread serpentine robot: design and field performance

This paper describes the design and performance of the OmniTread serpentine robot, developed at the University of Michigan. Serpentine robots are mobile robots that comprise of multiple rigid segments, connected by actuated joints. The segments usually have drive elements, such as wheels or tracks. To date, we have developed two versions of the OmniTread. The larger version, called OT-8, has five rigid segments and four 2-Degree-of-Freedom (2-DOF) joints, and it can drive through an 8-inch diameter opening. The OT-8 is fully functional and this paper documents experimental results for the OT-8. The smaller and newer version, called "OT-4," will have seven segments, six 2- DOF joints, and it will fit through a 4 inch diameter hole. The OT-4 is not yet completely built, but its design is mostly completed and key improvements over the OT-8 have been bench tested. The foremost and unique design characteristic of the OmniTread is the use of pneumatic bellows to actuate the joints. The pneumatic bellows allow the simultaneous control of position and stiffness for each joint. Controllable stiffness is of crucial importance in serpentine robots, which require stiff joints to cross gaps and compliant joints to conform to rough terrain for effective propulsion. Another unique feature of the OmniTread design is the maximal coverage of all four sides of each segment with driven tracks. This design makes the robot indifferent to roll-overs, which are bound to happen when the long and slen-der bodies of serpentine robots travel over rugged terrain.
Recent Developments in Home Equity Lending

The equity that has accumulated in homes is one of the largest components of U.S. household wealth. In recent years, many homeowners have borrowed large amounts against that equity, frequently to finance new consumption expenditures or pay down outstanding consumer debt. In view of the growing importance of home equity credit in household finances, the Federal Reserve has for a number of years participated in nationwide surveys of the use of home equity loans. This article presents findings from a 1997 survey and from other sources of information on home equity lending.
European Futures. The Politics and Practice of Research Policies in the European Union.

Over the past decades, research policies have gained an increasing importance in the overall strategy of the European Union. Early programmes date back to the late 1970s, but in recent years the promotion and funding of scientific research have become a central field of European governance within the wider policy drive towards the making of a ‘knowledge-economy’ in Europe. These developments are not only relevant to better understanding the process of European integration, but they also constitute an important chapter in the history of modern science. Today, EU framework programmes, the main instrument for research support at the European level, are arguably the biggest research funding scheme in the world. Moreover, European policies have introduced innovative practices of scientific collaboration and a new culture of research, which has contributed to key changes in the social and organisational dimension of science. This sociological work examines these issues at two interrelated levels of analysis. First, it explores the emergence and development of Community research policies, in the changing political, cultural and economic context from the 1970s to the present, with a focus on the main narratives that have sustained and legitimised policy choices. Particular attention is paid to the life sciences and biotechnology as a research area where important issues of European governance and political culture emerged and were negotiated. Second, it aims to gain an understanding of the ways in which policy strategies have worked out in the actual practice of scientific cooperation. To do so, the second part of the thesis discusses the results of a micro-sociological study of two transnational networks in stem cell research, funded by the European Union under the Sixth Framework Programme (2002-2006).
An Employment-Targeted Economic Program for Kenya

The Kenyan economy has experienced improved economic growth in recent years, and the government has maintained a commitment to generating 500,000 new jobs per year. But the country still faces severe problems of poverty-level employment â€“ people working full-time yet living with their families in poverty. This study develops detailed proposals for greatly expanding decent employment opportunities in Kenya, and to accomplish this in a manner that also creates a wide range of employment and business opportunities, including those for small and medium-sized enterprises, agricultural small holders, commercial banks, and microfinance institutions.
Mechanisms of Arthropod Transmission of Plant and Animal Viruses

SUMMARY A majority of the plant-infecting viruses and many of the animal-infecting viruses are dependent upon arthropod vectors for transmission between hosts and/or as alternative hosts. The viruses have evolved specific associations with their vectors, and we are beginning to understand the underlying mechanisms that regulate the virus transmission process. A majority of plant viruses are carried on the cuticle lining of a vector’s mouthparts or foregut. This initially appeared to be simple mechanical contamination, but it is now known to be a biologically complex interaction between specific virus proteins and as yet unidentified vector cuticle-associated compounds. Numerous other plant viruses and the majority of animal viruses are carried within the body of the vector. These viruses have evolved specific mechanisms to enable them to be transported through multiple tissues and to evade vector defenses. In response, vector species have evolved so that not all individuals within a species are susceptible to virus infection or can serve as a competent vector. Not only are the virus components of the transmission process being identified, but also the genetic and physiological components of the vectors which determine their ability to be used successfully by the virus are being elucidated. The mechanisms of arthropod-virus associations are many and complex, but common themes are beginning to emerge which may allow the development of novel strategies to ultimately control epidemics caused by arthropod-borne viruses.
Essays in Empirical Economics

The rst chapter investigates the theoretical and empirical e ects of increased law enforcement on the equilibrium level of bribes for the case of Albania during the period of 2005-2010. It centers on "harassment" bribes, which consist of payments for public services that by law should be free. I model bribery behavior as a negotiation process between public o cials and consumers. Recent policy changes in Albania o er a good natural experiment to test this empirically. I examine how the 2007 ne increase for corrupt behavior impacts bribery. Using a di erence in di erence methodology that compares safe left and right-governed districts, I nd that a 10 percent increase in enforcement leads to a 4.38 percent drop in bribery frequency. The second chapter assesses short and medium term impacts of sovereign, banking and currency crises on sectoral value added output for a large group of countries. Sectoral data is combined to represent the industrial, agricultural and service sectors. The e ects of crises on sectoral value added growth are negative and vary between 4-16 percent of sectoral output growth. The industrial sector seems to be a ected more by banking crises, suggesting that industry is more dependent on nance than the other sectors, while the service sector is a ected more severely by debt crises. Employment drops in agriculture are more severe and last longer as compared to services and industry. The third chapter studies soccer schedules which have recently been established based on broadcasting criteria, international FIFA dates and European cups. However,
Spatial decomposition of on-nucleus spectra of quasar host galaxies*

In order to study the host galaxies of type 1 (broad-line) quasars, we present a semi-analytic modelling method to decompose the on-nucleus spectra of quasars into nuclear and host galaxy channels. The method uses the spatial information contained in long-slit or slitlet spectra. A routine determines the best-fitting combination of the spatial distribution of the point like nucleus and extended host galaxy. This is fully complementary to a numerical spatial deconvolution technique that we applied to the same data in a previous analysis, which allows a cross-calibration of the two methods. Inputs are a simultaneously observed point spread function, and external constraints on galaxy morphology from imaging. We demonstrate the capabilities of the method to two samples of a total of 18 quasars observed with EFOSC at the ESO 3.6-m telescope and FORS 1 at the ESO VLT. ∼50 per cent of the host galaxies with successful decomposition show distortions in their rotation curves or peculiar gas velocities above normal maximum velocities for discs. This is consistent with the fraction from optical imaging. All host galaxies have quite young stellar populations, typically 1-2 Gyr. For the disc dominated hosts these are consistent with their inactive counterparts, the luminosity-weighted stellar ages are much younger for the bulge dominated hosts, compared to inactive early-type galaxies. While this presents further evidence for a connection of galaxy interaction and active galactic nucleus (AGN) activity for half of the sample, this is not clear for the other half. These are often undistorted disc dominated host galaxies, and interaction on a smaller level might be detected in deeper high-resolution images or deeper spectroscopic data. The velocity information does not show obvious signs for large scale outflows triggered by AGN feedback - the data are consistent with velocity fields created by galaxy interaction.
Up-Regulation of Proteinase-Activated Receptor 1 Expression in Astrocytes During HIV Encephalitis1

Proteinase-activated receptor 1 (PAR-1) is a G protein-coupled receptor that is activated by thrombin and is implicated in the pathogenesis of inflammation. Although PAR-1 is expressed on immunocompetent cells within the brain such as astrocytes, little is known about its role in the pathogenesis of inflammatory brain diseases. Herein, we investigated PAR-1 regulation of brain inflammation by stimulating human astrocytic cells with thrombin or the selective PAR-1-activating peptide. Activated cells expressed significantly increased levels of IL-1β, inducible NO synthase, and PAR-1 mRNA. Moreover, supernatants of these same cells were neurotoxic, which was inhibited by an N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor antagonist. Striatal implantation of the PAR-1-activating peptide significantly induced brain inflammation and neurobehavioral deficits in mice compared with mice implanted with the control peptide or saline. Since HIV-related neurological disease is predicated on brain inflammation and neuronal injury, the expression of PAR-1 in HIV encephalitis (HIVE) was investigated. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed that PAR-1 and (pro)-thrombin protein expression was low in control brains, but intense immunoreactivity was observed on astrocytes in HIVE brains. Similarly, PAR-1 and thrombin mRNA levels were significantly increased in HIVE brains compared with control and multiple sclerosis brains. These data indicated that activation and up-regulation of PAR-1 probably contribute to brain inflammation and neuronal damage during HIV-1 infection, thus providing new therapeutic targets for the treatment of HIV-related neurodegeneration.
Antihypertensive Drug and Inner Ear Perfusion: An Otologist’s Point of View

A number of labyrinthine disorders with sensorineural hearing loss, vertigo, and tinnitus are known to occur to young people without vascular risk factors, thus being classified as “idiopathic” in the absence of satisfactory explanations; in the last decade, this phenomenon has found a reliable explanation by the adverse effect of a sharp decrease of blood pressure values followed by an abnormal vasomotor regulation. This model may not only be applied to healthy subjects, but even had some confirmation in conditions possibly affecting hemodynamic changes, such as heart failure or treated hypertension. In particular, the results of a recent study on the impact of different antihypertensive therapies, which was analyzed by monitoring the onset or enhancement of tinnitus as a symptom of inner ear sufferance, unequivocally demonstrated an increased prevalence of tinnitus in subjects submitted to more “aggressive” treatments. This seems in agreement with recent observations about the model of fluid homeostasis of the inner ear, and suggests, when possible, to resort to treatments with modulatory effects in order to maintain a steady perfusion to the labyrinth thus protecting its function.
ON EGGLETON AND GUY'S CONJECTURED UPPER BOUND FOR THE CROSSING NUMBER OF THE n-CUBE

The crossing number v(G) of a graph G is the smallest integer such that there is a drawing for G with v(G) crossings of edges. Let Qn denote the n-dimensional cube. Eggleton and Guy conjectured in 1970 that v(Qn) 7, with number of crossings j§^4n - 2n2 ~ 1 2 ln+34 2 n ~ 2, establishing a new upper bound for v(Qn). Our family of drawings confirms Eggleton and Guy's conjectured upper bound when n = 7 and 8. In addition, our upper bound improves the upper bound v(Qn) < 4 n| - 2 n ~ 3 n2 - 2n~43 + (~2) n^ due to Madej.
Mixed Markets with Public Goods

We use a mixed market model for analyzing economies with public projects in which the condition of perfect competition is violated. We discuss core-equivalence results in the general framework of non-Euclidean representation of the collective goods. We show that if large traders are similar to each other, then they lose their market power and hence the equivalence theorem can be restored. This is possible assuming a cost distribution function to fix the fraction that each large or small agent is expected to cover of the total cost of providing the project. We show that, for each given individual and coalitional contribution scheme, the resulting core is equivalent to the corresponding linear cost share equilibria. Finally, we investigate on weaker equivalences when the assumption that all large traders are of the same type is dropped. An analysis of mixed markets with public goods via atomless economies is provided, joint with an extension of Schmeidler and Vind results on the measure of blocking coalitions.
Genome-Wide RNAi Screen Identifies Broadly-Acting Host Factors That Inhibit Arbovirus Infection

Vector-borne viruses are an important class of emerging and re-emerging pathogens; thus, an improved understanding of the cellular factors that modulate infection in their respective vertebrate and insect hosts may aid control efforts. In particular, cell-intrinsic antiviral pathways restrict vector-borne viruses including the type I interferon response in vertebrates and the RNA interference (RNAi) pathway in insects. However, it is likely that additional cell-intrinsic mechanisms exist to limit these viruses. Since insects rely on innate immune mechanisms to inhibit virus infections, we used Drosophila as a model insect to identify cellular factors that restrict West Nile virus (WNV), a flavivirus with a broad and expanding geographical host range. Our genome-wide RNAi screen identified 50 genes that inhibited WNV infection. Further screening revealed that 17 of these genes were antiviral against additional flaviviruses, and seven of these were antiviral against other vector-borne viruses, expanding our knowledge of invertebrate cell-intrinsic immunity. Investigation of two newly identified factors that restrict diverse viruses, dXPO1 and dRUVBL1, in the Tip60 complex, demonstrated they contributed to antiviral defense at the organismal level in adult flies, in mosquito cells, and in mammalian cells. These data suggest the existence of broadly acting and functionally conserved antiviral genes and pathways that restrict virus infections in evolutionarily divergent hosts.
An Empirical Analysis of Ricardian Equivalence and Macroeconomic Interdependence in Korea.

The dissertation research has two objectives. The first is to investigate the relevance of Ricardian equivalence to the Korean economy. The second objective is to investigate the empirical validity of the proposition of macroeconomic interdependence in Korea. The above two issues are examined by specifying and estimating a vector autoregressive (VAR) model as a compact approximation of macroeconomic reality in Korea. The nine variables selected for the VAR model are based upon theoretical and institutional considerations. Monthly Korean data for the period 1973:5-1989:11 are used in the analysis. First differencing for eight of the system variables is determined by unit root tests and further supported by cointegration tests. In addition, the Akaike information criterion leads us to select the optimal lag length of 12 months. Furthermore, an appropriate ordering of system variables is chosen based upon theoretical and institutional considerations. The dynamic effects of government debt and foreign shocks are evaluated by estimating variance decompositions (VDCs), impulse response functions (IRFs), and cumulative impulse responses (CIRFs). To estimate the standard errors of the VDCs, IRFs, and CIRFs, a Monte Carlo integration procedure is employed. The innovation accounting results appear to be fairly insensitive to alternative model specifications. Two salient features of the empirical findings are as follows. First, government debt has, at least in the short run, negative effects on macroeconomic activity in Korea. The results are generally consistent with the Ricardian equivalence hypothesis. Second, the proposition of macroeconomic interdependence is supported for the Korean economy. The innovation accounting results indicate that the Korean economy is significantly influenced by foreign output and foreign price shocks during the sample period considered here.
Efficient Competition through Cheap Talk : Competitive Search and Competing Auctions without Price Commitment

We consider a frictional two-sided matching market in which one side uses public cheaptalk announcements so as to attract the other side. We show that if the first-price auction is adopted as the trading protocol, then cheap talk can be perfectly informative, and the resulting market outcome is efficient, constrained only by search frictions. We also show that the performance of an alternative trading protocol in the cheap-talk environment depends on the level of price dispersion generated by the protocol: If a trading protocol compresses (spreads) the distribution of prices relative to the first-price auction, then an efficient fully revealing equilibrium always (never) exists. Our results identify the settings in which cheap talk can serve as an efficient competitive instrument, in the sense that the central insights from the literature on competitive search and competing auctions continue to hold unaltered even without price commitment. JEL Codes: C72, D82, D83.
Economic Preparation for Retirement

We define and estimate measures of economic preparation for retirement based on a complete inventory of economic resources while taking into account the risk of living to advanced old age and the risk of high out-of-pocket spending for health care services. We ask whether, in a sample of 66-69 year-olds, observed economic resources could support with high probability a life-cycle consumption path anchored at the initial level of consumption until the end of life. We account for taxes, widowing, differential mortality and out-of-pocket health spending risk. We find that 71% of persons in our target age group are adequately prepared according to our definitions, but there is substantial variation by observable characteristics: 80% of married persons are adequately prepared compared with just 55% of single persons. We estimate that a reduction in Social Security benefits of 30 percent would reduce the fraction adequately prepared by 7.8 percentage points among married persons and by as much as 10.7 percentage points among single persons.
Assessing product family design from an end-of-life perspective

Product family design via component sharing is a widely practiced approach for offering sufficient variety to the market in an economical way. When discussing product family design, most previous research has focused on its benefits in the design and manufacturing stages. This article highlights another important aspect of product family design: the impact of component sharing on end-of-life management. This article presents a quantitative model for assessing product family design from an end-of-life perspective. Using mixed integer programming, the developed model identifies an optimal strategy for managing product take-back and end-of-life recovery, thereby assessing the product family design in terms of its profitability in end-of-life management. Especially, the model incorporates increased component interchangeability by component sharing. A design study of a smart phone family is presented, as an illustration, and the results show that the model can assess profitability of a family design and highlight preferred family design alternatives.
Accounting Institutions Emerge Very Early in an Economy's Development

The “paper trail” of receipts and vouchers that is subsequently recorded in the journal entry provides the foundation for modern accounting. In this paper, we trace the impact of the recordkeeping function of accounting on small societies. Our tests, which use the ethnographic data in the Standard Cross-Cultural Sample (SCCS), indicate that recordkeeping is a foundational institution that originates very early in an economy’s development. Recordkeeping promotes the emergence of economic institutions such as markets, hierarchies and specialized division of labor. These economic institutions in turn foster favorable societal outcomes such as agricultural success, political stability, and investment in tangible and human capital.