Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Correlation between anti-V3 peptide and neutralizing antibodies in plasma from HIV-1 infected individuals resident in Brazil.

A study was conducted of the reactivity of 85 plasma samples from HIV-1 seropositive persons living in Brazil. Five HIV-1 plasma samples had synthetic peptides from the V3 region isolates (IIIB, MN, SC, WMJ-2, and RF). There was a low reactivity (59%) with HIV-1 isolate MN derived PND peptides, while most studies report a 90% or higher reactivity. Brazilian HIV-1 seropositive sera had lower reactivity with MN isolate PND peptides than sera from other countries. Researchers used 5 HIV-1 MN isolate PND peptides from other sources to analyze the same plasma to confirm the study's results. The HIV-1 MN isolate PND peptides had different amino acid sequences, but all had the GPGR top of the V3 loop. 52% of the Brazilian plasma recognized V3 peptides, 55% for 48 peptides, 56% for C52 peptides, and 49% for C53 pep tides. Only 27% of the Brazilian plasma recognized the C54 peptide. There was considerable overlapping reactivity, however. For example, 65% of the V3 MN reactive plasma also recognized the C52 MN peptide and the C53 MN peptide. The overlap between C52 MN and C53 MN was 69%. These findings suggest that, in the Brazilian study population, at least 2 different anti-MN-PND antibody specificities directed against amino acid sequences including the GPGR top of the V3 loop exist (an epitope including PNY[NKRKRIHIGPGR] and the epitope including [KRKRIHIGPGR]AFY). 86% of the plasma reacted with at least 20% of the MN PND peptides, which equals reactivities in other studies. 96% of the Brazilian plasma were positive for neutralizing antibodies based on overlap of peptide recognition and HIV-1 MN isolate neutralization (titers = 1:100-1:52,600). Recognition of the V3 loop of the HIV-1 MN isolate in sera from HIV-1 positive persons in Brazil has two different antibody specificities. Most of the Brazilian plasma recognize the N terminal arm, which consists of the GPGR top of the V3 loop.
Writing with Significance!

 The insights from these studies have drawn attention to.  These findings demonstrate how/that.  A major contribution of these studies has been to increase our understanding of.  The findings across these studies have provided strong evidence for.  These research studies on X have contributed to a better understanding of Y.  These research findings have led to a deeper undertanding of X, by highlighting that.
Tests of the fund accounting model for local governments

Abstract. This study examines the association between an index of compliance with the fund model and bond risk measures. Several additional factors were posited to be associated with bond risk and to be correlated with the fund index. These variables were included in the analysis to control for possible spurious results. The results were consistent with the hypothesis that the fund accounting model provides information associated with creditor decisions. The fund index was negatively correlated with systematic and total bond risk after controlling for other factors. The index contributed marginally in explaining the variation in measures of risk for a sample of 214 cities. The results were insensitive to several alternative models that were examined but that are not reported in detail in the study. RA©sumA©. Cette A©tude porte sur le lien entre un indice de conformitA© au modA¨le de comptabilitA© par fonds et les mesures de risque obligataire. Plusieurs facteurs A©taient supposA©s Aatre reliA©s au risque obligataire et correlA©s avec l'indice de fonds. Ces variables ont A©tA© incorporA©es A l'analyse afin de contrA´ler la possibilitA© de rA©sultats trompeurs. Les rA©sultats ont rA©vA©lA© une cohA©rence avec l'hypothA¨se voulant que le modA¨le de comptabilitA© par fonds fournisse de l'information reliA©e aux dA©cisions des crA©anciers. L'indice de fonds A©tait correlA© nA©gativement au risque obligataire, systA©matique et total, en contrA´lant l'effet des autres variables. L'indice n'a pu expliquer*** la variation des mesures de risque pour un A©chantillon de deux cents quatorze municipalitA©s. Les rA©sultats n'ont pas A©tA© affectA©s par l'utilisation de diverses variantes de modA¨les qui, sans avoir A©tA© l'objet d'un compte rendu dA©taillA©, furent examinA©s dans le cadre de cette A©tude.
Fair value measurements of exchange-traded funds

Purpose – This paper aims to investigate the extent to which different prices within the bid-ask spread are used for fair value measurements and evaluate the potential consequences thereof. Design/methodology/approach – The paper investigates different Level 1 fair value measurements of exchange-traded funds’ (ETFs) equity investments. Using descriptive methods, it compares actual and stated fair value measurement policies. In addition, comparative value relevance of these measurements is investigated in regression analysis. Findings – Most fair value measurements are based on closing prices, but stated accounting policies and actual measurements frequently differ. Results also show that the bid-close spread of underlying investments is value-relevant in determining the bid-close spreads of ETFs themselves. Research limitations/implications – Findings are specific to unleveraged ETFs, the sample country and sample period used and only apply to investments in listed equities. Conclusions from this study ma.
Japanese Yen as an Alternative Vehicle Currency in Asian Countries

Members of Asian countries have been thinking about using another currency instead of the US dollar for regional trade. Hence, there is a strong case to study the Japanese yen as an alternative hard currency in this region for trade transaction. This paper investigates the long run cointegration to determine the possibility and feasibility to use yen as a future vehicle currency in the Asian region namely Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines, China, Korea and India by examining their daily exchange rate movements denominated in yen. Empirical evidence shows that four out of eight countries, namely, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Korea are the countries that support this hypothesis.
The effect of tendon vibration on motor unit activity, intermuscular coherence and force steadiness in the elbow flexors of males and females

Compartmentalized responses in motor unit (MU) activity of the short head (SH) and long head (LH) of the biceps brachii are observed following forearm position change. Differential muscle spindle afferent distribution has been proposed as a potential mechanism underlying this behaviour. Tendon vibration is an effective, non‐invasive method of increasing muscle spindle afferent activity of a target muscle group offering a paradigm in which this hypothesis may be investigated further.
ICT, BUSINESS SERVICES AND LABOUR PRODUCTIVITY GROWTH

This paper focuses on the diffusion of knowledge intensive business services (KIBS) in relation to information and communication technology-based innovations and their effect on productivity growth. Intermediate purchases of KIBS by any other industry determine the extent of KIBS diffusion. This diffusion is seen as part of the broader process of organisational innovations. We find a significant positive relation between this measure of KIBS diffusion and the intensity of information technology (IT). Not only do use of IT and KIBS both contribute positively to labour productivity growth, we also find that the combination of these two inputs adds further to productivity growth for the aggregate economy.
On the design of incentive mechanisms in the presence of externalities.

In a world of ever increasing interrelations among people, firms and countries, externalities become more and more significant as time passes by and, consequently, incentive schemes that overlook them will fail to fulfil their objectives. This dissertation analyses how those schemes are affected by the presence of externalities by focusing on some special cases. Depending on the type of externality involved, the cases can be labelled as either "endogenous" (if it is created by the designer's choice of scheme) or "exogenous" (otherwise). The analysis of the latter case finds that delegation of contracting rights improves the efficiency of a multi-agent organisation because it closes the gap between society's and agents' marginal benefits. The analysis of endogenous externalities, on the other hand, shows that sometimes the designer's optimal action is to create an externality between agents and to take full advantage of the new interactions thus generated. These findings indicate that when externalities are present incentive schemes can be radically affected and, moreover, that the mechanism designer may have incentives to create externalities between agents in order to advance her goals. These effects are illustrated using leading examples and experimental data.
Determinants and Outcomes of Internet Marketing Activities of Exporting Firms

Abstract This study provides a conceptual model that incorporates the determinants and outcomes of Internet marketing activities of large- and small-sized exporting firms and empirically analyzes it. The empirical results show that characteristics of the firm, product, channel and environment influence the degree of international Internet marketing activities of exporting firms. Moreover, they illustrate that there is a significant difference in the impact of determinants between one group of Internet marketing activities-Internet marketing research, Internet promotion, and Internet product support services, and the other group-Internet product development and Internet distribution. The results also demonstrate that international Internet marketing activities of exporting firms influence their marketing performance.
Stability of Vinblastine Sulfate When Exposed to Light

knowledge of their serum drug levels according to the protocol established at our service. " The two groups were comparable regarding their clinical characteristics and the daily dose of theophylline, with no significant differences between them (p = 0.3). Evaluation of the degree of compliance was performed by direct and indirect methods,' indirectly through questions asked of the patients and their relatives and directly through serum theophylline levels. This was employed to estimate the degree of compliance using the level to dose ratio as a criterion measurement. Previously, a reference interval was established for this ratio, predicted as a function of population pharmacokinetic parameters according to the formulation of theophylline used. When the level to dose ratio was included within this reference interval, the patient was considered to be compliant. In the rapid-release formulations the reference interval for the level to dose ratio was established as a function of the sampling time. The serum theophylline concentration at steady state (Css) at time t after oral administration assuming a single-compartment model is described in the following equation: f • D k [e'ke1t e·•t I Css = ----v;;(ka-kel) (I-e·kel' (I-e·k. ,
STARDUST: A Code for the Simulation of Particle Tracks on Arrays of Sensitive Volumes With Substrate Diffusion Currents

This paper describes STARDUST, a new Monte Carlo code dedicated to the simulation of particle tracks on imaging detector arrays. The geometrical detector model, the particle parameters sampling method, the particle tracking and energy deposition and, finally, the carrier collection by diffusion currents in the substrate are described in detail. Some examples of simulations are given at the end, together with a comparison between COROT satellite data and simulation results.
A scale to measure quality of supported employment for persons with severe mental illness

Objective: Fidelity scales, which are instruments for measuring implementation of a program practice, are sorely needed as the mental health field increasingly moves toward adoption of evidence-based practices. We examined the psychometric properties of a new fidelity scale developed for assessing supported employment for people with severe mental illness. Study design: Telephone surveys were conducted in 5 states using the 33-item Quality of Supported Employment Implementation Scale (QSEIS) and the 15-item Individual Placement and Support (IPS) Fidelity Scale. We interviewed program directors for 144 vocational programs, including 106 supported employment programs and 38 programs offering vocational services other than supported employment. Results: Internal consistency for the total QSEIS was 0.72. For 27 (82%) of the QSEIS items, at least one-third of the supported employment sites were rated as fully implemented, suggesting concordance between the operating principles of supported employment as practiced in the field and the content of the QSEIS. Factor analysis yielded 5 interpretable factors: Job Placement, Integration with Mental Health Treatment, Long-Term Support, Teamwork, and Engagement. Supported employment differed from other vocational services, especially with respect to job placement in competitive employment and long-term support in these jobs. Concurrent validity was suggested by a 0.85 correlation between the QSEIS and the IPS Fidelity Scale. Conclusions: Fidelity scales are an essential component of an evidence-based practice. Surveys based on psychometrically adequate fidelity scales, such as the QSEIS, can foster greater understanding to the extent of implementation of such practices. For local, state, and national surveys of supported employment, it is incumbent that researchers and program planners use the QSEIS or instruments like it to describe vocational services.
Effect of testosterone administration on liver fat in older men with mobility limitation: results from a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND Androgen receptor (AR) knockout male mice display hepatic steatosis, suggesting that AR signaling may regulate hepatic fat. However, the effects of testosterone replacement on hepatic fat in men are unknown. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of testosterone administration on hepatic fat in older men with mobility limitation and low testosterone levels who were participating in a randomized trial (the Testosterone in Older Men trial). METHODS Two hundred and nine men with mobility limitation and low total or free testosterone were randomized in the parent trial to either placebo or 10-g testosterone gel daily for 6 months. Hepatic fat was determined by magnetic resonance imaging in 73 men (36 in placebo and 37 in testosterone group) using the volumetric method. Insulin sensitivity (homeostatic model assessment-insulin resistance) was derived from fasting glucose and insulin. RESULTS Baseline characteristics were similar between the two groups, including liver volumes (1583 ± 363 in the testosterone group vs 1522 ± 271 mL in the placebo group, p = .42). Testosterone concentrations increased from 250 ± 72 to 632 ± 363 ng/dL in testosterone group but did not change in placebo group. Changes in liver volume during intervention did not differ significantly between groups (p = .5) and were not related to on-treatment testosterone concentrations. The change in homeostatic model assessment-insulin resistance also did not differ significantly between groups and was not related to either baseline or change in liver fat. CONCLUSION Testosterone administration in older men with mobility limitation and low testosterone levels was not associated with a reduction in hepatic fat. Larger trials are needed to determine whether testosterone replacement improves liver fat in men with nonalcoholic hepatic steatosis.
Detection of migration of locally implanted AC133+ stem cells by cellular magnetic resonance imaging with histological findings

This study investigated the factors responsible for migration and homing of magnetically labeled AC133+ cells at the sites of active angiogenesis in tumor. AC133+ cells labeled with ferumoxide‐protamine sulfate were mixed with either rat glioma or human melanoma cells and implanted in flank of nude mice. An MRI of the tumors including surrounding tissues was performed. Tumor sections were stained for Prussian blue (PB), platelet‐derived growth factor (PDGF), hypoxia‐inducible factor‐1α (HIF‐1α), stromal cell derived factor‐1 (SDF‐1), matrix metalloproteinase‐2 (MMP‐2), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and endothelial markers. Fresh snap‐frozen strips from the central and peripheral parts of the tumor were collected for Western blotting. MRIs demonstrated hypointense regions at the periphery of the tumors where the PB+/AC133+ cells were positive for endothelial cells markers. At the sites of PB+/AC133+ cells, both HIF‐1α and SDF‐1 were strongly positive and PDGF and MMP‐2 showed generalized expression in the tumor and surrounding tissues. There was no significant association of PB+/AC133+ cell localization and VEGF expression in tumor cells. Western blot demonstrated strong expression of the SDF‐1, MMP‐2, and PDGF at the peripheral parts of the tumors. HIF‐1α was expressed at both the periphery and central parts of the tumor. This work demonstrates that magnetically labeled cells can be used as probes for MRI and histological identification of administered cells. —Arbab, A. S. , Janic, B. , Knight, R. A. , Anderson, S. A. , Pawelczyk, E. , Rad, A. M. , Read, E. J., Pandit, S. D. , Frank, J. A. Detection of migration of locally implanted AC133+ stem cells by cellular magnetic resonance imaging with histological findings. FASEB J. 22, 3234–3246 (2008)
SMME owners' financial literacy and business growth

The study sought to investigate a possible relationship between SMME owners’ financial literacy and business growth. Relationships between the SMME owners’ financial literacy and several aspects of possible business growth along the broad dimensions of financial, strategic and structural growth were also explored. To achieve this though, the study had to first establish whether SMME owners were financially literate or otherwise and whether their businesses showed some forms of growth. Primary data was collected in a cross-sectional manner, from a sample of small businesses drawn from a local chamber of commerce in the Gauteng Province of South Africa. The study empirically demonstrated that most small businesses showed signs of growth. The growth signs were however, predominantly along the financial and strategic growth dimensions rather than the structural dimension. Indeed, along the more tangible structural dimension, majority of SMMEs seemed to have stagnated. Curiously, the study was unable to demonstrate that a statistically significant relationship existed between owners’ financial literacy and the broad construct of business growth. Even when this broad construct was decomposed into different growth indicators drawn from the financial, strategic and structural growth dimensions, similar statistically insignificant relationships seemed to exist between the owner’s financial literacy and each of them, individually; the superficial interpretation of which could be that financial literacy of the SMME owner bears no relationship with the growth of the business; especially if finance experts can be retained as consultants or employees by the business. DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2013. v4n13p397
Biotechnology risks and benefits: Science instructor perspectives and practices

GARDNER, GRANT EAN. Biotechnology Risks and Benefits: Science Instructor Perspectives and Practices. (Under the direction of M. Gail Jones.) Developing scientifically literate students who understand the socially contextualized nature of science and technology is a national focus of science education reform. Understanding teachers’ views on this topic is of equal importance. This document focuses on the topic of risks and benefits posed by science and technology as an important topic for which the socially contextualized nature of science and technology readily emerges. Following introduction of a theoretical model and a review of the literature, two research studies are described that examined teachers’ perceptions of the risks posed by biotechnology and the role of risk topics in an undergraduate science course. The first research study examines four groups of science educators; pre-service science teachers, in-service science teachers, science graduate teaching assistants, and science professors (n = 91). The participants completed a survey and card sort task to determine their perceptions of the risks of biotechnology. The results show that teacher perceptions were shaped by the risk severity, regulation processes, public acceptance, fear, reciprocal benefits, and whether the applications would impact humans or the environment. Factors determining risk perception included personal worldviews, trust in communicating institutions, and personal experiences with biotechnology. The different types of science teachers were compared and contrasted in light of these factors and the implications of instructor perceptions on science pedagogy are discussed. The second research manuscript describes a case study in which six biology graduate teaching assistants (GTAs) were observed teaching as lesson on the potential risks and benefits of biotechnology. The data sources included classroom observations and semistructured interviews. Qualitative analysis reveals that GTAs framed the instruction of risk in one of three ways: analytical, focus on perspectives and biases, and promotion of individual reflection. Interview results suggest that GTAs had a much richer understanding of the importance of the teaching of social aspects of science and technology than emerged in their teaching. Results are discussed in the context of the disconnect between the GTA’s teaching practice and perspectives. Biotechnology Risks and Benefits: Science Instructor Perspectives and Practices by Grant Ean Gardner A dissertation submitted to the Graduate Faculty of North Carolina State University In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy
Evidence, Uncertainty, and Wicked Problems in Climate Change Decision Making in Australia

Policy makers have had great difficulty in understanding and responding effectively to complex or ‘wicked’ problems. Contentious policy initiatives are hard to implement when knowledge bases are divergent and incomplete, when short-term interests conflict with long-term benefits, and when problems are construed or framed in very different ways. These features of wicked problems have been central in Australian debates about initiatives to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to address the likely impacts of climate change. Given the closely interconnected nature of social, technical, legal—political, economic, and natural-resource issues, the political challenges of managing adaptive change are numerous. A strategic adaptation framework is necessary to complement ongoing mitigation efforts directed at greenhouse gas reduction. Strategic innovation requires pluralistic and adaptive processes, such as multistakeholder forums, consideration of scenario analyses, and the use of boundary organizations. In light of the highly contested nature of the issues, the multiple bases of knowledge and interests, and the provisional nature of adaptation choices, there are major policy governance challenges facing the Australian government and stakeholders in grappling with climate adaptation.