Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Land Reform for Peace? Rwanda's 2005 Land Law in Context

A decade ago, Rwanda embarked on a major land reform programme. The government envisaged a new land law, supported by a land policy, and claimed that the new tenure system would contribute to enhancing food production, social equity and the prevention of conflict. The Land Law was finally passed in the summer of 2005. The UK Department for International Development (DFID) has taken on significant responsibility for monitoring the reform programme. This article provides a contextualized reading of the new Law. It argues that its emphasis on the obligation to consolidate fragmented family plots and register them will exacerbate social tension, but that some of the potential for social strife may be reduced because the state will allow flexibility in how the Land Law is implemented.
A Selective Inverse Agonist for Central Cannabinoid Receptor Inhibits Mitogen-activated Protein Kinase Activation Stimulated by Insulin or Insulin-like Growth Factor 1

In the present study, we showed that Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells transfected with human central cannabinoid receptor (CB1) exhibit high constitutive activity at both levels of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and adenylyl cyclase. These activities could be blocked by the CB1-selective ligand, SR 141716A, that functions as an inverse agonist. Moreover, binding studies showed that guanine nucleotides decreased the binding of the agonist CP-55,940, an effect usually observed with agonists, whereas it enhanced the binding of SR 141716A, a property of inverse agonists. Unexpectedly, we found that CB1-mediated effects of SR 141716A included inhibition of MAPK activation by pertussis toxin-sensitive receptor-tyrosine kinase such as insulin or insulin-like growth factor 1 receptors but not by pertussis toxin-insensitive receptor-tyrosine kinase such as the fibroblast growth factor receptor. We also observed similar results when cells were stimulated with Mas-7, a mastoparan analog, that directly activates the Gi protein. Furthermore, SR 141716A inhibited guanosine 5′-0-(thiotriphosphate) uptake induced by CP-55,940 or Mas-7 in CHO-CB1 cell membranes. This indicates that, in addition to the inhibition of autoactivated CB1, SR 141716A can deliver a biological signal that blocks the Gi protein and consequently abrogates most of the Gi-mediated responses. By contrast, SR 141716A had no effect on MAPK activation by insulin or IGF1 in CHO cells lacking CB1 receptors, ruling out the possibility of a direct interaction of SR 141716A with the Gi protein. This supports the notion that the Gi protein may act as a negative intracellular signaling cross-talk molecule. From these original results, which considerably enlarge the biological properties of the inverse agonist, we propose a novel model for receptor/ligand interactions.
[The effect of sulbactam on the in vitro activity of mezlocillin, piperacillin and cefotaxime].

The in vitro activity of mezlocillin (MZL, CAS 51481-65-3), piperacillin (PIP, CAS 61477-96-1) and cefotaxim (CTX, CAS 63527-52-6) alone and in combination with sulbactam (SBT; CAS 68373-14-8) against mezlocillin-resistant pathogens was determined in a multicenter study. A total of 870 strains were investigated (481 Enterobacteriaceae, 57 Pseudomonas aeruginos, 41 Acinetobaster spp., 194 Bacteroides fragilis, and 97 Staphylococcus spp.). Determinations of MIC were performed according to DIN-guidelines (agar-dilution method for aerobes and microbroth-dilution method for anaerobes). Sulbactam was added in fixed concentrations of 5 mg/l and 10 mg/l. In all sulbactam-combinations examined mean MIC as well as MIC50 and MIC90 were reduced compared to the respective values for the antibiotics alone. Consequently, percentages of susceptible strains increased significantly: i.e. for Enterobacteriaceae: MZL 1% vs. MZL + 10 mg/l SBT 53%; PIP 4% vs. PIP + 10 mg/l SBT 54%; CTX 52% vs. CTX + 10 mg/l SBT 68%. The effect of sulbactam was most pronounced in Bacteroides spp. with an increase in susceptible strains from 2% to 97% for MZL, from 6% to 95% for PIP and from 7% to 98% for CTX. The results indicate that by adding sulbactam the in vitro activity of mezlocillin, piperacillin and cefotaxim against resistant pathogens is augmented significantly. In addition, the spectrum of antibacterial activity is extended to anaerobic pathogens such as Bacteroides spp. The availability of sulbactam as a monosubstance for combination with various beta-lactam-antibiotics thus represents a useful improvement of therapeutic options in bacterial infections.
The aerodynamics of vowel nasality and nasalization in Brazilian Portuguese

Brazilian Portuguese (BP) is thought to possess contrastive nasal vowels that are different from contextually nasalized vowels in its phonological system. Aerodynamic data (nasal and oral airflow) of 11 native speakers show that interspeaker variability is important in this language with regard to the nasal airflow ratio of tautosyllabic nasal vowels (TNVs; campo [kɐ̃ pʊ] ‘field’) and heterosyllabic nasalized vowels (HNVs; cama [kamɐ] or [kãmɐ] ‘bed’). This shows that TNVs are not thoroughly differentiated from HNVs in production throughout the whole duration of the vowels, and speaker-specific variability is important, thus suggesting that vowel nasality has not reached a fully contrastive status in this language. Stage of assimilation of nasality on the vowel in the evolution of the phonological system is suggested as the explanation for the observed differences between HNV and TNV and the apparently ambiguous status of vowel nasality in BP.
Current Account Adjustment and Capital Flows

This paper examines episodes of current account adjustment in industrial countries over the past 30 years. We find that they were typically associated with a sizeable slowdown in domestic growth and a large exchange rate depreciation. There was no discernable change in the nature of capital flows in the period just prior to an adjustment, with the possible exception of non-residents' holdings of currency and deposits. This suggests that a current account adjustment may be an endogenous event - responding to the resolution of domestic imbalances - rather than an exogenous event where the size of the current account deficit itself precipitates the adjustment in the domestic economy and the exchange rate. Econometric evidence suggests that global developments trigger the adjustment, possibly because they trigger the unwinding of the domestic imbalances. We find that the bulk of the ex post adjustment of the financial account was in private sector flows, primarily on the part of foreign investors. Finally, we document some notable differences in the adjustment of the current account in the United States in 1987 compared with that observed in the other episodes.
Hydrolysis of Biological Peptides by Human Angiotensin-converting Enzyme-related Carboxypeptidase*

Human angiotensin-converting enzyme-related carboxypeptidase (ACE2) is a zinc metalloprotease whose closest homolog is angiotensin I-converting enzyme. To begin to elucidate the physiological role of ACE2, ACE2 was purified, and its catalytic activity was characterized. ACE2 proteolytic activity has a pH optimum of 6.5 and is enhanced by monovalent anions, which is consistent with the activity of ACE. ACE2 activity is increased ∼10-fold by Cl− and F− but is unaffected by Br−. ACE2 was screened for hydrolytic activity against a panel of 126 biological peptides, using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry detection. Eleven of the peptides were hydrolyzed by ACE2, and in each case, the proteolytic activity resulted in removal of the C-terminal residue only. ACE2 hydrolyzes three of the peptides with high catalytic efficiency: angiotensin II (1-8) (k cat/K m = 1.9 × 106 m −1 s−1), apelin-13 (k cat/K m = 2.1 × 106 m −1s−1), and dynorphin A 1–13 (k cat/K m = 3.1 × 106 m −1 s−1). The ACE2 catalytic efficiency is 400-fold higher with angiotensin II (1-8) as a substrate than with angiotensin I (1-10). ACE2 also efficiently hydrolyzes des-Arg9-bradykinin (k cat/K m = 1.3 × 105 m −1 s−1), but it does not hydrolyze bradykinin. An alignment of the ACE2 peptide substrates reveals a consensus sequence of: Pro-X (1–3 residues)-Pro-Hydrophobic, where hydrolysis occurs between proline and the hydrophobic amino acid.
Islet T cells secreting IFN-gamma in NOD mouse diabetes: arrest by p277 peptide treatment.

Non-obese diabetic (NOD) mice spontaneously develop insulin-dependent (type 1) diabetes mellitus (IDDM) caused by T cells which destroy the insulin-producing islet beta-cells. Since cytokines are involved in this auto-immune beta-cell damage, we used an ELISPOT assay to enumerate the islet-associated T cells that secreted interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) or interleukin-4 (IL-4). We used mitogenic anti-CD3 antibody to activate all the T cells capable of responding, irrespective of their antigen specificity. We found that NOD females, more susceptible than males to IDDM, accumulated islet IFN-gamma producers more rapidly with age than did the males. Acceleration of male IDDM by cyclophosphamide led to a marked increase in IFN-gamma secreting islet T cells. In contrast, a decrease in IFN-gamma-producing islet T cells was associated with arrest of IDDM by administration of peptide p277 of the 60 kDa heat-shock protein (hsp60) to 12-week-old female NOD mice. The p277-treated mice later manifested a greater number of islets and fewer leukocytes per islet than did the mice treated with a bacterial hsp60 peptide. Thus, the development of diabetes could be correlated with the accumulation in the islets of T cells producing IFN-gamma, and destructive insulitis could be downregulated by the administration of a single peptide.
The school context

The goal of bibliotherapy is to use a book to help the reader understand and overcome the difficulties he or she is facing. It can be applied in different contexts. If it is applied in a school environment, we are talking about developmental bibliotherapy. The aim of this paper is to describe the basic stages of developmental bibliotherapy, to present the results of research that indicate the effectiveness of its application, as well as the results of research that refer to the inclination of teachers and associates to opt for this technique. Given that this technique is considered to be a simple, cost-effective, and effi-cient intervention, and that some teachers and associates do not venture to apply it because they lack the necessary knowledge and skills, the inclusion of bibliotherapy in college training programs could contribute to the increased readiness of pro-fessionals to use it in order to help children face challenges in a developmentally appropriate manner.
Auditee Perceptions of External Evaluations of the Use of Resources by Local Authorities

The research reported in this paper takes up Michael Power's challenge that accounting researchers should pay more attention to the perceptions of auditees and how they respond to audit regimes. The setting of the study is the intense performance assessment regime imposed on local authorities in England from 2002 to 2009, one part of which – the Use of Resources (UoR) assessment – rated the financial management capability and performance of each English local authority. The perceptions of senior local authority finance officers within the Yorkshire and the Humber region are reported, using a written questionnaire and an interview to explore the reasoning behind the chosen responses. The results are more nuanced than suggested by either the official rhetoric justifying the UoR system or by those critics who view such systems as dysfunctional. Respondents portray themselves as intelligent actors, not as passive recipients. Most learned to use the UoR process to drive performance improvement, though there is some ambiguity as to whether the improvements were genuine or solely a product of the scoring system. Though adding to workload, UoR was regarded as one of the external pressures to be managed and its requirements largely represented professional views of best practice. Three of the types of control that characterise ‘regulation inside government’ (Hood et al., 1999) – oversight, competition and contrived randomness – are seen through the perceptions of the auditees. There is some evidence of the fourth style, mutuality – working through professional networks to help local authorities improve their actual and reported performance.
The Visible Human Project

The National Library of Medicine (NLM) has long been a world leader in the archiving and distribution of the print-based images of biology and medicine. NLM has also been a pioneer in the use of computer systems to encode and distribute textual knowledge of the life sciences. NLM's Long Range Planning effort of 1985-86 foresaw a coming era where NLM's Bibliographic and factual database services would be complemented by libraries of digital images, distributed over high speed computer networks and by high capacity physical media. The NLM Planning Panel on Electronic Imaging recommended that NLM should undertake the building a digital image library consisting of computerized tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance (MR) images, and cryosection images of a representative, carefully selected and prepared male and female cadaver--the "Visible Human ProjectJ. " The male and female Visible Human data sets are now being made available through a license agreement with the NLM. The data sets are supporting a wide range of educational, diagnostic, treatment planning, and commercial uses. The value of this international resource in the public domain increases through its application. Its utility will continue to grow as related databases are attached to it, and as more attributes are given to its image elements.
Growth and dynamics of unorganised industries in Punjab

The relatively small size and limited bargaining power of small-scale units raised concerns about the survival of these units in a competitive environment. It was feared that these, mainly the unorganised ones, would be wiped-off completely unless they were given some protection in the rapidly globalising economy. But, the experience of unorganised manufacturing units has been quite different. These units expanded in terms of their contribution to employment and output. The study establishes the distinct emergence of unorganised industry in Punjab, in terms of employment, capital used and labour productivity, in sharp contrast to the scenario in other states. It further explores the structure of Punjab's unorganised industry along with examining the inter-industry patterns of growth. It also delves into the factor-use pattern through an analysis of labour mix, factor allocation and factor productivity. The study points out the existence of various impediments in the growth path of Punjab's unorganised industry. Therefore, there arises a serious need to curb these impediments if the policy makers are really interested in enabling Punjab's unorganised industry to realise its potential in the fast globalising competitive environment.
Evaluating Natural Resource Investments Under Different Model Dynamics: Managerial Insights

We focus on factors that drive the dynamics of commodity prices. We highlight the capital budgeting implications of three highly-cited, nested, multi-factor models for commodity prices that have been successful in empirical investigations. Competing assumptions regarding commodity prices and their convenience yields can account for differences close to 40% on average, and in excess of 60% in cases, in the valuation of typical natural resource investments. These value differences are found to increase with the maturity and the intrinsic value of the investment, and also with the level and the volatility of the resource's convenience yield. Resources such as oil or copper, that are used for production purposes, usually exhibit high and volatile convenience yields; thus our findings should be more relevant for decision-makers in such sectors.
Psychiatric disorders in children and adolescents after severe traumatic brain injury: a controlled study.

OBJECTIVE To study psychiatric and behavioral morbidity associated with severe traumatic brain injury (TBI). METHOD A consecutive series (n = 24) of children aged 5 through 14 years who suffered a severe TBI were matched to subjects who sustained a mild TBI and to a second matched group who sustained an orthopedic injury with no evidence of TBI. Standardized psychiatric, behavioral, and neuroimaging assessments were conducted on average 2 years after injury. RESULTS Severe TBI was associated with a significantly higher rate of current "novel" psychiatric disorders (15/24; 63%) compared with children with mild TBI (5/24; 21%) and orthopedic injury (1/24; 4%). Higher effect sizes were evident for child and adolesent self-report of internalizing symptoms rather than externalizing symptoms, for parents' report of overall behavior and internalizing symptoms rather than externalizing symptoms, and for teachers' reports of overall behavior and externalizing symptoms rather than internalizing symptoms. CONCLUSIONS Severe TBI is a profound risk factor for the development of a psychiatric disorder. Survivors should be assessed for organic personality syndrome, which is the most common psychiatric disorder after this type of injury.
Coarticulation patterns in children with developmental apraxia of speech

The aim of this study was to enhance our insight into the underlying deficit in developmental apraxia of speech (DAS). In particular, the involvement of planning and/or programming of speech movements in context was tested by analysing coarticulatory cohesion. For this purpose, second formant frequency measurements were conducted in repetitions of nonsense utterances ([ CV]C=/s,x,b,d/; V=/i,a,u/), and compared across nine children with DAS, six normally speaking (NS) children and six adult women. The results showed both intra- and intersyllabic anticipatory coarticulation in NS children and adult women, in which the intersyllabic coarticulation was stronger in NS children than in adult women. The children with DAS showed more variability as compared to NS children, made, on average, less distinction between the vowels, and showed individually idiosyncratic coarticulation patterns. These results are discussed in the light of a delay as well as a deviance of speech development in children with DAS.
House price determinants in transition and EU-15 countries

This article studies house price developments in six European countries: Croatia, Estonia, Poland, Ireland, Spain and the United Kingdom. The main goal is to explore the factors driving the rise of house prices in transition countries. Because house price increases in the last two decades are not peculiar to transition countries, the analysis is extended to three EU-15 countries that have recorded house price rises. The similarities and differences between the two groups of countries in terms of house price determinants can thus be explored. In the first part of the empirical analysis VAR is employed to detect how GDP, housing loans, interest rates and construction contribute to real house price variance. In the second part of the analysis multiple regression models are estimated. The results of both methods suggest that the driving forces behind house price inflation in both groups of countries are very similar and encompass the combined influence of house price persistence, income and interest rates.
Symposium on ‘ Nutrition in early life : new horizons in a new century ’ Session 4 : Mineral metabolism and body composition Iron status of breast-fed infants

Fe deficiency is a common nutritional disorder during infancy, particularly in low-income countries. The Fe status of a breast-fed infant is strongly influenced by the body Fe content at birth, which is determined by factors that operate before birth (maternal Fe status before and during pregnancy; infant gestational age and birth weight) and at the time of delivery (the timing of umbilical cord clamping). Delaying the clamping of the umbilical cord for 2min can increase body Fe content by approximately 33% (75mg), and results in greater Fe stores at 6 months of age. After birth, male gender and a rapid rate of weight gain are associated with lower Fe status. During the first half of infancy dietary Fe requirements depend on Fe stores at birth. For an exclusively-breast-fed full-term normal-birth-weight infant with delayed umbilical cord clamping, whose mother had adequate Fe status during pregnancy, the Fe provided from stores and breast milk is sufficient for ‡ 6 months, but before this time higher-risk infants may become Fe deficient. Fe supplementation can be beneficial for high-risk infants, but can have adverse effects on growth and morbidity of Fe-replete infants. After 6 months most breast-fed infants will require complementary foods that are rich in Fe.
Effect of niacin supplementation on rumen fermentation characteristics and nutrient flow at the duodenum in lactating dairy cows fed a diet with a negative rumen nitrogen balance

The aim of the present experiment was to ascertain if a daily niacin supplementation of 6 g/cow to lactating dairy cow diets can compensate for the decrease in rumen microbial fermentation due to a negative rumen nitrogen balance (RNB). A total of nine ruminally and duodenally fistulated lactating multiparous German Holstein cows was used. The diets consisted of 10 kg dry matter (DM) maize silage and 7 kg DM concentrate and differed as follows: (i) Diet RNB- (n = 6) with energy and utilisable crude protein (CP) at the duodenum (uCP) according to the average requirement of the animals, but with a negative RNB (−0.41 g N/MJ metabolisable energy [ME]); (ii) Diet RNB0 (n = 7) with energy, uCP, and RNB (0.08 g N/MJ ME) according to the average requirement of the animals; and (iii) Diet NA (nicotinic acid; n = 5), which was the same diet as RNB-, but supplemented with 6 g niacin/d. The negative RNB affected the rumen fermentation pattern and reduced ammonia content in rumen fluid and the daily duodenal flows of microbial CP (MP) and uCP. Niacin supplementation increased the apparent ruminal digestibility of neutral detergent fibre. The efficiency of microbial protein synthesis per unit of rumen degradable CP was higher, whereby the amount of MP reaching the duodenum was unaffected by niacin supplementation. The number of protozoa in rumen fluid was higher in NA treatment. The results indicated a more efficient use of rumen degradable N due to changes in the microbial population in the rumen when niacin was supplemented to diets deficient in RNB for lactating dairy cows.