Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Immune Response to Mitochondrial Autoantigens

Similar to other autoimmune diseases, there are intense humoral and cellular responses to intracytoplasmic antigens in primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC). The autoantigens against antimitochondrial antibodies (AMAs) in PBC are located on the inner mitochondrial membrane and are identified as members of the 2-oxo-acid dehydrogenase complexes (2-OADCs), of which the E2 subunit of pyruvate dehydrogenase complex (PDC-E2) is the major autoantigen; AMAs are is present in approximately 90 to 95% of PBC sera. An orchestrated immune response against the intrahepatic biliary epithelial cell (BEC) through 2-OADC-specific CD4 (+) helper T cells and CD8 (+) CTL are thought to be the major players in the immunological destruction of BECs in PBC. We believe that a prior/primary event of specific intrahepatic BEC malfunction (possibly caused by environmental insults such as xenobiotics and microorganisms) is responsible for the breaking of self-tolerance to 2-OADC and leads to BEC destruction. The generation of 2-OADC-specific T cells further accelerates the damage of BEC. In addition, immunoglobulin A AMAs may participate in the destruction of BECs by damaging mitochondria.
Trading asymmetric trend and volatility by leverage trend GARCH in Taiwan stock index

This article develops a leverage trend Generalized Autoregressive Conditional Heteroscedasticity (GARCH) model by incorporating asymmetric trend of returns of the exponential autoregressive and asymmetric volatility of GARCH models to study the asymmetric effects. Using in-sample daily data of Taiex over the period 4 January 1980 to 25 August 1997 and postsample daily data over the period 26 August 1997 to 10 September 2007, the evidence reveals that a curvaceous risk–return relationship and both asymmetric volatility and asymmetric trend of returns are significant in Taiex. The episode of asymmetric trend of returns is that the positive information creates a higher return trend than the negative information of the same amount, while similarly to most studies, the evidence of asymmetric volatility appears that the negative information makes a higher volatility than the positive information of the same size. Most remarkably, we evidence that the volatility asymmetry effect is a conservative trading factor and the return trend asymmetry effect is an active trading factor. In comparison of post-sample performance using rolling-window technique, the leverage trend GARCH model indeed outperforms the other three models with single asymmetry adjusted or without asymmetry adjusted, while the asymmetry nonadjusted model performs the worst. It implies that the return trend asymmetry (active trading) and the volatility asymmetry effects (conservative trading) tend to compensate, but not offset each other.
Exchange rates and the prices of manufacturing products imported into the United States

Local-currency prices of foreign products do not usually respond one-for-one to changes in the exchange rate. The extent and pervasiveness of this incomplete "pass-through" of exchange rates to import prices has long been debated. Yet, despite the abundance of empirical research on the relationship between exchange rates and import prices, there is little systematic evidence on the time-series dimension of pass-through that encompasses the most recent years. ; In this article, the author provides some updated estimates of the responsiveness of U.S. import prices to changes in the exchange rate in a sample of manufacturing industries over the period 1981 to 1999. Passthrough is generally incomplete, but there is a considerable degree of variation across different industries. The author also documents a decline in pass-through for the majority of examined industries in the most recent decade. While pass-through was 0.50 on average in the 1980s, it dropped to an average of about 0.25 in the 1990s. Thus, during the 1990s larger changes in the exchange rate were needed to move the dollar price of imported goods relative to the price of domestic goods. As with other studies, the author finds that it is difficult to relate the change in passthrough to macroeconomic outcomes such as the lower inflation rates achieved in many countries.
Current health of quality management practices in service sector SME: A case study of Pakistan

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to assess the current quality management practices of service sector SMEs in Pakistan, and to provide an insight for policy development for SMEs.Design/methodology/approach – A focused investigation of 100 SMEs in northern Pakistan was conducted through focused interviews and e‐mail survey. The survey is based on a list of 19 quality management techniques selected through Delphi research.Findings – A significant gap is reported between the knowledge of quality management techniques and their usage by SME entrepreneurs. The results show strong usage of CRM related techniques while low usage of suppliers' development related and statistically extensive techniques. Significant correlation is found between the usage of TQM and other quality management techniques, particularly six sigma and 5S.Practical implications – The results offer insight into quality management practices in Pakistani SMEs which represent the broader South Asian business culture that is host to a hug.
The interaction of respiration and photosynthesis in induction of nitrate reductase activity.

The respiration and photosynthesis requirement for induction and maintenance of nitrate reductase activity was determined on leaves of Hordeum vulgare L. In this induction, glucose substituted for light in both dark-grown and carbohydrate-depleted green leaves. Oxygen appeared to be required for induction in all cases studied. In light and under N(2), 3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethylurea completely inhibited induction, presumably by inhibiting the production of O(2), Hence, under N(2) the leaves appeared to utilize both the O(2) produced by photosynthesis and the CO(2) produced by respiration. CO(2) fixation can then produce both photosynthate to drive the induction and terminal electron acceptors to allow photosynthetic electron flow. This possibility was further suggested by the observation that CO(2) was an absolute requirement for induction in carbohydrate-depleted barley leaves. Results obtained with respiratory inhibitors also indicated that respiration drove the induction of nitrate reductase.Exogenously supplied glucose also substantially slowed the loss of nitrate reductase that occurred when barley leaves were placed in darkness. It is presumed that glucose allowed the synthetic or activation phase of the induction to proceed more rapidly. Our results support the hypothesis that one of the main effects of light may be to supply photosynthate to support respiration, which then drives the induction process.
Alternative Theories of Wage Dispersion

We analyze labor market models where the law of one price does not hold; i.e., models with equilibrium wage dispersion. We begin assuming workers are ex ante heterogeneous, and highlight a flaw with this approach: if search is costly, the market shuts down. We then assume workers are homogeneous but matches are ex post heterogeneous. This model is robust to search costs, and delivers equilibria equilibrium wage dispersion. However, we prove the law of two prices holds: generically we cannot get more than two wages. We explore several other models, including one combining ex ante and ex post heterogeneity; this model is robust, and can deliver more than two-point wage distributions.
The Influence of Involvement on Disaggregate Attribute Choice Models

The state of the art in applying the various disaggregate choice algorithms is to assume homogeneity of choice process within the population being analyzed. This article uses the involvement variable a priori to categorize the (sample) population into a high-involvement segment using a model that assumes a simultaneous or alternative processing approach and a low-involvement segment using a model that assumes a hierarchical or an attribute processing approach. Empirical results indicate increased predictive accuracy and diagnostic information that is more closely related to established consumer behavior theory.
Those Who Can, Do and They Teach Too: Faculty Clinical Productivity and Teaching

Objective: Academic emergency physicians (EPs) often feel that the demands of clinical productivity, income generation, and patient satisfaction conflict with educational objectives. The objective of this study was to explore whether the quality of faculty bedside teaching of residents correlated with high clinical productivity, measured by relative value units (RVUs). We also explored the strategies of high-performing faculty for optimal RVU generation and teaching performance. Methods: We performed a mixed method study using quantitative and qualitative methods to analyze the relationship between RVUs, patient satisfaction, and teaching performance. We examined the relationship between teaching performance ratings, patient satisfaction, and RVUs per hour using correlations. Following this initial analysis, we conducted semi-structured interviews with the eight faculty members who have the highest clinical (RVU) and educational productivity ratings to learn more about their strategies for success. Our Institutional Review Board approved this study. Results: We correlated resident evaluations of faculty with RVUs billed per hour. We conducted semi-structured interviews of faculty who led in both RVU productivity and resident evaluations. From these interviews, several themes emerged. When asked about how they excel in billing, most said that they pay attention to dictating a thorough chart on every patient and try to “stay busy” throughout their entire shift. When asked how they excel at resident education, most leading faculty said that they try to find a “teaching moment” and find small “clinical pearls” to pass along. Nevertheless, all eight leading faculty members believe that as the emphasis on billing productivity increases, resident and student education will suffer. Conclusion: Contrary to the opinion of some physicians, faculty can excel at both clinical productivity and resident education. This study found that highly efficient clinical productivity correlated with excellent resident teaching. This high level of performance did not appear to be at the expense of other important measures such as patient satisfaction or student teaching.
Repeat Purchase Amid Rapid Quality Improvement: Structural Estimation of Demand for Personal Computers

This paper estimates a structural model of demand for the personal computer (PC) by repeat purchasers. Taking advantage of a large data set on household-level PC purchases, the econometric model uses variation in PC holdings among PC owners to identify households' marginal values of quality improvements. The analysis only requires data on a cross-section of households along with observed PC offerings over time, and accounts for stock effects, forward-looking behavior, and large amounts of household heterogeneity. The estimates allow us to measure sensitivity to long-term and short-term price and technology changes, as well as consumer welfare changes from technological improvements. The results show a large variation in marginal values for PC quality across households, and that failing to account for forward-looking behavior results in biased estimates and a poorer fit to the data. Incorporating stock effects proves especially important because, for the data used here, the model's parameters are not only biased but also virtually impossible to pin down without them. The results also show that price elasticity is approximately 25% higher in the short term compared to the long term, and technology elasticity is approximately 35% higher in the short term compared to the long term. Furthermore, welfare measurements are significantly underestimated when using a model that does not account for forward-looking behavior. Finally, the model is extended to include first-time purchasers. The results show similar patterns, but should be interpreted with much caution owing to the likely presence of significant unobserved heterogeneity between new purchasers and repeat purchasers.
Communication and Coordination in Social Networks

I model people in a coordination game who use a communication network to tell each other their willingness to participate. The minimal sufficient networks for coordination can be interpreted as placing people into a hierarchy of social roles or "stages": "initial adopters", then "followers", and so on down to "late adopters". A communication network helps coordination in exactly two ways: by informing each stage about earlier stages, and by creating common knowledge within each stage. We then consider two examples: first we show that "low dimensional" networks can be better for coordination even though they have far fewer links than "high dimensional" networks; second we show that wide dispersion of "insurgents", people predisposed toward participation, can be good for coordination but too much dispersion can be bad.
COST-BENEFIT ANALYSIS MODEL OF BADGER (MELES MELES) CULLING TO REDUCE CATTLE HERD TUBERCULOSIS BREAKDOWNS IN BRITAIN, WITH PARTICULAR REFERENCE TO BADGER PERTURBATION

Bovine tuberculosis (TB) is an important economic disease. Badgers (Meles meles) are the wildlife source implicated in many cattle outbreaks of TB in Britain, and extensive badger control is a controversial option to reduce the disease. A badger and cattle population model was developed, simulating TB epidemiology; badger ecology, including postcull social perturbation; and TB-related farm management. An economic cost-benefit module was integrated into the model to assess whether badger control offers economic benefits. Model results strongly indicate that although, if perturbation were restricted, extensive badger culling could reduce rates in cattle, overall an economic loss would be more likely than a benefit. Perturbation of the badger population was a key factor determining success or failure of control. The model highlighted some important knowledge gaps regarding both the spatial and temporal characteristics of perturbation that warrant further research.
Heparanase-2, syndecan-1, and extracellular matrix remodeling in colorectal carcinoma

Aim To propose a quantitative method to detect heparanase-2 (HPA2) and syndecan-1 (Syn-1) using immunohistochemistry in colorectal (colon and rectal) carcinomas compared with nonneoplastic tissues and evaluate the possible role of these molecules in tumor development and extracellular remodeling. Methods Cytoplasmic staining of HPA2 and Syn-1 was obtained by standard immunohistochemical reactions in 50 colorectal carcinoma and 20 nonneoplastic large bowels tissues. An image system was used to quantify the immunoexpression by digital computer-assisted method (Matos et al. 2006). The cutoff point for the immunohistochemistry variable was defined by sensibility and specificity curves. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 13.0. Results HPA2 was over-expressed in colorectal cancer (131.1±24.9 o.u./μm2) when compared with nonneoplastic tissues (27.9±12.2 o.u./μm2) (P<0.0001). However, an opposite correlation was observed between Syn-1 and tumor presence, where colorectal tissues expressed lower Syn-1 proteoglycan compared with nonneoplastic tissues, respectively (39.2±17.8 o.u./μm2) and (102.2±25.2 o.u./μm2) (P<0.0001). Conclusion A methodology with high sensitivity and specificity is proposed with a cutoff value for HPA2 and Syn-1 in the immunohistochemistry assay to define the presence of tumor. It was demonstrated for the first time in the literature that HPA2 is over-expressed in colorectal carcinoma tissues compared with nonneoplastic tissues. HPA2 over-expression could be possibly related to Syn-1 shedding despite the fact that HPA2 does not present enzymatic activity as HPA1.
The Effect of Wage Bargains on the Stock Market Value of the Firm

The author estimates the change in the value of common stock resulting from an unexpected change in collectively bargained labor costs. Using bargaining unit wage data and NYSE stock returns, he estimates a dollar for dollar trade-off between these variables. This result is consistent with stock valuations based on present value maximizing managerial decisions; that is, the results are consistent with Hotelling's lemma. The author also finds support for the hypothesis that collective bargains maximize the sum of shareholder and union member wealth; that is, the results are consistent with strong efficiency in the contracting environment. Copyright 1989 by American Economic Association.
Crop yields, internal nutrient use efficiency, and changes in soil properties in rice-wheat rotations under non-flooded mulching cultivation

A ﬁeld experiment was conducted for 5 years to examine the eﬀects of non-ﬂooded mulching cultivation on crop yield, internal nutrient eﬃciency and soil properties in rice–wheat (R–W) rotations of the Chengdu Plain, southwest China. Compared with traditional ﬂooding (TF), non-ﬂooded plastic ﬁlm mulching (PM) resulted in 12 and 11% higher average rice ( Oryza sativa L.) yield and system productivity (combined rice and wheat yields), and the trends in rice and wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.) yields under PM were stable over time. However, non-ﬂooded wheat straw mulching (SM) decreased average rice yield by 11% compared with TF, although no signiﬁcant diﬀerence in system productivity was found between SM and TF. Uptakes of N and K by rice under PM were higher than those under TF and SM, but internal nutrient eﬃciency was signiﬁcantly lower (N) or similar (K) under PM compared to SM and TF. This implies that more N and K accumulated in rice straw under PM. After 5-year rice–wheat rotation, apparent P balances (112–160 kg ha ) 1 ) were positive under all three cultivation systems. However, the K balances were negative under PM ( ) 419 kg ha ) 1 ) and TF ( ) 90 kg ha ) 1 ) compared with SM (45 kg ha ) 1 ). This suggests that higher K inputs from fertilizer, straw or manure may be necessary, especially under PM. After ﬁve rice seasons and four wheat seasons, non-ﬂooded mulching cultivation led to similar (PM) or higher (SM) soil organic carbon (SOC), total N (TN) and alkali hydrolyzable N (AH-N) in the top 0–5 and 5–12 cm layers compared with TF. SOC, TN, AH-N and Olsen-P (OP) in the sub-surface layer (12–24 cm) were signiﬁcantly higher under PM or SM than under TF, indicating that rice under non-ﬂooded mulching conditions may fail to make use of nutrients from the subsoil. Thus, the risk of decline in soil fertility under non-ﬂooded mulching cultivation could be very low if input levels match crop requirements. Our data indicate that PM and SM may be alternative options for farmers using R–W rotations for enhancement or maintenance of system productivity and soil fertility.
Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids and Bovine Interferon-t Modify Phorbol Ester-Induced Secretion of Prostaglandin F 2 a and Expression of Prostaglandin Endoperoxide Synthase-2 and Phospholipase-A 2 in Bovine Endometrial Cells 1

Embryonic mortality in cattle may occur because of inadequate inhibition of uterine secretion of prostaglandin (PG) F2a mediated by bovine interferon-t (bIFN-t). The objectives of the present study were to determine whether polyunsaturated fatty acids inhibit secretion of PGF2a from bovine endometrial cells induced by stimulating protein kinase C with phorbol 12,13 dibutyrate (PDBu) and to investigate possible mechanisms of action. Confluent cells were exposed for 24 h to 100 mM of linoleic, arachidonic (AA; C20:4, n-6), linolenic (LNA; C18:3, n-3), eicosapentaenoic (EPA; C20:5, n-3), or docosahexaenoic (DHA; C22:6, n-3) acid. After incubation, cells were washed and stimulated with PDBu. The EPA, DHA, and LNA attenuated secretion of PGF2a in response to PDBu. The EPA and DHA were more potent inhibitors than LNA. The EPA inhibited secretion of PGF2a at 6.25 mM. Secretion of PGF2a in response to PDBu decreased with increasing incubation time with EPA. Both bIFN-t and EPA inhibited secretion of PGF2a, and their inhibitory effects were additive. The bIFN-t, but not EPA, reduced the abundance of PG endoperoxide synthase-2 (PGHS-2) mRNA. Incubation with 100 mM EPA, DHA, or AA for 24 h followed by treatment with PDBu did not affect concentrations of PGHS-2 and phospholipase A2 proteins. The EPA and DHA inhibit secretion of PGF2a through a mechanism different from that of bIFN-t. The effect of EPA on PGF2a secretion may be caused by competition with AA for PGHS-2 activity or reduction of PGHS-2 activity. The use of EPA and DHA to inhibit uterine secretion of PGF2a and to improve embryonic survival in cattle warrants further investigation. conceptus, cytokines, female reproductive tract, implantation, uterus
β‐nerve growth factor participates in an auto/paracrine pathway of regulation of the meiotic differentiation of rat spermatocytes

NGF appears to be involved in spermatogenesis. However, mice lacking NGF or TrkA genes do not survive more than a few days whereas p75NTR knockout mice are viable and fertile. Therefore, we addressed the effect of βNGF on spermatogenesis by using the systems of rat germ cell culture we established previously. βNGF did not modify the number of Sertoli cells, pachytene spermatocytes, secondary spermatocytes nor the half‐life of round spermatids, but increased the number of secondary meiotic metaphases and decreased the number of round spermatids formed in vitro. These effects of βNGF were reversible and maximal at about 4 × 10−11 M. Conversely, K252a, a Trk‐specific kinase inhibitor, enhanced the number of round spermatids above that of control cultures. The presence of βNGF and its receptors TrkA and p75NTR was investigated in testis sections, in Sertoli cell and germ cell fractions, and in germ cell and Sertoli cell co‐cultures. βNGF was detected only in germ cells from pachytene spermatocytes of stages VII up to spermatids of stages IX–X. TrkA and p75NTR were detected in Sertoli cells and in these germ cells. Taken together, these results indicate that βNGF should participate in an auto/paracrine pathway of regulation of the second meiotic division of rat spermatocytes in vivo. J. Cell. Physiol. 210: 51–62, 2007. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.