Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Short-term regulation of basolateral organic anion uptake in proximal tubular OK cells: EGF acts via MAPK, PLA(2), and COX1.

The organic anion transport system of the kidney is of major importance for the excretion of a variety of endogenous compounds, drugs, and potentially toxic substances. The basolateral uptake into proximal tubular cells is mediated by a tertiary active transport system. Epidermal growth factor (EGF) leads to an increase in the basolateral uptake rate of the model substrate para-aminohippuric acid (PAH) in opossum kidney (OK) cells. This stimulation is mediated by successive activation of the mitogen-activated protein kinases,mitogen-activated/extracellular signal-regulated kinase kinase (MEK) and extracellular regulated kinase isoforms 1 and 2 (ERK1/2). This study investigates the regulatory network of EGF action on PAH uptake downstream ERK1/2 in more detail. EGF stimulation of the basolateral uptake rate of [(14)C]PAH was abolished by the phospholipase A(2) inhibitor AACOCF3. [(14)C]PAH uptake was enhanced by arachidonic acid. Furthermore, EGF led to an increase in arachidonic acid release and to the generation of prostaglandins. AACOCF3 did not influence EGF-induced ERK1/2 activation, indicating that ERK1/2 is upstream of PLA(2). In addition, EGF stimulated the influx of extracellular Ca(2+). However, Ca(2+)-influx was not required for the stimulatory action of EGF on [(14)C]PAH uptake. Inhibitors of COX and lipoxygenases reduced [(14)C]PAH uptake dose-dependently, whereas inhibition of cytochrome P450 did not. In the presence of indomethacin, EGF had no stimulatory effect on [(14)C]PAH uptake. The inhibitory effect of indomethacin was not due to competitive action on PAH uptake. Furthermore, prostaglandin E(2) (PGE(2)) increased basolateral [(14)C]PAH uptake rate dose-dependently, and this increase was also observed in the presence of indomethacin. Selective inhibition of COX2 by indomethacin amid or indomethacin n-heptyl ester did not inhibit [(14)C]PAH uptake, whereas selective inhibition of COX1 dose-dependently inhibited [(14)C]PAH uptake. This and previous data lead to the conclusion that EGF successively activates MEK, ERK1/2, and PLA(2), leading to an increased release of arachidonic acid. Subsequently, arachidonic acid is metabolized to prostaglandins via COX1, which then mediate EGF-induced stimulation of basolateral organic anion uptake rate.
The involvement of management accountants in operational process change

This paper suggests that there is a natural tension between operations managers and management accountants. This tension is particularly evident when decisions are being made about process change. Semi‐structured interviews with 40 operations managers revealed that accountants were only involved in about half of change processes. Surprisingly this proportion was the same for both continuous and radical change programmes despite the latter involving greater risk and capital investment. Six case studies were then used to identify the factors which underpin the degree of involvement where there was close interaction between accountants and operations managers. The paper concludes with a discussion of the implications for operations managers and some suggestions for further research.
Audit Partner Tenure and Cost of Equity Capital

SUMMARY: We examine whether audit engagement partner tenure and rotation affect investors' perceptions, as proxied by the ex ante cost of equity capital. We find that partner tenure has a nonlinear relation with the ex ante cost of equity capital for non-Big 4 audit engagements prior to the introduction of partner rotation requirements, and that the imputed gains from partner tenure appear similar to the imputed gains of having a Big 4 auditor. Consistent with the tenure results, we also find that partner rotation is associated with increased ex ante cost of equity capital. Our results are very robust to a variety of sensitivity tests and raise important questions for future research. It is not known to what extent investors or analysts are aware of the audit partner's identity or pay attention to audit partner tenure; if investors or analysts do not consider partner tenure, future research may identify omitted variables that have the same nonlinear relationship with the ex ante cost of capital that we ob.
P 2 X 7 receptor-Pannexin 1 complex : pharmacology and signaling

Iglesias R, Locovei S, Roque A, Alberto AP, Dahl G, Spray DC, Scemes E. P2X7 receptor-Pannexin1 complex: pharmacology and signaling. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol 295: C752–C760, 2008. First published July 2, 2008; doi:10.1152/ajpcell.00228. 2008. —Pannexin 1 (Panx1), an ortholog to invertebrate innexin gap junctions, has recently been proposed to be the pore induced by P2X7 receptor (P2X7R) activation. We explored the pharmacological action of compounds known to block gap junctions on Panx1 channels activated by the P2X7R and the mechanisms involved in the interaction between these two proteins. Whole cell recordings revealed distinct P2X7R and Panx1 currents in response to agonists. Activation of Panx1 currents following P2X7R stimulation or by membrane depolarization was blocked by Panx1 small-interfering RNA (siRNA) and with mefloquine carbenoxolone flufenamic acid. Incubation of cells with KN-62, a P2X7R antagonist, prevented current activation by 2 (3 )O-(4-benzoylbenzoyl)adenosine 5 -triphosphate (BzATP). Membrane permeabilization to dye induced by BzATP was also prevented by Panx1 siRNA and by carbenoxolone and mefloquine. Membrane permeant (TAT-P2X7) peptides, provided evidence that the Src homology 3 death domain of the COOH-terminus of the P2X7R is involved in the initial steps of the signal transduction events leading to Panx1 activation and that a Src tyrosine kinase is likely involved in this process. Competition assays indicated that 20 M TAT-P2X7 peptide caused 50% reduction in Src binding to the P2X7R complex. Src tyrosine phosphorylation following BzATP stimulation was reduced by KN-62, TAT-P2X7 peptide, and by the Src tyrosine inhibitor PP2 and these compounds prevented both large-conductance Panx1 currents and membrane permeabilization. These results together with the lack Panx1 tyrosine phosphorylation in response to P2X7R stimulation indicate the involvement of an additional molecule in the tyrosine kinase signal transduction pathway mediating Panx1 activation through the P2X7R.
Accounting for Mexican Income Inequality During the 1990s

The present study measures the extent to which income disparities in Mexico can be attributed to sectoral asymmetries and differences in skill endowments. The results show that close to 40 per cent of per capita household income inequality in Mexico during the 1990s is attributable to incomes derived from formal self-employment; this refers to entrepreneurial activities, an income factor rarely analyzed in the inequality literature. We show that education endowments (skills) are unevenly distributed among the Mexican population, with positive shifts in the market returns to schooling being associated with increases in inequality. Asymmetries in the distribution of education endowments explain around 20 per cent of overall household income disparities in Mexico during the 1990s. Moreover, the results show that the proportion of inequality attributable to education endowments increased during stable periods and reduced during the 1994--1995 economic crisis. This pattern is mostly explained by shifts in returns to schooling rather than changes in the distribution of skills. Applying the same techniques to decompose within-sector income differences, the study show that skill endowments can account for as much as 25 per cent of differences in earnings, but as little as 10 per cent of income dispersion among formal self-employed workers.
Transplanted glioma cells migrate and proliferate on host brain vasculature: A dynamic analysis

Glioma cells have a remarkable capacity to infiltrate the brain and migrate long distances from the tumor, making complete surgical resection impossible. Yet, little is known about how glioma cells interact with the complex microenvironment of the brain. To investigate the patterns and dynamics of glioma cell infiltration and migration, we stereotactically injected eGFP and DsRed‐2 labeled rat C6 glioma cells into neonatal rat forebrains and used time‐lapse microscopy to observe glioma cell migration and proliferation in slice cultures generated from these brains. In this model, glioma cells extensively infiltrated the brain by migrating along the abluminal surface of blood vessels. Glioma cells intercalated their processes between the endothelial cells and the perivascular astrocyte end feet, but did not invade into the blood vessel lumen. Dynamic analysis revealed notable similarities between the migratory behavior of glioma cells and that previously observed for glial progenitor cells. Glioma cells had a characteristic leading process and migrated in a saltatory fashion, with bursts of migration separated by periods of immobility, and maximum speeds of over 100 μm/h. Migrating glioma cells proliferated en route, pausing for as short as an hour to divide before the daughter cells resumed migrating. Remarkably, the majority of glioma cell divisions took place at or near vascular branch points, suggesting that mitosis is triggered by local environmental cues. This study provides the first dynamic analysis of glioma cell infiltration in living brain tissue and reveals that the migration and proliferation of transplanted glioma cells is directed by interactions with host brain vasculature. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Recent trends in testosterone testing, low testosterone levels, and testosterone treatment among Veterans

Low serum testosterone (T) is common and increasingly prevalent with increased age. Recent studies report an ‘epidemic’ of T prescribing and concern about unnecessary T treatment. We investigated the number of men tested for T, the prevalence of low serum T levels, and initiation of T treatment among those with low T levels in men treated at Veterans Affairs (VA) facilities in the Northwest US (VISN 20). We identified male Veterans aged 40–89 years and examined yearly proportions of men tested for T, found to have low T levels (total T < 280 ng/dL, free T < 34 pg/mL, or bioavailable T < 84 ng/dL), and subsequently treated with T from 2002 to 2011. We excluded men who had T treatment in the year prior and men with diagnoses of prostate or breast cancer. Treatment initiation was defined as the first prescription for T within a year following a low T test. From 2002 to 2011, the yearly population of eligible men in VISN 20 increased from 129 247 to 163 572. The proportion of men who had serum T tests increased from 3.2% in 2002 to 5.8% in 2011. Among the tested men, the percentage of men with low T levels increased from 35.0 to 47.3%. However, the proportion of men with low T levels who were given T treatment within a year decreased from 31.0 to 28.0%. Despite large increases in T testing, and detection of men with low T levels, there was a slight decrease in the proportion of men with low T levels who were treated with T. The decrease in T treatment during this time period contrasts with other studies and may be related to higher comorbidity in Veterans and/or VA formulary restrictions on the use of transdermal T formulations.
Employment Risk and Household Formation: Evidence from Differences in Firing Costs

The rate of new household formation among young adults who live with their parents has decreased in the last twenty years, specially in Southern Europe. At the same time, exposure to the risk that a young adult loses his or her job has increased. We use differences in firing costs across contract types in the Spanish labor market to identify if there is a causal link between both developments. Our first identification strategy exploits a legally-induced sharp increase in firing costs 3 years after the starting of a fixed-term contract between 1987 and 1996. The second uses variation in regional incentives to promote high-firing cost contracts between 1997 and 2001. Both strategies fail to detect a causal impact of job insecurity on the probability of forming a new household. Tentative evidence supports the notion that lower job insecurity has an impact on the form of tenure of the first house of residence, favoring home-ownership over renting.
Taking Technical Education Seriously in Mena: Determinants, Labor Market Implications and Policy Lessons

Our study focuses on the labor market implications of vocational and technical education in the MENA region, analyzing the case of Egypt and Morocco. We try to assess the validity of those vocational systems by looking at the determinants of schooling choice and the effect of segregation between vocational and general education in rate of returns to education, wage differentials and wage inequality. Drawing conclusions from our analysis, we outline the main challenges faced by policy makers, namely the streamlining of inefficient education systems and the redressing of social stratification furthered by schooling choice based on the successful experiences of South-East Asian economies.
The ‘alien invasion’ in South Africa: Illegal immigrants in Durban

Although South Africa's emerging non-racial democracy has been internationally acclaimed, global integration has also brought its problems. One of these is the greater number of illegal immigrants entering the country. This article examines the problem of illegal immigration by focusing on an intensive case study in the locality of Durban. It attempts to identify reasons for illegal immigrants coming to South Africa, ascertain their country of origin, investigate the consequences of their stay in the Republic, identify problems associated with immigrants, and assess policy options to reduce the influx of aliens. The study reveals that the majority of illegal immigrants come to South Africa in search of better economic opportunities. However, they are accused of taking away the jobs of locals, lowering wages and spreading diseases. Although official government policy towards illegals is embodied in the Aliens Control Act (1991), there is a need to understand the problem within its regional and historical context.
The Role of Mechanical Refrigeration in Spatial and Temporal Price Dynamics for Regional U.S. Egg Markets, 1880–1911

This paper examines the role of mechanical refrigeration in temporal and spatial price relationships for regional egg markets in the United States, 1880–1911. Notably, this period encompasses an era in which widespread adoption of mechanical refrigeration greatly impacted the ability to briefly store otherwise perishable items. This development in turn altered observed price dynamics for many perishable commodities, including fresh eggs. We use a class of time series models, time–varying autoregressions (TVARs), to document both the structural change and the corresponding impact on spatial price dynamics for U.S. regional egg price relationships during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Assessing the Effect of Ownership on the Efficiency of Indian Domestic Banks

The study examines whether the effect of ownership on the efficiency of Indian domestic banks is significant. The efficiency scores for public and private sector banks were computed using a deterministic, non-parametric and linear programming based frontier technique, which is popularly known as Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA). Using the cross-sectional data of the public and private sector banks, which operated in the financial years 2005-06 and 2006-07, the study finds that (1) De nova private sector banks dominate the formation of efficient frontier of Indian domestic banking industry; (2) The overall technical inefficiency stems primarily from managerial inefficiency (as reflected by pure technical inefficiency) rather than scale inefficiency; and (3) Though the efficiency differences between the public and private sector banks have been noted, these differences are statistically insignificant in most of the instances. On the whole, the study concludes that ownership does not matter in the Indian domestic banking industry.
Are there persistent physical atmospheric responses to galactic cosmic rays?

Variations in the annual mean of the galactic cosmic ray flux (GCR) are compared with annual variations in the most common meteorological variables: temperature, mean sea-level barometric pressure, and precipitation statistics. A multiple regression analysis was used to explore the potential for a GCR response on timescales longer than a year and to identify ‘fingerprint’ patterns in time and space associated with GCR as well as greenhouse gas (GHG) concentrations and the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO). The response pattern associated with GCR consisted of a negative temperature anomaly that was limited to parts of eastern Europe, and a weak anomaly in the sea-level pressure (SLP), but coincided with higher pressure over the Norwegian Sea. It had a similarity to the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) in the northern hemisphere and a wave train in the southern hemisphere. A set of Monte Carlo simulations nevertheless indicated that the weak amplitude of the global mean temperature response associated with GCR could easily be due to chance (p-value = 0.6), and there has been no trend in the GCR. Hence, there is little empirical evidence that links GCR to the recent global warming.
Predictors of Homelessness Among Families and Single Adults After Exit From Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing Programs: Evidence From the Department of Veterans Affairs Supportive Services for Veteran Families Program

This article assesses the extent and predictors of homelessness among veterans (both veterans in families with children and single adults veterans) exiting the Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) program, which is a nationwide homelessness prevention and rapid re-housing program geared primarily toward those experiencing crisis homelessness. Among rapid re-housing participants, 16% and 26% of single adult veterans experienced an episode of homelessness at 1 and 2 years post-SSVF exit; the comparable figures at those follow-up times for veterans in families were 9.4% and 15.5%, respectively. Relatively fewer single adult veterans and veterans in families receiving homelessness prevention services experienced an episode of homelessness at 1 and 2 years post-SSVF exit. veteran-level characteristics, including age, gender, prior history of homelessness, and recent engagement with U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health care, were generally more salient predictors of homelessness following SSVF exit than variables measuring SSVF program factors or community-level housing market conditions.
Postnatal developmental profile of neurons and glia in motor nuclei of the brainstem and spinal cord, and its comparison with organotypic slice cultures

In vitro preparations of the neonatal rat spinal cord or brainstem are useful to investigate the organization of motor networks and their dysfunction in neurological disease models. Long‐term spinal cord organotypic cultures can extend our understanding of such pathophysiological processes over longer times. It is, however, surprising that detailed descriptions of the type (and number) of neurons and glia in such preparations are currently unavailable to evaluate cell‐selectivity of experimental damage. The focus of the present immunohistochemical study is the novel characterization of the cell population in the lumbar locomotor region of the rat spinal cord and in the brainstem motor nucleus hypoglossus at 0–4 postnatal days, and its comparison with spinal organotypic cultures at 2–22 days in vitro. In the nucleus hypoglossus, neurons were 40% of all cells and 80% of these were motoneurons. Astrocytes (35% of total cells) were the main glial cells, while microglia was <10%. In the spinal gray matter, the highest neuronal density was in the dorsal horn (>80%) and the lowest in the ventral horn (≤57%) with inverse astroglia numbers and few microglia. The number of neurons (including motoneurons) and astrocytes was stable after birth. Like in the spinal cord, motoneurons in organotypic spinal culture were <10% of ventral horn cells, with neurons <40%, and the rest made up by glia. The present report indicates a comparable degree of neuronal and glial maturation in brainstem and spinal motor nuclei, and that this condition is also observed in 3‐week‐old organotypic cultures. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Develop Neurobiol, 2012
“Efficient Gain and Loss Amortization and Optimal Funding in Pension Plans,” M. Iqbal Owadally and Steven Haberman, January 2004

imizing the variability of the contribution . is also a reasonable objective. ” Their assertion would be valid only if plan cash flow were independent of other corporate cash flows. The authors escape building a corporate model only by a heroic stochastic independence assumption regarding the cash flows of the pension plan and the sponsor. It is surprisingly straightforward to analyze pensions even when a plan is correlated with the sponsor’s fortunes. We characterize the emerging literature as “business-centric” rather than “plancentric. ” Only arbitrage arguments and clear thought are required in order to understand the key conclusions. No calculations are needed. Sharpe (1976) and Treynor (1977) set out the main findings. Non-zero correlations have a profound impact—implying that the same risk controls routinely applied to corporate balance sheets are also appropriate for pension plans. Some difficult questions relating to discretionary benefits, default risk, and tax require more detailed modeling. Clear thinking and model complexity need not exclude each other. For example on the question of amortization, Chapman et al. (2001, Section 6.9) deduce the following:
The Characteristics of 'Gap-Year' Students and Their Tertiary Academic Outcomes

This study examines the determinants of taking a 'gap-year' (the decision to take a year off study between completing high school and commencing university) and the subsequent impact of this decision on marks at university. It finds that the main factors influencing students' decisions on university deferment are their previous academic achievements, age and location. Students who defer university are found to have higher marks than students who commence university directly after completing high school. This mark advantage is more pronounced among low-performing students, particularly male students, who are in the lower-half of the university marks distribution.
Evaluating the impact of agricultural extension on farms' performance in Crete: a nonneutral stochastic frontier approach

This article attempts to integrate the production- and the efficiency-based approaches for evaluating the impact of extension on farms' performance. For this purpose the nonneutral production frontier model is used, and the empirical analysis refers to a sample of farms from Crete, Greece. The empirical results support the proposed formulation instead of either the production- or the efficiency-based formulations as extension was found to have a statistically significant effect on closing both the technology and management gaps. Public and private extension services were found to be competitive in the production function and complementary in the technical inefficiency effect function. In addition, farms using both public and private extension services achieved a higher degree of technical efficiency than those using either public or private extension services, and farms with no extension services were found to be the least efficient. Copyright 2007 International Association of Agricultural Economists.