Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Properties of Thrombolytic Agents in Vitro Using a Perfusion Circuit Attaining Shear Stress at Physiological Levels

Summary A perfusion circuit was designed to investigate in vitro some of the factors which may influence the success of thrombolytic treatment in vivo. The rate of lysis of clotted plasma and different types of artificial thrombi (fibrin thrombi or whole blood thrombi) was measured in citrated plasma or whole blood under static conditions or under shear stress equivalent to the arterial or venous circulation. With both streptokinase (SK) and tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA) the rate of lysis of fibrin thrombi and whole blood thrombi was reduced significantly, when compared to the conventional plasma gel clot model (25-fold and 8fold, respectively). This occurred particularly with SK which showed a reduction (4-fold) in potency relative to t-PA under these conditions. Lysis of thrombi by both activators was observed to be faster in plasma than whole blood, and also faster with whole blood thrombi than fibrin thrombi. High shear stress, generally, caused a reduction in the rate of lysis of fibrin thrombi and an increase in the rate of lysis of whole blood thrombi compared to lysis rates under static conditions. Under all conditions of flow the lysis rate observed at 50 units t-PA per ml was much faster than that at 500 units per ml unlike the conventional plasma gel clot model.
A comparison of social assistance in China and Sweden

This article compares social assistance in China and Sweden, and finds a number of similarities. In both countries, benefits are regulated by a national policy, while local governments are responsible for administration. The proportion of the population receiving social assistance is surprisingly similar in China and Sweden. Social assistance reduces dire poverty but is less successful in raising full-year recipients above the poverty line used in international comparisons of developed countries. During the last decade, the income thresholds used to assess claims have not increased at the same rate as the mean income level in both countries. Not surprisingly, there are also substantial differences in the social assistance systems of the two countries. The Swedish system has a long history; the Chinese is relatively recent. The income thresholds differ in terms of their method of calculation and the extent of the relief they offer. While the same thresholds are applied across Sweden, in China they vary by location. The profiles of recipients also differ between countries.
Social networking and gender effects in opportunity identification

Opportunity identification is a key focal point of research in entrepreneurship (Shane and Venkataraman, 2000; Zahra and Wright, 2011) and gender variations in entrepreneurship still present an insufficiently tackled research area (DeTienne and Chandler, 2007; Gupta and Turban, 2012). This article sets the focus on the social networking approach to opportunity identification for entrepreneurship and examines variations across gender. A qualitative comparative study is adopted based on the in-depth interviewing of 30 Lebanese entrepreneurs operating in the services industry hence riding the wave of the call for more qualitative studies in entrepreneurship research (Dimov, 2011; Sarasvathy and Venkataraman, 2011; Smith et al., 2013). This study contributes to entrepreneurship and gender literature through revealing opportunity identification as a social gendered process that is strongly linked to the community the entrepreneur belongs to. Consequently it suggests that male and female individuals adopt different socialisation experiences and differently use their social networks for the development and validation of their business opportunities.
Alterations to the orientation of the ground reaction force vector affect sprint acceleration performance in team sports athletes

ABSTRACT A more horizontally oriented ground reaction force vector is related to higher levels of sprint acceleration performance across a range of athletes. However, the effects of acute experimental alterations to the force vector orientation within athletes are unknown. Fifteen male team sports athletes completed maximal effort 10-m accelerations in three conditions following different verbal instructions intended to manipulate the force vector orientation. Ground reaction forces (GRFs) were collected from the step nearest 5-m and stance leg kinematics at touchdown were also analysed to understand specific kinematic features of touchdown technique which may influence the consequent force vector orientation. Magnitude-based inferences were used to compare findings between conditions. There was a likely more horizontally oriented ground reaction force vector and a likely lower peak vertical force in the control condition compared with the experimental conditions. 10-m sprint time was very likely quickest in the control condition which confirmed the importance of force vector orientation for acceleration performance on a within-athlete basis. The stance leg kinematics revealed that a more horizontally oriented force vector during stance was preceded at touchdown by a likely more dorsiflexed ankle, a likely more flexed knee, and a possibly or likely greater hip extension velocity.
The Systematic Importance of Stomach Anatomy in Beaked Whales

The stomachs of Cetacea are generally uniform in their anatomy. The stomach of a bottlenose dolphin differs only in size from the stomach of a blue whale. The stomach chambers consist of the forestomach, main stomach, connecting channel and two pyloric stomach compartments. The only known exceptions to this general scheme are some of the river dolphins and the beaked whales. The forestomach is lacking and the pyloric stomach compartments number greater than two in all five genera of beaked whales. The functional significance of this is unknown but it may lead to a better understanding of beaked whale relationships. Two summers were spent in Wadaura, Chiba Prefecture, where there was an active fishery for Baird's beaked whales. A detailed examination of the stomachs of 29 specimens was done. Examination of the scientific literature for the count of pyloric compartments in beaked whales gave conflicting results due to the lack of standardized terminology. Most of the conflicts seem to arise from differences in defining the compartments at the proximal and distal ends of the pyloric chambers.
ISRAELI civll service positions open to political appointments

The incidence of civil service position open to political appoinment in Israel is high by the standards of other western democracies. Moreover, there may have been an increase in the cruder forms of patronage during the current National Unity Government. Without an effective opposition, both major parties may be sharing the spoils. Among the factors that may explain the generally high incidence of Israeli civil service positions open to political appoinment are: the failure to have developed strong nores of non-partisan professionalism in the 40 years of independence; the importance of government positions in the national economy; and the lack of a strong majority party.
Social risk management through transitional labour markets

This essay takes the intrusion of the term 'risk management' into the social policy discourse as a 'moral opportunity' to reconsider the balance between solidarity and individual responsibility. The argument is developed in three stages: first, the psychology of intuitive beliefs and choices provides evidence of the bounded rationality of risky choices. The paper demonstrates how the institutionalization of opportunity structures recommended by the concept of transitional labour markets can overcome various kinds of asymmetries in risk perception. Second, imperfect or strategic information may also cause biased risk perception. Examples, therefore, are provided of how the analysis of labour market transitions throughout the life course can considerably improve the methodology of risk management. Third, the consideration of risk asymmetries and the reduction of information deficits do not yet provide any starting point for constructing acceptable risk sharing institutions. Normative principles of justice therefore have to be reconsidered. It is suggested that Rawls' theory of justice should be enriched by Dworkin's ethical theory and Sen's capability approach.
Perceived Benefits and Management Commitment to E‐business Usage in selected Ghanaian Tourism Firms

We set out in this article to generate a preliminary understanding of the benefits of e‐business to tourism firm players in Ghana. We also sought to ascertain the commitment of top management to e‐business development in Ghanaian tourist firms. We investigate our research issues by surveying 60 tourism firms. Of the 60 questionnaires we administered, 43 were deemed usable and we report our findings by means of descriptive statistics. We find that in conformance with the theory of planned behaviour, top management commitment, perceived strategic value of e‐business and organizational readiness are critical to e‐business adoption. In spite of the fact that e‐business holds the promise of delivering benefits to Ghana tourism firms, their understanding of e‐business/ICT still remains at an operational level. The value of this study lies in the fact that it is one of the few studies focussing on e‐business adoption in the West African tourism sector, in spite of the growing importance of this sector.
Computer-aided detection and diagnosis of breast lesions in x-ray mammography

Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in women today (after lung cancer) and is the most frequently diagnosed cancer among women, excluding skin cancers. According to the American Cancer Society, an estimated of 230,480 new cancer cases are expected to be diagnosed in 2011; about 2,140 new cases are expected in men. In addition to invasive breast cancer, 57,650 new cases of in situ breast cancer are expected to occur among women in 2011. Of these, approximately 85% will be ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS). An estimated 39,970 breast cancer deaths (39,520 women, 450 men) are expected in 2011. Death rates for breast cancer have steadily decreased in women since 1990, with larger decreases in women younger than 50 (a decrease of 3.2% per year) than in those 50 and older (2.0% per year), representing progress in both earlier detection and improved treatment.
The submillimetre properties of gamma-ray burst host galaxies

Long-duration gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) accompany the deaths of some massive stars and hence, because massive stars are short-lived, are a tracer of star formation activity. Given that GRBs are bright enough to be seen to very high redshifts and detected even in dusty environments, they should therefore provide a powerful probe of the global star formation history of the Universe. The potential of this approach can be investigated via submillimetre (submm) photometry of GRB host galaxies. Submm luminosity also correlates with star formation rate, so the distribution of host-galaxy submm fluxes should allow us to test the two methods for consistency. Here, we report new JCMT/SCUBA 850-μm measurements for 15 GRB hosts. Combining these data with results from previous studies, we construct a sample of 21 hosts with 4 mJy) galaxies. Furthermore, the optical/infrared properties of the submm-brightest GRB hosts are not typical of the galaxy population selected in submm surveys, although the sample size is still small. Possible selection effects and physical mechanisms which may explain these discrepancies are discussed.
Business Groups and Internal Capital Markets

We compare the performance of firms affiliated with diversified business groups with the performance of unaffiliated firms in Turkey, an emerging market. We address the question of whether group-affiliated firms create internal capital markets or control large cash flows. Our findings indicate that group affiliation improves a firm's accounting performance, but not stock market performance. Deviation of cash-flow rights from voting rights has a negative but insignificant effect on accounting performance, but a significant effect on market performance. We also find that a firm's accounting, but not stock market, performance increases with the level of group diversification. Our results show that internal capital markets play an important role for the existence of business groups in an emerging market context.
Contemporary Spinsterhood in Britain: Gender, Partnership Status and Social Change

An increase in spinsterhood is one aspect of recent changes in family and household formation. Family change has been the focus of much academic and political attention, however there is little contemporary research on singleness. This thesis explores the experiences and meanings of contemporary spinsterhood, and considers the extent to which these have altered in the context of recent social change. Quantitative analysis of the British Household Panel Survey demonstrates that recent cohorts of men and women are experiencing longer periods of singleness prior to the formation of any residential partnership. This thesis explores the life histories of thirty-seven nevermarried single women aged between thirty-five and eighty-three, an age range permitting a consideration of continuities and changes in experiences of singleness over time. This sample included mothers who had 'opted into' solo motherhood via artificial insemination and adoption. The thesis utilised narrative analysis to consider participants' experiences of singleness in relation to social networks and caring relationships, education and employment experiences, and gendered subjectivities. The role of social and institutional contexts in shaping these women's choices and experiences is also considered. This exploration of the actualities of contemporary women's lives found that gender and partnership status continue to structure the possibilities and strategies available to women in both the private and the public sphere. However, their varying experiences also demonstrate significant material and cultural changes, enabling wider opportunities for some. These changes have implications for the practices and discursive possibilities for contemporary spinsters. This thesis considers the extent to which the new discourses and practices emerging in the context of wider social change contribute to a dismantling of normative female gender identities predicated on marriage and motherhood.
The Reputation of Underwriters: A Test of the Bonding Hypothesis

In the spirit of the Bonding Hypothesis proposed by Stulz (1999) and Coffee (1999, 2002), I find that foreign firms that cross-list in the U.S. and undertake IPOs are more likely to employ reputable underwriters if the firms come from countries with poor shareholder protection. The additional monitoring provided by reputable underwriters may help overcome the skepticism of U.S. investors, and partially explains the higher valuation these firms obtain after the offering. There is, however, a price to pay for this bonding benefit. I find that issuers from countries with weaker shareholder protection tend to be more underpriced if they are sponsored by prestigious underwriters.
Statistical evaluation for quality of experience prediction based on quality of service parameters

Machine Learning (ML) provides a theoretical and methodological framework that allows to quantify the relationship between the user's Quality of Experience (OoE) and the network's Quality of Service (QoS). In the literature, several ML-based QoS/QoE correlation models have been proposed. All of those models use inductive supervised learning techniques and most of them are built in an offline batch manner using different ML methods such as: Least Squares Regression, Artificial Neural Netwcorks, Naive Bayes classifier, Support Vector Machines, k-Nearest Neighbors, Decision Trees, and Random Forest. This paper aims to evaluate these different ML methods and determine the most suitable one for the task of establishing the QoS/QoE correlation. The comparisons show that the Decision Trees and Random Forest models give the best results to this end.
Investment Bank Reputation and the Price and Quality of Underwriting Services

The relation between investment bank reputation and the price and quality of bond underwriting services is studied here. After controlling for endogeneity in issuer-underwriter matching, I find that reputable banks obtain lower yields and charge higher fees, but issuers' net proceeds are higher. These relations are pronounced in the junk-bond category, in which reputable banks' underwriting criteria are most stringent. These findings suggest that banks' underwriting decisions reflect reputation concerns, and are thus informative of issue quality. They also suggest that economic rents are earned on reputation, and thereby provide continued incentives for underwriters to maintain reputation. Copyright 2005 by The American Finance Association.
Children and Planning: To What Extent Does the Scottish Town Planning System Facilitate the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child?

Children are often not given explicit attention in land use planning outside of allocating space for schools, parks and playgrounds. This is problematic as children both use and navigate beyond these settings, and findings from research on and with children report how they are frequently marginalized in society. This is partly affected by the way town planning systems treat children's spatial needs and participation. Therefore, this article investigates whether and how the Scottish town planning system acknowledges children, particularly in light of the internationally recognized rights set out in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). It uses critical discourse analysis of key Scottish planning policies, along with a survey of Scotland's planning authorities to ascertain the extent to which children are provided for and participate in the system. It argues that children's rights are not widely acknowledged or incorporated into town planning policy and practice, and suggests this must be addressed to achieve greater social justice and support Scotland's commitments as a signatory of the UNCRC.
A Growth-Maturation System That Enhances the Meiotic and Developmental Competence of Porcine Oocytes Isolated from Small Follicles1

Abstract In livestock, most of the follicles on the ovarian surface are small follicles. A procedure that supports the in vitro growth and maturation of these small follicle-derived oocytes may offer a new source of useable oocytes for both biotechnological and fundamental research purposes. The objective of the current study was to test the hypothesis that providing a more growth-supporting and less maturation-promoting environment during the first phase of small follicle-derived oocyte maturation may improve oocyte competence for meiosis and embryo development upon activation. In our small follicle-derived oocyte growth-maturation system (SGM group), cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs) from small follicles (1–3 mm) were first cultured in oocyte growth medium for 24 h, then in oocyte maturation medium for 20 h. As controls, COCs from small (SM group) and large (LM group) follicles were cultured using a conventional in vitro maturation (IVM) approach in which they were directly cultured in oocyte maturation medium. At 24 h of culture, the percentage of small follicle-derived oocytes that underwent germinal vesicle breakdown (GVBD) in the SGM group was comparable to that of large follicle-derived oocytes (LM group) but was significantly higher than that of the SM group (P < 0.05). At 44 h of culture, compared to 36% in the SM group, 55% of the SGM group oocytes reached metaphase II (MII; P < 0.05). In addition, the level of cyclin B in oocytes of the SGM group was comparable to that of oocytes from LM group and was significantly higher than that of oocytes from the SM group (P < 0.05). When activated and in vitro fertilized (IVF), 7.3 and 9.0 times more parthenogenetic and IVF embryos developed to blastocyst stage in the SGM group than in the SM group (P < 0.05). The mRNA expression levels of three developmentally important genes—DNA-methyltransferase 1, Pou domain class 5 transcription factor 1, and Fibroblast growth factor receptor 2—in embryos of the SGM group were comparable to those of embryos developed from the LM group, whereas they were significantly lower in those of the SM group (P < 0.05). Our data suggest that the oocyte growth-maturation system facilitates the final stage of oocyte growth and thus resulted in better oocyte nuclear, cytoplasmic maturation, and developmental competency compared with the conventional direct oocyte maturation system.
Gender identity disorder in twins: a review of the case report literature.

INTRODUCTION The etiology of gender identity disorder (GID) remains largely unknown. In recent literature, increased attention has been attributed to possible biological factors in addition to psychological variables. AIM To review the current literature on case studies of twins concordant or discordant for GID. METHODS A systematic, comprehensive literature review. RESULTS Of 23 monozygotic female and male twins, nine (39.1%) were concordant for GID; in contrast, none of the 21 same-sex dizygotic female and male twins were concordant for GID, a statistically significant difference (P=0.005). Of the seven opposite-sex twins, all were discordant for GID. CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest a role for genetic factors in the development of GID.
Aspergillus nidulans wetA activates spore-specific gene expression

The Aspergillus nidulans wetA gene is required for synthesis of cell wall layers that make asexual spores (conidia) impermeable. In wetA mutant strains, conidia take up water and autolyze rather than undergoing the final stages of maturation. wetA is activated during conidiogenesis by sequential expression of the brlA and abaA regulatory genes. To determine whether wetA regulates expression of other sporulation-specific genes, its coding region was fused to a nutritionally regulated promoter that permits gene activation in vegetative cells (hyphae) under conditions that suppress conidiation. Expression of wetA in hyphae inhibited growth and caused excessive branching. It did not lead to activation of brlA or abaA but did cause accumulation of transcripts from genes that are normally expressed specifically during the late stages of conidiation and whose mRNAs are stored in mature spores. Thus, wetA directly or indirectly regulates expression of some spore-specific genes. At least one gene (wA), whose mRNA does not occur in spores but rather accumulates in the sporogenous phialide cells, was activated by wetA, suggesting that wetA may have a regulatory function in these cells as well as in spores. We propose that wetA is responsible for activating a set of genes whose products make up the final two conidial wall layers or direct their assembly and through this activity is responsible for acquisition of spore dormancy.
Reporting on Globalization

This article is a comparative study of news sources used in five countries facing vastly different economic circumstances. Based on a content analysis of newspaper coverage of the 1997 Asian economic crisis and the IMF bailout, sourcing patterns in US newspapers were compared to those of three Asian countries that received assistance from the IMF - Korea, Indonesia and Thailand - and those of Malaysia, which refused to accept this assistance. The findings are discussed in relation to globalization and neoliberal news frames, as well as to the indexing hypothesis and journalistic norms.