Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Dualism and political coalitions: Inclusionary versus exclusionary reforms in an age of rising inequality

Deindustrialization and the decline of Fordism have undermined the economic complementarities that existed between skilled and semi-skilled workers. The result has everywhere been a decline in coordinated wage bargaining and unionization rates, and a notable rise in labor market inequality. Yet, the political responses have been very different. In some countries rising inequality has been exacerbated by complete deregulation of labor and product markets; in others regulations remain extensive while insider-outsider divisions have been allowed to grow deeper; in still others governments have compensated losers to a considerable extent through increased transfers and active labor market policies. This paper argues that the three paths of reforms reflect differences in underlying political coalitions, which can be analyzed in a two-dimensional policy space consisting of employment regulation and redistribution. Coalitional patterns are a function of the pre-existing industrial relations institutions and the party and electoral system. The argument helps explain the observed patterns of reforms and inequality across advanced democracies.
Microvascular endothelial cells differ in basal and hypoxia-regulated expression of angiogenic factors and their receptors.

Phenotypically and functionally different types of microvascular endothelial cells (MVECs) derived from the developing corpus luteum were isolated and characterized by our group. We investigated whether these cytokeratin-positive (CK+) and cytokeratin-negative (CK-) MVECs differed in the expression of angiogenic factors and their regulation under hypoxia. Using quantitative RT-PCR, VEGF and its receptors, Flk-1 and Flt-1, were detected in CK- MVECs. The mRNA expression of Flk-1 mRNA was 100 times as high as that of Flt-1 mRNA. CK+ MVECs expressed VEGF and Flt-1 mRNA, but were devoid of Flk-1 transcripts. No Ang-1 mRNA was demonstrated in either cell type, and Ang-2 mRNA was found only in CK- MVECs. Tie-2 mRNA was detected in both MVEC types, but levels were 150 times as high in CK- MVECs as in CK+ MVECs. mRNA of hypoxia-inducible factors Hif-1alpha and Hif-1beta was expressed in both MVEC types. After hypoxia, neither VEGF, nor Flk-1, nor Tie-2 mRNA expression was altered in either MVEC type. Flt-1 expression and Ang-2 mRNA expression were significantly increased at about 2.5-fold (P < 0.05) in CK- MVECs, but not in CK+ MVECs. Our study demonstrates the varying expression and regulation of angiogenesis-related factors and receptors in phenotypically different MVEC types.
Effects of Age of Onset of Partial and Generalized Seizures on Neuropsychological Performance in Children

Neuropsychological performance data from 106 children with epilepsy were evaluated to determine the effects of seizure type and age of onset. The performance of children with partial seizures (N = 49) was similar to that of children with generalized seizures (N = 57). Only one of 13 tests showed a significant difference between groups, with children with partial seizures performing better on that test. The effects of age of onset were also similar in the two seizure groups. Children whose seizures began before the age of 5 years performed significantly worse than children whose seizures began later on four measures (Verbal IQ, Performance IQ, Trails A, and Trails B) and performed more poorly, but not significantly so, on the other nine measures in the battery. A breakdown of the partial group into simple partial, complex partial, and secondarily generalized partial seizure groups found a significant difference between the groups on only one variable, but there were suggestions in the data that the performance of the partial secondarily generalized group was worse than the other two groups. These results indicate that variables associated with an early onset of seizures, regardless of type, place a child at risk for cognitive dysfunction.
On the clustering aspect of nonnegative matrix factorization

This paper provides a theoretical explanation on the clustering aspect of nonnegative matrix factorization (NMF). We prove that even without imposing orthogonality nor sparsity constraint on the basis and/or coefficient matrix, NMF still has clustering capability, thus giving a theoretical support for many works, e.g., Xu et al. [1] and Kim et al. [2], that show the superiority of the standard NMF as a clustering method.
Optimizing complex extraction programs over evolving text data

Most information extraction (IE) approaches have considered only static text corpora, over which we apply IE only once. Many real-world text corpora however are dynamic. They evolve over time, and so to keep extracted information up to date we often must apply IE repeatedly, to consecutive corpus snapshots. Applying IE from scratch to each snapshot can take a lot of time. To avoid doing this, we have recently developed Cyclex, a system that recycles previous IE results to speed up IE over subsequent corpus snapshots. Cyclex clearly demonstrated the promise of the recycling idea. The work itself however is limited in that it considers only IE programs that contain a single IE ``blackbox. '' In practice, many IE programs are far more complex, containing multiple IE blackboxes connected in a compositional ``workflow. '' In this paper, we present Delex, a system that removes the above limitation. First we identify many difficult challenges raised by Delex, including modeling complex IE programs for recycling purposes, implementing the recycling process efficiently, and searching for an optimal execution plan in a vast plan space with different recycling alternatives. Next we describe our solutions to these challenges. Finally, we describe extensive experiments with both rule-based and learning-based IE programs over two real-world data sets, which demonstrate the utility of our approach.
Diffuse lung disease of infancy: a pattern-based, algorithmic approach to histological diagnosis

Diffuse lung disease (DLD) of infancy has multiple aetiologies and the spectrum of disease is substantially different from that seen in older children and adults. In many cases, a specific diagnosis renders a dire prognosis for the infant, with profound management implications. Two recently published series of DLD of infancy, collated from the archives of specialist centres, indicate that the majority of their cases were referred, implying that the majority of biopsies taken for DLD of infancy are first received by less experienced pathologists. The current literature describing DLD of infancy takes a predominantly aetiological approach to classification. We present an algorithmic, histological, pattern-based approach to diagnosis of DLD of infancy, which, with the aid of appropriate multidisciplinary input, including clinical and radiological expertise and ancillary diagnostic studies, may lead to an accurate and useful interim report, with timely exclusion of inappropriate diagnoses. Subsequent referral to a specialist centre for confirmatory diagnosis will be dependent on the individual case and the decision of the multidisciplinary team.
Advances in Semiconducting Materials

Updated knowledge on 'Advances in semiconducting materials' is of great significance for both fundamental research and industrial application. The papers contained in this special volume address diverse topics related to recent trends in the science of semiconducting materials as related to synthesis, characterization, applications, etc. The volume will offer readers a good opportunity to review state-of-the-art developments in, and future directions of, semiconducting materials and technology.
The effect of ubiquinone and combined antioxidant therapy on oxidative stress markers in non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy: A phase IIa, randomized, double-blind, and placebo-controlled study

Objective To evaluate the effect of ubiquinone (Coenzyme Q10) and combined antioxidant therapy (CAT) on oxidative stress markers in non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR) under clinical management. Study design In a randomized, double-blind, phase IIa, placebo-controlled, clinical trial, three study groups were formed and administered medications as follows: Group 1, Coenzyme Q10; Group 2, CAT; and Group 3, placebo. Methods Serum levels of the products of lipid peroxidation (LPO) and nitrites/nitrates, as markers of oxidative/nitrosative stress, were measured. As antioxidants, the total antioxidant capacity (TAC), catalase activity, and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activity were measured. Results Baseline serum levels of LPO and nitrites/nitrates were significantly elevated in the three groups vs. healthy group (P < 0.0001), while final levels in the Coenzyme Q10 and CAT groups were decreased vs. normal levels (P < 0.0001). The baseline TAC was consumed in the three groups (P < 0.0001), while final results in the Coenzyme Q10 and CAT groups improved (P < 0.0001). Baseline catalase activity was increased in all groups vs. normal values (P < 0.001), while final levels in the Coenzyme Q10 (P < 0.001) and CAT groups (P < 0.0001) were decreased. GPx behaved similarly to catalase and improved in the final results (P < 0.0001). Discussion Adjunctive antioxidant treatment for 6 months was effective and safe for improving the oxidative stress in NPDR.
Interleukin-10 induces immunoglobulin G isotype switch recombination in human CD40-activated naive B lymphocytes

Upon activation, B lymphocytes can change the isotype of the antibody they express by immunoglobulin (Ig) isotype switch recombination. In previous studies on the regulation of human IgG expression, we demonstrated that interleukin 10 (IL-10) could stimulate IgG1 and IgG3 secretion by human CD40-activated naive (sIgD+) tonsillar B cells. To assess whether IL-10 actually promotes the DNA recombination underlying switching to these isotypes, we examined the effect of IL-10 on the generation of reciprocal products that form DNA circles as by-products of switch recombination. The content of reciprocal products characteristic of mu-gamma recombination was elevated after culture of CD40-activated tonsillar sIgD+ B cells with either IL-4 or IL-10, although high levels of IgG secretion were observed only with IL-10. Unlike IL-4, IL-10 did not induce reciprocal products of mu-epsilon and gamma-epsilon switch recombination. These results demonstrate that IL- 10 promotes both switching to gamma and IgG secretion.
Health Literacy and Sources of Health Information for Caregivers of Urban Children With Asthma

Little is known about the resources used by urban caregivers of children with asthma to obtain health information. The authors analyzed data for 304 families of children with persistent asthma to describe (1) sources of health information, (2) access and use of Internet resources, and (3) the association between the caregiver’s health literacy (HL) and use of health information sources. Overall, 37% of caregivers had limited HL. Most families received health information from a health care professional (94%), written sources (51%), family/friends (42%), non–print media (34%), and the Internet (30%). Less than half of caregivers had access to the Internet at home, but 73% reported Internet use in the past year. Caregivers with adequate HL were more likely to obtain information from multiple sources and to use and have access to the Internet. The results suggest that HL is associated with where caregivers obtain health information from for their children and their use of the Internet.
A decision support system (GesCoN) for managing fertigation in vegetable crops. Part II—model calibration and validation under different environmental growing conditions on field grown tomato

The GesCoN model was evaluated for its capability to simulate growth, nitrogen uptake, and productivity of open field tomato grown under different environmental and cultural conditions. Five datasets collected from experimental trials carried out in Foggia (IT) were used for calibration and 13 datasets collected from trials conducted in Foggia, Perugia (IT), and Florida (USA) were used for validation. The goodness of fitting was performed by comparing the observed and simulated shoot dry weight (SDW) and N crop uptake during crop seasons, total dry weight (TDW), N uptake and fresh yield (TFY). In SDW model calibration, the relative RMSE values fell within the good 10–15% range, percent BIAS (PBIAS) ranged between −11.5 and 7.4%. The Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency (NSE) was very close to the optimal value 1. In the N uptake calibration RRMSE and PBIAS were very low (7%, and −1.78, respectively) and NSE close to 1. The validation of SDW (RRMSE = 16.7%; NSE = 0.96) and N uptake (RRMSE = 16.8%; NSE = 0.96) showed the good accuracy of GesCoN. A model under- or overestimation of the SDW and N uptake occurred when higher or a lower N rates and/or a more or less efficient system were used compared to the calibration trial. The in-season adjustment, using the “SDWcheck” procedure, greatly improved model simulations both in the calibration and in the validation phases. The TFY prediction was quite good except in Florida, where a large overestimation (+16%) was linked to a different harvest index (0.53) compared to the cultivars used for model calibration and validation in Italian areas. The soil water content at the 10–30 cm depth appears to be well-simulated by the software, and the GesCoN proved to be able to adaptively control potential yield and DW accumulation under limited N soil availability scenarios and consequently to modify fertilizer application. The DSSwell simulate SDW accumulation and N uptake of different tomato genotypes grown under Mediterranean and subtropical conditions.
Industrial Development Through Tacit Knowledge Seeding: Evidence from the Bangladesh Garment Industry

We explore how the establishment of an industry pioneer through foreign seeding of industry knowledge can subsequently catalyze the growth of a developing country's industry by involuntarily propagating the knowledge to subsequent entrants. As industry knowledge has tacit elements, we focus on mechanisms that enable experienced workers from the pioneer to seed the knowledge to new entrants. We examine the relationship between entrants' characteristics and the mechanisms exploited to access the industry knowledge, and the impact of the mechanisms exploited on firm performance. Empirical findings from two historical episodes in the Bangladesh garment industry suggest that industry knowledge seeding was essential for the initial establishment and subsequent expansion of the industry. Our paper highlights the role of experienced workers' mobility in building new firm capabilities and provides novel insights into industrialization in developing economies. This paper was accepted by Bruno Cassiman, business strategy.
Toll-Like Receptors and Vascular Markers in Ocular Rosacea

Purpose:To delineate signals by which the vascular abnormalities inherent to ocular rosacea arise and to correlate these signals with elements of the innate immune system. Methods:Experimental study. Immunohistochemical staining was performed for a variety of vascular markers and for toll-like receptor-4 on eyelid biopsies taken from patients with ocular rosacea and normal controls. Statistical comparisons were then performed between the 2 groups. Results:Immunohistochemical staining for CD31 and integrin-&bgr;-3 did not demonstrate any statistically significant differences between eyelids from patients with ocular rosacea and normal controls. Cutaneous biopsies from ocular rosacea patients demonstrated statistically significant enrichments of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 and CD105 among arterioles, whereas there were no statistically significant differences in the venules between normal controls and ocular rosacea patients. The correlation between the number of toll-like receptor-4–positive cells and each vascular marker was statistically significant. Conclusions:Cutaneous biopsies of the eyelid did not demonstrate an increase in the total number of blood vessels. However, the vascular abnormalities that are typical of ocular rosacea represent activated, inflamed vessels, and these phenomena may be mediated by intercellular adhesion molecule and CD105. Furthermore, the strong correlations between toll-like receptor-4 and each vascular marker suggest that the innate immune system may govern the cutaneous effects of ocular rosacea. Intercellular adhesion molecule, CD105, and toll-like receptor-4 may represent important therapeutic targets in the management of this disease.
Virtual Documents and Answer Priors in Keyword Search over Data Graphs

In keyword search over data graphs, an answer is a nonredundant subtree that contains the keywords of the query. Ranking of answers should take into account both their textual relevance and the significance of their semantic structure. A novel method for answers priors is developed and used in conjunction with query-dependent features. Since the space of all possible answers is huge, efficiency is also a major problem. A new algorithm that drastically cuts down the search space is presented. It generates candidate answers by first selecting top-n roots and top-n nodes for each query keyword. The selection is by means of a novel concept of virtual documents with weighted term frequencies. Markov random field models are used for ranking the virtual documents and then the generated answers. The proposed approach outperforms existing systems on a standard evaluation framework.
Reproducibility of depth of extramural tumor spread and distance to circumferential resection margin at rectal MRI: enhancement of clinical guidelines for neoadjuvant therapy.

OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to evaluate the reproducibility of measurements of minimal distance from an invasive tumor to the anticipated circumferential resection margin in prediction of depth of extramural tumor spread in patients with rectal cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS Images from 168 consecutive pelvic MRI examinations of patients with rectal cancer were evaluated by radiologists at five imaging centers, by two expert reviewers, and by a resident. For each tumor, the minimal distance from the tumor to the circumferential resection margin and the maximum extramural tumor spread were evaluated by the observers. Tumors were classified into early (≤ 5 mm invasion) and advanced (> 5 mm invasion), and margin status was evaluated at the 1- and 5-mm levels. RESULTS There was good to very good agreement in classifying tumors as early and advanced (κ = 0.65-0.87), moderate to good agreement concerning circumferential resection margin status at the 1-mm level (k = 0.51-0.76), and fair to good agreement concerning circumferential resection margin status at the 5-mm level (k = 0.37-0.70). It was significantly easier to obtain agreement on the division into early and advanced tumors than on margin status at the 5-mm level for both the hospitals (p = 0.043) and the resident (p = 0.024). CONCLUSION Measurements of extramural tumor spread are more reproducible among different observers than are 5-mm distance measurements to the anticipated circumferential resection margin. This factor should be taken into account in the preparation and implementation of guidelines for neoadjuvant therapy for rectal cancer.
Regulation of retinal interneuron subtype identity by the Iroquois homeobox gene Irx6

Interneuronal subtype diversity lies at the heart of the distinct molecular properties and synaptic connections that shape the formation of the neuronal circuits that are necessary for the complex spatial and temporal processing of sensory information. Here, we investigate the role of Irx6, a member of the Iroquois homeodomain transcription factor family, in regulating the development of retinal bipolar interneurons. Using a knock-in reporter approach, we show that, in the mouse retina, Irx6 is expressed in type 2 and 3a OFF bipolar interneurons and is required for the expression of cell type-specific markers in these cells, likely through direct transcriptional regulation. In Irx6 mutant mice, presumptive type 3a bipolar cells exhibit an expansion of their axonal projection domain to the entire OFF region of the inner plexiform layer, and adopt molecular features of both type 2 and 3a bipolar cells, highlighted by the ectopic upregulation of neurokinin 3 receptor (Nk3r) and Vsx1. These findings reveal Irx6 as a key regulator of type 3a bipolar cell identity that prevents these cells from adopting characteristic features of type 2 bipolar cells. Analysis of the Irx6;Vsx1 double null retina suggests that the terminal differentiation of type 2 bipolar cells is dependent on the combined expression of the transcription factors Irx6 and Vsx1, but also points to the existence of Irx6;Vsx1-independent mechanisms in regulating OFF bipolar subtype-specific gene expression. This work provides insight into the generation of neuronal subtypes by revealing a mechanism in which opposing, yet interdependent, transcription factors regulate subtype identity.
Team-and-role-based organizational context and access control for cooperative hypermedia environments

Access control needs to be more flexible and fine-grained to support cooperative tasks and processes performed by dynamic teams. This can be done by applying state-of-theart role-based access control (RBAC) technology. This paper examines how to integrate RBAC in a team-based organization context and how to apply such access control to hypermedia structures. Based on the analysis of these issues, a team-and-role-based access control model is proposed, which describes various aspects of role-based access control in cooperative hypermedia environments. The model has been implemented in CHIPS, a cooperative hypermedia-based process support system. Application examples demonstrate that its organizational context management and access permission authorization retain the simplicity of RBAC. Our extensions provide effective and flexible access control for managing various kinds of shared workspaces, especially shared process spaces, where access control is not only used for managing security, but also for supporting coordination.
An HST Study of the Supernovae Accompanying GRB 040924 and GRB 041006

We present the results from a Hubble Space Telescope ACS study of the supernovae (SNe) associated with gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) 040924 (z = 0.86) and 041006 (z = 0.71). We find evidence that both GRBs were associated with an SN 1998bw-like supernova dimmed by ~1.5 and ~0.3 mag, respectively, making GRB 040924 the faintest GRB-associated SN ever detected. We study the luminosity dispersion in GRB/XRF-associated SNe and compare to local Type Ibc SNe from the literature. We find significant overlap between the two samples, suggesting that GRB/XRF-associated SNe are not necessarily more luminous and do not necessarily produce more 56Ni than local SNe. Based on the current (limited) data sets, we find that the two samples may share a similar 56Ni production mechanism.