Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Comparison of Serum Levels of Anti Cyclic Citrullinated Protein 2 with Rheumatoid Factor for the Diagnosis of Rheumatoid Arthritis in Gaza Strip

Objectives: To compare the diagnostic value and clinical utility of Anti cyclic citrullinated protein 2 antibody (ACCP2A) with IgM rheumatoid factor (IgM RF) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Methods: In a cross sectional study, we determined titers of these markers in 67 arthritis patients and 75 healthy controls by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). C-reactive protein (CRP) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) were also assayed as inflammatory parameters for all subjects. All clinical features were investigated by a rheumatologist and questionnaire interviews. And all results were analyzed by SPSS version "15". Results: sensitivity was higher for IgM RF (85%) than ACCP2A (56%) but specificity was higher for ACCP2A (99%) than IgM RF (69%). When the two antibodies were used together, sensitivity and specificity reached 88% and 100%. A correlation with extra articular manifestations, severity of erosions and CRP was observed for both tests. Conclusions: a combination of both may be used as "gold standard" in diagnosis of RA patients in Gaza Strip. And both assays are also a better predictor of disease severity.
Convergence of Bregman alternating direction method with multipliers for nonconvex composite problems

The alternating direction method with multipliers (ADMM) has been one of most powerful and successful methods for solving various convex or nonconvex composite problems that arise in the fields of image & signal processing and machine learning. In convex settings, numerous convergence results have been established for ADMM as well as its varieties. However, due to the absence of convexity, the convergence analysis of nonconvex ADMM is generally very difficult. In this paper we study the Bregman modification of ADMM (BADMM), which includes the conventional ADMM as a special case and often leads to an improvement of the performance of the algorithm. Under certain assumptions, we prove that the iterative sequence generated by BADMM converges to a stationary point of the associated augmented Lagrangian function. The obtained results underline the feasibility of ADMM in applications under nonconvex settings.
Does Product Market Competition Influence Analyst Coverage and Analyst Career Success?

We use information from product descriptions in firm 10-Ks to analyze whether product market competition influences analysts’ decisions to cover firms, the accuracy and consistency of their earnings reports and their likelihood of obtaining Analyst All-Star status. We find that a firm’s analyst coverage and analyst forecast accuracy and consistency increase with product market competition measured by product similarity. Analyst decisions to cover new firms or drop firms from the firms that they cover are also related to a firm’s competition relation with the other firms in their coverage portfolios. We also show that analysts whose portfolios comprise firms with greater product competition are more likely to obtain Analyst All-Star status.
Combining Models and Commodity Chain Research for Making Long-Term Projections of Port Throughput: an Application to the HamburgLe Havre Range

Long term projections of cargo throughput are indispensable for port development plans. Although commodity flow projections are useful for governments, port authorities, terminal operating companies and port users, scientific research on commodity flow projections for ports is limited. Existing studies generally use econometric models that assume stable relationships between growth of port throughput and such variables as GDP growth and trade growth. This paper presents a method that was developed as part of the Port Vision 2030 project of Port of Rotterdam Authority. The method combines a model with expert judgement and commodity specific research. This combination enables incorporating disruptions of past growth patterns. The contribution of this paper is the description of this method, its application to the volumes in 2030 of all major commodities handled in the Hamburg – Le Havre range, with four different scenarios, while most studies deal with a few commodities in one port, and often for a shorter period and with less scenarios. The results show that in all scenarios, total throughput is expected to rise, although in three scenarios not as fast as in the previous two decades. Furthermore, intermediates and container flows are expected to continue to grow, while throughput of raw materials (iron ore, crude oil) may decline.
Acoustic segregation of Pinus radiata logs according to stiffness

Wood stiffness varies enormously both within and between trees, so it is inevitable that low-grade solid wood products are produced from some trees. Accordingly, it would be highly desirable to segregate logs to ensure that only those logs with predominantly high stiffness wood are processed into structural lumber products. This study examined whether sound flight velocity (m s -1 ) could be used as a direct measure of wood stiffness to allow such segregation. Trees of radiata pine were measured before and after harvest with a non-destructive acoustic device (stress wave timer) to see if there was a relationship between sound wave velocity in either standing trees or logs and machine stress-grades of boards derived from those trees and logs. The speed of sound along logs was sufficiently closely correlated with wood stiffness to allow logs to be sorted into classes. A highly significant and positive relationship was found for acoustic measurements made in logs and a weaker, but still si- gnificant, relationship existed for acoustic measurements made in standing trees. Such segregation of logs according to wave velocity measured in the field may save a large sawmill between A$1-4m each year. Acoustic methods may also be used as an indirect tool for selection provided the heritability of the measurements is high enough and there is significant genetic correlation with genetic values for wood stiffness. From ano- ther experiment we have estimated the heritability of several acoustic measures and hope to be able to estimate genetic relationships with wood quality soon. modulus of elasticity / wood, acoustics / sound speed / selection
The Human Capital Stock: A Generalized Approach. Comment

Jones (2014 ) examines development accounting with imperfect substitutability between different types of skills in the production of output. He finds that human capital variation can account for the totality of the variation in income across countries. We show that this finding is entirely due to an assumption that the relative wage of skilled workers is solely determined by attributes of workers (once the supply of skilled workers is accounted for). If skill premia are predominantly determined by technology, institutions, and other features of the economic environment, human capital differences explain none of the variation in income per worker. (JEL E24, I26, J24, J31)
Information Externalities, Free Riding, and Optimal Exploration in the UK Oil Industry

Information spillovers between rms can reduce the incentive to invest in R&D if property rights do not prevent rms from free riding on competitors' innovations. Conversely, strong property rights over innovations can impede cumulative research and lead to ine cient duplication of e ort. These e ects are particularly acute in natural resource exploration, where discoveries are spatially correlated. I quantify these e ects using data from o shore oil exploration in the UK to estimate a dynamic structural model of the rm's exploration problem. Firms face a trade-o between drilling now and delaying exploration to learn from other rms' wells. Removing the incentive to free ride increases industry surplus by 27% and allowing perfect information ow between rms raises industry surplus by 5%. Counterfactual policy simulations highlight a trade o in property rights design: stronger property rights over exploration well data increase the rate of exploration, while weaker property rights increase the e ciency and speed of learning but reduce the rate of exploration. Spatial clustering of each rm's drilling licenses both reduces the incentive to free ride and increases the speed of learning. Department of Economics, Yale Univeristy, 37 Hillhouse Avenue, New Haven, CT 06511 Email: charles.hodgson@yale.edu *This research was supported by the Israel Dissertation Fellowship through a grant to the Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research. I am grateful to Liran Einav, Matthew Gentzkow, Timothy Bresnahan, Paulo Somaini, Lanier Benkard, Brad Larsen, Nikhil Agarwal, Phil Haile, Steve Berry, Ariel Pakes, Ken Hendricks, Jackson Dorsey, Linda Welling, and participants at various seminars and conferences for helpful comments on this project. Thanks also to Oonagh Werngren and Jen Brzozowska for help with sourcing the data.
Phenology of apple leafcurling midge ( Dasineura mali ) in relation to parasitism by Platygaster demades

The phenology of apple leafcurling midge (ALCM, Dasineura mali) and that of its parasitoid, Platygaster demades, was monitored in orchards over several years in the Nelson district. There were 4–5 generations of ALCM, the fi rst two being distinct while the following generations tended to overlap. Host and parasitoid populations were generally synchronized except for the second generation when parasitoid numbers were low and parasitism levels dropped. Midge populations increased rapidly at this time and remained high in subsequent generations despite moderate levels of parasitism. Laboratory studies on the effect of temperature on host and parasitoid pupal development rates combined with weather station data and actual soil temperatures were used to develop a model to predict generation timing. Platygaster demades adults had a longer development period and emerged later than ALCM adults. The infl uence of host and parasitoid phenology on parasitism levels and biological control of ALCM is discussed.
A Motivation Scale for Elementary-School Children: Refining the Extrinsic/Intrinsic Dichotomy.

A scale was developed to assess several types of motivation in elementary school children. In addition to the usually recognized internal and external motivation, a third type, termed "amotivation," has been postulated. Students are amotivated when they do not perceive a link between outcomes and their own actions. The preliminary version of the Elementary School Motivation Scale (ESMS) to measure these types of motivation was prepared after asking 561 students in 9 elementary schools in the Montreal area (Quebec, Canada) reasons why they did their homework and why they went to school. An initial 40-item version was completed by 478 students from the same area. Four teachers were asked to judge whether the scale would by suitable for elementary school students. Overall findings with the sample replicated results obtained with similar scales for high school and junior high school students. Some support was found for the reliability and validity of the ESMS. These preliminary results suggest that the scale should be a useful tool for motivation research at the elementary-school level. (Contains 3 tables and 12 references.) (SLD) **************** ************************************************ Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. *********************************************************************** U S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Ours ni Educalonal Rot:damn and Improvement EDUf IONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) This document has been reproduced as received horn the person or organization originating a O Minor changes have been made to improve reproduction quality Points ot view or opinions stated in this document do not necessarily represent official OERI position or policy PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE AND DISSEMINATE THIS MATERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED BY rrnE1t11 A)h,es &UT) G14 4E-5 17-17/1ogE,7 TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMA1 ION CENTER 1ERIC1 A MOTIVATION SCALE FOR ELEMENTARY-SCHOOL CHILDREN: REFINING THE EXTRINSIC/INTRINSIC DICHOTOMY Running Head: Thierry P. Karsenti & Gilles Thibert Universite du Quebec a Montreal Elementary-school Children Motivation Scale Thierry Karsenti &Gilles Thibert Departement des sciences de l'education Universite du Quebec a Montreal Montreal (Quebec) CANADA H3C 3P8
In vitro antiviral activity of propolis

Activite antivirale in vitro de la propolis. L'activite antivirale de la propolis a ete etudiee in vitro contre une gamme de virus representative des virus a ADN (adenovirus type 2, herpes simplex virus type 1 et 2) et des virus a ARN (virus de la stomatite vesiculaire et poliovirus type 2). La propolis exerce un effet virucide sur les virus enveloppes HSV-1, HSV-2, VSV. Le tableau I indique les reductions de titre infectieux (en log 10 ) en fonction de la concentration en propolis et du temps d'incubation, comparativement aux temoins-virus
Distinction of sporadic and familial forms of ALS based on mitochondrial characteristics

Bioenergetic failure, oxidative stress, and changes in mitochondrial morphology are common pathologic hallmarks of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) in several cellular and animal models. Disturbed mitochondrial physiology has serious consequences for proper functioning of the cell, leading to the chronic mitochondrial stress. Mitochondria, being in the center of cellular metabolism, play a pivotal role in adaptation to stress conditions. We found that mitochondrial dysfunction and adaptation processes differ in primary fibroblasts derived from patients diagnosed with either sporadic or familial forms of ALS. The evaluation of mitochondrial parameters such as the mitochondrial membrane potential, the oxygen consumption rate, the activity and levels of respiratory chain complexes, and the levels of ATP, reactive oxygen species, and Ca2+ show that the bioenergetic properties of mitochondria are different in sporadic ALS, familial ALS, and control groups. Comparative statistical analysis of the data set (with use of principal component analysis and support vector machine) identifies and distinguishes 3 separate groups despite the small number of investigated cell lines and high variability in measured parameters. These findings could be a first step in development of a new tool for predicting sporadic and familial forms of ALS and could contribute to knowledge of its pathophysiology. —Walczak, J., Dębska‐Vielhaber, G. , Vielhaber, S. , Szymański, J., Charzyńska, A. , Duszyński, J., Szczepanowska, J. Distinction of sporadic and familial forms of ALS based on mitochondrial characteristics. FASEB J. 33, 4388–4403 (2019). www.fasebj. org
Sensitivity of acute myeloid leukemia cells to the dual targeting of the urokinase plasminogen activator and the MAPK pathway by a urokinase-activated anthrax lethal toxin. (c2013)

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a hematopoietic malignancy characterized by abnormal proliferation of myeloid progenitor cells. Around 15,000 new case of AML are diagnosed each year with a fatality rate of 65%. Conventional treatment consists of two phases, an induction phase and a consolidation phase. Though standard treatment yields a high remission rate, the majority of patients eventually relapse due to the proliferation of drug-resistant leukemic blasts in the bone marrow, hence the need for alternative approaches employing novel, more selective mechanisms for targeting AML blasts. In this study, we attempt to target both the MAPK pathway and the uPA/uPAR protease system in AML cells using a dual-selective, urokinase-activated recombinant anthrax lethal toxin (PrAgU2/LF). Anthrax lethal toxin (PrAg/LF) is a binary toxin that consists of two separate proteins, a protective antigen (PrAg) and a lethal factor (LF). PrAg binds cells, is cleaved by furin, oligomerizes, binds three to four molecules of LF, and undergoes endocytosis, releasing
Traffic Flow Merging and Bifurcating at Junction on Two-Lane Highway

In this paper we study the traffic states and jams in vehicular traffic merging and bifurcating at a junction on a two-lane highway. The two-lane traffic model for the vehicular motion at the junction is presented where a jam occurs frequently due to merging, lane changing, and bifurcating. The traffic flow is called the weaving. At the weaving section, vehicles slow down and then move aside on the other lane for changing their direction. We derive the fundamental diagrams (flow-density diagrams) for the weaving traffic flow. The traffic states vary with the density, slowdown speed, and the fraction of vehicles changing the lane. The dynamical phase transitions occur. It is shown that the fundamental diagrams depend highly on the traffic states.
Numerical Investigations of Seasonal and Interannual Variability of North Pacific Subtropical Mode Water and Its Implications for Pacific Climate Variability

AbstractNorth Pacific Subtropical Mode Water (NPSTMW) is an essential feature of the North Pacific subtropical gyre imparting significant influence on regional SST evolution on seasonal and longer time scales and, as such, is an important component of basin-scale North Pacific climate variability. This study examines the seasonal-to-interannual variability of NPSTMW, the physical processes responsible for this variability, and the connections between NPSTMW and basin-scale climate signals using an eddy-permitting 1979–2006 ocean simulation made available by the Estimating the Circulation and Climate of the Ocean, Phase II (ECCO2). The monthly mean seasonal cycle of NPSTMW in the simulation exhibits three distinct phases: (i) formation during November–March, (ii) isolation during March–June, and (iii) dissipation during June–November—each corresponding to significant changes in upper-ocean structure. An interannual signal is also evident in NPSTMW volume and other characteristic properties with volume mini.
Mathematics Self-Efficacy and Flow in Developmental Mathematics Students.

Mathematics Self-Efficacy and Flow in Developmental Mathematics Students Laura Golnabi This study examined mathematics self-efficacy and the characteristics of flow in the context of performing mathematical tasks. In particular, it explored the subjective experiences of 113 undergraduate students enrolled in a developmental mathematics course while they were independently solving certain mathematical problems. This study supplemented the literature on the role of self-efficacy as a mediator of the effect of the challenge/skill ratio on flow by applying it to the context of mathematical problem solving. This study also expanded the discussion on how findings may indicate a direction for further research on mathematics anxiety. Additionally, the relationship between mathematics self-efficacy and flow-like experiences as measured by the Flow Short Scale was considered.
‘Best practices … in spite of performance’: just a matter of imitation?

In this paper the focus is on how organizations select, adapt and retain best practices in HRM. Based on recent developments in two streams of thyeoretical thinking, i.e., new institutionalism and strategic management (especialy co-evolution and absorptive capacity), this paper contrasts economic rationality with normative rationality in the selection, adaptation and retention process. In this way we are able to construct the life cycle of a HRM best practice, the way in which companies differ in their speeed of selection and adoption of best practices, and the consequences this has for whether or not being able to achieve a competitive advantage. After presenting and describing our framework for the adoption and life cycle of best practices in the field of HRM, a range of hypotheses is presented to be tested for in follow-up research.
Human MicroRNA-602 Inhibits Hepatitis C Virus Genotype 1b Infection and Promotes Tumor Suppressor Gene Expression in a Hepatoma Cell Line

Objective: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infects 200 million people worldwide, inducing cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Liverspecific microRNA (miR) miR-122 facilitates HCV replication, and Locked Nucleic Acid (LNA)-anti-miR-122 was used successfully as a mono-therapy in HCV infected patients. Studies show that anti-miR-122 may negatively impact hepatocyte metabolism. Previously, we showed that human (hsa) miR-602 relative intracellular expression was up-regulated in microarray profiling when transfected with HCV genotype 1b, and hsa-miR-602 lowered HCV accumulation in infected Huh-7.5 cells. This study compares the effectiveness of hsa-miR-602 and LNA-anti-miR-122 on inhibiting HCV replication and regulating the expression of tumor suppressor genes p53, p73, and RASSF1A. Methods: Huh-7.5 cells were transfected with HCV genotype 1b and treated with hsa-miR-602, LNA-anti-miR-122 or both. Cytopathic effect (CPE) and cell aggregation were observed regularly after transfection. HCV load and localization in the un-transfected, transfected, and treated cells were detected by qRT-PCR and immunostaining, respectively. qRT-PCR detected the expression of p53, p73, and RASSF1A. The Cancer Cell Lines Encyclopedia (CCLE) and The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) were used to correlate gene copy number and expression for TP53, TP73 and RASSF1A in normal and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patient tissues and HCC cell lines. The survival curve for patients with MIR- 602 expression was done using TCGA HCC clinical data sets. Results: HCV load decreased in all treated cells but was more pronounced with hsa-miR-602. HCV transfected Huh-7.5 cells treated with hsa-miR-602 showed no morphological changes whereas cells treated with LNA-anti-miR-122 or LNA-anti-miR-122 and hsa-miR-602 together showed morphological changes. p53, p73, RASSF1A were down-regulated in HCV transfected cells and all treatments restored expression to near normal levels. Similar down-regulated expression was seen in the HCC patient samples and cell lines. Conclusion: Hsa-miR-602 effectively reduces HCV load and restores p53, p73, and RASSF1A expression in HCV transfected cells.
Blood nitric oxide and ovarian steroids levels during the cycle stages in Brown Swiss cows

Summary: The purpose of this study was to examine the fluctuations of the nitric oxide (NO) levels during the estrus cycle stages of cows and the association of these variations with ovarian steroids. In this study eighteen Brown Swiss cows were used. The ovarian activities of the cows were determined by rectal and ultrasound examinations. The estruses of the cows were synchronized by double dose prostaglandin F2α (PGF2α) administered with 11-day intervals. The blood samples of the cows in the cycle stages were taken, and NO, estradiol and progesterone values were measured. Highest estradiol concentration was determined during estrus stage (p<0.05). Progesterone was the lowest in estrus, whereas it was the highest in midcycle stage (p<0.05). The highest NO value was measured during the estrus (p<0.05) and the lowest NO value in the metestrus (p<0.05). In conclusion, the variations was observed in the NO level in different cycle periods in Brown Swiss cows, and the NO was found to be in highest concentration in proestrus and estrus periods like 17β-estradiol