Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Elemental Compositions of Comet 81P/Wild 2 Samples Collected by Stardust

We measured the elemental compositions of material from 23 particles in aerogel and from residue in seven craters in aluminum foil that was collected during passage of the Stardust spacecraft through the coma of comet 81P/Wild 2. These particles are chemically heterogeneous at the largest size scale analyzed (∼180 ng). The mean elemental composition of this Wild 2 material is consistent with the CI meteorite composition, which is thought to represent the bulk composition of the solar system, for the elements Mg, Si, Mn, Fe, and Ni to 35%, and for Ca and Ti to 60%. The elements Cu, Zn, and Ga appear enriched in this Wild 2 material, which suggests that the CI meteorites may not represent the solar system composition for these moderately volatile minor elements.
Fracking

Fracking, an extraction technique for unconventional oil and gas, has proved highly controversial in England, with environmental and health impacts being a central concern. Although the topic has been widely debated, such debate has focused on the pros and cons of the technique and little attention or literature has focused on the current regulatory system. At present, uncertainty surrounds numerous aspects of the extraction technique and the promotion of fracking in England is largely founded on the assumption that a strong regulatory system is already in place to control any impacts. This article will examine the current suites of regulation and will highlight the gaps that are present within the existing European Union (EU) and national controls and their connection to potential environmental and public health damage. Such an examination will consider legislation as well as the ability of regulators in England to act. This article will show that, at present, the system governing fracking is far from satisfactory. In light of this, the regulatory approaches now available will be evaluated and the need for a more precautionary approach to regulation highlighted.
Asymmetric Pass-Through of Exchange Rate Changes to CPI Inflation in Ghana

This paper examined asymmetric response of CPI inflation to changes in the nominal exchange rate of Ghana. The Structural Vector Autoregressive Regression (SVAR) model was deployed with a careful selection of variables consistent with the New Keynesian macroeconomic theory. Examining both symmetric and asymmetric ERPT, this paper found strong evidence of a response in CPI inflation to changes in exchange rate. The response is not immediate but it featured prominently three months into the future and dissipates thereafter. Pass-through to non-food prices is complete but incomplete in the case of food prices. ERPT is found to be asymmetric with depreciation having a positive effect on CPI inflation as expected within the first three months. Appreciation on the other hand has little impact on CPI inflation and has no statistical significance. It is evident that, the size of the changes in exchange rate does not affect pass-through. Examining the role of inflation environment in pass-through, this paper found that, in periods of increasing inflation, CPI inflation responds strongly to output gap and exchange rate than in periods of decreasing inflation. The variation in CPI inflation explained by changes in exchange rate is very low due to increasing productivity which absorbs the impact.
Concurrent use of simvastatin and estrogen--progestin therapy compared with each therapy alone for hypercholesterolemia in postmenopausal women.

OBJECTIVE Substantial improvements in lipoprotein-lipid profiles have previously been shown with both simvastatin and combined estrogen-progestin therapy in postmenopausal hypercholesterolemic women. Since little is known about the impact of the concomitant use of these therapies, the effects of concurrent hormone therapy and simvastatin in hypercholesterolemic postmenopausal women have been evaluated. METHODS Twenty-three postmenopausal women with fasting serum total cholesterol levels greater than 250 mg/dl received, in a randomized cross-over design, simvastatin (10 mg daily) for 8 weeks or postmenopausal hormone therapy (up to 1.25 mg of conjugated equine estrogens plus 5 mg of medroxyprogesterone acetate daily) for 8 weeks, with an 8-week wash-out interval between the two treatment periods. In a third, non-randomized treatment period after a second wash-out interval, each woman received a combination of simvastatin and postmenopausal hormone therapy in the same dosage regimens as above. Fasting blood was sampled monthly from baseline to measure total cholesterol, high- and low-density lipoprotein (HDL and LDL) cholesterol, triglycerides and lipoprotein(a). RESULTS For total cholesterol, the mean decreases with hormone therapy, simvastatin and combination therapy were 12% (95% confidence interval 6-17%), 26% (20-31%) and 28% (24-31%), respectively, and for LDL cholesterol 21% (14-27%), 37% (30-44%) and 46% (41-51%), respectively. Simvastatin was more effective than hormone therapy (p < 0.001), while the effect of the combined therapy was even greater (total cholesterol, p = 0.012; LDL cholesterol, p < 0.001). The level of HDL cholesterol increased similarly with each treatment: 4% (-3-11%), 6% (2-10%) and 7% (2-13%), respectively. Triglyceride levels increased with hormone therapy and decreased with simvastatin (p < 0.001), while there was little change with the combination (effect of combined therapy vs. simvastatin, p = 0.002; vs. hormone therapy, p < 0.001). Both hormone therapy and combined therapy reduced lipoprotein(a) similarly (-23% and -14%, respectively, p = 0.078). Simvastatin had no effect on lipoprotein(a) levels. CONCLUSION For postmenopausal women with hypercholesterolemia, use of a statin in combination with continuous combined oral estrogen and progestin therapy can result in a more cardioprotective lipoprotein-lipid profile than that achieved with either therapy used alone.
Predictors of Virological Response to Atazanavir in Protease Inhibitor-Experienced Patients

Abstract Background: Atazanavir (ATV) is the latest approved HIV protease inhibitor (PI). Even though it is very convenient (only two capsules once a day), concerns have risen about its potency. Method: The clinical performance of ATV 400 mg once a day was examined in all PI-experienced patients who were included in the ATV expanded access program conducted in a single institution. The predictive value of baseline drug resistance HIV genotypes, ATV plasma trough levels, and the genotypic inhibitory quotient (GIQ) on the virological response at week 24 was assessed. Results: Data from 92 patients were analyzed. ATV was prescribed as part of a rescue intervention (45%), a simplification strategy (11%), or an attempt to ameliorate hyperlipidemias (23%) or other toxicities (16%). Tenofovir (TDF) was concomitantly used with ATV in 78% of patients. None received ritonavir boosting. In patients with detectable viremia at baseline (65%), the median HIV RNA drop was 0.7 logs. The median ATV Cmin was 0.12 μg/mL (IQR, 0.05-0.22 μg/mL), which is clearly above the IC90 (90% inhibitory concentration) for ATV in wild-type viruses. The virological response did not correlate significantly with ATV Cmin. The median number of protease resistance mutations was lower in patients showing virological response than in nonresponders (1 vs. 5; p = .07). A higher HIV RNA drop was associated with a higher GIQ (p = .02; β = –5.4; 95% CI, –10 to –1). Only 4 patients (4%) discontinued treatment due to ATV-related toxicities (hyperbilirubinemia in 1). Bilirubin levels were associated with ATV plasma concentrations (p = .05; β = 3.2; 95% CI, –0.1 to 6.5). The rate of hypertriglyceridemia and hypercholesterolemia declined significantly with respect to baseline. Conclusion: ATV is relatively safe and provides significant virological response in PI-experienced patients, mainly among those with a low number of protease resistance mutations. The GIQ predicts accurately the virological response in patients receiving ATV. Hyperbilirubinemia is associated with higher ATV plasma levels.
Inequality and Union Membership: The Influence of Relative Earnings and Inequality Attitudes

Using surveys from the International Social Survey Programme covering the period 1985–2002 for seven European countries (West and East Germany, Sweden, Norway, Italy, the Netherlands and Great Britain), we examine the effect of relative earnings on union membership and show that union density is higher among workers in the intermediate earnings group than among low or high earners. Next, we examine the association of inequality attitudes with union membership and demonstrate that union membership is not only motivated by instrumental considerations related to relative earnings, but also by normative concerns about inequality. We interpret our findings suggesting that rising earnings inequality is in itself a source of union decline.
Exchange Rate Bands of Inaction and Play‐Hysteresis in German Exports - Sectoral Evidence for Some OECD Destinations

A non-linear model is applied where suddenly strong spurts of exports occur when changes of the exchange rate go beyond a zone of inaction. We call the latter a "play" area - analogous to mechanical play and implement an algorithm describing path-dependent playhysteresis into a regression framework. The hysteretic impact of real exchange rates on German exports is then estimated based on quarterly data from 1995Q1 to 2010Q3. For some of the main export partners of Germany outside the euro area and some of the most important tradable sectors we find significant hysteretic effects for a part of the German exports.
VAR Forecasting Using Bayesian Variable Selection

This paper develops methods for automatic selection of variables in Bayesian vector autoregressions (VARs) using the Gibbs sampler. In particular, I provide computationally efficient algorithms for stochastic variable selection in generic linear and nonlinear models, as well as models of large dimensions. The performance of the proposed variable selection method is assessed in forecasting three major macroeconomic time series of the UK economy. Data-based restrictions of VAR coefficients can help improve upon their unrestricted counterparts in forecasting, and in many cases they compare favorably to shrinkage estimators.
Financial Intermediation and Aggregate Fluctuations: A Quantative Analysis

This paper investigates the quantitative implications of two business cycle models in which aggregate fluctuations arise in response to variations in the process of financial intermediation. In the first, fundamental shocks in the capital accumulation process lead to fluctuations in the real returns from intermediated investment. For this economy, we find that the correlations produced are not consistent with observations of the U.S. economy. In particular, consumption is not smoother than output, investment is negatively correlated with output, variations in the capital stock are quite large and interest rates are procyclical. In an economy with both intermediation and total factor productivity shocks, the correlations we produce are closer to those observed in the U.S. economy only when the intermediation shock is relatively unimportant. In the second economy, variations in the returns to intermediation are part of a sunspot equilibrium. Fluctuations here are driven by self-fulfilling beliefs by private agents regarding the returns to intermediation as in an economy beset by banking crises. For this non-linear economy, we find that the correlations are closer to those observed but the variability of capital relative to output is still too large.
Four Factor Model in Indian Equities Market

We compute the Fama-French and momentum factor returns for the Indian equity market for the October 1993 - December 2013 period using data from CMIE Prowess. We differ from the previous studies on this topic, in the Indian market, in several significant ways. First, we cover a greater number of firms relative to the existing studies. Second, we exclude illiquid firms to ensure that the portfolios are investible. Third, we have classified firms into small and big using more appropriate cut-off considering the distribution of firm size. Fourth, as there are several instances of vanishing of public companies in India, we have computed the returns with a correction for survival bias. During the period from January 1994 to December 2014, the average annual return of the momentum factor was 21.9%; the average annual return on the value portfolio (HML was 15.3%; that of the size factor (SMB) was 15.3%; that of the size factor (SMB) nearly 0%; and the the average annual excess return on the market factor (MRP) was 11.5%. This is a revised version of our earlier paper on this topic. The revision is carried out to primarily accommodate the data of firms which are retrospectively added to the prowess database by CMIE. The time series of daily, monthly and yearly returns of the factors and the underlying portfolios are made available at an online data library. The authors would update the library on a monthly basis.
Does Idiosyncratic Volatility Proxy for Risk Exposure

We decompose aggregate market variance into an average correlation component and an average variance component. Only the latter commands a negative price of risk in the cross section of portfolios sorted by idiosyncratic volatility. Portfolios with high (low) idiosyncratic volatility relative to the Fama-French (1993) model have positive (negative) exposures to innovations in average stock variance and therefore lower (higher) expected returns. These two findings explain the idiosyncratic volatility puzzle of Ang et al. (2006, 2009). The factor related to innovations in average variance also reduces the pricing errors of book-to-market and momentum portfolios relative to the Fama-French (1993) model. The Author 2012. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Society for Financial Studies. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com, Oxford University Press.
DNA Biosynthesis by Isolated Mitochondria: A Replicative Rather Than a Repair Process

The previously observed incorporation of deoxynucleoside triphosphate precursors into DNA by isolated rat liver mitochondria could reflect either replication of DNA or a repair process. Density labeling experiments in cesium chloride demonstrate that DNA synthesized in the presence of 5-bromodeoxyuridine triphosphate instead of thymidine triphosphate shows an appreciable increase in density. In some of the molecules undergoing synthesis, the amount of the density increase indicated a replacement of thymine by bromouracil to the extent of 33 percent. This extensive replacement, which would compute to twice this amount if only a single strand of the duplex is labeled, provides evidence for the synthesis of fairly long pieces of DNA. Such synthesis is characteristic of replication rather than repair, and the results thus suggest that mitochondria are able to replicate their own DNA.
Forecasting Forest Areas and Carbon Stocks in Cambodia Based on Socio-Economic Factors

SUMMARY Establishing forest reference emission levels (RELs) and/or forest reference levels (RLs) is an important task for developing country parties considering taking part in the REDD+ scheme under the UNFCCC, especially for those countries experiencing corresponding economic development with land use changes. In this research, Cambodia's forest areas and forest carbon stocks from 2011 to 2018 were forecasted, which can be used as a reference for establishing forest RELs in Cambodia. Conditional to the assumptions of population growth, the growth in agricultural gross value added, and the level of economic land concession implementations, the forecasts by panel data analysis to provincial-level data showed that the forest area in Cambodia will decrease to 9.94 million ha in 2014 and 9.51 million ha in 2018 from 10.36 million ha in 2010 and that forest carbon stocks will decrease to 1.22 PgC in 2014 and 1.17 PgC in 2018 from 1.28 PgC in 2010.
Development of mature BDNF‐specific sandwich ELISA

Mature brain‐derived neurotrophic factor (mBDNF) plays a vital role in the nervous system, whereas proBDNF elicits neurodegeneration and neuronal apoptosis. Although current enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) has been widely used to measure BDNF levels, it cannot differentiate mBDNF from proBDNF. As the function of proBDNF differs from mBDNF, it is necessary to establish an ELISA assay specific for the detection of mBDNF. Therefore, we aimed to establish a new mBDNF‐specific sandwich ELISA. In this study, we have screened and found a combination of antibodies for a sandwich ELISA. A monoclonal antibody and sheep anti‐BDNF were chosen as capture and detection antibody for sandwich ELISA respectively. The new ELISA showed no cross‐reactivity to human recombinant NT‐3, NT‐4, nerve growth factor and negligible cross‐reactivity (0.99–4.99%) for proBDNF compared to commercial ELISA kits (33.18–91.09%). The application of the new mBDNF ELISA was shown through the measurement of mBDNF levels in different brain regions of rats and in the brain of β‐site amyloid precursor protein cleaving enzyme 1 (BACE1)−/− and WT mice and compared to western blot. Overall, this new ELISA will be useful for the measurement of mBDNF levels with high specificity. As the function of proBDNF differs from mBDNF (mature BDNF), it is necessary to establish an ELISA specific for the detection of mBDNF. Here, we present a novel sandwich ELISA which detects mBDNF with high specificity. This new ELISA will be useful for the measurement of mBDNF levels with high specificity in various human and animal tissues. proBDNF, precursor of BDNF; BDNF, brain‐derived neurotrophic factor; NT‐3, neurotrophin‐3; NT‐4, neurotrophin‐4; NGF, nerve growth factor.
Perceptions of Public versus Private Sector Personnel and Informal Red Tape: Their Impact on Motivation

This article presents the findings from a survey of public and private sector managers' perceptions of the formal and informal red tape encountered in their organizations. Formal red tape is perceived to be the result of personnel procedures, whereas the informal red tape is perceived as the constraint caused by the informal influence of the media, public opinion, political parties, and public officials. The article thereby also provides a partial test of the voluminous traditional literature containing assertions that public organizations experience more red tape than private organizations and the contemporary literature containing assertions that private organizations experience equivalent or greater red tape than public organizations. Going beyond typical public-private comparisons that do not consider the consequences of sector differences, the impact of personnel and informal red tape on a significant dependent variable-worker motivation-also is explored in this article.
Dendritic cells in patients with non‐progressive B‐chronic lymphocytic leukaemia have a normal functional capability but abnormal cytokine pattern

Dendritic cells (DC) are attractive candidates for use in vaccine‐based immunotherapy. We have analysed the functional capability of DC generated in vitro from blood CD14+ cells of chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) patients and healthy donors by culturing for 10 d with granulocyte‐macrophage colony‐stimulating factor (GM‐CSF), interleukin 4 (IL‐4) and tumour necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α). Two distinct DC populations were identified in patients as well as in controls. The majority of DC expressed CD11c and a minority also CD123. Most of the DC generated from both patients and controls exhibited a mature phenotype indicated by CD83 and major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II expression, as well as by a characteristic morphology. Less than 1% of DC exhibited CD14. CLL DC had a similar expression of accessory molecules (CD54, CD80 and CD86) as control DC. The mean fluorescence intensity of CD80 and MHC class I molecules was significantly higher on CLL DC than on control DC (P < 0·05). At the gene level (real‐time polymerase chain reaction) the expression of IL‐10 was higher in CLL (P = 0·028) than in control DC. IL‐1β and IL‐12p35 transcripts were also more abundant in CLL than in control DC but did not reach statistical significance. The expression of IL‐4 and TNF‐α was similar to that of control DC. The interferon γ (IFN‐γ) gene expression level in CLL DC was decreased compared with control DC. DC of CLL patients had a similar capacity to stimulate in mixed leucocyte reaction as well as to present a recall antigen (PPD) as control DC. Thus, DC of CLL patients seem to have a normal function and may serve as antigen preserving cells for presentation of tumour antigens in a therapeutic vaccination approach. The mechanisms behind the observed increase in some surface molecules and the abnormal cytokine profile of CLL DC is not clear but might indicate pre‐activation of DC in vivo, which may have a regulatory role in the pathobiology of CLL.
An exploratory study on determinants of customer satisfaction of leading mobile network providers – case of Kolkata, India

Purpose - The study is designed to explore the drivers of customer satisfaction of leading mobile network providers in a high-growth market like Kolkata a metropolitan city in India. Design/methodology - A framework was developed based on earlier study of eminent researchers pertinent to customer satisfaction of mobile network providers in Germany, France, Korea, Canada, the USA and Greece. The construct flexibility was considered as a new determinant for customer satisfaction. For this data were collected from 277 respondents and pertinent analysis were made using multivariate techniques. Findings - The study finds that generic requirements, price, and flexibility are major drivers of customer satisfaction of mobile network providers and brand wise relevance of these key determinants. Research limitations/implications - The fixed line telephone directory was the sampling frame, and all the respondents considered in the survey had a fixed line but there are situations where customer subscribes only to mobile phones. It is also necessary to study other metropolitan cities of India to validate the results we have obtained for Kolkata.