Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Determinants of Student Persistence in Completing BS Agriculture Degrees in the University of the Philippines

The study used descriptive research design to identify factors that explain persistence of BS Agriculture (BSA) students in the University of the Philippines Los Baños during their first year of college as they moved on to the next year level towards degree completion. In addition to selfadministered questionnaire, Key Informant interviews were also conducted. Findings reveal that institution-related factor particularly the institution’s commitment to academic excellence constitutes most to the experiences of agriculture students. Analysis of Variance reveals a significant difference in the persistence of BS Agriculture students across year levels. The results of the study point out that, as per responses of the students as well as the faculty and administrators interviewed, the University has not gone far enough to ensure that BSA students are supported in an efficient manner. The University of the Philippines, being the National University has much opportunity to make positive changes in persistence of these special populations of agriculture students. Thus, it needs to take steps toward making more of a commitment to student success.
Effects of controlled discontinuation of long-term used antipsychotics for behavioural symptoms in individuals with intellectual disability.

BACKGROUND Antipsychotics are frequently and often long-term used for challenging behaviour in persons with intellectual disability (ID), but the evidence base for this is meagre. As these agents may cause harmful side effects, discontinuation should be considered. Previous studies regarding discontinuation of long-term used antipsychotics mostly were uncontrolled and involved small numbers. The primary objective was to investigate the effects of controlled discontinuation of antipsychotics prescribed for challenging behaviour. Secondary objectives were to compare the results of two discontinuation time schedules, to compare groups of participants who had and had not achieved complete discontinuation, and to identify patient and medication characteristics that might predict the outcomes. Our hypothesis was that discontinuation of antipsychotics used for behavioural symptoms would not lead to worsening in behaviour. METHODS This was a multi-centre parallel-group study comparing two discontinuation schedules of 14 and 28 weeks. Allocation to the two discontinuation schedules took place in a 1:1 ratio. Antipsychotics were tapered off every 2 or 4 weeks with approximately 12.5% of the initial dosage. Follow-up was 12 weeks after the scheduled complete discontinuation, that is, 26 or 40 weeks after the first dose reduction, respectively. Discontinuation was stopped in case of significant behavioural worsening. Participants were 98 residents with ID of three care providing organisations in the Netherlands, aged 15-66 year, who had used for more than 1 year one or more of the six most frequently prescribed antipsychotics for challenging behaviour. Main outcome measure was the total score of the Aberrant Behaviour Checklist (ABC); also ABC sub-scales were used. RESULTS Of 98 participants, 43 achieved complete discontinuation; at follow-up 7 had resumed use of antipsychotics. Mean ABC ratings improved significantly for those who achieved complete discontinuation (directly after discontinuation, P < 0.01 and at follow-up, P = 0.03), and at follow-up (P = 0.03) for those who had not achieved complete discontinuation. Similar results were found with respect to most ABC sub-scales, including the 'irritability' sub-scale. There were no significant differences in improvement of ABC ratings between both discontinuation schedules. Higher ratings of extrapyramidal and autonomic symptoms at baseline were associated with less improvement of behavioural symptoms after discontinuation; higher baseline ABC rating predicted higher odds of incomplete discontinuation. CONCLUSIONS Discontinuation of antipsychotics prescribed for challenging behaviour in patients with ID is associated with improved behavioural functioning. There is no need to taper off in a time frame longer than 14 weeks.
Does environmental management system foster corporate green innovation? The moderating effect of environmental regulation

ABSTRACT Green innovation is essential for addressing climate change and environmental deterioration challenges. We focus on whether and how environmental management systems (EMS), in particular, the ISO 14001 standard, influences corporate green innovation by considering the moderating role of environmental regulation. With a sample of the top 100 listed companies in China from 2008 to 2012, we find that EMS is significantly positively correlated with corporate green innovation and that environmental regulation strengthens this relationship. Thus, this research provides an important contribution to the literature on green innovation, environment management and emerging economies.
High-tech entrepreneurial firms’ innovation in different institutional settings. Do venture capital and private equity have complementary or substitute effects?

ABSTRACT The paper explores whether venture capital (VC) and private equity (PE) investments have complementary or substitute effects on innovation in high-tech entrepreneurial firms in different institutional settings, focusing on different levels of capital market development, entrepreneurial culture, and intellectual property rights protection. Using a panel sample of 326 firms from 12 EU countries observed from 2009–2013, the empirical results show that the VC/PE effect on high-tech entrepreneurial firms’ innovation is stronger in countries with a less-developed capital market. This suggests that VC/PE investments play a substitute role. A partial substitute role of VC/PE is also detected in firms located in countries with a low entrepreneurial culture. However, no significant evidence emerged regarding the level of protection of intellectual property rights. The results are generally robust to various econometric specifications. The implications of the resulting framework, the study’s limitations, and opportunities for further research are also discussed.
Effect of a Natural Supplement Containing Curcuma Longa, Guggul, and Chlorogenic Acid in Patients With Metabolic Syndrome

The impact of a natural supplement (Kepar; Rikrea, Italy), containing several plant extracts such as curcuma longa, silymarin, guggul, chlorogenic acid, and inulin, was evaluated in 78 patients with metabolic syndrome (MetS; 45 men; age: 62 ± 9 years). Kepar at a dose of 2 pills/d was given for 4 months as add-on therapy to the ongoing treatment, maintained at fixed doses for the entire study. Anthropometric variables, plasma lipids, glucose parameters, and oxidative stress were measured at baseline and after 4 months. We found significant reductions in body weight (from 81.1 ± 13.5 to 79.4 ± 12.5 kg, P < .0001), body mass index (from 29.6 [23.7] to 29.3 [21.9] kg/m2, P = .001), and waist circumference (from 105 ± 11 to 102 ± 10 cm, P = .0004) as well as in fasting glucose (from 6.5 [11.7] to 6.4 [7.6] mmol/L, P = .014) and total cholesterol (from 4.8 ± 1.4 to 4.5 ± 1.0 mmol/L, P = .03). No significant changes were found in the other appraised parameters, including oxidative stress. In conclusion, after few months of treatment Kepar seems to exert beneficial effects in patients with MetS. Larger studies with a longer follow-up period are needed to confirm these preliminary findings.
Chlamydia Screening Coverage Estimates Derived Using Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information System Procedures and Indirect Estimation Vary Substantially

Background Screening coverage is an important determinant of chlamydial control program success. Objectives The aim of this study was to compare chlamydial screening coverage estimates. Methods We compared 9 estimates among women aged 15 to 25 years in Washington State, 2009. Four used Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information System (HEDIS) procedures among Group Health enrollees. Separate HEDIS estimates assessed all enrollees and the subset of women who used services; for each group, separate estimates defined the sexually active population using HEDIS methods or National Survey of Family Growth (NSFG) data. Three indirect screening estimates used census and NSFG data to define the population’s size and derived the number of tests performed by dividing the number of reported cases by test positivity defined using data from different laboratories, adjusted for repeat testing. A fourth indirect estimate was adjusted for reason for testing. A direct-indirect estimate combined data on the number of tests performed in reporting laboratories and an indirect estimate of tests performed elsewhere. Results Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information System procedures and NSFG data yielded similar estimates of the percentage of women who were sexually active (60% vs. 61%). Screening coverage estimated by HEDIS was higher among Group Health users (43.6%) than among all enrollees (34.2%). Indirect screening coverage estimates varied from 46.4% to 68.7%. The direct-indirect estimate, which included a direct measure of the number of tests performed to identify 52% of reported cases, was 57.6%. Conclusions Most sexually active women aged 15 to 25 years in Washington State were screened for chlamydia in 2009. Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information System methods may underestimate screening coverage. Health departments can derive population-based coverage estimates using data from large laboratories.
NSs Protein of Rift Valley Fever Virus Induces the Specific Degradation of the Double-Stranded RNA-Dependent Protein Kinase

ABSTRACT Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV) continues to cause large outbreaks of acute febrile and often fatal illness among humans and domesticated animals in Africa, Saudi Arabia, and Yemen. The high pathogenicity of this bunyavirus is mainly due to the viral protein NSs, which was shown to prevent transcriptional induction of the antivirally active type I interferons (alpha/beta interferon [IFN-α/β]). Viruses lacking the NSs gene induce synthesis of IFNs and are therefore attenuated, whereas the noninducing wild-type RVFV strains can only be inhibited by pretreatment with IFN. We demonstrate here in vitro and in vivo that a substantial part of the antiviral activity of IFN against RVFV is due to a double-stranded RNA-dependent protein kinase (PKR). PKR-mediated virus inhibition, however, was much more pronounced for the strain Clone 13 with NSs deleted than for the NSs-expressing strain ZH548. In vivo, Clone 13 was nonpathogenic for wild-type (wt) mice but could regain pathogenicity if mice lacked the PKR gene. ZH548, in contrast, killed both wt and PKR knockout mice indiscriminately. ZH548 was largely resistant to the antiviral properties of PKR because RVFV NSs triggered the specific degradation of PKR via the proteasome. The NSs proteins of the related but less virulent sandfly fever Sicilian virus and La Crosse virus, in contrast, had no such anti-PKR activity despite being efficient suppressors of IFN induction. Our data suggest that RVFV NSs has gained an additional anti-IFN function that may explain the extraordinary pathogenicity of this virus.
Is the Fox Guarding the Henhouse? Bankers in the Federal Reserve, Bank Leverage and Risk-shifting

Nearly 30% of US banks employ at least one board member who currently serves (or has previously served) the Federal Reserve in a public service role. Public service roles take the form of Federal Reserve directorships or memberships in Federal Reserve advisory councils. We show that connections between banks and the Federal Reserve are linked to decreases in the sensitivity of bank leverage to risk. Further, connected banks extract larger public subsidies by shifting risk to the financial safety-net. Jointly, our results suggest that interactions between banks and regulators reduce supervisory effectiveness.
Transcriptionally mediated inhibition of telomerase of fungal immunomodulatory protein from Ganoderma tsugae in A549 human lung adenocarcinoma cell line

Telomerase expression is the hallmark of tumor cells, and activation of this ribonucleoprotein complex may be a rate‐limiting or critical step in cellular immortalization and oncogenesis. Fungal immunomodulatory protein, FIP‐gts, has been isolated from Ganoderma tsugae. In the present study, we expressed and purified the recombinant fungal immunomodulatory protein reFIP‐gts in E. coli. We found that reFIP‐gts significantly and selectively inhibits the growth of A549 cancer cells while not affecting the growth of normal MRC‐5 fibroblasts. The reFIP‐gts suppression of telomerase activity is concentration‐dependent, due to the downregulation of the telomerase catalytic subunit (hTERT). It also happens at the mRNA level. These results were confirmed by transient transfections of A549 cells with pGL3‐Basic plasmid constructs containing the functional hTERT promoter and its E‐box‐deleted sequences cloned upstream of a luciferase reporter gene. With electrophoretic mobility shift assays and Western blotting, we demonstrated that in response to reFIP‐gts, binding of c‐myc transcriptional factor to the E‐box sequence on the hTERT promoter is inhibited. These results show that reFIP‐gts suppresses telomerase activity and inhibits transcriptional regulation of hTERT via a c‐myc‐responsive element‐dependent mechanism. Our findings provide new insight into both the anticancer function of reFIP‐gts and the regulation of hTERT/telomerase expression, which may be valuable in the development of a promising chemopreventive agent. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Defect Analysis and Cost-Effective Resilience Architecture for Future DRAM Devices

Technology scaling has continuously improved the density, performance, energy efficiency, and cost of DRAM-based main memory systems. Starting from sub-20nm processes, however, the industry began to pay considerably higher costs to screen and manage notably increasing defective cells. The traditional technique, which replaces the rows/columns containing faulty cells with spare rows/columns, has been able to cost-effectively repair the defective cells so far, but it will become unaffordable soon because an excessive number of spare rows/columns are required to manage the increasing number of defective cells. This necessitates a synergistic application of an alternative resilience technique such as In-DRAM ECC with the traditional one. Through extensive measurement and simulation, we first identify that aggressive miniaturization makes DRAM cells more sensitive to random telegraph noise or variable retention time, which is dominantly manifested as a surge in randomly scattered single-cell faults. Second, we advocate using In-DRAM ECC to overcome the DRAM scaling challenges and architect In-DRAM ECC to accomplish high area efficiency and minimal performance degradation. Moreover, we show that advancement in process technology reduces decoding/correction time to a small fraction of DRAM access time, and that the throughput penalty of a write operation due to an additional read for a parity update is mostly overcome by the multi-bank structure and long burst writes that span an entire In-DRAM ECC codeword. Lastly, we demonstrate that system reliability with modern rank-level ECC schemes such as single device data correction is further improved by hundred million times with the proposed In-DRAM ECC architecture.
The Motility of Human Milk Macrophages in Collagen Gels

ABSTRACT: The hypothesis that the diminished motility of human milk leukocytes is due to a decrease in adherence was tested by using a collagen gel system in which leukocyte movement is less dependent on adherence. Unfractionated human milk leukocytes (HML) or fractionated peripheral blood leukocytes were placed on collagen gels in microwells and the leading edge of migration was determined by inverted phase microscopy. The mean rates of invasion of HML, blood neutrophils, and mononuclear blood leukocytes were 14, 240, and <1 μ/h, respectively (p < 0.01). We then examined the identity of motile HML by immunoperoxidase techniques using antibodies to selected cell markers. Motile HML were positive for a specific macrophage marker (cathepsin B) and a neutrophil and monocyte marker (Mac-1) but were negative for specific neutrophil (cathepsin G) or lymphocyte markers (CD3 and CD5). The directed motility of these cells was not enhanced by exposure to the chemoattractant, N-formyl-L-methionyl-L-phenylalanine, but was inhibited by a T cell lectin, phytohemagglutinin. The movement was actin dependent but was not dependent on calcium or Mac-1 surface glycoproteins. Thus, the diminished motility of milk neutrophils does not appear to be due to decreased adherence per se, and those HML that are motile are macrophages. This suggests a dichotomy for the function of HML. Neutrophils may be relegated to the lumen of the alimentary tract, whereas macrophages may penetrate into mucosal sites for host defense.
Nectin-like Protein 2 Defines a Subset of T-cell Zone Dendritic Cells and Is a Ligand for Class-I-restricted T-cell-associated Molecule*♦

Dendritic cells (DCs) are a phenotypically and functionally heterogenous population of leukocytes with distinct subsets serving a different set of specialized immune functions. Here we applied an in vitro whole cell panning approach using antibody phage display technology to identify cell-surface epitopes specifically expressed on human blood BDCA3+ DCs. A single-chain antibody fragment (anti-1F12 scFv) was isolated that recognizes a conserved surface antigen expressed on both human BDCA3+ DCs and mouse CD8α+ DCs. We demonstrate that anti-1F12 scFv binds Nectin-like protein 2 (Necl2, Tslc1, SynCaM, SgIGSF, or Igsf4), an adhesion molecule involved in tumor suppression, synapse formation, and spermatogenesis. Thus, Necl2 defines a specialized subset of DCs in both mouse and human. We further show that Necl2 binds Class-I-restricted T-cell-associated molecule (CRTAM), a receptor primarily expressed on activated cytotoxic lymphocytes. When present on antigen presenting cells, Necl2 regulates IL-22 expression by activated CD8+ T-cells. We propose that Necl2/CRTAM molecular pair could regulate a large panel of cell/cell interactions both within and outside of the immune system.
Double-blind crossover study with physostigmine in patients with degenerative cerebellar diseases.

OBJECTIVE To determine whether treatment with physostigmine can improve the conditions of patients with ataxia. DESIGN A double-blind crossover study with physostigmine was performed in 19 patients with degenerative cerebellar diseases. SETTING Patients were selected from an ongoing prospective follow-up study at the university hospital in Lübeck, Germany. PATIENTS Eleven patients with autosomal dominant cerebellar ataxia and 8 patients with idiopathic cerebellar ataxia. INTERVENTION Physostigmine was administered by using a transdermal system (patch) containing 30 mg of physostigmine as a base, of which about 6 mg is released during 24 hours along a diffusion gradient. Each treatment phase with the physostigmine patch or the placebo lasted 4 weeks, after which the treatment of patients was crossed over to the other phase. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Ataxia was documented and quantified by using a clinical score and posturographic measures. RESULTS Physostigmine patches had no significant effect on cerebellar symptoms. CONCLUSION Treatment with physostigmine does not improve the conditions of patients with ataxia.
Insertional inactivation of an intrageneric coaggregation-relevant adhesin locus from Streptococcus gordonii DL1 (Challis)

Transposon Tn916 was used to insertionally inactivate a coaggregation-relevant locus of Streptococcus gordonii DL1 (Challis). One mutant (F11) was isolated that lost the ability to coaggregate with the streptococcal partners of DL1 but retained the ability to coaggregate with partners belonging to other genera. A probe specific for the region flanking the Tn916 insertion was used to isolate a locus-specific fragment from a chromosomal lambda library. Southern analysis of the resulting phagemids revealed that a 0.5-kb EcoRI fragment hybridized with the F11 probe. Cloning of the 0.5-kb EcoRI fragment into the E. coli-streptococcal insertion vector p(omega) yielded pCW4, which was used to insertionally inactivate the putative coaggregation-relevant gene in DL1. Insertion mutants showed altered coaggregation with streptococci but retained wild-type coaggregation properties with other genera of bacteria. Comparison of immunoblots of cell surface proteins showed a 100-kDa protein in DL1 which was not detected in the Tn916 and pCW4 insertion mutants. These results indicate that the 0.5-kb EcoRI fragment is part of an adhesin-relevant locus that is involved in the production of a 100-kDa protein at the cell surface.
DSM-IV disorders in children with borderline to moderate intellectual disability. II: child and family predictors.

OBJECTIVE To identify child and family factors that predict DSM-IV disorders in children with intellectual disability. METHOD In 1997, a total of 968 6- to 18-year-olds were randomly selected from Dutch schools for intellectual disability (response 69.3%). Parents completed the Child Behavior Checklist, Developmental Behavior Checklist, Vineland Screener, and instruments addressing their child's physical health, family functioning, and parental mental health. One year later, parents of 474 children, randomly selected from the 1997 participants (response 86.8%), completed the anxiety, mood, and disruptive disorder modules of the Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children-IV. RESULTS Both child and family factors were significantly related to DSM-IV outcome 1 year later. Social incompetence, inadequate daily living skills, child health problems, negative life events, emotional and behavioral problems, and parental mental health problems were the strongest predictors of DSM-IV disorders 1 year later. After correcting for the level of behavioral problems in the previous year, the first four factors proved to be significant risk factors for DSM-IV outcome. CONCLUSIONS These factors can improve the identification of children at risk and point to topics that need attention in diagnostic and intervention procedures.
Behavioral & Experimental Macroeconomics and Policy Analysis: A Complex Systems Approach

This survey discusses behavioral and experimental macroeconomics, emphasizing a complex systems perspective. The economy consists of boundedly rational heterogeneous agents who do not fully understand their complex environment and use simple decision heuristics. Central to our survey is the question of under which conditions a complex macro-system of interacting agents may or may not coordinate on the rational equilibrium outcome. A general finding is that under positive expectations feedback (strategic complementarity)—where optimistic (pessimistic) expectations can cause a boom (bust)—coordination failures are quite common. The economy is then rather unstable, and persistent aggregate fluctuations arise strongly amplified by coordination on trend-following behavior leading to (almost-)self-fulfilling equilibria. Heterogeneous expectations and heuristics switching models match this observed micro and macro behavior surprisingly well. We also discuss policy implications of this coordination failure on the perfectly rational aggregate outcome and how policy can help to manage the self-organization process of a complex economic system. (JEL C63, C90, D91, E12, E71, G12)