Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Method for the synthesis of highly pure vaccines using the lipid core peptide system

Traditional vaccines consisting of whole attenuated microorganisms, killed microorganisms, or microbial components, administered with an adjuvant (e.g. alum), have been proved to be extremely successful. However, to develop new vaccines, or to improve upon current vaccines, new vaccine development techniques are required. Peptide vaccines offer the capacity to administer only the minimal microbial components necessary to elicit appropriate immune responses, minimizing the risk of vaccination associated adverse effects, and focusing the immune response toward important antigens. Peptide vaccines, however, are generally poorly immunogenic, necessitating administration with powerful, and potentially toxic adjuvants. The attachment of lipids to peptide antigens has been demonstrated as a potentially safe method for adjuvanting peptide epitopes. The lipid core peptide (LCP) system, which incorporates a lipidic adjuvant, carrier, and peptide epitopes into a single molecular entity, has been demonstrated to boost immunogenicity of attached peptide epitopes without the need for additional adjuvants. The synthesis of LCP systems normally yields a product that cannot be purified to homogeneity. The current study describes the development of methods for the synthesis of highly pure LCP analogs using native chemical ligation. Because of the highly lipophilic nature of the LCP lipid adjuvant, difficulties (e.g. poor solubility) were experienced with the ligation reactions. The addition of organic solvents to the ligation buffer solubilized lipidic species, but did not result in successful ligation reactions. In comparison, the addition of approximately 1% (w/v) sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) proved successful, enabling the synthesis of two highly pure, tri‐epitopic Streptococcus pyogenes LCP analogs. Subcutaneous immunization of B10.BR (H‐2k) mice with one of these vaccines, without the addition of any adjuvant, elicited high levels of systemic IgG antibodies against each of the incorporated peptides. Copyright © 2006 European Peptide Society and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Bicycle in Shanghai: Movement patterns, cyclist attitudes and the impact of traffic separation

Transportation demand continues to grow at an even faster rate than the economies of Chinese cities, placing increasing pressure on a limited road network. In certain cities of the more highly developed coastal plains, the bicycle assumed a dominant role in urban transport in the 1980s, a position maintained in the 1990s. In Shanghai, the bicycle continues to play a dominant role, although policies favour a switch to public transport. In the present paper, cyclist attitudes toward public transport policies were probed with a pilot questionnaire at two important central destinations. An important example of current policies with regard to bicycles involves the creation of separate networks for motorized and non-motorized modes. A pilot scheme for eventual application over a very large area was recently introduced in the central area. We report on the traffic volumes by mode and street before and after its implementation in 1999. Both bicycle and car volumes diminished in the central area, although the decrease was greater for bicycles. On the other hand, interviewed cyclists expressed resistance to various incentives to use public transport. The question raised here is whether the planned increase in public transport share of total intracity travel can be achieved without disincentives to use the bicycle.
An Analysis of the Distribution of Extreme Share Returns in the UK from 1975 to 2000

This paper seeks to characterise the distribution of extreme returns for a UK share index over the years 1975 to 2000. In particular, the suitability of the following distributions is investigated: Gumbel, Frechet, Weibull, Generalised Extreme Value, Generalised Pareto, Log-Normal and Generalised Logistic. Daily returns for the FT All Share index were obtained from Datastream, and the maxima and minima of these daily returns over a variety of selection intervals were calculated. Plots of summary statistics for the weekly maxima and minima on statistical distribution maps suggested that the best fitting distribution would be either the Generalised Extreme Value or the Generalised Logistic. The results from fitting each of these two distributions to extremes of a series of UK share returns support the conclusion that the Generalised Logistic distribution best fits the UK data for extremes over the period of the study. The Generalised Logistic distribution has fatter tails than either the log-normal or the Generalised Extreme Value distribution, hence this finding is of importance to investors who are concerned with assessing the risk of a portfolio.
Effect of FDI and Time on Catching Up: New Insights from a Conditional Nonparametric Frontier Analysis

Productivity catching-up among countries has been an important topic of interest for many researchers. In particular, one is willing to see how the productivity of countries evolves over time and how exogenous factors may influence the process. Many studies have analyzed the effect of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) on catching-up over time, many by using restrictive parametric models. We use an appropriate nonparametric two-step approach on conditional efficiencies to investigate how FDI and time affect the process. By using a dataset of 44 countries over 1970-2007, we explore the channels under which FDI fosters productivity by disentangling the impact of this factor on production process and its components: impact on the attainable production set (input-output space), and the impact on the distribution of efficiencies. We extend existing methodological tools - conditional nonparametric efficiency measures - to examine these interrelationships. We emphasize the usefulness of smoothing over time to better analyze the potential dynamic influence of FDI on efficiency. We find that both FDI and time play an important role as influencing efficiency distribution and affecting, to a smaller extend, the production set. This effect of FDI does not seem to vary much over time. By the second stage nonparametric regression of the conditional efficiencies over FDI and time we identify clearly effect of time and FDI on conditional efficiency and we determine idiosyncratic efficiency, which represents ”Solow residual”, measured by looking to the unexplained part of the conditional efficiencies. By doing so, we are able to rank the productivity of countries at each time period, or on the average, when facing different environmental conditions.
The weak-form efficiency of Asian stock markets: new evidence from generalized spectral martingale test

The most appropriate approach to test for weak-form market efficiency is to examine whether the stock returns are Martingale Difference Sequence (MDS). However, the MDS tests have been largely ignored by previous studies, as the empirical analysis is dominated by Variance Ratio (VR) tests and Independent and Identically Distributed (IID)-based nonlinearity tests. This article re-examines the weak-form efficiency of 14 Asian stock markets using the generalized spectral martingale test. The result shows that all the return series are not MDSs, indicating the presence of return predictability and hence market inefficiency.
The Influence of Banking and Borrowing under Different Penalty Regimes in Tradable Green Certificate Markets – Results from an Experimental Economics Laboratory Experiment

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A conceptual model for creating effective public value through key practices in information technology governance mechanisms

Information Technology (IT) convergance and transformation in the public sector continue to increase that encourage governmental organizations to make IT Governance (ITG) doing well. For public sector, ITG implementation is difficult because it is complex than ITG in the private sector. It is therefore necessary to have ITG mechanisms that align public sector needs especially in creating public value. The literature in ITG implementation in the public sector still does not discuss the ITG mechanisms implementation that align with IT strategy to create public value. Using Systematic Literature Review (SLR), we find key practices in ITG mechanisms that align with IT strategy in the public sector. These key practices are the basis of the conceptual model of the relationship between IT G mechanisms, strategic IT alignment, and effective public value.
Trade Marks and Performance in UK Firms: Evidence of Schumpeterian Competition through Innovation

This paper uses novel data on trade mark activity of UK manufacturing and service sector firms to investigate whether trade marks improve the profitability and productivity of firms. We first analyse Tobin`s q, the ratio of stock market value to book value of tangible assets. We then investigate the relationship between trade mark activity and productivity, using a value added production function. Finally we examine interactions between firms IP activity, to explore creative destruction and growth via innovation. We find trade marks are positively related to both Tobin`s q and to productivity. Also in the short run greater IP activity by other firms in the industry reduces the value added of the firm, but this same competitive pressure has later benefits via productivity growth, also reflected in higher stock market value. This describes the Schumpeterian process of competition through innovation, restraining profit margins while increasing product variety and quality.
Towards Equality and Renewal: Women’s Groups, Diversity and Democracy in British Unions

Discussion of union equality and democracy usually locates women’s group (WG) organizing as a special representative form within unions. This study focuses on the extent to which WGs themselves address the interests of diverse constituent groups. Data from a national survey of Trades Union Congress affiliates were used to map WGs across unions and analyse the attention they give to group diversity relative to gender in pursuit of equality and better interest representation. It emerged that most members belong to unions where WGs tackle diversity to some extent. Implications for WG and union renewal strategy, research and theory are examined.
Post-socialist Urban Trends: New Patterns and Motivations for Migration in the Suburban Areas of Rīga, Latvia

Suburbanisation is the most typical characteristic of the spatial distribution of the population in many countries of central and eastern Europe. Furthermore, a characterisation of residents is of key importance in explaining the process of suburbanisation. The study contributes to an understanding of post-socialist suburbanisation by clarifying the motivations and groups behind the population shift to the suburbs. The analysis is based on an extensive survey of the Rīga metropolitan area, Latvia. The results show that suburbanisation is a socially polarised process and that those with high and low social status are more likely to move to the suburbs than those with middle social status. Similarly, the motivations behind suburban in-migration present a distinctive and complex portrait of the on-going suburbanisation processes. Housing choice was found to be a key motivation for suburban migrants.
Cloaked in ubiquitin, a killer hides in plain sight: the molecular regulation of RIPK1

In the past decade, studies have shown how instrumental programmed cell death (PCD) can be in innate and adaptive immune responses. PCD can be a means to maintain homeostasis, prevent or promote microbial pathogenesis, and drive autoimmune disease and inflammation. The molecular machinery regulating these cell death programs has been examined in detail, although there is still much to be explored. A master regulator of programmed cell death and innate immunity is receptor‐interacting protein kinase 1 (RIPK1), which has been implicated in orchestrating various pathologies via the induction of apoptosis, necroptosis, and nuclear factor‐κB‐driven inflammation. These and other roles for RIPK1 have been reviewed elsewhere. In a reflection of the ability of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) to induce either survival or death response, this molecule in the TNF pathway can transduce either a survival or a death signal. The intrinsic killing capacity of RIPK1 is usually kept in check by the chains of ubiquitin, enabling it to serve in a prosurvival capacity. In this review, the intricate regulatory mechanisms responsible for restraining RIPK1 from killing are discussed primarily in the context of the TNF signaling pathway and how, when these mechanisms are disrupted, RIPK1 is free to unveil its program of cellular demise.
Modeling the Impact of Sudden Environmental Changes on Visitor Arrival Forecasts: The Case of the Gulf War

Most forecasting models for tourist arrivals were constructed under the assumption of only minor changes in the environment. The performance of forecasting models in situations of sudden, drastic environmental change(s) has not been given much attention. Using the Gulf War as an example of sudden environmental change, the present article explored the relative performance of different forecasting models. The findings showed that in terms of forecasting accuracy, the naive II model was the best in dealing with unstable data.
Cardioembolic Stroke: An Update

Cardioembolic stroke accounts for approximately 15% of all strokes and is thought to be one of the more preventable types of strokes. Features that have been reported to support cardioembolism as a mechanism for ischemic stroke have included documented cardiac source of embolism, maximal neurologic deficit at onset, multiple cerebrovascular territories involved, enhanced tendency toward hemorrhagic transformation, enhanced risk of syncope or seizure associated with presentation, and lower likelihood of premonitory transient ischemic attacks. Features that tend to make cardioembolic stroke less likely include significant cerebral atherosclerosis, stepwise progression of the neurologic deficit within a finite period of time, vascular distribution such as entire internal carotid artery territory with combined middle cerebral artery and anterior cerebral artery involvement or watershed distribution, and premonitory transient ischemic attacks. A number of cardiac conditions can promote thromboembolism, and there is risk stratification reflective of the specific condition or coexistent conditions. Anticoagulant therapy generally has been found to be the most effective means of preventing cardiogenic brain embolism, but the intensity of anticoagulation needs to be optimized to reflect the risk-to-benefit ratio for the particular patient.
Young Innovative Companies: The New High-Growth Firms?

Young Innovative Companies (YIC) gained increasing attention from governments and scholars due to their expected high innovative performance and growth. Consequently, this study investigates whether Young Innovative Companies, as defined by the EU, grow more than other firms, both in terms of employment and in terms of sales. Using a database of Flemish firms over the years 2001-2008 reveals that these firms do grow significantly more than other firms. In addition, this study shows that YICs can be differentiated from New Technology Based Firms and small young firms in terms of growth, pointing to the importance of combining the individual properties characterizing YICs, that is being young ( 15%). In our estimations, we also take the underlying distribution of the growth variables into account by performing quantile regressions. The results of these quantile regressions reveal that YICs especially grow faster than the other, already fast-growing firms, indicating that they are high performers. In addition, we never find that these companies perform significantly worse than the other firms.
Determinants of buildup of the toxic dopamine metabolite DOPAL in Parkinson's disease

Intra‐neuronal metabolism of dopamine (DA) begins with production of 3,4‐dihydroxyphenylacetaldehyde (DOPAL), which is toxic. According to the ‘catecholaldehyde hypothesis,’ DOPAL destroys nigrostriatal DA terminals and contributes to the profound putamen DA deficiency that characterizes Parkinson's disease (PD). We tested the feasibility of using post‐mortem patterns of putamen tissue catechols to examine contributions of altered activities of the type 2 vesicular monoamine transporter (VMAT2) and aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) to the increased DOPAL levels found in PD. Theoretically, the DA : DOPA concentration ratio indicates vesicular uptake, and the 3,4‐dihydroxyphenylacetic acid : DOPAL ratio indicates ALDH activity. We validated these indices in transgenic mice with very low vesicular uptake (VMAT2‐Lo) or with knockouts of the genes encoding ALDH1A1 and ALDH2 (ALDH1A1,2 KO), applied these indices in PD putamen, and estimated the percent decreases in vesicular uptake and ALDH activity in PD. VMAT2‐Lo mice had markedly decreased DA:DOPA (50 vs. 1377, p < 0.0001), and ALDH1A1,2 KO mice had decreased 3,4‐dihydroxyphenylacetic acid:DOPAL (1.0 vs. 11.2, p < 0.0001). In PD putamen, vesicular uptake was estimated to be decreased by 89% and ALDH activity by 70%. Elevated DOPAL levels in PD putamen reflect a combination of decreased vesicular uptake of cytosolic DA and decreased DOPAL detoxification by ALDH.
MODELING THE HD 32297 DEBRIS DISK WITH FAR-INFRARED HERSCHEL DATA

HD 32297 is a young A-star (∼30 Myr) 112 pc away with a bright edge-on debris disk that has been resolved in scattered light. We observed the HD 32297 debris disk in the far-infrared and sub-millimeter with the Herschel Space Observatory PACS and SPIRE instruments, populating the spectral energy distribution (SED) from 63 to 500 μm. We aimed to determine the composition of dust grains in the HD 32297 disk through SED modeling, using geometrical constraints from the resolved imaging to break the degeneracies inherent in SED modeling. We found the best fitting SED model has two components: an outer ring centered around 110 AU, seen in the scattered light images, and an inner disk near the habitable zone of the star. The outer disk appears to be composed of grains >2 μm consisting of silicates, carbonaceous material, and water ice with an abundance ratio of 1:2:3 respectively and 90% porosity. These grains appear consistent with cometary grains, implying the underlying planetesimal population is dominated by comet-like bodies. We also discuss the 3. 7σ detection of [C ii] emission at 158 μm with the Herschel PACS instrument, making HD 32297 one of only a handful of debris disks with circumstellar gas detected.
Organizational Goal Ambiguity and Performance: Conceptualization, Measurement, and Relationships

ABSTRACT Many public administration scholars, political scientists, and practitioners have agreed that public organizations have more ambiguous and hard-to-measure goals than private organizations do. In addition, very little empirical research has been conducted in the public sector to support scholars’ assertions regarding the negative relationship between organizational goal ambiguity and performance. Therefore, based on the recognition of these limitations, this study suggests an objective measure of organizational performance by measuring actual attainment rates of all the program goals in 97 U.S. federal agencies, based on Steers’ goal approach. In addition to the number of organizational goals, the present study also develops two new concepts and measures of organizational goal ambiguity—target-specification and time-specification goal ambiguity—and validates them. The ordinary least squares regression results demonstrate the significant and negative relationships between the three dimensions of organizational goal ambiguity and the objective performance measure in the U.S. federal government.
Societal Responses to Familiar Versus Unfamiliar Risk: Comparisons of Influenza and SARS in Korea

This study examines the connections between familiar (influenza) and unfamiliar (SARS) risks among the general public in a SARS affected society. Using a survey of 350 respondents in Chonju, we find that risk perceptions and a belief that influenza vaccination reduces the incidence of SARS explain behavioral intentions for influenza vaccination and purchase responses to a hypothetical SARS vaccine. Those respondents who believe that an influenza vaccination will very likely reduce SARS incidence have a high probability (79%) of intending to vaccinate, but a much lower WTP for a SARS vaccine than those without such a belief. This belief undoubtedly was influenced by a reframing of influenza vaccination as preventing SARS. Such reframing may lead to short‐term improvements in vaccination rates to the detriment of long‐term SARS vaccination development. When compared with a similar study in Taiwan, societal risk perceptions of SARS and WTP for a vaccine vary greatly according to the extent of a society's experience with SARS.
Analysis of the potential and problems of new institutional economics for third world development

Purpose – The aim of this paper is to provide a critical evaluation of the potential of new institutional economics (NIE) in third world development. Design/methodology/approach – The paper reviews various theories under NIE from both conceptual and empirical perspectives. It then reviews the various definitions of institutions and show that institutions are essential to overcome problems of information and uncertainty. Findings – The review finds that weak institutions can undermine development and hence governments in developing countries should strengthen their institutions to provide greater scope for efficient functioning of markets. Where the market does not work owing to high transactions costs, traditional institutions of collective action and group decision making can work and hence need to be recognised. Research limitations/implications – The major implications of the paper is that in developing countries, a clear understanding of various institutions such as user groups, inter-linked credit markets, rotational irrigation etc. is needed before they are replaced or modified by other institutions. The main limitations of NIE are that there can be capture by elites of various institutional innovations in rural areas, and that it does not explicitly consider income distribution and uncertainty which are glossed over and hence remain areas for future research. Originality/value – This paper critically reviews the various institutional environments that developing countries face in addressing development issues.
Real Interest Rates and Government Debt during Stabilization

High real interest rates typically accompany successful disinflations. If government deficits are financed with domestic debt, this behavior of interest rates can be destabilizing. High interest rates increase debt service costs and contribute to the accumulation of debt, threatening the whole anti-inflation effort. The exchange rate regime matters in this context. Under perfectly flexible exchange rates, the real interest rate is invariant to changes in the rate of money creation. By contrast, the real rate of interest tends to rise when an economy under predetermined exchange rates is disinflated via the type of 'exchange rate management' analyzed by Drazen and Helpman (1987). Rules for fiscal and/or monetary policies are developed to ensure that the economy reaches a new, low-inflation steady state in the aftermath of stabilization effort. Copyright 1993 by Ohio State University Press.