Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Determinants of Intra-Industry Trade Between Developing Countries and the United States

This study identifies country and industry-level determinants of intra-industry trade (IIT) between the United States and developing countries. IIT is found to decline with greater differences in relative factor endowments. Economic size and trade orientation of the developing country influence IIT in a positive way. Distance exerts a negative effect on IIT. Results show IIT occurs in nonstandard, made-to-order, vertically differentiated, labor intensive products produced by large globally integrated industries. No support is provided for the role of scale economies in determining North-South IIT. Theoretical and empirical models of North-South trade should focus on sources of IIT related to country characteristics, vertical product differentiation based on quality differences, the degree of product standardization, and labor cost differences between the North and South.
Minimum cost of transport in human running is not ubiquitous.

PURPOSE This study explores recent claims that humans exhibit minimum cost of transport (CoTmin) for running, which occurs at intermediate speed, and assesses individual physiological, gait, and training characteristics. METHODS Twelve healthy participants with varying levels of fitness and running experience ran on a treadmill at six self-selected speeds in a discontinuous protocol over three sessions. Running speed (km·h), VO2 (mL·kg·km), CoT (kcal·km), HR (bpm), and cadence (steps per minute) were continuously measured. VO2max was measured on the fourth testing session. The occurrence of CoTmin was investigated, and its presence or absence was examined with respect to fitness, gait, and training characteristics. RESULTS Five participants showed clear CoTmin at intermediate speed and a statistically significant (P < 0.05) quadratic CoT-speed function, whereas the other participants did not show such evidence. Participants were then categorized and compared with respect to the strength of evidence for CoTmin (ClearCoTmin and NoCoTmin). The ClearCoTmin group displayed a significantly higher correlation between speed and cadence, more endurance training and exercise sessions per week, and a marginally nonsignificant but higher aerobic capacity than the NoCoTmin group. Some runners still showed CoTmin at intermediate speed even after subtraction of resting energy expenditure. CONCLUSIONS The findings confirm the existence of optimal speed for human running in some but not all participants. Those exhibiting COTmin undertook higher volume of running, ran with a cadence that was more consistently modulated with speed, and tended to be aerobically fitter. The ability to minimize energetic CoT seems not to be a ubiquitous feature of human running but may emerge in some individuals with extensive running experience.
Characterizing T Cell Movement within Lymph Nodes in the Absence of Antigen1

The recent application of two-photon microscopy to the visualization of T cell movement has presented trajectories of individual T cells within lymphoid organs both in the presence and in the absence of Ag-loaded dendritic cells. Remarkably, even though T cells largely move along conduits of the fibroblastic reticular cell network, they appear to execute random walks in lymphoid organs rather than chemotaxis. In this study, we analyze experimental trajectories of T cells using computer simulations of idealized random walks. Comparisons of simulations with experimental data provide estimates of key parameters that characterize T cell motion in vivo. For example, we find that the distance moved before turning is about twice the distance between intersections in the fibroblastic reticular cell network, suggesting that at an intersection a T cell will turn onto a new fiber ∼50% of the time. Although the calibrated model appears to offer an accurate representation of T cell movement, it has also uncovered inconsistencies across different experimental data sets.
Employee Engagement and Burnout: A Quantitative Study of their Correlations with Job/Organizational Satisfaction

Since Kahn introduced the concept of employee engagement in 1990, the focus on motivating employees has been en vogue in practitioner literature. The federal government as well now measures its agencies annually on how well they implement conditions conducive to engagement. Federal agencies are also ranked annually as “Best Places to Work” based on their aggregated score on three survey items deemed to represent job/organizational satisfaction. The concept of burnout, or the so-called “erosion of engagement”, however, has received significantly less attention. To begin to fill this void in the literature, secondary survey data from the 2017 Organizational Assessment Survey administered to the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command (SPAWAR) in San Diego, California was examined. Specifically, the focus of this study was the Headquarters (HQ)/Program Executive Office (PEO) survey, for which 870 out of 1111 military and civilian personnel responded for an overall response rate of 78%. Using factor analytic techniques on the 122 survey items, this study first identified groupings of survey items to construct a potential burnout index, and a sufficiently high Cronbach’s Alpha confirmed the internal consistency of the resultant burnout index. The study then examined demographic differences in employees’ perceptions of burnout, engagement conditions, and job/organizational satisfaction. Finally, regression analysis was used to test whether burnout moderates the relationship between engagement conditions and job/organizational satisfaction. Demographic variables such as HQ organizational code, age, tenure, and intent to leave were significant predictors. While results indicated burnout does not have a significant interaction effect with engagement conditions on job/organizational satisfaction for the overall SPAWAR HQ/PEO workforce, the moderating interaction was detected for one of its HQ organizational codes. The results of this research will help those federal agencies directed to spend time, effort and taxpayer dollars to increase employee engagement. The study’s significance lies in its potential to contribute to the understanding of burnout as a potential moderator of employee engagement. DEDICATION This dissertation is dedicated to my daughter Tamara who was in my belly the day I applied for the program and has been by my side the entire time. It is also dedicated to two angels – to my forever-beloved son Q and to Ray Coronado – may they rest in peace. Lastly, it is dedicated to my demons, which have served as catalysts for my continual journey of self-discovery and self-improvement.
Association Between Plasma Proprotein Convertase Subtilisin/Kexin Type 9 and the Presence of Metabolic Syndrome in a Predominantly Rural-Based Sub-Saharan African Population.

BACKGROUND The prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) has increased dramatically in low- and middle-income countries. Proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) plays a major role in low-density lipoprotein receptor degradation, but its relationship with metabolic parameters is still poorly understood. We aimed to investigate the association between plasma PCSK9 and metabolic parameters in a Kenyan cohort. METHODS Total plasma PCSK9 levels were measured in 2016 by an in-house enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using a polyclonal antibody. The International Diabetes Federation (IDF) 2009 consensus statement criteria were used to assess the presence of MetS. RESULTS In 1338 Kenyans, 11% of the cohort had ≥3 MetS criteria. Total plasma PCSK9 concentration was significantly higher in subjects with MetS than in the non-MetS group (166.8 ± 4.4 vs. 148.0 ± 1.3, P < 0.0001). A progressive increase in circulating PCSK9 was observed when subjects were stratified according to the number of MetS criteria (<3, 3, 4, or 5) [P of the analysis of variance (ANOVA) <0.0001]. In a model corrected for age, sex, lifestyle factors, and body mass index, PCSK9 concentration was a significant predictor of all MetS criteria taken individually, except for waist circumference. Plasma PCSK9 levels were significantly associated with low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, but the strongest association was seen with triglycerides even after multiple adjustments. CONCLUSIONS The presence of MetS was significantly associated with the PCSK9 concentration. Further studies are needed to provide a molecular connection between PCSK9 and insulin, as well as triglyceride metabolism.
Enhancing Nursing Students' Competency Skills With a Workplace Violence Nursing Simulation: Translating Knowledge Into Practice

The phenomenon of workplace violence (WPV) is prevalent in clinical settings affecting nurses and nursing students. Mental health nursing simulations may be used to impart knowledge and skills to nursing students to manage and prevent incidents of WPV. This article presents attained competency skills by nursing students after attending a simulation, and how they implemented their knowledge learned in their clinical rotations. Students attended a Mental Health Nursing Simulation on WPV and completed surveys. The simulation enhanced the students' communication skills, empathy, ability to manage verbally aggressive patients, ability to set personal boundaries, and ability to seek support from others. Participants reported physical and verbal forms of WPV and application of learned evidence-based skills in their clinical rotations. Evidence-based skills to manage and prevent WPV taught to nursing students via mental health nursing simulations can enhance their clinical competency, and they should be embedded in a nursing curriculum.
Vascular gait disorders

Small vessel disease is the commonest known brain disorder, and, among its hallmarks, difficulty walking is a major cause of increased dependency and reduced quality of life, as well as death. Although gait problems relate to the presence and extent of various neuroimaging markers of small vessel disease (e.g., white matter hyperintensities, lacunes, and cerebral microbleeds), the exact mechanisms involved, and any additional role of neurodegenerative pathology, are not well-understood. A key question is how small vessel disease affects white matter integrity and ultimately motor and cognitive function to result in clinical symptoms.
Multiband Circular Polarizer Based on Fission Transmission of Linearly Polarized Wave for X-Band Applications

A multiband circular polarizer based on fission transmission of linearly polarized wave for x-band application is proposed, which is constructed of 2 &#-41; 2 metallic strips array. The linear-to-circular polarization conversion is obtained by decomposing the linearly incident x-polarized wave into two orthogonal vector components of equal amplitude and 90° phase difference between them. The innovative approach of ? fission transmission of linear-to-circular polarized wave? is firstly introduced to obtain giant circular dichroism based on decomposition of orthogonal vector components through the structure. It means that the incident linearly polarized wave is converted into two orthogonal components through lower printed metallic strips layer and two transmitted waves impinge on the upper printed strips layer to convert into four orthogonal vector components at the end of structure. This projection and transmission sequence of orthogonal components sustain the chain transmission of electromagnetic wave and can achieve giant circular dichroism. Theoretical analysis and microwave experiments are presented to validate the performance of the structure. The measured results are in good agreement with simulation results. In addition, the proposed circular polarizer exhibits the optimal performance with respect to the normal incidence. The right handed circularly polarized wave is emitted ranging from 10.08? GHz to 10.53? GHz and 10.78? GHz to 11.12? GHz, while the left handed circular polarized wave is excited at 10.54? GHz? 10.70? GHz and 11.13? GHz? 11.14? GHz, respectively.
The cmeDetect Computer Code for CME Analysis

— In the present work, computer detection code is introduced to isolate CME from SOHO/LASCO C3 images utilizing a Matlab code. The detection program, cmeDetect, contained various functions with detection method based on bulk detection of CMEs. Measurements included height, speed, acceleration, area, masse, and direction. This paper is dedicated to outline the cmeDetect code with its initial results. The code has many subfunctions one of which is that used for corrections of the solar size from LASCO C3 images. The first results showed that most height results were satisfactory but their differences, which were used in speed and acceleration, were fluctuating.
Copper Corrosion and Biocorrosion Events in Premise Plumbing

Corrosion of copper pipes may release high amounts of copper into the water, exceeding the maximum concentration of copper for drinking water standards. Typically, the events with the highest release of copper into drinking water are related to the presence of biofilms. This article reviews this phenomenon, focusing on copper ingestion and its health impacts, the physicochemical mechanisms and the microbial involvement on copper release, the techniques used to describe and understand this phenomenon, and the hydrodynamic effects. A conceptual model is proposed and the mathematical models are reviewed.
Molecular determinants of Ca2+‐dependent K+ channel function in rat dorsal vagal neurones

1 Using in situ hybridisation histochemistry in combination with patch‐clamp recordings and specific pharmacological tools, the molecular nature of the channels underlying Ca2+‐dependent K+ currents was determined in dorsal vagal neurones (DVNs) of rat brainstem slices. 2 In situ hybridisation analysis at cellular resolution revealed the presence of ‘big’‐conductance Ca2+‐ and voltage‐activated K+ (BK) channel α‐subunit mRNA, and of only one ‘small’‐conductance Ca2+‐activated K+ (SK) channel subunit transcript, SK3, at very high levels in DVNs. By contrast, SK1 and SK2 mRNAs were below the threshold limit of detection. 3 The SK channel‐mediated after‐hyperpolarising current (IAHP) was blocked by apamin with a half‐maximal inhibitory concentration of ∼2.2 nm. This is consistent with homomultimeric SK3 channels mediating IAHP in DVNs. IAHP was also blocked by scyllatoxin (20–30 nm) and curare (100–200 μm). 4 Application of apamin (100 nm) or scyllatoxin (20 nm) invariably caused a substantial increase to 146.1 ± 10.4 and 181.8 ± 12.9 % of control, respectively, in the spontaneous firing rate of DVNs. Action potential duration was not affected by these SK channel blockers. 5 The selective BK channel blocker iberiotoxin (50 nm) increased action potential duration by 22.5 ± 7.3 %, as did low concentrations of tetraethylammonium (0.5 mm; 99.3 ± 16.4 %) and the Ca2+ channel blocker Cd2+ (100 μm; 49.5 ± 20.9 %). BK channel blockade did not significantly affect the firing rate of DVNs. 6 These results allow us to establish a tight correlation between the properties of cloned and native BK and SK channels, and to achieve an understanding, at the molecular level, of their role in regulating the spontaneous firing frequency and in shaping single action potentials of central neurones.
On the use of affected controls to address recall bias in case-control studies of birth defects.

Inferences regarding causes of birth defects in humans are often based on results of case-control studies conducted after birth. To address bias in these studies caused by potential differential recall of past exposures between case and control mothers, many investigators have advocated the use of affected controls (babies with birth defects other than the one of interest). To evaluate whether the use of affected controls is warranted for a wide range of scenarios, we analyzed data from a population-based case-control study of birth defects in Atlanta, in which there were 4,918 babies with serious defects ascertained in the first year of life and 3,029 babies without defects. We compared the magnitude of the odds ratios for 10 specific defects--risk factor associations between normal and affected controls. These associations included demographic factors (e.g., advanced maternal age and Down syndrome), chronic maternal illnesses (e.g., diabetes and cardiac defects), chronic exposures (e.g., multivitamins and neural tube defects), and acute exposures (e.g., flu and neural tube defects). In all instances, the use of affected controls did not change etiologic inferences derived from using normal controls and there were only moderate changes in odds ratios. On the basis of theoretical considerations, we show that recall bias can lead to spurious inferences only under extreme conditions. We conclude that concerns about recall bias are overrated in birth defects studies and that the use of normal controls is acceptable unless evidence of substantial recall bias exists.
Determinants of Entrepreneurial Intention among TVET students in North Rift Region, Kenya

Entrepreneurship education is critical in givingan openingto students the knowledge and skills needed for new venture creation among TVET students in developing countries, however, despite it prominent roles only a small number of TVET graduates become entrepreneurs after graduation. There are limited number of studies on entrepreneurial intentions in TVET institution in Kenya thus creating a gap of existing literature. The general objective of the study was to examine the determinants of entrepreneurial intentions of technical and vocational training institutions students in North Rift Region, Kenya. The study employed the explanatory research design and used 2935 students from TVET institutions in north rift region. The study used systematic random sampling technique to select a sample size of 352 final-year students. The used data from selfresponding questionnaires which was analysed through the use of descriptive and inferential statistical methods. The study found that attitudes toward the entrepreneurial behaviour, subjective social norm and perceived behavioural control had a positive effect on entrepreneurial intention. The R 2 = 0.580 implying that the antecedents of TPB explained 58% of the variations in students’ entrepreneurial intention with perceived behavioural control (β3 = 0.448) having the highest effect, followed by attitudes towards entrepreneurship (β1= 0.441)while subjective social norm(β2 = 0.104). Therefore, the study concludes that students need to be made aware of the benefits of being an entrepreneur and how they can work towards being entrepreneurs. Furthermore, students need to be encouraged to be encouraged to associate themselves with reference on entrepreneurship since social norms had the lowest significant influence on entrepreneurial intention. Students need to be aware of the process of creating a new business and how to deal with external factors that impede them from starting a business.
A novel study: Investigating the structure of narrative and autobiographical memories

In two experiments we assessed the degree to which memory for events are similar or differ depending on whether they were narrative or autobiographical events. Consistent with previous research on autobiographical memory, memories for events captured the sequential order of events. However, in contrast to autobiographical memory research, ratings of importance did not appear to be related to retrieval speed. An analysis of causal connectivity of the recalled events was significantly related to retrieval speed. Issues of narrative comprehension and memory, autobiographical memory, and their overlap are discussed.
The DNA methyltransferase DNMT3C protects male germ cells from transposon activity

Combating parasitic DNA by methylation DNA methylation plays an important role in repressing the expression of “parasitic” DNAs, such as transposable elements, which have invaded our genomes. Mammals have three DNA methyltransferase enzymes. Barau et al. discovered a fourth DNA methyltransferase enzyme in mice. The enzyme DNMT3C is a duplication of DNMT3B and is found in male germ cells. There it targets evolutionarily young transposons, of which there is a heavy burden in the mouse genome. DNMT3C methylates and silences the young transposons, preserving male fertility. Science, this issue p. 909 A fourth DNA methyltransferase enzyme protects the mouse germline from an infestation of parasitic DNA elements. DNA methylation is prevalent in mammalian genomes and plays a central role in the epigenetic control of development. The mammalian DNA methylation machinery is thought to be composed of three DNA methyltransferase enzymes (DNMT1, DNMT3A, and DNMT3B) and one cofactor (DNMT3L). Here, we describe the discovery of Dnmt3C, a de novo DNA methyltransferase gene that evolved via a duplication of Dnmt3B in rodent genomes and was previously annotated as a pseudogene. We show that DNMT3C is the enzyme responsible for methylating the promoters of evolutionarily young retrotransposons in the male germ line and that this specialized activity is required for mouse fertility. DNMT3C reveals the plasticity of the mammalian DNA methylation system and expands the scope of the mechanisms involved in the epigenetic control of retrotransposons.
Analysis of Self-Heating Effects in Ultrathin-Body SOI MOSFETs by Device Simulation

This paper discusses self-heating (SHE) effects in silicon-on-insulator (SOI) CMOS technology and applies device simulation to analyze the impact of thermal effects on the operation of nanoscale SOI n-MOSFETs. A 2-D drift-diffusion electrothermal simulation, using an electron transport model calibrated against Monte Carlo simulations at various temperatures, is employed in the analysis. We report the effects of device-structure parameters, such as SOI layer thickness, buried-oxide (BOX) thickness, source/drain (S/D) extension length, and thickness of the elevated S/D region, on the SHE of nanoscale MOSFETs. The SHE effects become significant due to the adoption of thin silicon layers and to the low thermal conductivity of the BOX, leading to the rise of large temperature under nominal operation conditions for high-performance digital circuits. The ac performance of SOI MOSFETs is influenced as well, and in particular, a severe degradation of the cutoff frequency of very short MOSFETs is predicted by numerical electrothermal device simulations. Although the effects of SHE on device performance are found to be somewhat modest and might be mitigated through device design, they may result in a degradation of the long-term reliability.
Effect of actinomycin D on the expression of herpes simplex virus-common surface antigen in cells transformed by herpes simplex virus type 2

Using rabbit antiserum hyperimmune to herpes simplex virus (HSV) type 1, the expression of HSV-common surface antigen(s) was studied by indirect immunofluorescence tests in cells transformed by HSV type 2 and in derived tumor cells. The following results were obtained. (i) Antiserum to HSV type 1 reacted specifically with surface antigen present on the plasma membrane of both HSV type 2-infected and HSV type 2-transformed hamster cells. (ii) The expression of this antigen was enhanced in the absence of active protein synthesis in transformed cells, but not in tumor cells, after culture for 3 to 5 h at 37 degrees C. (iii) This enhancement of expression was maintained for 20 h in the presence of actinomycin D, but this prolonged expression required active protein synthesis. (iv) The enhancing effect observed in the presence of actinomycin D continued for some time after removal of the drug, for example, for 20 h after 5 h of treatment with 2 microgram/ml of actinomycin D per ml. Actinomycin D had no detectable effect on antigen expression in tumor cells. (v) The protease inhibitor antipain inhibited the actinomycin D-enhanced expression without causing significant cell damage but did not modify the transient enhanced expression of antigen when cells were seeded in the absence of actinomycin D. These results indicate that in transformed cells antigen expression can be enhanced in at least two ways.