Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A mutation in the DE loop of the VP1 protein that prevents polyomavirus transcription and replication.

Natural mutants of the DE loop of the Polyomavirus (Py) major coat protein VP1 have been previously shown to display an altered host specificity (L. Ricci, R. Maione, C. Passananti, A. Felsani, and P. Amati, 1992, J. Virol. 66, 7153-7158). To better understand the role of this outfacing loop of the VP1 protein in Py infectivity, we constructed and characterized a Py mutant (Py M17) harboring a deletion of 7 AA within the tip of the DE loop. The mutant virions obtained after DNA transfection were unable to replicate and initiate early transcription in fibroblast cells. Complementation experiments performed to rescue the deficient M17 replication by means of wt functions revealed the cis-dominance of the mutation. In situ cell fractionation experiments demonstrated that the Py mutant, like the Py wt, enters the cells, reaches the nucleus and that both the viral DNA and VP1 protein are found tightly bound to the nuclear matrix. These data suggest that the VP1 protein, associated to the viral DNA, conditions early viral gene expression and that the DE loop of the protein must be involved in this process.
To Trade or Not to Trade: Economies with a Variable Number of Tradeables

We present a general equilibrium model that encompasses the endogenous selection and shadow-pricing of a set of tradeable commodities, with home-based and social production activities. In the model, a market system is a set of costly social institutions which embody the trade and production technologies available in the economy. Our equilibrium concept describes the pricing of market institutions, thus pricing the tradeability of a commodity. We obtain the existence and the decentralization of Pareto-efficient allocations. We discuss an example regarding the transition of a guild-based economy into a market-based economy.
ENTREPRENEURIAL OPTIMISM AND VENTURE CAPITAL VALUATIONS

Optimism is a well-documented entrepreneurial characteristic. To date, the literature has mostly focused on the (erroneous) actions of the individual optimistic entrepreneur, yet, less attention was given to the effect this characteristic has on the interaction between entrepreneurial ventures and prospective resources providers. The following question motivates our study: How does optimism affect entrepreneur-investor interaction and what are the implications to ventures valuations? We conjecture that contingent-pay contracts (e.g., preferred shares) can deter charlatans but may be less effective in screening optimists, thus resulting in an optimism discount. We further conjecture that IPR regime may minimize the discount: an entrepreneur can attract higher valuation by disclosing her invention, but she would do so only when disclosure is not vulnerable to imitation (e.g., if patents are effective). Analyses of a sample of international venture capital investments between 1990 and 2006, using a novel measure of cross-country optimism levels, support our hypotheses. The results advance our understanding of entrepreneurial resource assembly, and particularly the nature of the interactions between entrepreneurs and resources providers.
Children’s weight changes according to maternal perception of the child’s weight and health: A prospective cohort of Peruvian children

The aim of the study was to estimate the association between maternal perception of their child’s health status and (mis)classification of their child’s actual weight with future weight change. We present cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses from the Peruvian younger cohort of the Young Lives Study. For cross-sectional analysis, the exposure was maternal perception of child health status (better, same or worse); the outcome was underestimation or overestimation of the child’s actual weight. Mothers were asked about their perception of their child’s weight (same, lighter or heavier than other children). Actual weight status was defined with IOTF BMI cut-off points. For longitudinal analysis, the exposure was (mis)classification of the child’s actual weight; the outcome was the standardized mean difference between follow-up and baseline BMI. A Generalized Linear Model with Poisson family and log-link was used to report the prevalence ratio (PR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) for cross-sectional analyses. A Linear Regression Model was used to report the longitudinal analysis as coefficient estimates (β) and 95% CI. Normal weight children who were perceived as more healthy than other children were more likely to have their weight overestimated (PR = 2.06); conversely, those who were perceived as less healthy than other children were more likely to have their weight underestimated (PR = 2.17). Mean follow-up time was 2.6 (SD: 0.3) years. Overall, underweight children whose weight was overestimated were more likely to gain BMI (β = 0.44); whilst overweight children whose weight was considered to be the same of their peers (β = -0.55), and those considered to be lighter than other children (β = -0.87), lost BMI. Maternal perception of the child’s health status seems to influence both overestimation and underestimation of the child’s actual weight status. Such weight (mis)perception may influence future BMI.
How Does Information Technology Affect Productivity? Plant-Level Comparisons of Product Innovation, Process Improvement, and Worker Skills

This study presents new empirical evidence on the relationship between investments in new computer-based information technology (IT) and productivity by investigating several plant-level mechanisms through which IT could promote productivity growth. We have assembled a data set on plants with a common production technology in a narrowly defined industry - valve manufacturing - to study the effects of new IT on product innovation, production process improvements, employee skills and work practices. The homogeneity of the plants' production processes within this narrowly defined industry together with the estimation of longitudinal models eliminate many sources of unmeasured heterogeneity that could confound productivity comparisons in more aggregate data and in broader samples. The three main results of this study highlight how the adoption of new IT-enhanced machinery involves much more than just the installation of new equipment on the factory floor. We find that adoption of new IT-enhanced equipment (1)alters business strategies, moving valve manufacturers away from commodity production based on long production runs to customized production in smaller batches; (2)improves the efficiency of all stages of the production process with reductions in setup times supporting the change in business strategy and (3)increases the skill requirements of workers while promoting the adoption of new human resource practices.
Glass Ceilings or Gendered Institutions? Mapping the Gender Regimes of Public Sector Worksites

The “glass ceiling” model of gender equity has its weaknesses. Therefore, a multiple-dimensions approach to gender is proposed. This essay reports on a field study of organizational gender arrangements in 10 public sector worksites in New South Wales, Australia. Despite equal opportunity measures, gender divisions of labor persist in several forms. Processes that sustain and undermine these divisions are identified. Authority patterns are being reconfigured, with restructuring and rising numbers of women in management resulting in local turbulence in gender relations. Emotions of gender transition are identified, with considerable diversity in reactions among men. An emerging pattern, the “depolarized workplace,” is described. A cultural trend toward workplace gender neutrality is observable. Proposals are made for better practice in gender equity work, including richer ways for public organizations to study their own gender regimes.
The Distribution of Brain‐derived Neurotrophic Factor and its Receptor trkB in Parvlbumin‐containing Neurons of the Rat Visual Cortex

We analysed the distribution of brain‐derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and its receptor trkB in the adult rat visual cortex, paying particular attention to a GABAergic neuronal subpopulation—the parvalburnin‐positive cells. We found expression of trkB in the cell body and apical dendrite of pyramidal neurons and in the cell body of non‐pyramidal neurons. Double labelling experiments revealed extensive colocalization of parvalbumin and trkB immunoreactivity in non‐pyramidal neurons. Interestingly, the trkB‐positive pyramidal neurons appeared surrounded by parvalbumin‐labelled boutons. The use of double immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization histochemistry showed that parvalbumin‐positive neurons express trkB mRNA. BDNF rnRNA was found in several cells. Coexpression of BDNF mRNA and parvalbumin immunoreactivity was extremely rare. These data strongly suggest that BDNF synthesized by cortical neurons acts as a postsynaptically derived factor for parvalbumin‐positive neurons in the adult rat visual cortex.
Liberalization, quality and welfare: removing the Italian VER on Japanese car exports

The empirical evidence that evaluates ex-post the effects of trade policy confirms the presumption, well known in theory, that quantitative barriers to trade have an impact on the average quality of exports. Yet, in evaluating ex-ante the effects of trade policy reform, very few studies take into account the role of the induced change in quality. The paper evaluates the effects of liberalization in the Italian car market through a calibrated model where the choice of the quality of exports is made endogenous. Simulating the removal of the VER on Japanese exports, there are substantial gains from liberalization when only quantity effects are considered. Results change dramatically if quality effects are taken into account: the downgrading in Japanese exports entails a strong reduction in consumers' gains.
Can small regions construct regional advantages? The case of four Norwegian regions

The conceptual framework of constructing regional advantage (CRA) is implicitly relevant for large, well-off regions that have strong regional innovation systems, a diversity of industrial sectors and resourceful firms that can partake in global knowledge networks. This paper discusses the extent to which small regions, with less developed regional innovation systems, may also constitute the basis for developing regional advantage. Four cases of regional industries dominated by different innovation modes make up the empirical test bed in the paper. The innovation modes are STI (science, technology, innovation), CCI (complex, combined innovation) and DUI (doing, using, interacting). With some reformulations, the CRA framework also is found to represent a useful conceptual construct for small regions. Adapting the CRA framework to small regions involves focusing more on increasing the innovation capabilities at the level of the firm – placing less emphasis on the endogenous capacity of regional innovation systems, but emphasising the importance of experience-based knowledge in local labour markets – and concentrating more on the need for a diversity of knowledge bases at the regional level. Policy lessons for constructing regional advantages in small regions should, in general, consider the upgrading of DUI firms and stimulating extra-regional links.
Differential BOLD Activity Associated with Subjective and Objective Reports during “Blindsight” in Normal Observers

The study of conscious visual perception invariably necessitates some means of report. Report can be either subjective, i.e., an introspective evaluation of conscious experience, or objective, i.e., a forced-choice discrimination regarding different stimulus states. However, the link between report type and fMRI-BOLD signals has remained unknown. Here we used continuous flash suppression to render target images invisible, and observed a long-lasting dissociation between subjective report of visibility and human subjects' forced-choice localization of targets (“blindsight”). Our results show a robust dissociation between brain regions and type of report. We find subjective visibility effects in high-order visual areas even under equal objective performance. No significant BOLD difference was found between correct and incorrect trials in these areas when subjective report was constant. On the other hand, objective performance was linked to the accuracy of multivariate pattern classification mainly in early visual areas. Together, our data support the notion that subjective and objective reports tap cortical signals of different location and amplitude within the visual cortex.
What is the web-based interactive advertising (wia) to consumers? consumer's interpretation and interaction with wia

Although numerous research has examined Web-based interactive advertising (WIA) in recent years, few studies have approached this topic from the consumers' own perspectives. Much of the literature employed managerial perspectives to examine the effectiveness of WIA with the aim of improving practitioners' performance. Studies that did deal with consumers often merely measured their uses of WIA and motives for using it without viewing the phenomenon from the consumers' point-of-view. Unfortunately, this one-sided research trend provides little insight into how consumers deal with interactive advertising in the World Wide Web environment and cannot answer a basic question—do consumers really care about WIA. This study aimed to examine consumers' perspectives toward Web-based interactive advertising. Specifically, the study explored what WIA meant to consumers and how they interacted with it through the actual navigation process. One differentiating characteristic of WIA is that it enables consumers to have an active role in the communication process; therefore, it is necessary to investigate their thoughts and behaviors regarding WIA. To pursue the research purposes, the following research questions were posed. (1) What does Web-based interactive advertising (WIA) mean to consumers? (2) How do consumers navigate through and interact with WIA in Web-based environment? Qualitative research was employed to explore the research questions. Two specific methods were used for data collection: participant observation with an articulation procedure and depth interview. Throughout the participant's navigation process, the researcher observed how participants interacted with Websites, heard how they articulated their specific navigation behaviors, and had sporadic short interviews regarding specific actions they made. Upon completing the navigation process, the participants were interviewed about their behavior and thoughts regarding how they dealt with WIA throughout the navigation process and what they thought about WIA. Analysis was performed as the data collection was processed. Changes in data collection tactics were made based on the findings from analysis. Using scripts of interviews, articulations, and memos from observations, the consumers' perspectives were captured and analyzed. Thematic analysis was made with open, axial, and selective coding methods. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)
Resource Allocation for Heterogeneous Applications With Device-to-Device Communication Underlaying Cellular Networks

Mobile data traffic has been experiencing a phenomenal rise in the past decade. This ever-increasing data traffic puts significant pressure on the infrastructure of state-of-the-art cellular networks. Recently, device-to-device (D2D) communication that smartly explores local wireless resources has been suggested as a complement of great potential, particularly for the popular proximity-based applications with instant data exchange between nearby users. Significant studies have been conducted on coordinating the D2D and the cellular communication paradigms that share the same licensed spectrum, commonly with an objective of maximizing the aggregated data rate. The new generation of cellular networks, however, have long supported heterogeneous networked applications, which have highly diverse quality-of-service (QoS) specifications. In this paper, we jointly consider resource allocation and power control with heterogeneous QoS requirements from the applications. We closely analyze two representative classes of applications, namely streaming-like and file-sharing-like, and develop optimized solutions to coordinate the cellular and D2D communications with the best resource sharing mode. We further extend our solution to accommodate more general application scenarios and larger system scales. Extensive simulations under realistic configurations demonstrate that our solution enables better resource utilization for heterogeneous applications with less possibility of underprovisioning or overprovisioning.
The Impact of IFRS 8 on Geographical Segment Information

This study investigates how the introduction of IFRS 8 affects segment disclosures for a large sample of European firms. In contrast to prior research we focus on geographical segments. Similar to SFAS 131, IFRS 8 aims to improve segment disclosures by requiring a “management approach”, which introduces considerable reporting discretion. We compare a hand-collected sample of restated IFRS 8 segment disclosures with historical IAS 14R disclosures. We find that geographical segments are more disaggregated under IFRS 8, although the number of financial items per segment and the likelihood of reporting segmental earnings decline. More importantly, we document predictable heterogeneity in the disclosure quality of segment information. First, we find that firms reporting poorly under IAS 14 continue to do so under IFRS 8, suggesting more cross-sectional divergence under the latter standard. Second, our results show that the impact of IFRS 8 varies with corporate transparency. Finally, we fail to document any clear economic and informational effects post IFRS 8, even for firms that exhibit disclosure quality improvements. Overall, we provide comprehensive evidence on the effects of IFRS 8 on geographical segment information and show that prior reporting behavior is a useful indicator for the impact of a new standard.
Challenging the Efficient Frontier Portfolio

We challenge the hypothesis of the efficient frontier portfolios by using network approach. In a small-world network interacting agents decide upon the portfolio selection solely upon past returns. Simulation results indicate that agents are capable of forming the efficient frontier, whereas portfolios from the efficient frontier are also the most consistently selected. Introduction of suspicious agents who may depart from seemingly the most promising portfolios resulted in the larger risk that these agents were ready to bear that also significantly attenuated the level of consistence of choices.
Prevalence of Anemia and its Risk Factors among Children under 36 Months Old in China

This study aims to evaluate the prevalence and sociodemographic factors of anemia in children <36 months old in China. In this study, data of 24 235 children were investigated from 32 primary health care (PHC) facilities in 11 province-level regions. Pearson &khgr;2-test and logistic regression model were used to estimate potential risk factors associated with anemia. The overall prevalence of anemia was 24.4%, and 32.8% children from rural areas were anemic, but no statistically significant difference was observed between male and female. Predictors of anemia are different regions of China, cesarean delivery, premature birth and neonatal asphyxia. We also found that education level and income of children’s parents are important determinants of childhood anemia. In additional, feeding practice would affect anemia among children aged 6–12 months. Our results could provide some insights for prevention and control of childhood anemia in PHC facilities.
The Effect of Firm's Growth on Firm Survival in Vietnam

With the dataset of 7,962 firms in Vietnam and using the Cox proportional hazard model, the main findings are drawn that the relationship between the firm’s growth (both in employment and in assets) and the survival is positive and non-linearity, and as increasing the growth, the effect of firm’s growth on the firm survival is diminishing. In addition, we also find that the presence of the domestic private and the foreign firms can improve the survival chances, compared to the state firms; The firm size in assets and initial debt have positive relationships with firm survival; Earning before taxes over labour in year t-1 and the return on assets in year t-1 are important and have positive impacts on firm survival in year t, whereas the leverage in year t-1 has a negative impact on the probability of survival in year t for firms in Vietnam.
Political legitimacy in Southeast Asia : the quest for moral authority

Contributors A note on Thai and Vietnamese names Introduction Muthiah Alagappa Part I. Legitimacy: Explication and Elaboration: 1. The anatomy of legitimacy Muthiah Alagappa 2. The bases of legitimacy Muthiah Alagappa 3. Contestation and crisis Muthiah Alagappa Part II. Legitimacy: Case Studies: 4. Malaysia: aspects and audiences of legitimacy William Case 5. Singapore: political legitimacy through managing conformity Cho-Oon Khong 6. The Philippines: the languages of legitimation John T. Sidel 7. Burma: the depoliticization of the political Chaeo-Tzang Yawnghwe 8. Thailand: the evolution of legitimacy Saitip Sukatipan 9. Indonesia: historicizing the New Order's legitimacy dilemma Mochtar Pabottingi 10. Vietnam: the changing models of legitimation Thaveeporn Vasavakul Part III. Conclusion and Observations: 11. Seeking a more durable basis of authority Muthiah Alagappa Notes Bibliography Index.
α‐thalassaemia masked by β gene defects and a new polyadenylation site mutation on the α2‐globin gene

We report three examples of chronic anaemia involving complex combinations of α‐ and β‐globin gene defects. The first case had a potential Hb H disease caused by the classic SEA/RW deletions masked by Hb E [β26(B8)Glu→Lys] in the homozygous state. The second had an unusual Hb H disease caused by compound heterozygosity for two different α2 polyadenylation site mutations masked by a β‐thalassaemia heterozygosity. The third had an intermediate α‐thalassaemia with considerable anaemia caused by an as yet unknown polyadenylation site (AATAAA>AATAAC) mutation in combination with a common RW deletion masked by a common Hb C [β6(A3)Glu→Lys] heterozygosity. Diagnostic methods, genotype/phenotype correlations and the chance of overlooking these combinations during risk assessment in a multiethnic society are discussed.
New Structural Economics

As strategies for achieving sustainable growth in developing countries are re-examined in light of the financial crisis, it is critical to take into account structural change and its corollary, industrial upgrading. Economic literature has devoted a great deal of attention to the analysis of technological innovation, but not enough to these equally important issues. The new structural economics outlined in this paper suggests a framework to complement previous approaches in the search for sustainable growth strategies. It takes the following into consideration. First, an economy's structure of factor endowments evolves from one level of development to another. Therefore, the optimal industrial structure of a given economy will be different at different levels of development. Each industrial structure requires corresponding infrastructure (both “hard” and “soft”) to facilitate its operations and transactions. Second, each level of economic development is a point along the continuum from a low-income agrari.