Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Macroprudential Regulatory Policies: The New Road to Financial Stability

This book is a collection of papers presented in the conference held at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago in September 2010, that examines the role of macroprudential regulation in the financial industry. Shocked by the experience of the last few years, many argue that the more traditional microprudential regulatory tools are inadequate to create a safe and stable financial system. The microprudential paradigm relies on the presumption that the financial system as a whole can be made safe by ensuring individual financial institutions are made safe. This ignores interconnections and externalities, whereby the actions of one financial institution or events in financial markets can lead to spillover effects that adversely affect general market conditions, other financial institutions, and ultimately the economy as a whole. Instead, it is argued, there is a need for both microprudential approaches to regulate individual institutions and macroprudential approaches to manage the overall financial system risks. Conference participants discussed macroprudential regulation and related issues, including: What are the theoretical motivations for macroprudential regulation? How would it interact with other regulatory and macroeconomic policies, especially monetary policy? What would be the specific macroprudential tools? Who should have control over the macroprudential tools? How should a macroprudential regulator be structured? Where should it be housed? How can macroprudential policies be structured across national borders? What role, if any, can market discipline play in supporting macroprudential objectives? Concentrating on public policy issues, the conference featured keynote addresses by influential past and present public policy figures including: Paul Volcker, Chairman of the US President's Economic Recovery Advisory Board and former Chairman of the Federal Reserve System; Tommaso Padoa-Schioppa, Chairman, Promontory Financial Group Europe and Former Chairman of the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision; Jaime Caruana, General Manager of the Bank for International Settlements and Former Chairman of the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision; and Charles Taylor, Director of the Pew Charitable Trust Financial Reform Project and Former Executive Director of the Group of Thirty.
Evolution of Metabolisms: A New Method for the Comparison of Metabolic Pathways Using Genomics Information

The abundance of information provided by completely sequenced genomes defines a starting point for new insights in the multilevel organization of organisms and their evolution. At the lowest level enzymes and other protein complexes are formed by aggregating multiple polypeptides. At a higher level enzymes group conceptually into metabolic pathways as part of a dynamic information-processing system, and substrates are processed by enzymes yielding other substrates. A method based on a combination of sequence information with graph topology of the underlying pathway is presented. With this approach pathways of different organisms are related to each other by phylogenetic analysis, extending conventional phylogenetic analysis of individual enzymes. The new method is applied to pathways related to electron transfer and to the Krebs citric acid cycle. In addition to providing a more comprehensive understanding of similarities and differences between organisms, this method indicates different evolutionary rates between substrates and enzymes.
The committed organic consumer

Abstract - UK committed organic consumers are reported to be about 23 per cent of consumers and account for 84 per cent of organic sales. This paper compares the committed organic consumer who is also a member of the UK’s national charity for organic growing (HDRA), to committed organic consumers in the wider UK population. Broad parallels were found between these two groups of consumers although there were differences in purchasing drivers as environmental issues were relatively more important to HDRA members than other committed organic consumers. There was also a higher prevalence of vegetarianism and gardening in the HDRA sample. Yet consumer preferences are dynamic and there is perhaps no single, stereotypical, organic consumer.
New Modal Feed Network for a Compact Monopole Array With Isolated Ports

An element spacing of less than half a wavelength introduces strong mutual coupling between the ports of compact antenna arrays. The strong coupling causes significant system performance degradation. A decoupling network may compensate for the mutual coupling. Alternatively, port decoupling can be achieved using a modal feed network. In response to an input signal at one of the input ports, this feed network excites the antenna elements in accordance with one of the eigenvectors of the array scattering parameter matrix. In this paper, a novel 4-element monopole array is described. The feed network of the array is implemented as a planar ring-type circuit in stripline with four coupled line sections. The new configuration offers a significant reduction in size, resulting in a very compact array.
Chemistry, biology, and medicine of fluorescent nanomaterials and related systems: new insights into biosensing, bioimaging, genomics, diagnostics, and therapy.

Related Systems: New Insights into Biosensing, Bioimaging, Genomics, Diagnostics, and Therapy Jun Yao,† Mei Yang,† and Yixiang Duan*,†,‡ †Research Center of Analytical Instrumentation, Analytical and Testing Center, College of Chemistry, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610064, China ‡Research Center of Analytical Instrumentation, College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610064, China
Fifteen-year follow-up of a randomized trial of a preventive intervention for divorced families: effects on mental health and substance use outcomes in young adulthood.

OBJECTIVE This 15-year follow-up assessed the effects of a preventive intervention for divorced families, the New Beginnings Program (NBP), versus a literature control condition (LC). METHOD Mothers and their 9- to 12-year-olds (N = 240 families) participated in the trial. Young adults (YAs) reported on their mental health and substance-related disorders, mental health and substance use problems, and substance use. Mothers reported on YA's mental health and substance use problems. Disorders were assessed over the past 9 years (since previous follow-up) and 15 years (since program entry). Alcohol and marijuana use, other substance use and polydrug use, and mental health problems and substance use problems were assessed over the past month, past year, and past 6 months, respectively. RESULTS YAs in NBP had a lower incidence of internalizing disorders in the past 9 years (7.55% vs. 24.4%; odds ratio [OR] = .26) and 15 years (15.52% vs. 34.62%; OR = .34) and had a slower rate of onset of internalizing symptoms associated with disorder in the past 9 years (hazard ratio [HR] = .28) and 15 years (HR = .46). NBP males had a lower number of substance-related disorders in the past 9 years (d = 0.40), less polydrug (d = 0.55) and other drug use (d = 0.61) in the past year, and fewer substance use problems (d = 0.50) in the past 6 months than LC males. NBP females used more alcohol in the past month (d = 0.44) than LC females. CONCLUSIONS NBP reduced the incidence of internalizing disorders for females and males and substance-related disorders and substance use for males.
What We Learned From Plasma BK-Virus Monitoring in Allogeneic Hematopoietic Transplant Recipients.

Diagnosis Acute leukemia 149 (66.5) Myelodysplastic syndrome 26 (11.6) Myeloproliferative disorders 19 (8.5) Lymphoproliferative disease 24 (10.7) Aplastic anemia 6 (2.7) Conditioning regimen Myeloablative 103 (46) Reduced intensity 107 (47.8) Nonmyeloablative 14 (6.3) Graft source Sibling 118 (52.7) Unrelated donor 74 (33) Cord blood (2 units) 26 (11.6) Haploidentical donor 6 (2.7) B virus (BKV)-related hemorrhagic cystitis (HC) (BKHC) causes significant morbidity after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT). The immunosuppressive state allows for BKV reactivation and active viral replication which destroys infected uroepithelial cells. The prevalence of this problem as reported in the literature is based mostly on retrospective analyses of patients presenting with HC as well as monitoring using urine samples for BKV, which we have previously found to have poor correlation with clinically significant HC in post-HSCT recipients. We initiated a BKV monitoring protocol that assumed that early detection or rising plasma BKV levels predicts for BKHC. A positive outcome would be the starting point for development of strategies aimed at halting progression to overt HC. The primary objective was to determine the predictive values of positive and/or incremental plasma BKV levels for clinically significant (grade ≥ 2) HC postallogeneic HSCT. Secondary objectives were to define BKHC prevalence and identify high-risk patients. Plasma BKV monitoring started before HSCT then continued weekly from days 14 to 56 using quantitative PCR targeting the VP1 protein gene paired with urine microscopy samples. Transplant conditioning intensity was as follows: myeloablative (busulfan-cyclophosphamide; cyclophosphamide-total body irradiation [TBI], 12 Gy; fludarabine-cyclophosphamide-TBI, 12 Gy), nonmyeloablative (fludarabine-TBI, 2 Gy; cyclophosphamide-antithymocyte globulin [ATG]; fludarabine-cyclophosphamide-TBI, 2 Gy), and reduced intensity (all others). The ATG and posttransplantation cyclophosphamide were used as in vivo T cell
Effects of the synthetic estrogen ethinylestradiol on early life stages of mink frogs and green frogs in the wild and in situ

Estrogenic contaminants are known to disrupt growth and development in amphibians. Field‐based research is needed to elucidate their potential impacts on wild populations. Hatch success, larval growth and development rates, and gonad development were examined in native amphibians exposed to low ng/L concentrations of 17α‐efhinylestradiol (EE2) in a whole‐lake addition experiment at the Experimental Lakes Area, northwestern Ontario, Canada. Egg masses were reared in situ in the EE2‐amended lake and in two reference lakes in 2001 and 2002. Hatching success was reduced significantly in green frogs (Rana clamitans) but not in mink frogs (Rana septentrionalis) exposed to EE2. Ethinylestradiol had no consistent effect on mass or development stage of hatchlings in the early larval stages of the caging study. Ethinylestradiol had no effect on sex ratios of either species in situ, and no intersex gonads were observed in exposed or reference green frog tadpoles or in reference mink frog tadpoles. However, 5.6% (total n = 18) and 12.5% (total n = 56) of EE2‐exposed mink frog tadpoles were intersex in the 2001 and 2002 caging studies, respectively. Wild mink frog tadpoles also were examined, and EE2 had no effect on sex ratios. No intersex gonads were observed in reference lake tadpoles or in tadpoles from the experimental lake prior to EE2 additions; however, 2.4, 0, and 28.6% of wild EE2‐exposed first‐year tadpoles had intersex gonads (2001, 2002, and 2003, respectively). These results indicate that exposure to EE2 in the wild and in situ at concentrations comparable to those detected in effluents and, occasionally, in surface waters can impact gonad development and hatch success in native amphibians.
Chemokine receptor CXCR2 is transactivated by p53 and induces p38‐mediated cellular senescence in response to DNA damage

Mammalian cells may undergo permanent growth arrest/senescence when they incur excessive DNA damage. As a key player during DNA damage response (DDR), p53 transactivates an array of target genes that are involved in various cellular processes including the induction of cellular senescence. Chemokine receptor CXCR2 was previously reported to mediate replicative and oncogene‐induced senescence in a DDR and p53‐dependent manner. Here, we report that CXCR2 is upregulated in various types of cells in response to genotoxic or oxidative stress. Unexpectedly, we found that the upregulation of CXCR2 depends on the function of p53. Like other p53 target genes such as p21, CXCR2 is transactivated by p53. We identified a p53‐binding site in the CXCR2 promoter that responds to changes in p53 functional status. Thus, CXCR2 may act downstream of p53. While the senescence‐associated secretory phenotype (SASP) exhibits a kinetics that is distinct from that of CXCR2 expression and does not require p53, it reinforces senescence. We further showed that the cellular senescence caused by CXCR2 upregulation is mediated by p38 activation. Our results thus demonstrate CXCR2 as a critical mediator of cellular senescence downstream of p53 in response to DNA damage.
Probabilistic Flood Mapping Using Synthetic Aperture Radar Data

Probabilistic flood mapping offers flood managers, decision makers, insurance agencies, and humanitarian relief organizations a useful characterization of uncertainty in flood mapping delineation. Probabilistic flood maps are also of high interest for data assimilation into numerical models. The direct assimilation of probabilistic flood maps into hydrodynamic models would be beneficial because it would eliminate the intermediate step of having to extract water levels first. This paper introduces a probabilistic flood mapping procedure based on synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data. Given a SAR image of backscatter values, we construct a total histogram of backscatter values and decompose this histogram into probability distribution functions of backscatter values associated with flooded (open water) and non-flooded pixels, respectively. These distributions are then used to estimate, for each pixel, its probability of being flooded. The new approach improves on binary SAR-based flood mapping procedures, which do not inform on the uncertainty in the pixel state. The proposed approach is tested using four SAR images from two floodplains, i.e., the Severn River (U.K.) and the Red River (U.S.). In all four test cases, reliability diagrams, with error values ranging from 0.04 to 0.23, indicate a good agreement between the SAR-derived probabilistic flood map and an independently available validation map, which is obtained from aerial photography.
No evidence of colonization with community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus in HIV-1-infected men who have sex with men

SUMMARY To assess the prevalence of community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) colonization in HIV-1-infected men who have sex with men (MSM), a cross-sectional study was conducted on 104 persons attending a large STI/HIV unit in Rome, Italy in the period June 2007–June 2008. Swabs obtained from both anterior nares and S. aureus isolates were characterized by phenotypic and genotypic methods. A total of 24 individuals (23·1%) were colonized with S. aureus but none carried MRSA. No statistically significant association between colonization with S. aureus and behavioural, clinical, virological or immunological characteristics was identified. This study indicates a lack of circulation of CA-MRSA in HIV-1-infected MSM in Italy and underscores large epidemiological differences between the USA and a European country, so that only locally conducted epidemiological studies can provide insight into the local circulation of CA-MRSA in general and selected populations.
Outcome of Radioiodine Therapy in a West African Population

Hyperthyroidism continues to be a pressing public health concern in West Africa. Its prevalence in Africa has been quoted as 1.2%-9.9%, with Graves' disease as its most common cause. Radioiodine-131 (RAI) therapy of hyperthyroidism recently commenced in two government hospitals in Ghana and Nigeria. This is a retrospective analysis of consecutive patients treated with RAI for primary hyperthyroidism at the National Centre for Radiotherapy and Nuclear Medicine (NCRNM) from 2008-2013, and in the University College Hospital (UCH) from 2006-2013. Cure was defined as euthyroidism or hypothyroidism occurring at 6 months post-RAI. Data were analysed using SPSS version 21 and Epi Info version, categorical data were evaluated with the Chi-square test and Fisher's exact test. 94 patients were studied, aged 20-74 years; 78 were females, and 16 were males. 38 were Ghanaian and 56 Nigerian. The presence of thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy (TAO) made cure less likely (χ2 P = 0.006, odds ratio = 0.118; 95% confidence interval, 0.027-0.518). Other factors assessed proved to be insignificant. Our findings suggest that hyperthyroid patients with TAO will benefit from a higher RAI dose than their counterparts without TAO.
The Advantage of Competitive Federalism for Securities Regulation

In this incisive analysis of securities regulation, Roberta Romano demonstrates that the current approach toward U.S. securities regulation by the Securities and Exchange Commission should be revamped by implementing a regime of competitive federalism. Under such a system firms would select their regulator from among the fifty states, the District of Columbia, the SEC, or other nations. She asserts that competitive federalism harnesses the high-powered incentives of markets to the regulatory state to produce regulatory arrangements compatible with investors' incentives. Firms will locate in the domicile investors prefer so as to reduce the cost of capital, and states will have financial incentives, such as incorporation and registration fees, to adapt their securities regimes to firms' domicile decisions. Romano contends that empirical evidence does not indicate that the SEC is effective in achieving its stated objectives. The commission's expansions of disclosure requirements have not had a significant impact on investors' wealth. Indeed, she contends, evidence from institutional equity and debt markets and cross-country listing practices have shown that firms voluntarily disclose more information than they would under mandatory requirements because firms want to provide the information investors demand. Romano concludes that competitive federalism will enable new U.S. and foreign issuers as well as mature issuers to select a securities regulatory regime that is superior to that of the SEC: the aspects of the SEC's regime that are valuable to investors will be retained; those that are not will be discarded. The resulting regime will enhance the wealth of investors.
Loss of FancC Function Results in Decreased Hematopoietic Stem Cell Repopulating Ability

Fanconi anemia (FA) is a complex genetic disorder characterized by progressive bone marrow (BM) aplasia, chromosomal instability, and acquisition of malignancies, particularly myeloid leukemia. We used a murine model containing a disruption of the murine homologue of FANCC (FancC) to evaluate short- and long-term multilineage repopulating ability of FancC -/- cells in vivo. Competitive repopulation assays were conducted where "test" FancC -/- or FancC +/+ BM cells (expressing CD45.2) were cotransplanted with congenic competitor cells (expressing CD45.1) into irradiated mice. In two independent experiments, we determined that FancC -/- BM cells have a profound decrease in short-term, as well as long-term, multilineage repopulating ability. To determine quantitatively the relative production of progeny cells by each test cell population, we calculated test cell contribution to chimerism as compared with 1 x 10(5) competitor cells. We determined that FancC -/- cells have a 7-fold to 12-fold decrease in repopulating ability compared with FancC +/+ cells. These data indicate that loss of FancC function results in reduced in vivo repopulating ability of pluripotential hematopoietic stem cells, which may play a role in the development of the BM failure in FA patients. This model system provides a powerful tool for evaluation of experimental therapeutics on hematopoietic stem cell function.
Self-Interest on Mutual Fund Management: A Case Study

Previous research has concluded that mutual funds' clients do have asymmetric performance reactions. Such behavior gives the fund manager the opportunity to optimize the fund's own interests. Using a unique database from a financial system wherein commercial interests, investment banking and portfolio management are concentrated in the same banking group, we show that mutual funds tend to exhibit biased portfolios, i.e., financial assets of the group's parent company outweigh other financial asset holdings. This cannot be explained by performance, risk or securities' characteristics, and is consistent with the hypothesis of the existence of self-interest on mutual fund management.
Rural Tourism: Development, Management and Sustainability in Rural Establishments

Tourism is one of the economic driving forces of Spain: the consolidation of existing tourist destinations and new market niches encourage an upward trend of tourism. The economic impacts produced by tourism are one of the major concerns of the authorities; the question is whether it is possible to continue growing without compromising our environment. This work attempts to answer this issue by analysing one of the tourism segments with higher growth in recent years: rural tourism. Using a model of partial least squares (PLS), we will analyse the environmental impacts from the point of view of the supply and its relationships with the environmental management conducted. We will also analyse the rural establishments from a global point of view and, depending on their category, explain the factors which determine the sustainable behaviour of providers, and identify that the establishments of low categories have a more sustainable conduct.
Yield and nutritional composition of oyster mushroom strains newly introduced in Bangladesh

The objective of this work was to evaluate yield and chemical composition of oyster mushroom strains newly introduced in Bangladesh. Strains of Pleurotus high‑king (strain PHK), P. ostreatus (strain PO2), and P. geesteranus (strains PG1 and PG3) were evaluated as to yield components and proximate composition. Pleurotus ostreatus was used as control. Pleurotus high‑king showed fastest growth of primordia, but moderate flush of effective fruiting bodies. Pleurotus geesteranus (PG1) showed higher economic yield and biological performance, and better chemical composition, especially in terms of protein and mineral contents. Pleurotus geesteranus (PG1) shows better performance than P. ostreatus (PO2), the most commercially cultivated edible species in Bangladesh, and, therefore, it should be recommended for commercial cultivation.
Organizing a public party in a Design & Construct project

In the construction industry, the design and construct (D&C) project delivery method is being used more often. Smaller public parties are becoming aware of the benefits of this approach. However, these benefits are not always reached in practice as both public and private parties deviate from their new roles. Especially the public party is blamed for not fulfilling its role in the D&C process. This research has created a framework of success factors that should lead to a successful D&C project. The research shows that public clients have difficulty with fulfilling their role as they want to keep control on the design and are not used to their new role. Furthermore, conflicting interest and expectations between the client and contractor are a burden on fulfilling the success factors. These deviations are, however, understandable. The public client has a representative role and has to take into account the desires and interests of a lot of stakeholders. The current literature on D&C projects needs to be improved by taking into account the role of the public party. Future research should be focused on increasing the amount of analyzed D&C projects. Furthermore, more attention should be given to the role of the private party.