Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Euro depreciation and trade asymmetries between Germany and Italy versus the US: industry-level estimates

ABSTRACT Since April 2014 to March 2015, the European Central Bank expansionary monetary policy instigates a huge depreciation of the euro in terms of dollar. According to the mainstream monetary theory, these dynamics should make the exports cheaper and at the same time make the imports more expensive. Has real depreciation of the euro helped in the improvement of European countries’ trade balances? Following the main methodologies in the recent literature, our study analyses the effects of this depreciation both for Italy and Germany towards the US. We use industry-level data at monthly frequency. The results are different from each bilateral relationship. We find that 11 industries register a long-run improvement (8 for Italy and 3 for Germany). The J-curve effect is proven just in six cases, always for Italy. The inverted J-curve effect is proven in eight cases, four for Germany, and four for Italy. These results seem to be an indirect demonstration of the structural asymmetries between German and Italian economies: German economic system is more able to be competitive with a strong currency, than Italy.
Evaluation of intralesional 5% 5-fluorouracil in resistant localized plaque psoriasis

Background: Psoriasis is a chronic, autoimmune, inflammatory papulosquamous disorder, the treatment of which remains challenging. A variety of therapeutic modalities have been used with varying degree of success. But, there is no such therapeutic modality till date that can prevent the relapse in psoriasis. Aims: The present study is being undertaken to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of intralesional 5% 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) as well as its role in preventing relapse in resistant localized plaque psoriasis. Study Design: An open, prospective, randomized-controlled study. Materials and Methods: A total of 40 patients of resistant localized plaque psoriasis were enrolled for the study. Intralesional injection of 5% 5-FU was given in a dosage of 0.1 mL/cm2 of each plaque using an insulin syringe. In all patients, a single plaque was kept as control and was given intralesional injection of distilled water. A total of three injections were given in each plaque at weekly intervals. After that, patients were followed-up regularly at the interval of 2 weeks up to 12 weeks. All the lesions (both treated and control) were assessed clinically as well as photographically at each visit and graded using psoriasis severity index scoring. Results were analyzed statistically at the end of the follow-up period. Results: At 12 weeks follow-up, out of 40 patients treated, 4 (10%) patients had clearance (>90% resolution), 19 (47.5%) had excellent (70%-90%) improvement, whereas 12 (30%) patients were moderately (30%-70%) improved, and only 5 (12.5%) patients had mild or no improvement. Results were statistically significant in treated group in comparison to control group. Almost all patients complained of pain at the site of injection which subsided within 1-2 h. A total of 10 (25%) patients had necrosis after one or two injections which healed during the follow-up period within 6-8 weeks. Conclusion: Intralesional 5% 5-FU is found to be an effective therapeutic modality in resistant localized plaque psoriasis without much side effects.
Glycosylation deficiency phenotypes resulting from depletion of GDP‐mannose pyrophosphorylase in two yeast species

The genes encoding GDP‐mannose pyrophosphorylase from Saccharomyces cerevisiae (SRB1/PSA1) and Candida albicans (CaSRB1) were expressed under the control of the tightly regulated promoters of MET3 and CaMET3 respectively. Northern analysis showed that the addition of methionine effectively blocks the transcription of pMET3‐SRB1/PSA1 and pCaMET3CaSRB1 expression cassettes, which had been integrated into the genomes of appropriate mutants. Methionine‐mediated repression of CaSRB1 caused loss of viability in C. albicans, demonstrating that, as in S. cerevisiae, the gene is essential for growth. Depletion of GDP‐mannose pyrophosphorylase had a highly pleiotropic effect in the two yeasts. The major phenotypes observed were lysis, failure of cell separation and/or cytokinesis, impaired bud growth and bud's site selection, clumping and flocculation, as well as increased sensitivity to a wide range of antifungal drugs and cell wall inhibitors, and impaired hyphal switching ability. These phenotypes resulted from defects in glycosylation, as demonstrated by reduced affinity for Alcian blue and sensitivity to hygromycin B. Our results provide new information about the roles of protein glycosylation in yeast and, in particular, the steps that require GDP‐mannose in the fungal pathogen C. albicans.
Effect of cellobiose, glucose, ethanol, and metal ions on the cellulase enzyme complex of Thermomonospora fusca

The saccharification of cellulosic substrates by cellulase from Thermomonospora fusca, strain YX, was influenced by the presence of various substances. Cellobiose was strongly inhibitory, reducing the activity against swollen cellulose to 25% at 5% concentration. Glucose had much less effect, reducing activity to 40% at 20% concentration. Ethanol was found to be only slightly inhibitory to the cellulase, reducing activity by about 15% at 6% concentration, but much more inhibitory to the cell‐bound β‐glucosidase activity. Of the numerous metal ions examined, Ca2+ and Co2+ at 0.1mM‐1.0mM concentration were found to be slightly activating under assay conditions, while 1.0mM Pb2+ and Hg2+ were the most inhibitory ions. The implications of these results for the design of commercial processes for ethanol production from cellulose are discussed.
Scaling Law of Multi-Hop Cognitive Network with a Novel Hybrid Access Scheme

The scaling laws for the throughputs of cognitive network with transmission power of secondary users being constrained are studied. The primary nodes and secondary nodes are randomly and uniformly distributed over the same unit square, with density of n and m (n > m). In this paper, we propose a new hybrid access scheme of multi-hop cognitive network, with primary users and secondary users using TDMA scheme and CDMA scheme respectively. It is shown that primary network achieves the same throughput scaling as that in the case when both primary and secondary network adopts TDMA scheme. Meanwhile, we demonstrate that the upper bound of secondary per- node throughput increases with node density m, in contrast to the decreasing pernode throughput in the existing research, which shows that our scheme not only guarantees primary network but also improves the performance of secondary network.
Diabetic Neuropathies: Features and Mechanisms

Diabetic neuropathies include both focal neuropathies and diffuse poly neuropathy. Polyneuropathy, the most common of the diabetic neuropathies excluding focal entrapment, has not yet been explained by a single disease mechanism despite intensive investigation. A number of abnormalities appear to cascade into a ‘vicious cycle’ of progressive microvascular disease associated with motor, sensory and autonomie fiber loss. These abnormalities include excessive polyol (sugar alcohol) flux through the aldose reductase pathway, functional and structural alterations of nerve microvessels, nerve and ganglia hypoxia, oxidative stress, nonspecific glycosylation of axon and microvessel proteins, and impairment in the elaboration of trophic factors critical for peripheral nerves and their ganglia. While an initiating role for nerve ischemia in the development of poly neuropathy has been proposed, the evidence for it can be questioned. The role of sensory and autonomie ganglia in the development of poly neuropathy has had relatively less attention despite the possibility that they may be vulnerable to a variety of insults, particularly neurotrophin deficiency. Superimposed on the deficits of polyneuropathy is the failure of diabetic nerves to regenerate as effectively as nondiabetics. Polyneuropathy has not yet yielded to specific forms of treatment but a variety of new trials addressing plausible hypotheses have been initiated.
Single-channel currents from recombinant NM DANRla /NR2D receptors expressed in Xenopus oocytes

We have investigated the single-channel and whole-cell behaviour of recombinant A-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors formed from NR la and NR2D receptor subunits expressed in Xenopus oocytes. The EC50 for apparent steady-state activation of N Rla/N R2D receptors by glutamate was 450 nM, while extracellular Mg2+ produced a voltage-dependent block of glutamate responses with an IC50 of 440 /iM at —70 mV. At negative holding potentials glutamate-activated N Rla/N R2D single-channel currents, in 0.85 mM external Ca2+, had slope conductances of 35 pS for the main level, and 17 pS for the sublevel; direct transitions occurred between these two conductance levels. On average 35 pS events had mean open times of 1.01 +0.04 ms, whereas the mean open times of 17 pS events were consistently longer (1.28 + 0.06 ms). In 5 mM external Ca2+ the larger conductance level was reduced to 20 pS whereas in Ca2+-free solutions it was increased to 50 pS. The frequency of transitions between the main and subconductance levels showed temporal asymmetry: 35—17 pS transitions were more frequent (61 %) than 17-35 pS transitions. This asymmetry was not affected by alterations in the external Ca2+ concentration (up to 5 m M ). In conclusion, the N Rla/N R2D channel is, like NRla/NR2C, a Tow conductance’ NMDA channel, but it can be distinguished from N Rla/N R2C channels on the basis of transition asymmetry and differences in the open times of its main and sub-conductance levels.
Older and More Engaged: The Mediating Role of Age-Linked Resources on Work Engagement

In the era of a graying workforce, individuals and their employers are concerned with the impact of the graying workforce on the level of engagement at work. Contrary to the myths about older workers being less engaged, statistics have shown that the level of engagement is higher as people age. Within the broad framework of conservation of resources theory in the area of work engagement, the current study aims to clarify how older workers are more engaged at work than younger workers. Building upon socioemotional selectivity theory and continuity theory from a life-span perspective, we explain how individuals gain more resources as they age, including the abilities to regulate emotion and to maintain a career identity. We argue that this positive relationship between age and resources explains why older people have high levels of work engagement. We tested our predictions with a sample of 613 workers in the United States. The study demonstrates that well-regulated emotion and strong commitment to career mediate the positive relationship between age and work engagement simultaneously. These findings contribute to the understanding of an aging workforce's engagement in the workplace. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Methodological issues in meta-analysis, benefit transfer and environmental valuation

Stated preference (SP) surveys have been conducted to value non-timber benefits (NTBs) from forests in Norway, Sweden and Finland for about 20 years. The paper first reviews the literature and summarises methodological traditions in SP research in the three countries. Second, a meta-regression analysis is conducted explaining systematic variation in Willingness-to-Pay (WTP). Two important conclusions emerge, with relevance for future research: (1) WTP is found to be insensitive to the size of the forest, casting doubt on the use of simplified WTP/area measures for complex environmental goods; and (2) WTP tends to be higher if people are asked as individuals rather than on behalf of their household. r 2006 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved. JEL classification: Q23; Q26; Q51; H41
Tumor cells with neuronal intermediate progenitor features define a subgroup of 1p/19q co‐deleted anaplastic gliomas

The integrated diagnosis of anaplastic oligodendroglioma, IDH mutant and 1p/19q co‐deleted, grade III (O3id) is a histomolecular entity that WHO 2016 classification distinguished from other diffuse gliomas by specific molecular alterations. In contrast, its cell portrait is less well known. The present study is focused on intertumor and intratumor, cell lineage‐oriented, heterogeneity in O3id. Based on pathological, transcriptomic and immunophenotypic studies, a novel subgroup of newly diagnosed O3id overexpressing neuronal intermediate progenitor (NIP) genes was identified. This NIP overexpression pattern in O3id is associated with: (i) morphological and immunohistochemical similarities with embryonic subventricular zone, (ii) proliferating tumor cell subpopulation with NIP features including expression of INSM1 and no expression of SOX9, (iii) mutations in critical genes involved in NIP biology and, (iv) increased tumor necrosis. Interestingly, NIP tumor cell subpopulation increases in O3id recurrence compared with paired newly diagnosed tumors. Our results, validated in an independent cohort, emphasize intertumor and intratumor heterogeneity in O3id and identified a tumor cell subpopulation exhibiting NIP characteristics that is potentially critical in oncogenesis of O3id. A better understanding of spatial and temporal intratumor cell heterogeneity in O3id will open new therapeutic avenues overcoming resistance to current antitumor treatments.
Neutral and Acid Sphingomyelinases of Rat Brain: Somatotopographical Distribution and Activity Following Experimental Manipulation of the Dopaminergic System In Vivo

The activities of neutral, magnesium‐stimulated, and acid Sphingomyelinases were measured in five regions of rat brain. Neutral enzyme activity was 2‐3‐fold higher in striatum than in parietal cortex and 13‐fold higher than in cerebral white matter. Acid sphingomyelinase activity was more evenly distributed throughout these regions. Striatal neutral sphingomyelinase activity was not affected by treatment of rats with reserpine or haloperidol and was reduced (16%) by 6‐hydroxydopamine. Striatal acid sphingomyelinase was unaffected by reserpine and 6‐hydroxydopamine, and was increased (17%) by haloperidol. We conclude that neutral, magnesium‐stimulated sphingomyelinase activity differs in various regions of rat brain and is particularly enriched in the corpus striatum. However, it appears to be a constitutive component of tissue rather than a readily modulated regulatory element of the catecholaminergic system.
Market Orientation in a Digital World

The concept of market orientation was introduced in the early 1990s as entailing three sets of activities: generation, dissemination and responsiveness to market intelligence. Since then the World Wide Web has ushered in a sea change in the way people communicate and interact. This article explores the impact of the still-developing digital technologies on market orientation. In particular, it examines how the practice of each of the three components of market orientation is being impacted by digital technologies, and whether market orientation continues to be important for business organizations. The discussion identifies opportunities presented by digital technologies as well as difficulties generated by them.
Evaluation of a multiplex human immunodeficiency virus‐1, hepatitis C virus, and hepatitis B virus nucleic acid testing assay to detect viremic blood donors in northern Thailand

BACKGROUND: Screening of blood donors with nucleic acid testing (NAT) for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) has been implemented recently in the United States. There are limited data, however, on the additional NAT yield of donors in developing countries in Asia where the prevalence of infection is higher. In addition, data on hepatitis B virus (HBV) NAT in high prevalence areas are minimal.
Depressive symptoms and the relationship of inflammation to physical signs and symptoms in heart failure patients.

BACKGROUND Depressive symptoms in patients with heart failure can affect the relationship between physical signs and symptoms and inflammation. OBJECTIVE To examine the relationship between soluble tumor necrosis factor receptor I and physical signs and symptoms and the effects of depressive symptoms on this relationship in patients with heart failure. METHODS Data on physical signs and symptoms (Symptom Status Questionnaire-Heart Failure), depressive symptoms (Beck Depression Inventory-II), and levels of the receptor (blood samples) were collected from 145 patients with heart failure. Data on the receptor were square root transformed to achieve normality. Patients were divided into 2 groups according to their scores for depressive symptoms (nondepressed <14 and depressed ≥14). Hierarchical multiple regression was used to analyze the data. RESULTS In the total sample, with controls for covariates, higher levels of the receptor were significantly related to more severe physical signs and symptoms (F = 7.915; P < .001). In subgroup analyses, with controls for covariates, levels of the receptor were significantly related to physical signs and symptoms only in the patients without depression (F = 3.174; P = .005). CONCLUSION Both depressive symptoms and inflammation should be considered along with physical signs and symptoms in patients with heart failure. Further studies are needed to determine the effects of improvement in inflammation on improvement in physical signs and symptoms, with consideration given to the effects of depressive symptoms.
Diverse Ways to Control p27Kip1 Function: miRNAs Come into Play

microRNAs (miRNAs) are small RNA molecules controlling messenger RNA (mRNA) and protein abundance. Since their discovery, research has been aimed at identifying the functions and target genes of miRNAs. A number of computer algorithms have been developed capable of predicting putative targets for any given miRNA. However, they might predict many false-positive targets and on top of that some true targets could be missed. This reflects the incomplete knowledge we still have concerning the rules governing true and effective miRNA-mRNA interactions. To experimentally identify miRNA-target genes, we have recently developed a genetic approach and employed it on p27Kip1, a hapo-insufficient tumor suppressor and cell cycle inhibitor. Here we review the difficulties interpreting the data from available computer algorithms, and critically address the pros and cons of our genetic screening method. Additionally, we focus on the different ways in which p27 is managed, argue how miRNAs could be involved in the regulation of p27 in both normal and malignant conditions, and discuss possible use of this knowledge for cancer therapy.
Improved survival of patients with metastatic breast cancer receiving combination chemotherapy. Comparison of consecutive series of patients in 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s

Groups of patients with newly diagnosed metastatic breast cancer who were consecutively registered into a breast cancer clinic beginning January 1956 (210 patients), January 1966 (210 patients), and January 1975 (251 patients), were analyzed to determine the impact on survival of the various treatment modalities utilized in each decade. Comparisons of survival were made among subgroups of patients with similar prognostic features. Except for patients with very poor performance status, all subgroups showed a significantly improved survival in the 1970s compared with the earlier decades. Combination chemotherapy was considered to be the major factor in the survival improvement.
Bacteriocins from Lactic Acid Bacteria: Production, Purification, and Food Applications

In fermented foods, lactic acid bacteria (LAB) display numerous antimicrobial activities. This is mainly due to the production of organic acids, but also of other compounds, such as bacteriocins and antifungal peptides. Several bacteriocins with industrial potential have been purified and characterized. The kinetics of bacteriocin production by LAB in relation to process factors have been studied in detail through mathematical modeling and positive predictive microbiology. Application of bacteriocin-producing starter cultures in sourdough (to increase competitiveness), in fermented sausage (anti-listerial effect), and in cheese (anti-listerial and anti-clostridial effects), have been studied during in vitro laboratory fermentations as well as on pilot-scale level. The highly promising results of these studies underline the important role that functional, bacteriocinogenic LAB strains may play in the food industry as starter cultures, co-cultures, or bioprotective cultures, to improve food quality and safety. In addition, antimicrobial production by probiotic LAB might play a role during in vivo interactions occurring in the human gastrointestinal tract, hence contributing to gut health.
Market Entry Mode: Evidence from the Golden Age of Hollywood

I examine international market entry modal choice using novel data sources on the early years of the U.S. motion picture industry. These data detail how studios built out their international distribution networks and give unusual access to revenues generated across modes. Motion picture exporters used a variety of entry modes: exports, licensed agents, and offices. Studios opened offices in distant, large markets first and used these markets as platforms to build out their distribution network. This pattern indicates that directed search for export customers is important. Offices generated more total revenue than licensed agents. They allowed headquarters to monitor employees through strict control of financial assets, limiting the diversion of intellectual property. (JEL F14, F21, L22, L24, L82)
Improved emergency myelopoiesis and survival in neonatal sepsis by caspase‐1/11 ablation

Over one million newborns die annually from sepsis with the highest mortality in premature and low‐birthweight infants. The inflammasome plays a central role in the regulation of innate immunity and inflammation, and is presumed to be involved in protective immunity, in large part through the caspase‐1‐dependent activation of interleukin‐1β (IL‐1β) and IL‐18. Studies in endotoxic shock, however, suggest that endogenous caspase‐1 activity and the inflammasome contribute to mortality primarily by promoting excessive systemic inflammatory responses. We examined whether caspase‐1 and the inflammasome also regulate neonatal inflammation, host protective immunity and myelopoiesis during polymicrobial sepsis. Neonatal (5–7 days) C57BL/6 and caspase‐1/11−/− mice underwent a low‐lethality caecal slurry model of intra‐abdominal sepsis (LD25–45). Ablation of caspase‐1/11, but not apoptosis‐associated speck‐like protein containing a CARD domain or nucleotide‐binding oligomerization domain‐like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3), improved neonatal survival following septic challenge compared with wild‐type mice (P < 0·001), with decreased concentrations of inflammatory cytokines in the serum and peritoneum. Surprisingly, caspase‐1/11−/− neonates also exhibited increased bone marrow and splenic haematopoietic stem cell expansion (P < 0·001), and increased concentrations of granulocyte and macrophage colony‐stimulating factors in the peritoneum (P < 0·001) after sepsis. Ablation of caspase‐1/11 signalling was also associated with increased recruitment of peritoneal macrophages and neutrophils (P < 0·001), increased phagocytosis by neutrophils (P = 0·003), and decreased bacterial colonization (P = 0·02) in the peritoneum. These findings suggest that endogenous caspase‐1/11 activity, independent of the NLRP3 inflammasome, not only promotes the magnitude of the inflammatory response, but also suppresses protective immunity in the neonate, so contributing to innate immune dysfunction and poor survival in neonatal sepsis.