Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Knowledge for local climate change adaptation in Sweden: challenges of multilevel governance

Adaptation to climate change is often perceived as a local concern; yet local stakeholders are influenced by knowledge and politics from international and national contexts. Based on a review of Swedish climate change adaptation policy and interviews and focus groups in the Stockholm region, this paper discusses how knowledge relevant to climate change adaptation has been institutionalised in Sweden and how this may affect the potential for learning. The results indicate that the institutionalising of knowledge and knowledge exchange has been weak, especially compared to the implementation of Local Agenda 21, which also calls for action at the local level. So far, Swedish adaptation policy has relied mainly on soft governance tools. Further, we conclude that there is need for improved mechanisms for feedback from the local to the national level in this rapidly evolving policy field.
Esomeprazole-Based Therapy in Helicobacter pylori Eradication: Any Effect by Increasing the Dose of Esomeprazole or Prolonging the Treatment?

AIM:To study the efficacy of esomeprazole-based triple therapy in Helicobacter pylori eradication and to evaluate, by a randomized trial, the effect of increasing the dose of esomeprazole or prolonging the treatment.METHODS:Four-hundred and fifty duodenal ulcer patients were randomized to receive: (1) esomeprazole (20 mg b.i.d.), clarithromycin (500 mg b.i.d.), and amoxicillin (1 g b.i.d.), for 7 days (E20-7d); (2) esomeprazole (40 mg b.i.d.) with the same antibiotics, also for 7 days (E40-7d); and (3) esomeprazole (40 mg b.i.d.) with the same antibiotics, for 10 days (E40-10d). Cure rates were evaluated by 13C-urea breath test.RESULTS:One-hundred and fifty patients received each treatment. Groups were comparable in terms of demographic variables. Eight percent of the patients did not return for follow-up. Compliance (98%) and side effects (only mild to moderate) in the two groups were comparable. Per-protocol cure rates were 83.5% (E20-7d), 84.8% (E40-7d), and 88.2% (E40-10d). Intention-to-treat cure rates were, respectively, 74%, 78%, and 80% (nonstatistically significant differences). CONCLUSIONS:Esomeprazole-based triple therapies offer comparable efficacy to omeprazole-based therapies used in previous studies. Increasing the dose of esomeprazole or prolonging the treatment does not improve the results. Therefore, if esomeprazole-based triple therapy is used in duodenal ulcer patients, a regimen with only 20 mg twice daily of esomeprazole and for only 7 days may be sufficient.
Comparison of Neural Activity Related to Working Memory in Primate Dorsolateral Prefrontal and Posterior Parietal Cortex

Neurons in a distributed network of cortical and subcortical areas continue to discharge after the presentation and disappearance of stimuli, providing a neural correlate for working memory. While it is thought that the prefrontal cortex plays a central role in this network, the relative contributions of other brain areas are not as well understood. In order to compare the contributions of the dorsolateral prefrontal and posterior parietal cortex, we recorded neurophysiological activity in monkeys trained to perform two different visuo-spatial working memory tasks: a Match/Nonmatch task, and a Spatial Delayed-Match-to-Sample Task. Neurons in both areas exhibited discharges in the delay periods of the tasks that could be classified in two forms. Sustained discharges persisted after the presentation of a stimulus in the receptive field with a constant or declining rate. Anticipatory responses increased in rate during the delay period, often appearing after presentation of a stimulus out of the receptive field. Despite similarities, we uncovered distinct differences between patterns of delay period in each brain area. Only in the prefrontal cortex sustained responses related to the original stimulus survived presentation of a second stimulus, in the context of the Match/Nonmatch task. Our results provide insights on the nature of processing in two areas active during working memory, and on the unique role of the prefrontal cortex in memory maintenance.
Labor Market Dynamics and the Business Cycle: Structural Evidence for the United States

We use a 12-dimensional VAR to examine the dynamic effects on the labour market of four structural technology and policy shocks. For each shock, we examine the dynamic effects on the labour market, the importance of the shock for labour market volatility, and the comovement between labour market variables and other key aggregate variables in response to the shock. We document that labour market indicators display "hump-shaped" responses to the identified shocks. Technology shocks and monetary policy shocks are important for labour market volatility but the ranking of their importance is sensitive to the VAR specification. The conditional correlations at business cycle frequencies are similar in response to the four shocks apart from the correlations between hours worked, labour productivity and real wages. To account for the unconditional correlations between these variables, a mixture of shocks are required.
An Equilibrium Queuing Model of Bribery

It is sometimes argued that bribery is inefficient because bureaucrats may cause delays for attracting more bribes. This hypothesis is examined in the context of a queue where customers having different values of time are ranked by their bribe payments to the queue's server. The Nash equilibrium strategies of the customers are derived. It is shown that the server is unlikely to slow down the allocation process when bribery is allowed. The model does not have stringent informational requirements, and the equilibrium outcome minimizes the average value of time costs of the queue. It also suggests a useful auctioning procedure.
INTRODUCTION TO “SPECIAL ISSUE ON THE EMPIRICAL ANALYSIS OF BUSINESS CYCLES, FINANCIAL MARKETS, AND INFLATION: ESSAYS IN HONOR OF CHARLES NELSON”

Time series analysis of macroeconomic and financial variables requires a deep understanding of many econometric pitfalls if an empirical researcher hopes to avoid making spurious inferences. This understanding is the hallmark of Charles Nelson's research over four decades and it develops out of a healthy skepticism about “conventional wisdom,” yet a pragmatic belief that, despite the econometric hurdles, it is possible to learn from data. The papers in this special issue build on Charles Nelson's research legacy to address many important empirical questions related to business cycles, financial markets, and inflation, always with respect for the data, but wary of spurious inferences.
Performance, Promotion, and the Peter Principle

This paper considers why organizations use promotions, rather than just monetary bonuses, to motivate employees even though this may conflict with efficient assignment of employees to jobs. When performance is unverifiable, use of promotion reduces the incentive for managers to be affected by influence activities that would blunt the effectiveness of monetary bonuses. When employees are risk neutral, use of promotion for incentives need not distort assignments. When they are risk averse, it may - sufficient conditions for this are given. The distortion may be either to promote more employees than is efficient (the Peter Principle effect) or fewer.
Variance Risk Premium Demystified

We study the dynamics and cross-sectional properties of the variance risk premia embedded in options on stocks and indices, approximated by the synthetic variance swap returns. Several important stylized facts and contributions arise. First, variance risk premia for indices are systematically larger (more negative) than for individual securities. Second, there are systematic cross-sectional dierences in the price of variance in individual stocks. Linking variance swaps to rm size/bookto-market, and stock turnover characteristics, an investor gains access to several lucrative long-short strategies with Sharpe Ratios around 2:85. Third, principal component analysis reveals at most one important factor driving both stock and variance swap returns, which corresponds to the traditional market factor. For the remainder of the dynamics, the stock and its variance processes are nearly linearly independent. Fourth, we nd the leverage eect through analysis of the relationship between the variance risk premium and stock to variance correlation. The systematic (market factor) part of the leverage eect provides additional evidence of the existence of one factor common to both variance swaps and stocks, but the contribution of the market risk premium to the total variance premium is very small. These ndings stress the importance of using variance-based instruments in the portfolio of an investor.
Project and program decisions in research and development

This paper describes the application of three comparative procedures for scaling the relative worth of research and development projects. One procedure which assigns a monetary value to each project in units comparable to those used to measure the resources consumed proved to be simple for judges to understand and apply. Its application to sets of projects drawn from two laboratories permits investigating the degree of consensus among subject judges with various organizational affiliations and responsibilities. Significant differences in behavior were observed. Both the methodological and behavioral findings are potentially valuable to researchers and administrators dealing with the R&D function in public and private sectors.
Diagnostic significance of PB word functions.

Performance-Intensity (PI) functions for phonetically balanced (PB) words were compared in 41 patients with presumably cochlear disorder and 16 patients with retrocochlear disorder. The PI functions of all of 10 eighth nerve disorders and three of six brain stem disorders showed a pronounced rollover phenomenon. After reaching a maximum the PI function declined substantially with further increase in speech level. Implications of the phenomenon for differential diagnosis of cochlear and retrocochlear disorders are discussed.
THE Economy

Although it is generally true that pre-seventeenth century phi­ losophers did not focus on economic questions, they were not, as has been suggested, disinterested in them. 1 One finds, in Aristotle in particular, not only his commonly known argument that an individual cannot live virtuously without property, but the parallel one that a city needs property too . One finds, not only these argu­ ments, but the concept of a public economy. Aristotle is unlike some modern political thinkers in that his economic proposals do not provide the key to his philosophy and thus to his views on the public and the private, but they do help to illuminate those views . Before proceeding to the interpretive debate, we should address a not insignificant methodological controversy: what material in the Aristotelian corpus is legitimate and relevant to Aristotle's eco­ nomic views? First of all, to stress, as M. I. Finley does, that Aristo­ tle "wrote no Economics" is misleading. 2 As noted in Chapter 2, the first book of the Oeconomica includes Aristotle's own writing, and the remainder of the work draws on his thinking. Further, two of the three books of the Oeconomica pertain to economic matters; the first book on household management is useful especially in con­ junction with Book I of the Politics, and the second book, although comprising largely anecdotes, directly concerns public economy-
Critical quality indicators of higher education

This study explores the weakest total quality management dimensions and defines the critical quality indicators for Taiwanese universities using a hybrid model using importance–performance analysis (IPA) and a fuzzy analytic hierarchy process (FAHP). IPA and FAHP are measured using the average value, while the FAHP is also measured using a five-point linguistic variable scale. Consistent with the literature, R&D, innovation, human resource, and knowledge management are weak quality dimensions requiring attention. However, different from contemporary research, leadership, the development of customers and markets, process management, and quality information regarding operations were not identified as weakest quality dimensions.
Increased plasma oleoylethanolamide and palmitoleoylethanolamide levels correlate with inflammatory changes in alcohol binge drinkers: the case of HMGB1 in women

Alcohol binge drinking is a heavy pattern of alcohol consumption increasingly used by young people. In a previous study, we reported that young drinkers with a 2‐year history of binge alcohol consumption had an overactivation of the innate immune system and peripheral inflammation when compared with controls. In the present study, we measured several biolipids that are fatty acid derivatives belonging to the acylethanolamide or 2‐acylglycerol families in the plasma of the same subjects (n = 42; 20 men and 22 women). We found that during abstinence, alcohol binge drinkers had elevated plasma levels of oleoylethanolamide, palmitoleoylethanolamide, arachidonoylethanolamide, dihomo‐γ‐linolenoyl ethanolamide and linoleoyl ethanolamide, which positively correlated with changes in the mRNA expression of key inflammatory markers in peripheral blood mononuclear cells, such as toll‐like receptors (TLR4), pro‐inflammatory cytokines/chemokines interleukin‐1 beta, interleukin‐6 and monocyte chemoattractant protein‐1, and cyclooxygenase‐2. Additionally, plasma oleoylethanolamide positively correlated with plasma levels of high mobility group box‐1, which is a danger‐associated molecular pattern and an endogenous TLR4 agonist, specifically in female alcohol binge drinkers. No changes were observed in 2‐acylglycerols in alcohol binge drinkers, although sex‐related differences in these bioactive lipids as well as in palmitoleoylethanolamide and docosatetraenoylethanolamide levels were detected. These results extend the previous clinical findings observed in patients diagnosed with long‐term alcohol use disorder to young users and suggest a prominent role for these lipids in the response to acute alcohol exposure.
Interleukin‐33 requires CMRF35‐like molecule‐1 expression for induction of myeloid cell activation

IL‐33 is a potent activator of various cells involved in allergic inflammation, including eosinophils and mast cells. Despite its critical role in Th2 disease settings, endogenous molecular mechanisms that may regulate IL‐33‐induced responses remain to be defined. We have recently shown that eosinophils express CMRF35‐like molecule (CLM)‐1. Yet, the role of CLM‐1 in regulating eosinophil functions is still elusive.
Induction of Antimalaria Immunity by Pyrimethamine Prophylaxis during Exposure to Sporozoites Is Curtailed by Parasite Resistance

ABSTRACT Each year, infections with the protozoan parasite Plasmodium falciparum kill 1 million people, mostly children in Africa. Intermittent preventive treatment (IPT) with sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP) reduces the incidence of malaria and aims to prevent mortality in infants, children, and pregnant women. There is contradictory evidence as to whether this strategy may generate additional protection against reinfection beyond the limited duration of the intervention. Previous work established that ablation of either liver-stage maturation or subsequent life cycle conversion by causal prophylactic drugs elicits protective immune responses against reinfections when drugs are no longer present. Here we show in the rodent malaria model that pyrimethamine, a component of SP, inhibits liver-stage development in vitro and in vivo, confirming the causal prophylactic activity of pyrimethamine. Repeated exposure to high doses of Plasmodium berghei sporozoites during pyrimethamine prophylaxis induced complete protection in C57BL/6 mice against challenge with high doses of sporozoites delivered intravenously 35 to 199 days later. Immunizations by infectious mosquito bites induced limited, inoculation-dependent protection against subsequent challenge by infected mosquito bites but provided partial protection against experimental cerebral malaria. Short-term pyrimethamine prophylaxis during intravenous transmission of sporozoites from a pyrimethamine-resistant strain delayed, but did not prevent, blood-stage infection. Our data provide a rationale for the notion of sustained protective efficacy of IPT based on the capacity of arrested, drug-sensitive liver-stage and/or suppressed blood-stage parasites to mount lasting protection.
Information ethics and use of social media in higher education : faculty members' perspectives

Issues on information ethics have assumed an important role in higher education as different types of information and communications technologies (ICTs) permeate the learning environment. An understanding of such issues by faculty members would enhance learning strategies and processes that use ICTs. To this effect, this study was conducted to establish factors that influence faculty members when applying information ethics to the use of social media for academic work. The population was faculty members in departments that offered information-related programmes. The study was conducted at the National University of Science and Technology (NUST) in two phases, based on an exploratory-descriptive design. The preliminary phase sought to establish how faculty members used social media tools in academic practice and the ethical frameworks that influenced their use of the tools. Respondents were identified through convenience sampling. The ethical frameworks that emerged in the preliminary phase: the rights, the common good and virtue perspectives, were factored into a Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) in the second phase. Every faculty member in the departments that were studied was a respondent during the second phase. The main findings were that faculty members were influenced mostly by control beliefs, followed by ethical predispositions and lastly, by normative beliefs when applying information ethics in the use of social media in academic practice.
Interest Rate Smoothing and Inflation-Output Variabilityin a Small Open Economy

This paper is concerned with the relationship between the interest rate smoothing behavior of a central bank and the variability of inflation and output. The issue is analyzed through the lens of a small open economy dynamic stochastic general equilibrium model with nontraded goods price rigidities and habit persistence. The benchmark model is calibrated to match certain key business cycle features of a small open economy like Australia. Relative to the benchmark model, experiments on a Taylor rule with interest rate smoothing are conducted. Due to the existence of a short run expectational Phillips curve in the model, monetary policy will imply certain trade-offs between inflation and output variance, under sensible parameter values of the model. More importantly, in a world where there exists such a trade-off, greater interest rate smoothing in the Taylor rule can potentially yield lower sacrifices in terms of output variability in return for lower inflation, thus increasing policy effectiveness.
IS THE KUZNETS CURVE STILL ALIVE? EVIDENCE FROM ITALIAN HOUSEHOLD BUDGETS, 1881–1961

We investigate secular changes in the distribution of personal expenditure in Italy. To this end we present a new data set, consisting of 4,370 family-level budgets scattered over the years 1881–1961. Our methodology is innovative for this kind of study. Italy's secular trend proves to have been egalitarian, and to have accelerated in periods of fast output growth. Sectoral, residential, and demographic changes associated with “modern economic growth” account for a minor part of the observed changes in expenditure distribution, suggesting that other factors, such as wage differentials, play a dominant role in explaining the dynamics of inequality.
Investigation of Glucose-dependent Insulinotropic Polypeptide(1-42) and Glucagon-like Peptide-1-(7-36) Degradation in Vitro by Dipeptidyl Peptidase IV Using Matrix-assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization-Time of Flight Mass Spectrometry

The incretins glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP1-42) and glucagon-like peptide-1-(7-36)-amide (GLP-17-36), hormones that potentiate glucose-induced insulin secretion from the endocrine pancreas, are substrates of the circulating exopeptidase dipeptidyl peptidase IV and are rendered biologically inactive upon cleavage of their N-terminal dipeptides. This study was designed to determine if matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry is a useful analytical tool to study the hydrolysis of these hormones by dipeptidyl peptidase IV, including kinetic analysis. Spectra indicated that serum-incubated peptides were cleaved by this enzyme with only minor secondary degradation due to other serum protease activity. Quantification of the mass spectrometric signals allowed kinetic constants for both porcine kidney- and human serum dipeptidyl peptidase IV-catalyzed incretin hydrolysis to be calculated. The binding constants (Km) of these incretins to purified porcine kidney-derived enzyme were 1.8 ± 0.3 and 3.8 ± 0.3 μ, whereas the binding constants observed in human serum were 39 ± 29 and 13 ± 9 μ for glucose-dependent-insulinotropic polypeptide and glucagon-like peptide-1-(7-36)-amide respectively. The large range of Km values found in human serum suggests a heterogeneous pool of enzyme. The close correlation between the reported kinetic constants and those previously described validates this novel approach to kinetic analysis.
On the association between code cloning and fault-proneness: An empirical investigation

During software development projects, the reuse of code fragments with or without modification by copying and pasting is a common practice, which is known as code clones. It has been an arguable issue whether cloning has a harmful impact or not on software development and the quality of the produced software. This paper empirically explores the association between code clones and fault-proneness of object-oriented classes. An empirical investigation was conducted using data from more than 3000 classes in five open source software projects. It was found that classes with clones are significantly more fault-prone than the classes without clones. In addition, the classes with intra-class clones, regardless of whether they also have inter-class clones or not, were found to be significantly more fault-prone than the classes with inter-class clones only. Moreover, among the groups of classes that have only one type of clones, the group of classes with Type II clones was found to be the most fault-prone. Furthermore, the groups of classes that contain more than one type of clones where Type I is among them were found to be more fault-prone than the groups of classes with only one type of clones.