Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Monetary Policy and Banking Supervision: Is There a Conflict of Interest?

The objective of this paper is to empirically assess whether central banks are less aggressive in their inflation mandate when they are in charge of banking regulation, since tight monetary policy conditions could have an adverse effect on the stability of the banking system. Due to this conflict of interest between the monet ary policy makers and bank regulators, it has been argued that banking supervisory powers should be assigned to an independent authority to avoid an inflation bias. We perform an econometric analysis using panel data for 25 industrialised countries from 1975 to 2007 to analyse the impact of a country’s institutional mandate of monetary policy and banking supervision on inflation outcomes. Using a fixed effects approach, the estimat ion results obtained do not provide evidence to suggest that separation of banking supervision and monetary policy has a significant effect on inflation outcomes. Nevertheless , results show that other institutional factors, such as inflation targeting and deposit in surance schemes, are significant determinants of inflation outcomes.
Empirical study regarding the relation between the Romanian banking system and economic growth

This paper has analysed the impact of the financial sector growths on the economic growth in Romania during 2000-2010. First of all, the model of Mankiw (1992) has been extended in order to establish the relation between the financial development and economic growth. The model has been assessed afterwards by using the quarterly data for the period 2000 – 2010 in Romania, using the cointegration techniques and the method of the error correction vector. These results suggest amongothers that in Romania, the stock exchanges are not substitutes for the banking system and that one of the factors that can further put their mark on the acceleration of economic growth in our country is the banking system.
GENITAL PAPILLOMATOSIS IN SPERM WHALE BULLS

Examination of 31 male sperm whales (Physeter catodon) caught off the western coast of Iceland revealed three cases of genital papillomatosis involving the unsheathed penis. One subadult and two sexually mature bulls were affected. Gross lesions resembled papillomas common in terrestrial mammalian species. Transmission electron microscopy of these lesions revealed nonenveloped intranuclear virus particles 28–40 nm in diameter and round to hexagonal in shape. In two cases immunoperoxidase staining was negative for group-specific papillomavirus antigen. These findings indicate that the spectrum of animal species affected with virus-associated genital papillomatosis includes at least one globally distributed species of the order Cetacea (whales, dolphins, and porpoises).
Benefits of Investing in Ecosystem Restoration

Measures aimed at conservation or restoration of ecosystems are often seen as net‐cost projects by governments and businesses because they are based on incomplete and often faulty cost‐benefit analyses. After screening over 200 studies, we examined the costs (94 studies) and benefits (225 studies) of ecosystem restoration projects that had sufficient reliable data in 9 different biomes ranging from coral reefs to tropical forests. Costs included capital investment and maintenance of the restoration project, and benefits were based on the monetary value of the total bundle of ecosystem services provided by the restored ecosystem. Assuming restoration is always imperfect and benefits attain only 75% of the maximum value of the reference systems over 20 years, we calculated the net present value at the social discount rates of 2% and 8%. We also conducted 2 threshold cum sensitivity analyses. Benefit‐cost ratios ranged from about 0.05:1 (coral reefs and coastal systems, worst‐case scenario) to as much as 35:1 (grasslands, best‐case scenario). Our results provide only partial estimates of benefits at one point in time and reflect the lower limit of the welfare benefits of ecosystem restoration because both scarcity of and demand for ecosystem services is increasing and new benefits of natural ecosystems and biological diversity are being discovered. Nonetheless, when accounting for even the incomplete range of known benefits through the use of static estimates that fail to capture rising values, the majority of the restoration projects we analyzed provided net benefits and should be considered not only as profitable but also as high‐yielding investments.
Use of biodegradable collagen-glycosaminoglycan copolymer matrix implant to reduce postoperative fibrosis in strabismus surgery

The occurrence of restrictive strabismus after conjunctival surgeries is widely described in the literature. Fibrosis causes adherence of the conjunctiva to the Tenon's capsule, intermuscular membrane, adipose orbital tissue, sclera, and extraocular muscle tissue.Fibrosis causes adherence of the conjunctiva to the Tenon's capsule, intermuscular membrane, adipose orbital tissue, sclera, and extraocular muscle tissue. We report a case of the use of a biodegradable collagen-glycosaminoglycan copolymer matrix implant (Ologen®) as an alternative adjuvant, used as a spacer to mechanically separate the subconjunctival and episcleral tissues to prevent fibrosis in a patient undergoing a surgical correction for a strabismus with a restrictive component due to previous surgeries of pterygium excision.
Adenovirus as an emerging pathogen in immunocompromised patients

Adenoviruses are non‐enveloped, lytic, DNA viruses capable of infecting most animal species. There are 51 different human adenovirus serotypes, which are grouped from A to F on the basis of genome size, composition, homology and organization. Pathogenicity varies according to group and type, but infections are generally well controlled by the host immune system in immunocompetent individuals. However, in the immunosuppressed, adenoviral infections are a frequent cause of morbidity and mortality. To date there is no effective therapy. Adoptive transfer of immune T cells offers a therapeutic option, but this strategy has been hindered by the lack of information on targets of protective cellular immunity, and by the immunological heterogeneity of the 51 human adenoviruses. Nevertheless, until such an approach is implemented, or an effective antiviral agent becomes commercially available, it is likely that adenovirus infections will continue to be responsible for a significant number of virus‐associated deaths each year.
Maintenance of Stem Cell Niche Integrity by a Novel Activator of Integrin Signaling

Stem cells depend critically on the surrounding microenvironment, or niche, for their maintenance and self-renewal. While much is known about how the niche regulates stem cell self-renewal and differentiation, mechanisms for how the niche is maintained over time are not well understood. At the apical tip of the Drosophila testes, germline stem cells (GSCs) and somatic stem cells share a common niche formed by hub cells. Here we demonstrate that a novel protein named Shriveled (Shv) is necessary for the maintenance of hub/niche integrity. Depletion of Shv protein results in age-dependent deterioration of the hub structure and loss of GSCs, whereas upregulation of Shv preserves the niche during aging. We find Shv is a secreted protein that modulates DE-cadherin levels through extracellular activation of integrin signaling. Our work identifies Shv as a novel activator of integrin signaling and suggests a new integration model in which crosstalk between integrin and DE-cadherin in niche cells promote their own preservation by maintaining the niche architecture.
Molecular and Biochemical Analysis of MalK, the ATP-hydrolyzing Subunit of the Trehalose/Maltose Transport System of the Hyperthermophilic Archaeon Thermococcus litoralis *

We report the cloning, sequencing, and expression of malK encoding the ATP-hydrolyzing subunit of the maltose/trehalose transport system of the hyperthermophilic archaeonThermococcus litoralis. According to the deduced amino acid sequence, MalK consists of 372 amino acids with a calculated molecular weight of 41,787. It shows 47% identity with the MalK protein ofEscherichia coli and high sequence conservation in important regions. C-terminal His-tagged MalK was purified. The soluble protein appeared monomeric by molecular sieve chromatography and showed ATPase activity. Enzymatic activity was highest at 80 °C with aK m of 150 μm and aV max of 0.55 μmol of ATP hydrolyzed/min/mg of protein. ADP was not a substrate but a competitive inhibitor (K i 230 μm). GTP and CTP were also hydrolyzed. ATPase activity was inhibited byN-ethylmaleimide but not by vanadate. The strong homology found between the components of this archaeal transport system and the bacterial systems is evidence for the evolutionary conservation of the ABC transporters in these two phylogenetic branches.
Cyclophilin A regulates HIV‐1 infectivity, as demonstrated by gene targeting in human T cells

The human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV‐1) Gag polyprotein binds most members of the cyclophilin family of peptidyl‐prolyl isomerases. Of 15 known human cyclophilins, cyclophilin A (CypA) has been the focus of investigation because it was detected in HIV‐1 virions. To determine whether CypA promotes HIV‐1 replication, we deleted the gene encoding CypA (PPIA) in human CD4+ T cells by homologous recombination. HIV‐1 replication in PPIA−/− cells was decreased and not inhibited further by cyclosporin or gag mutations that disrupt Gag's interaction with cyclophilins, indicating that no other cyclophilin family members promote HIV‐1 replication. The defective replication phenotype was specific for wild‐type HIV‐1 since HIV‐2/SIV isolates, as well as HIV‐1 bearing a gag mutation that confers cyclosporin resistance, replicated the same in PPIA+/+ and PPIA−/− cells. Stable re‐expression of CypA in PPIA−/− cells restored HIV‐1 replication to an extent that correlated with steady‐state levels of CypA. Finally, virions from PPIA−/− cells possessed no obvious biochemical abnormalities but were less infectious than virions from wild‐type cells. These data formally demonstrate that CypA regulates the infectivity of HIV‐1 virions.
MENTORING AND FACILITATION IN ENTREPRENEURSHIP EDUCATION: BELIEFS AND PRACTICES

Mentoring student teams is critical to entrepreneurship education, but the nature of that mentoring is often ill-defined, with little robust understanding of effective practices. To bridge this gap, this paper presents a qualitative study of mentoring practices in an entrepreneurship startup class. By combining classroom observations with semistructured interviews from mentors and students, the data provide a complete view of mentoring behaviors and their salience within an entrepreneurship learning environment. Two frameworks guided data collection: problem-based learning and mentoring in capstone design courses. The results of this study describe six mentoring practices (coaching, pushing for explanation, protection, rapport, acceptance/ conformation, and role-modeling) and explore how students value and respond to those practices.
Determination of Serum Calcitonin by Immunometric Two-Site Assays in Normal Subjects and Patients with Medullary Thyroid Carcinoma

We evaluated the clinical usefulness of a commercial two-site immunoassay for calcitonin, which is based on two monoclonal antibodies against distinct epitopes of calcitonin. The potential lower detection limit of the assay was 2 ng/l. Inter-assay and intra-assay variation were both < 11%. No cross reaction with calcitonins from different species (salmon and eel calcitonin) was found. Of the various fragments of human calcitonin, only the 11-32 fragment could be detected. Basal calcitonin concentrations in normals (n = 69) ranged from < 2 ng/l to 50 ng/l. Basal calcitonin concentrations in 30% of the men (< 2-48 ng/l) and 51% of the women (< 2-10 ng/l) were undetectable. Stimulation of calcitonin with pentagastrin (0.5 microgram/kg body weight) in normal subjects was followed by an increase in calcitonin in all men (n = 17) and in 60% of the women (n = 12). The upper reference value for pentagastrin-stimulated calcitonin concentrations for all 29 normals was 78 ng/l (defined as the 95th percentile): 79 ng/l for men, and 50 ng/l for women. Using a different immunoradiometric two-site assay, a similar percentage of "positive" responses to pentagastrin in normals was obtained (20 out of 29). Four previously thyroidectomized patients with medullary thyroid carcinoma had normal basal, but pathological stimulated calcitonin values at follow-up. At reoperation, cervical lymph nodes with tumour tissue were removed. Postoperatively, the patients had basal and stimulated calcitonin concentrations within the limits of the established reference range. In conclusion, reference ranges for basal and pentagastrin-stimulated calcitonin concentrations have been established for an immunometric two-site assay. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
White Matter Morphometric Changes Uniquely Predict Children’s Reading Acquisition

This study examined whether variations in brain development between kindergarten and Grade 3 predicted individual differences in reading ability at Grade 3. Structural MRI measurements indicated that increases in the volume of two left temporo-parietal white matter clusters are unique predictors of reading outcomes above and beyond family history, socioeconomic status, and cognitive and preliteracy measures at baseline. Using diffusion MRI, we identified the left arcuate fasciculus and superior corona radiata as key fibers within the two clusters. Bias-free regression analyses using regions of interest from prior literature revealed that volume changes in temporo-parietal white matter, together with preliteracy measures, predicted 56% of the variance in reading outcomes. Our findings demonstrate the important contribution of developmental differences in areas of left dorsal white matter, often implicated in phonological processing, as a sensitive early biomarker for later reading abilities, and by extension, reading difficulties.
Essays in economics of electronic commerce

Essays in Economics of Electronic Commerce. (August 2007) Anirban Sengupta, B.S., St. Xavier’s College; M.A., Jawaharlal Nehru University Chair of Advisory Committee: Dr. Steven N. Wiggins The advent of the internet has revolutionized the way people buy and sell. The internet is characterized by increased access to information. This increased information should foster convergence to the “law of one price,” for homogenous goods. The surge of electronic markets has motivated a stream of research focusing on comparing the efficiency of the internet market to the traditional one. This dissertation contributes to the existing literature of consumer search behavior in electronic markets and its effects on the price level and dispersion in the market more generally. A part of this dissertation assesses the direct and indirect effect of increased internet usage on the prices of airline tickets, using a unique contemporaneous online and offline transaction data for airline tickets, covering the final quarter of 2004. The study also investigates the relationship between increased internet usage and price dispersion in the market for airline tickets. This study also includes an exhaustive set of controls for airline ticket characteristics, namely refundability, advance purchase requirements, travel and stay restrictions, class of travel, departure and return day of the
Biologia Plantarum Xx (x): Xxx-xxx, 20xx Gene Expression and Flavonol Biosynthesis Are Induced by Ultraviolet-b and Salt Stresses in Reaumuria Trigyna

In plants, flavonoids play roles not only in development, but also in responses to biotic and abiotic stresses. We analyzed the transcriptome data of NaCl-treated Reaumuria trigyna, a small, highly haloduric desert shrub, focusing on the flavonoid biosynthetic pathway. We identified 118 unigenes annotated as genes encoding enzymes related to flavonoid biosynthesis, 68 of which were differentially expressed under NaCl treatment (39 upregulated, 29 downregulated). Of the 118 annotated unigenes, 47 were annotated as members of families related to the flavonol biosynthetic pathway (e.g., F3H, FLS, OMT). Of those 47 genes, about 70 % (32 unigenes) were upregulated under NaCl treatment. Experiments were conducted to monitor changes in gene expression and accumulation of total polyphenols, total flavonols, and antioxidant capacity under NaCl and ultraviolet-B (UV-B) radiation treatments. The expressions of genes related to the flavonol biosynthesis pathway (RtC4H, RtCHS, RtF3H3, RtFLS1, RtFLS2, RtF3'5'H, RtF3'H, RtOMT, and RtMYBF1) increased under NaCl and UV-B treatments. Treatments with NaCl and UV-B also increased the total flavonols content and antioxidant activity. The content of several flavonols including rutin, hyperoside, isorhamnetin-3-O-neohespeidoside, and myricetin increased in response to NaCl and UV-B stresses. Overall, our results showed that the expression of genes related to flavonol biosynthesis as well as flavonol content increased in R. trigyna under NaCl and UV-B stresses.
A Robust, Digital-Audio Watermarking Method

Most of the previous audio-watermarking schemes are robust to common signal-processing attacks, but show severe problems when faced with desynchronization attacks. To solve the problems associated with these approaches, we propose an audio-watermarking scheme based on support-vector-machine (SVM) theory to protect against desynchronization attacks by using audio statistics characteristics and a synchronization code technique. Experimental results with SVM show that our proposed scheme is inaudible, robust against common signal processing, and robust against desynchronization attacks.
Image Cytometry of Fine Needle Aspiration of Thyroid Epithelial Lesions

Fine needle aspiration (FNA) biopsy has been documented as a reliable, cost-effective test, diagnosing different thyroid lesions. However, its sensitivity declines much in some settings. This study aimed to investigate the value of computerized morphometry and DNA ploidy in differential diagnosis of different thyroid epithelial follicular lesions diagnosed on FNA smears. In this study, 68 cases of thyroid FNA were cytologically examined, and classified according to their postthyroidectomy histopathologic diagnosis as follow: 10 cases of nodular goiter, 14 cases of adenomas, 10 cases of follicular carcinoma, 20 cases of papillary carcinoma, 10 cases of anaplastic carcinoma, and 4 cases of poorly differentiated carcinoma. Using Leica Qwin 500 image analysis system, nuclear area as a morphologic variable, and the DNA ploidy, DNA index, and proliferation indices were measured for each case. Sensitivity of FNA in the studied cases was optimum (100%) in papillary carcinomas and anaplastic carcinomas. However, the sensitivity declined sharply in discriminating nodular goiter and follicular adenoma from well-differentiated follicular carcinoma, thus, most of these cases were diagnosed as follicular lesions. A significant difference in mean values of nuclear area was found between benign and malignant lesions, with no statistical differences within the benign group. Aneuploidy was significantly associated with malignancy. Therefore, image analysis may become an important ancillary test in the initial evaluation of patients with thyroid epithelial lesions.
Do Bondholder Relations Efforts Pay Off for German Firms? An Em-pirical Approach

This study investigates the link between corporate disclosure and cost of debt on the German corpo-rate bond market. With a large number of medium-sized bond issuers emerging over the last few years, transparency considerations have become increasingly important. Until now, there has been mainly anecdotal evidence among German bond issuers on whether an increase in disclosure is ac-tually perceived by market participants and, consequently, reflected in lower yield spreads. In con-trast to previous studies in this field, I use a very specific bondholder relations measure in addition to a conventional disclosure index. This enables me to examine the relationship between informa-tional efforts directed at the bond market and disclosure that is primarily targeted at shareholders, as respects their influence on bond values. Using an exhaustive list of firm- and bond-related control variables, the bivariate and multivariate findings confirm a strong negative relationship between disclosure and cost of debt, nearly irrespective of which ranking variable is used. Applying various alternative estimations, I find these results to be robust to potential endogeneity biases.
A case of IgG4‐related autoimmune disease with multiple organ involvement

A 52‐year‐old male was admitted with autoimmune pancreatitis (AIP), showing mononuclear cell infiltration in both the pancreas and salivary glands with both normal sialography and anti‐SS‐A/SS‐B antibodies. Although the AIP improved with glucocorticoid treatment, subsequent abdominal computed tomography (CT) revealed a nodular shadow in the bilateral kidneys, which was confirmed as interstitial nephritis by renal biopsy. The patient's serum immunoglobulin G4 (IgG4) level was 10 times higher than the upper limit of the normal range. IgG4‐positive mononuclear cell infiltration was detected in the salivary gland, pancreas, and kidney. A new entity proposed as ‘IgG4‐related autoimmune disease’ was considered.
Reflections on Leadership Styles from Higher Education in India

The surfacing of the concept of leadership dates back to the ancient days of war and inhabitation. Over time, leadership evolved to accomplish goals. The guiding thoughts of a mission and vision are the essence of new millennium leadership. The modern business companies aim for continuous identification and understanding about the wide array of the global perspectives of leadership. This paper discusses organisational leadership, leaders’ traits and habits; leadership competencies to manage workplace crises; transformational and servant leadership; the importance of towards transformational leadership; and the unification of leadership and business culture. The paper concludes with an appeal for global leadership that builds sustainability in an ever-changing global business environment.
DRYING KINETICS OF THE SLICED PULP OF BIOFORTIFIED SWEET POTATO (Ipomoea batatas L.)

Biofortified sweet potato ( Ipomoea batatas ) is one of the foods with the highest contributions of carotenoids in the diet, especially provitamin A carotenoids. Thus, this study aimed to analyze the drying kinetics of the biofortified sweet potato pulp using the Akaike (AIC) and Schwarz’s Bayesian (BIC) information criteria for model selection, as well as determine the effective diffusion coefficient and activation energy under different drying conditions. The biofortified sweet potatoes were sliced into chips and submitted to drying in an air circulation oven at 1.0 m s −1 at temperatures of 45, 55, 65, and 75 °C until constant mass. The mathematical models Wang and Singh, Verma, Thompson, Page, Newton, Midilli et al., logarithmic, Henderson and Pabis, two-term exponential, two-term, diffusion approach, frequently used to predict the drying of vegetal products, were adjusted to the data. The Wang and Singh model was selected to