Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Detailed three‐dimensional visualization of resilin in the exoskeleton of arthropods using confocal laser scanning microscopy

Resilin is a rubber‐like protein found in the exoskeleton of arthropods. It often contributes large proportions to the material of certain structures in movement systems. Accordingly, the knowledge of the presence and distribution of resilin is essential for the understanding of the functional morphology of these systems. Because of its specific autofluorescence, resilin can be effectively visualized using fluorescence microscopy. However, the respective excitation maximum is in the UV range, which is not covered by the lasers available in most of the modern commercial confocal laser scanning microscopes. The goal of this study was to test the potential of confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) in combination with a 405 nm laser to visualize and analyse the presence and distribution of resilin in arthropod exoskeletons. The results clearly show that all resilin‐dominated structures, which were visualized successfully using wide‐field fluorescence microscopy (WFM) and a ‘classical’ UV excitation, could also be visualized efficiently with the proposed CLSM method. Furthermore, with the application of additional laser lines CLSM turned out to be very appropriate for studying differences in the material composition within arthropod exoskeletons in great detail. As CLSM has several advantages over WFM with respect to detailed morphological imaging, the application of the proposed CLSM method may reveal new information about the micromorphology and material composition of resilin‐dominated exoskeleton structures leading to new insights into the functional morphology and biomechanics of arthropods.
Dermatoglyphics of Negro Schizophrenic Males

Dermatoglyphic patterns, especially fingerprints, have long been of interest to researchers in the genetics of schizophrenia, but results of investigations have been inconsistent. Rosner and Steinberg (4) published the first dermatoglyphic study of Negro male schizophrenics, comparing finger and palm prints of 207 patients at Virginia State Hospital with those of 105 healthy Negro males from the National Institute of Neurological Diseases and Blindness Perinatal Study. This is the second report on the dermatoglyphics of Negro male schizophrenics.
Forward guidance, quantitative easing, or both?

During the Great Recession numerous central banks have implemented various unconventional monetary policy measures. This paper aims to empirically evaluate two particular types of unconventional policies (forward guidance and quantitative easing)in a structural manner. The primary aim is to evaluate the policies jointly, to mitigate concerns that empirical evaluation of either policy in isolation is prone to at leastpartially absorb the effects of the other - typically simultaneously implemented - policy. The approach is structural to overcome inherent empirical difficulties in evaluating policies, e.g. in the wake of anticipation. The model is estimated for the US (1975-2015) and sheds light on the historical real effects of the government debt maturity structure as well as the contribution of Fed policy through its maturity policy during the crisis.
The Informational Content of Infinite Maturity Bonds

This paper investigates how the market implicitly prices very long-dated cash-flows. We do this empirically, using daily market data on the 3½% War Loan, a UK infinite maturity coupon bond. We price the War Loan as an American option with 100 years of maturity. To this end, we perform daily calibrations to observed swaption prices using the Hull-White (1990) one-factor term structure model. The mean-reversion and volatility parameters resulting from the calibrations are then used in a finite difference method, which is equivalent to the Hull-White (1994 and 1996) trinomial tree procedure. We calculate the constant long-term yield beyond the last observed yield, which equates the results of the finite difference procedure with the observed prices of the War Loan. We find that prior to the financial crisis the constant long-term yield was situated above the last observed yield, whereas after the crisis it was situated below the last observed yield.
PENGARUH RASIO KEUANGAN TERHADAP PERINGKAT SUKUK

The rate of sukuk can become the consideration for the investors to purchase the sukuk of a company since the rate of sukuk is an informative statement which can be used as the standards of the risk of investment failure. The rate of sukuk can be influenced by various factors and one of the factors is the financial factor of the company which is analyzed by using financial ratio. The purpose of this research is to test the influence of the financial ratio (liquidity, productivity, profitability, and solvability) to the rate of sukuk. The samples are 17 companies which have been selected by using purposive sampling of the companies which have published their sukuk which are listed in Indonesia Stock Exchange and Indonesia Bond Market Directory in 2009-2013 periods. The quantitative method have been used the method of research and the analysis technique has been done by using multiple linear regressions and SPSS statistic test instrument 16.0 version. The result of the research shows that liquidity ratio, productivity ratio, profitability ratio, and solvability ratio simultaneously have an influence to the rate of sukuk and it is feasible to be the research model. The result of partial test shows that liquidity ratio and solvability ratio has positive influence to the rate of sukuk whereas productivity ratio and profitability ratio does not have any influence to the rate of sukuk. Keywords: Sukuk, Liquidity, Productivity, Profitability, Solvability
AN ASSESSMENT OF THE ROLE OF THE NATIONAL DIRECTORATE OF EMPLOYMENT (NDE) IN REDUCING GRADUATE UNEMPLOYMENT IN KADUNA STATE (2005-2009)

A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY, ZARIA IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE AWARD OF A MASTER OF SCIENCE DEGREE (M.Sc.) IN PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION. DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION, FACULTY OF ADMINISTRATION, AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY, ZARIA. MAY, 2011.
VLA-4 expression on peripheral blood lymphocytes is downregulated after treatment of multiple sclerosis with interferon beta

Adhesion molecules are likely to play a critical role in the immunopathogenesis of multiple sclerosis (MS). The interaction of vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) with its lymphocyte ligand very late antigen-4 (VLA-4) may mediate migration of lymphocytes into the CNS. We have previously demonstrated that MS patients treated with interferon beta(IFN-β) have a significant increase in soluble VCAM-1 (sVCAM-1) soon after the initiation of treatment, and this effect correlated with the resolution of contrast-enhancing MRI lesions. We studied the cell surface expression of VLA-4 by flow cytometry in 10 MS patients before and during IFN-β treatment. We found a significant decrease in mean VLA-4 fluorescence of MS patients' lymphocytes on treatment and no change in untreated controls. In vitro treatment of lymphocytes with IFN-β did not reproduce this effect, but the addition of sVCAM-1 did result in a decrease in VLA-4 expression. These data indicate that the previously identified increase in sVCAM-1 may lead to a decrease in VLA-4 expression and that this effect may partially explain the mechanism of action of IFN-β.
Determination of cable parameters in skeletal muscle fibres during repetitive firing of action potentials

Current methods for determination of the resting membrane conductance in active, action potential‐firing muscle fibres are based on the assumptions that the volume and the cytosolic composition of the fibres remain constant during activity. Here, we present a microelectrode‐based method that without such assumptions measures a range of cable parameters including the resting membrane conductance together with action potential characteristics of individual fibres during intermittent action potential firing. The method can be used to study the role of activity‐induced regulation of the resting membrane conductance for action potential excitation and propagation in active muscles.
4-deoxypyridoxine improves the viability of isolated pancreatic islets ex vivo

The successful islet transplantation, for the treatment of type 1 diabetes, depends on the quantity and the quality of transplanted islets. Previously, it has reported that the significant loss of isolated islet mass could be prevented by sphingolipid metabolite, sphinogosine 1-phophate (S1P). This study was performed to elucidate whether the beneficial effects of S1P maintaining isolated pancreatic islets ex vivo are mimicked by modulation of intracellular S1P. We tested the in vitro effect of various agents that modulate intracellular S1P levels in insulinoma cell lines and isolated islets to compare their anti-apoptotic effects with that of S1P. As results, we discovered that 4-deoxypyridoxine (DOP), which inhibits the degradation of intracellular S1P by inhibiting S1P lyase (SPL) activity, minimized the chemically induced apoptosis of insulinoma cell lines as S1P did. Also, supplementation of DOP in the culture media protected the regression of isolated islets that have been maintained ex vivo at least for 18 h providing the evidence of increasing viability of isolated islets with DOP, which impaired SPL activity. In conclusion, these results suggest that the application of SPL inhibitors could be considered as a supplement for the maintenance of viable islets isolated from donor sources in the process of islet transplantation.
The Relationship Between Participation in Football and GPA, Discipline, and Attendance of Urban Male High School Athletes Before and After the Introduction of the 2.0 GPA Play Policy in One School Division in Virginia

The educational plight of the urban student athlete is often associated with academic underachievement. This study researched the effects of minimum academic standards on athletes to increase their academic success, attendance rates, reduce discipline infractions and subsequently, increase graduation rates. VidalFernandez (2011) conducted a study on the effect minimum academic requirements to participate in sports had on high school graduation. Students who were involved in a sport had significantly higher grade point averages during their sport season compared to their grade point averages when the students were not in season. Schools invest large amounts of resources into sports activities under the well-supported assumption that these activities increase levels of student outcomes. If engagement in athletics significantly improves the likelihood of academic success, then school leaders should choose to target resources and efforts at increasing participation, especially for at-risk and failing students (Vidal-Fernandez, 2011). In this quantitative study to determine what impact athletics have on the student’s academic performance, the researcher collected existing data on the high school football teams for two semesters prior to a system wide 2.0 GPA policy to play and two semesters after the implementation of the 2.0 GPA play policy. Independent variables (attendance, discipline and GPA) and dependent variables (participation in football, academic coach or no academic coach, and athletic coach) were collected, and these variables were then measured and analyzed using relevant statistical procedures. Many of the student athletes in this study increased their accountability for their academic achievement in order to achieve higher GPAs in order to participate in athletics. Although not statistically significant, the data showed there was an increase in the overall district GPA for football players in the division after the implementation of the 2.0 GPA rule. Another important finding, student mobility (transiency) was notable at each high school during the three-
Linking sport team sponsorship to perceived switching cost and switching intentions

ABSTRACT Research question/purpose: Although literature has focused on the impact of sponsorship on the customers’ purchase intentions, the impact of sport team sponsorship on switching intentions on service providers remains a largely overlooked research topic. The study addresses this gap by examining the effects of sport team sponsorship on the switching intentions of service customers, who at the same time are sport fans. Research methods: The study draws on a sponsorship agreement between a mobile telecommunication company (sponsor) and a European professional football team (sponsored team). Through a survey, 261 responses were collected and subsequently analysed using structural equation modelling techniques. Results and findings: The results suggest that enhancing the relationship of fans with the team and its sponsor – as well as increasing their level of involvement with the sport – can contribute to increasing the perceived switching cost of the fans regarding mobile telecommunications services. Similarly, strengthening the fans’ attitudes towards the sponsor can reduce their likelihood of switching to another telecommunications provider. Implications: As the first study to examine the effects of sport team sponsorship on the switching intentions of service customers who at the same time are sport fans, this paper adds to academic understanding of the impacts of sport (football) involvement, team-brand attitude, sponsor-brand attitude, and sponsorship fit on switching intentions and on perceived switching cost of the sponsor’s customers. In doing so, the study also investigates how team identification and sponsor affiliation moderate the influence of the aforementioned attributes.
Possible Identification of Cervicogenic Headache Among Patients With Migraine: An Analysis of 374 Headaches

According to Sjaastad, the pain in cervicogenic headache, a form not recognized by the IHS, is long lasting and always side‐locked unilateral. The frequency of side‐locked unilateral pain (defined here as no change in side from onset) and other characteristics of cervicogenic headache were investigated in 300 outpatients using information collected on standard forms in structured interviews. Three hundred seventy‐four headaches diagnosed according to IHS criteria were identified. Three hundred forty‐eight of these headaches were long‐lasting (duration of more than 4 hours); migraine (65%) followed by tension‐type headache (25%) were the commonest forms. Side‐locked unilaterality was present in 29% (101 of 348), and occurred most frequently in migrainous disorders not fulfilling the criteria (25 of 56, 44.6%). This group differed significantly from the other migraine conditions for longer pain duration (P<0.02) and less frequent nausea, vomiting, photophobia, phonophobia (P<0.0001), and aggravation by physical activity (P<0.02). With these characteristics, this group resembled cervicogenic headache. However, in none of these patients was pain triggered by head or neck movements, and the frequency of head or neck trauma did not differ from other headaches. A more precise definition of clinical criteria for cervicogenic headache vs migraine is, therefore, required.
Assessing the port to port risk of vessel movements vectoring non-indigenous marine species within and across domestic Australian borders

Biofouling of vessels is implicated as a high risk transfer mechanism of non-indigenous marine species (NIMS). Biofouling on international vessels is managed through stringent border control policies, however, domestic biofouling transfers are managed under different policies and legislative arrangements as they cross internal borders. As comprehensive guidelines are developed and increased compliance of international vessels with ‘clean hull’ expectations increase, vessel movements from port to port will become the focus of biosecurity management. A semi-quantitative port to port biofouling risk assessment is presented that evaluates the presence of known NIMS in the source port and determines the likelihood of transfer based on the NIMS association with biofouling and environmental match between source and receiving ports. This risk assessment method was used to assess the risk profile of a single dredge vessel during three anticipated voyages within Australia, resulting in negligible to low risk outcomes. This finding is contrasted with expectations in the literature, specifically those that suggest slow moving vessels pose a high to extreme risk of transferring NIMS species.
p62/SQSTM1 and ALFY interact to facilitate the formation of p62 bodies/ALIS and their degradation by autophagy

Accumulation of ubiquitinated proteins in cytoplasmic and/or nuclear inclusions is a hallmark of several diseases associated with premature cell death. SQSTM1/p62 is known to bind ubiquitinated substrates and aid their aggregation and degradation by macro-autophagy. We show here that p62 is required to recruit the large phosphoinositide-binding protein ALFY to cytoplasmic p62 bodies generated upon amino acid starvation or puromycin-treatment. ALFY, as well as p62, is required for formation and autophagic degradation of cytoplasmic ubiquitin-positive inclusions. Moreover, both p62 and ALFY localize to nuclear promyleocytic leukemia (PML) bodies. The Drosophila p62 homologue Ref(2)P accumulates in ubiquitinated inclusions in the brain of flies carrying mutations in the ALFY homologue Blue cheese, demonstrating that ALFY is required for autophagic degradation of p62-associated ubiquitinated proteins in vivo. We conclude that p62 and ALFY interact to organize misfolded, ubiquitinated proteins into protein bodies that become degraded by autophagy.
Does Combat Exposure Affect Well-Being in Later Life? The VA Normative Aging Study

Objective: Combat exposure can have long-term negative effects in later life; although aspects of service may be appraised positively, the long-term positive effects of combat on well-being in later life is largely unknown. Method: The sample included 1,006 male veterans from the VA Normative Aging Study, surveyed by mail in 1986, 1990, and 1991 (Mage = 65.5 years, SD = 7.3). They reported on their combat exposure, desirable appraisals of military service, unit cohesion, dispositional optimism, self-rated health, and psychological well-being (PWB), as well as age, military rank, and education. Perceived positive aspects (PPA) of military service was postulated to mediate the effects of combat exposure on PWB. Structural equation modeling was used to examine both mediating and moderating effects. Results: Age, combat exposure, and optimism had independent effects on PPA, but optimism did not moderate the effect of combat exposure on PPA. Combat exposure had only indirect effects on PWB through PPA, controlling for the direct effects of optimism. Education had no direct effects on the positive outcomes but did have indirect effects through optimism. Conclusion: Combat exposure contributes to positive well-being in later life, indirectly through positive appraisals, and this effect was independent of optimism. Thus, these results support the idea that combat veterans should be encouraged to focus on positive aspects of military service, which may serve as resilience resources to facilitate optimal aging.
Moral Hazard and the Energy Efficiency Gap: Theory and Evidence

We investigate how moral hazard problems can cause suboptimal investment in energy efficiency, a phenomenon known as the energy efficiency gap. We focus on contexts where the quality offered by the energy efficiency provider is imperfectly observable. We formalize underprovision of quality and compare two policy solutions: energy-savings insurance and minimum quality standards. We then provide empirical evidence of moral hazard in home energy retrofits in Florida. We find that for those measures, the quality of which is deemed hard to observe, realized energy savings are subject to day-of-the-week effects. Specifically, energy savings are significantly lower when those measures were installed on a Friday—a day particularly prone to negative shocks on workers’ productivity—than on any other weekday. We finally specify a model to simulate the Floridian market and find that the deadweight loss from moral hazard is about twice as large as that due to associated carbon dioxide externalities.
Identification of prognostic factors in patients with metastatic gastrointestinal stromal tumors.

PURPOSE Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) have a complex biology which is reflected by a marked clinical heterogeneity. Thus, there has been great interest in identifying prognostic factors influencing tumor recurrence and survival. The aim of this study was to identify potential clinical and immunohistochemical prognostic factors that may affect survival and treatment outcomes in patients with metastatic GISTs. METHODS Between 2000 and September 2011, a total of 41 patients with metastatic GISTs (29 males and 12 females; mean age: 57.4±11.8 years; range 29-74) were referred to the Department of Oncology, Uludag University Medical School. Survival analysis for a number of potential prognostic factors was made with the main outcome results of progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS7rpar;. RESULTS The most common sites of isolated metastases comprised the liver (n=18), followed by lymph nodes (n=5), the omentum (n=1), and the mesothelium (n=1). The remaining patients had metastases at multiple sites. Cox regression analysis identified ileal location as the only significant predictor of poor PFS both after first-line (p=0.023) and second-line therapy (p=0.016). Tumor location in the ileum (p=0.025) and S100 immunoreactivity (p=0.041) were both independent predictors of OS. CONCLUSION Tumor site and S100 positivity were the main significant independent predictors of clinical outcomes in patients with metastatic GISTs treated by standard of care.
Correlation of Radiographic and Functional Measurements in Patients Who Underwent Primary Scoliosis Surgery in Adult Age

Study Design. Prospective radiographic and clinical analysis. Objective. To evaluate whether radiographic spinopelvic parameters correlate with health-related quality of life (HRQOL) measures, in the long run, in patients operated on scoliosis in adult age. Summary of Background Data. There are papers that correlate sagittal radiographic parameters with HRQOL scores for healthy spine as well as for some spinal disorders. However, there are limited studies evaluating correlations between HRQOL measures, radiographic spinopelvic parameters, and age in patients operated on scoliosis in adult age. Methods. Fifty-nine patients, older than 21 years at surgery time (median: 50.2 years), were operated upon at a single center. All of them suffered mainly frontal deformity, idiopathic or degenerative curves, and long fusions, with more than a 2-year follow-up (median:8.5 years). Full-length freestanding radiographs, including the spine and pelvis, and SRS22 and SF36 instruments, were available for every patient at final follow-up. Sagittal and frontal radiographic parameters and age were analyzed for correlation with HRQOL. A multivariate analysis was performed. Results. No significant correlation was found between frontal parameters and HRQOL measures. Spearman rank order test showed correlation (P < 0.001) between Scoliosis Research Society (SRS) activity and sagittal vertical axis (SVA) (r = −0.44), pelvic tilt (PT) (r = −0.49), and age (r = −0.5). SRS total was correlated (P < 0.004) with PT (r = −0.32) and age (r = −0.41). SF36 physical function correlated (P < 0.001) with SVA (r = −0.44), PT (r = −0.45), and age (r = −0.56). After multivariate analysis, only age and PT persisted as possible predictors of worse SRS activity scores. Conclusion. After primary surgery for adult scoliosis, frontal radiographic parameters did not correlate with HRQOL measures. In univariate analysis, patient age, SVA, and PT correlated with activity scores, although the correlation coefficients did not reach high values. After multivariate analysis, SVA was not a predictor of function.