Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Similarity of permeabilities for Ficoll, pullulan, charge‐modified albumin and native albumin across the rat peritoneal membrane

Aim: Compared to neutral globular proteins, neutral polysaccharides, such as dextran, pullulan and Ficoll, appear hyperpermeable across the glomerular filtration barrier. This has been attributed to an increased flexibility and/or asymmetry of polysaccharides. The present study investigates whether polysaccharides are hyperpermeable also across the continuous capillaries in the rat peritoneum.
Essays on strategic queueing

This thesis includes three essays exploring some economic implications of queueing. A preliminary chapter introducing useful results from the literature which help contextualize the original research in the thesis is presented first. This introductory chapter starts by surveying queueing results from probability theory and operations research. Then it covers a few seminal papers on strategic queueing, mostly but not exclusively from the economics literature. These cover issues of individual and social welfare in the context of First Come First Served (FCFS) and Equitable Processor Sharing (EPS) queues, with one or multiple servers, as well as a discussion of strategic interactions surrounding queue cutting. Then an overview of some important papers on the impact of queueing on competitive behaviour, mostly Industrial Organization economists, is presented. The first original chapter presents a model for the endogenous determination of the number of queues in an M/M/2 system. Customers arriving at a system where two customers are being served play a game, choosing between two parallel queues or one single queue. Subgame perfect equilibria are obtained, varying with customer characteristics and game specifications. With risk neutrality and when jockeying is not permitted, a single queue is an equilibrium, as is two queues. With risk neutrality and jockeying allowed, there is a unique two queue equilibrium. With risk aversion and no jockeying, there is a unique single queue equilibrium, and with risk aversion and jockeying, the equilibrium depends on the magnitude of risk aversion. The second chapter analyses the individual decisions taken by consumers when deciding whether to join an M/M/1 queue where a subset of customers who interact repeatedly can both cut the queue and be overtaken once they join, by-passing occasional users. This is shown to be an equilibrium in repeated games for sufficiently patient customers. The expected sojourn time for customers under this discipline is described as a solution of a system of difference equations, and this is then used to obtain a threshold joining strategy for arrivals, which is independent of the number of regular customers in the queue, as regulars form a sub-queue under the LCFS discipline. Numerical methods are then employed to contrast sojourn times and thresholds with the equilibrium for a strict First Come First Served queueing discipline, and with the socially optimal joining rule. Finally, the third chapter describes a duopoly market for healthcare where one of
Community-based Tourism Around National Parks in Senegal: The Implications of Colonial Legacies in Current Management Policies

ABSTRACT In Sub-Saharan Africa, resource managers often promote community-based tourism (CBT) around national parks as a win-win strategy for local sustainable development and conserving biodiversity. In Senegal, however, the social, economic, and environmental impacts of CBT remain elusive. Important aspects of the former French colonial policies are still reflected in the ways national parks in Senegal are managed. Such policy framework is inconsistent with participatory management approaches and overall goals of tourism development. This paper examines how this inconsistency impedes the contributions of CBT to local communities, focusing on: 1) the absence of communal land tenure policies; 2) the inequitable allocation of hunting concession rights; and 3) the military culture in the administration of national parks. The paper discusses how these issues reduce the channels through which locals can benefit from tourism, the collaborative space between community members and park administrators, and ultimately, precludes the sustainability of CBT projects in Senegal.
Characteristics of primary biliary cirrhosis in British Columbia's First Nations population.

UNLABELLED Primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) is a rare, autoimmune liver disorder characterized by progressive destruction of intrahepatic bile ducts, that results in portal inflammation, scarring, cirrhosis and, eventually, liver failure. Although considered rare in Canadian populations, it is the leading indication for referral for liver transplantation in British Columbia's First Nations population. Previously, an expanded review of all cases referred to the British Columbia Transplant Society for PBC was carried out comparing the demographics of those of First Nations descent with those not of First Nations descent. The review suggested that the rate of referral for transplantation was eight times higher for those of First Nations descent compared with those of other descent (P=0.0001), and a disproportionate number of the First Nations cases lived on Vancouver Island (48% of cases versus 18% expected, P<0.05). Additionally, the age of referral was significantly younger (45.9 versus 54.3 years) for those of First Nations descent and there are fewer First Nations men referred (1:34) than expected. For the purpose of the present report, 28 symptomatic cases were ascertained separately and reviewed in a clinical study to delineate the features of this population. RESULTS Although available liver biopsy reports were consistent with PBC, not all cases were antimitochondrial antibody-positive (18% negative). There was a family history of PBC confirmed by medical records in 33% of cases. There were five multiplex families identified, one with seven affected individuals. Detailed family histories revealed a recurrence risk of 4% for PBC for all first-degree relatives older than 21 years of age, but 10% when considering only women. Other autoimmune conditions coexisted in PBC patients in 79% of all cases. Arthritis was most frequent (60%), with thyroid disease (16%) and systemic lupus erythematosus (12%) also present. Additionally, a history of autoimmune diseases (arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus and thyroid disease) was present in 21% of first-degree relatives. A strong genetic predisposition to PBC and other autoimmune diseases, combined with common environmental factors, is postulated in this population. Further study is underway to identify these factors.
Nutritional Status of Under-five Children Living in an Informal Urban Settlement in Nairobi, Kenya

Malnutrition in sub-Saharan Africa contributes to high rates of childhood morbidity and mortality. However, little information on the nutritional status of children is available from informal settlements. During the period of post-election violence in Kenya during December 2007–March 2008, food shortages were widespread within informal settlements in Nairobi. To investigate whether food insecurity due to post-election violence resulted in high prevalence of acute and chronic malnutrition in children, a nutritional survey was undertaken among children aged 6-59 months within two villages in Kibera, where the Kenya Medical Research Institute/Centers for Disease Control and Prevention conducts population-based surveillance for infectious disease syndromes. During 25 March–4 April 2008, a structured questionnaire was administered to caregivers of 1,310 children identified through surveillance system databases to obtain information on household demographics, food availability, and child-feeding practices. Anthropometric measurements were recorded on all participating children. Indices were reported in z-scores and compared with the World Health Organization (WHO) 2005 reference population to determine the nutritional status of children. Data were analyzed using the Anthro software of WHO and the SAS. Stunting was found in 47.0% of the children; 11.8% were underweight, and 2.6% were wasted. Severe stunting was found in 23.4% of the children; severe underweight in 3.1%, and severe wasting in 0.6%. Children aged 36-47 months had the highest prevalence (58.0%) of stunting while the highest prevalence (4.1%) of wasting was in children aged 6-11 months. Boys were more stunted than girls (p<0.01), and older children were significantly (p<0.0001) stunted compared to younger children. In the third year of life, girls were more likely than boys to be wasted (p<0.01). The high prevalence of chronic malnutrition suggests that stunting is a sustained problem within this urban informal settlement, not specifically resulting from the relatively brief political crisis. The predominance of stunting in older children indicates failure in growth and development during the first two years of life. Food programmes in Kenya have traditionally focused on rural areas and refugee camps. The findings of the study suggest that tackling childhood stunting is a high priority, and there should be fostered efforts to ensure that malnutrition-prevention strategies include the urban poor.
States of Mind: Characterizing the Neural Bases of Focus and Mind-wandering through Dynamic Functional Connectivity

During tasks that require continuous engagement, the mind alternates between mental states of focused attention and mind-wandering. Existing research has assessed the functional connectivity of intrinsic brain networks underlying the experience and training of these mental states using “static” approaches that assess connectivity across an entire task. To disentangle the different functional connectivity between brain regions that occur as the mind fluctuates between discrete brain states, we employed a dynamic functional connectivity approach that characterized brain activity using a sliding window. This approach identified distinct states of functional connectivity between regions of the executive control, salience, and default networks during a task requiring sustained attention to the sensations of breathing. The frequency of these distinct brain states demonstrated opposing correlations with dispositional mindfulness, suggesting a correspondence to the mental states of focused attention and mind-wandering. We then determined that an intervention emphasizing the cultivation of mindfulness increased the frequency of the state that had been associated with a greater propensity for focused attention, especially for those who improved most in dispositional mindfulness. These findings provide supporting evidence that mind-wandering involves the corecruitment of brain regions within the executive and default networks. More generally, this work illustrates how emerging neuroimaging methods may allow for the characterization of discrete brain states based on patterns of functional connectivity even when external indications of these states are difficult or impossible to measure.
Long‐Term Studies of Metopic Synostosis: Frequency of Cognitive Impairment and Behavioral Disturbances

&NA; Although the occurrence of cognitive impairment and behavioral disturbances in patients with metopic synostosis has been described, the incidence of this dysfunction has not been established. The records of 36 consecutive children with metopic synostosis followed at one craniofacial center from 1978 to 1993 were reviewed and parental questionnaires were completed to establish the frequency of mental retardation, learning disabilities, and behavioral problems associated with this synostosis. Documentation of syndromes, abnormal karyotype, and central nervous system anomalies also was done. The study group consisted of 27 males and 9 females. The average age at most recent follow‐up was 7 years and 1 month (range 6 months to 22 years). Two patients had chromosomal abnormalities (9p syndrome and trisomy 21). On the basis of CT and MRI scans, intracranial anomalies were identified for only one patient having an absent corpus callosum. Thirty‐two of the study patients had adequate information for longitudinal assessment. Twenty patients have normal development without apparent disability. Of these, those of school age are at appropriate grade level. Eight patients have mild to moderate learning disabilities or behavioral problems, including attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and impaired language development. Four patients have significant mental impairment. Impaired cognitive development was not limited to children with abnormal karyotype or central nervous system anomaly. Cognitive and behavioral abnormalities occur in at least a third of patients with metopic synostosis. The, at times, subtle nature of these abnormalities mandates longitudinal developmental and neurologic evaluation for infants with metopic synostosis. (Plast. Reconstr. Surg. 97: 276, 1996.)
Electrification and Economic Development: A Microeconomic Perspective

Author(s): Lee, Kenneth; Miguel, Edward; Wolfram, Catherine | Abstract: In this Energy for Economic Growth (EEG) state-of-knowledge paper, we reviewliterature on the microeconomics of electrification in developing countries and organize existing and future work around three questions: First, how should governments and firms expand the supply of electricity? Second, for newly connected households, firms, and public facilities, what are the drivers of consumption growth? Third, what are the impacts of electrification and how can they be maximized, for example, through the design of the electrification program or the provision of complementary inputs? We highlight three general priorities and five key areas for future empirical research.
The missing middle : understanding low-rise, moderate-density housing in Greater Boston

Over the past 75 years, the United States' housing stock has become increasingly bifurcated, with the overwhelming majority of units taking the form of single-family homes or midand high-rise apartments and condos. This trend has made scarce the kinds of low-rise, moderate-density typologies that had historically provided the dense, compact urbanism necessary to support transit, walkability, and neighborhood retail. Dubbed the "Missing Middle" by their advocates, these housing types townhouses, duplexes, courtyard apartments, and the like are championed for their potential to deliver the benefits of residential density in forms that are more compatible with the character of existing suburban neighborhoods than their larger multifamily counterparts. They are also promoted for their ability to improve affordability in hot housing markets through the incremental addition of smaller units and improved land use efficiency. This thesis seeks to explore the concept of the Missing Middle including the characteristics of its forms, the trends in its permitting and construction, and the barriers to its development. Focusing on Greater Boston, and three of its suburban towns in particular, the research draws on census data analysis and semi-structured interviews to understand the distribution of this housing in the region, the extent to which its development lives up to the claims of advocates, and the potential reasons for its decline. Results indicate that while Missing Middle units have historically been concentrated in cities in Greater Boston's urban core, some suburbs are experiencing an increased interest in their development. However, in many cases, recently constructed examples of the Missing Middle in suburban contexts do not achieve the walkability and affordability goals of its supporters. The research finds that barriers to the permitting of suburban Missing Middle units are largely regulatory in nature, stemming from density restrictions driven by fiscal zoning considerations and homeowners' opposition to growth, especially in wealthier communities. These findings point to the need for strong regional planning to work across town boundaries, loosening restrictive local zoning while developing adequate protections for neighborhood character in order to promote Missing Middle housing in the development of smart growth and affordability plans and policies. Thesis Supervisor Eran Ben-Joseph Professor I Department Head Department of Urban Studies and Planning Thesis Reader Peter Roth Lecturer Center for Real Estate I Department of Urban Studies and Planning
From ‘a woman’s place is in her union’ to ‘strong unions need women’: changing gender discourses, policies and realities in the union movement

ABSTRACT This article draws on research that I along with others have conducted in various countries and regions of the world, which highlights the changed and evolving gender context within the union movement. From the late 1970s onwards, the campaign for women’s equality and gender democracy within unions gathered pace under the influence of second wave feminism. New discourses were espoused and new practices adopted towards these goals, and some countries, some unions have achieved greater success than have others. The article considers the contemporary landscape, continuity and change in the global union movement’s unfinished gender democracy project.
Measuring the Interdependence of Multinational Firms' Foreign Investments

Earlier work found evidence for geographic linkages of aggregate foreign direct investment across countries and country‐pairs. From a theoretical point of view, such linkages at the macroeconomic level may root in between‐firm as well as within‐firm linkages and originate from information spillovers across or within firms in exploring unknown markets, and vertical linkages between production plants across different locations within the firm. We use data on the universe of German multinational enterprises (MNEs) to empirically explore how marginal investments at one foreign affiliate depend on investments at other affiliates within the same MNE. The empirical approach employs two channels or modes of cross‐affiliate interdependence: mere geography (capturing horizontal linkages through correlated learning and horizontal competition within the firm) and input–output relationships within or across industries (which capture vertical linkages). Adding to earlier findings at the aggregate level, we find evidence of a significant interdependence of investments within the firm. In the firm‐level data at hand, vertical linkages appear to be more important than horizontal ones. Investments at one location tend to stimulate investments at other locations of the same MNE, particularly if input linkages are strong. The opposite seems to be true for output linkages. Beyond vertical linkages, mere geographic proximity matters only to a minor extent. This suggests that evidence of linkages through geographic closeness at aggregate data levels accrue mainly to reasons of vertical linkages within networks of affiliates. (JEL C31, D22, F21, F23, F68, G31, H32)
Detection of genetic lineages of human metapneumovirus in Croatia during the winter season 2005/2006

Human metapneumovirus (HMPV) is an important respiratory pathogen, especially among young children. The genetic characteristics of HMPV circulating in Croatia have not been studied so far. The aim of this study was to determine the incidence of HMPV infection in hospitalized children with acute respiratory tract infection (ARTI) in the season 2005/2006 in Croatia, as well as to perform the genotypic analysis of detected HMPV strains. From December 1 to March 31 nasopharyngeal secretions (NPSs) were collected from 402 inpatients up to 5 years of age with ARTI. NPSs were tested by real‐time RT‐PCR assay targeting the nucleoprotein (N) gene of HMPV. HMPV infection was detected in 33 patients (8.2%). To perform the phylogenetic study, partial nucleotide sequences were obtained for HMPV fusion (F) gene of 30 HMPV positive samples. Phylogenetic analysis showed the circulation of two main genetic lineages (A and B), with B lineages being prevalent. It also showed the existence of two sublineages within the group B (B1 and B2) and three subclusters within lineage A (A1, A2a and A2b). Further molecular analysis revealed point mutations in HMPV strains of sublineage B1. J. Med. Virol. 80: 1282–1287, 2008. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Comprehensive preoperative staging system for endoscopic single and multicorridor approaches to juvenile nasal angiofibromas

Background: Juvenile nasal angiofibromas (JNA) is a benign lesion with high vascularity and propensity of bone erosion leading to skull base invasion and intracranial extension. It is known to involve multiple compartments, which are often surgically difficult to access. With evolution in surgical expertise and technical innovations, endoscopic and endoscopic-assisted management has become the preferred choice of surgical management. Over the last four decades, various staging systems have been proposed, which are largely based on the extent of nasal angiofibroma. However, no clear guidelines exist for the stage-appropriate surgical management. In this study, we aim to formulate a novel staging system based on the analysis of high quality preoperative imaging and propose detailed surgical guidelines related to disease stages as observed in 242 primary cases of JNA. Methods: A retrospective analysis of the case records of 242 primary JNA cases was performed at our center. Patients were staged according to various existing staging systems as well as our own new staging system, and outcome variables were compared with respect to intraoperative blood loss, multiple staged operations, and tumor recurrences. Operative records were studied and precise endoscopic surgical guidelines were formulated for each stage. Results: Comparing the intraoperative blood loss seen in stages of various classifications, it was found that intraoperative blood loss correlated best and statistically significantly with stages in the newly proposed Janakiram staging system when compared to the existing staging systems. Staged operations were performed in a total of 7/242 patients, and there was a significant association between the requirement of a staged operation and tumor extent (Fischer's exact test, P < 0.001). Tumor recurrence was seen in 22 cases and the pterygoid wedge was found to be the most frequent site of recurrence initially. As the extent of resection improved with better surgical technique over time, recurrences were only found in superior orbital fissure, around the internal carotid artery, and in the middle cranial fossa. Conclusion: This new Janakiram staging system is based on preoperative imaging data from one of the largest JNA case series reported thus far. Respective guidelines reliably stratify patients into treatment groups with definite surgical approaches and predicts outcome. Improved surgical approaches in the modern endoscopic era have redefined JNA management with improved outcome. This study shows the importance of precise presurgical imaging and the choice of the most suitable surgical approach in reducing morbidity and mortality in JNA surgery.