Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Does female human capital formation matter for the income effect of remittances? Evidence from developing countries

Abstract The existing literature has focussed extensively on the development outcomes resulting from international migrant remittances. Yet, the human capital channel promoting remittance effectiveness has received little attention. Given the multilateral policy drive to promote female literacy in recent decades, it is relevant to examine whether female human capital formation improves the effectiveness of remittances in terms of its impact on per capita income. Using a panel of 103 developing economies over the period 1970–2012, this paper attempts to answer this question empirically. The paper finds that female human capital affects the remittance-growth relationship differently according to whether it is the primary, secondary or tertiary level of human capital. Our estimates of the marginal impacts of remittances show that while higher levels of skilled human capital (secondary and tertiary enrolments) enhance the marginal impact of remittances on per capita income, low-skilled human capital (primary enrolments) fails to do so. Our conclusion stresses the need to encourage female human capital beyond the promotion of literacy rates in developing countries.
Structure and Orientation of the Mn4Ca Cluster in Plant Photosystem II Membranes Studied by Polarized Range-extended X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy*♦

X-ray absorption spectroscopy has provided important insights into the structure and function of the Mn4Ca cluster in the oxygen-evolving complex of Photosystem II (PS II). The range of manganese extended x-ray absorption fine structure data collected from PS II until now has been, however, limited by the presence of iron in PS II. Using a crystal spectrometer with high energy resolution to detect solely the manganese Kα fluorescence, we are able to extend the extended x-ray absorption fine structure range beyond the onset of the iron absorption edge. This results in improvement in resolution of the manganese-backscatterer distances in PS II from 0.14 to 0.09Å. The high resolution data obtained from oriented spinach PS II membranes in the S1 state show that there are three di-μ-oxo-bridged manganese-manganese distances of ∼2.7 and ∼2.8Å in a 2:1 ratio and that these three manganese-manganese vectors are aligned at an average orientation of ∼60° relative to the membrane normal. Furthermore, we are able to observe the separation of the Fourier peaks corresponding to the ∼3.2Å manganese-manganese and the ∼3.4Å manganese-calcium interactions in oriented PS II samples and determine their orientation relative to the membrane normal. The average of the manganese-calcium vectors at ∼3.4Å is aligned along the membrane normal, while the ∼3.2Å manganese-manganese vector is oriented near the membrane plane. A comparison of this structural information with the proposed Mn4Ca cluster models based on spectroscopic and diffraction data provides input for refining and selecting among these models.
Cellular models for understanding adipogenesis, adipose dysfunction, and obesity

White adipose tissue (WAT) is no longer considered a depot for energy storage in the form of triglycerides, but is a secretory organ that releases factors, known as adipokines, capable of regulating several physiological processes. Alteration of WAT function with subsequent dysfunctional expression and secretion of adipokines plays a key role in the pathogenesis of obesity, diabetes, and other metabolic diseases. For this reason, a deeper understanding of the molecular mechanisms regulating adipocyte function is deemed necessary for planning strategies to treat and prevent obesity and its metabolic complications. This review examines cell culture models currently available for studying adipocyte biology. We focus on advantages, disadvantages and main differences between established preadipocyte cell lines and primary preadipocyte cultures. We revise protocols used to promote adipocyte differentiation and mature adipocytes dedifferentiation into preadipocytes. Finally, we briefly describe co‐cultures of adipocytes with other cell types and three‐dimensional adipocyte culture systems. These models allow investigation of cell–cell interactions with the cross‐talk physiologically occurring between adipocytes and other cell types residing within or outside adipose tissue. J. Cell. Biochem. 110: 564–572, 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
In silico discovery and experimental validation of new protein–protein interactions

We introduce a framework for predicting novel protein–protein interactions (PPIs), based on Fisher's method for combining probabilities of predictions that are based on different data sources, such as the biomedical literature, protein domain and mRNA expression information. Our method compares favorably to our previous method based on text‐mining alone and other methods such as STRING. We evaluated our algorithms through the prediction of experimentally found protein interactions underlying Muscular Dystrophy, Huntington's Disease and Polycystic Kidney Disease, which had not yet been recorded in protein–protein interaction databases. We found a 1.74‐fold increase in the mean average prediction precision for dysferlin and a 3.09‐fold for huntingtin when compared to STRING. The top 10 of predicted interaction partners of huntingtin were analysed in depth. Five were identified previously, and the other five were new potential interaction partners. The full matrix of human protein pairs and their prediction scores are available for download. Our framework can be extended to predict other types of relationships such as proteins in a complex, pathway or related disease mechanisms.
Independent risk factors for the development of skin erosion due to incontinence (incontinence‐associated dermatitis category 2) in nursing home residents: results from a multivariate binary regression analysis

The aim of this study was to identify characteristics independently associated with a higher risk of developing skin damage because of incontinence [incontinence‐associated dermatitis (IAD) category 2] in nursing home residents. As part of a larger randomised controlled trial, IAD incidence was monitored for 1 month in a sample of 381 incontinent residents using a validated IAD Severity Categorisation Tool. Data on demographical, physical, functional and psychological characteristics were collected. The overall IAD incidence (category 1–2) was 30·0%, and 6% of the participants developed skin damage (IAD category 2). Residents who developed IAD category 2 were less mobile [odds ratio (OR) 2·72, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1·06–6·94], had more friction and shear issues (OR 2·54; 95% CI 1·02–6·33) and had more erythema due to incontinence (OR 3·02; 95% CI 1·04–8·73) before IAD category 2 occurrence. Care providers should give full attention to risk factors to both detect residents at risk for IAD development and to start prevention in time.
Antifouling Compounds from Marine Macroalgae

Marine macroalgae produce a wide variety of biologically-active metabolites that have been developed into commercial products, such as antibiotics, immunosuppressive, anti-inflammatory, cytotoxic agents, and cosmetic products. Many marine algae remain clean over longer periods of time, suggesting their strong antifouling potential. Isolation of biogenic compounds and the determination of their structure could provide leads for the development of environmentally-friendly antifouling paints. Isolated substances with potent antifouling activity belong to fatty acids, lipopeptides, amides, alkaloids, lactones, steroids, terpenoids, and pyrroles. It is unclear as yet to what extent symbiotic microorganisms are involved in the synthesis of these compounds. Algal secondary metabolites have the potential to be produced commercially using genetic and metabolic engineering techniques. This review provides an overview of publications from 2010 to February 2017 about antifouling activity of green, brown, and red algae. Some researchers were focusing on antifouling compounds of brown macroalgae, while metabolites of green algae received less attention. Several studies tested antifouling activity against bacteria, microalgae and invertebrates, but in only a few studies was the quorum sensing inhibitory activity of marine macroalgae tested. Rarely, antifouling compounds from macroalgae were isolated and tested in an ecologically-relevant way.
Supporting Leadership Development

In this article, we report findings from an exploratory, qualitative study in which we used a constructivist lens to examine how two high school principals endeavored to develop the personal capacities of teachers and other leaders in their schools. We collected data from semistructured interviews with the principals and three other leaders from each of their respective schools. Through our findings, we illustrate the varying degree to which each principal viewed the leaders’ existing capacities, structured their leadership learning opportunities, guided their reflections, and assessed their learning in the context of leadership practice. An important finding was that the way the principals viewed leadership development and saw other leaders as learners themselves appeared to influence the way they developed other leaders’ personal capacities.
Influence of lung resection volume on risk of primary spontaneous pneumothorax recurrence.

Background Thoracoscopic stapled bullectomy is a popular procedure for the treatment of primary spontaneous pneumothorax (PSP) that has a relatively high postoperative recurrence rate. One reason for PSP recurrence is the formation of a new bulla around the staple line. We hypothesized that different resected specimen volumes might cause differences in staple line tension. In this study, we analyzed the relationship between postoperative pneumothorax recurrence and resected lung volume. Methods Between April, 2009 and December 2013, 360 cases which underwent video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) for PSP were selected. Recurrence after VATS was examined by electronic medical records and telephone survey. Resected volume and vertical area of specimen were calculated with the size of pathologic specimen. Results A mean follow up period was 44.5±24.4 months and recurrence rate was 11.1% (40/360). Large volume of resected specimen (≥16 cm3) (P=0.027 by the log-rank test) and larger vertical area of resected specimen (≥2.0 cm2) (P=0.003 by the log-rank test) showed significantly high recurrence rate. Cox regression analysis demonstrated that age [hazard ratio (HR), 0.083, P=0.006], vertical section area of resected specimen (HR, 1.239, P=0.020) and volume of resected pathology specimen (HR, 1.039, P=0.009) were independent risk factors of recurrence. Conclusions Bulky resection during VATS for PSP increases the risk of recurrence. Large volume and vertical area of resected specimen are associated with greater tension in stapling line. Avoidance of wide resection and the firing of stapler after full collapse of lung are recommended for reducing the pneumothorax recurrence after VATS.
A second liver resection due to recurrent colorectal liver metastases.

BACKGROUND Repeat liver resection because of recurrent colorectal liver metastases can provide survival benefit with a low rate of complications. DESIGN Retrospective study. PARTICIPANTS Forty patients who underwent a second hepatectomy because of liver metastases from colorectal cancer. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Short- and long-term results of a second hepatectomy and determination of prognostic factors. RESULTS The postoperative mortality rate was 2.5%. The postoperative morbidity rate was not significantly different after a second hepatectomy compared with single hepatectomy (42.5% and 27.5%, respectively; P = .10). Transfusion requirement and hospital stay were comparable for both a single and a second hepatectomy. Three- and 5-year overall survival rates were 55% and 31%, respectively. Disease-free survival rates at 3 and 5 years were, respectively, 49% and 27%. The interval between first and second hepatectomies and the presence of extrahepatic disease were independently related to survival (multivariate analysis). CONCLUSIONS A second liver resection because of recurrent liver metastases from colorectal cancer is safe and provides a survival benefit similar to that with single hepatectomy. Our analysis suggests that the benefit of treatment is limited in patients who undergo a second hepatectomy within 1 year of the first operation and in those with extrahepatic disease.
Relationships between quantitative and reproductive fitness traits in animals

The relationships between quantitative and reproductive fitness traits in animals are of general biological importance for the development of population genetic models and our understanding of evolution, and of great direct economical importance in the breeding of farm animals. Two well investigated quantitative traits—body weight (BW) and litter size (LS)—were chosen as the focus of our review. The genetic relationships between them are reviewed in fishes and several mammalian species. We have focused especially on mice where data are most abundant. In mice, many individual genes influencing these traits have been identified, and numerous quantitative trait loci (QTL) located. The extensive data on both unselected and selected mouse populations, with some characterized for more than 100 generations, allow a thorough investigation of the dynamics of this relationship during the process of selection. Although there is a substantial positive genetic correlation between both traits in unselected populations, caused mainly by the high correlation between BW and ovulation rate, that correlation apparently declines during selection and therefore does not restrict a relatively independent development of both traits. The importance of these findings for overall reproductive fitness and its change during selection is discussed.
Updated Survey of the Geriatrics Content of Canadian Undergraduate and Postgraduate Medical Curricula

Background and Purpose A survey in 2005 determined the hours of mandatory geriatrics content in Canadian undergraduate and postgraduate medical curricula. The present survey was undertaken to update these data for 2008–9. Methods A survey was sent to a designated geriatrician at each medical school. Results The mandatory geriatrics content of the undergraduate curricula ranged between 10 and 299 hours, with a mean of 82. Seven of 16 schools had a mandatory clerkship rotation of a least 1 week. Fourteen family medicine programs had a rotation in geriatric medicine and all psychiatry programs required a rotation in geriatric psychiatry. A geriatric rotation was mandatory for six internal medicine, six neurology, five physiatry, one orthopedic, and one emergency medicine program. In comparison to 2004–5, the mean hours of geriatrics teaching in the undergraduate curricula had increased from 78 to 82. However, two schools saw a decrease in preclerkship teaching and one school lost a 2-week clerkship. Postgraduate requirements had changed little overall, with the exception that, for emergency medicine, geriatrics was now mandatory for only one program, instead of three. Conclusions Although the total number of hours of teaching in geriatric medicine in the undergraduate curricula had increased slightly in 2008–9 compared to 2004–5, in some schools teaching hours were reduced. In the postgraduate curricula emergency medicine requirements for geriatrics were reduced. Of greater importance is determining which core competencies are being taught and mastered, and this is an area of ongoing study.
Harambee: a novel usability evaluation method for low-end users in Kenya

The research reported in this paper seeks to advance the discussion on cultural usability and its implementation among non-western users. This investigation focuses on the effect of culture on the quality of usability evaluation results among Kenyan young professionals and Kenyan farmers. Literature review and field observation studies were used to develop a theoretical framework, which in turn was used to scaffold a usability evaluation method 'Harambee', depicting working together during the evaluation exercise. The 'Harambee' and Retrospective Protocol methods were implemented and usability results compared. The quality of the farmers' usability results consistently improved with the 'Harambee' method but not so with the young professionals. Despite being from the same culture-group, the effect of culture on quality of usability results seems to differ among high-end and low-end users. Consequently, when adapting UEMs, there is a need to go beyond the national cultural level and focus on the user-type too.
Evaluating organic bread wheat as a rotation crop for organic dairy farms

Abstract The rising demand for local, organic bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) in the northeastern USA may be an economic and agronomic opportunity for organic dairy producers. Bread wheat must produce adequate grain yields and crude protein (CP) levels to be profitable as a food crop and must complement the on-farm production of high-quality dairy feed. A field study evaluated bread wheat and perennial forage performance in five 3-year crop sequences all ending in a perennial legume/grass forage. The sequences differed by wheat type (winter or spring) and the crop prior to wheat: (1) corn silage (Zea mays L.), (2) soybean (Glycine max L.) or (3) one-year-old perennial forage. Wheat sequences were compared with a sequence of two years of corn silage followed by a new perennial forage seeding and with a continuous perennial forage control. Winter wheat spike density, wheat aboveground biomass and nitrogen uptake were always greater than spring wheat. Wheat grain yield and CP were strongly affected by wheat type, with winter wheat having greater yield but lower CP than spring wheat. At one site-year, winter wheat CP was 15 g kg−1 higher following perennial forage than following corn. Only spring wheat met the bread flour industry standard for CP. Newly established perennial forage following wheat had higher yields and legume composition in both years, along with higher projected milk yields in one year, than the continuous perennial forage. Three-year net revenue based on off-farm sales were on average US$ 741 ha−1 higher for sequences with winter wheat than those with spring wheat, and were equal to the perennial forage control. Rotations that included wheat would likely be more competitive if straw were sold or used on the farm, or, if topdressing practices or varietal choice were used to increase grain protein levels of winter wheat.
PERCEIVED LEADERSHIP STYLES AND ORGANIZATIONAL COMMITMENT

Organizational commitment is a key source to determine the organizational performance. Previous researches shows that committed employees are the most important assets of any organization. Current study examines the employees’ perceptions about their leaders’ managerial style in educational sector of the Pakistan. This study investigates the relationship between two independent variables (Transactional and Transformational leadership styles) and Organizational commitment (DV). One hundred and one employees including Academic and Administration staff voluntarily participated in this study from the education sector of Pakistan. The results have indicated that both the transactional and transformational leadership have positive relationship with organizational commitment but transformational leadership has a slightly stronger relationship as well as impact on organizational commitment. Finally, at the end potential limitations of the study and directions for future research are suggested.
The Provision of Rescue / Safety Cores in Multi-storeys Buildings, Against Major Earthquakes

In countries with "traditional" catastrophic events due to hurricanes or typhoons shelters are provided, but they generally occur in either low-rise buildings, single family - in basement areas or even to smaller communities. There are some items and materials for a period of survival and of course there are so varied range of shelters, made by different companies, with different prices. For single-family houses, villas type can easily be made conformable projects such shelters or safe rooms, including their use in case of an earthquake, but what can be done in the higher buildings case? Based on a personal idea, a similar sfatey room variant, usable for multi-storey buildings (and so in each apartment, at every level), is presented in this paper for use in earthquake cases. Such safety cores made of reinforced concrete structural walls were considered, with their own foundations, with own floor slabs (at each level) with a separate electricity production (a generator in the basement) with a space designed to meet the functional needs of minimal and simplistic safe space designed to provide a perfectly elastic range behavior in the event of earthquakes with higher intensity than the "design earthquake", so that even if the building (correct designed for an elastic-plastic behavior, for the a "design earthquake") is significantly damaged, with partial/local or general collapse - the safety cores will remain "standing" (so that the occupants life to be maintained for a period sufficiently long to be mobilized reaction forces after the Earthquake). A minimal compliance space arranged at each level for a safety core is shown in Figure 1.
Will High Household Saving In China Persist? An Application Of The Conspicuous Consumption Theory

Expanding from Veblen’s conspicuous consumption theory, this paper provides new explanations on China’s household saving behavior. Using provincial level data, it finds evidence that urbanization, increased mobility of the population, and a greater degree of openness all depress household saving, likely through higher conspicuous consumption. This result is robust with different estimators and specifications. Among the conventional explanatory variables, the paper finds support for the permanent income theory, but little evidence for the life cycle theory.
Defensin expression in chronic pouchitis in patients with ulcerative colitis or familial adenomatous polyposis coli.

AIM Pouchitis develops in ileoanal pouches in up to 50% of patients with ulcerative colitis during the first 10 years after pouch surgery while being rare in patients after proctocolectomy for familial adenomatous polyposis coli (FAP) syndrome. Defensins are major components of the innate immune system and play a significant role in gastrointestinal microbial homeostasis. Pouch defensin and cytokine expression were correlated with states of pouch inflammation to study their role in pouchitis. METHODS Patients with ulcerative colitis and FAP syndrome were stratified into groups with pouches after surgery, pouches without or with pouchitis. Biopsies from terminal ileum from a healthy intestine or from normal terminal ileum of patients with ulcerative colitis served as controls. mRNA from pouches and controls was analysed for defensin and cytokine expression. RESULTS Expression of defensins was increased in all pouches immediately after surgery, compared to ileum of controls. Initially, pouches in ulcerative colitis revealed higher defensin expression than FAP pouches. Defensin expression declined in both patient groups and increased again slightly in pouchitis in patients with ulcerative colitis. FAP pouches without pouchitis had strong expression of beta-defensin hBD-1, while all other defensins remained at low levels. Cytokine expression in ulcerative colitis pouches was high, while FAP pouches showed moderately elevated cytokines only after surgery. CONCLUSION Development of pouchitis correlates with decreased defensin expression in ulcerative colitis in addition to high expression of cytokines. The low incidence of pouchitis in FAP pouches correlates with increased expression of hBD-1 beta-defensin in association with low cytokine levels.