Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
CONSUMER PREFERENCE FOR CASSAVA PRODUCTS VERSUS DIFFERENT PROCESSING TECHNOLOGIES

This study was proposed to explore the determinants of consumer preferences for cassava mechanically processed products. It was conducted in Pwani and Tanga regions in Tanzania. Primary data were generated from 120 consumers who were randomly selected with the use of questionnaire. The probit regression analysis was applied to determine the variables which influenced the consumers' preference for mechanically cassava processed products versus other processing technologies. The analysis suggests that quality of mechanically processed products, household size and quantity consumed per year were important factors that increase the probability of consumers' preference for mechanically processed cassava products versus different processing technologies in the study areas at ? = 0.05 significance level. On the other hand, price of the product was significant factor that reduce the probability of consumers' preference for mechanically processed cassava products versus different processing technologies in the study areas at the same significance level. Thus the study recommended that Processors and other stakeholders of the cassava sub sectors (SUA, Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security and cooperatives, NGOs and owners of the businesses) should focus on designing marketing strategy that integrates all the above attributes so that their products and services can satisfy customers' needs and wants.
Ulcer‐free survival following management of foot ulcers in diabetes

Aims Measures of healing rate may not give a complete indication of the effectiveness of overall management of diabetic foot ulcers. Apart from healing and speed of healing, the outcomes of greatest importance to the patient are avoidance of any amputation and remaining free from any recurrence. We have documented the number of patients presenting with diabetic foot ulcers who become ulcer free and examined the value of documenting ulcer‐free survival.
When the Rubber Hits the High Road: Labor and Community Complexities in the Greening of the Garden State

This article is an exploration of challenges faced by building and construction trade unions as they seek to enter the green jobs sector through the lens of the Eastern Region of the Laborers Union. This article is also motivated by an interest in extending the literature on community unionism by asking how and in what ways specifically coalition participation impacts labor’s ability to organize and in this case enter the green jobs sector successfully. Although this work is not a full matched pair analysis, the author contrasts the Laborers’ strategy to the efforts of Community Labor United in Massachusetts. While organizations in both states were responding to a similar set of conditions, they ended up choosing divergent paths. The author concludes that much of the failure of the Laborers strategy in New Jersey is due to the union’s decision to go it alone in their efforts to organize the residential weatherization sector.
Epitopes recognized by human t lymphocytes on malaria circumsporozoite protein

The circumsporozoite protein of the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum contains regions of nonrepetitive sequences which are predicted to be T cell recognition sites. We synthesized peptides corresponding to three of these regions, and tested their ability to stimulate proliferation of peripheral blood lymphocytes from donors living in a malaria‐endemic area, or from nonimmune donors. Cells from 15 out of 22 donors (including 4 of 6 nonimmune individuals) were stimulated by one or more of the peptides. T cell clones specific for one of the peptides were obtained and shown to recognize the native protein purified from sporozoites. These data help to identify T cell epitopes which could be incorporated into a malaria vaccine.
Ion currents and spiking properties of identified subtypes of locust octopaminergic dorsal unpaired median neurons

Efferent dorsal unpaired median (DUM) neurons are key elements of an insect neuromodulatory system. In locusts, subpopulations of DUM neurons mediate octopaminergic modulation at specific targets depending on their activity during different behaviours. This study investigates whether in addition to synaptic inputs, activity in DUM neurons depends on intrinsic membrane properties. Intracellular in situ recordings and whole‐cell patch‐clamp recordings from freshly isolated somata characterize somatic voltage signals and the underlying ion currents of individual subtypes of DUM neurons identified beforehand by a vital retrograde tracing technique. Na+, Ca2+, K+ currents and a hyperpolarization‐activated (Ih) current are described in detail for their (in‐)activation properties and subtype‐specific current densities. In addition, a Ca2+‐dependent K+ current is demonstrated by its sensitivity to cadmium and charybdotoxin. This complex current composition determines somatic excitability similar in all subtypes of DUM neurons. Both Na+ and Ca2+ currents generate overshooting somatic action potentials. Repolarizing K+ currents, in particular transient, subthreshold‐activating A‐currents, regulate the firing frequency and cause delayed excitation by shunting depolarizing input. An opposing hyperpolarization‐activated (Ih) current contributes to the resting membrane potential and induces rebound activity after prolonged inhibition phases. A quantitative analysis reveals subtype‐specific differences in current densities with more inhibitory IK but less depolarizing INa and Ih − at least in DUM3 neurons promoting a reliable suppression of their activity as observed during behaviour. In contrast, DUM neurons that are easily activated during behaviour (DUM3,4,5 and DUMETi) express less IK and a pronounced depolarizing Ih promoting excitability.
An ARIMA Model Approach to the Behavior of Weekly Stock Prices of Fortune 500 Firms and S&P Small Cap 600 Firms

We have revisited a random walk hypothesis by analyzing the behavior of the weekly stock prices of 473 Fortune 500 firms and 594 S&P small cap 600 firms over forty years. Individual firm’s ARIMA model for time series analysis and stock market forecasting is identified to investigate the behavior of the weekly stock prices. The research findings show that 146 (30.87%) Fortune 500 firms and 229 (38.55%) S&P 600 firms do not follow a random walk. The weekly stock prices of Fortune 500 firms are significantly different from those of S&P 600 firms with respect to the proportions of random walk, MA pattern, and mixed ARMA pattern. The proportion of the AR patterns does not differ significantly between Fortune 500 firms and S&P 600 firms.
Improving Business Processes Electronically: An Action Research Study in New Zealand and the US

Abstract Behavior toward electronic communication media continues to present contradictory characteristics that often puzzle researchers. A review of past research on electronic communication suggests two possible reasons for this: a dearth of studies addressing complex problems faced by organizations through the use of electronic communication, and a lack of theoretical frameworks that incorporate apparent contradictions in electronic communication behavior. This study addresses these two limitations. The first limitation is addressed through the choice of an applied field research approach, namely action research. The second limitation is addressed through the use of a theoretical model to guide our study, the compensatory adaptation model, which addresses contradictory characteristics associated with behavior toward electronic communication media found in past research. We investigate the impact of the use of an asynchronous and distributed electronic communication tool on 8 business process improvement groups, 4 in New Zealand and 4 in the USA. The study suggests that even though the use of electronic communication media seems to increase the cognitive effort required from group members, it has a positive impact on knowledge sharing among group members and group outcome quality. These results are consistent across countries, and generally support predictions based on the compensatory adaptation model.
Cross-border-assisted reproduction: a qualitative account of UK travellers’ experiences

Abstract Surveys on patients’ experiences of cross-border fertility treatment have reported a range of positive and challenging features. However, the number of such studies is limited, and there is no detailed qualitative account of the experiences of UK patients who travel overseas for fertility treatment. The present study used a cross-sectional, qualitative design and in-depth interviews. Fifty-one participants (41 women and 10 men, representing 41 treatment ‘cases’) participated in semi-structured interviews. The experiences reported were broadly positive with a large proportion of participants (39 cases, 95%) citing a favourable overall experience with only two cases (5%) reporting a more negative experience. Thematic analysis revealed 6 major categories and 20 sub-categories, which described the positive and challenging aspects of cross-border fertility travel. The positive aspects were represented by the categories: ‘access’, ‘control’ and ‘care and respect’. The more challenging aspects were categorized as ‘logistics and coordination of care’, ‘uncertainty’ and ‘cultural dissonance’. The study confirms findings from others that despite some challenges, there is a relatively high level of patient satisfaction with cross-border treatment with participants able to extend the boundaries of their fertility-seeking trajectories and in some cases, regain a sense of control over their treatment.
Antiviral activities of the soluble extracellular domains of type I interferon receptors

Alternative splicing leads to the expression of multiple isoforms of the subunits (IFNAR1 and IFNAR2) of the type I IFN receptor. Here we describe two transcripts representing extracellular forms of ovine IFNAR1 and show that soluble extracellular forms of both IFNAR2 and IFNAR1, prepared in recombinant form in Escherichia coli, have antiviral (AV) activity in the absence of IFN. Exposure of Madin-Darby bovine kidney cells to the extracellular domain (R2E) of IFNAR2 at concentrations as low as 10 nM afforded complete protection against vesicular stomatitis virus and led to the rapid activation of the transcription factors ISGF3 and GAF. Although R2E can bind IFN (Kd ≈70 nM), activity was observed irrespective of whether or not ligand was present. R2E was inactive on mouse L929 cells but active on L929 cells expressing a membraneanchored, ovine/human chimeric IFNAR2 with an ovine extracellular domain. The data suggest that AV activity is conferred by the ability of soluble R2E to associate with the transfected IFNAR2 subunit rather than resident murine IFNAR1. Soluble extracellular forms of IFNAR1 have lower AV activity than R2E on Madin-Darby bovine kidney cells but are less species-specific and protect wild-type L929 cells as efficiently as the transfected cell line, presumably by interacting with one of the murine receptor subunits.
Helicobacter pylori Induces Macrophage Apoptosis by Activation of Arginase II1

Helicobacter pylori infection induces innate immune responses in macrophages, contributing to mucosal inflammation and damage. Macrophage apoptosis is important in the pathogenesis of mucosal infections but has not been studied with H. pylori. NO derived from inducible NO synthase (iNOS) can activate macrophage apoptosis. Arginase competes with iNOS by converting l-arginine to l-ornithine. Since we reported that H. pylori induces iNOS in macrophages, we now determined whether this bacterium induces arginase and the effect of this activation on apoptosis. NF-κB-dependent induction of arginase II, but not arginase I, was observed in RAW 264.7 macrophages cocultured with H. pylori. The time course of apoptosis matched those of both arginase and iNOS activities. Surprisingly, apoptosis was blocked by the arginase inhibitors Nω-hydroxy-l-arginine or Nω-hydroxy-nor-l-arginine, but not by the iNOS inhibitor N-iminoethyl-l-lysine. These findings were confirmed in peritoneal macrophages from iNOS-deficient mice and were not dependent on bacterial-macrophage contact. Ornithine decarboxylase (ODC), which metabolizes l-ornithine to polyamines, was also induced in H. pylori-stimulated macrophages. Apoptosis was abolished by inhibition of ODC and was restored by the polyamines spermidine and spermine. We also demonstrate that arginase II expression is up-regulated in both murine and human H. pylori gastritis tissues, indicating the likely in vivo relevance of our findings. Therefore, we describe arginase- and ODC-dependent macrophage apoptosis, which implicates polyamines in the pathophysiology of H. pylori infection.
NMR studies on water and polymer diffusion in dextran gels. Influence of potassium ions on microstructure formation and gelation mechanism

At room temperature aqueous solutions of dextrans with concentrations >25% (w/w) exhibit a sol‐gel transition in the presence of >1.0 M potassium chloride. In dextrans the gelation was unexpected due to missing anionic groups that usually provide the binding sites for cations. The quantitative investigation of the gel formation is based on changes of the diffusibility of water and dextran chains. The apparent diffusion coefficients of bulk water (in the order of 10−6 cm2/s) and of water trapped in the junction zones as well as of polymer chains (in the order of 10−7 to 10−8 cm2/s) are determined by employing pulsed field gradient stimulated echo (PFGSTE) NMR. The restricted diffusion of bulk water in viscous sols and in soft and rigid gels has been quantitatively analyzed providing data for interbarrier distances (pore size), permeabilities of the diffusion barriers (density of junction zones) and interbarrier diffusion coefficients of water. Based on already published x‐ray structure data and in accordance with the diffusion data presented in this paper “potassium‐bonding” is assumed to be the most important interaction for the formation of a microstructure and for the stabilization of crosslinks. The ionic radius of the potassium ion perfectly fits to the cage established by six oxygen atoms of glucose units of three polymer chains. Other cations, such as Li+, Na+, Rb+ and Cs+, according to their nonfitting ionic radii, do not provoke dextran gelation under these conditions. The mechanism of the transitions from sol to soft gel and further to rigid gel is discussed on the basis of restricted diffusion and x‐ray structure data.
The effects of age and carbon black on airway resistance in mice

Context: Ambient particulate matter (PM) is associated with acute exacerbations of airflow obstruction. Additionally, elderly individuals are more susceptible to increased functional morbidity following acute PM exposure. Objective: The purpose of this study is to determine the aging effects of PM exposure on the responsiveness of airway smooth muscle in mice. We hypothesized that airway reactivity induced by methacholine (Mch) will increase with age in PM exposed mice. Materials and methods: Male C57BL/6 (B6) mice at 11, 39, 67, and 96 weeks of age were exposed to carbon black (CB) or room air (RA) for 3 h on 3 consecutive days. One day after the last exposure, mice were anesthetized and airways resistance (Raw) was measured by forced oscillation following half-log dose increases of aerosolized Mch. Results: Baseline Raw was significantly lower in 67 and 96 week mice compared to 11-week mice (p < 0.05). In RA exposed mice, an age-dependent decline in Mch-induced airway reactivity occurred in association with the highest Mch doses at ages 67 and 96 weeks (p < 0.05). A significantly (p < 0.05) greater Mch-induced Raw response occurred in 67-week mice exposed to CB compared with age-matched RA-exposed mice. Discussion and conclusion: Our results show a progressive decrease in the Mch-induced Raw response with age in mice. The effect of CB exposure resulted in greater airway reactivity in middle-aged mice, which highlights the effects of PM exposure on the lung as it relates to increased morbidity and mortality with older age.
Single High-Dose Oral Vitamin D3 Therapy (Stoss): A Solution to Vitamin D Deficiency in Children With Inflammatory Bowel Disease?

Objectives: Vitamin D deficiency is common in children with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The aim of this study was to determine the safety and efficacy of stoss therapy on vitamin D levels during a period of 6 months in children with IBD and vitamin D deficiency (<50 nmol/L). Methods: A retrospective chart review was undertaken, focusing upon children managed in the IBD clinic at Sydney Children's Hospital between 2006 and 2010. Those with a 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-OHD) level <50 nmol/L and those who received stoss therapy were included in this study. Results: A total of 76 children received stoss therapy. There was a significant and sustained increase in 25-OHD levels at all of the time points compared with baseline (40.8 ± 7.5 nmol/L), 1 month (145.6 ± 51.8 nmol/L), 3 months (87.1 ± 28.4 nmol/L), and 6 months 69.2 ± 31.3 nmol/L). There were no significant changes in serum calcium, phosphate, or parathyroid hormone at any time points. Conclusions: Stoss therapy safely and effectively achieved and maintained a level of 25-OHD >50 nmol/L during 6 months in these children with IBD. Further prospective studies are now required to confirm this finding and establish whether this intervention has other benefits.
Prospective study of hospitalization for asthma. A preliminary risk factor model.

We conducted an exploratory analysis of several prospectively obtained objective measures of disease activity to derive a predictive model of hospitalization for asthma among 310 adults, ages 18 to 50 yr, with moderate to severe asthma. Baseline characteristics associated with increased risk of hospitalization in the succeeding year include (1) prior year hospitalization, (2) moderate or severe respiratory impairment, (3) a medication regimen consistent with severe asthma, (4) a history of significant systemic steroid use, (5) maximum overnight PEF variability > 40%, and (6) mean evening PEF < 60% of predicted (relative risk = 6.5, 6.9, 8.1, 3.7, 3.0, and 3.2, respectively). Recursive partitioning analysis, depicted as a "classification tree," provided a more sensitive (94%) and specific (68%) multivariate description of the data set than either logistic regression (87 and 48%, respectively) or a simple additive risk model (46 and 93%, respectively). Patients with very high (> 50%), moderately elevated (10 to 15%), and very low (< 5%) risk of hospitalization were identified on the basis of particular combinations of prior hospitalization history, level of respiratory impairment, and medication regimen. Overnight variability and mean evening PEF measured at home over a 2-wk period proved less informative for risk stratification than respiratory impairment determined once at baseline by office spirometry. The findings warrant replication and extension in other populations with the goal of developing decision rules for risk stratification and effective interventions for risk reduction.
Impact of trade openness on poverty: a panel data analysis of a set of developing countries

The impact of trade openness on poverty has been in the limelight for a few decades now, since most developing countries relaxed their trade regimes. Poverty has always been a central issue for developing countries mainly because of their large vulnerable populations. In this paper, a panel of 25 developing countries is analyzed for three years to determine the effects of trade openness on poverty. We find that poverty has a negative and significant relationship with total trade, imports, exports and merchandise trade. The human capital (education) has negative impact on poverty. We also find that infrastructure and health have a positive impact on per capita GDP. This paper supports the view that an inward-oriented trade policy is neither good for growth nor for poverty.
Vitamin D deficiency: a neglected aspect of disturbed calcium metabolism in renal failure.

Jungers P. Dyslipidaemia and the progression of renal disease in chronic renal failure patients. Nephrol Dial Transplant 1999; 14: 2392–2397 21. Kambham N, Markowitz GS, Valeri AM, Lin J, D’Agati VD. Obesity-related glomerulopathy: an emerging epidemic. Kidney Int 2001; 59: 1498–1509 22. Salahudeen AK, Hostetter TH, Raatz SK, Rosenberg ME. Effects of dietary protein in patients with chronic renal transplant rejection. Kidney Int 1992; 41: 183–190 23. Orth SR. Smoking—a risk factor for progression of renal disease. Kidney Blood Press Res 2000; 23: 202–204 24. Remuzzi G. Cigarette smoking and renal function impairment. Am J Kidney Dis 1999; 33: 807–813 25. Mayberry RM, Mili F, Ofili E. Racial and ethnic differences in access to medical care. Med Care Res Rev 2000; 57: 108–145 26. Hoeldtke NJ, Hoeldtke KC. Inequalities in racial access to health care. J Am Med Assoc 2000; 284: 2053 27. Krop JS, Coresh J, Chambless LE et al. A community-based study of explanatory factors for the excess risk for early renal function decline in blacks vs whites with diabetes: the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities study. Arch Intern Med 1999; 159: 1777–1783
TIPS Liquidity Premium and Quantitative Easing

In the context of a state-space model for nominal and TIPS yields, we identify the liquidity premium in the TIPS market as the common component in TIPS yields unspanned by nominal yields. Using daily US yields, we find that the TIPS liquidity premium explains up to 22% of the variation in TIPS yields and that it sharply spiked during the recent financial crisis. A counterfactual exercise shows that the QE2 program had only limited effects on the liquidity premium in the TIPS market.
Interactions of lead, calcium, vitamin D, and nutrition in lead-burdened children.

This study was undertaken to evaluate relationships between blood or serum levels of lead (Pb), calcium, and 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-OHD), within the framework of a nutritional survey of lead-burdened children. The results demonstrate that: regardless of blood Pb concentration and season of the year, serum 25-OHD concentration reflects vitamin D intake; high blood Pb (greater than or equal to 60 microgram/dl) was associated with decreased levels of 25-OHD (18+/--1 ng/ml vs. 32+/- in controls, P less than .001); concentrations Pb and calcium were inversely correlated in control and lead-burdened children; and children in the high blood Pb group (greater than or equal to 60 microgram/dl) had lower mean daily intakes of both calcium (610 +/- 20 mg vs. 770 +/- 20 in controls, P less than .001) and vitamin D (210 +/- 17 IU vs. 325 +/- 20 in controls, P less than .001). These data indicate that, in Pb-burdened children, multiple factors modify the absorption and toxicity of Pb, and relative vitamin D deficiency, not excess, is associated with high blood Pb levels. Assessment of nutrition, calcium metabolism, and vitamin D status is recommended in evaluating children known to have undue absorption of Pb.