Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Effects of Education on Fertility: Evidence from Taiwan

This study investigates the impact of women's education on fertility. For identification, we use the 1968 compulsory education law change in Taiwan, which generated a regression discontinuity design (RDD) setting. We use the whole population of women from the 1980 and 2010 Population Censuses. Results of our RDD estimation using the exact date of birth suggest that the law change was effective in boosting women's education, but it did not have any impact on fertility. This is in stark contrast to most previous studies using only the birth year as the running variable or using it to construct instruments, which find that women's education depresses fertility. This study demonstrates that using a discrete running variable in RDD may generate a false discontinuity for an otherwise continuous regression function. (JEL J13, C21, I2)
What roles do sub-national governments play in Nationally Determined Contributions? Between rhetoric and practice in REDD+ countries.

Key pointsResearch and practice place much emphasis on the transformative role that sub-national governments (SNGs) may play in climate change action.Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) are not blueprints for implementation, but they offer some insight into potential priorities. Currently, the role of SNGs in most is limited: of 60 “REDD+ countries”, only 14 explicitly mention a role for SNGs in mitigation, and only 4 of these give SNGs a decision-making role.This failure to assign more precise roles to SNGs may prove to be short-sighted as climate change is a global problem, but solutions such as REDD+ need to be implemented locally and jurisdictionally, and thus require local input.The factors that will affect the realization of the roles assigned to SNGs in NDCs include: political will toward decentralization; the funds required by Parties to achieve their targets; the capacities of SNGs; and the need to align sub-national with national development priorities.
Investigation of Thermal Stability in Multifinger GaInP/GaAs Collector-Up Tunneling&#8211;Collector HBTs With Subtransistor Via-Hole Structure

In this paper, thermal stability in the multifinger GaInP/GaAs collector-up tunneling-collector heterojunction bipolar transistors (C-up TC-HBTs) has been investigated. Two unique structures in these C-up TC-HBTs are provided for thermal management for a stable operation. One is the base layer that is incorporated with highly resistive regions, which serves as a ballast resistor, due to the boron-ion implantation. The other is the backside via-hole structure constructed underneath the transistors called "the subtransistor via-hole structure", leading to a superior thermal conduction. In this paper, as a result, it was revealed that the effect of the via hole on the thermal stability depends on the effect of the base resistance on the thermal stability. The thermal stability in the C-up TC-HBTs, with a relatively lower base resistance due to the boron-ion implantation of 1times10 12 cm-2, is attributed to the decrease in the thermal resistance due to the via hole, while that in the C-up TC-HBTs, with a boron-ion implantation of 2times1012 cm-2, is dominated by a relatively large base resistance. Moreover, with a reduction in the finger space in the four-finger C-up TC-HBTs with a low base resistance, the range of a thermally stable operation is found to become narrower. This can be explained by the dependence of the thermal resistance on the finger space in the four-finger C-up TC-HBTs. These results are useful for the device design, so as to obtain the thermal stability in the C-up TC-HBTs with a subtransistor via-hole structure, for application in the small and high-power amplifiers
Interaction Domains of the UL16 and UL21 Tegument Proteins of Herpes Simplex Virus

ABSTRACT The UL16 protein of herpes simplex virus is capsid associated and was previously identified as a binding partner of the membrane-associated UL11 tegument protein (J. S. Loomis, R. J. Courtney, and J. W. Wills, J. Virol. 77:11417-11424, 2003). In those studies, a less-prominent, ∼65-kDa binding partner of unknown identity was also observed. Mass spectrometry studies have now revealed this species to be UL21, a tegument protein that has been implicated in the transport of capsids in the cytoplasm. The validity of the mass spectrometry results was tested in a variety of coimmunoprecipitation and glutathione S-transferase pull-down experiments. The data revealed that UL21 and UL16 can form a complex in the absence of other viral proteins, even when the assays used proteins purified from Escherichia coli. Moreover, UL11 was able to pull down UL21 only when UL16 was present, suggesting that all three proteins can form a complex. Deletion analyses revealed that the second half of UL21 (residues 268 to 535) is sufficient for the UL16 interaction and packaging into virions; however, attempts to map a subdomain of UL16 were largely unsuccessful, with only the first 40 (of 373) residues being found to be dispensable. Nevertheless, it is clear that UL16 must have two distinct binding sites, because covalent modification of its free cysteines with N-ethylmaleimide blocked binding to UL11 but not UL21. These findings should prove useful for elucidating the molecular machinery used to transmit a signal into a virion when it attaches to cells, a recently discovered mechanism in which UL16 is a central player.
Response of Factor VIII/von Willebrand Factor to DDAVP in Healthy Subjects and Patients with Haemophilia A and von Willebrand's Disease

Summary. These studies were designed with the purpose of providing clinico‐pharmacological information relevant to the use of DDAVP in the management of mild haemophilia and von Willebrand's disease (VWD). In healthy subjects, intravenous DDAVP produced its maximal response at a dose of 0.3 μg/kg. The extent of the increase in factor VIII coagulant activity (VIII:C) and factor VIII related antigen (VIIIR:Ag) induced by this dose was not significantly different from that observed with the same dose in haemophiliacs and VWD patients. In these, the bleeding time was not shortened. DDAVP given intranasally was followed by a two‐fold increase of VIII:C. This route of administration might be adopted to provide an emergency aid in bleeding patients and to yield higher VIII:C levels in blood donors. In healthy subjects, the half‐disappearance time of autologous VIII:C after increase induced by i.v. DDAVP is similar to that observed in patients with VWD treated in the same conditions, whereas the response appears to be more prolonged in haemophiliacs. This study shows that the consistency of the VIII:C response tends to decrease when repeated doses are given to healthy subjects. Repeatedly‐treated haemophiliacs and VWD patients showed varied patterns, ranging from no change of the response to its early abolishment.
Financial Constraints and Future Tax Outcome Volatility

This study investigates the relation between corporate financial constraints and the variability of future tax outcomes. We expect and document that current constraints motivate firms to explore tax avoidance opportunities that introduce more volatile future tax outcomes. We also find that the positive relation between financial constraints and tax outcome variability is more pronounced in firms reducing cash tax payments. However, we find that the prominence of the corporate general counsel and the presence of debt-based executive compensation mitigate this relation. These findings are consistent with constrained firms being willing to generate cash tax savings at the expense of tax outcome predictability in the future but only when the costs of the additional variability do not affect potential legal costs and when the risk of executive compensation loss is lower.
Motor dyscontrol in sleep of narcoleptic patients (a lifelong development?)

SUMMARY In our retrospective study 27 narcoleptic patients were divided into two groups: Group A comprised 14 patients (10 male, 4 female) with a history of REM behaviour disorder (RBD) and Group B comprised 13 age‐ and sex‐matched patients (10 male, 3 female) without a history of RBD. Polygraphic and videometry data, medical history, medication, blood chemistry, psychological and neuroradiological data of the two groups of patients were compared.
A Review of the Biomechanics of the Diabetic Foot

In general, diabetic foot ulcers result from abnormal mechanical loading of the foot, such as repetitive moderate pressure applied to the plantar aspect of the foot while walking. Diabetic peripheral neuropathy causes changes in foot structure, affecting foot function and subsequently leading to increased plantar foot pressure, which is a predictive risk factor for the development of diabetic foot ulceration. Prevention of diabetic foot ulceration is possible by early identification of the insensitive foot, therefore a foot “at risk,” and by protecting the foot from abnormal biomechanical loading. Abnormal foot pressures can be reduced using several different approaches, including callus debridement, prescription of special footwear, injection of liquid silicone, Achilles tendon lengthening, and so forth. Off-loading of the diabetic wound is a key factor in successful wound healing, as it is associated with reduced inflammatory and accelerated repair processes. Pressure relief can be achieved using various off-loading modalities including accommodative dressing, walking splints, ankle-foot orthosis, total contact cast, and removable and irremovable cast walkers.
Optimizing UNU/ICTP PFF Plasma Focus for Neon Soft X-ray Operation

The United Nations University/International Centre for Theoretical Physics Plasma Focus Facility (UNU/ICTP PFF), a 3.3-kJ plasma focus, was designed for operation in deuterium with a speed factor S such that the axial run-down time matches the current rise time at an end axial speed of nearly 10 cm/mus. For operation in neon, we first consider that a focus pinch temperature between 200 and 500 eV may be suitable for a good yield of neon soft X-rays, which corresponds to an end axial speed of 6-7 cm/mus. On this basis, for operation in neon, the standard UNU/ICTP PFF needs to have its anode length z0 reduced by some 30%-40% to maintain the time matching. Numerical experiments using the Lee model code are carried out to determine the optimum configuration of the electrodes for the UNU/ICTP PFF capacitor system. The results show that an even more drastic shortening of anode length z0 is required, from the original 16 to 7 cm, at the same time, increasing the anode radius ldquoardquo from 0.95 to 1.2 cm, to obtain an optimum yield of Y sxr = 9.5 J. This represents a two- to threefold increase in the Y sxr from that computed for the standard UNU/ICTP PFF.
Immunization with an Apoptotic Cell-Binding Protein Recapitulates the Nephritis and Sequential Autoantibody Emergence of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus1

The initial events predisposing to loss of tolerance in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) are largely unknown, as are the events that precipitate the transition from preclinical to overt disease. We hypothesized that induction of murine SLE would require tipping the balance between tolerance and immunity in two ways: 1) an immunogen that could take advantage of apoptotic cells as a scaffold for epitope spread, and 2) an immune activator that would generate a strong and persistent T cell response to the inciting immunogen. We show that immunization of C57BL/6 and BALB/c mice with human β2-glycoprotein I, an apoptotic cell-binding protein, in the presence of LPS induces a long-lived, potent response to β2-glycoprotein I that results in epitope spread to multiple SLE autoantigens. SLE-specific autoantibodies emerged in a sequential manner that recapitulated the order seen in human SLE. Moreover, immunized mice developed overt glomerulonephritis closely resembling human lupus nephritis.
Therapeutic antibodies targeting angiomotin inhibit angiogenesis in vivo

We have previously shown that angiomotin (Amot) mediates angiostatin inhibition of endothelial migration and tube formation in vitro. A crucial role of angiomotin in regulating endothelial cell motility is indicated by the findings that knockdown of Amot in zebrafish reduces the number of filopodia of endothe‐lial tip cells and severely impairs the migration of intersegmental vessels. In addition, targeting angiomotin using DNA vaccination inhibits angiogenesis and tumor growth in vivo. In this report’ we have generated antibodies that’ similar to angiostatin’ bind to angiomo‐tin on the endothelial cell surface. These antibodies inhibited FGF‐2 and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) ‐induced endothelial migration in the Boyden chamber assay. Furthermore, the anti‐Amot B06 antibody significantly reduced the number of endothelial filopodia and inhibited vessel migration during retinal angiogenesis in vivo. We also show that systemic or local treatment with this antibody inhibits pathological blood vessel formation associated with tumor growth or laser‐induced choroid neovascularization of the eye. These findings provide a rationale for using angiomotin antibodies for specifically targeting endothelial migration in angiogenesis‐dependent diseases. —Levchenko T. , Veitonmaki N. , Lundkvist, A. , Gerhardt, H. , Ming, Y. , Berggren, K. , Kvanta, A. , Carlsson, R. , Holmgren L. Therapeutic antibodies targeting angiomotin inhibit angiogenesis in vivo. FASEB J. 22, 880–889 (2008)
Trophic interactions between larger crocodylians and giant tortoises on Aldabra Atoll, Western Indian Ocean, during the Late Pleistocene

Today, the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Aldabra Atoll is home to about 100 000 giant tortoises, Aldabrachelys gigantea, whose fossil record goes back to the Late Pleistocene. New Late Pleistocene fossils (age ca. 90–125 000 years) from the atoll revealed some appendicular bones and numerous shell fragments of giant tortoises and cranial and postcranial elements of crocodylians. Several tortoise bones show circular holes, pits and scratch marks that are interpreted as bite marks of crocodylians. The presence of a Late Pleistocene crocodylian species, Aldabrachampsus dilophus, has been known for some time, but the recently found crocodylian remains presented herein are distinctly larger than those previously described. This indicates the presence of at least some larger crocodylians, either of the same or of a different species, on the atoll. These larger crocodylians, likely the apex predators in the Aldabra ecosystem at the time, were well capable of inflicting damage on even very large giant tortoises. We thus propose an extinct predator–prey interaction between crocodylians and giant tortoises during the Late Pleistocene, when both groups were living sympatrically on Aldabra, and we discuss scenarios for the crocodylians directly attacking the tortoises or scavenging on recently deceased animals.
Aging alteration of cardiac vagosympathetic balance assessed through the tone-entropy analysis.

BACKGROUND Age-associated alterations of cardiac autonomic functions have been investigated intensively through heart rate variability analyses. However, changes with age in cardiac vagosympathetic balance remain to be elucidated. METHODS We studied 142 male subjects (30-69 yr) at a health care center in Kyoto, Japan. Electrocardiographic data were collected from subjects in a recumbent position for 10 min in the morning. Analysis was done by classifying the subjects into four age groups. In a pharmacological experiment carried out in December 1996, tone was verified to reflect the cardiac vagosympathetic balance, and entropy the total autonomic neural efferent activity. We assessed the heart rate variability through the tone-entropy (T-E) analysis that was described previously. In essence, two indexes, tone and entropy, were defined on a distribution of successive variations of heart period. RESULTS No significant differences were detected in clinical conditions among the four age groups. Tone increased and entropy decreased significantly with age. The aging process was expressed as a curvilinear path in T-E space. Compared to the pharmacological experiment, it was observed that aging degenerated the heart function from an ordinary to a denervated one. The same aging path was superimposed in the opposite direction on the heart recovery path after dynamic exercise in which cardiac vagosympathetic balance tended toward vagus division, corresponding with restoration of total autonomic activity. CONCLUSIONS An age-related reduction in cardiac autonomic function was consistent with previous reports. The vagosympathetic balance was altered with this reduction: vagal predominance was impaired significantly in proportion to the withdrawal of total cardiac autonomic activity.
German Millennials’ Decision-Making Styles and Their Intention to Participate in Online Group Buying

Abstract This study focuses on the relationship between consumer decision-making style (CDMS) of German millennials and their intention to participate (ITP) in online group buying (OGB). We make substantive contributions to the literature of consumer behavior and electronic commerce in particular. The study conducts structural equation modeling to analyze data obtained from a sample of 591 German millennials, an economically powerful young generation constituting the main beneficiaries of OGB websites. Data analysis yields significant relations among millennials between a perfectionistic, brand-conscious, price-conscious, impulsive, and novelty-seeking CDMS and their ITP in OGB. Whereas the price-conscious CDMS dominates the picture, there are also gender-based differences, with female millennials who occupy impulsive or novelty-seeking CDMSs having a higher ITP in OGB. In contrast, male millennials with a brand-conscious CDMS have a higher ITP, and male perfectionists avoid OGB sites. Our results offer managerial value to OGB websites to cater to specific CDMSs of millennial buyers.
Relationship between University Performance and Dimensions of Intellectual Capital: An Empirical Investigation

Purpose: India is the second largest higher education system in the world and 50% of its population is under 25 years. This demographic advantage can be leveraged only if India has a formidable higher education system. Present study tries to explore the relationship between intellectual capital and university performance across North India with an objective of providing fruitful insights to the policy makers about the areas of focus. Research Method: Quantitative research design was used for the study. Respondents of the study were comprised of faculty members of universities from selected North Indian states. Regression analysis using SPSS was employed to study the relationship between the two dimensions of intellectual capital and university performance. Findings: Findings revealed that universities need to operate in close interactions with government institutions and private industries that help enhance relational capital. Organizational capital emerged as a major dimension that affects university performance. The study gives university policy makers tools in the form of organizational and relational capital that can be leveraged to enhance performance. Implications for Research and Practice: These findings are pertinent for the top management of universities which can focus on strengthening relational capital by building strong relationships with alumni and industry, facilitating consulting and having consistent interactions with stakeholders in order to enhance university performance. Results imply that in addition to relying on teaching expertise and teaching pedagogy, planners need to focus equally or more.
Management of chronic heart failure in the community: role of a hospital based open access heart failure service

Objective: To evaluate the role of an open access heart failure service based at a teaching hospital for the diagnosis and treatment optimisation of patients with heart failure in the community and to identify measures that may further enhance the effectiveness of such a service. Subjects: 963 patients with suspected heart failure seen over an eight year period referred by their general practitioners to the cardiology department at a district general hospital. Main outcome measures: Presence or absence of left ventricular systolic dysfunction (LVSD) (left ventricular ejection fraction < 50% on echocardiography), and determination of the risk factors and predictors of LVSD. Results: The majority of the patients were women (60% v 40%) and elderly (mean age 68.8 years). On echocardiography, only 30.8% were found to have LVSD. Patients were more likely to have LVSD if they were men (42.3% v 23.1%, p < 0.001, relative risk (RR) 1.8), were > 60 years of age (33.5% v 20.8%, p < 0.001, RR 1.6), or had a history of diabetes (49.4% v 29.1%, p < 0.001, RR 1.7), ischaemic heart disease (36.5% v 29.1%, p = 0.04, RR 1.3), or atrial fibrillation (52.6% v 27.8%, p < 0.001, RR 1.9). An abnormal ECG (48.4% v 19.5%, p < 0.001, RR 2.5) and cardiothoracic ratio > 0.5 on chest radiograph (44.3% v 17.8%, p < 0.001, RR 2.5) were found to be good predictors of LVSD. A normal ECG (negative predictive value 80.5%) and a cardiothoracic ratio of < 0.5 (negative predictive value 82.2%) can be used as baseline measures to identify patients with lower risk of developing LVSD (combined negative predictive value 87.9%). Conclusions: An open access heart failure clinic is effective for the diagnosis and management of chronic heart failure in community based patients. The presence of risk factors and simple baseline tests can be used to identify patients with LVSD in the community. The introduction of a protocol based on these findings into a referral system can improve the efficiency and cost effectiveness of such a service.
Expression of Fas Ligand by Hepatic Macrophages in Patients with Fulminant Hepatic Failure

OBJECTIVES:The mechanisms of Fas–Fas ligand (Fas–FasL)-mediated apoptosis in the pathogenesis of fulminant hepatic failure (FHF) have not been well defined. This clinical study was carried out to assess which cells expressed Fas–FasL and to determine their involvement.METHODS:The subjects were 24 patients with FHF who underwent liver transplantation at our institution. For comparison, nine chronic hepatitis (CH) patients and six living liver donors (LD) were also enrolled. Liver tissues were obtained for histological (hematoxylin–eosin, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase [TdT]-mediated dUTP-biotin nick-end labeling [TUNEL], immunohistochemistry, and double immunofluorescence staining) and reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR; cytokines and chemokines) analysis.RESULTS:The numbers of TUNEL-, FasL-, and CD68-positive cells in the livers of patients with FHF were significantly larger than in those with CH or with normal livers. Double immunofluorescence staining showed that FasL was expressed predominantly on liver macrophages and rarely on CD8-positive lymphocytes. RT-PCR study showed increased expression of FasL; interferon-γ; interleukin-18; macrophage inhibitory protein-1β; and regulated upon activation, normal T cell expressed and secreted in the livers of patients with FHF compared with those of LD.CONCLUSIONS:Macrophages and their expression of FasL may play roles in the pathogenesis of FHF.
Recapitulation of the Ovum Mutant (Om) Phenotype and Loss of Om Locus Polarity in Cloned Mouse Embryos1

Abstract The ovum mutant (Om) locus in mice affects early interactions between sperm and egg that in turn affect viability of embryos beyond the morula stage. Crosses of DDK females to males of many other inbred strains are 95% lethal around the morula stage, whereas reciprocal crosses are fully viable. Available data indicate that the early lethality is the result of an interaction between a factor in the ooplasm and the paternal genome. In this study, we examined whether this lethal interaction would likewise occur in cloned embryos produced by somatic cell nuclear transfer. We find that the Om effect is recapitulated but that the parental origin effect at the Om locus is no longer evident in cloned embryos.