Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Who Can Better Monitor a Bank than Another Bank? Mechanisms of Discipline in the Mexican Interbank Market // ¿Quién mejor que un banco para monitorear otro banco? Mecanismos de disciplina en el mercado interbancario mexicano

Basel III proposes market discipline (banking disclosure requirements) as a key instrument to achieve soundness in the banking system. Consequently, it is necessary to test the presence of responses to bank risk on the part of the economic agents. This article empirically studies the mechanisms of market discipline (price, quantity, and maturity) in the interbank market: whether higher risk banks have to pay higher interest rate, and have less access to credit in the interbank market, especially for long maturity borrowing. Theoretically, bankers are well equipped to monitor other banks, but the interbank market also is a channel for contagion. Using a sample of 37 Mexican banks, from December 2008 to September 2012, and a dynamic panel model (SYS GMM estimator), I did not find evidence for discipline induced by peers. || Basilea III propone disciplina de mercado (requisitos de revelacion de informacion bancaria) como herramienta clave para alcanzar un sistema bancario solido. Consecuentemente, es necesario vericar la presencia de reacciones al riesgo bancario por parte de los agentes economicos. Este articulo empiricamente estudia los mecanismos de disciplina de mercado (precio,cantidad y vencimiento) en el mercado interbancario: si los bancos mas riesgosos tienen que pagar tasas de interes mas altas y tienen menor acceso al credito interbancario, especialmente de prestamos con vencimiento de largo plazo. Teoricamente, los banqueros estan bien equipados para monitorear otros bancos, pero el mercado interbancario tambien es un canal para contagio. Usando una muestra de 37 bancos mexicanos, de diciembre de 2008 a septiembre de 2012, y un modelo dinamico con datos de panel (el estimador SYS GMM), no se encontro evidencia a favor de la disciplina inducida por pares bancarios.
Retinal neurons and vessels are not fractal but space‐filling

Many branched patterns in nature are hypothesized to be fractal, i. e. , statistically self‐ similar across a range of scales. We tested this hypothesis on the two‐dimensional arbors of retinal neurons and blood vessels. First, we measured fractalness on synthetic fractal and nonfractal patterns. The synthetic fractal patterns exhibited self‐similarity over a decade of scale, but the nonfractal “controls” showed hardly any self‐similarity. Neuronal and vascular patterns showed no greater self‐similarity than the controls. Second, we manipulated a synthetic fractal pattern to remove its self‐similarity and found this to be reflected in a loss of measured fractalness. The same manipulation of the nonfractal control and also of the neural and vascular patterns did not alter their measured fractalness. Third, we “grew” patterns of branched line segments according to a variety of nonfractal algorithms. These patterns were, if anything slightly more fractal than the neural and vascular patterns. We conclude that the biological patterns studied here are not fractal. Finally, we measured extended versions of these patterns: a contiguous array of homotypic neuron arbors and a vascular pattern with a high degree of total detail. These patterns showed a “fractal dimension” of 2, which implies that down to some cut‐off scale they fill space completely. Thus, neural and vascular patterns might best be described as quasi‐regular lattices. © 1995 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Overexpression of Dyrk1A, a Down Syndrome Candidate, Decreases Excitability and Impairs Gamma Oscillations in the Prefrontal Cortex

The dual-specificity tyrosine phosphorylation-regulated kinase DYRK1A is a serine/threonine kinase involved in neuronal differentiation and synaptic plasticity and a major candidate of Down syndrome brain alterations and cognitive deficits. DYRK1A is strongly expressed in the cerebral cortex, and its overexpression leads to defective cortical pyramidal cell morphology, synaptic plasticity deficits, and altered excitation/inhibition balance. These previous observations, however, do not allow predicting how the behavior of the prefrontal cortex (PFC) network and the resulting properties of its emergent activity are affected. Here, we integrate functional, anatomical, and computational data describing the prefrontal network alterations in transgenic mice overexpressing Dyrk1A (TgDyrk1A). Using in vivo extracellular recordings, we show decreased firing rate and gamma frequency power in the prefrontal network of anesthetized and awake TgDyrk1A mice. Immunohistochemical analysis identified a selective reduction of vesicular GABA transporter punctae on parvalbumin positive neurons, without changes in the number of cortical GABAergic neurons in the PFC of TgDyrk1A mice, which suggests that selective disinhibition of parvalbumin interneurons would result in an overinhibited functional network. Using a conductance-based computational model, we quantitatively demonstrate that this alteration could explain the observed functional deficits including decreased gamma power and firing rate. Our results suggest that dysfunction of cortical fast-spiking interneurons might be central to the pathophysiology of Down syndrome. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT DYRK1A is a major candidate gene in Down syndrome. Its overexpression results into altered cognitive abilities, explained by defective cortical microarchitecture and excitation/inhibition imbalance. An open question is how these deficits impact the functionality of the prefrontal cortex network. Combining functional, anatomical, and computational approaches, we identified decreased neuronal firing rate and deficits in gamma frequency in the prefrontal cortices of transgenic mice overexpressing Dyrk1A. We also identified a reduction of vesicular GABA transporter punctae specifically on parvalbumin positive interneurons. Using a conductance-based computational model, we demonstrate that this decreased inhibition on interneurons recapitulates the observed functional deficits, including decreased gamma power and firing rate. Our results suggest that dysfunction of cortical fast-spiking interneurons might be central to the pathophysiology of Down syndrome.
The Effect of Intense Subnanosecond Electrical Pulses on Biological Cells

Nanosecond electrical pulses have been successfully used to treat melanoma tumors by using needle arrays as pulse delivery systems. Reducing the pulse duration of intense electric field pulses from nanoseconds into the subnanosecond range will allow us to use wideband antennas to deliver the electromagnetic fields into tissue with a spatial resolution in the centimeter range. To explore the biological effect of intense subnanosecond pulses, we have developed a generator that provides voltage pulses of 160 kV amplitude, 200 ps rise time, and 800 ps pulse width. The pulses are delivered to a cylindrical Teflon chamber with polished flat electrodes at either end. The distance between the electrodes is variable and allows us to generate electric fields of up to 1 MV/cm in cell suspensions. The pulses have been applied to B16 (murine melanoma) cells, and the plasma membrane integrity was studied by means of trypan blue exclusion. For pulse amplitudes of 550 kV/cm, approximately 50% of the cells took up trypan blue right after pulsing, whereas only 20% were taking it up after 1 h. This indicates that the plasma membrane in a majority of the cells affected by the pulses recovers with a time constant of about 1 h. The cells that show trypan blue uptake after this time suffer cell death through apoptosis. Evaluation of the experimental results and molecular dynamics modeling results indicate that with a pulse duration of 800 ps, membrane charging and nanopore formation are the dominant bioelectric effects on B16 cells. This information has been used in a continuum model to estimate the increase in membrane permeability and, consequently, the increase in pore size caused by repetitive pulsing.
The Cysteine Protease CEP1, a Key Executor Involved in Tapetal Programmed Cell Death, Regulates Pollen Development in Arabidopsis[W][OPEN]

Arabidopsis thaliana papain-like cysteine protease, CEP1, is a crucial executor that participates directly in tapetal cell wall hydrolysis and secretory structure formation during tapetal cell programmed cell death. Correct expression of CEP1 in the tapetum is necessary for timely tapetal cell degeneration and functional pollen formation. Tapetal programmed cell death (PCD) is a prerequisite for pollen grain development in angiosperms, and cysteine proteases are the most ubiquitous hydrolases involved in plant PCD. We identified a papain-like cysteine protease, CEP1, which is involved in tapetal PCD and pollen development in Arabidopsis thaliana. CEP1 is expressed specifically in the tapetum from stages 5 to 11 of anther development. The CEP1 protein first appears as a proenzyme in precursor protease vesicles and is then transported to the vacuole and transformed into the mature enzyme before rupture of the vacuole. cep1 mutants exhibited aborted tapetal PCD and decreased pollen fertility with abnormal pollen exine. A transcriptomic analysis revealed that 872 genes showed significantly altered expression in the cep1 mutants, and most of them are important for tapetal cell wall organization, tapetal secretory structure formation, and pollen development. CEP1 overexpression caused premature tapetal PCD and pollen infertility. ELISA and quantitative RT-PCR analyses confirmed that the CEP1 expression level showed a strong relationship to the degree of tapetal PCD and pollen fertility. Our results reveal that CEP1 is a crucial executor during tapetal PCD and that proper CEP1 expression is necessary for timely degeneration of tapetal cells and functional pollen formation.
Biologics in oral medicine: Sjogren syndrome.

Oral Diseases (2012) doi:10.1111/j.1601-0825.2012. 01932.x Biologic therapy has a potential to benefit patients with orofacial manifestations of Sjogren syndrome (SS). The most appropriate use of biologics would appear to be in patients with severe or multisystem features of SS, but their use early in the pathogenesis has the potential to prevent disease progression. Tumour necrosis factor-alpha blockade has not proven effective in SS. B-cell depletion using rituximab has been of benefit, mainly in relation to extraglandular features, and to some extent in relation to hyposalivation where there is still residual salivary function. Rituximab is also effective in the treatment of SS-associated (extrasalivary) lymphomas, although the therapeutic response in salivary lymphoma is poorer. Rituximab is given as a single or periodic intravenous infusion. Potential adverse effects exist, notably infusion reactions and infection, and so a full risk/benefit analysis is indicated for prospective patients. This and clinical use is best performed and monitored in conjunction with rheumatologists with appropriate training and experience in biologic therapies. Further studies of rituximab in SS are ongoing, and newer agents under trial include belimumab.
Managing risks of market price uncertainty for a microgrid operation

After deregulation of electricity in the United States, the day-ahead and real-time markets allow load serving entities and generation companies to bid and purchase/sell energy under the supervision of the independent system operator (ISO). The electricity market prices are inherently uncertain, and can be highly volatile. The main objective of this thesis is to hedge against the risk from the uncertainty of the market prices when purchasing/selling energy from/to the market. The energy manager can also schedule distributed generators (DGs) and storage of the microgrid to meet the demand, in addition to energy transactions from the market. The risk measure used in this work is the variance of the uncertain market purchase/sale cost/revenue, assuming the price following a Gaussian distribution. Using Markowitz optimization, the risk is minimized to find the optimal mix of purchase from the markets. The problem is formulated as a mixed integer quadratic program. The microgrid at Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT) in Chicago, IL was used as a case study. The result of this work reveals the tradeoff faced by the microgrid energy manager between minimizing the risk and minimizing the mean of the total operating cost (TOC) of the microgrid. With this information, the microgrid energy manager can make decisions in the day-ahead and real-time markets according to their risk aversion preference. The assumption of market prices following Gaussian distribution is also verified to be reasonable for the purpose of hedging against their risks. This is done by comparing the result of the proposed formulation with that obtained from the sample market prices randomly generated using the distribution of actual historic market price data.
Erbium laser in gynecology

ABSTRACT The aim of this paper is to present a novel laser technology utilizing the erbium YAG laser for various minimally invasive, non-surgical procedures in gynecology. Non-ablative, thermal-only SMOOTH-mode erbium pulses are used to produce vaginal collagen hyperthermia, followed by collagen remodeling and the synthesis of new collagen fibers, resulting in improved vaginal tissue tightness and elasticity. This erbium laser technology is used for treatments of vaginal laxity, stress urinary incontinence, pelvic organ prolapse and vaginal atrophy. In the period from 2010 to 2014, several clinical studies covering all four indications were conducted with the aim to prove the efficacy and safety of this novel technology. An overview is presented of the results of these studies where several objective as well as subjective assessment tools were used. The results have shown that SMOOTH-mode erbium laser seems to be an effective and safe method for treating vaginal laxity, stress urinary incontinence, pelvic organ prolapses and vaginal atrophy.
Effect Of Dramatization On Learner Achievement In Learning English Language In Public Secondary Schools In Meru County, Kenya

ION (Internalizing, role play,language games and simulations). ARTICULATION (Practice of mime and speech) PRODUCTION (Communicative approach) CONSTRUCTION (simulation) RECEPTION (Integration of skills reading and writing) INTERACTION Role-play (using Communicative approach) EXPRESSION (Conveying Meaning) Source: Adapted from Rivers and Temperley (1978). A Practical Guide to the Teaching of English as a Second or Foreign Language, New York.
Swedish survey on extra structurally abnormal chromosomes in 39 105 consecutive prenatal diagnoses: Prevalence and characterization by fluorescence in situ hybridization

During 7 years (1985–1992), 39 105 consecutive prenatal diagnoses (34 908 amniocenteses and 4197 chorionic villus samples) were made at the five largest clinical genetic laboratories in Sweden. Thirty‐one cases of extra structurally abnormal chromosomes (ESACs) were found, giving a total prevalence of 0·8 per 1000. Twelve ESACs were inherited, 14 were de novo and in five the parental origin was unknown. This gives an estimated prevalence of 0·3–0·4 per 1000 for familial and 0·4–0·5 per 1000 for de novo ESACs. Retrospectively, the ESACs were characterized by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). In nine cases, no material was available for this analysis. In 21 of the remaining 22 cases, the chromosomal origin could be identified by FISH. Seventeen of these (81 per cent) were derived from the acrocentric chromosomes, of which 13 originated from chromosome 15 (62 per cent). The most common ESAC was the inv dup(15) (57 per cent). Two cases were derived from chromosome 22, one from chromosome 14, and one from either chromosome 13 or chromosome 21. The four remaining cases consisted to two i(18p)s and two small ring chromosomes derived from chromosomes 4 and 19, respectively.
Dummy (pacifier) use and sudden infant death syndrome: Potential advantages and disadvantages

The large decline in deaths due to the sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) in the last 20 years in many countries is largely due to risk‐reduction advice resulting from observational studies that examined the relationship between infant care practices and SIDS. Most of this advice remains largely uncontroversial and educators and researchers in this field are in agreement as to the specific recommendations that should be given to parents and health professionals. However, advice surrounding the apparent protective effect of dummies (also known as pacifiers) has been controversial. Several systematic reviews have demonstrated a strong association between the lack of a pacifier being used by the infant for the final sleep and SIDS, but it is not clear how pacifiers confer protection or if this is a marker for something as yet unmeasured. The Epidemiology and Physiology Working Groups of the International Society for the Study and Prevention of Perinatal and Infant Death (ISPID) are comprised of leading SIDS researchers with an objective to provide evidence‐based position statements surrounding the factors associated with SIDS (http://www.ispid.org/) and risk‐reduction strategies. The evidence, discussion and conclusions from these working groups regarding dummies (pacifiers) are described below to help inform this debate and describe the future evidence required so that we might find a common recommendation about dummies (pacifiers) and SIDS.
Incorrect Pricing Impact on Investment and the Capital Structure of Companies with Financial Constraints

The present study aimed to explore the impact of mispricing on capital investment and capital structure in companies with financial constraints. Methodology is descriptive-analytic with casual-comparative research type. Due to homogenization of statistical sample during research years, population was limited to companies were accepted in stock exchange before 2009 and attended till the end of 2014. According to entry criterion, 101 companies were selected by elimination method as the sample. Models by Trinugroho and Rinofah (2011) were used to analyze the research variables, and Kaplan and Zingales index was applied to indicate companies with financial constraints. Data collected by descriptive tests, Kolmogorov-Smirnov test and multi-variable regression. Results showed that there is negative and significant relationship between capital investment and cash flow. The impact of mispricing on capital investment in companies with high financial constraints is not more than companies with less financial constraints. There is reverse relationship between mispricing and debt ratio. The impact of mispricing on debt ratio in companies with high financial constraints is not more than companies with less financial constraints.
Association study of the TNF-α −1031T/C and VEGF + 450G/C polymorphisms with susceptibility to endometriosis

Abstract Tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), a multifunctional proinflammatory cytokine, and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), a major mediator of angiogenesis and vascular permeability, have been investigated in endometriosis patients of different populations. This study was carried out to investigate whether the two polymorphisms, TNF-α −1031T/C and VEGF + 450G/C are associated with susceptibility to endometriosis in an Iranian population. Totally, 135 women with diagnosis of endometriosis and 173 women with no evidence of the disease were included in this study. The −1031T/C and +450G/C polymorphisms were assessed by PCR-RFLP analysis, using the two restriction enzymes BbsI and BsmFI, respectively. The frequencies of the TNF-α −1031TC genotype (p = 0.038) and the −1031 C allele (p = 0.048) were significantly lower in patients than control group. In contrast, no significant differences in the genotype and allele frequencies of the VEGF + 450G/C polymorphism were found between the case and control groups. Our results suggest that the TNF-α −1031T/C polymorphism was associated with susceptibility to endometriosis in Iranian population, and the −1301C allele may have a protective role in development of endometriosis; On the contrary, we find no association between the VEGF + 450G/C polymorphism and risk of endometriosis.
Dental crowding: the role of genetics and tooth wear.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the role of genetics and tooth wear in the etiology of dental crowding through the analysis of a split indigenous Amazon population. MATERIALS AND METHODS Dental crowding prevalence (n = 117), tooth wear (n = 117), and inbreeding coefficient (n = 288) were compared for both villages. A biometric investigation was performed by dental cast analysis of 55 individuals with no tooth loss. Mann-Whitney statistics, independent t-tests, and Fisher exact tests were used at P < . 05. RESULTS A high coefficient of inbreeding was confirmed in the resultant village (F = 0.25, P < .001). Tooth wear was not significantly different (P = .99), while a significantly higher prevalence of dental crowding was confirmed in the original village (PR = 6.67, P = 0.02). Forty dental arches (n = 20) were examined in the new group, and only one (2.5%) had a dental crowding ≥ 5 mm. In the original villages, we found 20 arches (28.6%) with dental crowding. No difference was observed for tooth size, while larger dental arch dimensions explained a lower level of dental crowding in the resultant village. CONCLUSIONS Our findings downplay the widespread influence of tooth wear, a direct evidence of what an individual ate in the past, on dental crowding and emphasize the role of heredity, exacerbated through inbreeding, in the etiology of this malocclusion.
Transformational Leadership: An Integrative Review of the Literature

s or full documents were reviewed to determine relevance to the study. Literature sources, defined as written works, were considered relevant if they met the following criteria: 1. The literature addressed transformational leader­ ship as defined by B ums (1978) or Bass (1985). 2. The literature had a publication date subsequent to 1978 to account for Burns's 1978 introduction of transformational leadership. The relevance criteria were intentionally broad so as Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. -to maximize the potential number of literature sources that would be reviewed and potentially included in the study.
Update on the diagnostic safety for detection of testicular intraepithelial neoplasia (TIN)

Testicular intraepithelial neoplasia (TIN) of the testis is the noninvasive precursor of testicular germ cell tumours (GCT) and can be detected by a single random biopsy in 5% of patients with GCT in the contralateral testes. Although it is generally presumed that TIN is dispersed throughout the testis, we realize in about 60% of TIN bearing tissue close to testis tumours that its distribution is not homogenously diffuse, but may be focal. Thus we tested whether we can improve diagnostic safety in detecting TIN by increasing the number of biopsies. We could finally evaluate 295 men with proven testicular tumours. Three biopsies of contralateral testes were taken (each 5 mm length) from one surgical incision site and fixed in Bouin's solution or glutaraldehyde. TIN cells were histologically identified by their typical morphological characteristics and additionally by placental alkaline phophatase (PlAP) immunohistochemistry. Patients revealed testicular tumour without contralateral TIN in 271 cases and with contralateral TIN in 24 cases (8.1%). In 6 of these 24 men with contralateral TIN the cells could be detected in only one (n=5) or two (n=1) of the three specimen investigated. That means in these six patients TIN could have been missed if only one single random biopsy was taken. By increasing the number of biopsies (=increasing the number of investigated seminiferous tubules) the detection rate of contralateral TIN may be increased up to 8.1%. Thus we recommend multiple testicular biopsies to increase the diagnostic safety in detection of TIN. Biopsies may be taken from one randomly chosen surgical incision site.