Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
On the Equivalence of Bayesian and Dominant Strategy Implementation in a General Class of Social Choice Problems

We consider a standard social choice environment with linear utilities and independent, one-dimensional, private values. We provide a short and constructive proof that for any Bayesian incentive compatible mechanism there exists an equivalent dominant strategy incentive compatible mechanism that delivers the same interim expected utilities for all agents. We demonstrate the usefulness and applicability of our approach with several examples. Finally, we show that the equivalence between Bayesian and dominant strategy implementation generally breaks down when utilities are non-linear or when values are interdependent, multi-dimensional, or correlated.
Immunoparalysis in patients with severe trauma and the effect of inhaled interferon-&ggr;*

Objective To evaluate the local immune status in patients with severe trauma and the influence of interferon-&ggr; on patients with immunoparalysis. Patients Fifty-two mechanically ventilated patients with severe multiple trauma. Setting A 14-bed polyvalent intensive care unit. Interventions The local immune status was evaluated by examining bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. Subsequently, the patients were divided into two groups: immunoparalyzed (group 1) and nonimmunoparalyzed (group 2). Immunoparalysis was defined as a decreased level of human leukocyte antigen-DR expression of alveolar macrophages in <30%. Patients with immunoparalysis were treated with 100 &mgr;g of inhaled recombinant human interferon-&ggr;, three times daily (group 1a, 11 patients) or placebo (group 1b, ten patients). A second bronchoalveolar lavage fluid was obtained 3 days after the initiation of therapy. Measurements The alterations in human leukocyte antigen-DR expression, as well as in pro- and anti-inflammatory markers, such as platelet-aggregating factor, phospholipase A2, interleukin-1&bgr;, platelet-aggregating factor acetylhydrolase, and interleukin-10, were evaluated in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluids. Results In 21 of 52 (40%) patients, immunoparalysis was established. After interferon-&ggr; administration, the level of human leukocyte antigen-DR expression increased in group 1a from 17 ± 5% to 46 ± 9%. In parallel, platelet-aggregating factor and interleukin-1&bgr; as well as the specific activities of phospholipase A2 and platelet-aggregating factor acetylhydrolase significantly increased. In contrast, interleukin-10 decreased after interferon-&ggr; therapy. In group 1b, no statistically significant changes appeared in the levels of human leukocyte antigen-DR expression or in the concentrations of inflammatory mediators. The incidence of ventilator-associated pneumonia was significantly lower in group 1a than in group 1b. The administration of interferon-&ggr; did not affect the outcome of the patients. Conclusions A significant proportion of multiply injured patients developed immunoparalysis. The administration of interferon-&ggr; resulted in the recovery of levels of human leukocyte antigen-DR expression in alveolar macrophages, influenced the inflammatory reaction, and decreased the incidence ventilator-associated pneumonia, without affecting the patients’ outcome.
Performance telecommunications, institutional quality and FDI: application panel data for the MENA Zone

This article try to detect and analyze the interaction of attractiveness of FDI and the role of ICTs, specifically telecommunications as a key factor in increasing FDI flows. The theoretical approach, a particular interest in the theory of knowledge economy and the theory of New Institutional Economics, and to detect factors attractivites FDI and the mechanisms through which ICT will attract more foreign investors. The method used is an OLS estimation. In our study, we will discuss the relevance of such expectations for the MENA region. we will identify and analyze the interaction of attractiveness for FDI and the role of ICT, Telecommunications precisely, as a factor in the increase in FDI flows. In addition, our work is of particular interest to the economic theory of knowledge and the theory of New Institutional Economics, and to detect factors attractivities FDI and the mechanisms through which ICT will attract more foreign investors.
How Do Franchise Contracts Evolve? A Study of Three German SMEs*

Although contracts are crucial for franchisors in managing relationships with franchisees, franchising research has not adequately investigated whether and how franchisors learn about effective contracts. This paper explores the evolution of formal contracts used by three German chains from the restaurant, hotel, and retailing industries. We describe the nature of learning involved in designing contracts in the sampled chains, and suggest reasons why contracts change over time. Despite the fact that drafting contracts with independent entrepreneurs is one of the important tasks the franchisor is rewarded for, we found that franchisors remain boundedly rational and therefore are unable to completely anticipate undesirable franchisee behavior and to incorporate suitable safeguards. We develop propositions to suggest that: (1) learning explains contract design capability better than does foresight, (2) a new management and the pursuit of uniformity lead to contract changes, and (3) the presence of an active franchisee council promotes the efficiency of the contract change process. We offer implications of our findings for theory, practice, and research.
A comparison of methods to estimate cross‐environment genetic correlations

Advanced techniques for quantitative genetic parameter estimation may not always be necessary to answer broad genetic questions. However, simpler methods are often biased, and the extent of this determines their usefulness. In this study we compare family mean correlations to least squares and restricted error maximum likelihood (REML) variance component approaches to estimating cross‐environment genetic correlations. We analysed empirical data from studies where both types of estimates were made, and from studies in our own laboratories. We found that the agreement between estimates was better when full‐sib rather than half‐sib estimates of cross‐environment genetic correlations were used and when mean family size increased. We also note biases in REML estimation that may be especially important when testing to see if correlations differ from 0 or 1. We conclude that correlations calculated from family means can be used to test for the presence of genetic correlations across environments, which is sufficient for some research questions. Variance component approaches should be used when parameter estimation is the objective, or if the goal is anything other than determining broad patterns.
Validation and Reliability of a Smartphone Application for the International Prostate Symptom Score Questionnaire: A Randomized Repeated Measures Crossover Study

Background Smartphone-based assessment may be a useful diagnostic and monitoring tool for patients. There have been many attempts to create a smartphone diagnostic tool for clinical use in various medical fields but few have demonstrated scientific validity. Objective The purpose of this study was to develop a smartphone application of the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) and to demonstrate its validity and reliability. Methods From June 2012 to May 2013, a total of 1581 male participants (≥40 years old), with or without lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS), visited our urology clinic via the health improvement center at Soonchunhyang University Hospital (Republic of Korea) and were enrolled in this study. A randomized repeated measures crossover design was employed using a smartphone application of the IPSS and the conventional paper form of the IPSS. Paired t test under a hypothesis of non-inferior trial was conducted. For the reliability test, the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was measured. Results The total score of the IPSS (P=.289) and each item of the IPSS (P=.157-1.000) showed no differences between the paper version and the smartphone version of the IPSS. The mild, moderate, and severe LUTS groups showed no differences between the two versions of the IPSS. A significant correlation was noted in the total group (ICC=.935, P<.001). The mild, moderate, and severe LUTS groups also showed significant correlations (ICC=.616, .549, and .548 respectively, all P<.001). There was selection bias in this study, as only participants who had smartphones could participate. Conclusions The validity and reliability of the smartphone application version were comparable to the conventional paper version of the IPSS. The smartphone application of the IPSS could be an effective method for measuring lower urinary tract symptoms.
BAX Inhibitor-1 Modulates Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress-mediated Programmed Cell Death in Arabidopsis*

The components and pathways that regulate programmed cell death (PCD) in plants remain poorly understood. Here we describe the impact of drug-induced endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress on Arabidopsis seedlings and present evidence for the role of Arabidopsis BAX inhibitor-1 (AtBI1) as a modulator of ER stress-mediated PCD. We found that treatment of Arabidopsis seedlings with tunicamycin (TM), an inhibitor of N-linked glycosylation and an inducer of ER stress by triggering accumulation of unfolded proteins in the ER, results in strong inhibition of root growth and loss of survival accompanied by typical hallmarks of PCD such as accumulation of H2O2, chromatin condensation, and oligonucleosomal fragmentation of nuclear DNA. These phenotypes are alleviated by co-treatment with either of two different chemical chaperones, sodium 4-phenylbutyrate and tauroursodeoxycholic acid, both with chaperone properties that can reduce the load of misfolded protein in the ER. Expression of AtBI1 mRNA and its promoter activity are increased dramatically prior to initiation of TM-induced PCD. Compared with wild-type plants, two AtBI1 mutants (atbi1-1 and atbi1-2) exhibit hypersensitivity to TM with accelerated PCD progression. Conversely, overexpressing AtBI1 markedly reduces the sensitivity of Arabidopsis seedlings to TM. However, alterations in AtBI1 gene expression levels do not cause a significant effect on the expression patterns of typical ER stress-inducible genes (AtBip2, AtPDI, AtCRT1, and AtCNX1). We propose that AtBI1 plays a pivotal role as a highly conserved survival factor during ER stress that acts in parallel to the unfolded protein response pathway.
Subjective discount functions – an experimental approach

This study estimates the degree of the exponential-function (EF) misvaluation and its variation with three parameters: time, the product price level and its growth rate, as well as with personal characteristics. The results suggest an undervaluation of the compound discounting formula given by the exponential function and an overvaluation of the simple-interest discounting function. Findings appear in line with the hyperbolic function and perhaps indirectly related to the overconfidence and overreaction phenomena. A possible implication of the study's findings is that at least part of the intertemporal-choice anomalous behaviour documented in the experimental literature of economic psychology can be attributed to misevaluation of the exponential function.
Prevalence of Salmonella in harvested shellfish along the coast of Karnataka

Shellfishes are filter feeding organisms that are capable of concentrating the pathogens from their living habitat. Salmonella is an enterobacteriace member that causes food poisoning in human beings. The sea food is commonly contaminated with this bacterium through the sewage contamination in the coastal areas. Many researchers studied the prevalence of this bacterium from the sea food and observed the prevalence ranging from 1% to 25%. In our study we recorded 10.3% of the samples showed prevalence from the collected samples. The antibiogram assay was performed for the isolated bacteria, and it was found that the isolates we obtained were sensitive to 45% of the antibiotics tested and the gene responsible for the resistance to antibiotics were tested, but the tested gene showed negative PCR results that indicates although the resistance showed phenotypically, but the resistance developed may be due to other gene or mechanism.
Crystal structure of the C-terminal domain of Ebola virus VP30 reveals a role in transcription and nucleocapsid association

Transcription of the highly pathogenic Ebola virus depends on VP30, a nucleocapsid-associated Ebola virus-specific transcription factor. The transcription activator VP30 was shown to play an essential role in Ebola virus replication, most likely by stabilizing nascent mRNA. Here we present the crystal structure of the C-terminal domain (CTD) of VP30 (VP30CTD) at 2.0-Å resolution. VP30CTD folds independently into a dimeric helical assembly. The VP30CTD dimers assemble into hexamers that are present in virions, by an oligomerization domain located in the N terminus of VP30. Mutagenesis of conserved charged amino acids on VP30CTD revealed that two regions, namely a basic cluster around Lys-180 and Glu-197, are required for nucleocapsid interaction. However, only mutagenesis of the basic cluster was shown to impair transcription activation, suggesting that both processes are regulated independently. The structure and the mutagenesis results reveal a potential pocket for small-molecule inhibitors that might prevent VP30 activity and thus virus propagation as it has been shown previously by peptides, which interfere with VP30 homooligomerization.
An Explanation for Unintentional Optimism in Analysts' Earnings Forecasts

Archival studies report that analysts' annual earnings forecasts are optimistic, particularly for firms reporting recent losses. This study addresses whether forecast optimism is an unintentional consequence of analysts' reactions to the structure of information about managers' future plans. I investigate whether analysts who are forecasting earnings use processes consistent with scenario thinking: envisioning a sequence of events in which proposed actions lead to future outcomes. I study professional sell‐side analysts in a 2×2 between‐subjects experiment with the structure of information (scenario vs. list) and the sign of prior earnings (loss vs. profit) as independent variables. I find that analysts make more optimistic two‐year‐ahead earnings forecasts when provided information about a manager's future plans framed as scenarios than when provided the same information framed as lists. I also find that scenario‐induced optimism is greater for a firm with prior losses than for a firm with prior profits.
Firm Valuation with Bankruptcy Risk

Abstract Traditional firm valuation discounts forecasted cash consequences that are understood as expected values under some scenario. It is not clear how, and to what extent, uncertainty is incorporated in the valuation. This article constructs a new valuation model where uncertainty, in particular bankruptcy risk, is explicitly included. Bankruptcy denotes a failure situation where a company ceases to operate and its assets are liquidated. At the end of each year, there is a jump to one of three possible states of the world at the end of the following year. A state is a combination of sales revenue for the firm being valued and return on the market index. The third state implies bankruptcy for the firm. The new model includes both the non-steady-state explicit forecast period and the steady-state post-horizon period and derives consistent values for the unlevered firm, the debt, the tax shields, the equity, and the levered firm. All discount rates, and the promised debt interest rate, are derived from certain basic parameters, using the CAPM. The model structure, in particular the manner in which sales revenue serves as driving variable, implies that one needs to perform only one discounting operation for each year, like in Fama (Journal of Financial Economics 5:3–24, 1977). A small annual bankruptcy probability is seen to lead to a noticeable value decrease. There is also a discussion of how to combine traditional firm valuation with inputs from the new valuation model, so as to take bankruptcy risk into account.
Socioeconomic changes of farmers due to adoption of rice production technologies in selected areas of Sherpur district

The study was aimed at finding out the changes occurred in different aspects of socioeconomic conditions of the framers due to adoption of rice production technologies. For the present study data were collected from 90 randomly selected farmers in three villages of Gourdwer union under Nakla upazila of Sherpur district with the help of interview schedule. Correlation and t-test were used to ascertain the relationship between the concerned dependent and independent variables. Findings revealed that about 51 percent of the farmers had medium adoption while 33 percent had high adoption of rice production technologies. Correlation analysis indicates that education, annual income showed significant positive relationships, and age and family size of the farmers showed significant negative relationships with their adoption of rice production technologies. Besides farm size did not show any significant relationship with their adoption. Findings also showed a significant increase in annual income (from Tk.88.82 thousand to Tk.109.26 thousand), food consumption expenditure (from Tk.17.35 thousand to Tk.20.41 thousand), housing environment (scores rose to 14.22 from 7.82) and family status of the framers (scores increased from 19.46 to 27.82). The differences between before and after changes in income, expenditure, housing environment score and family status score were statistically significant.
Improved MUSIC by Exploiting Both Real and Complex Sources

It is shown in [1] that when all the incoming signals are sent by non-circular AM/BPSK sources, the DOA estimation accuracy as well as the maximum number of detectable signals can be dramatically increased. However, it is more realistic that some users send non-circular symbols while other users still send circular symbols. In this paper, we develop an algorithm to cope with this more general scenario. The proposed algorithm can still make use of the existing non-circular signals to increase the maximum number of detectable signals as well as to improve the performance accuracy compared to the conventional MUSIC algorithm. Moreover, the spatial smoothing technique related with the new model is developed. The results of the computer simulations clearly show the effectiveness of our proposed algorithm.
Systemic and pituitary pars intermedia antioxidant capacity associated with pars intermedia oxidative stress and dysfunction in horses.

OBJECTIVE To determine whether a deficiency in systemic or local (pars intermedia) antioxidant capacity is associated with pituitary pars intermedia oxidative stress and pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID) in horses. SAMPLE POPULATION Blood samples from 20 horses with PPID and 20 healthy client-owned horses, archived paraffin-embedded adrenal gland and substantia nigra tissues from 20 horses, and pituitary gland tissue from 16 horses. PROCEDURES Total glutathione, superoxide dismutase, and glutathione peroxidase activities were determined in RBCs. Accumulation of a systemic marker of oxidative stress (3-nitrotyrosine) was assessed in plasma and formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded adrenal gland and substantia nigra tissues. Local antioxidants (total and manganese superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, and total glutathione) were measured in pars intermedia tissues. RESULTS No significant differences existed in systemic antioxidant enzyme activity or accumulation of 3-nitrotyrosine between horses with PPID and control horses. In pituitary gland tissues, glutathione peroxidase activity was increased in horses with oxidative stress, whereas total glutathione concentration and superoxide dismutase activity remained unchanged. There was an age-associated decrease in manganese superoxide dismutase activity in the pars intermedia. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE There was no evidence of systemic accumulation of oxidative stress markers or deficiencies in antioxidant capacity in horses with PPID, suggesting that these are unlikely to be major predisposing factors in the development of PPID. Manganese superoxide dismutase activity in the pars intermedia decreased significantly with increasing age. Role of an age-associated decrease in antioxidant capacity for the pars intermedia in the development of PPID in horses warrants further investigation.
Dynamic effects of mutations within two loops of cytochrome c551 from Pseudomonas aeruginosa

In this work, we investigated the structural and dynamic consequences of two substitutions, P58A and G36P, located in two different solvent‐exposed loops of cytochrome c551. The results show that both mutations affect regions that are distant from the site of mutation. Here, the two loops appear to be dynamically coupled to each other, because the substitution at one site affects the structure and the dynamics of the other site. However, the substitutions at Gly‐36 and Pro‐58 presented substantial differences, which were related to the mechanical (rigidity and deformability) properties of the site surrounding the mutation. Although the P58A mutant conserved a significant dynamic similarity to the wild‐type protein as the immediate surroundings of position 58 became more rigid, the G36P mutant, which had deformed its flexible surroundings, presented a dynamic behavior that was markedly different from that of the wild‐type protein. These results suggest that perturbation of sterically isolated and flexible regions, such as solvent‐exposed loops, can have strong dynamic consequences on the protein as a whole, raising the possibility that these effects could in turn affect the stability or the function of the protein. Proteins 2003;50:222–229. © 2002 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Understanding Remand in the Juvenile Justice System in Queensland

The Department of Communities is committed to providing high quality evidence based youth justice services. In meeting this commitment we undertake ongoing research and data analysis to ensure that the system is functioning efficiently, safely and in the best interests of the community. One research project commissioned by the department recently aimed to identify the factors leading to the high rates of remand in custody in Queensland juvenile detention facilities. The remand rate is the percentage of the total number of detained young people who are on remand. The remainder of the youth detention population comprises those young people who are serving a court ordered detention sentence. Professor Paul Mazerolle and Dr Jennifer Sanderson from Griffith University completed an analysis of the issues impacting on youth remand rates, including a literature review, cross-jurisdictional analysis, interviews with professionals who work in the youth justice system, review of a sample of case files and quantitative analysis of departmental youth justice data. The report provides some useful insights into remand rates and highlights some possible solutions. Although it forms only one source of information to assist decision making, the report findings continue to inform departmental responses to the issue of remand numbers in youth detention centres in Queensland.