Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Monetary Policy and Carry Trade 1

This paper discusses the relation between monetary policy and currency risk premium in the context of a model in which central banks diverge in terms of the preferences and act either under discretion or commitment. The model is able to reproduce sizable foreign currency risk premium under discretion when the central bank in the foreign country is less conservative than the monetary authority at home which leads to higher nominal interest rates and a counter-cyclical inﬂation in the foreign country. The model when calibrated to match key moments of real and nominal macroeconomic variables of Latin America countries can explain the excess returns of the currencies of the region JEL classiﬁcation : E43, E58, F32, G15.
A Conserved Tyrosine in the (cid:1) 2 Subunit M4 Segment Is a Determinant of (cid:2) -Aminobutyric Acid Type A Receptor Sensitivity to Propofol

Background: The (cid:2) -aminobutyric acid type A receptor (GABA A -R) (cid:1) subunits are critical targets for the actions for several intravenous general anesthetics, but the precise nature of the anesthetic binding sites are unknown. In addition, little is known about the role the fourth transmembrane (M4) segment of the receptor plays in receptor function. The aim of this study was to better deﬁne the propofol binding site on the GABA A -R by con- ducting a tryptophan scan in the M4 segment of the (cid:1) 2 subunit. Methods: Seven tryptophan mutations were introduced into the C-terminal end of the M4 segment of the GABA A -R (cid:1) 2 subunit. GABA A -R subunit complementary DNAs were transfected into hu- man embryonic kidney 293 cells grown on glass coverslips. After transfection (36–72 h), coverslips were transferred to a perfusion chamber to assay receptor function. Cells were whole cell patch clamped and exposed to GABA, propofol, etomidate, and pregnenolone. Chemicals were delivered to the cells using two 10- channel infusion pumps and a rapid solution exchanger. Results: All tryptophan mutations were well tolerated, and with one exception, all resulted in minimal changes in receptor activation by GABA. One mutation, (cid:1) 2 (Y444W), selectively sup- pressed the ability of propofol to enhance receptor function while retaining normal sensitivity to etomidate and preg- nenolone. Conclusions: This is the ﬁrst report of a mutation that selectively reduces propofol sensitivity without altering the action of etomidate. The reduction in propofol sensitivity is consistent with the loss of a hydrogen bond within the propofol binding site. These results also suggest a possible orientation of the propofol molecule within its binding site.
B1503 Post-mortem analysis from barrier layer’s large-area cells made by PLD aged for 14,000 h in SOFC mode

Gadolinium-doped ceria (CGO) barrier layer placed between yttrium-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) electrolyte and strontium-based electrode aims to avoid the formation of insulating phase SrZrO 3 during solid oxide fuel cell operation. However, this phase was observed in as-fabricated state-of-the-art cells, which evidences cation inter-diffusion during the sintering process [1]. The use of vacuum techniques such as sputtering and Large Area Pulsed Laser Deposition (LA-PLD) allows the implementation of dense layers at lower temperature compared with traditional deposition techniques (i. e. screen printing). CGO barrier layer deposition and annealing parameters were optimized in a previous work from the group and led to an increase of 70% in power density at 750ºC and 0.7 V compared to a state-of-the-art button cell. Remarkable results were also obtained when the PLD barrier layer was up-scaled to large area cells of 80 cm 2 and tested in short-stack configuration for long-term operation [2]. PLD ones, was aged for a total of 14,000 h at 750ºC for the first 8,000 h and 700ºC until the end of the experiment. Cells with PLD barrier layer showed enhanced initial performances with a low degradation rate. This work presents a post-mortem characterization of the barrier layers and interfaces in both types of cells. Scanning-electronic microscope, Electron Probe Micro Analysis with Wavelength Dispersive X-Ray (EPMA-WDX) and micro-Raman spectroscopy were used to observe any microstructural changes as well as any changes in composition due to cation inter-diffusion.
Institutional Knowledge at Singapore Management University Institutional Knowledge at Singapore Management University Nonstationary Discrete Choice: A Corrigendum and Addendum Nonstationary Discrete Choice: A Corrigendum and Addendum

We correct the limit theory presented in an earlier paper by Hu and Phillips [2004a. Nonstationary discrete choice. Journal of Econometrics 120, 103–138] for nonstationary time series discrete choice models with multiple choices and thresholds. The new limit theory shows that, in contrast to the binary choice model with nonstationary regressors and a zero threshold where there are dual rates of convergence ( n 1 = 4 and n 3 = 4 ), all parameters including the thresholds converge at the rate n 3 = 4 . The presence of nonzero thresholds therefore materially affects rates of convergence. Dual rates of convergence reappear when stationary variables are present in the system. Some simulation evidence is provided, showing how the magnitude of the thresholds affects ﬁnite sample performance. A new ﬁnding is that predicted probabilities and marginal effect estimates have ﬁnite sample distributions that manifest a pile-up, or increasing density, towards the limits of the domain of deﬁnition.
Addition of Deoxynucleosides Enhances Human Immunodeﬁciency Virus Type 1 Integration and 2LTR Formation in Resting CD4 (cid:1) T Cells (cid:1)

Resting CD4 (cid:1) T cells restrict human immunodeﬁciency virus (HIV) infection at a step prior to integration. Despite this restriction, we showed previously that HIV integration occurs in resting CD4 (cid:1) T cells in vitro, albeit at lower levels than in activated CD4 (cid:1) T cells. Here we show that addition of deoxynucleosides enhanced integration and 2LTR formation in resting CD4 (cid:1) T cells but that the kinetics were still signiﬁcantly delayed compared to those of activated T cells. Thus, deoxynucleoside addition partially overcomes the restriction to HIV infection in resting CD4 (cid:1) T cells. Resting CD4 (cid:1) T cells (rCD4 cells) appear to be a major target of human immunodeﬁciency virus (HIV) and simian immunodeﬁciency virus infections in vivo, especially in the gut during acute infection (12, 20, 42, 43, 47, 48), yet in vitro rCD4 cells resist HIV infection (8, 34, 35, 45). Understanding this paradox is important to HIV pathogenesis. Early in vitro studies showed that reverse transcription and possibly other postentry steps are restricted in rCD4 cells (3, 35, 37, 45, 46). However, extended kinetic studies showed that reverse transcription is not completely blocked in resting T cells but rather occurs
invited review Prostaglandin E receptors and the kidney

Prostaglandin E receptors and the kidney. Am J Physiol Renal Physiol 279: F12–F23, 2000. — Prostaglandin E 2 is a major renal cyclooxygenase metabolite of arachidonate and interacts with four G protein-coupled E-prostanoid receptors designated EP 1 , EP 2 , EP 3 , and EP 4 . Through these receptors, PGE 2 modulates renal hemodynamics and salt and water excretion. The intrarenal distribution and function of EP receptors have been partially characterized, and each receptor has a distinct role. EP 1 expression predominates in the collecting duct where it inhibits Na 1 absorption, contributing to natriuresis. The EP 2 receptor regulates vascular reactiv- ity, and EP 2 receptor-knockout mice have salt-sensitive hypertension. The EP 3 receptor is also expressed in vessels as well as in the thick ascending limb and collecting duct, where it antagonizes vasopressin-stimulated salt and water transport. EP 4 mRNA is expressed in the glomerulus and collecting duct and may regulate glomerular tone and renal renin release. The capacity of PGE 2 to bidirectionally modulate vascular tone and epithelial transport via constrictor EP 1 and EP 3 receptors vs. dilator EP 2 and EP 4 receptors allows PGE 2 to serve as a buffer, preventing excessive responses to physiological perturbations. ,
University of Birmingham Buyout longevity and post-exit performance

• Users may freely distribute the URL that is used to identify this publication. • Users may download and/or print one copy of the publication from the University of Birmingham research portal for the purpose of private study or non-commercial research. • User may use extracts from the document in line with the concept of ‘fair dealing’ under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 (? ) • Users may not further distribute the material nor use it for the purposes of commercial gain.
Influence of Essential Oils of some Medicinal and Aromatic Plants on Growth and Control of Botrytis fabae the Causal of Faba Bean Chocolate Spot

he aim of this study was to find an alternative to synthetic fungicides currently used in the control of faba bean chocolate spot fungal pathogen, Botrytis fabae. For this purpose, the effect of 12 essential oils (EOs) isolated from different medicinal and aromatic plant species against B. fabae has been studied in vitro. Complete inhibition of growth and spore formation of the pathogen by EOs of thyme and caraway however, was observed at 1.0 μl ml -1 . Oils of rue, garlic and cloves were inhibitory at relatively higher concentrations (2.5 μl ml -1 ). Under field conditions, oils of thyme, rue caraway and garlic, gave pronounced protection of faba bean plants against invasion of chocolate spot pathogen. The maximum reduction of disease incidence (DI) and severity (DS) of chocolate spot along the growth period in both growing seasons (2010/2011 & 2011/2012) was observed by garlic, followed by caraway and cloves oils. All morphological traits (plant height and no. of branches & leaves/plant) and yield components (pods no./plant and weight of 100 seeds) significantly increased by the application of garlic oil, while caraway oil came in the second order. Also, application of the previous treatments presented significant increases in the photosynthetic pigments (chlorophyll a and b and carotenoids), polyphenol oxidase and total phenol in faba bean plants. This study has demonstrated that the EOs are potential and promising antifungal agents, which could be used as biofungicide in the protection of faba bean against Botrytis fabae.
Transition Path Theory for Markov Processes

In this thesis, we present the framework of transition path theory (TPT) for time continuous Markov processes with continuous and discrete state space. TPT provides statistical properties of the ensemble of reactive trajectories between some start and target sets and yields properties such as the committor function, the probability distribution of the reactive trajectories, their probability current and their rate of occurrence. We shown that knowing these objects allows one to arrive at a complete understanding of the mechanism of the reaction. The main objects of TPT for Markov diffusion processes are explicitly derived for the Langevin and Smoluchowski dynamics and illustrate them on a various number of low-dimensional examples. Despite the simplicity of these examples compared to those encountered in real applications, they already demonstrate the ability of TPT to handle complex dynamical scenarios. The main challenge in TPT for diffusion processes is the numerical computation of the committor function as a solution of a Dirichlet-Neumann boundary value problem involving the generator of the process. Beside the derivation of TPT for Markov jump processes, we focus on the development of efficient graph algorithms to determine reaction pathways in discrete state space. One approach via shortest-path algorithms turns out to give only a rough picture of possible reaction channels whereas the network approach allows a hierarchical decomposition of the set of reaction pathways such that the dominant channels can be identified. We successfully apply the latter approach to an example of conformational dynamics of a bio-molecule. In particular, we make use of a maximum likelihood method to estimate the infinitesimal generator of a jump process from an incomplete observation. Finally, we address the question of error propagation in the committor function computation for Markov chains.
The effect of borrowers with large customer and supplier links on syndicate loan structure

Relationships between large customers and suppliers expose lenders to additional risks. These risks may force lead agents to retain a larger share of syndicated loans, reducing loan-level diversification, and, in turn, increasing the required interest rate spread. Consistent with this view, we find that borrowers’ dependence on a few larger customers or suppliers positively affects the cost of the loans indirectly through the loan structure. Instead, we do not observe a direct cost associated with large customer-supplier links, suggesting that lead agents do not increase the interest rate spread as compensation for the additional risks of dealing with borrowers with large customer-supplier links per se. Finally, we document an inverted U-shaped relationship between the length of the large customer-supplier link and the loan share held by the lead agent.
Transcript Proﬁle in Vegetable Soybean Roots Reveals Potential Gene Patterns Regulating K Uptake E ﬃ ciency

: Signiﬁcant di ﬀ erences have been reported in root K + uptake between high potassium e ﬃ ciency (HKE) and low potassium e ﬃ ciency (LKE) in vegetable soybean genotypes. The ideal morphological and physiological characteristics of HKE have been deﬁned. However, the mechanism by which HKE vegetable soybean genotypes e ﬃ ciently uptake K remains unclear. By using representative materials, this study investigated the responses of root development to low K (LK) stress, and identiﬁed and assessed the key genes a ﬀ ecting high-e ﬃ ciency K uptake between HKE and LKE vegetable soybean roots. The root growth of LKE was signiﬁcantly inhibited under the LK condition. Compared with LKE, HKE had more lateral roots in both LK and CK (control) conditions. Lateral root of HKE was more preferentially responsive to exogenous IAA, with a wider response threshold to IAA concentration (from 0.1 to 1 µ M). Transcriptome analysis revealed that LK induced transport-related genes up-regulated in HKE compared with LKE. In HKE, homologous genes of a K channel encoding gene potassium channel AKT1 (AKT1) and a K transporter gene high-a ﬃ nity K + transporter 5 (HAK5) were both highly expressed under the LK stress. Additionally, genes related to plant hormones signal transductions were also identiﬁed di ﬀ erentially expressed between the two genotypes. Plant hormone signaling involved in root morphological regulation pathways may play signiﬁcant roles in improving the e ﬃ ciency of vegetable soybean K + uptake. A diagram showing possible molecular mechanisms in regulating root high-e ﬃ ciency uptake K + in vegetable soybean is proposed. high / low K e ﬃ ciency vegetable soybeans. which high K e ﬃ ciency vegetable soybean roots e ﬃ ciently K + from the soil environment. study will important basis in accelerating the breeding processes for high K e ﬃ ciency vegetable soybean.
Trichomonas stableri n. sp., an agent of trichomonosis in Paciﬁc Coast band-tailed pigeons ( Patagioenas fasciata monilis ) q Parasites and Wildlife

Trichomonas gallinae is a ubiquitous ﬂagellated protozoan parasite, and the most common etiologic agent of epidemic trichomonosis in columbid and passerine species. In this study, free-ranging Paciﬁc Coast band-tailed pigeons ( Patagioenas fasciata monilis ) in California (USA) were found to be infected with trichomonad protozoa that were genetically and morphologically distinct from T. gallinae . In microscopic analysis, protozoa were signiﬁcantly smaller in length and width than T. gallinae and were bimodal in morphology. Phylogenetic analysis of the ITS1/5.8S/ITS2, rpb1 and hydrogenosomal Fe-hydrogenase regions revealed that the protozoan shares an ancestor with Trichomonas vaginalis , the sexually-transmit- ted agent of trichomoniasis in humans. Clinical and pathologic features of infected birds were similar to infections with T. gallinae . Evidence presented here strongly support taxonomical distinction of this parasite, which we hereby name Trichomonas stableri n. sp. This work contributes to a growing body of evidence that T. gallinae is not the sole etiologic agent of avian trichomonosis, and that the incorporation of molecular tools is critical in the investigation of infectious causes of mortality in birds.
SymmetricZ2spin liquids and their neighboring phases on triangular lattice

Motivated by recent numerical discovery of a gapped spin liquid phase in spin-$1/2$ triangular-lattice $J_1$-$J_2$ Heisenberg model, we classify symmetric $Z_2$ spin liquids on triangular lattice in the Abrikosov-fermion representation. We find 20 phases with distinct spinon symmetry quantum numbers, 8 of which have their counterparts in the Schwinger-boson representation. Among them we identify 2 promising candidates (#1 and #20), which can realize a gapped $Z_2$ spin liquid with up to next nearest neighbor mean-field amplitudes. We analyze their neighboring magnetic orders and valence bond solid patterns, and find one state (#20) that is connected to 120-degree Neel order by a continuous quantum phase transition. We also identify gapped nematic $Z_2$ spin liquids in the neighborhood of the symmetric states and find 3 promising candidates (#1, #6 and #20).
Explorer Gene silencing in tick cell lines using small interfering or long double-stranded RNA

Gene silencing by RNA interference (RNAi) is an important research tool in many areas of biology. To effectively harness the power of this technique in order to explore tick functional genomics and tick-microorganism interactions, optimised parameters for RNAi-mediated gene silencing in tick cells need to be established. Ten cell lines from four economically important ixodid tick genera ( Amblyomma, Hyalomma, Ixodes and Rhipicephalus including the sub-species Boophilus ) were used to examine key parameters including small interfering RNA (siRNA), double stranded RNA (dsRNA), transfection reagent and incubation time for silencing virus reporter and endogenous tick genes. Transfection reagents were essential for the uptake of siRNA whereas long dsRNA alone was taken up by most tick cell lines. Signiﬁcant virus reporter protein knockdown was achieved using either siRNA or dsRNA in all the cell lines tested. Optimum conditions varied according to the cell line. Consistency between replicates and duration of incubation with dsRNA were addressed for two Ixodes scapularis cell lines; IDE8 supported more consistent and effective silencing of the endogenous gene subolesin than ISE6, and highly signiﬁcant knockdown of the endogenous gene 2I1F6 in IDE8 cells was achieved within 48 h incubation with dsRNA. In summary, this study shows that gene silencing by RNAi in tick cell lines is generally more efﬁcient with dsRNA than with siRNA but results vary between cell lines and optimal parameters need to be determined for each experimental system. BME/CTVM23, and the R. ( B. ) decoloratus line BDE/CTVM16. We also examined cell lines from four other economically important tick species: A. variegatum (AVL/CTVM13), H. anatolicum (HAE/CTVM9), R. appendiculatus (RA257 and RAE/CTVM1) and R. evertsi (REE/CTVM28).
ICT, Human Capital and Technological Progress of Central and Eastern European Countries

— The paper examines the impact of human capital and Information Communications Technology (ICTs) in technological progress of Central and Eastern European Countries (CEEC). Using the modified Nelson-Phelps framework, I estimate regressions based on panel data for the period 1950 to 2014. The estimation results show that together with ICT, human capital is of crucial importance in achieving convergence of CEEC with technology frontier.
EVOLUTION, NUCLEOSYNTHESIS, AND YIELDS OF AGB STARS AT DIFFERENT METALLICITIES. III. INTERMEDIATE-MASS MODELS, REVISED LOW-MASS MODELS, AND THE pH-FRUITY INTERFACE

We present a new set of models for intermediate-mass asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars (4.0, 5.0, and 6.0 M⊙) at different metallicities (−2.15 ≤ [Fe/H] ≤ +0.15). This set integrates the existing models for low-mass AGB stars (1.3 ≤ M/M⊙ ≤ 3.0) already included in the FRUITY database. We describe the physical and chemical evolution of the computed models from the main sequence up to the end of the AGB phase. Due to less efficient third dredge up episodes, models with large core masses show modest surface enhancements. This effect is due to the fact that the interpulse phases are short and, therefore, thermal pulses (TPs) are weak. Moreover, the high temperature at the base of the convective envelope prevents it from deeply penetrating the underlying radiative layers. Depending on the initial stellar mass, the heavy element nucleosynthesis is dominated by different neutron sources. In particular, the s-process distributions of the more massive models are dominated by the 22Ne(α,n)25Mg reaction, which is efficiently activated during TPs. At low metallicities, our models undergo hot bottom burning and hot third dredge up. We compare our theoretical final core masses to available white dwarf observations. Moreover, we quantify the influence intermediate-mass models have on the carbon star luminosity function. Finally, we present the upgrade of the FRUITY web interface, which now also includes the physical quantities of the TP-AGB phase for all of the models included in the database (ph-FRUITY).
CellsNanotopography-Guided Migration of T

T cells navigate a wide variety of tissues and organs for immune surveillance and effector functions. Although nanoscale topographical structures of extracellular matrices and stromal/endothelial cell surfaces in local tissues may guide the migration of T cells, there has been little opportunity to study how nanoscale topographical features affect T cell migration. In this study, we systematically investigated mechanisms of nanotopography-guided migration of T cells using nanoscale ridge/groove surfaces. The velocity and directionality of T cells on these nanostructured surfaces were quantitatively assessed with and without conﬁnement, which is a key property of three-dimensional interstitial tissue spaces for leukocyte motility. Depending on the conﬁnement, T cells exhibited different mechanisms for nanotopography-guided migration. Without conﬁnement, actin polymerization-driven leading edge protrusion was guided toward the direction of nanogrooves via integrin-mediated adhesion. In contrast, T cells under conﬁnement appeared to migrate along the direction of nanogrooves purely by mechanical effects, and integrin-mediated adhesion was dispensable. Therefore, surface nanotopography may play a prominent role in generating migratory patterns for T cells. Because the majority of cells in periphery migrate along the topography of extracellular matrices with much lower motility than T cells, nanotopography-guided migration of T cells would be an important strategy to efﬁciently perform cell-mediated immune responses by increasing chances of encountering other cells within a given amount of time. The Journal of Immunology , 2012, 189: 000–000.
Corrective feedback on written errors: a study on learners’ individual factors

4 Introduction. 6 Chapter 1: Corrective feedback in foreign language teaching . 8 1.1 Definition of key concepts. 8 1.2 Should students’ errors be corrected? 8 1.3 Who should correct? 13 Chapter 2: Types of written corrective feedback . 14 2.1 Proximate versus holistic feedback . 14 2.2 Error correction versus content critique. 15 2.3 Direct versus indirect feedback . 16 Chapter 3: The Study . 20 3.1 Research questions . 20 3.2 Hypotheses. 22 3.3 Method. 23 3.3.1 Contextualisation of the centre. 23 3.3.2 Participants . 23 3.3.3 Data collection procedure . 28 3.4 Results and discussion . 30 Chapter 4: Conclusion. 34 References . 37 Appendix 1: Semi-structured interview with the FL teacher . 43