Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Resveratrol attenuated smokeless tobacco–induced vascular and metabolic complications in ovariectomized rats

Objective The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of smokeless tobacco extract on ovariectomized female rats and to investigate the role of resveratrol in alleviating associated vascular and diabetic complications. Methods Thirty-six female Wistar rats (8 wk old) were subjected to bilateral ovariectomy (OVX) or sham operation and randomly assigned to six groups: sham operation; OVX; OVX + aqueous extract of smokeless tobacco (AEST); OVX + AEST + 17&bgr;-estradiol; OVX + AEST + resveratrol 25 mg/kg/day PO; and OVX + AEST + resveratrol 50 mg/kg/day PO. All treatments were given for 60 days. Various vascular and metabolic markers (such as serum glucose, triglycerides, cholesterol, insulin, estradiol, glycosylated hemoglobin, glucose tolerance), ex vivo vascular reactivity of aortic ring, and aortic collagen levels were estimated after the treatments. Results Oral exposure to smokeless tobacco extract in ovariectomized female rats triggered a significant increase in metabolic markers (viz, serum triglycerides, cholesterol, glucose, insulin, glycosylated hemoglobin), and aortic collagen levels. It also led to decreased serum nitrate-nitrite levels and vascular reactivity. Resveratrol 50 mg/kg/day PO attenuated detrimental changes in aortic reactivity and aortic collagen levels, improved glucose tolerance, and reversed the deleterious effects on other serum parameters comparable to 17&bgr;-estradiol. Conclusions Resveratrol treatment for 60 days abrogates the deleterious effects of smokeless tobacco on ovariectomized female rats. Resveratrol in adequate doses can be effectively used as an alternative to estrogen therapy for smokeless tobacco–induced vascular and diabetic complications.
α7 Nicotinic Agonist AR-R17779 Protects Mice against 2,4,6-Trinitrobenzene Sulfonic Acid-Induced Colitis in a Spleen-Dependent Way

The existence of a cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway negatively modulating the inflammatory and immune responses in various clinical conditions and experimental models has long been postulated. In particular, the protective involvement of the vagus nerve and of nicotinic Ach receptors (nAChRs) has been proposed in intestinal inflammation and repeatedly investigated in DSS- and TNBS-induced colitis. However, the role of α7 nAChRs stimulation is still controversial and the potential contribution of α4β2 nAChRs has never been explored in this experimental condition. Our aims were therefore to pharmacologically investigate the role played by both α7 and α4β2 nAChRs in the modulation of the local and systemic inflammatory responses activated in TNBS-induced colitis in mice and to assess the involvement of the spleen in nicotinic responses. To this end, TNBS-exposed mice were sub-acutely treated with various subcutaneous doses of highly selective agonists (AR-R17779 and TC-2403) and antagonists (methyllycaconitine and dihydro-β-erythroidine) of α7 and α4β2 nAChRs, respectively, or with sulfasalazine 50 mg/kg per os and clinical and inflammatory responses were evaluated by means of biochemical, histological and flow cytometry assays. α4β2 ligands evoked weak and contradictory effects, while α7 nAChR agonist AR-R17779 emerged as the most beneficial treatment, able to attenuate several local markers of colitis severity and to revert the rise in splenic T-cells and in colonic inflammatory cytokines levels induced by haptenization. After splenectomy, AR-R17779 lost its protective effects, demonstrating for the first time that, in TNBS-model of experimental colitis, the anti-inflammatory effect of exogenous α7 nAChR stimulation is strictly spleen-dependent. Our findings showed that the selective α7 nAChRs agonist AR-R17779 exerted beneficial effects in a model of intestinal inflammation characterized by activation of the adaptive immune system and that the spleen is essential to mediate this cholinergic protection.
Subjective Expected Utility With Incomplete Preferences

This paper extends the subjective expected utility model of decision making under uncertainty to include incomplete beliefs and tastes. The main results are two axiomatizations of the multiprior expected multiutility representations of preference relations under uncertainty. The paper also introduces new axiomatizations of Knightian uncertainty and the expected multiutility model with complete beliefs.
Dependent Choices in Employee Selection: Modeling Choice Compensation and Consistency

Past choices can influence subsequent choices in employee selection. Previous approaches rather described similar sequential effects with feedback learning or the misperception of randomness. However, in the selection of job candidates also the accumulation of the moral impact of previous choices might influence subsequent choices. We investigated that question by making two major contributions to the literature. First, we developed an experimental paradigm for measuring sequential choices in employee selection and second, we implemented a widely applicable computational model, the Dependent Sequential Sampling Model, for explaining sequential effects in choices. By using this methodological approach, we uncovered sequential effects in employee selection. Participants (N=600) were especially motivated to compensate for morally dubious choices, with some participants showing consistent choice behavior if their previous choices had been morally virtuous. These results support the assumption of asymmetric compensation of morally dubious choices, sometimes referred to as the moral cleansing hypothesis.
Safety and toxicological evaluation of a novel anti-obesity formulation LI85008F in animals

LI85008F is a novel synergistic composition of Moringa oleifera, Murraya koenigi, and Curcuma longa. These herbs are well recognized and widely used in ayurvedic system of medicine for treating a variety of diseases and are also have been used for culinary purposes for thousands of years. LI85008F inhibits preadipocyte differentiation and potentiates lipid breakdown in mature adipocytes. In diet-induced obese rats, LI85008F significantly reduced weight gain and improved serum adiponectin levels. These findings motivated the authors to determine the broad-spectrum safety of LI85008F. Acute oral toxicity, acute dermal toxicity, primary skin irritation, primary eye irritation, and dose-dependent 28-day sub-acute toxicity studies were conducted. The acute oral LD50 of LI85008F was greater than 5000 mg/kg in female SD rats and no changes in body weight or adverse effects were observed following necropsy. Acute dermal LD50 of LI85008F was greater than 2000 mg/kg. LI85008F was classified as non-irritating to skin in a primary dermal irritation study conducted using New Zealand Albino rabbits. LI85008F caused minimal irritation to eyes in a primary eye irritation test conducted on New Zealand Albino rabbits. A dose-dependent 28-day sub-acute toxicity study demonstrated no significant changes in selected organ weights. Evaluations on hematology, clinical chemistry, and histopathology did not show any significant adverse changes. The NOAEL of LI85008F was found to be greater than 2500 mg/kg body weight. These results demonstrate the broad spectrum safety of LI85008F in animal models.
Determinants of Costs and Prices for Electricity Supply in Slovenia

This paper analyzes determinants of costs and real prices for retail electricity supply in Slovenia. We estimate cost and price functions in a retail electricity distribution enterprise in Slovenia by ordinary least square regressions on time series data. We confirm the hypotheses that real costs for electricity supply are positively and significantly associated with the costs for purchases of electric energy from electricity producers/wholesalers and with remuneration costs in electricity distribution enterprises. We did not confirm a negative association between the real costs for retail electricity supply and the proxy variable for electricity market liberalization. Market deregulation and price liberalization with increased competition have caused an initial decline in real consumer prices of electric energy. We found that the real consumer price of electric energy is positively associated with producer/wholesaler prices of electric energy, real wages in electricity distribution enterprises, and real tax expenses in the distribution enterprise, but negatively associated with the variable for electricity market liberalization. The results confirm the crucial role of the transmission of producer/wholesaler prices of electric energy and costs within the distribution enterprises, including labor costs, on the consumer prices of electric energy.
2006 OUTLOOK OF THE U.S. AND WORLD SUGAR MARKETS, 2005-2015

This report evaluates the U.S. and world sugar markets for 2005-2015 using the Global Sugar Policy Simulation Model. This analysis is based on assumptions about general economic conditions, agricultural policies, population growth, weather conditions, and technological changes. Both the U.S. and world sugar economies are predicted to improve over the next 10 years, mainly because higher world oil prices have increased the conversion of sugar into ethanol by Brazil. Brazil is the largest exporter of sugar, and it is expected that Brazilian sugar exports may be reduced due to high oil prices. World demand for sugar is expected to grow faster than world supply, resulting in Caribbean sugar prices increasing from 11.35 cents/lb in 2005 to 18.05 cents/lb in 2015. The U.S. wholesale price of sugar is projected to increase from 27.04 cents/lb in 2005 to 32.70 cents/lb in 2015, if Brazil continues to convert sugar into ethanol. The CAFTA agreement is expected to increase U.S. imports slightly, but with little impact on U.S. prices. It is projected that Mexico will be able to export 410 thousand metric tons of sugar to the United States by 2015. World trade volumes of sugar are expected to increase throughout the forecast period.
The Earnings Differential between Formal and Informal Employees in Urban China

Few studies in the field of labor economics have analyzed the earnings differential between formal and informal employees in urban China. Due to data limitations, previous studies on this subject have not yielded accurate and widely acceptable results. This study seeks to obtain more accurate results by analyzing the earnings differential based on the conceptual framework of informal employment developed by the 17th International Conference of Labor Statisticians. We analyzed data from the 2006 Chinese General Social Survey, using the Lee model to correct for selection bias and decomposing the earnings differential between formal and informal employees in urban China in terms of the effects of employee characteristics, employment, and working hours. The latter two of these comprise the segmentation effect. We found that only 33% of the observed earnings differential can be explained by employee characteristics; the remaining 67% is attributable to the segmentation effect. The working hours effect narrows the earnings differential. Based on the results of our analysis, we conclude that informal employees in urban China, especially female informal employees, suffer from segmentation and that policies to address segmentation issues are needed.
Dividend Policy at Firms Accused of Accounting Fraud

Recent studies and some policy experts have posited that dividends indicate higher quality earnings. In this study, we test this conjecture by comparing the dividend policies of firms accused of accounting fraud to those of firms not accused of accounting fraud. Specifically, we examine whether alleged fraud firms are as likely to be dividend payers as non-fraud firms and whether managers of dividend-paying fraud firms increase dividends at the same rate as managers of non-fraud firms. Our data reveal that dividend paying status is negatively associated with the probability of committing accounting fraud. In addition, we also find that, during the alleged fraud period, the earnings-dividends relation is weaker for the alleged fraud firms relative to firms not accused of fraud. Finally, using propensity score match tests, the data provide evidence that managers of alleged fraud-firms increase dividends less often than managers of firms not accused of fraud, consistent with the alleged fraud firms not being able to match the dividend policies of firms not accused of fraud. Overall, our results suggest that dividends, especially dividend increases, are associated with higher earnings quality.
Interacting with Spatial Augmented Reality

Moving from flat screens into the physical world is an ongoing trend of HCI. Spatial augmented reality (SAR) augments the real world using projectors. It is used in multiple disciplines, especially in design and creative environments such as prototyping and artistic installations. Still, interaction with SAR is little explored. The objective of this thesis is to study SAR and its rich space for interaction, and find novel techniques to take advantage of it. First, previous work on SAR must be studied, then experimental prototypes have to be implemented and evaluated. This paper presents a brief introduction to technical aspects that need to be addressed, in addition to a study of the design spaces related to SAR. A first proof of concept is provided: using augmented objects in front of the screen, as part of a standard desktop environment work-flow. Future work will involve iteratively creating prototypes exploring the identified strengths and weaknesses of SAR, analyzing the viability of such prototypes via dedicated user studies.
Real options, resources and transaction costs: advancing the strategic theory of the firm

In the past, Transaction Cost Economics (TCE) and the Resource-Based View (RBV) have contributed strongly to the development of the strategic theory of the firm, that is strategic management theory with foundations in the theory of the firm. While TCE has given answers to the fundamental question of the existence and the boundaries of the firm (scope), the RBV has focused on the question why firms differ from each other (heterogeneity). However, both theories lack a dynamic perspective, including adaptation to change and uncertainty. We argue that Real Options Theory (ROT) can remedy this shortcoming. The aim of the paper is therefore to integrate the complementary perspectives of ROT, the RBV and TCE in order to advance the strategic theory of the firm. In doing so, we simultaneously extend ROT by addressing issues in strategic management, which have been neglected so far. We derive testable propositions from our argument and discuss managerial implications as well as limitations and extensions.
Positions and salience in European Union politics: Estimation and validation of a new dataset

This article introduces the ‘Positions and Salience in European Union Politics’ dataset. The dataset comprises positional and salience estimates of more than 250 parties and governments in the European Union (EU). These estimates, which all come with measures of uncertainty, pertain to 10 important EU policy domains as well as a European integration and a left—right scale. The dataset exploits statistics from hand-coded European party manifestos provided by the ‘Euromanifestos’ project and uses simulation to correct stochastic error. The manifestos are scaled using a technique for count data that employs principles from psychophysics. For most European domestic parties and major European Parliament groups, the estimates range from 1979 to 2004, while for member state governments time-series between 1998 and 2007 are available. The dataset may be of use to scholars interested in European integration, Europeanization, compliance research or EU legislative decision-making.
High COVID-19 vaccine coverage allows for a re-opening of European universities

Returning universities to full on-campus operations while the COVID-19 pandemic is ongoing has been a controversial discussion in many countries. The risk of large outbreaks in dense course settings is contrasted by the benefits of in-person teaching. Transmission risk depends on a range of parameters, such as vaccination coverage, number of contacts and adoption of non-pharmaceutical intervention measures (NPIs). Due to the generalised academic freedom in Europe, many universities are asked to autonomously decide on and implement intervention measures and regulate on-campus operations. In the context of rapidly changing vaccination coverage and parameters of the virus, universities often lack the scientific facts to base these decisions on. To address this problem, we analyse a calibrated, data-driven simulation of transmission dynamics of 10755 students and 974 faculty in a medium-sized university. We use a co-location network reconstructed from student enrolment data and calibrate transmission risk based on outbreak size distributions in other Austrian education institutions. We focus on actionable interventions that are part of the already existing decision-making process of universities to provide guidance for concrete policy decisions. Here we show that with the vaccination coverage of about 80% recently reported for students in Austria, universities can be safely reopened if they either mandate masks or reduce lecture hall occupancy to 50%. Our results indicate that relaxing NPIs within an organisation based on the vaccination coverage of its sub-population can be a way towards limited normalcy, even if nation wide vaccination coverage is not sufficient to prevent large outbreaks yet.
Bicameral Politics in the European Union

The literature on legislative decision-making and bargaining in the EU has reached a common conclusion that the European Parliament (Parliament) and the Council of the European Union (Council) are on an equal footing in the main legislative procedure, the co-decision procedure. We present theoretical and empirical evidence to suggest that this is not the case. First, our analysis of the formal rules reveals that the Council has conditional agenda-setting power due to a change in the majority thresholds for adopting legislation from the first to the second reading in the Parliament. This change has important implications for the internal dynamics of the Parliament and its institutional powers vis-a-vis the Council. Testing these analytical considerations of the formal decision rules against voting data on all co-decision legislation adopted in the two institutions between 1999 and 2004, our empirical findings show that: first, from 1999 to 2004 coalition formation in the Council fell predominantly along the traditional left–right political dimensions when negotiating co-decision proposals. Second, when disagreement over legislation is recorded in the Council, a strong divide can also be found in the Parliament. Third, when the Parliament is divided along party political lines, it is less likely to be able to meet the absolute majority requirement for amending the proposal adopted by the Council. Lastly, Parliament amendments are most likely to be adopted when a decision by voting is requested by a party group associated with the main ideological contingency in the Council.
A case study of shell at Sakhalin: having a whale of a time?

This is a case study on the world's largest oil and gas project, at the Sakhalin Islands, Russia. Shell is the key promoter of this project. The case highlights the sustainability challenges that Shell faced when working on the mega-project. By their very nature, all such projects involve disruptions in the environmental and social fabric of the project site. NGOs often take up these issues and create international headlines, bringing pressure on the management team. The Russian government also changed its stand over a period of time. While many of these issues are valid in their own way, they often create managerial dilemmas. Traditional management approaches to community development and environmental conservation fell short of stakeholder expectations at Sakhalin. The issue of saving around 100 endangered whales put a cloud of doubt over this $20 billion project. The case highlights strategic issues involved in crafting sustainability strategies at mega-projects, possible pitfalls and the challenge of balancing project execution and stakeholder commitments against an unstable political backdrop. As Shell plans to start many exploration projects in bio-diversity rich parts of the world, the Sakhalin project acts as a pilot to and reminder of social responsibility challenges to big multi-nationals. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment.
Matrix Metalloproteinases in Necrotising Enterocolitis

Elevated cytokines, especially TNF-α, have been implicated in the pathogenesis of necrotising enterocolitis (NEC). We have previously shown that TNF-α drives the production of matrix degrading enzymes, the matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), in the gut wall. In this study we have therefore investigated the role of MMPs in the pathogenesis of NEC in neonates. Nine newborn infant nonnecrotic resected bowels with confirmed NEC were studied and 8 newborn infants with neonatal bowel obstructions were used as controls. Immunostaining was used to identify the numbers of monocytes, macrophages, neutrophils, and T cells in the tissue. We used quantitative, competitive RT-PCR to analyze the number of TNF-α, IFN-γ, MMP, and TIMP mRNA transcripts and western blotting to analyze MMP and TIMP protein production. Double labeling (immunostaining and in situ hybridization) was used to identify the phenotype of MMP mRNA expressing cells. We found increased numbers of monocytes, macrophages, and neutrophils in NEC tissue compared with controls. The number of T cells was unexpectedly low in NEC as was the number of IFN-γ transcripts in comparison with the control samples. Increased numbers of transcripts for TNF-α were detected in NEC tissue, as was mRNA expression and protein production for stromelysin-1 and TIMP-1 but not collagenase, gelatinases, or TIMP-2. The cellular source of stromelysin-1 in NEC was α-smooth muscle actin positive cells. These results suggest that stromelysin-1, which has the ability to degrade the mucosal extra-cellular matrix, may be responsible for the extensive tissue injury in infants with NEC.
Are more equal societies happier? Subjective well-being, income inequality, and redistribution

Using four waves of the European Social Survey, we analyze the association of income inequality and redistribution with subjective well-being. Our results provide evidence that people in Europe are negatively affected by income inequality, while reduction of inequality has a positive effect on well-being. Since we simultaneously estimate the effects of inequality and its reduction, our results indicate that not only the perceived income inequality what influences subjective well-being, but also the process, the extent of redistribution, what lead to that state. These impacts are different in Eastern and Western Europe. Inequality aversion and the positive effect of redistribution seem to be stronger also for less affluent members of the societies and left-wing oriented individuals.