Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A Two-centre Evaluation of the Human Organotypic Skin Explant Culture Model for Screening Contact Allergens

Animal models are considered to be the “gold standard” for determining the potential contact allergenicity of low molecular weight chemicals. However, governmental regulations and ethical considerations limit the use of animals for such purposes. There is therefore a need for in vitro alternative models. The human organotypic skin explant culture (HOSEC) model is reported to be a promising alternative method for the predictive testing of contact allergens. The accelerated migration of Langerhans cells from the epidermis upon exposure to contact allergens is used to identify chemicals that are potentially capable of inducing a delayed-type hypersensitivity. In the study described in this paper, the model was further refined, and used, in two independent laboratories, to screen 23 low molecular weight compounds of known classification for their allergenicity. Each laboratory was able to accurately detect the contact allergens, despite small variations in the protocols used. However, the classification of dermal irritants, which have often been falsely classified as allergens, varied between the two laboratories. Despite the current limitations of the HOSEC model, the accuracy of the predictions made (sensitiser or non-sensitiser) compare favourably with classifications obtained with commonly used animal models. The HOSEC model has the potential to be developed further as an in vitro alternative to animal models for screening for contact allergens.
Predictable Stock Returns: The Role of Small Sample Bias

Predictive regressions are subject to two small sample biases: the coefficient estimate is biased if the predictor is endogenous and asymptotic standard errors in the case of overlapping periods are biased downward. Both biases work in the direction of making t-ratios too large so that standard inference may indicate predictability even if none is present. Using annual returns since 1872 and monthly returns since 1927, the authors estimate empirical distributions by randomizing residuals in the vector autoregression representation of the variables. The estimated biases are large enough to affect inference in practice and should be accounted for when studying predictability. Copyright 1993 by American Finance Association.
HER2-Driven Carcinogenesis: New Mouse Models for Novel Immunotherapies

The immune system might well be the best weapon against cancer, since immune defense is programmed to recognize and destroy abnormal cells infected by viruses or affected by transforming genetic or epigenetic alterations. If properly activated, a specific immune attack can be amplified and maintained long-term. These powerful mechanisms must be harnessed to fight against invading microorganisms and against cancer cells, which subvert the circuits that normally control cell proliferation and survival by displaying an anarchic behavior.
Vaccination procedures against Coxsackievirus-induced heart disease

Coxsackievirus B3 – a member of the picornavirus family – is one of the major causes of virus-induced acute or chronic heart disease. Despite the fact that the molecular structure of this pathogen has been characterized very precisely during the last 10 years, until recently, there was no virus-specific preventive or therapeutic procedure against Coxsackievirus B3-induced human heart disease in clinical use. However, using different murine model systems it has been demonstrated that classic as well as newly developed vaccination procedures are quite successful in preventing Coxsackievirus B3 infections. In particular, the application of an interferon-γ-expressing recombinant Coxsackievirus variant against Coxsackievirus B3-induced myocarditis has been effective.
Nonshivering Thermogenesis in a Marsupial (the Tasmanian Bettong Bettongia gaimardi) Is Not Attributable to Brown Adipose Tissue

The Tasmanian bettong (Bettongia gaimardi, a marsupial) is a rat‐kangaroo that increases nonshivering thermogenesis (NST) in response to norepinephrine (NE). This study attempted to assess whether brown adipose tissue (BAT), a specialized thermogenic effector, is involved in NST in the bettong. Regulatory NST, indicated by resting oxygen consumption (Vo2) of the whole body, was measured under conscious conditions at 20°C with various stimuli: cold (4°–5°C) or warm (25°C) acclimation, NE injection, and the β3‐adrenoceptor agonist (BRL) 37344. In line with the functional studies in vivo, the presence of BAT was evaluated by examining the expression of the uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1) with both rat cDNA and oligonucleotide probes. Both NE and BRL 37344 significantly stimulated NST in the bettong. After cold acclimation of the animals (at 4°–5°C for 2 wk), the resting Vo2 was increased by 15% and the thermogenic effect of NE was enhanced; warm‐acclimated animals showed a slightly depressed response. However, no expression of UCP1 was detected in bettongs either before or after cold exposure (2 wk). These data suggest that the observed NST in the marsupial bettong is not attributable to BAT.
The Influence of HR, IT, and Market Knowledge Competencies on the Performance of HR Manager in Food Exporting Companies in Thailand

The main purposes are to study the characteristics of HR managers and their organizations as well as to examine thier level of HR, IT, and Market knowledge competencies, and also study the influence of HR, IT, and market knowledge competencies on performance. The sample of 1000 HR manager companies were selected by random sampling from 2270 food export companies listed in the Thailand's Exports Directory. There were 374 questionnaires which were used for data analysis. The results showed that HR managers who have different personal data and organizational characteristics have significant differences in HR, IT, and Market knowledge competencies at a significance level 0.05. HR and Market knowledge compatencies can influence HR and Organizational performance, whereas IT competencies cannot influence HR and organizational performance.
Demand for M2 in an Emerging-Market Economy: An Error-Correction Model for Malaysia

This paper analyses demand for M2 in Malaysia from August 1973 to December 1995 under both the closed- and open-economy framework. Based on the cointegration and weak-exogeneity test results, short-run dynamic error-correction models are specified and estimated. The results indicate that the demand is for real MZ. Both the long- and short-run models are well-specified and are fairly stable. The long-run income elasticity is close to one with the opportunity cost variables carrying the expected signs. The external events have some influence on the stability.
The effects of tax convexity on default and investment decisions

The objective of this article is to examine how default and investment triggers change under different levels of tax asymmetry when firms face nonlinear tax schedules. Under a convex tax schedule, profits are taxed at a higher rate, while losses are taxed (or rebated) at a lower rate, thus reducing the risk shared by the government. This article presents a dynamic model based on the contingent-claims framework to explore the impacts of tax convexity on the triggers, and we find that the impacts vary significantly depending on several countervailing forces. Tax convexity has a nonmonotonic relationship with both the default and investment triggers, because of the government’s risk-sharing role. The default trigger is higher when tax convexity increases, while the growth option exerts a counteracting effect that lowers this trigger, creating an ambiguity in the investment trigger when changing the level of tax asymmetry.
True state dependence and heterogeneity in off-farm labour participation.

This paper discusses models of off-farm labour participation estimated with panel data. With this kind of model, unexplained persistence in a labour state may be due to true state dependence (when a previous state modifies attitudes, constraints or parameters) and/or to heterogeneity (unobservable permanent individual characteristics). Probit models assuming either heterogeneity or true state dependence are estimated from a two-period panel survey of Pennsylvania farms, and compared with cross-section or pooled sample models. Statistical tests to infer the source of persistence are proposed. The results suggest that for Pennsylvania farmers and spouses, in addition to other personal, household and farm characteristics found to be important in previous studies, previous off-farm labour state is relevant in off-farm labour participation decisions. Copyright 2000, Oxford University Press.
Biologically Active Decorin Is a Monomer in Solution*

It has been reported that decorin and its protein core can have molecular masses nearly double the size of those previously published, suggesting a dimeric structure. In this study we tested whether biologically active decorin and its glycoprotein core would form dimers in solution. We used homo- and hetero-bifunctional chemical cross-linking reagents, BS3 and sulfo-SMPB, respectively, as well as glutaraldehyde and found no preferential dimer formation, whether chemical cross-linking was performed in the presence or absence of live cells. Under the same experimental conditions, we easily detected dimers of epidermal growth factor receptor and basic fibroblast growth factor, two glycoproteins known to dimerize. Only at very high cross-linker to decorin molar ratios (2000:1) were trimers and multimers observed, but performing the chemical cross-linking in the presence of a reducing agent abolished these. The elution of decorin protein core in Superose 6 gel chromatography gave masses compatible with monomeric proteins, both before and after denaturation with 2.5 m guanidine HCl. Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization gave a mass of 44,077 Da for decorin protein core, without any evidence of dimers or oligomers. Extensive oligomerization of the decorin protein core was observed only after dialysis against water and freeze-drying. These oligomers were considered artifacts because they were independent of chemical cross-linking and were resistant to heat denaturation and disulfide-bond reduction. Oligomeric preparations showed markedly reduced biological activity in both phosphorylation and collagen fibrillogenesis assays. Thus, biologically active decorin is a monomer in solution and, as such, is a monovalent ligand for various extracellular matrix proteins, growth factors, and cell surface receptors.
Human-in-the-loop Bayesian optimization of wearable device parameters

The increasing capabilities of exoskeletons and powered prosthetics for walking assistance have paved the way for more sophisticated and individualized control strategies. In response to this opportunity, recent work on human-in-the-loop optimization has considered the problem of automatically tuning control parameters based on realtime physiological measurements. However, the common use of metabolic cost as a performance metric creates significant experimental challenges due to its long measurement times and low signal-to-noise ratio. We evaluate the use of Bayesian optimization—a family of sample-efficient, noise-tolerant, and global optimization methods—for quickly identifying near-optimal control parameters. To manage experimental complexity and provide comparisons against related work, we consider the task of minimizing metabolic cost by optimizing walking step frequencies in unaided human subjects. Compared to an existing approach based on gradient descent, Bayesian optimization identified a near-optimal step frequency with a faster time to convergence (12 minutes, p < 0.01), smaller inter-subject variability in convergence time (± 2 minutes, p < 0.01), and lower overall energy expenditure (p < 0.01).
Bioengineering of Bacterial Polymer Inclusions Catalyzing the Synthesis of N-Acetylneuraminic Acid

ABSTRACT N-Acetylneuraminic acid is produced by alkaline epimerization of N-acetylglucosamine to N-acetylmannosamine and then subsequent condensation with pyruvate catalyzed by free N-acetylneuraminic acid aldolase. The high-alkaline conditions of this process result in the degradation of reactants and products, while the purification of free enzymes to be used for the synthesis reaction is a costly process. The use of N-acetylglucosamine 2-epimerase has been seen as an alternative to the alkaline epimerization process. In this study, these two enzymes involved in N-acetylneuraminic acid production were immobilized to biopolyester beads in vivo in a one-step, cost-efficient process of production and isolation. Beads with epimerase-only, aldolase-only, and combined epimerase/aldolase activity were recombinantly produced in Escherichia coli. The enzymatic activities were 32 U, 590 U, and 2.2 U/420 U per gram dry bead weight, respectively. Individual beads could convert 18% and 77% of initial GlcNAc and ManNAc, respectively, at high substrate concentrations and near-neutral pH, demonstrating the application of this biobead technology to fine-chemical synthesis. Beads establishing the entire N-acetylneuraminic acid synthesis pathway were able to convert up to 22% of the initial N-acetylglucosamine after a 50-h reaction time into N-acetylneuraminic acid.
Eating disorders in college men.

OBJECTIVE This study was designed to assess the characteristics of men with eating disorders in the community. METHOD The authors recruited 25 men meeting DSM-IV criteria for eating disorders and 25 comparison men through advertisements in college newspapers. A second comparison group comprised 33 women with bulimia nervosa who were recruited and interviewed with virtually identical methods. RESULTS The men with eating disorders closely resembled the women with eating disorders but differed sharply from the comparison men in phenomenology of illness, rates of comorbid psychiatric disorders, and dissatisfaction with body image. Homosexuality did not appear to be a common feature of men with eating disorders in the community. Childhood physical and sexual abuse appeared slightly more common among the eating-disordered men than among the comparison men. CONCLUSIONS Eating disorders, although less common in men than in women, appear to display strikingly similar features in affected individuals of the two genders.
Partial chemical and functional characterization of milk whey products obtained by different processes

Amostras de proteinas de soro de leite bovino (S-1 a S-5) foram testadas, in vivo e in vitro, para algumas propriedades nutricionais e bioatividades. Para os testes in vivo foram usados ratos da linhagem Wistar alimentados por 21 dias com dieta AIN-93G modificada quanto ao teor de proteina (12 g proteinas.100 g-1 de dieta). Os parâmetros nutricionais medidos nao diferiram entre as proteinas do soro de leite administradas atraves das dietas. O teor de glutationa nos eritrocitos foi mais elevado para o grupo alimentado com a amostra S-3. No grupo alimentado com S-3, a secrecao de citocinas (IL-10 e TNF-α) por celulas humanas mononucleares da circulacao periferica, cultivadas no meio RPMI-1640, foi mais elevada na ausencia do antigeno BCG do que em sua presenca. A secrecao de IL-4 foi inibida em todos os tratamentos. O IC50, concentracao de proteina de soro necessaria para inibir 50% da proliferacao de celulas de melanoma de camundongo foi 2,68 mg.mL-1 de meio de cultura para a amostra S-3 e 3,66 mg.mL-1 para a amostra S-2. Com base nesses resultados concluiu-se que a amostra S-3 (concentrado de proteina de soro enriquecida com TGF-β e lactoferrina) produziu melhores respostas nutricional e imunologica quando comparada aos demais produtos testados.
Adaptive Scalable Video Transmission Strategy in Energy Harvesting Communication System

In this paper, we consider the adaptive transmission problem of scalable video in an energy harvesting communication system. The stochastic nature of the harvested energy puts a new challenge on the video transmission. Against this challenge, we formulate the adaptive scalable video transmission problem as maximizing the time average quality of the transmitted video subject to the energy constraint for reducing the playback interruption and the video quality smoothness constraint. In order to solve this problem, the Lyapunov optimization method is applied to derive an online dynamic layer transmission algorithm (DLTA). The simulation results show that the proposed DLTA can achieve better performance in terms of the received video quality and the convergence rate than a conventional reinforcement learning algorithm like the Q-learning method. It is also illustrated that the energy and smoothness constraints are beneficial for controlling the behavior of DLTA.
Centrosome reduction during mouse spermiogenesis.

The sperm does not contribute the centrosome during murine fertilization. To determine the manner in which a functional centrosome is reduced, we have studied centrosome degeneration during spermiogenesis of mice. The round spermatids display normal centrosomes consisting of a pair of centrioles along with gamma-tubulin containing foci. However, they do not seem to organize microtubules. Elongating spermatids display gamma-tubulin spots in the neck region, while microtubules are organized from the perinuclear ring as the manchette. Electron microscopic studies using immunogold labeling revealed that gamma-tubulin is mainly localized in the centriolar adjunct from which an aster of microtubules emanates. Microtubules repolymerized randomly in the cytoplasm after nocodazole treatment and reversal. gamma-Tubulin dissociates from the neck region and is discarded in the residual bodies during spermiation. The distal centriole degenerates during testicular stage of spermiogenesis, while the proximal centriole is lost during epididymal stage. Loss of centrosomal protein and centrioles in mouse sperm further confirm the maternal inheritance of centrosome during murine fertilization.
The Cross-Section of Expected Stock Returns: Learning about Distress and Predictability in Heterogeneous Orchards

We study an equilibrium asset pricing model with several Lucas (1978) trees subject to persistent distress events, where the agent has incomplete information about the state of an underlying common factor and learns from the events occurring to each tree. Contrary to similar asset pricing models with learning in one-tree economies, we find that cross-sectional learning and distress events can reverse several implications and help to explain empirical equity premia and risk-free rate dynamics. We also find that learning helps to generate more realistic dispersion of cross-sectional expected returns, relative to pure aggregate consumption risk models with complete information and disaster risk. The model provides a simple setting to study the asset pricing implications of orchards in which the cash flow links among different trees are asymmetric and some trees are more exogeneous than others. This allows, among other things, to link reduced-form assumptions of cash-flow risk heterogeneity to the structural properties of the orchard. Finally, we show that the cash-flow connectivity of a firm in the orchard is linked to the slope of the dividend strip curve. Sectors whose dividend process is exogenous in the orchard have negatively sloped term structures of dividend swaps. The opposite holds for endogenous sectors.
Labor-use efficiency and employment elasticity in Chinese manufacturing

The paper analyzes labor-use efficiency and employment elasticity in China’s manufacturing sector by applying a stochastic input distance function to the panel data of twenty-eight Chinese manufacturing industries relative to 1999-2008. The outcome is a labor-use efficiency rate ranging from 32.9% to 100% with a mean value of 85.5%, in addition to efficiency gains over time. Employment elasticity was found to vary extensively across industries. Breaking down the employment rate of change into various components, such as technical change, technical efficiency change, and rate of change in inputs, etc., shows that the Chinese manufacturing industries experienced no "jobless growth" during the review period. Keywords: labor requirement function, technical inefficiency, stochastic frontier model
Information-flow and data-flow analysis of while-programs

Until recently, information-flow analysis has been used primarily to verify that information transmission between program variables cannot violate security requirements. Here, the notion of information flow is explored as an aid to program development and validation. Information-flow relations are presented for while-programs, which identify those program statements whose execution may cause information to be transmitted from or to particular input, internal, or output values. It is shown with examples how these flow relations can be helpful in writing, testing, and updating programs; they also usefully extend the class of errors which can be detected automatically in the “static analysis” of a program.
Markov-Perfect Industry Dynamics: A Framework for Empirical Work

This paper provides a model of firm and industry dynamics that allows for entry, exit and firm-specific uncertainty generating variability in the fortunes of firms. It focuses on the impact of uncertainty arising from investment in research and exploration-type processes. It analyses the behaviour of individual firms exploring profit opportunities in an evolving market place and derives optimal policies, including exit, in this environment. Then it adds an entry process and aggregates the optimal behaviour of all firms, including potential entrants, into a rational expectations, Markov-perfect industry equilibrium, and proves ergodicity of the equilibrium process. Numerical examples are used to illustrate the more detailed characteristics of the stochastic process generating industry structures that result from this equilibrium.
Contextualizing Experience Effects in International Business: A Study of Ownership Strategies

Experienced firms act differently than newcomers, yet such differences vary with the context and with the type of experience. This research examines the effects of international experience on multinational enterprises' (MNEs') ownership strategy across a range of developed and developing economies. We distinguish competence-building and partner-selection effects of experience, which vary between general international experience and country-specific experience, and across host contexts. This contextualization of the theoretical arguments suggests that the predicted effects hold in some host countries, but not in others. In support of these arguments, our empirical study of subsidiaries of Taiwanese electronics forms finds that general international experience facilitates wholly owned operations in developed economies in Asia and Europe, while country-specific experience facilitates joint ownership in China.
The effect of VAT rate on inflation in Latvia: evidence from CPI microdata

This article evaluates the inflation effect of recent value added tax (VAT) rate changes in Latvia by using consumer price index (CPI) microdata. Our findings suggest that the pass-through of the tax rate to consumer prices is strong in case of upward tax adjustments, especially when there are no demand restrictions, while the pass-through is weaker for tax reductions. The frequency of price changes peaks at the moment of VAT adjustment, which, however, is partially compensated by lower average size of price revisions. The level of pass-through exhibits a high degree of heterogeneity with higher pass-through for goods, especially food, and lower for services.