Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Biochemical biomarkers in liver and gill tissues of freshwater fish Carassius auratus following in vivo exposure to hexabromobenzene

Hexabromobenzene (HBB) is a novel brominated flame retardant (BFR) with ample evidence of its ubiquitous existence in the aquatic ecosystems. However, to date, the toxicological effects of this BFR on fish have been inadequately researched. The present study was conducted, based on an in vivo model, to investigate HBB‐induced biochemical changes in liver and gill tissues of Carassius auratus after medium‐term exposure to different concentrations (10, 150, and 300 mg/kg) for 7, 14, and 25 days. Oxidative stress was evoked evidently for the prolonged exposure, demonstrated by significant inhibition in antioxidant enzymes activities including superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione reductase, glutathione peroxidase, and glutathione S‐transferase, and a decrease in reduced glutathione level, as well as simultaneous elevation in malondialdehyde content. Moreover, Na+, K+‐ATPase activity, and protein level were remarkably reduced in fish tissues. Based on the integrated biomarker response, the toxic potency in each treatment was distinguished, and the more severe stress was mainly noted with the increasing concentrations and the extending durations. It was also observed that liver exhibited more pronounced alterations in biochemical parameters than gill, probably indicating the vulnerability of liver to HBB‐triggered oxidative stress. Taken together, the results of this study clearly showed that HBB was capable of inducing oxidative stress and inhibiting Na+, K+‐ATPase activity in different tissues of C. auratus after medium‐term exposure. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Environ Toxicol 29: 1460–1470, 2014.
The Risk-Taking Channel of Liquidity Regulations and Monetary Policy

We study the implications of liquidity regulations and monetary policy on depositmaking and risk-taking. Banks give risky loans by creating deposits that firms use to pay suppliers. Firms and banks can take more or less risk. In equilibrium, higher liquidity requirements always lower risk at the cost of lower investment. Nevertheless, a positive liquidity requirement is always optimal. Monetary conditions affect the optimal size of liquidity requirements, and the optimal size is countercyclical. It is only optimal to impose a 100% liquidity requirement when the nominal interest rate is sufficiently low.
Use of management reports and performance of sales managers in an insurance company

ABSTRACT This article aims to investigate the relationship between perceptions of the enabling dimension and the technical validity of the management reports of an insurance company and the performance of its sales managers, mediated by the use of these reports. Companies invest resources in providing management reports for business managers to take decisions, so understanding what influences the use of these reports and whether this use is associated with performance constitutes a relevant subject for both academia and professional practice. The results may be useful for organizations that are taking decisions to invest in management reports, showing that technical validity is what best influences the use of these reports, at least in the short term, which is also a contribution to the theory. Secondary data were combined with a survey of 231 respondents from an insurance company and analyzed using the structural equation modeling (SEM) technique via partial least squares (PLS). The article contributes to the literature and management accounting practice by demonstrating that, unlike in previous studies, the enabling dimension does not positively influence the use of management reports. On the other hand, the study shows that technical validity, which is a more tangible dimension of the quality of management reports, is positively associated with their use and that this use influences the performance of the sales managers. Keywords: use of management reports, sales performance, sales managers, insurers, enabling.
Modelled Cost-Effectiveness of a Package Size Cap and a Kilojoule Reduction Intervention to Reduce Energy Intake from Sugar-Sweetened Beverages in Australia

Interventions targeting portion size and energy density of food and beverage products have been identified as a promising approach for obesity prevention. This study modelled the potential cost-effectiveness of: a package size cap on single-serve sugar sweetened beverages (SSBs) >375 mL (package size cap), and product reformulation to reduce energy content of packaged SSBs (energy reduction). The cost-effectiveness of each intervention was modelled for the 2010 Australia population using a multi-state life table Markov model with a lifetime time horizon. Long-term health outcomes were modelled from calculated changes in body mass index to their impact on Health-Adjusted Life Years (HALYs). Intervention costs were estimated from a limited societal perspective. Cost and health outcomes were discounted at 3%. Total intervention costs estimated in AUD 2010 were AUD 210 million. Both interventions resulted in reduced mean body weight (package size cap: 0.12 kg; energy reduction: 0.23 kg); and HALYs gained (package size cap: 73,883; energy reduction: 144,621). Cost offsets were estimated at AUD 750.8 million (package size cap) and AUD 1.4 billion (energy reduction). Cost-effectiveness analyses showed that both interventions were “dominant”, and likely to result in long term cost savings and health benefits. A package size cap and kJ reduction of SSBs are likely to offer excellent “value for money” as obesity prevention measures in Australia.
The Influence of Knowledge and Persuasion on the Decision to Adopt or Reject Alternative Fuel Vehicles

Alternative fuel vehicles, such as battery electric vehicles and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, support the imperative to decarbonise the transport sector, but are not yet at a stage in their development where they can successfully compete with conventional fuel vehicles. This paper examines the influence of knowledge and persuasion on the decision to adopt or reject alternative fuel vehicles, a novel and original application of Rogers’ Theory of Diffusion of Innovations. A household questionnaire survey was undertaken with respondents in the Sutton Coldfield suburb of the United Kingdom city of Birmingham. This suburb was previously identified as having a strong spatial cluster of potential early adopters of alternative fuel vehicles. The survey results provide some useful empirical insights around the issues pertaining to the wider adoption of alternative fuel vehicles, even though the data is a bit dated as the survey was conducted in 2013. It is confirmed that respondents have limited knowledge of alternative fuel vehicles and perceptions have led to the development of negative attitudes towards them. The reasons largely relate to three problems: purchase price, limited range and poor infrastructure availability. Most respondents passively rejected alternative fuel vehicles, which confirms that a concerted effort is required to inform the general public about the benefits alternative fuel vehicles.
In vivo human gastrocnemius architecture with changing joint angle at rest and during graded isometric contraction.

1. Human gastrocnemius medialis architecture was analysed in vivo, by ultrasonography, as a function of joint angle at rest and during voluntary isometric contractions up to the maximum force (MCV). maximum force (MVC). 2. At rest, as ankle joint angle increased from 90 to 150 deg, pennation increased from 15.8 to 27.7 deg, fibre length decreased from 57.0 to 34.0 mm and the physiological cross‐sectional area (PCSA) increased from 42.1 to 63.5 cm2. 3. From rest to MVC, at a fixed ankle joint angle of 110 deg, pennation angle increased from 15.5 to 33.6 deg and fibre length decreased from 50.8 to 32.9 mm, with no significant change in the distance between the aponeuroses. As a result of these changes the PCSA increased by 34.8%. 4. Measurements of pennation angle, fibre length and distance between the aponeuroses of the gastrocnemius medialis were also performed by ultrasound on a cadaver leg and found to be in good agreement with direct anatomical measurements. 5. It is concluded that human gastrocnemius medialis architecture is significantly affected both by changes of joint angle at rest and by isometric contraction intensity. The remarkable shortening observed during isometric contraction suggests that, at rest, the gastrocnemius muscle and tendon are considerably slack. The extrapolation of muscle architectural data obtained from cadavers to in vivo conditions should be made only for matching muscle lengths.
Revisiting Public Support for the Euro, 1999–2017: Accounting for the Crisis and the Recovery

This paper explores the evolution and determinants of public support for the euro since its creation in 1999 until the end of 2017, thereby covering the pre-crisis experience of the euro, the crisis years and the recent recovery. Using uniquely large macro and micro databases and applying up-to-date econometric techniques, we revisit the growing literature on public support for the euro. First, we find that a majority of respondents support the euro in nearly all 19 euro area member states. Second, we offer fresh evidence that economic factors are the main determinants of changes in the level of support for the euro: crisis reduces support while periods of recovery bode well for public support. This result holds for both macroeconomic and microeconomic factors. Turning to a broad set of socio-economic variables, we find clear differences in support due to education and perceptions of economic status.
A novel multiplex PCR for molecular characterization of methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus recovered from Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

BACKGROUND Molecular characterization of staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec) types of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is very essential for studying the epidemiology of MRSA. OBJECTIVES This study reports two multiplex PCR for molecular typing of MRSA collected from Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. MATERIALS AND METHODS A total of 101 clinical isolates of strains were collected from major hospital laboratories and public health centres, Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia during the period from August 2009 to May 2011. All the strains were tested phenotypically by conventional methods and genotypically by a novel multiplex PCR targeting at the same time S. aureus 16S rRNA, Panton - valentine leucocidin (PVL) and mecA resistance genes. All the strains were tested also by multiplex PCR for typing of SCC mec types. RESULTS All the 101 strains previously identified phenotypically as S. aureus with bacteriological examination were positive for amplification of 756 base pair fragments specific for 16S rRNA of S. aureus. Moreover, all the strains were positive for amplification of 1339 base pair fragments specific for mecA gene, while only 38 strains (37.6%) showed positive amplification of 433 base pair fragments specific for PVL gene. The most predominant SCC mec type among the examined isolates is type V 43 (42.5) followed by SCCmec type III 39 (38.6%). CONCLUSION The newly modified multiplex PCR is rapid and sensitive method for detection of MRSA. Moreover, the most predominant SCC mec type among the examined isolates from Jeddah, King Saudi Arabia is type V (42.5%), followed by Type III (38.6%).
Diagnosis of aggressive subtypes of eyelid basal cell carcinoma by 2-mm punch biopsy: prospective and comparative study.

OBJECTIVE : to compare the accuracy of preoperative 2-mm punch biopsy at one site and at two sites in the diagnosis of aggressive subtypes of eyelid basal cell carcinoma (BCC). METHODS : we randomly assigned patients to Group 1 (biopsy at one site) and Group 2 (biopsy at two sites). We compared the biopsy results to the gold standard (pathology of the surgical specimen). We calculated the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, accuracy and Kappa coefficient to determine the level of agreement in both groups. RESULTS : we analyzed 105 lesions (Group 1: n = 44; Group 2: n = 61). The agreement was 54.5% in Group 1 and 73.8% in Group 2 (p = 0.041). There was no significant difference between the groups regarding the distribution of quantitative and qualitative variables (gender, age, disease duration, tumor larger diameter, area and commitment of margins). Biopsy at two sites was two times more likely to agree with the gold standard than the biopsy of a single site. CONCLUSIONS : the accuracy and the performance indicators were better for 2-mm punch biopsy in two sites than in one site for the diagnosis of aggressive subtypes of eyelid BCC. OBJETIVO comparar a acurácia da biópsia pré-operatória por trépano de 2mm em um sítio e em dois sítios no diagnóstico dos subtipos agressivos de carcinoma basocelular (CBC) palpebral. MÉTODOS os pacientes foram distribuídos aleatoriamente em Grupo 1 (biópsia em um sítio) e Grupo 2 (biópsia em dois sítios). Os resultados das biópsias foram comparados com o padrão-ouro (exame anatomopatológico da peça cirúrgica). A sensibilidade, especificidade, valor preditivo positivo, valor preditivo negativo, precisão e coeficiente Kappa foram calculados para determinar o nível de concordância nos dois grupos. RESULTADOS foram analisadas 105 lesões (Grupo 1: n = 44; Grupo 2: n = 61). A concordância foi de 54,5% no Grupo 1 e 73,8% no Grupo 2 (p-valor = 0,041). Não houve diferença significativa entre os grupos quanto à distribuição das variáveis quantitativas e qualitativas (sexo, idade, duração da doença, maior diâmetro do tumor, área e comprometimento de margens). A biópsia em dois sítios mostrou duas vezes mais chance de concordar com o padrão-ouro do que a biópsia de um sítio. CONCLUSÕES a acurácia e os indicadores de desempenho foram melhores para a biópsia por trépano de 2 mm em dois sítios do que em um sítio para o diagnóstico dos subtipos agressivos de CBC palpebral.
Survivor: An enhanced controller placement strategy for improving SDN survivability

In SDN, forwarding devices can only operate correctly while connected to a logically centralized controller. To avoid single-point-of-failure, controller architectures are usually implemented as distributed systems. In this context, recent literature identified fundamental issues, such as device isolation and controller overload, and proposed controller placement strategies to tackle them. However, current proposals have crucial limitations: (i) device-controller connectivity is modeled using single paths, yet in practice multiple concurrent connections may occur; (ii) peaks in the arrival of new flows are only handled on-demand, assuming that the network itself can sustain high request rates; and (iii) failover mechanisms require predefined information, which, in turn, has been overlooked. This paper proposes Survivor, a controller placement strategy that addresses these challenges. The strategy explicitly considers path diversity, capacity, and failover mechanisms at network design. Comparisons to the state-of-the-art on survivable controller placement show that Survivor is superior because (a) path diversity increases the survivability significantly; and (b) capacity-awareness is essential to handle overload during both normal and failover states.
Time Courses of Growth and Remodeling of Porcine Aortic Media During Hypertension: A Quantitative Immunohistochemical Examination

Arteries undergo marked structural and functional changes in human and experimental hypertension that generally involve smooth muscle cell (SMC) hypertrophy/hyperplasia as well as abnormal extracellular matrix turnover. In this study we examined time courses of changes in SMC activity and matrix protein content in a novel mini-pig aortic coarctation model. Cell proliferation was evaluated by immunostaining of Ki-67, apoptosis was assessed by TUNEL, and phenotypic changes were monitored by immunostaining three SMC contractile markers (caldesmon, calponin, and smoothelin). Changes in medial collagen and elastin were examined by picrosirius red and Verhoeff–van Gieson staining, respectively. LabVIEW-based image analysis routines were developed to objectively and efficiently quantify the (immuno)histochemical results. We found that significant cell proliferation and matrix production occurred in the early stages of this coarctation model and then declined gradually; the SMCs also tended to exhibit a less contractile phenotype following these cellular and extracellular changes. Specifically, different aspects of the phenotypic changes associated with hypertension occurred at different rates: cell proliferation and collagen production occurred early and peaked by 2 weeks, whereas changes in contractile protein expression continued to decrease over the entire 8-week study period. Temporal changes found in this study emphasize the importance of simultaneously tracing time courses of SMC growth and differentiation as well as matrix protein production and content. SMCs are multifunctional, and caution must be used to not overdefine phenotype. This manuscript contains online supplemental material at http://www.jhc. org. Please visit this article online to view these materials.
Differential Techniques Used for Detection of Cryptosporidium Oocysts in Stool Specimens

Cryptosporidium is a coccidian protozoon belongs to phylum Apicomplexa, and an important etiologic agent of diarrheal disease in both immune-competent and immune-compromised hosts. There are many diagnostic techniques available for detecting and diagnosing of cryptosporidium spp. The microscopic methods are used in many studies but they are not reliable as compared to the molecular and serological methods. Most of these methods are time consuming and need expert skills to be carry out for clinical investigations. The detection and diagnosis of cryptosporidiosis in Pakistan is narrowed to major research laboratories and research centers therefore, it does not feature in protocols for routine investigations in many clinical laboratories. This review deals with the differential currently available diagnostic methods and their utilization as a standard for implementation of routine clinical diagnosis against cryptosporidium infection.
Polymer waveguide notch filter using two stacked thermooptic long-period gratings

A polymer waveguide notch filter using two stacked thermooptic long-period gratings is proposed. It is a long-period waveguide grating whose transmission spectrum can be dynamically controlled. Thermooptic index perturbation, i.e., grating is temporarily induced by two groups of periodic heaters stacked vertically on the filter surface. The periods of the two groups are determined such that two different resonance bands are generated in the spectrum by the respective groups. Thus, the overall spectrum may be actively shaped by controlling the individual power applied to the two groups. Its feasibility is demonstrated experimentally by fabricating it with thermocurable polymers.
Evolution of AbGRI2-0, the Progenitor of the AbGRI2 Resistance Island in Global Clone 2 of Acinetobacter baumannii

ABSTRACT A320, isolated in the Netherlands in 1982 and also known as RUH134, is the earliest available multiply antibiotic-resistant (MAR) Acinetobacter baumannii isolate belonging to global clone 2 (GC2) and is the reference strain for this clone. The draft genome sequence of A320 was used to investigate the original location and configuration of the IS26-bounded AbGRI2 resistance island found in current GC2 isolates. PCR mapping and sequencing were used to order contigs composing the resistance islands. A320 contains two IS26-bounded resistance islands, AbGRI2-0a and AbGRI2-0b, of 7.8 kb and 25.4 kb, respectively. Together they contain blaTEM, aacC1, aadA1, sul1, catA1, and aphA1b genes, which confer resistance to antibiotics used clinically in the 1970s, as well as an incomplete mercury resistance module. Tracking the continuity of the chromosome and the target site duplications revealed that the two resistance islands were originally together as AbGRI2-0, an island of 32.4 kb, and were subsequently separated via an IS26-mediated intramolecular inversion that reversed the orientation of 1.54 Mb of the chromosome and duplicated an IS26. A320 contains an ancestral form of AbGRI2, and the original insertion site of the AbGRI2 island was identified. Many of the AbGRI2 versions present in the completed GC2 genomes can be derived from it via the variant AbGRI2-1. IS26-mediated inversions have also played a part in forming AbGRI2-0, and, upon reversal, large regions of AbGRI2-0 are identical to parts of AbaR0, the ancestral version of the AbaR islands present in GC1 isolates. This indicates a common source.
On the mystique of the immunological self

Since the time of Paul Ehrlich 100 years ago, we have known that the immunological apparatus somehow inhibits most damaging autoimmune responses while permitting a response to exogenous immunogens. With the discovery of tolerance, the concept of immunological surveillance, and especially with the discovery of HLA restriction of T‐cell recognition, the term “the immunological self” and the phrase “self‐nonself discrimination” have gained wide currency. Immunology has been called The Science of Self, and self‐nonself discrimination has been assigned as the driving force for its complex evolution. The concept of self has thus been given such mystical trappings since the time of Macfarlane Burnet that recent workers have felt free to pronounce it the central paradigm of modern immunology, and to claim to overthrow it! In this article, we challenge some of the more egregious claims about the immunological self by recalling important historical findings, by reviewing the mechanisms of Darwinian evolution, and by remembering that the general pathology of immunogenic inflammation shows that the immune response cannot discriminate between the benign and the noxious.
Does export variety determine economic growth in Pakistan?

ABSTRACT This study explores the impact of export variety on economic growth in Pakistan. Export variety is decomposed into export related (within sector) and unrelated variety (between sectors) to examine the long run effect of export related variety and unrelated variety on economic growth. For this purpose, we incorporated export related variety and unrelated variety into the production function. The result of cointegration test shows that variables of the study are cointegrated in the long run. The result of fully modified ordinary least squares confirms the positive and significant effect of export related variety and unrelated variety on economic growth. Furthermore, the long run estimates show that the magnitude of export related variety is more than export unrelated variety. This study also finds the positive and significant effect of human capital on economic growth in the long run. It can be deduced from the results of the study that a specific sector shock will not disturb the economic pace of Pakistan.
Tobacco Price Elasticity and Tax Progressivity in Moldova

The study estimates the tobacco price elasticity of demand for the population of Moldova, and the price elasticity for 10 income groups is obtained. This appears to be the first tobacco price elasticity estimation for income groups in Moldova. The study undertakes an extended cost-benefit analysis to estimate the distributional effect of a rise in tobacco taxes on income distribution. As inputs, it uses tobacco price elasticity, mortality attributed to tobacco, and the medical costs of tobacco-attributed diseases.