Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Expression of a muscle‐specific, nitric oxide synthase transgene prevents muscle membrane injury and reduces muscle inflammation during modified muscle use in mice

Nitric oxide (NO) can function as either a pro‐inflammatory or anti‐inflammatory molecule, depending upon its concentration and the microenvironment in which it is produced. We tested whether muscle‐derived NO affects muscle inflammation and membrane lysis that occur in modified muscle use. Transgenic mice with muscle‐specific over‐expression of neuronal NO synthase (nNOS) were generated in which transgene expression was driven by the human skeletal muscle actin promoter. Transgenic mice and non‐transgenic littermates were subjected to hindlimb muscle unloading followed by reloading, which causes muscle inflammation and membrane lysis. NOS expression decreased in transgenic and non‐transgenic mice during muscle unloading. Muscle inflammation was assessed by immunohistochemistry after 24 h of muscle reloading following 10 days of unloading. Soleus muscles of non‐transgenic mice showed significant increases in the concentrations of neutrophils (4.8‐fold) and macrophages (11.3‐fold) during reloading, compared to mice that experienced unloading only. Muscles of transgenic mice showed 51 % fewer neutrophils in reloaded muscles than those of non‐transgenic mice, but macrophage concentrations did not differ from non‐transgenic mice. Muscle membrane damage was determined by measuring influx of an extracellular marker dye. Significantly more membrane damage occurred in muscles of non‐transgenic mice experiencing reloading than in ambulatory controls. However, membrane damage in the reloaded muscles of transgenic mice did not differ from that in ambulatory mice. In vitro cytotoxicity assays confirmed that mouse neutrophils lyse muscle cell membranes, and showed that inhibition of NOS in muscle and neutrophil co‐cultures significantly increased neutrophil‐mediated lysis of muscle cells. Together, these data show that muscle‐derived NO can function as an anti‐inflammatory molecule in muscle that experiences modified loading, and that NO can prevent neutrophil‐mediated damage of muscle cell membranes in vivo and in vitro.
Human Astrovirus Coat Protein Inhibits Serum Complement Activation via C1, the First Component of the Classical Pathway

ABSTRACT Human astroviruses (HAstVs) belong to a family of nonenveloped, icosahedral RNA viruses that cause noninflammatory gastroenteritis, predominantly in infants. Eight HAstV serotypes have been identified, with a worldwide distribution. While the HAstVs represent a significant public health concern, very little is known about the pathogenesis of and host immune response to these viruses. Here we demonstrate that HAstV type 1 (HAstV-1) virions, specifically the viral coat protein (CP), suppress the complement system, a fundamental component of the innate immune response in vertebrates. HAstV-1 virions and purified CP both suppress hemolytic complement activity. Hemolytic assays utilizing sera depleted of individual complement factors as well as adding back purified factors demonstrated that HAstV CP suppresses classical pathway activation at the first component, C1. HAstV-1 CP bound the A chain of C1q and inhibited serum complement activation, resulting in decreased C4b, iC3b, and terminal C5b-9 formation. Inhibition of complement activation was also demonstrated for HAstV serotypes 2 to 4, suggesting that this phenomenon is a general feature of these human pathogens. Since complement is a major contributor to the initiation and amplification of inflammation, the observed CP-mediated inhibition of complement activity may contribute to the lack of inflammation associated with astrovirus-induced gastroenteritis. Although diverse mechanisms of inhibition of complement activation have been described for many enveloped animal viruses, this is the first report of a nonenveloped icosahedral virus CP inhibiting classical pathway activation at C1.
Re‐thinking the role of the corporate sector in international development

Purpose – This paper explores the paradigm of international development that has persisted for the past five decades, and asks whether a fresh approach is needed – one that builds on the developmental potential of the corporate sector, not just on donor aid.Design/methodology/approach – This article explores both how corporations contribute to development and also the challenges in incorporating them into the wider processes of international development. This is achieved through the examination of two key sets of literature. The first is that regarding the effectiveness of the existing approach to international development. The second, smaller but growing, explores the impact that the corporate sector has had on raising countries out of poverty.Findings – This paper finds that despite the cost and effort, most developing countries remain just that – developing. Where countries have developed, there is strong evidence to suggest that this has been the result, not of international aid, but of a thriving cor.
AID TO THE POOR IN MIDDLE INCOME COUNTRIES AND THE FUTURE OF IDA

We are sleep walking into a situation where over the next decade and a half concessional development assistance will disengage from the bulk of the world’s poor. This is happening because countries that are graduating into Middle Income status still have large numbers of poor people. This new situation, where three quarters of the world’s poor live in Middle income Countries, raises fundamental questions about the salience of national level achievements in determining global responsibilities toward the poor in each nation. They also raise basic questions for the operational rules of access to concessional development assistance such as that provided by IDA. This paper sets out the issues, and presents a proposal for a new window of IDA which recognizes that poverty persists and development problems remain despite the welcome graduation of many countries to Middle Income status.
Easy Estimation Methods for Discrete-Time Duration Models

Recent literature has emphasized that estimation of duration models should take account of the sampling theme generating the data, but this cannot be done using the duration modules in currently-available packages. This paper shows that discrete-time duration models can be estimated easily using widely-available, non-specialist, software packages. It focuses on the case where the data are for respondents randomly selected from a stock at one date and then interviewed after some time interval has elapsed, and also shows that these results generalize to other sampling schemes where the likelihood function requires conditioning on survival to a date between sample selection and interview. The findings extend earlier results concerning the easy estimation of duration models which use data from random population samples. Copyright 1995 by Blackwell Publishing Ltd
Differential vasodilatory responses to local heating in facial, glabrous and hairy skin

Local heating induces biphasic cutaneous vasodilation in non‐glabrous skin of the forearm. However, little data exist in other skin regions, despite the prevalence of facial flushing disorders. We hypothesized that facial skin will have greater initial peak responses to local heating than forearm skin because of neural differences between sites and, furthermore, axon reflex vasodilation will be eliminated in facial sites with sensory blockade.
Biased Budgeting in the Public Sector: Evidence from Italian Local Governments

Abstract The purpose of this paper is to analyse, in terms of presence, determinants and purposes, the misrepresentation of expected revenues during budget formulation and the misrepresentation of actual revenues during budget execution. To this end, we use six-year panel data from Italian municipalities with populations above 15,000. Our results suggest that overestimations of current revenues are more frequent than underestimations, during both budget formulation and budget execution. In terms of determinants, our results highlight the impact on revenue misrepresentation of both political orientation and fiscal stress. Finally, in terms of purposes, we show that revenue underestimation during budget formulation and revenue overestimation during budget execution may contribute to the formation of surpluses. The former, in particular, may allow mayors to create a ‘war chest’ in non-election years, which can then be used to increase net borrowing on the eve of elections.
Differential space-time coding for cooperative relay system over frequency-selective channels

In this paper, a differential space-time coding (D-STC) scheme is presented for relay assisted cooperative wireless communication networks over frequency selective fading channels. Two most common schemes, i.e., differential amplify-and-forward (DAF) and differential decode-and-forward (DDF), are both investigated in our single relay assisted system. Leveraging spectral encoder and differential space-time modulation, our proposed scheme can achieve multipath diversity without instantaneous channel state information at each node. Moreover, the direct link is also taken into consideration. Theoretical analysis demonstrates a diversity gain of L3 + min {L1, L2} +2, where L1, L2 and L3 are the channel order for source-relay (S → R), relay-destination (R → D) and source-destination (S → D) links, respectively. Simulation results are presented to validate the good performance of the coding scheme and DST modulation of DAF and DDF.
Handling non-local dead-ends in Agent Planning Programs

We propose an approach to reason about agent planning programs with global information. Agent planning programs can be understood as a network of planning tasks, accommodating long-term goals, non-terminating behaviors, and interactive execution. We provide a technique that relies on reasoning about ``global" dead-ends and that can be incorporated to any planning-based approach to agent planning problems. In doing so, we also introduce the notion of online execution of such planning structures. We provide experimental evidence suggesting the technique yields significant benefits.
Three level Z source inverter based photovoltaic power conversion systems

A Z-source inverter (ZSI) has a unique ability to achieve single stage voltage buck-boost operation for energy conversion. This paper presents a three level ZSI using a single impedance network for photovoltaic (PV) application. A single LC impedance network is used between DC voltage source and neutral-point-clamped (NPC) inverter to achieve the desired stepped-up and stepped-down output voltage level. Alternative phase opposition and disposition (APOD) modulation technique with proper triplen offset and appropriate addition of time delay/advance is used to achieve the required boost in DC link voltage. A traditional MPPT technique is used to introduce a shoot-through interval in switching waveform to extract the maximum power from the PV panel. Traditional MPPT technique does not allow to boost the Z-network capacitor voltage more than the maximum power point (MPP) voltage of the PV array. This paper also presents a unified voltage control technique to track the MPPT and also maintains the desired Z-source capacitor voltage level. The design, implementation and control of single impedance network based multilevel ZSI for photovoltaic application is discussed and their MATLAB/Simulink simulation and results are presented in the later section of the paper to validate proposed control scheme in PV application.
Investigating the Imperfection of the B - S Model: A Case Study of an Emerging Stock Market

The Black ‐ Scholes (B-S) model is one of the widely used models in the pricing of financial option. The B-S model like most other models hinges on assumptions; one of which is the normality condition. A lot of researches have shown that using the log-return of developed market index that this assumption does not hold. We have shown in this paper using the log return from 1
The effect of different methods of controlling urolithiasis on ovine mineral metabolism.

GENERAL INTRODUCTION CHAPTER ONE REVIEW OF LITERATURE 1.1 MAINTENANCE OF ACID-BASE STATUS 1.1.1 Terms AssociBftJd with Acid-Base StBtus 1. 1.2 Buffer Systems 1.1.2.1 Bicarbonate buffer system 1.1.2.2 Haemoglobin buffer system 1.1.2.3 Phosphate buffer system 1.1.2.4 Respiratory buffer system 1.1.2.5 Renal buffer system ,. 1.3 Acid-Bsse Bslance Disturbances 1.1.3.1 Metabolic acidosis 1.1.3.1 Respiratory acidosis 1.2 THE OCCURRENCE OF UROLITHIASIS IN SHEEP 1.2. 1 Minersl Factors Affecting the Incidence of Urolithiasis 1.2.2 The Effsct of Urolithiasis on Blood Minerm Levels 1.2.3 The Effect of Urolithiasis on Urine Minerm Levels 1.2.4 The Effsct of Dietary Salts on Urolithiasis 1.3 THE EFFECT OF AMMONIUM CHLORIDE ON OVINE PHYSIOLOGY 1.3.1 The Effect of NH4 C1 on FtHKIlntaks and Weight
Evaluating the positive predictive values of antidote signals to detect potential adverse drug reactions (ADRs) in the medical intensive care unit (ICU)

Signals are used to alert clinicians of potential ADRs. Positive predictive values (PPVs) of antidote signals in ICUs are unknown. The primary purpose was to determine PPVs of six signals. The secondary objective was to determine the sensitivity of various ADR detection strategies including manual chart review, administrative data review, and voluntary reporting at identifying the same ADRs discovered using antidotes as a signal.
The Coronavirus Spike Protein Induces Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress and Upregulation of Intracellular Chemokine mRNA Concentrations

ABSTRACT Murine hepatitis virus (MHV) and severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) coronavirus (CoV) are two of the best-studied representatives of the family Coronaviridae. During CoV infection, numerous cytokines and chemokines are induced in vitro and in vivo. Human interleukin 8 and its mouse functional counterpart, CXCL2, are early-expressed chemokines. Here we show that SARS-CoV and MHV induce endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and Cxcl2 mRNA transcription during infection in vitro. Expression of the viral spike protein significantly induced ER stress and Cxcl2 mRNA upregulation, while expression of the other structural genes did not. Additional experiments with UV-inactivated virus, cell-cell fusion-blocking antibodies, and an MHV mutant with a defect in spike protein maturation demonstrated that spike-host interactions in the ER are responsible for the induction of ER stress and subsequent Cxcl2 mRNA transcription. Despite significant increases in levels of Cxcl2 mRNA and functional nucleus-to-cytoplasm RNA transport, no CXCL2 protein was released into the medium from MHV-infected cells. Yet Sendai virus-infected cells showed substantial Cxcl2 mRNA induction and a simultaneous increase in levels of secreted CXCL2 protein. Our results demonstrate that expression of CoV spike proteins induces ER stress, which could subsequently trigger innate immune responses. However, at that point in infection, translation of host mRNA is already severely reduced in infected cells, preventing the synthesis of CXCL2 and ER stress proteins despite their increased mRNA concentrations.
Multi‐Beta CAPM or Equilibrium‐APT?: A Reply

IN THEIR INFLUENTIAL EMPIRICAL PAPER, Roll and Ross [11] state, "We think that in many discussions of the CAPM, scholars were actually thinking of the APT and of process (1) [the factor model] with just a single factor. " In light of recent developments in the asset pricing literature, I think it can now meaningfully be suggested that, in many discussions of the APT, scholars may have actually been thinking of a multi-beta interpretation of the CAPM. Indeed, much can be said in support of each of these perspectives, for a single paradigm is emerging which integrates fundamental aspects of both the CAPM and the APT. Broadly speaking, the equilibrium (CAPM) paradigm emphasizes the role of covariance between asset returns and an endogenous preference-based aggregate', while the arbitrage (APT) paradigm focuses on the covariance between asset returns and factors in the return generating process. The emerging equilibrium factor paradigm encompasses each of these relations as well as a third-covariance between the factors and the equilibrium aggregate. My thesis in Shanken [17] was that: (i) the arbitrage paradigm has not produced a refutable hypothesis and that (ii) recognition of the role of the factor/aggregate covariance relation appears to be essential if positive economic significance is to be attributed to asset pricing empirical work. Dybvig and Ross (D-R) attempt to resolve the empirical indeterminacy of the arbitrage paradigm by appealing to the condition that residual variance should not be too "large. " I explain, in Section II, that this condition is inherently ambiguous from an empirical perspective and does not permit the formulation of a precise testable implication. The equilibrium factor models which D-R discuss do yield testable restrictions on parameters in the return-generating process. However, consistent with my second point above, these restrictions involve joint hypotheses that cannot be verified without observing the entire universe of assets. Thus, contrary to their claim, considerations similar to those in Roll's [10] critique are indeed relevant to the testing of these models. This and other similarities between the "equilibrium-APT" and the CAPM are discussed in Section III. I begin by clarifying some basic terminology.
CROSSING HORIZONS: LEVERAGING CROSS-INDUSTRY INNOVATION SEARCH IN THE FRONT-END OF THE INNOVATION PROCESS

"Open innovation" and "external search" for new ideas are central topics in the recent discourse in innovation research. External search helps firms to identify new opportunities for innovation and alleviates the risks of local search. It is widely acknowledged that novel ideas regularly emerge from the combination of distant pieces of knowledge and interaction with "idea suppliers" from distant knowledge domains. However, the current discussion on open innovation has hardly touched upon the question of how firms can systematically search for cross-industry innovation inputs in the fuzzy front-end of the innovation process. This paper links relevant concepts of cognitive psychology and management theory — such as analogical problem solving and the principle of isomorphism — with open innovation in the front-end. It discusses relevant dimensions of systematic search for innovation across industries. A piloted framework is presented that assists firms in systematically and interactively searching for external innovation inputs in distant industries. This framework supports external innovation search in distant industries for a fuzzy customer problem. The results of this participatory action research indicate that a systematic and interactive search process is of practical value to innovation managers. It also points out contingencies of cross-industry innovation search.
Invisible work: Child work in households with a person living with HIV/AIDS in Central Uganda

Abstract Background: HIV/AIDS has led to increased mortality and morbidity, negatively impacting adult labour especially in HIV/AIDS burdened Sub-Saharan Africa. There has been some exploration of the effects of HIV/AIDS on paid child labour, but little empirical work on children’s non-paid child work. This paper provides quantitative evidence of how child and household-level factors affect children’s involvement in both domestic and family farm work for households with a person living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) compared to non-PLWHA households using the 2010/2011 Centre for Health Economics Uganda HIV questionnaire Survey. Method: Descriptive analysis and multivariate logistic modelling is used to explore child and household-level factors that affect children’s work participation. Results: This research reveals greater demands on the labour of children in PLWHA households in terms of family farm work especially for boys. Results highlight the expected gendered social responsibilities within the household space, with girls and boys engaged more in domestic and family farm work, respectively. Girls shared a greater proportion of household financial burden by working more hours in paid work outside the household than boys. Lastly, the study revealed that a household head’s occupation increases children’s participation in farm work but had a partial compensatory effect on their involvement in domestic work. Wealth and socio-economic standing is no guarantee to reducing child work. Conclusion: Children from PLWHA households are more vulnerable to child work in family farm work especially boys; and girls are burdened beyond the household space through paid work. Differing perspectives and solutions need to consider the contextual nature of child work.
Statistical class prediction method for efficient microarray gene expression data sample classification

Cancer classification is routinely done using gene expression data. With microarray technology, monitoring thousands of genes is an easy task. The reliable and precise classification of different tumour types is very important in cancer classification and drug discovery which is useful in providing better treatment. Microarray gene expression data analysis is extensively used for human cancer diagnosis and classification. Various methods of classification from the field of statistics and machine learning have been used to classify cancer microarray data. However, the large number of features with very few samples in the data is a challenge to the existing classification methods. In this work, our experiments are based on the statistical method of confidence interval for predicting sample class labels. Experiments show that the proposed method will achieve high classification accuracies with very few genes.
Giardiasis in North West England: faecal specimen requesting rates by GP practice

SUMMARY Many cases of giardiasis in the UK are undiagnosed and among other things, diagnosis is dependent upon the readiness of GPs to request a specimen. The aim of this study is to assess the rate of specimens requested per GP practice in Central Lancashire, to examine the differences between GP practices and to estimate the pattern of unexplained spatial variation in the practice rate of specimens after adjustment for deprivation. To achieve this, we fitted a set of binomial and Poisson regression models, with random effects for GP practice. Our analysis suggests that there were differences in the rate of specimens by GP practices (P < 0·001) for a single year, but no difference in the proportion of positive tests per specimen submitted or in the rate of positive specimens per practice population. There was a difference in the cumulative rate of positive specimens per practice population over a 9-year period (P < 0·001). Neither the specimen rate per practice for a single year nor the cumulative rate of positive specimens over multiple years demonstrated significant spatial correlation. Hence, spatial variation in the incidence of giardiasis is unlikely to be confounded by variation in GP rate of specimens.
The Australian Business Cycle: Joe Palooka or Dead Cat Bounce?

We address the question of whether asymmetry in the business cycle and asymmetry in the persistence of negative versus positive shocks characteries Australian output growth. Using nonlinear time series models we provide evidence that suggests Australian output growth is characterised by three distinct phases: contractions, high growth recovery periods and "normal" or moderate growth periods. This implies that Australian output fluctuations have a significant transitory component and is supportive of the "output-gaps" view and "plucking" model view of economic fluctuations. In contrast to recent evidence for the US and Canada however, we find that Australian GDP growth does not exhibit important asymmetries in the responses of output growth to positive and negative shocks.