Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Purification of hepatocyte couplets by centrifugal elutriation

An initial preparation of rat hepatocytes containing approximately 30% couplets was enriched by centrifugal elutriation. Of the couplets loaded onto the elutriator, 87% were eluted at medium flow rates of 60 to 80 ml/min at a rotor speed of 1,100 rpm; cells eluted in this range maintained a viability of more than 95%. Peak fractions were enriched in couplets to 84.5% ± 2.5%. After elutriation, couplets retained the ability to secrete fluorescent cholephiles into sealed canalicular vacuoles. The preparation can now be used in hepatobiliary and hepatotoxicity studies not possible with preparations in which they are minor components. (HEPATOLOGY 1991;14:180–183.)
The Determinants of the Public Cofinancing Rate for Applied R&D: An Empirical Assessment on Agricultural Projects in an Italian Region

This paper empirically analyzes how a public institution chooses the cofinancing rate in funding competitive applied agricultural research projects. The public funding institution observes some objective features of the selected projects and of the proponents. The paper puts forward some testable hypotheses about how the funding institution uses this available information to decide the cofinancing rate. An empirical model is then specified and estimated to test these hypotheses. The empirical application refers to the real case of the agricultural R&D program funded by an Italian region (Emilia-Romagna) over years 2001–2006. Results suggest that the cofinancing rate actually responds to the observed features but this response does not always follow the formulated hypotheses.
Implementation of Enterprise Managerial Tools in Public Services Based on the Example of the Cadastre Institution

The efficiency of the public administration is low. It is shown in scientific publications, opinions of the World Bank, results of public opinion polls and in press releases. The attempts to improve the effectiveness of the public administration, which have been made for the past 20 years, have not resulted in the desired outcome. The major part of the responsibility for the described failure lies in the restrictions on the organization and management tools implementation resulting from the fact of the ongoing discussions as to the adequacy of such managerial tools utilisation in public administration as which would be utilized in an enterprise [a commercial institution]. The necessity of the administration effectiveness improvement is obvious and not under dispute. At present more and more opinions can be seen that the implementation of commercial managerial tools as they are understood by the commercial enterprises is necessary. Fully agreeing with such beliefs the elaboration presents a proposal for the implementation of commercial entities managerial and organizational tools in the area of land ownership rights protection.
IMPACT OF EXCHANGE RATE VOLATILITY ON KENYA'S TEA EXPORTS

This paper sought to investigate the extent to which exchange rate volatility affects performance of tea exports. The objective was to determine the impact of exchange rate volatility on tea exports, the contribution of tea exports earning to Kenya’s economy and draw policy recommendations emanating from empirical findings for enhancing tea exports. This paper investigated the behavior of exchange rate volatility on performance of tea exports using time series. Johansen and Julius Multivariate cointegration technique was applied to annual time series data for the period of 1970-2008 in order to recognize the short run and long run behavior of the variables in the study. Cointegration and error correction technique (ECM) developed by Engle and Granger was used. Dickey fuller (DF) and Augmented Dickey Fuller (ADF) unit root test for stationarity was employed in this study. Phillips Perron (pp) on first difference was adopted to test stationarity in their first difference and testing cointegration feasibility. The data was sourced from central bank of Kenya, Kenya National Bureau of Statistics, Tea Board of Kenya and the International financial statistics of International Monetary Fund (IMF). The results indicate that exchange rate volatility negatively affects performance of tea exports in the country. This paper recommends periodic monitoring of the exchange rate so as to reduce its impact and drawing of fiscal and monetary policy that will make exchange rate manageable.
Impaired cerebral glucose metabolism and cognitive functioning predict deterioration in mild cognitive impairment

The objective of this study was to assess whether reduced glucose metabolism (rCMRGlu) and cognitive functioning could predict development of Alzheimer's disease (AD) in subjects with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Twenty MCI patients underwent baseline and follow-up investigations of rCMRGlu, as measured by PET, and cognitive function measured by neuropsychological test assessments. Subjects were clinically followed up with an average interval of 36.5 months. Two groups were obtained after the second clinical assessment. Nine patients were diagnosed as AD and classified as progressive MCI (P-MCI), whereas 11 patients remained clinically stable and were classified as stable MCI (S-MCI). There were no differences in demographic variables or baseline MMSE between the two subgroups. Logistic regression indicated the two variables that most effectively predicted future development of AD were rCMRGlu from the left temporoparietal area and performance on the block design. These combined measures gave an optimal 90% correct classification rate, whereas only rCMRGlu or neuropsychology alone gave 75% and 65% correct classification, respectively. Measures of temporoparietal cerebral metabolism and visuospatial function may aid in predicting the evolution to AD for patients with MCI.
A Storyboard Tool to Assist Concept of Operations Development

We describe progress in developing a software tool to help create, communicate, and refine concept of operations (ConOps) information. Information found in a ConOps document is central to our tool. ConOps documents are written in the end user's language, describing how the proposed system should support the users' tasks. While there are some helpful documents prescribing ConOps format, there is little direct assistance to express the concept of operations. We describe a tool to help author this information, integrate it with storyboard sketches, refine it through interaction with other stakeholders, and finally export the information in a form directly usable by developers. We have developed a demonstration prototype that performs the core functions of ConOps definition. We discuss the results of this prototyping effort and plans for expanding the tool functions. We plan to refine the tool through experience with ongoing projects so that it supports system concept development.
Analysis of cutoff frequency in trapezoid tunnel using edge element method

The effect of cross section dimension in trapezoid tunnel on cutoff frequency is analyzed with edge element method. The variation of cutoff frequency in trapezoid tunnel with top side, bottom side and height changes are found, respectively. It comes to a useful conclusion that the cutoff frequency of trapezoid tunnel is determined by the larger one of tunnel's height and the average of tunnel's top side and tunnel's bottom side. A simple equivalent formula is given to calculate the dominant mode cutoff frequency in trapezoid waveguide. Computation results are presented to show the validity and the accuracy of the equivalent method.
Outgroup heteroduplex analysis using temperature gradient gel electrophoresis: high resolution, large scale, screening of DNA variation in the mitochondrial control region

The ability of DNA screening techniques such as Temperature Gradient Gel Electrophoresis (TGGE) and Heteroduplex Analysis to provide resolution approaching that provided by DNA sequencing for a fraction of the time, effort and expense point to them as the logical successor to allozyme electrophoresis for population genetics. Here we present a novel alternative to the standard TGGE/Heteroduplex Analysis protocol ‐ Outgroup Heteroduplex Analysis (OHA). We assess this technique's sensitivity in comparison to previous screening approaches using a known hierarchy of sequence differences. Our data show that Outgroup Heteroduplex Analysis has greatly increased sensitivity for screening DNA variants from that of TGGE used alone and is easily applicable to large numbers of samples. Using this technique we can consistently detect differences of as small as one base change in a 433‐base‐pair fragment of Control Region mitochondrial DNA from Melomys cerbinipes (an Australian rodent). The approach should easily be extendable to nuclear loci and is not necessarily dependent on the use of a denaturing gradient When combined with a targeted sequencing effort, OHA provides a sensitive and simple means of obtaining allele/haplotype frequencies and their phylogenies for population and phylogeographic studies in molecular ecology.
Using SPC to measure a national supermarket chain's suppliers' performance

Purpose – This research paper aims to explore the application of Statistical Process Control (SPC) methods to measure the performance of a national supermarket chain's problem suppliers. The use of SPC control charts was expected to help in the understanding of the management of buyer/supplier relationships and the effect of the suppliers' performance in the supermarket's replenishment system.Design/methodology/approach – The data analysed were based on the performance of 12 suppliers to the national supermarket over a period of 77 weeks. Quantitative data were supplemented with qualitative data obtained from the suppliers' managers and the supermarket's buyers. The paper compares the measurement of the suppliers' performance using descriptive statistics such as skewness, kurtosis and correlation, with those obtained using SPC‐based control chart techniques.Findings – The results of this analysis indicate that neither descriptive statistics nor the SPC approach were a complete answer to monitoring supplie.
A Bilateral CFAR Algorithm for Ship Detection in SAR Images

A bilateral constant false alarm rate (CFAR) algorithm for ship detection in synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images is proposed in this letter. Compared to the standard CFAR algorithm, the proposed algorithm can reduce the influence of SAR ambiguities and sea clutter, by means of a combination of the intensity distribution and the spatial distribution of SAR images. The spatial distribution plays an equally important role as the intensity distribution. It is estimated before ship detection by a new kernel density estimation algorithm proposed in this letter. The experimental results of typical SAR images show that the algorithm is effective.
Benchmarking Brain-Computer Interfaces Outside the Laboratory: The Cybathlon 2016

This paper presents a new approach to benchmarking brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) outside the lab. A computer game was created that mimics a real-world application of assistive BCIs, with the main outcome metric being the time needed to complete the game. This approach was used at the Cybathlon 2016, a competition for people with disabilities who use assistive technology to achieve tasks. The paper summarizes the technical challenges of BCIs, describes the design of the benchmarking game, then describes the rules for acceptable hardware, software and inclusion of human pilots in the BCI competition at the Cybathlon. The 11 participating teams, their approaches, and their results at the Cybathlon are presented. Though the benchmarking procedure has some limitations (for instance, we were unable to identify any factors that clearly contribute to BCI performance), it can be successfully used to analyze BCI performance in realistic, less structured conditions. In the future, the parameters of the benchmarking game could be modified to better mimic different applications (e.g., the need to use some commands more frequently than others). Furthermore, the Cybathlon has the potential to showcase such devices to the general public.
Serving food safety: consumer perceptions of food safety at restaurants.

Purpose – The goals of this study were to study consumer perceptions of food safety at restaurants and to compare these results to those of other food system actors.Design/methodology/approach – The data for this study were gathered from telephone interviews conducted with 1,014 randomly selected US adults.Findings – The main findings were that a substantial number of consumers think about food safety in general and particularly when eating at restaurant establishments; and while a majority of consumers stated that restaurants were doing a good job, were capable, and were committed to food safety, in comparison to other actors, restaurants ranked significantly lower than farmers, food processors and manufacturers, and grocery stores and supermarkets.Research limitations/implications – A limitation of this study was that distinctions were not made between fast food and sit‐down restaurants or other types of restaurants, e.g. chains, independent, and ethnic. These results highlight the need for more compreh.
Gender Differences in Statin Prescription Rate Among Patients Living With HIV and Hepatitis C Virus.

TO THE EDITOR—We read with interest the recent article by Clement et al [1]. In this analysis of the veteran clinical case registry, statins were underutilized for primary or secondary prevention in patients living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), and HIV/ HCV coinfection. We wondered whether similar patterns of underutilization would be seen in a national clinical registry representing approximately 8% of the US population. Additionally, because the veteran clinical case registry analysis excluded women, we wished to explore gender differences in statin utilization in these cohorts. We utilized Explorys, a large registry of US patients seen in the inpatient and outpatient settings in participating institutions (26 major healthcare systems, 317 000 providers, 50 million unique lives in 50 states). The database collects data from billing, International Classification of Diseases diagnosis codes, laboratory studies, and procedures, and are then de-identified and standardized [2]. Our cohort included nondeceased adults (aged 40–75 years), with diagnosis of HIV monoinfection, HCV monoinfection, or HIV/HCV coinfection who had active patient records between May 2015 and May 2016. Statin eligibility was defined as belonging to one of three 2013 American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association statin benefit groups: (1) lowdensity lipoprotein cholesterol >190 mg/ dL, (2) diabetes, or (3) coronary artery disease. Wewere unable to calculate individual 10-year atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease risk scores; therefore, this statin-eligible group was excluded from our analysis. We identified 5700 patients with HIV (32% female), 31 740 with HCV (39% female), 1420 patients with HIV/HCV coinfection (32% female), and 1 486 510 (50% female) controls free of HIV and HCV. Statin prescription rate for eligible patients was highest in noninfected controls (60%), followed by HIV (53%) and HCV (44.3%), and was lowest in HIV/HCV (37%). For all 4 groups, the statin prescription rate was significantly higher in males than females (P < .05 for all comparisons; Figure 1). The gender gap was highest among patients with HIV (absolute difference 7%) and uninfected controls (7%), followed by HIV/HCV (6%), and was lowest in HCV (2%). These findings confirm the underutilization of statins among those patients living with HIV and/or HCV who fall into the 3 least controversial statin benefit groups. We did not include the riskbased benefit group, for which controversy persists due to poor calibration of the pooled cohort equations in some populations. In a nonveteran real-world cohort, the statin underprescription may be higher than that described by Clement et al, and is in concordance with the data reported from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey [3]. We also highlight the gender gap in statin utilization, especially among those with HIV, which requires further investigation.
Durability and Monopoly

ASSUME that a supplier owns the total stock of a completely durable good. At what price will he sell it? To take a concrete example, assume that one person owns all the land in the United States and, to simplify the analysis, that all land is of uniform quality. Assume also that the landowner is not able to work the land himself, that ownership of land yields no utility and that there are no costs involved in disposing of the land. If there were a large number of landowners and the price were competitively determined, the price would be that at which the amount demanded was equal to the amount of land in the United States. If we imagine this fixed supply of land to be various amounts either greater or smaller, and then discover what the competitively determined price would be, we can trace out the demand schedule for American land. Assume that this demand schedule is DD and that from this a marginal revenue schedule, MR, has been derived. Both schedules are shown in Figure I. Let the total amount of land in existence be OQ. Then, if the price were competitively determined, the price would be OB (see Figure I). We now have to determine the price which the monopolistic landowner would charge for a unit of land in the assumed conditions. The diagram would seem to suggest (and has, I believe, suggested to some) that such a monopolistic landowner would charge the price OA, would sell the quantity of land OM, thus maximising his receipts, and would hold off the market the quantity of land, MQ. But suppose that he did this. MQ land and money equal to OA X OM would be in the possession of the original landowner while OM land would be owned by others. In these circumstances, why should the original landowner continue to hold MQ off the market? The original landowner could obviously improve his position by selling more land since he could by this means acquire more money. It is true that this would reduce the value of the land OM owned by those who had previously bought land from him-but the loss would fall on them, not on him. If the same assumption about his behaviour was made as before, he would then sell part of MQ. But this is not the end of the story, since some of MQ would still remain unsold. The process would continue as long as the original landowner retained any land, that is, until OQ had been sold. And if there were no costs of disposing of the land, the whole process would take place in the twinkling of an eye.
Skewness as an explanation of gambling by locally risk averse agents

Within the expected utility framework skewness of return has been suggested as a rationale for why risk averse gamblers might choose to gamble when expected returns are negative. The argument is that risk-averse agents desire positive skewness, ceteris paribus, and are prepared to trade off a lower mean return for more skewness. This article demonstrates with a counter example that this argument is, in general, erroneous.
Productivity, profitability and financial performance

This work presents a comparative analysis of two crucial dimensions of firms’ performance: profitability and productivity. The characteristics of their empirical distribution and the associated degree of persistence over time are explored through a set of parametric and non-parametric exercises performed on an exhaustive panel of Italian firms, active in both manufacturing and services, during the period 1998–2003. The main strength of our analysis resides in the use of a credit rating index which allows us to document not obvious interactions which are in place among economic performances, financial conditions and access to external credit. We also investigate how profitability and productivity relates with a third important dimension of performance, that is growth. We find that, independently from the particular sector of activity and from financial conditions, there seems to be weak market pressure and little behavioral inclination for the more efficient and more profitable firms to grow faster. Copyright 2008 , Oxford University Press.
Varenicline potentiates alcohol-induced negative subjective responses and offsets impaired eye movements.

BACKGROUND Varenicline (VAR) is a partial nicotinic receptor agonist that is an effective smoking cessation medication. Preliminary evidence indicates that it may also reduce alcohol consumption, but the underlying mechanism is not clear. For example, VAR may reduce alcohol consumption by attenuating its subjectively rewarding properties or by enhancing its aversive effects. In this study, we examined the effects of an acute dose of VAR upon subjective, physiological, and objective responses to low and moderate doses of alcohol in healthy social drinkers. METHODS Healthy men and women (N = 15) participated in 6 randomized sessions; 3 sessions each with 2 mg VAR and placebo (PL) followed 3 hours later by a beverage containing PL, low-dose alcohol (0.4 g/kg), or high-dose alcohol (0.8 g/kg). Subjective mood and drug effects (i.e., stimulation, drug liking), physiological measures (heart rate, blood pressure), and eye tracking tasks were administered at various intervals before and after drug and alcohol administration. RESULTS VAR acutely increased blood pressure, heart rate, ratings of dysphoria and nausea, and also improved eye tracking performance. After alcohol drinking (vs. PL), VAR increased dysphoria and tended to reduce alcohol liking ratings. It also attenuated alcohol-induced eye-tracking impairments. These effects were independent of the drug's effects on nausea before drinking. CONCLUSIONS Our data support the theory that VAR may reduce drinking by potentiating aversive effects of alcohol. VAR also offsets alcohol-induced eye movement impairment. The evidence suggests that VAR may decrease alcohol consumption by producing effects, which oppose the rewarding efficacy of alcohol.
The Evolution of Hot Spots and Blind Spots in the U . S . Biotechnology Industry

This study empirically tests Pouder & St. John's propositions (1996) on the evolutions of geographic clusters, in the context of the U.S. biotechnology industry. We find that during the origination period of the cluster evolution clustered biotechnology firms exhibit higher cost economies and legitimacy in obtaining resources than non-clustered competitors. While, after the early period, such clustered firms' advantage in resource access and innovations are statistically significantly declining. These findings evidence the decline of positive net benefits from geographic clustering over time. Given the inconsistent empirical results in the literature on whether there are positive net benefits to geographically clustered firms, this study sheds light on the importance of time dimension in geographic clustering to understand the net benefits of geographic clustering. Since economies and diseconomies of agglomeration change over time, the net benefits of geographic clustering can be time-variant, possibly leading to different empirical results if the evolution of geographic clustering is not appropriately considered. Accordingly, this study answers a call to empirical studies on dynamics of geographic clustering.