Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Children and female labour supply behaviour

Using the generalized residual method, this paper investigates the assumption that children are exogenous in the labour supply equations of married women via alternative regression specifications for the children variables. The empirical results of this paper suggest that children are endogenous to the participation decision and likely to be exogenous to the hours of work decision for married women. Children under age six have a dramatic negative impact on the labour force participation of married women. These findings support the implication of the literature relating fixed costs of employment, including child care costs, to female labour supply.
Willingness to pay for flying carbon neutral in Australia: an exploratory study of offsetter profiles

Although voluntary carbon offsets have played a key role in the response to addressing climate change in the aviation sector, little is known about consumer preferences for such offsets and their offsetting behaviour in Australia. This paper developed and applied a choice modelling study to measure the economic values of aviation carbon mitigation and to identify major factors influencing air travellers’ voluntary climate action. Results show that respondents have a mean willingness to pay (WTP) of AU$21.38 per tonne of CO2 reduced in the form of voluntary carbon offsets per person. Female travellers might have a higher economic value of carbon mitigation than male counterparts while climate sceptics who are less likely to be carbon offsetters might in fact hold a higher WTP value than non-sceptical travellers. The findings suggest that in terms of WTP the best profile of offset projects might be renewable energy projects in developing countries, of which resulting carbon credits can reduce company legal liabilities. Positive support was found for mitigation measures by airlines, with technological efficiencies more strongly supported than operational practices and biofuels. This paper challenges previous understandings of environmentally motivated behaviour, and notes that behaviour profiles are still evolving.
New economy growth

New economy growth SUMMARY Is there a relation between information technologies and the growth rate of productivity? Is this relation mainly due to the efficiency-enhancing effects of few leading industries or rather to the pervasive spreading of IT throughout the economy? Our country study on Finland in the 1990s is a contribution to shed light on these issues. We find that Nokia, the world leader in cellular phone production, directly and substantially contributed to enhance productivity growth in Finland. Productivity growth gains outside Nokia and few other IT-related service industries have been small, temporary, or non-existent at all, though. We also provide two pieces of evidence against the existence of technological spillovers between Nokia and the other fast-growing industries in the Finnish economy. As shown by the Finnish input-output table, the thinness of the inter-industry linkages between the Nokia industry and the rest of the economy indicates that productivity gains of the size recorded in the few other fast-growing service industries can be associated to Nokia’s productivity boom only to a very small extent. Parallel statistical analysis also shows a striking association between the timing and the industry distribution of productivity gains and the declining pace of the price of machinery and equipment investment goods in those industries. This is evidence that TFP growth increases in those industries should be mostly attributed to the decline in the world price of computing power. Altogether, we interpret our findings as showing that, even in a country endowed with a world-class national champion and a policy environment commonly thought of as conducive to growth, a ‘new economy’ takes a long time to show up. Unlike commonly held tenets, IT diffusion has shown a limited potential in speeding up this process in Finland.
Perinatal death: bereavement interventions used by US and Spanish nurses and midwives.

BACKGROUND Little research has been published from a global perspective regarding needs of nurses and midwives related to perinatal bereavement. OBJECTIVE To identify needs and concerns of US and Spanish nurses and midwives who have worked with perinatal death and to identify the bereavement interventions they use to help families with this experience. METHODS A cross-sectional study was conducted. Data were collected in 2011 from US (n=44) and Spanish (n=15) nurses and midwives via a questionnaire. RESULTS Statistically significant differences between the nurses/midwives in each country were found regarding needs relating to knowledge, communication skills and managing personal feelings. Interventions of accompanying, listening, offering keepsakes, baptism discussion, and funeral planning were also found to be significantly different between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS These findings demonstrate a continued need to increase the standard and consistency of perinatal bereavement care worldwide. Bereavement education in nursing curricula and practice settings in both cultures is essential to increase the standard of care.
Genetic Evaluation of Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders

While the genetic component of Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) has been clearly estab‐ lished from various lines of study, the multitude of genes and chromosomal loci associated with ASD has made identification of the underlying molecular mechanisms of pathogenesis difficult to resolve. A range of diverse methodologies and study types have identified both rare and common genetic variants in ASD candidate genes and chromosomal loci. Moreover, the recent development of high-throughput next generation sequencing (NGS) technologies and the increasing usage of chromosomal microarray analysis (CMA) has led to a significant expansion in the number of single nucleotide variants (SNVs) and copy number variants (CNVs) potentially affecting one or more genes that have been identified in ASD individuals. This, in turn, has given critical insight into the molecular and cellular processes that may be preferentially targeted for disruption by genetic lesions in ASD patients.
Serine proteases, inhibitors and receptors in renal fibrosis

Summary Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is estimated to affect one in eight adults. Their kidney function progressively deteriorates as inflammatory and fibrotic processes damage nephrons. New therapies to prevent renal functional decline must build on basic research studies that identify critical cellular and molecular mediators. Plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1), a potent fibrosis-promoting glycoprotein, is one promising candidate. Absent from normal kidneys, PAI-1 is frequently expressed in injured kidneys. Studies in genetically engineered mice have demonstrated its potency as a pro-fibrotic molecule. Somewhat surprising, its ability to inhibit serine protease activity does not appear to be its primary pro-fibrotic effect in CKD. Both tissue-type plasminogen activator and plasminogen deficiency significantly reduced renal fibrosis severity after ureteral obstruction, while genetic urokinase (uPA) deficiency had no effect. PAI-1 expression is associated with enhanced recruitment of key cellular effectors of renal fibrosis – interstitial macrophages and myofibroblasts. The ability of PAI-1 to promote cell migration involves interactions with the low-density lipoprotein receptor-associate protein-1 and also complex interactions with uPA bound to its receptor (uPAR) and several leukocyte and matrix integrins that associate with uPAR as co-receptors. uPAR is expressed by several cell types in damaged kidneys, and studies in uPAR-deficient mice have shown that its serves a protective role. uPAR mediates additional anti-fibrotic effects – it interacts with specific co-receptors to degrade PAI-1 and extracellular collagens, and soluble uPAR has leukocyte chemoattractant properties. Molecular pathways activated by serine proteases and their inhibitor, PAI-1, are promising targets for future anti-fibrotic therapeutic agents.
Modeling stochastic processes in disease spread across a heterogeneous social system

Significance This study infers probabilistic infection routes of a vector-borne disease, by modeling internal dynamics of metapopulations driven by human mobility as multivariate stochastic processes. In this way, our proposed model uncovers the self-excitation and mutual excitation nature of disease spread across a heterogeneous social system with rich context. Our model is a general extension of networked Hawkes processes, providing flexibilities to add constraints (presence of diffusion medium) and to use domain knowledge (cross-metapopulation connectivity), enabling covering of direct and indirect diffusion processes such as contact-based and vector-borne disease spread. Our model is readily applicable to a wide range of intragroup and intergroup diffusion processes in social and natural systems and can infer probabilistic causality between discrete events. Diffusion processes are governed by external triggers and internal dynamics in complex systems. Timely and cost-effective control of infectious disease spread critically relies on uncovering underlying diffusion mechanisms, which is challenging due to invisible infection pathways and time-evolving intensity of infection cases. Here, we propose a new diffusion framework for stochastic processes, which models disease spread across metapopulations by incorporating human mobility as topological pathways in a heterogeneous social system. We apply Bayesian inference with the stochastic Expectation–Maximization algorithm to quantify underlying diffusion dynamics in terms of exogeneity and endogeneity and estimate cross-regional infection flow based on Granger causality. The effectiveness of our proposed model is shown by using comprehensive simulation procedures (robustness tests with noisy data considering missing or delayed human case reporting in real situations) and by applying the model to real data from 15-y dengue outbreaks in Australia.
3D Selection Techniques for Mobile Augmented Reality Head-Mounted Displays

We conducted a user study evaluating ﬁ ve selection techniques for augmented reality in optical see-through head-mounted displays (OST-HMDs). The techniques we studied aim at supporting mobile usage scenarios where the devices do not need external tracking tools or special environments, and therefore we selected techniques that rely solely on tracking technologies built into conventional commercially available OST-HMDs [i.e. gesture trackers, gaze tracking and inertial measurement units (IMUs)]. While two techniques are based on raycasting using built-in IMU sensing, three techniques are based on a hand-controlled 3D cursor using gestural tracking. We compared these techniques in an experiment with 12 participants. Our results show that raycasting using head orientation (i.e. IMU on the headset) was the fastest, fatigueless and the most preferable technique to select spatially arranged objects. We discuss the implications of our ﬁ ndings for design of interaction techniques in mobile OST-HMDs.
Power Techniques for Blind Channel Estimation in Zero-Padded OFDM Systems

This paper revisits the subspace-based channel estimation problem in zero-padded systems and proposes an alternative formulation that leads to a solution to which power techniques are readily applicable. Additionally, a lower-complexity post-DFT implementation that also allows the use of power techniques is derived. Both solutions are shown to be equivalent. Furthermore, links to previous related work are established. Mean square error and bit error rate performance analysis of the estimators through computer simulations reveals that for moderate signal to noise ratio, power techniques with powers as low as m = 3 achieves performance similar to the conventional SVD-based estimator.
Improving port efficiency: a comparative study of selected ports in India

In the age of globalisation, seaports play a vital role in connecting national supply chains to the global marketplace. Improving port operations has become a priority for many countries. One of the ways to achieve this objective is evaluating the present efficiency as per the parameters laid down for port industry. This paper measures the efficiency of the major Indian seaports using data envelopment analysis on selected input and output variables. The input variables included – storage facilities, number of berths and number of cargo handling equipments. The two output variables included were average total turnaround time and average output per ship berth day. Six out of 12 ports were identified as efficient ports. Further, an attempt is made to identify various areas for improving the port efficiency based on interviews with port managers from a selected port in India, where the researchers had an opportunity to carry a research project. The interviews were based on a series of qualitative discussions pertaining to the efficiency of ports with the port managers. The study can thus form the baseline on which further adaptation can be made to suit their specific needs.
Nafulsella turpanensis gen. nov., sp. nov., a member of the phylum Bacteroidetes isolated from soil.

A Gram-staining-negative, rod-shaped, gliding and pale-pink-pigmented bacterium, designated strain ZLM-10(T), was isolated from a soil sample collected from an arid area in Xinjiang province, China, and characterized in a taxonomic study using a polyphasic approach. The novel strain grew optimally at 30-37 °C and in the presence of 2 % (w/v) sea salts. The only respiratory quinone detected was MK-7 and the major cellular fatty acids were summed feature 3 (iso-C15 : 0 2-OH and/or C16 : 1ω7c), iso-C15 : 0 and iso-C17 : 0 3-OH. The polar lipids consisted of diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, an unidentified aminolipid and two unidentified aminophospholipids. The DNA G+C content was 45.4 mol%. Flexirubin-type pigments were not produced. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strain ZLM-10(T) was a member of the phylum Bacteroidetes and appeared most closely related to Cesiribacter roseus 311(T) (90.2 % sequence similarity), Marivirga sericea LMG 13021(T) (89.2 %), Cesiribacter andamanensis AMV16(T) (89.1 %) and Marivirga tractuosa DSM 4126(T) (89.1 %). On the basis of phenotypic and genotypic data and phylogenetic inference, strain ZLM-10(T) should be classified as a novel species of a new genus in the family Flammeovirgaceae, for which the name Nafulsella turpanensis gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain of the type species is ZLM-10(T) ( = CCTCC AB 208222(T) = KCTC 23983(T)).
Goods Revenue Monotonicity in Combinatorial Auctions

We study a new monotonicity problem in combinatorial auctions called goods revenue monotonicity, which requires that the auctioneer earn no more revenue by dropping goods from the endowments. Although no mechanism satisfies goods revenue monotonicity together with strategy-proofness, efficiency, and participation even in the domain of substitute valuations, we find a restricted domain called per-capita goodsbidder submodular domain in which there exists a goods revenue monotone mechanism satisfying the above three conditions. The restriction is likely to be met when bidders’ valuations are similar. Finally, we provide a relation to the monopoly theory, and argue that per-capita goods-bidder submodularily is independent of the standard elasticity argument.
Merger Announcements and Insider Trading Activity in India: An Empirical Investigation

Insider trading activity is investigated prior to merger announcement in Indian capital market. An attempt is made to check it out whether trading take place on the basis of asymmetric and private information. For examining the behaviour of stock prices a modified market model is used to estimate the parameters for the estimation window. These estimates are used to compute average return and cumulative average returns for the event window, which are measures of abnormal returns. Besides price run-ups, it is also common to see unusually high levels of share trading volume before public announcement of merger. Daily trading volume pattern of the target companies is also investigated. The analysis carried out in this study is based on a sample of 42 companies for which merger announcement date was announced during the period of 1996-1999. Based on the analysis for each company individually, we recommend investigation in six companies for existence of possible insider trading.
A comparative proteomic analysis of HepG2 cells incubated by S(−) and R(+) enantiomers of anti‐coagulating drug warfarin

Warfarin is a commonly prescribed oral anti‐coagulant with narrow therapeutic index. It interferes with vitamin K cycle to achieve anti‐coagulating effects. Warfarin has two enantiomers, S(−) and R(+) and undergoes stereoselective metabolism, with the S(−) enantiomer being more effective. We reported that the intracellular protein profile in HepG2 cells incubated with S(−) and R(+) warfarin, using iTRAQ‐coupled 2‐D LC‐MS/MS. In samples incubated with S(−) and R(+) warfarin alone, the multi‐task protein Protein SET showed significant elevation in cells incubated with S(−) warfarin but not in those incubated with R(+) warfarin. In cells incubated with individual enantiomers of warfarin in the presence of vitamin K, protein disulfide isomerase A3 which is known as a glucose‐regulated protein, in cells incubated with S(−) warfarin was found to be down‐regulated compared to those incubated with R(+) warfarin. In addition, Protein DJ‐1 and 14‐3‐3 Proteinσ were down‐regulated in cells incubated with either S(−) or R(+) warfarin regardless of the presence of vitamin K. Our results indicated that Protein DJ‐1 may act as an enzyme for expression of essential enzymes in vitamin K cycle. Taken together, our findings provided molecular evidence on a comprehensive protein profile on warfarin–cell interaction, which may shed new lights on future improvement of warfarin therapy.
Bisphosphonates

Abstract: The discovery and development of the bisphosphonates (BPs) as a major class of drugs for the treatment of bone diseases has been a fascinating journey that is still not over. In clinical medicine, several BPs are established as the treatments of choice for various diseases of excessive bone resorption, including Paget's disease of bone, myeloma and bone metastases, and osteoporosis. Bisphosphonates are chemically stable analogues of inorganic pyrophosphate, and are resistant to breakdown by enzymatic hydrolysis. Bisphosphonates inhibit bone resorption by being selectively taken up and adsorbed to mineral surfaces in bone, where they interfere with the action of the bone‐resorbing osteoclasts. Bisphosphonates are internalized by osteoclasts and interfere with specific biochemical processes. Bisphosphonates can be classified into at least two groups with different molecular modes of action. The simpler non‐nitrogen‐containing bisphosphonates (such as clodronate and etidronate) can be metabolically incorporated into nonhydrolyzable analogues of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) that may inhibit ATP‐dependent intracellular enzymes. The more potent, nitrogen‐containing bisphosphonates (such as pamidronate, alendronate, risedronate, ibandronate, and zoledronate) are not metabolized in this way but can inhibit enzymes of the mevalonate pathway, thereby preventing the biosynthesis of isoprenoid compounds that are essential for the posttranslational modification of small GTP‐binding proteins (which are also GTPases) such as rab, rho, and rac. The inhibition of protein prenylation and the disruption of the function of these key regulatory proteins explain the loss of osteoclast activity and induction of apoptosis. The key target for bisphosphonates is farnesyl pyrophosphate synthase (FPPS) within osteoclasts, and the recently elucidated crystal structure of this enzyme reveals how BPs bind to and inhibit at the active site via their critical N atoms. In conclusion, bisphosphonates are now established as an important class of drugs for the treatment of many bone diseases, and their mode of action is being unraveled. As a result their full therapeutic potential is gradually being realized.
Expressions of apoptosis-related proteins in rats with focal cerebral ischemia after Angong Niuhuang sticker point application

In this study, we extracted and purified components in the Angong Niuhuang pill. Then we applied transdermal enhancers to Angong Niuhuang stickers by modern technology. The Angong Niuhuang sticker includes extracts from curcuma, berberine hydrochloride, baicalin, geniposide, borneol, and musk. Angong Niuhuang stickers at different point application doses (1.35, 2.7, and 5.4 g/kg) were administered to Dazhui (DU14), Qihai (RN6) and Mingmen (DU4). Rats in the different dose point application and acupuncture groups were continuously administered for 7 days. Then a middle cerebral artery occlusion model was prepared for simulating human cerebral ischemia. Twelve hours later, expressions of Bcl-2, Bax and p53 protein in hippocampal CA1 were detected with immunohistochemistry. The expression level of Bcl-2, an anti-apoptotic protein, significantly increased in the high-, medium- and low-dose point application groups and the acupuncture group, while the expression of the pro-apoptotic proteins, Bax and p53, significantly decreased compared with the middle cerebral artery occlusion rats; and the Bcl-2/Bax ratio was significantly increased. The difference was noticeable for the high-dose point application group, which showed statistical difference compared with the low-dose point application group and the acupuncture group. Our experimental findings indicate that point application with Angong Niuhuang stickers promotes the expression of Bcl-2, and inhibits the expressions of Bax and p53 in the hippocampal CA1 area of rats after focal cerebral ischemia. Thus, point application of Angong Niuhang stickers protects brain tissues from cerebral ischemia.
Reach out or reach within? Performance implications of alliances and location in biotechnology

The extensive literature on geographical clusters has argued that firms stand to gain from the knowledge spillovers and the easy availability of skills in regional agglomerations. At the same time, the research on strategic alliances, particularly in technology-intensive industries, views alliances as vehicles for the transfer of technology and knowledge. Does membership in a geographical cluster or a network of alliances-an alliance cluster-benefit firms equally? More importantly, does it matter whether firms form alliances with firms within their geographical cluster, or do they do better by reaching out beyond their cluster? In this paper, we investigate these and other related questions in the context of technology-intensive industries such as biotechnology and argue that the high-level knowledge sensing and acquiring needs of firms in such industries may require combinations of both kinds of knowledge-access mechanisms. We use the BioScan database to obtain 648 alliances for the period 1985-1998 among 248 public companies, and complement it with COMPUSTAT data to examine the effect of clustering and alliances on market value. Our results suggest that merely being part of geographical clusters is not enough, and nor is it adequate for firms to join alliance clusters. Rather, firms gain by forming alliances both within and beyond their geographical clusters, which highlights the complexities of acquiring technology-intensive knowledge and suggests that the acquisition of knowledge in technology-intensive settings is best achieved through mechanisms both formal and informal, both proximate and distant. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.