Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Simultaneous evaluation of plasma membrane integrity, acrosomal integrity, and mitochondrial membrane potential in bovine spermatozoa by flow cytometry

Summary The present study aimed to develop an objective evaluation procedure to estimate the plasma membrane integrity, acrosomal integrity, and mitochondrial membrane potential of bull spermatozoa simultaneously by flow cytometry. Firstly, we used frozen–thawed semen mixed with 0, 25, 50, 75 or 100% dead spermatozoa. Semen was stained using three staining solutions: SYBR-14, propidium iodide (PI), and phycoerythrin-conjugated peanut agglutinin (PE–PNA), for the evaluation of plasma membrane integrity and acrosomal integrity. Then, characteristics evaluated by flow cytometry and by fluorescence microscopy were compared. Characteristics of spermatozoa (viability and acrosomal integrity) evaluated by flow cytometry and by fluorescence microscopy were found to be similar. Secondly, we attempted to evaluate the plasma membrane integrity, acrosomal integrity, and also mitochondrial membrane potential of spermatozoa by flow cytometry using conventional staining with three dyes (SYBR-14, PI, and PE–PNA) combined with MitoTracker Deep Red (MTDR) staining (quadruple staining). The spermatozoon characteristics evaluated by flow cytometry using quadruple staining were then compared with those of staining using SYBR-14, PI, and PE–PNA and staining using SYBR-14 and MTDR. There were no significant differences in all characteristics (viability, acrosomal integrity, and mitochondrial membrane potential) evaluated by quadruple staining and the other procedures. In conclusion, quadruple staining using SYBR-14, PI, PE–PNA, and MTDR for flow cytometry can be used to evaluate the plasma membrane integrity, acrosomal integrity, and mitochondrial membrane potential of bovine spermatozoa simultaneously.
Technology, trade and skills in Brazil: evidence from micro data

Brazil was characterised by a marked process of trade liberalisation in the ‘90s, resulting in a dramatic increase in the volumes of exports and imports since the year 2000. Over the same period, the relative demand for skilled labour has increased substantially. To investigate whether these two simultaneous phenomena are linked is the purpose of this paper. More in particular, this study focuses on the possible impact of domestic technology, capital complementarity and trade openness on the relative demand for skilled labour in Brazilian manufacturing firms, using a unique panel database (resulting from merging three different statistical sources) of Brazilian manufacturing firms over the period 1997-2005. Descriptive statistics show that the increase in the relative demand for skilled labour was mainly driven by the within-industry variation, supporting the hypothesis that technology (and in particular technological transfer from richer countries) may have played a role in determining the skill-upgrading of Brazilian manufacturing firms. The econometric results further support this hypothesis. Indeed, the estimations show that domestic technology and capital formation are complements for the skilled workers and that imported capital goods clearly act as a skill-enhancing component of trade.
The exact import price and its implications for the US external imbalance

This article calculates the Feenstra's (1994) ‘exact price index’ for each category of US-imported goods and aggregates them to analyse the US import demand equation for assessing the seriousness of the external imbalance. What distinguishes Feenstra's exact price index is that it incorporates new product varieties. The exact import price index thus calculated suggests that US conventional import prices are biased upwards. The consequent downward adjustment in import prices causes appreciation in the real exchange rate and lowers the excessive portion of imports (the difference between actual and theoretical amounts of imports obtained from the import demand equation). Since the early 2000s, however, the role that new product varieties play in lowering the excessive portion of imports has declined because the impact of new products on import prices has been outweighed by the impact of the spike in primary commodity prices, which has resulted in a substantial depreciation of the real exchange rate. It is possible that this depreciation combined with relatively large excessive imports has caused the subsequent US current account deficit to stop expansion from the late 2000s onwards.
Aftereffects of Spectrally Similar and Dissimilar Spectral Motion Adaptors in the Tritone Paradox

Shepard tones consist of octave-spaced components, whose amplitudes are generated under a fixed bell-shaped spectral envelope. They are well defined in pitch chroma, but generate octave confusions that in turn can produce ambiguities in the perceived relative pitch heights when their chromas are exactly a tritone apart (the tritone paradox). This study examined the effects of tonal context on relative pitch height judgments using adaptor sequences followed by target sequences (pairs of Shepard tones of different chromas separated by a tritone). Listeners judged whether the second target Shepard tone was higher or lower than the first. Adaptor sequences consisted of rising or falling scales (43 s at the beginning of each block, 4 s before each target sequence). Two sets of Shepard tones were used for adaptors and targets that were generated under spectral envelopes centered at either A3 (220 Hz) and C6 (1,046 Hz). Pitch direction judgments (rising vs. falling) to spectrally consistent (A3–A3, C6–C6) and inconsistent (A3–C6, C6–A3) adaptor-target combinations were studied. Large significant contrastive aftereffects (0.08–0.21 change in fraction of pitch direction responses) were only found for the Shepard tones that were judged as higher in the control condition (judgments about the target sequences without adaptor sequences) for the consistent adaptor-target conditions (A3–A3, C6–C6). The experiments rule out explanations based on non-sensory decision making processes. Possible explanations in terms of perceptual aftereffects caused by adaptation in central auditory frequency-motion detectors are discussed.
Introspection for C and its Applications to Library Robustness

Context: In C, low-level errors, such as buffer overflow and use-after-free, are a major problem, as they cause security vulnerabilities and hard-to-find bugs. C lacks automatic checks, and programmers cannot apply defensive programming techniques because objects (e.g., arrays or structs) lack run-time information about bounds, lifetime, and types. Inquiry: Current approaches to tackling low-level errors include dynamic tools, such as bounds or type checkers, that check for certain actions during program execution. If they detect an error, they typically abort execution. Although they track run-time information as part of their runtimes, they do not expose this information to programmers. Approach: We devised an introspection interface that allows C programmers to access run-time information and to query object bounds, object lifetimes, object types, and information about variadic arguments. This enables library writers to check for invalid input or program states and thus, for example, to implement custom error handling that maintains system availability and does not terminate on benign errors. As we assume that introspection is used together with a dynamic tool that implements automatic checks, errors that are not handled in the application logic continue to cause the dynamic tool to abort execution. Knowledge: Using the introspection interface, we implemented a more robust, source-compatible version of the C standard library that validates parameters to its functions. The library functions react to otherwise undefined behavior; for example, they can detect lurking flaws, handle unterminated strings, check format string arguments, and set errno when they detect benign usage errors. Grounding: Existing dynamic tools maintain run-time information that can be used to implement the introspection interface, and we demonstrate its implementation in Safe Sulong, an interpreter and dynamic bug-finding tool for C that runs on a Java Virtual Machine and can thus easily expose relevant run-time information. Importance: Using introspection in user code is a novel approach to tackling the long-standing problem of low-level errors in C. As new approaches are lowering the performance overhead of run-time information maintenance, the usage of dynamic runtimes for C could become more common, which could ultimately facilitate a more widespread implementation of such an introspection interface.
Long elimination half‐life of idraparinux may explain major bleeding and recurrent events of patients from the van Gogh trials

von Willebrand factor gene (R1308L) characterized by defectivecollagen binding. JThrombHaemost2005; 3: 2689–94.16 Goodeve AC, Eikenboom JC, Ginsburg D, Hilbert L, Mazurier C,Peake IR, Sadler JE, Rodeghiero F. A standard nomenclature for vonWillebrand factor gene mutations and polymorphisms. On behalf ofthe ISTH SSC Subcommittee on von Willebrand factor. ThrombHaemost 2001; 85: 929–31.17 Weiss HJ. Type 2B von Willebrand d isease and related disorders ofpatients with increased ristocetin-induced platelet aggregation: whatthey tell us about the role of von Willebrand factor in hemostasis.JThrombHaemost2004; 2: 2055–6.18 Chen JM, Cooper DN, Chuzhanova N, Ferec C, Patrinos GP. Geneconversion: mechanisms evolution and human disease. Nat Rev Genet2007; 8: 762–75.19 Eikenboom JCJ, Castaman G, Vos HL, Bertina RM, Rodeghiero F.Characterization of the genetic defects in recessive type 1 and type 3von Willebrand disease patients of Italian origin. Thromb Haemost1998; 79: 709–17.20 Surdhar GK, Enayat MS, Lawson S, Williams MD, Hill FG.HomozygousgeneconversioninvonWillebrandfactorgeneasacauseof type 3 von Willebrand disease and predisposition to inhibitordevelopment. Blood 2001; 98: 248–50.
Investigation on the Relationship between Romanian Foreign Trade and Industrial Production

This paper investigates the interactions among the Romanian industrial production, exports and imports after the adhesion to European Union. We employ monthly values testing for the Granger Causality between the variables in a Vector Autoregression framework. Our results indicate significant causalities among the variables, especially the one from the returns of exports to the returns of the industrial production index. We could consider these findings as an argument in favor of the Exports-Led Growth Hypothesis.
Hepatic amino‐nitrogen clearance to urea‐nitrogen in control subjects and in patients with cirrhosis: A simplified method

The functional hepatic nitrogen clearance during amino acid infusion is a measure of liver cell mass. The clinical feasibility of the test has so far been limited by methodological problems. A simplified procedure was used to measure the urea‐nitrogen synthesis rate and functional hepatic nitrogen clearance in nine subjects with normal liver function and in nine patients with cirrhosis. The method was based on only four consecutive 2‐hr urine collections and five blood samples. Total body water was calculated from a nomogram based on age and anthropometric data, whereas the gut urea hydrolysis was assigned one fixed fraction of synthesis (0.17 in control subjects and 0.26 in patients with cirrhosis). Finally, a solution of a single amino acid, alanine, was infused as substrate for urea synthesis. Urea‐nitrogen synthesis rate increased linearly with increasing α‐amino‐nitrogen concentration, and the slope of the regression (functional hepatic nitrogen clearance) was reduced in cirrhosis from 37.5 ± 7.0 L/hr to 18.4 ± 6.7 L/hr; p <0.005. The hepatic nitrogen clearance was linearly related to the clinical status (Child‐Pugh score), to routine liver function tests and to galactose elimination capacity (r = 0.869), a wellestablished, quantitative, liver function measure.
Canonical correlation analysis between people criterion and people results criterion in EFQM model

Nowadays, in order to attain their goals and also gain a competitive advantage in a complicated atmosphere, successful organisations need to pay more attention to their human resources (HRs). In order to achieve HR excellence, companies need to be aware of the impact of criteria on each other and also the analysis of relationships between the people criterion and the people results criterion in the European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM) Excellence Model. The aim of this article is the evaluation of the relationships between people criteria and people results in the EFQM Excellence Model in the Tavanir Company in Iran. To this end, all the EFQM model data of Tavanir Company were collected. The research method used for this article is descriptive correlation. To assess the relationships between the criteria, canonical correlation analysis was used. The results confirm the previous findings on the issue and show that the people criterion is strongly related to the people results criterion. All the people sub-criteria contribute in the same way to people results improvements; so a balanced approach in the development of people sub-criteria allows companies to obtain an optimal profit from the EFQM Excellence Model.
Anti-photoaging and Photoprotective Compounds Derived from Marine Organisms

Marine organisms form a prominent component of the oceanic population, which significantly contribute in the production of cosmeceutical and pharmaceutical molecules with biologically efficient moieties. In addition to the molecules of various biological activities like anti-bacterial, anti-cancerous, anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative etc., these organisms also produce potential photoprotective or anti-photoaging agents, which are attracting present day researchers. Continuous exposure to UV irradiation (both UV-A and UV-B) leads to the skin cancer and other photoaging complications, which are typically mediated by the reactive oxygen species (ROS), generated in the oxidative pathways. Many of the anti-oxidative and anti-photoaging compounds have been identified previously, which work efficiently against photodamage of the skin. Recently, marine originated photoprotective or anti-photoaging behavior was observed in the methanol extracts of Corallina pilulifera (CPM). These extracts were found to exert potent antioxidant activity and protective effect on UV-A-induced oxidative stress in human dermal fibroblast (HDF) cells by protecting DNA and also by inhibiting matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), a key component in photoaging of the skin due to exposure to UV-A. The present review depicts various other photoprotective compounds from algae and other marine sources for further elaborative research and their probable use in cosmeceutical and pharmaceutical industries.
The cytokine interleukin-33 mediates anaphylactic shock

Anaphylactic shock is characterized by elevated immunoglobulin-E (IgE) antibodies that signal via the high affinity Fcε receptor (FcεRI) to release inflammatory mediators. Here we report that the novel cytokine interleukin-33 (IL-33) potently induces anaphylactic shock in mice and is associated with the symptom in humans. IL-33 is a new member of the IL-1 family and the ligand for the orphan receptor ST2. In humans, the levels of IL-33 are substantially elevated in the blood of atopic patients during anaphylactic shock, and in inflamed skin tissue of atopic dermatitis patients. In murine experimental atopic models, IL-33 induced antigen-independent passive cutaneous and systemic anaphylaxis, in a T cell–independent, mast cell–dependent manner. In vitro, IL-33 directly induced degranulation, strong eicosanoid and cytokine production in IgE-sensitized mast cells. The molecular mechanisms triggering these responses include the activation of phospholipase D1 and sphingosine kinase1 to mediate calcium mobilization, Nuclear factor–κB activation, cytokine and eicosanoid secretion, and degranulation. This report therefore reveals a hitherto unrecognized pathophysiological role of IL-33 and suggests that IL-33 may be a potential therapeutic target for anaphylaxis, a disease of considerable unmet medical need.
Diversité des fiscalités européennes et risques de concurrence fiscale

Résumé Les systèmes fiscaux européens sont très diversifiés et bon nombre d'observateurs craignent que la mise en place de l'euro ne favorise une concurrence fiscale accrue entre États-membres. Celle-ci pourrait se traduire à terme par une dégradation des finances publiques, une exonération de fait des bases les plus mobiles avec un report de la charge fiscale sur les bases les moins mobiles, et une perte de souveraineté des États, notamment par rapport à leur capacité à mettre en œuvre des politiques de redistribution. Actuellement, le débat porte essentiellement sur la fiscalité pesant sur les revenus du capital — impôt sur le bénéfice des sociétés et sur les revenus de placement. En effet, ces revenus sont potentiellement mobiles et les écarts de fiscalité, mesurés grâce au calcul de coûts du capital dans le cas de l'impôt sur les sociétés, sont importants — ils peuvent être supérieurs à 30 % dans certains cas. En ce qui concerne les revenus de l'épargne, force est de constater que le jeu auquel se livrent les États tourne à l'absurde : chaque État taxe ses résidents mais n'impose pas les non-résidents dans un contexte où chacun peut aller chez le voisin. Dans ces conditions, la Commission européenne adopte désormais une position plus pragmatique qu'il y a une dizaine d'années où l'objectif était d'harmoniser les fiscalités nationales pour réduire les distorsions de concurrence entre États. L'accent est mis davantage sur le caractère dommageable d'une concurrence fiscale non maîtrisée, comme en témoignent la proposition de directive concernant l'instauration d'une retenue à la source pour les revenus de l'épargne ou l'adoption par les États en 1997 d'un code de bonne conduite. Quoi qu'il en soit, en vertu de la règle de l'unanimité en matière d'harmonisation fiscale, un pays comme le Luxembourg, favorable à la concurrence fiscale compte tenu des règles qui régissent le secret bancaire dans cet État, se trouve en position de leader dans les négociations.
Optimal Hedge Ratios in the Presence of Common Jumps

This study derives optimal hedge ratios with infrequent extreme news events modeled as common jumps in foreign currency spot and futures rates. A dynamic hedging strategy based on a bivariate GARCH model augmented with a common jump component is proposed to manage currency risk. We find significant common jump components in the British pound spot and futures rates. The out‐of‐sample hedging exercises show that optimal hedge ratios which incorporate information from common jump dynamics substantially reduce daily and weekly portfolio risk. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Jrl Fut Mark 30:801–807, 2010
Sprint running: a new energetic approach

SUMMARY The speed of the initial 30 m of an all-out run from a stationary start on a flat track was determined for 12 medium level male sprinters by means of a radar device. The peak speed of 9.46±0.19 m s–1 (mean± s.d.) was attained after about 5 s, the highest forward acceleration (af), attained immediately after the start, amounting to 6.42±0.61 m s–2. During acceleration, the runner's body (assumed to coincide with the segment joining the centre of mass and the point of contact foot terrain) must lean forward, as compared to constant speed running, by an angle α=arctang/af (g=acceleration of gravity). The complement (90–α) is the angle, with respect to the horizontal, by which the terrain should be tilted upwards to bring the runner's body to a position identical to that of constant speed running. Therefore, accelerated running is similar to running at constant speed up an `equivalent slope' ES=tan(90–α). Maximum ES was 0.643±0.059. Knowledge of ES allowed us to estimate the energy cost of sprint running (Csr, J kg–1 m–1) from literature data on the energy cost measured during uphill running at constant speed. Peak Csr was 43.8±10.4 J kg–1 m–1; its average over the acceleration phase (30 m) was 10.7±0.59 J kg–1 m–1, as compared with 3.8 for running at constant speed on flat terrain. The corresponding metabolic powers (in W kg–1) amounted to 91.9±20.5 (peak) and 61.0±4.7 (mean).
Circulating ATP‐induced vasodilatation overrides sympathetic vasoconstrictor activity in human skeletal muscle

Despite increases in muscle sympathetic vasoconstrictor activity, skeletal muscle blood flow and O2 delivery increase during exercise in humans in proportion to the local metabolic demand, a phenomenon coupled to local reductions in the oxygenation state of haemoglobin and concomitant increases in circulating ATP. We tested the hypothesis that circulating ATP contributes to local blood flow and O2 delivery regulation by both inducing vasodilatation and blunting the augmented sympathetic vasoconstrictor activity. In eight healthy subjects, we first measured leg blood flow (LBF) and mean arterial pressure (MAP) during three hyperaemic conditions: (1) intrafemoral artery adenosine infusion (vasodilator control), (2) intrafemoral artery ATP infusion (vasodilator), and (3) mild knee‐extensor exercise (∼20 W), and then compared the responses with the combined infusion of the vasoconstrictor drug tyramine, which evokes endogenous release of noradrenaline from sympathetic nerve endings. In all three hyperaemic conditions, LBF equally increased from ∼0.5 ± 0.1 l min−1 at rest to ∼3.6 ± 0.3 l min−1, with no change in MAP. Tyramine caused significant leg vasoconstriction during adenosine infusion (53 ± 5 and 56 ± 5% lower LBF and leg vascular conductance, respectively, P < 0.05), which was completely abolished by both ATP infusion and exercise. In six additional subjects resting in the sitting position, intrafemoral artery infusion of ATP increased LBF and leg vascular conductance 27 ± 3‐fold, despite concomitant increases in venous noradrenaline and muscle sympathetic nerve activity of 2.5 ± 0.2‐ and 2.4 ± 0.1‐fold, respectively. Maximal ATP‐induced vasodilatation at rest accounted for 78% of the peak LBF during maximal bicycling exercise. Our findings in humans demonstrate that circulating ATP is capable of regulating local skeletal muscle blood flow and O2 delivery by causing substantial vasodilatation and negating the effects of increased sympathetic vasoconstrictor activity.