Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Type 1 interleukin‐1 receptor in the rat brain: Distribution, regulation, and relationship to sites of IL‐1–induced cellular activation

Systemic interleukin‐1 (IL‐1) activates the hypothalamo‐pituitary‐adrenal (HPA) axis, an effect exerted through increased synthesis and secretion of corticotropin‐releasing factor (CRF) by parvicellular neurosecretory neurons. The site(s) and mechanism(s) through which circulat ing IL‐1 may access central systems governing HPA axis output remain obscure. To identify potential cellular targets for blood‐borne IL‐1, we analyzed the distribution of mRNA encoding the rat type 1 IL‐1 receptor (IL‐1R1) in rat brain. Regional ribonuclease protection assays detected a single protected fragment corresponding to the membrane‐bound form of the IL‐1R1 mRNA in all areas analyzed. In situ hybridization revealed labeling predominantly over barrier‐related cells, including the leptomeninges, non‐tanycytic portions of the ependyma, the choroid plexus, and vascular endothelium. Low to moderate levels of the IL‐1111 mRNA were detected in just a few neuronal cell groups, including the basolateral nucleus of the amygdala, the arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus, the trigeminal and hypoglossal motor nuclei, and the area postrema. No specific labeling for IL‐1R1 mRNA was detected over neurons that respond to intravenous IL‐1β; by induction of transcription factor Fos, including hypophysiotropic CRF cells and brainstem catecholamine neurons. Injection of IL‐1β did, however, provoke induction of mRNA encoding the immediate‐early gene, NGFI‐B, but not c‐fos, in two major loci of IL‐1R1 expression, vascular endothelial cells, and the area postrema. Intravenous inection of IL‐1β acutely down‐regulated IL‐1R1 mRNA in perivascular cells, but not in neuronal cell groups. These results suggest the parenchymal sites of IL‐1R1 expression in rat to be distinct from those reported previously in mouse. The common expression in both species of an IL‐1R in non‐neuronal elements highlights the possibility that IL‐1‐mediated activation of CRF neurons may result from cytokine‐receptor interaction at vascular, and/or other barrier‐related, sites to trigger release of secondary signalling molecules in a position to interact with components of HPA control circuitry. © 1995 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Competencies matter: modeling effective entrepreneurship in northeast of Italy small firms

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore if and to what extent the competency portfolio of entrepreneurs affects firm's performance, controlling for a set of individual and organizational variables.Design/methodology/approach – Applying nonparametric statistical analysis on data from behavioral event interviews and survey questionnaires to a sample of 53 entrepreneurs (small firm owners), this study investigates: the type, scope and depth of the entrepreneurs' competence portfolio; and the relationship between the entrepreneurs' competence portfolio and their firm performance. The empirical setting is a sample of northeast Italian small family businesses.Findings – The authors' research shows which are the functional, emotional and cross‐functional competencies that differentiate entrepreneurs' performance and identifies which are the threshold competencies (Self‐control, Information gathering and Visioning) and the distinctive competencies (Planning, Empathy, Business bargaining, Organizational .
The effect of bonds on loyalty towards auditors: the mediating role of commitment

The study examines the impact of knowledge and social bonds on commitment and behavioural loyalty in auditor–client relationships. A model is proposed and tested using data collected from stock exchange company executives in the UK. The results show the significant effects of the knowledge and social bonds on commitment. Commitment is shown to be a mediating variable, which influences word-of-mouth and continuance but not the purchase of non-audit services. In the light of these findings, suggestions are provided to auditors in developing relationship bonds and managing the relationship at the firm level.
Mutual Preamble Detection for Full Duplex Broadband Power Line Communications

In this paper, we introduce a new scheme called Mutual Preamble Detection (MPD) to reduce the collision recovery time in broadband power line communication (BB-PLC) networks. Although latest BB- PLC products deliver a physical layer data rate of over 1000 Mbps, this is not efficiently translated into the medium access control (MAC) layer throughput due to several factors, including the long time intervals taken to recover from collisions. To address this, we use in-band full duplex operation to enable network nodes to transmit and simultaneously detect preambles, making them aware of a potential frame collision. With the detection of such a potential collision, we compel the network nodes to refrain from frame transmission in order to avoid the lengthy collision recovery time. The near-zero values of detection error and false alarm probabilities ensure the feasibility of our scheme in typical in-home BB-PLC networks. We present OMNeT++ simulation results to demonstrate the considerable increase in MAC efficiency obtained by using our proposed MPD scheme, over a traditional BB-PLC protocol.
Public administration reform in transition

Abstract This article investigates the contribution of public administration (PA) reforms to sustainable development, with particular reference to countries in transition. The case study of Albania is analysed with a specific focus on the scope, contents and sequence of reforms as well as on the role of international institutions. The Albanian transition clearly demonstrates how development achieved without paying attention to public administration and management can be easily reversible and hardly sustainable. Open issues include building consensus on a general prioritization of PA reform agendas in transition countries and identifying more effective approaches for evaluating reform projects. Further enquiry on the first point can help avoid incoherent reform initiatives, also exacerbated by the multitude of donors financing reforms in these countries, while a better evaluation could address the declining flows of foreign aid and benefit from an increasing results-oriented approach, in recipient countries, as well as in international institutions.
COMMENTS ON THE INTERPRETATION OF GAME THEORY

The paper is a discussion of the interpretation of game theory. The first half of the paper deals with the notion of "strategy". The paper endorses the view that equilibrium strategy describes a player's plan of action, as well as those considerations which support the optimality of his plan rather than being merely described as a "plan of action". In the second half of the paper it is argued that a good model in game theory has to be realistic in the sense that it provides a model for the perception of real life social phenomena. It should incorporate a description of the relevant factors involved, as perceived by the decision makers. Copyright 1991 by The Econometric Society.
Soft Budget Constraints and Predatory States

The concept of the soft budget constraint (SBC) was initially formulated by economist Janos Kornai in the context of socialist economies. I argue that the SBC can be regarded as the political economy of a predatory state in both the so-called socialist and capitalist economies. The hard budget constraint (HBC) is not related to an ideal competitive market economy but to a household level budget constraint, particularly by salaried members of the population in both types of economies. JEL codes: D20, E20, P2, P5
Essays in Applied and Development Economics

This thesis contains three self-contained essays in development and applied economics. Chapter 1 develops a new way to estimate the habit persistence coefficient of consumption using household panel data. In contrast to the traditional approach of estimating an approximate Euler equation, the identification comes from comparing the coevolution of income and consumption. Using Spanish data from 1985 to 1995, we estimate a joint model of habit formation and income variability. Under alternative preference specifications, we find habit persistence plays an important role in smoothing the impact of permanent income shocks on consumption. With our estimated parameters, we find habit persistence reduces the variance of consumption by 40% over the life-cycle. The presence of habits in consumption offers an explanation for the “excess smoothness of consumption” puzzle. Chapter 2 examines the empirical link between inequality and common property resource extraction. Using a Tunisian data, we find groundwater table falls less in villages with higher land area inequality. We also design a choice experiment to elicit farmers’ willingness to pay for a community-based management regime for groundwater use, and their demand for information sharing and accountability. We find farmers are inclined to cooperation and stabilizing water table level, and a majority demand a transparent system with independent monitoring, which is absent from the current management scheme. We further examine the effect of land inequality and heterogeneity on farmers’ inclination. Chapter 3 investigates the causal effect of father’s labour migration on children’s education in rural China. We employ two different empirical strategies which are compared and contrasted. The first strategy uses a fixed effect instrumental variable procedure. The second approach treats education and migration as duration processes using the multivariate duration framework developed by Abbring and van den Berg (2003). We find father’s migration has no significant impact on child’s lifetime education attainment.
Paths to literacy and numeracy problems: evidence from two British birth cohorts

Background: To test a life course model linking circumstances of origin to self-reported literacy and numeracy problems in midlife, and to investigate the effects in this model of changing social circumstances in two post-war cohorts. Methods: Based on data from men and women in the British 1946 and 1958 birth cohorts, we used the relative index of inequality and logistical regression to test associations between father’s occupation, childhood cognition, educational attainment, own occupation in the third decade, and a binary variable representing self-reported literacy and numeracy problems in the fourth decade. Results: There was a lower frequency of literacy and numeracy problems in the 1958 cohort than in the 1946 cohort. In both cohorts there were associations between father’s occupation and childhood cognition, educational attainment and own occupation, a pattern that was mirrored by the associations between childhood cognition, educational attainment and own occupation to adult literacy and numeracy problems. Positive associations between childhood cognition and educational attainment, and between educational attainment and own occupation, were stronger in the 1946 cohort than in the 1958 cohort. However, inverse associations between educational attainment and literacy and numeracy problems were stronger in the 1958 cohort, possibly reflecting the expansion of secondary education in the intervening years. Conclusions: Literacy and numeracy problems have a robust structure of life course associations, although the changing pattern of these associations may reflect important social structural changes from the early post-war years to the early 1960s in the UK.
Action, prevention and epidemiology of paediatric obesity

The overall aim of this paper is to describe important issues regarding paediatric obesity as a public health problem. This paper focuses on actions taken, and on the prevalence of obesity in children, teens and adults in Denmark. In addition, the paper describes some important prevention studies, all of which are performed outside Denmark. Thus, this paper is not a classical review but rather a highlight of some aspects that the author finds important. The latest Danish national figures show a marked increase in the prevalence of obesity, especially among young men—a sevenfold increase from 1987 to 2000 (0.7 to 4.9%). Among young women aged 16–24, the increase is threefold in the same period. Among teens, the prevalence has increased by 2–3 times in recent decades. Nevertheless, compared to other European countries and the US, Denmark has a relatively low prevalence of obesity in adolescents. The present paper also covers results from prevention studies performed in both preschool and school settings. Some of these focus on the reduced intake of carbonated drinks, whereas others focus on both diet and physical exercise. Finally, this paper demonstrates that Denmark is at the forefront regarding a national action plan against obesity.
How to safeguard critical resources of professional and managerial staff: exploration of a taxonomy of resource retention strategies

Based on compliance theory and resource dependence theory, we develop a taxonomy of five organizational resource retention strategies that are appropriate to secure the inflow and stock of professional and managerial staff's competences. These competences are characterized as different categories of resources that professionals and managers control and that are potentially critical for the company's success. We postulate that organizational decision-makers evaluate retention strategies according to their assessment of the criticality of these resources. A cluster analysis, based on data from interviews with 159 top HR managers of German companies, supports the reliability and validity of the theoretically derived taxonomy. We discuss the implications for research and managerial practice. This study contributes to retention literature by introducing a resource dependence perspective. Thereby, we specify a resource-based strategic human resource management view on core employees' competences as strategic assets and offer a theoretical rationale that explains the coherence and scope of retention strategies.
Hic‐5 contributes to epithelial‐mesenchymal transformation through a RhoA/ROCK‐dependent pathway

Epithelial‐mesenchymal transformation (EMT) in response to TGFβ1 is a coordinated process of tissue morphogenesis that occurs during embryonic development as well as during certain pathologic events including kidney tubulointerstitial fibrosis. It is characterized by the disassembly of cell–cell junctions and dramatic alterations in the actin cytoskeleton that facilitates cell–matrix adhesion and stimulates migration. The focal adhesion adapter protein, Hic‐5, has previously been reported to be upregulated during TGFβ1‐induced EMT in mouse mammary epithelial cells and the current study recapitulates this result in both mouse kidney proximal tubule epithelial, MCT, cells and human mammary epithelial, MCF10A, cells. To evaluate a causative role for Hic‐5 in EMT, Hic‐5 RNA interference (siRNA) was used to prevent Hic‐5 expression in response to TGFβ1 stimulation and was shown to suppress cell migration and actin stress fiber formation. It also resulted in the retention of a robust epithelial cell morphology characterized by elevated E‐cadherin protein expression and well‐organized adherens junctions. In addition, Hic‐5 siRNA treatment led to the suppression of TGFβ1 induction of RhoA activation. In contrast, forced expression of Hic‐5 led to the formation of ROCK‐dependent actin stress fibers. Furthermore, the induction of Hic‐5 expression in response to TGFβ1 was shown to be a RhoA/ROCK I‐dependent process. Together, these data implicate Hic‐5 as a key regulator of EMT and suggest that RhoA stimulated Hic‐5 expression in response to TGFβ1 may be functioning in a feed forward mechanism whereby Hic‐5 maintains the mesenchymal phenotype through sustained RhoA activation and signaling. J. Cell. Physiol. 211: 736–747, 2007. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Caribbean demand of U.S. and rest-of-the- world starchy food (wheat, rice, corn, and fresh potatoes): a restricted source differentiated almost ideal demand system

Las elasticidades de demanda por importaciones per cápita de féculas desde Estados Unidos y el resto del mundo hacia los países del Caribe son estimadas mediante el modelo de demanda casi ideal con restricción y diferenciación por orígenes (RSDAIDS). Para el trigo y el arroz las elasticidades-precio propias son negativas y también las elasticidades-precio cruzadas. Esto sugiere que una reducción en el precio de las exportaciones del trigo y el arroz por parte de los países oferentes puede tener un efecto positivo sobre la seguridad alimentaria de los países del Caribe. Además, perece existir una separación de los mercados de trigo y arroz en los países del Caribe dependiendo del origen de los productos (Estados Unidos o el resto del mundo). De esta manera se protege a los oferentes de estos productos de la competencia. Palabras Clave: Demanda, elasticidades, exportaciones, importaciones.
A Markeless Augmented Reality Tracking for Enhancing the User Interaction during Virtual Rehabilitation

Virtual Rehabilitation provides a range of technological and clinical developments in the field of virtual reality and augmented reality applied to rehabilitation. In this context, a system for upper-limb motor rehabilitation of stroke patients based on augmented reality was developed. This system aimed providing the motor imagery using a virtual three-dimensional arm that replaces the paralyzed arm in a real-time image of the patient. During the task execution in the augmented reality environment, the physiotherapist had guided the patients while they saw themselves and surroundings, as in a mirror. Although not achieving statistical significance, the Fugl-Meyer results of these case studies suggested that the participants were able to use the technology and they had larger shoulder range of motion of the affected hand post-training using the augmented reality system. However, many faults in the detection and recognition of physical markers were occurred whenever there was partial obfuscation or imperfect capture of the marker's image. For this reason, a new version of the system was developed to provide an augmented reality system without markers, and thus, aiming to improve the usability of next clinical trials.
The effect of resistance exercise to augment long-term benefits of intradialytic oral nutritional supplementation in chronic hemodialysis patients.

BACKGROUND Resistance exercise combined with intradialytic oral nutrition (IDON) supplementation improves net protein balance in the acute setting in chronic hemodialysis patients. We hypothesized that combination of long-term resistance exercise and IDON would improve markers of muscle mass and strength further compared with IDON alone. METHODS Thirty-two participants (21 male; mean age, 43 ± 13 years) on chronic hemodialysis were randomly assigned to IDON plus resistance exercise (NS + EX), or IDON (NS) alone for 6 months. IDON consisted of a lactose-free formula consisting of protein, carbohydrate, and fat. Three sets of 12 repetitions of leg-press were completed before each dialysis session in the NS + EX arm. Primary outcome measurement was lean body mass. Muscle strength and other nutritional parameters were measured as secondary outcomes. RESULTS Of 32 participants, 22 completed the 6-month intervention. There were no statistically significant differences between the study interventions with respect to changes in lean body mass and body weight, when comparing NS + EX to NS. There were also no statistically significant differences in any of the secondary outcomes measured in the study. Body weight (80.3 ± 16.6 kg, 81.1 ± 17.5 kg, and 80.9 ± 18.2 kg at baseline, month 3, and month 6, respectively; P = .02) and 1-repetition maximum (468 ± 148 lb, 535 ± 144 lb, and 552 ± 142 lb, respectively; P = .001) increased statistically significantly during the study for all patients combined. CONCLUSION This study did not show further benefits of additional resistance exercise on long-term somatic protein accretion above and beyond nutritional supplementation alone. When both treatments groups were combined, body weight and muscle strength improved during the study.
Adaptive Inverse Control of Cable-Driven Parallel System Based on Type-2 Fuzzy Logic Systems

This paper is concerned with the problem of type-2 fuzzy adaptive inverse control for a cable-driven parallel system. Based on the heuristics and prior knowledge of the system, the system is divided into six subsystems. The proposed control scheme for each subsystem contains a forward model and a fuzzy adaptive inverse controller (FAIC), which are expressed by an interval type-2 fuzzy nonlinear autoregressive exogenous (NARX) model, respectively. To construct the antecedents of the interval type-2 fuzzy NARX forward models and FAICs, the monotonic property of the fuzzy NARX model is first proved, and then, their antecedent parameters can be determined by this property. Furthermore, the consequent parameters of the forward models are computed offline via a constrained least squares algorithm, and the consequent parameters of the FAIC are adjusted online via a recursive least squares algorithm. Experiment results are provided to show that the proposed type-2 fuzzy control scheme can realize the control objectives and achieve a good control performance.
Second-home Landscape: The Meaning(s) of Landscape for Second-home Tourism in Finnish Lakeland

Abstract Second homes are an integral part of leisure history in many developed countries. They are also increasingly popular in modern societies. While the material well-being of home and work has increased, many people increasingly seek simpler life forms. An essential motive to use and purchase a second home is the landscape. This article explores the concept of second-home landscape on the basis of contemporary research and a case study of second-home owners in the Finnish Lakeland. Attributable to theories of human geography, three prominent approaches of second-home landscape are distinguished: physical, experiential and cultural. The case study illustrates that these are not mutually exclusive, but the landscape has many faces. Even if the physical attributes form the solid basis for the second-home landscape, it does not exist independentally of perception. It is produced through the everyday practices of people, which are adjusted to social and cultural discourses. In the strain of modern society, second-home landscape is often perceived as an ideal habitat. It, however, is in constant change in relation to time and space so that future generations, inheritors and buyers of the cottages will have their say in the contexts in which the landscape is interpreted.
Global Competitive Pressures and Host Country Demands Managing Tensions in MNCs

Much has been written about the growing complexity of strategic demands facing multinational corporations. The authors examine conflicts implicit in the recent development of several such demands, and look at some of their administrative and organizational implications. In illustrating the administrative adaptations made by several companies, the authors highlight the need for change on a broader basis than the continual reorganizations resorted to by many MNCs.