Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The "Will" to Save in China

In this article, I discuss the actual conditions and determinants of the saving behavior and wealth holdings of the aged in China, with emphasis on the impact of bequest motives, using microdata from the February 2009 "Survey of Living Preferences and Satisfaction" (urban households) and the January 2010 "Survey of Living Preferences and Satisfaction" (rural households), which were conducted as part of the Global Center of Excellence Program on "Human Behavior and Socioeconomic Dynamics" of the Graduate School of Economics and the Institute of Social and Economic Research of Osaka University. I found that bequest motives are strong in China, with more than 87 percent of respondents in urban areas, more than 75 percent in rural areas, and more than 85 percent in the country as a whole having a bequest motive. These bequests are motivated primarily by altruism. There is little evidence that aged households in China dissave (decumulate their wealth). Altruistic and selfish bequest motives, especially the latter, increase the saving (or reduce the dissaving) of aged households.
Which endothelium-derived factors are really important in humans?

Abstract The endothelium plays a primary role in the local control of vascular function and structure, mainly by the production and release of NO, a potent vasodilator that also inhibits all the mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis, thus protecting the vessel wall against the development of atherosclerosis and thrombosis. Cardiovascular risk factors are associated with endothelial dysfunction, which involves enhanced production of oxygen free radicals that reduce NO availability and the release of contracting factors, including prostanoids and endothelin-1. In humans, endothelium-dependent relaxation can be assessed by tests that explore vascular reactivity. Besides the degree of vasodilation, which represents a crude estimate of endothelial function, the utilization of a complex experimental design, requiring the administration of specific agonists and antagonists, allows detailed exploration of the mediators and mechanisms involved in endothelium-dependent vasodilation. At present, the degree of endothelium-dependent vasodilation (evoked by receptor-operated agonists or the application of mechanical forces) is considered an independent predictor of cardiovascular events. In contrast, scant information is available concerning the clinical relevance of different mediators involved in endothelial function. Further studies are needed in the future to assess the specific impact of different endothelial responses on the clinical outcome in patients with cardiovascular risk factors and disease.
Host responses after acellular muscle basal lamina allografting used as a matrix for tissue engineered nerve grafts1

Background. A nerve gap must be bridged by autologous nerve grafts that serve as scaffold and consist of viable Schwann cells that promote regeneration. Owing to the necessary immunosuppression, nerve allografts remain limited to special cases. Alternatively, tissue engineering of peripheral nerves focuses on the implantation of cultured Schwann cells into suitable scaffolds. We established grafts from Schwann cells and basal lamina from acellular muscles. These grafts offer a regeneration that is comparable to autologous nerve grafts. Methods. Using a rat model (DALEW.1W strain), the present study evaluates the host response to acellular muscle allografts by assessing cellular reaction major histocompatability (MHC) class I and II, lymphocytes, macrophages. The results were compared to untreated muscle allografts. Results. Macroscopically, the untreated muscles showed a strong inflammatory reaction as a sign of rejection, whereas the acellular muscle offered only minor reactions in the periphery of the graft. Expression of MHC I and II and invasion of CD4/CD8 positive cells and macrophages was pronounced after grafting the untreated muscles. Only a moderate reaction was noted for these parameters after acellular grafting. Conclusions. The acellular muscle graft is not completely free of cellular response; however the reaction is considered to be moderate and is located only in the periphery. To date, synthetic scaffolds that represent endoneurial tube-like structures and allow sufficient adhesion of Schwann cells and axonal regeneration are not available. The decreased response to acellular muscle allografts offers at least a basis for further experiments.
A minimal model for metabolism-dependent chemotaxis in Rhodobacter sphaeroides†

Chemotaxis is vital cellular movement in response to environmental chemicals. Unlike the canonical chemotactic pathway in Escherichia coli, Rhodobacter sphaeroides has both transmembrane and cytoplasmic sensory clusters, with the latter possibly interacting with essential components in the electron transport system. However, the effect of the cytoplasmic sensor and the mechanism of signal integration from both sensory clusters remain unclear. Based on a minimal model of the chemotaxis pathway in this species, we show that signal integration at the motor level produces realistic chemotactic behaviour in line with experimental observations. Our model also suggests that the core pathway of R. sphaeroides, at least its ancestor, may represent a metabolism-dependent selective stopping strategy, which alone can steer cells to favourable environments. Our results not only clarify the potential roles of the two sensory clusters but also put in question the current definitions of attractants and repellents.
A Logical and Probabilistic Technique for Classification and Dimensionality Reduction for Objects with Categorical Data

Abstract : A supervised learning technique, the Attribute Importance Measure (AIM) method, is proposed for the classification of objects with categorical attributes. The advantage of this method over existing techniques is its ability to perform classification and dimensionality reduction, or feature selection, with the same algorithm. The method uses probabilistic measures alongside logical concepts of sufficiency, necessity and irrelevance in providing corresponding weights to values in attribute value pairs. Finally an efficient search algorithm is developed which generates decision rules for classification. The performance of the new method is demonstrated on a commonly used machine learning data set.
The Notion of Effectual Supply and the Theory of Normal Prices with Exhaustible Natural Resources

This paper proposes a revised theory of the classical notion of normal prices for an economy with exhaustible natural resources. The author introduces the notion of effectual supply and argues that Sraffa’s equations, without the Hotelling rule equation, can be reformulated to deal with the existence of an exhaustible natural resource. Such a revision of a well-established theory requires a reinterpretation and methodological clarification of Sraffa’s equations, but without a change in their mathematical form. The revised theory must focus on the effectual supply of the resource and it can ignore its total endowment.
Cutaneous Leishmaniasis (CL) in Saudi Arabia: Current Status

Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is a major tropical infection of public health importance. It is caused by a group of protozoan intracellular parasites. Several factors contribute to the prevalence and transmission of CL. More than 1400 cases of CL were reported in Saudi Arabia in 2012. Although several studies have looked at CL in Saudi Arabia and emphasized on the Eastern province of the country, the highest prevalence of CL was reported in Al- Quaseem area. In this review, we report on the species of Leishmania parasites causing CL in Saudi Arabia, its distribution and its incidence in the past seven years. We also report on the methods used to diagnose this infection and the treatment protocols used to treat CL in the country.
Predicting Railroad Bankruptcies in America

The purpose of this paper is to discuss the urgent need for an early-warning system covering the historically failure-prone railroad industry and to develop a tool for providing such a system. A multivariate statistical technique called linear discriminant analysis is utilized to identify and quantify those financial measures which are effective indicators of bankruptcies. A model which combined several financial statement ratios proved to be extremely accurate in predicting railroad bankruptcies at one and two annual financial statement dates prior to failure. Subsequent tests on additional railroad samples confirm the validity of the model. Finally, currently existing railroads in America are assessed for their bankruptcy potential by this diagnostic model.
Voltage-controlled MRAM for working memory: Perspectives and challenges

Magnetic random access memory (MRAM) has been widely studied for future nonvolatile working memory candidate. However, the mainstream current (spin transfer torque, STT or spin Hall effect, SHE) driven MRAMs (STT-MRAM or SHE-MRAM) face intrinsic problems in terms of high write power and long latency, significantly limiting the applications for low-power and high-speed working memories. The recently-developed new-generation MRAM, named VCMA-MRAM, which exploits the voltage-controlled magnetic anisotropy (VCMA) effect to write (or assist to write) data information into magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs), holds the promise to efficiently overcome these problems. Despite the impressive possibility of improving write power and speed, this technology, however, is currently under intensive research and development (R&D), and some challenges still await answers. In this paper, we investigate the perspectives and challenges of VCMA-MRAM for working memories from a cross-layer (device/circuit/architecture) design point of view. We demonstrate that VCMA-MRAM outperforms STT-MRAM and SHE-MRAM in terms of area, speed, energy consumption and instruction-per-cycle (IPC) performance, benefiting from the low-power and high-speed VCMA-driven data writing mechanism. On the other hand, challenges in terms of device fabrication and circuit design should be efficiently addressed before practical applications.
Eptifibatide for the treatment of HeartMate II left ventricular assist device thrombosis.

Left ventricular assist device (LVAD) thrombosis is a life-threatening complication occurring in ≈6% of patients receiving a HeartMate II (HMII) LVAD (Thoratec Corp, Pleasanton, CA) within 24 months after implantation.1 Prophylactic therapy with aspirin and warfarin to an international normalized ratio (INR) of 1.5 to 2.5 is recommended to prevent LVAD thrombosis in most HMII recipients.2 For device malfunction because of pump thrombosis, surgical device exchange may be necessary but carries a high risk of morbidity and mortality. Alternate treatment approaches include the addition of clopidogrel, tirofiban, and thrombolysis.3 We report our experience with eptifibatide (Merck & Co, Inc, Whitehouse Station, NJ), a platelet glycoprotein IIb/IIIa receptor inhibitor, for the treatment of LVAD thrombosis in 2 patients. A 66-year-old male with ischemic cardiomyopathy who underwent HMII implantation as a bridge to cardiac transplantation developed LVAD thrombosis 42 days after his surgery while taking 325 mg of aspirin and warfarin. His INR was subtherapeutic at 1.3. Hematuria, a lactate dehydrogenase level of 2326 IU/L, direct bilirubin of 0.8 mg/dL, a lower pulsatility index, and pump flow compared with previous levels, which suggested hemolysis and …
Supporting outdoor mixed reality applications for architecture and cultural heritage

This paper introduces new approaches to enable collaborative outdoor mixed reality design review in the architectural domain as well as outdoor mixed reality experiences in the cultural heritage domain. For this purpose we present the results of three closely related European projects, IMPROVE and CINeSPACE, which are currently succeeded by MAXIMUS, continuing the development of technologies relevant to the two domains. The paper focuses on the base technologies needed to develop usable outdoor mixed reality applications, such as marker-less optical tracking combined with sensor fusion for accurate pose estimation outdoors. Furthermore the paper presents a new visualization system developed within the project, one of the few daylight blocking head. -mounted displays available. In addition to pose estimation and visualization devices, the paper presents a VR framework adapted for the architecture and the cultural heritage domain featuring high dynamic range image acquisition combined with pre-computed radiance transfer rendering to be able to photo-realistically render urban content. For the cultural heritage domain this framework has been extended to allow accurate display and generation of multimedia content super-imposed on a real environment as well as city navigation.
The undue influence of shape and weight on self-evaluation in anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and restrained eaters: a combined ERP and behavioral study

Background Current theories and nosology assume that the self-evaluation (SE) of individuals with eating disorders (EDs) is unduly influenced by body shape and weight. However, experimental data supporting this link are scarce, and it is not specified which subdomains of SE might be affected. Method We studied patients with anorexia nervosa (AN), bulimia nervosa (BN) and healthy controls (HC) with an affective priming (AP) procedure (Study 1) to unveil explicit and implicit associations between shape/weight and SE. We used weight/shape-related prime sentences, complemented by affectively congruent and incongruent target words from two SE domains. AP effects were assessed by event-related potentials (ERPs), reaction times (RTs) and subjective ratings. The ratings were also assessed (Study 2) in undergraduate restrained (RES) and unrestrained eaters (UNRES). Results Study 1 demonstrated stronger AP effects in both ED groups compared to HC on RTs and subjective ratings. ERPs showed AP effects only in the BN group. Restrained eaters showed similar, albeit less pronounced, priming effects on subjective ratings. Conclusions ED patients associate shape/weight concerns with the non-appearance-related SE domains of interpersonal relationships and achievement/performance. These associations seem to be encoded deeper in BN patients relative to the other groups. Links between shape/weight and SE explain how body dissatisfaction impacts on self-esteem and mood in ED. The existence of similar associations in restrained eaters supports a continuum model according to which increasing associations between shape/weight and SE go along with increasing levels of ED symptoms.
Co-ordination costs and vertical integration in production franchise networks: a common agency model

Abstract A common agency model describes the production franchise in the carbonated soft drink industry as a contractual device between an upstream agent (the franchisor) and downstream principals in a duopoly (potential franchised firms). Process and product innovations are formalized as the subject matter of the contract, which is observable at no cost by downstream firms, together with local conditions. The latter are unknown by the upstream firm. Anti-complementarities in network co-ordination costs are demonstrated to be necessary and sufficient for the franchisor to obtain strictly positive profits. Upstream profitability is found to decline in favour of franchised firms when the content of the contract is decreasingly proprietary, when local cost or demand conditions harmonize and when co-ordination costs fall. Implications for the explanation of vertical integration are discussed.
Integrated front-end readout electronics and analog filtering strategies for DEPFETs with special functionalities

DEPFET is a natural building block for pixel sensors as it comprises the properties of detector, amplifier and storage cell in a simple structure. DEPFET devices have been designed and fabricated with different topologies and their properties can be tailored according to the needs of different applications. In order to fully exploit the unique characteristics of the different DEPFETs, a suitable front-end integrated readout electronics and an ad-hoc filtering scheme must be adopted for every individual type of device and experiment. This work will focus on the front-end readout electronics for the Repetitive-Non-Destructive-Readout-DEPFET (RNDR-DEPFET) and for the Non-Linear DEPFET developed for XFEL in Hamburg. We present an optimized circuit and an optimized readout scheme that will allow reading out the two DEPFETS of the RNDR device simultaneously, reducing in this way the readout time of a factor 2. The proposed readout scheme constitutes the first step towards the development of a matrix of DEPFETs which can be operated in a complete parallel readout with a frame rate of some kHz. This readout speed, combined with the extremely low noise achieved, makes this system attractive for high-speed optical astronomy and adaptive optics. The DEPFET pixel array proposed for XFEL requires full parallel readout with a signal processing time not longer than 200ns, up to 10000 photons @1keV per-pixel and single photon resolution @1keV. Due to the very strict area constraints, a front-end readout electronics that provides amplification and Correlated Double Sampling in one single stage has been designed in a 130nm CMOS technology. The key properties of this circuit together with the expected noise performance will be discussed.
Improving Combined Version of Current and Charge Integral Equation With Pyramid-Shaped Functions

In this letter, a kind of pyramid-shaped functions is introduced for approximating the electric charge density in the combined version of current and charge integral equation (CCCIE) formulation in low frequency. Since a pyramid-shaped function is associated with a mesh vertex, its total quantity is about half of that of the widely-used pulse functions associated with the mesh triangles for a closed object. As a result, the model of the discretized CCCIE is reduced, significantly. Numerical examples show that, compared with the pulse functions, the pyramid-shaped functions make the CCCIE yield more accurate solutions over a wide frequency range.
The Time-Series Properties of UK Inflation: Evidence from Aggregate and Disaggregate Data

This paper contrasts the time-series properties of aggregate and disaggregate UK inflation. While aggregate inflation is found to be non-stationary, unit root rejection frequencies are increasing when we use more disaggregate data. Structural break analysis suggests that structural shifts in monetary policy could alter inflation persistence. Additionally, panel evidence indicates that the unit root hypothesis can be rejected for sectoral inflation rates. Finally, we compare the persistence properties of UK inflation, finding statistically significant differences between aggregate and disaggregate series. Our analysis suggests that aggregation matters, which has important implications for econometric analysis and the conduct of monetary policy.
REFRIGERATION AND DISTRIBUTION: NEW ZEALAND LAND PRICES AND REAL WAGES 1873-1939

The responses in New Zealand to the opportunities of refrigeration transformed farming in the Dominion during the half-century from 1890. Closer settlement and the extension of the cultivated area combined with more intensive farming methods to increase land productivity and real gross domestic product capita to the extent that living standards in New Zealand measured by the Human Development Index ranked first in the world by 1913. In contrast, real wages in the Dominion stagnated. The refrigeration-related trade boom had powerful income distribution effects that increased sharply the land rental-wage ratio during the years to 1920. Widely diffuse land ownership in New Zealand tempered the rise in income inequality, to set the Dominion apart from other land-abundant economies of the periphery. Copyright Blackwell Publishing Asia Pty Ltd and the Economic History Society of Australia and New Zealand 2005.
Managing Stakeholder Relationships in an E-Government Project

Typical e-government projects, especially government-to-citizen applications, often involve multiple stakeholders. However, there is a lack of literature that addresses how government agencies can manage the stakeholder relationships in such projects. In this paper, stakeholders theory is used to look at how these relationships was managed in an e-government project, providing a perspective on stakeholder relationships management in e-government projects. This paper can also serve as a reference for practitioners to more holistically identify their stakeholders and manage their stakeholder relationships.
Organizational Processes Supporting Evidence-Based Practice

A case study is used to illustrate the implementation of evidence-based practice (EBP) as an organizational change process. EBP implementation is presented as a systemic process reliant on executive leadership and organizational culture. Qualitative findings suggest that effective EBP implementation requires engagement of staff across the organization. Strategies for staff engagement are identified, including the development of communities of practice. A model for organizational analysis is presented to assist preparation for EBP implementation.
Seclusion, Categorization and Molecular Documentation of Microorganisms from Intestine of Gut from Fish by Using 16s R DNA Sequencing

The genomic DNA sequence of an organism specifies the features of its vender, but knowing this string of letters by no means tells you the exact Mother Nature of the conforming organism. This present study deals with to Isolation, characterization and molecular identification of Microorganisms from Intestine of Gut from fish by using 16DNA Sequencing. Bacterial strain was isolated and characterized using various biochemical tests and confirmed through molecular approach. Bacterial 16S r DNA gene was amplified using suitable primers. The amplified 16S r DNA gene sequence was compared with the sequence in NCBI sequence database and Phylogenetic and molecular evolutionary analyses were conducted using 16S r DNA sequencing. There are different organisms were isolated and identified the three of its bacillus spand remaining one is Pseudomonas sp. Bacillus sp. is a gram positive, oval shaped bacteria which forms white raised irregular colony. The Pseudomonas is a gram negative aerobic gammaproteo bacteria. The sequence when submitted to NCBI gene bank database using BLAST showed 99 – 100% maximum identityand query coverage.
Total cost management of interdependent projects

This paper develops a methodology based on Portfolio Analysis to select a configuration of interdependent projects. Several methodologies were developed to help selection of investment projects. These methodologies do not consider inter-project dependency. The decision to minimise some kind of costs in a project may have as consequence a very large cost for the whole system. This is particularly true for large projects as Energy Transmission and Generation, Roads, Railways, Airports, etc. To assess different options a combinatorial problem is formulated. Resolving this problem will lead to a viable solution which maximises the performance of the system and minimises risk. A case is simulated to show different performances and cash flows during projects development.
Synthesis of glutathione-coated quantum dots

This paper is focused on the preparation and characterization of glutathione (GSH) coated near infrared quantum dots (QDs). The preparation method is based on surface modification of hydrophobic core/shell CdSeTe/CdS by glutathione, which makes the QDs water-soluble. Moreover, tripeptide GSH provides a biocompatible barrier against toxic cadmium ions of QDs core. These GSH-coated NIR QDs are suitable for in vivo imaging.