Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Disassociation between the in vitro and in vivo effects of nitric oxide on a neurotropic murine coronavirus

Intranasal inoculation of the neuroattenuated OBLV60 strain of mouse hepatitis virus results in infection of mitral neurons in the olfactory bulb, followed by spread along olfactory and limbic pathways to the brain. Immunocompetent BALB/c mice were able to clear virus by 11 days postinfection (p.i.). Gamma interferon (IFN-gamma) may play a role in clearance of OBLV60 from infected immunocompetent BALB/c mice through a nonlytic mechanism. Among the variety of immunomodulatory activities of IFN-gamma is the induction of expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), an enzyme responsible for the production of nitric oxide (NO). Studies were undertaken to investigate the role of IFN-gamma and NO in host defense and clearance of OBLV60 from the central nervous system (CNS). Exposure of OBLV60-infected OBL21a cells, a mouse neuronal cell line, to the NO-generating compound S-nitroso-L-acetyl penicillamine resulted in a significant decrease in viral replication, indicating that NO interfered with viral replication. Furthermore, infection of IFN-gamma knockout (GKO) mice and athymic nude mice with OBLV60 resulted in low-level expression of iNOS mRNA and protein in the brains compared to that of OBLV60-infected BALB/c mice. Nude mice were unable to clear virus and eventually died between days 11 and 14 p.i. (B. D. Pearce, M. V. Hobbs, T. S. McGraw, and M. J. Buchmeier, J. Virol. 68:5483-5495, 1994); however, GKO mice survived infection and cleared virus by day 18 p.i. These data suggest that IFN-gamma production in the olfactory bulb contributed to but may not be essential for clearance of OBLV60 from the brain. In addition, treatment of OBLV60-infected BALB/c mice with aminoguanidine, a selective inhibitor of iNOS activity, did not result in any increase in mortality, and the mice cleared the virus by 11 days p.i. These data suggest that although NO was able to block replication of virus in vitro, expression of iNOS with NO release in vivo did not appear to be the determinant factor in clearance of OBLV60 from CNS neurons.
A catalyst for justice? The International Criminal Court in Uganda, Kenya, and the Democratic Republic of Congo

Drawing on several years of field-based research, this dissertation examines what effects framing the International Criminal Court as a “catalyst” for domestic investigations and prosecutions has had in three distinct situation-country contexts: Uganda, Kenya, and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). It examines how both state and non-state actors have relied upon the principle of complementarity as the logic through which the Court’s catalytic potential can be best realized, as well as a transnational site and adaptive strategy for entrenching the norm of international criminal accountability domestically. In so doing, it asks three principal research questions. First, how has the understanding of complementarity evolved since the ICC’s inception and what role have non-state actors, in particular, played in this evolution? Second, how have ICC judges understood and interpreted complementarity’s requirements in the courtroom, and how has the Office of the Prosecutor sought to implement it as a matter of policy? And third, to what extent and how have the ICC’s interventions in Uganda, Kenya and the DRC affected these countries’ institutional and normative frameworks for carrying out domestic criminal proceedings?
Design of robust MPC with integral action for a laboratory continuous stirred-tank reactor

The paper presents a design of the robust model predictive control (RMPC) for a laboratory continuous stirred-tank reactor (CSTR). A neutralization reaction ran in the CSTR, and the reactants were acetic acid and sodium hydroxide. The controlled variable was pH of the reaction mixture. The control input was the volumetric flow-rate of the base. The system was modeled using experimental data of several step-responses. Measurement noise was reduced using the Hebky filter. The robust model-based control strategy was implemented to assure good control performance. The offset-free reference tracking was ensured by the implementation of RMPC with integral action.
The analyses of critical success factors for service industries to develop service brands

Developing a successful brand will be a critical strategy for service industries to achieve the competition advantage and raise the business performances. In this research, we propose a model of brand development for service organisations, which consists of five constructs: business model, brand strategy, service quality, customer value, and business performance. Based on this model, we can construct a structural equation model (SEM) to explore the causal relationships among the constructs, and then conduct the empirical study for the service companies with own brands, in order to confirm the relationships among these constructs, and to determine the critical success factors (CSFs) of the brand building for service industries. Based on the analytic results, the causalities among these constructs can be confirmed, it is shown that ‘business model’ directly determines the ‘brand strategy’, ‘service quality’ affects the ‘customer value’, and through the mediation effect of ‘customer value’ on ‘business performance’. We also discover that ‘key resources and processes’, ‘business operation systems’, ‘brand development’, ‘brand marketing’, ‘value-added services’, and ‘customer relationship management’ are the CSFs for service industries to build their brands; the service organisations need to possess the core capabilities on these CSFs.
Group A rotavirus genotypes circulating prior to implementation of a National Immunization Program in Estonia

Group A rotaviruses (RVA) are a major cause of acute gastroenteritis in children ≤ 5 y worldwide which could be prevented with two recently introduced vaccines – monovalent Rotarix (live-attenuated G1P[8] strain) and pentavalent RotaTeq (human-bovine reassortant containing serotypes G1, G2, G3, G4 and P[8]). Prior to implementation of vaccines into national immunization program we aimed to describe RVA genotype distribution in hospitalized children aged < 5 y in Estonia during 2007–2008. A total of 671 children with confirmed RVA gastroenteritis from three major pediatric hospitals were prospectively enrolled. G- and P-genotypes were detected from 124 stool samples by semi-nested reverse transcription-PCR. Severity of disease was assessed using Clark scoring system. The majority of cases (65%) occurred in infants aged 7 to 24 mo and were of moderate severity (mean Clark score 12.1 (SD 3.2)). The prevailing strain was G2P[4] (34.7%), causing significantly more cases than G4P[8] (12.9%), G1P[8] or G9P[8] (both 4.0%), G3P[8] (1.6%). Yearly differences in genotype distribution occurred, as G2P[4] (52.8%) dominated in 2007, but G4P[8] (26.9%) in 2008. One third of strains remained non-typeable. The distribution of RVA genotypes in Estonia differs from that seen in other Central and Eastern European countries, although one should bear in mind the large proportion of P-untypeable strains and natural fluctuations of dominating RVA genotypes. Nevertheless, considering the high genotype-independent efficacy of the vaccines, introduction of national immunization should be considered.
Oestrogenic Compounds Modulate Cytokine‐induced Nitric Oxide Production in Mouse Osteoblast‐like Cells

Nitric oxide (NO) is a mediator of bone metabolism with effects on both bone resorption and formation. Its production by both the constitutive and inducible isoforms of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) is affected by oestrogen in several types of cell and in tissues other than bone cells. Recently, oestrogens were found to increase basal NO production by osteoblasts via enhanced activity or expression, or both, of NOS‐3. Inflammatory cytokines, however, increase NO by increasing the expression of NOS‐2.
ALLHAT: a critical assessment

The ALLHAT study has attracted considerable attention in the media and in the research community, partly due to the study's unexpected and controversial conclusions. However, the study has several serious shortcomings. The primary end‐points in ALLHAT were negative and the conclusions are based entirely on secondary end‐points and subgroup analyses. Moreover, there is good reason for skepticism concerning the findings on heart failure in ALLHAT, because of ambiguity in the diagnosis, lack of information on blood pressure and absence of a “washout” period. The study design was severely flawed and does not reflect clinical reality. Also, blood pressure differences between groups severely complicate interpretation. From a patient perspective in ALLHAT, there are drug safety concerns with the thiazides, as there was evidence of excess diabetes development. The ALLHAT results are difficult to generalize and have limited relevance in European settings. Thus, the ALLHAT study suffers from several major shortcomings and there is a huge body of evidence that contradicts the ALLHAT interpretations.
Effect of bracket type on halitosis, periodontal status, and microbial colonization.

OBJECTIVE To determine the effect of bracket type on halitosis, periodontal status, and microbial colonization. MATERIALS AND METHODS Forty-six patients scheduled for fixed orthodontic treatment (age 11-16 years) were selected from the orthodontic department of Suleyman Demirel University. Patients were divided into two groups with random distribution of brackets; 23 patients were treated with self-ligating brackets (group SLBs), the others with conventional brackets (group CBs). Halitosis measurements and periodontal and microbial records were obtained before the placement of brackets (T0), 1 week later (T1), and 5 weeks after bonding (T2). Periodontal parameters, including plaque index (PI), gingival index (GI), and bleeding on probing index (BOP), were obtained from all the bonded teeth. Halitosis measurements were performed at the same time. Microbial samples were obtained from the buccal surfaces of all the bonded teeth. Data were analyzed by using a repeated-measurement analysis of variance test for the comparison of parameters between groups and times. RESULTS Periodontal parameters and halitosis results were higher in the CBs group than in the SLBs group (P<.05). In the SLBs group, halitosis and BOP values revealed no pronounced changes between T1 and T2 (P>.05). Intra- and intergroup comparisons showed that there were no statistically significant differences for microbial colonization between all the time intervals (P>.05). CONCLUSION Bracket type has an effect on halitosis and periodontal status. Therefore, self-ligating brackets may be advised in order to prevent patients from developing halitosis and to increase the likelihood of good oral hygiene during orthodontic treatment.
Challenges of Administering a Sino-U.S. Joint Venture Campus in China

With the recent globalization movement and decline in foreign student enrollment in universities in developed countries like the U.S., universities are looking for ways to bring education to the student rather than waiting for students to come for education. Therefore, opening a branch campus abroad and bringing education to the student became an alternative for U.S. universities to bringing students to their campuses. This qualitative study explored the political, economic, socio-cultural, and educational challenges of administering a Sino-U.S. joint-venture campus in the People’s Republic of China. China American University (CAU) is an educational joint venture between China Investment Company (CIC) and American University (AU) in the U.S. that resulted in naming CAU a branch campus of AU. Data were acquired through semi-structured interviews, surveys, and participant observations. The researcher interviewed, surveyed and observed U.S. administrators and executives, American teachers, Chinese students, and Chinese staff. The Internationalization concept of Knight and de Wit (1999) and National Culture: Four Dimensions concept of Hofstede (1980) were utilized for the analysis. Human Capital Theory helped explain the rationale behind the Chinese’ acceptance of an American education in China. This study concluded that there are many challenges of administering such a Sino-U.S. joint venture campus in China. As the literature review, research data, and analysis in this study suggested, administering a Sino-U.S. joint venture campus in China requires a broad understanding of the host country and a significant amount of flexibility. The researcher also found that the Chinese are concerned about the quality of such programs. Therefore, more research
Redefining FDI-Growth Relationship under Liberalized Economic Policies Empirical Evidence from Sri Lanka

Economic liberalization complimented with export promoting industrial policies attracts FDI than protective policies. However, the contribution of FDI on growth under liberalized economic policies is not sufficiently analyzed. Therefore, we analyze both long run and short run impact of FDI on economic growth in Sri Lanka with special reference to the post-liberalized period of the country. In addition, we compare the impact of domestic capital and FDI on economic growth in the same backdrop. Sri Lanka entered into liberalized economic policies in 1977 by opening its trade account, and in recent years, the policy has extended to the capital and service accounts, as well. In this study, we employ a linear Auto Regressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) model to assess the relationship between economic growth and FDI by employing annual data over the period of 1978 and 2016. The results suggest a positive impact of FDI on both long run and short run growth. However, the contribution of FDI towards growth in Sri Lanka is far below compared to the domestic investments. Thus, we redefine the growth-FDI relationship as follows. Liberal market policies are the necessary condition to enhance FDI-growth relationship. However, it is not the sufficient condition to facilitate economic growth as the positive impact of FDI on growth is moderated by other socio-economic factors. Keywords: ARDL Model, Foreign Direct Investment, Economic Growth, Sri Lanka
An Efficient Trust-Based Reputation Protocol for Wireless and Mobile Ad Hoc Networks: Proof and Correctness

The security of wireless and mobile networks has an important influence on the performance of these networks. As a result, many approaches have been developed to enhance their security. Recently, the technique of trust and reputation evaluation has attracted much interest, since it can evaluate the trustworthiness of nodes in a centralized way. This paper addresses the issue of efficient reputation evaluation in wireless networks via a distributed approach. We first present the trust relationship between two entities before formalizing the concept of the community to be established over the trusted nodes. A generalized computational reputation prototype is formulated and a set of reputation management mechanisms is established to effectively prevent malicious nodes from entering the trusted community. Through the proof of the prototype's correctness, our system is analyzed to show how it offers provable security properties and prevents improper behaviors within a community.
The use of management control and performance measurement systems in SMEs: A levers of control perspective

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to respond to recent calls for understanding how multiple management control (MC) and performance measurement (PM) systems are used simultaneously for managing performance, particularly in the context of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Design/methodology/approach Data are collected during an in-depth case study of MC and PM and management practices in a Dutch SME using multiple data sources and elicitation methods, including interviews and participant observations. Findings This study identifies managerial practices that enable the interplay of the four control systems – beliefs, boundaries, diagnostic and interactive – helping the organization manage organizational tensions in relation to short- and long-term focus, predictable goal achievement and search for new opportunities, internal and external focus, and control and creativity. Research limitations/implications This paper advances the research on integrating multiple aspects of performance management, particularly technical and social. This research is based on a single case study; future qualitative and quantitative studies could explore the interplay between the four control systems in other settings and explore the relationship between control systems and leadership style. Practical implications Managing performance requires active and continuous use of all four control systems. This is particularly salient in SMEs where less formal controls play a key role and where balance needs to be ensured despite the lack of managerial processes and capabilities. Originality/value The findings advance PM and management theory and practice in the context of SMEs.
Phosphate, phytate and phytases in plants: from fundamental knowledge gained in Arabidopsis to potential biotechnological applications in wheat

Abstract Phosphorus (P) is an essential macronutrient for all living organisms. In plants, P is taken up from the rhizosphere by the roots mainly as inorganic phosphate (Pi), which is required in large and sufficient quantities to maximize crop yields. In today’s agricultural society, crop yield is mostly ensured by the excessive use of Pi fertilizers, a costly practice neither eco-friendly or sustainable. Therefore, generating plants with improved P use efficiency (PUE) is of major interest. Among the various strategies employed to date, attempts to engineer genetically modified crops with improved capacity to utilize phytate (PA), the largest soil P form and unfortunately not taken up by plants, remains a key challenge. To meet these challenges, we need a better understanding of the mechanisms regulating Pi sensing, signaling, transport and storage in plants. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge on these aspects, which are mainly gained from investigations conducted in Arabidopsis thaliana, and we extended it to those available on an economically important crop, wheat. Strategies to enhance the PA use, through the use of bacterial or fungal phytases and other attempts of reducing seed PA levels, are also discussed. We critically review these data in terms of their potential for use as a technology for genetic manipulation of PUE in wheat, which would be both economically and environmentally beneficial.
The Rationale for in utero Repair of Myelomeningocele

Objectives: Despite advances in prenatal diagnosis, management of fetal myelomeningocele has been limited to abortion or supportive postnatal care. The rationale for fetal repair of myelomeningocele and initial clinical outcomes are discussed. Methods: A complete review of the literature concerning fetal myelomeningocele and repair was performed. Results: While myelomeningocele is a primary embryologic disorder, neurologic damage is also secondary to progressive in utero damage to the exposed spinal cord. Animal models with midgestational coverage of the spinal defect demonstrate near normal neurologic function at term. Early clinical results suggest that fetal closure can salvage neurologic function, reverse hindbrain herniation, and diminish the need for ventriculoperitoneal shunting. Conclusions: In utero repair of myelomeningocele may improve neurologic outcomes and reduce hindbrain herniation in selected patients.
Long-term effects of neonatal basal forebrain cholinergic lesions on radial maze learning and impulsivity in rats

We examined long-term behavioural effects of neonatal lesions of the cholinergic basal forebrain obtained by intracerebroventricular injections of 192 IgG saporin (192 IgG-Sap). Five-month-old Wistar male rats (injected with 192 IgG-Sap or phosphate-buffered saline on postnatal day 7) were tested using operant chambers with two nose-poking holes, delivering one food pellet immediately or five pellets after a delay. The length of delay progressively increased over days (from 0 to 100 s). When compared with controls, 192 IgG-Sap rats showed a slight preference for smaller immediate over larger delayed rewards, thus indicating elevated intolerance to delay (i.e. more impulsivity). Sibling animals were tested in a computerized radial maze (baited vs. nonbaited arm procedure). 192 IgG-Sap rats appeared slower than controls in accomplishing the task. The neonatal 192 IgG-Sap lesion did not alter cortical levels of serotonin and/or its metabolites, but induced a marked cortical cholinergic loss. Our data suggest that a prolonged basal forebrain cholinergic hypofunction produces (i) an impairment in cognitive performances that is detectable only when highly complex tasks are used; (ii) a slight enhancement of the impulsive behavioural profile. This animal model may thus be useful to investigate some cognitive deficits and other secondary symptoms seen in Alzheimer's disease.
Short-term wind speed prediction using support vector regression

This paper presents a new approach to shortterm wind speed prediction. The chaotic time series analysis method is used to capture the characteristic of complex wind behavior in which a correlation dimension method is employed to calculate embedding dimension of the time series, then a mutual information method is used to determine the time delay. Based on the embedding dimension and time delay, support vector regression (SVR) is trained to perform the prediction. The proposed method is evaluated using the real-world data collected from a wind farm. The results have demonstrated the accuracy of the proposed wind speed prediction method in comparison with that offered by an artificial neural network (ANN).
One or Many Cohesion Policies of the European Union? On the Diverging Impacts of Cohesion Policy across Member States

Do regions in all Member States (MSs) of the European Union (EU) benefit from Cohesion Policy? Are regional impacts persistently diversified across countries? In order to answer these questions this paper explores how the impact of the EU Cohesion Policy on growth and employment varies across countries. A spatial Regression Discontinuity Design (RDD) makes it possible estimate distinct but fully comparable impacts for each individual MS both before the Great Recession and during recovery. The results show that Cohesion Policy has exerted a positive and significant EU-wide impact on both regional economic growth and employment. However, regional impacts are not evenly distributed across MSs. Large part of the regional growth bonus generated by Cohesion Policy is concentrated in Germany. Conversely, impacts on regional employment are confined to the United Kingdom. The picture for beneficiary regions in Southern European Member States is less rosy with positive impacts on employment in Italy until the Great Recession and on economic growth in the recovery period in Spain.
The Invisible Hand

Findings – Rather than being sleeping lions, investors positively engage with companies, with regular communication being high on their agenda and not always via the AGM. There is a preference to do so „hidden‟ over the glare of publicity or via share dumping. Thus we often do not see their actions around their fiduciary duties as often they avoid public criticism or any visibility that could do reputational harm and decrease company value.