Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Inward rectification of neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors investigated by using the homomeric α7 receptor

The strong inward rectification observed in neuronal nicotinic ACh receptors was examined by using α-bungarotoxin sensitive, homomeric α7 neuronal nicotinic ACh receptors derived from chick brain. Receptors were expressed in Xenopus laevis oocytes and functionally assessed by the two electrode voltage clamp technique. Site directed mutagenesis of residues thought to line the putative ion pore revealed that negatively charged glutamate residues located at the inner mouth of the channel are essential for rectification. This finding was confirmed both for the active open state and for receptors mutated to conduct in one of the desensitized states. No outward tail relaxations were observed with voltage jumps to depolarizing potentials, suggesting that rectification was not due to intrinsic gating. For the wild type receptor, intracellular injection of CDTA, a chelating agent having a high affinity for Mg2+, reduced rectification in a dose dependent manner, suggesting that rectification originates, in part, from open channel block by internal free Mg2+. These findings support the hypothesis that charged residues at the inner mouth of the pore influence the Mg2+ affinity of the blocking site.
Superstitious seasonality in precious metals markets? Evidence from GARCH models with time-varying skewness and kurtosis

In this article, we analyse whether the Friday the 13th effect documented by Kolb and Rodriguez (1987) can be observed in precious metals markets. Specifically, we use dummy-augmented GARCH models to investigate the impact of this specific calendar day on the conditional means of gold, silver, palladium and platinum returns. The specification of the GARCH model follows a flexible class recently proposed by León et al. (2005) that incorporates time-varying skewness and kurtosis by applying a Gram–Charlier series expansion of the normal density function. Our results for the period from July 1996 to August 2013 provide three important insights. First, there is no evidence that human superstition regarding bad luck Fridays affects precious metals markets in a negative way, i.e. returns on Fridays the 13th are not significantly lower than on regular Fridays. Second, besides showing robustness in a variety of settings, we can confirm this main result in a sensitivity check, where we replace the dummy variables by a new measure of investor attention, recently promoted by Da et al. (2011), that is based on Google search volumes. Third, as an important by-product of our study, we can show that there is significant evidence of time-varying skewness and kurtosis in precious metals returns.
Sunitinib in advanced pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors: latest evidence and clinical potential

Based on preclinical data available in the RIP1-Tag2 transgenic mouse model, sunitinib is an inhibitor of angiogenesis in pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors blocking vascular endothelial growth factor receptors and platelet-derived growth factor receptors in endothelial cells and pericytes, respectively. Evidence of objective response in phase I trials justified the initiation of a large phase II/III program using sunitinib in patients with advanced/metastatic well-differentiated pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors. In the phase II study, sunitinib showed potent antitumor activity and a safe toxicity profile. In a recent double-blind placebo-controlled randomized phase III trial, sunitinib doubled the progression-free survival of patients, induced objective responses, and reduced the risk of death of patients with advanced/metastatic well-differentiated tumors. These data allowed the approval of sunitinib in several countries including Europe and the United States of America. These recent data provide hope for patients with well-differentiated pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors and will change standards of care in this disease.
Reflections on agricultural extension and extension policy in Africa

This paper highlights the underperformance of African agriculture and examines some of the underlying causes with a view to identify opportunities for improvement with special emphasis on agricultural extension policy. A brief review of literature reveals a disturbing gap between concepts and practice. Many extension concepts have been developed and brought into the field in rapid succession with little or no impact at farmer level. The paper argues against endless debates of no practical value that take the energies away from seeking practical solutions to low agricultural development. The paper recommends that extension practitioners, through their professional organizations like the South African Society for Agricultural Extension and the African Forum for Agricultural Advisory Services, provide leadership in facilitating extension policy dialogue.
PCR identification of four medically important Candida species by using a single primer pair

A single pair of primers was used in a PCR assay to amplify and identify the DNAs from four medically important Candida species: C. albicans, C. parapsilosis, C. tropicalis, and C. (Torulopsis) glabrata. The report describes the first successful amplification of a chitin synthase-specific fragment from the four Candida species responsible for more than 90% of all cases of neonatal candidemia. The primer pair sequence was based on that from the C. albicans chitin synthase gene, CHS1 (J. Au-Young and P.W. Robbins, Mol. Microbiol. 4:197-207, 1990). Each of the four amplified products is a single band of a different size. The DNA sequence of each PCR product was determined, and four species-specific probes were synthesized. The DNAs from as few as 10 organisms in 100 microliters of plasma could be detected after amplification and Southern blot analysis. In a retrospective study of 27 paired blood samples from 16 patients with culture-proven candidemia, PCR analysis was successful at detecting and correctly identifying to the species level 26 of the 27 Candida isolates. The speed and accuracy of this PCR-based technology make it a very powerful tool for detecting and diagnosing candidemia. Implementation of this assay for analyzing blood samples should result in the more timely treatment of neonatal candidemia, thereby reducing morbidity and mortality.
“The future lies in our hands”: children as researchers and environmental change agents in designing a child-friendly neighbourhood

This paper reports on the Dapto dreaming project that was implemented in early 2011. Funded by Stockland, a large Australian urban developer, the project was a child-friendly research activity to support the building of a new urban development located in the outer suburbs of a large regional city in Australia. The urban developers provided a unique opportunity for children to have authentic input into the design of the urban development so that the development could incorporate the visions and experiences of the local neighbourhood children growing up in the area. Therefore, this was not a process of post-design consultation but a genuine participatory action research opportunity for children to be dreamers, designers and agents of change. The project was implemented through a series of child-focused participatory research workshops conducted with residents and children from Horsley, a neighbourhood in the suburban town of Dapto. This paper seeks to understand the relationship between the significant rich environmental experiences that children have as part of their everyday life in Horsley and how children were motivated and competent in enacting their role as effective environmental change agents and stewards in the protection of nature through the design of a child-friendly neighbourhood.
Improved face recognition on video surveillance images using pose correction

Face recognition in video surveillance is challenging as there is no control on the quality of the face image captured especially under uncooperative situations with head pose variation, occlusion, and low-quality image. These issues create large discrepancy between probe and gallery images which affects the performance of recognition. To overcome these issues, pose correction is proposed to narrow the difference between probe and gallery images and image enhancer to highlight face image details. Face representation is improved by creating an average face image to reduce the effect of non-facial details captured such as background, occlusion and noise. The proposed methods are tested on ChokePoint dataset and resulted in improved face recognition.
Evaluating the Effectiveness and Efficiency of the Four-trillion Yuan Stimulus Package: Evidence from Stock Market Returns of Chinese Listed A Shares

Abstract Using stock returns of individual Chinese A shares as dependent variables, we confirm that the 2008 global financial crisis hit China through the demand channel and find that the four-trillion yuan stimulus package had a larger and more lasting effect on stimulating the real economy than on encouraging stock market speculation. The package, implemented with tremendous credit expansion in 2009 and 2010, is both effective and efficient in facilitating the financing of firms' working capital, but has weaker effects on the financing of investments. Long-term capital allocation is not efficient in that it goes to firms that idiosyncratically invested heavily before the financial crisis but not to those that are in need of capital for investment determined by industry features. Specifically, state-owned companies are privileged in long-term financing but significantly underperform non-state-owned ones.
Assessing and developing organisational renewal capability in the public sector

This study examines the development of organisational renewal capability in the public sector and is based on a model of organisational renewal capability developed in a private sector context. Assessing the key strengths and weaknesses of renewal-related organisational capacities, our model depicts the resulting development process. We examine the model's potential for the development of public organisations through the case of a single municipal organisation. The assessment and development process presented here is a promising method for public sector organisations. In addition, the long-term development process presented here can increase understanding on the part of organisation members of knowledge management in public organisations. This paper describes assessment and development of organisational renewal capability in public sector organisations.
A novel sigma-delta fractional-N synthesizer architecture with fractional spur and quantization noise cancellation

This paper describes a novel sigma-delta fractional-N synthesizer architecture with fractional spur and quantization noise cancellation which eliminates loop bandwidth limit in traditional fractional-N synthesizers. The proposed synthesizer utilizes a delay line after the reference signal to compensate phase errors and achieves at least 19dB fractional spur and quantization noise improvement if a delay line with 32ps delay resolution is employed in the phase-locked loop with 180kHz loop bandwidth at 3.5GHz synthesized frequency. The improvement can be further enhanced with advanced process with the improved delay resolution.
Is cerebral involvement an occasional feature of muscle‐specific kinase antibody‐positive syndrome?

Sir, Recently, antibodies to the extracellular domain of a novel antigen, muscle-specific tyrosine kinase receptor (MuSK) have been described in 38–71% of acetylcholine receptor (AChR)-seronegative myasthenia gravis patients [1,2]. MuSK antibodypositive patients have weakness primarily in oculobulbar, neck and respiratory muscles and are often difficult to treat with thymectomy and acetyl cholinesterase inhibitors but mostly respond to immunosuppressive and immunomodulatory therapy [2]. A 43-year-old, previously healthy woman presented with a 3-year history of intermittent dysarthria, dysphagia and shortness of breath requiring ventilatory support. Two months after onset of these symptoms she had a generalized tonic– clonic seizure, followed by infrequent seizures (one to two seizures every 5–6 months). She was started and maintained on anticonvulsant treatment. It was noted on three separate occasions that during periods of acute exacerbation (approximately 8 weeks) of muscle weakness there was an increase in the frequency of seizures (presenting as generalized tonic–clonic seizures or episodes of unresponsiveness without motor activity for a few hours) to one to two times per week (Fig. 1). An electroencephalogram (EEG) obtained during one such episode of unresponsiveness, showed a left frontotemporal electrographic seizure. Interictal clinical examination revealed that she had mild bilateral ptosis, moderate weakness of facial muscles and neck extensors and mild symmetrical weakness (4/5) of proximal muscles of upper and lower extremities. Serum AChR antibodies were negative but a radioimmunoassay for serum MuSK antibodies was positive (11 400 pg/ml) (Athena Diagnostics, Worcester, MA, USA). Tensilon test and electromyogram (EMG) was normal and repetitive stimulation of right median, ulnar and facial nerves (recording from thenar, hypothenar and orbicularis oculi muscles respectively) did not show a decremental response [no decremental response is seen in approximately 50% of MuSKpositive myasthenia gravis (MG)] [3]. Serum creatine kinase and muscle biopsy were normal. Computed tomography (CT) of the chest did not reveal any evidence of thymoma. Cranial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans were normal. Peaks of disease activity were not related to changes in treatment and no other precipitating factors were found. Multiple estimations of metabolic parameters [including blood urea nitrogen (BUN), glucose, sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, pH, arterial blood gases, anti-nuclear antibodies], anticonvulsant levels and toxic screening, immediately after seizures, did not reveal
The impact of firm‐specific attributes on the relevance in earnings and cash‐flows : a nonlinear relationship between stock returns and accounting numbers

The role of accounting information in setting security prices is one of the most fundamental issues in accounting and finance. The purpose of this study is to extend the research on the value relevance of accounting numbers in three important directions. Firstly, we consider the French context and analyze if earnings and/or cash flows are relevant to explain stock returns. Secondly, we test whether the explanatory power of accounting variables can be improved by using a nonlinear specification. Thirdly, we investigate how firm‐specific attributes such as size, debt level and firm life‐cycle influence the relative relevance of accounting measures (earnings and cash flows). Our results support a nonlinear relationship between stock returns and accounting variables. They indicate also that the relevance of earnings is conditional on size, debt level and life cycle of the firm. In contrast, the earnings change reveals more information when the firms are large, mature or characterized by a low degree of debt. These results are consistent with difference in earnings persistence between firms. With regards to cash flows, we find that they do not reveal additional information beyond that contained in earnings.
Microblogging the Environment: How Generation Y Talks About Sustainability on Tumblr

Environmental discourses represent how people understand complex environmental issues and create material consequences in policy, human behavior, and society. On microblogs, users exchange small amounts of content such as short sentences, individual images, or video links. Little research exists on the relationship between environmental discourse and microblogs, so I ask why environmental discourse takes the forms it does on the microblog Tumblr, by examining discursive content, form, and context. I coded 102 blog posts, conducted 3 interviews with bloggers, and performed discourse analysis on 8 posts. I identified environmental problem solving, which privileges human agency and seeks solutions within current political economic systems, as the most common form of environmental discourse on Tumblr. I found that Tumblr microblogs used little technical language, had many “shares” and “likes,” and communicated in a subjective tone. These features make environmental discourse accessible to a wide audience, allowing for broad diffusion of environmental information and encouraging collaboration. In the neoliberal context we lack the correct frames for understanding environmental issues. Instead of arguing about whether the science is right or wrong, policy makers should determine what to do about these issues and when to act. Though Tumblr is a part of and reflects aspects of neoliberalism, it represents more progressive values, focusing on what we should be doing. This suggests Tumblr and social media can avert one-way communications by elites and encourage discussion for actual change.
Internationalisation of the Korean online game industry: exemplified through the case of NCsoft

Companies from Korea have become leading actors in the rapidly growing global online game market, being a knowledge and creativity intensive industry. The development of the industry raises a number of questions of the internationalisation process of companies in the intersection of creative- and technology-intensive industries. Co-evolution with user groups also requires interpretation and linkages to knowledge of local user preferences, creating additional challenges in the internationalisation strategy, through the product-service interaction. This paper explores the internationalisation efforts of the Korean online game industry through a case study of the country’s leading online game company.
Moonlighting Over the Business Cycle

Using data from the 1979 National Longitudinal Survey of Youth, we examine the cyclicality of moonlighting by gender. We estimate a random-effects Tobit model of moonlighting among working men and women and find that while male moonlighting behavior does not fluctuate significantly with the business cycle, female moonlighting does. The cyclicality of female moonlighting has, nonetheless, varied over the course of the past 35 yr. Female moonlighting seemed to behave countercyclically during much of the 1980s and early 1990s, confirming the popular media belief that moonlighting is more likely to occur during periods of economic distress. Yet, this countercyclical behavior disappears during the 1993–1999 period to become procyclical by the early twentieth century. The recent procyclicality of female moonlighting supports the idea that female workers respond to a need for “just-in-time” employment following the economic upturn of the mid- to late 1990s. (JEL J2, E32)
An investigation of regularization for basis image reconstruction in spectral CT

Spectral CT adds an additional dimension of energy to the conventional CT imaging. As a result, more than one images are usually to be reconstructed. Conventionally, these images are reconstructed separately as isolated inverse problems, requiring minimum effort in adapting existing reconstruction algorithm. Joint reconstruction, on the other hand, takes advantages of the correlation among the images and seems to be more robust and less demanding on the scanning configuration. In this study, we develop an one-step optimization-based reconstruction method with regularization for the basis images. In a simulation study with a dual kVp scan consisting of two sequential limited-angle acquisition, the results have suggested that the method with the regularization improves the basis images by reducing the crosstalk in the bone regions and rendering more uniform textures in soft tissue regions.
Entrepreneurship in Ireland: a comparative study of Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland

This paper presents a detailed analysis of the process and level of new firm infonmation, growth, and survival among indigenous manufacturing companies in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland over the period 1973–1986. Of particular interest is the investigation of the divergent trends in the rate of new firm formation between the North and the Republic. The data used in this analysis is derived from the Northen Ireland Economic Research Centre (NIIERC) Industrial Databank for Northern Ireland and the Industrial Development Authority (ID.4) Employment Surveys for the Republic, which together contain information on over 16,500 manufacturing establishments. This study highlights the importance of comparative new and small firm research based on entire populations of firms, as opposed to small samples.
Study of a photovoltaic system connected to the network and simulated by the code PVSYST

The document provided a general understanding of solar energy and how solar technology can be applied in practice to supply the lighting needs of the premise. The site analysis Tlemcen, weather data, is the design of the predicted value of the PV system. We present the analysis using the software PVSYST to optimize the system design for the premise. Simulation and calculation was made by taking into account the inclination and direction of a photovoltaic generator consider. The proposed photovoltaic system is mainly composed of 3 unit inverter, 3 batteries and 66 photovoltaic modules with nominal power 9.9kWc.
The competitive challenge of emerging markets: the case of medical tourism

Purpose – Increasing globalisation of the healthcare sector suggests that there may be new competitive opportunities for emerging economies in this price‐sensitive sector. The purpose of this paper is to examine the extent to which emerging economies, and in particular the four major Asian competitors – Thailand, India, Malaysia and Singapore – can compete successfully in the medical tourism (MT) sector.Design/methodology/approach – The authors evaluate this sector in terms of Porter's Diamond of National Competitiveness, as well as considering the challenges that competitors must address. The primary challenges relate to attracting consumers, proving assurances of quality for a credence good, increasing scale while maintaining quality, addressing ethical issues and moving beyond simple price‐based competition.Findings – The authors conclude that the major Asian competitors in MT benefit from strong government support, rely heavily on overseas linkages and accreditation, and are competing in very similar .
Evolution of the Gender Wage Gap among China’s Urban Employees

本文利用1995年、2002年和2007年的数据, 分析了城镇工资的性别差距的演变特 点和影响因素。 研究结果表明, 1995—2007年特别是2002—2007年期间工资的性别差 距显著扩大, 其中不可解释部分的比例也越来越大, 显示了性别歧视的严重化问题。 年纪轻、学历低、职业差、行业差的女性职工在劳动力市场中受到更为严重的歧视, 导致了低收入群体性别工资差距的迅速扩大。 关键词: 城镇 性别歧视 工资差距 Using data from the 1995, 2002 and 2007 surveys, the paper attempts to investigate whether the gender wage gap has continued to widen during the period under study. To answer the question, this paper utilizes decomposition methodology to decompose the wage difference between male and female employees into explained and unexplained components. The results of decomposition for 1995, 2002 and 2007 indicate that the gender wage gap increased significantly, particularly in the period 2002-2007, and that an increasing part of the gap was due to unexplained components. This implies rising discrimination against female employees in China’s urban labor market. Decomposition results based on quantile regression analysis indicate the gender wage gap is greater for low wage groups, as is the share of unexplained components in the gap.