Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The income–inequality nexus in a developed country: small-scale regional evidence from Austria

ABSTRACT The income–inequality nexus in a developed country: small-scale regional evidence from Austria. Regional Studies. This paper analyses the relationship between regional inequality and average income in a small-scale framework for Austria. The empirical findings are based on a novel inequality database generated from individual wage tax information at the municipality level. This study researches the magnitude of regional spillovers of income and inequality using spatial econometric methods. The results show a pronounced positive relation between regional income levels and inequality, where especially high-income municipalities exhibit a large spread in the income distribution. Furthermore, it shows that higher levels of inequality are associated with income gains at the top of the distribution.
Representing analogies to influence fixation and creativity: A study comparing computer-aided design, photographs, and sketches

Abstract Many tools are being developed to assist designers in retrieving analogies. One critical question these designers face is how these analogues should be represented in order to minimize design fixation and maximize idea generation. To address this question, an experiment is presented that compares various representations' influence on creativity and design fixation. This experiment presents an effective example (analogue) as computer-aided design (CAD), sketch, or photograph representations. We found that all representations induced fixation, and the degree of fixation did not vary significantly. We also found that CAD representations encourage engineering designers to identify and copy the key effective features of the example. CAD and photo representations also produced a higher quality of design concepts. Results from this experiment offer insights into how these various representations may be used in examples during idea generation; CAD representations appear to offer the greatest advantages during the idea generation process. The results from this experiment also indicate that analogical databases of effective design examples should include CAD and photolike images of the analogue rather than sketches.
Generalized Compression Strategy for the Downlink Cloud Radio Access Network

This paper studies the downlink of a cloud radio access network (C-RAN) in which a centralized processor (CP) communicates with mobile users through base stations (BSs) that are connected to the CP via finite-capacity fronthaul links. Information theoretically, the downlink of a C-RAN is modeled as a two-hop broadcast-relay network. Among the various transmission and relaying strategies for such model, this paper focuses on the compression strategy, in which the CP centrally encodes the signals to be broadcast jointly by the BSs, then compresses and sends these signals to the BSs through the fronthaul links. We characterize an achievable rate region for a generalized compression strategy with Marton’s multicoding for broadcasting and multivariate compression for fronthaul transmission. We then compare this rate region with the distributed decode-forward (DDF) scheme, which achieves the capacity of the general relay networks to within a constant gap, and show that the difference lies in that DDF performs Marton’s multicoding and multivariate compression jointly as opposed to successively as in the compression strategy. A main result of this paper is that under the assumption that the fronthaul links are subject to a sum capacity constraint, this difference is immaterial; so, for the Gaussian network, the compression strategy based on successive encoding can already achieve the capacity region of the C-RAN to within a constant gap, where the gap is independent of the channel parameters and the power constraints at the BSs. As a further result, for C-RAN under individual fronthaul constraints, this paper also establishes that the compression strategy can achieve to within a constant gap to the sum capacity.
Glucocorticoids reduce pro‐inflammatory cytokines and tissue factor in vitro and improve function of transplanted human islets in vivo

Factors that upregulate the inflammatory status of islets probably contribute to detrimental processes leading to islet loss and impaired post‐transplant function. Glucocorticoids have the potential to counteract inflammation and thus improve islet quality and function. However, glucocorticoids have diabetogenic properties and are known to hamper islet function in vivo. We examined the effect of glucocorticoids on human islets in vitro and in vivo after 48 h of exposure to different concentrations of methylprednisolone. Protein and/or mRNA levels of insulin, interleukin (IL)‐8, macrophage chemoattractant protein (MCP)‐1, tissue factor (TF), and IL‐10 were assessed by enzyme immunosorbent assay and real time quantitative reverse transcription‐polymerase chain reaction. Viability was assessed with fluorescein diacetate–propidium iodide staining, adenosine triphosphate (ATP) content and caspase activity. Six‐hundred islet equivalents (IEQ) were transplanted to severe combined immunodeficiency disease mice and graft function assessed by glucose measurements and intraperitoneal glucose tolerance tests. Glucocorticoids reduce mRNA and protein levels of TF, MCP‐1 and IL‐8, and enhance ATP content. Insulin secretion was initially inhibited; however, after 7 days in culture, it was superior to controls. Islets exposed to methylprednisolone cured diabetic mice more effectively than control islets. In conclusion, glucocorticoids have potent anti‐inflammatory properties on human islets without permanent effects on insulin metabolism. Brief glucocorticoid exposure improves function of transplanted human islets in vivo.
Lack of antimicrobial activity of sodium heparin for treating experimental catheter-related infection due to Staphylococcus aureus using the antibiotic-lock technique.

OBJECTIVE To elucidate the potential antimicrobial activity of sodium heparin in the treatment of catheter-infection using the antibiotic-lock technique. METHODS We performed in vitro studies of the antibiotic susceptibility, stability and synergy of sodium heparin, vancomycin and ciprofloxacin. Efficacy studies were performed in a new animal model of Staphylococcus aureus catheter-related infection in which infection was produced via the endoluminal route. White New Zealand rabbits were surgically implanted with a sylastic catheter into the inferior cava vein. Immediately afterwards, infection was induced by filling and locking the catheters with 0.7 mL of broth culture containing 108 colony-forming units of S. aureus. Eighteen hours later the antibiotic-lock technique was started. Treatment groups were: control without treatment, sodium heparin at 2500 IU/mL, vancomycin at 2500 mg/L, ciprofloxacin at 1000 mg/L, vancomycin plus heparin and ciprofloxacin plus heparin. RESULTS Sodium heparin showed an MIC90 higher than 6000 UI/mL against S. aureus causing catheter infection. Studies of antimicrobial synergy by the time-kill method between vancomycin and ciprofloxacin at MIC with sodium heparin at 2500 IU/mL showed no interactions. Vancomycin (2000 microg/mL) and ciprofloxacin (1000 microg/mL) in a solution containing sodium heparin (2500 IU/mL) were stable at 37 degrees C for a 72-h period. Two sets of in vivo experiments were carried out using differents strains of S. aureus. In both cases, sodium heparin showed no therapeutic efficacy when compared to control group and did not increase the antibiotic efficacy when used in combination with vancomycin or ciprofloxacin. CONCLUSION Sodium heparin lacked antibacterial activity against S. aureus causing catheter-related infections.
Development of an in vitro PIG-A gene mutation assay in human cells

Abstract Mutagens can be carcinogens, and traditionally, they have been identified in vitro using the Salmonella ‘Ames’ reverse mutation assay. However, prokaryotic DNA packaging, replication and repair systems are mechanistically very different to those in the humans we inevitably seek to protect. Therefore, for many years, mammalian cell line genotoxicity assays that can detect eukaryotic mutagens as well as clastogens and aneugens have been used. The apparent lack of specificity in these largely rodent systems, due partly to their mutant p53 status, has contributed to the use of animal studies to resolve data conflicts. Recently, silencing mutations at the PIG-A locus have been demonstrated to prevent glycophosphatidylinositol (GPI) anchor synthesis and consequentially result in loss of GPI-anchored proteins from the cell’s extracellular surface. The successful exploitation of this mutant phenotype in animal studies has triggered interest in the development of an analogous in vitro PIG-A mutation screening assay. This article describes the development of a robust assay design using metabolically active human cells. The assay includes viability and cell membrane integrity assessment and conforms to the future ideas of the 21st-century toxicology testing.
Labour Market Segmentation in the Indian Economy: An Investigation

The paper investigates the hypothesis of labour market segmentation in the Indian labour market along the lines of formality and informality using NSSO data over the period 2004-05 to 2011-12. The results of our analysis lend credible support in favour of the labour market segmentation hypothesis. The study finds significant wage gap between the formal and the informal sectors which cannot be explained entirely due to the differences in endowments of workers. However, the extent of discrimination is seen to decline over the study period. Further, decomposition analysis along the quantiles reveals the discrimination effect to be smaller in the lower quantiles compared to the higher quantiles. The results highlight the need for appropriate government measures to counter the above adverse trends.
Systems Physiology: Cardiopulmonary THE EFFECTS OF RESPIRATORY MUSCLE TRAINING ON VO 2 MAX, THE VENTILATORY THRESHOLD AND PULMONARY FUNCTION

THE EFFECTS OF RESPIRATORY MUSCLE TRAI NING ON VO2 MAX, THE VENTILATORY THRESHOLD AND PULMONARY FUNCTION. William E. Amonette, Terry L. Dupler. JEPonline. 2002;5(2):29-35. This study evaluated the effect of inspiratory and expiratory muscle training on pulmonary function and maximal exercise performance in competitive triathletes and marathon runners. The participants in this study (N=12) had a mean weekly aerobic training time of 7.5 hours per week of swimming, cycling, or running. Eight subjects were assigned to a pulmonary resistance treatm ent group and four control subjects were given a sham device that allowed no greater than 15% resistance on inspiration or expiration. The subjects performed 30 maximal inhalation/exhalation maneuvers on their respective devices two times per day for four weeks. The subjects were tested for forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV 1), FEV1/FVC ratio, forced inspiratory vital capacity (FIVC), peak inspiratory flow rate (PIFR), and peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR). Each subject was also tested for peak exhalation force (P EF) as well as a maximal oxygen consumption (VO2 max), carbon dioxide production (VCO2), tidal volume (VT), ventilation (VE), ventilatory threshold (VT), and respiration rate (RR). The data revealed that trai ning using the pulmonary resistance device produced significant increases in maximal VE and maximal VT while decreasing RR (although not statistically significant) at maximum exercise. However, no significant changes were seen in VO 2 or any pulmonary function variables measured.
Nonlinear optimization for multi-agent motion planning in a multi-obstacle environment

This work presents a potential field-based control approach for multi-agent dynamical systems in a multi-obstacle environment. A strong focus is put on solving the collision avoidance (either with obstacles or other agents) problem, which is essential for any multi-agent control strategy. In here we discuss potential field constructions which are used for penalizing in the cost the collision avoidance conditions. Comparisons through simulations with mixed-integer formulations are provided. At the end, conclusions and possible extensions are presented.
Theoretical Methods for Studying DNA Structural Transitions under Applied Mechanical Constraints

Recent progress in single-molecule manipulation technologies has made it possible to exert force and torque on individual DNA biopolymers to probe their mechanical stability and interaction with various DNA-binding proteins. It was revealed in these experiments that the DNA structure and formation of nucleoprotein complexes by DNA-architectural proteins can be strongly modulated by an intricate interplay between the entropic elasticity of DNA and its global topology, which is closely related to the mechanical constraints applied to the DNA. Detailed understanding of the physical processes underlying the DNA behavior observed in single-molecule experiments requires the development of a general theoretical framework, which turned out to be a rather challenging task. Here, we review recent advances in theoretical methods that can be used to interpret single-molecule manipulation experiments on DNA.
Methods to improve detection of pneumococci in respiratory secretions

Simple methods to enhance the detection of pneumococci in respiratory secretions are needed. Sheep blood agar containing 5 mug of gentamicin per ml was more often positive (89%) than either standard sheep blood agar (54%) or mouse inoculation (65%) in recovering pneumococci from 62 adult and pediatric patients. In adults, the direct quellung test on sputum smear was a rapid, sensitive method for predicting subsequent pneumococcal isolation by culture (19 of 20 patients, 95%). The quellung test and gentamicin plate show improved sensitivity over current techniques for pneumococcal detection and can be recommended for general use.
Discovery of selective glucocorticoid receptor modulators by multiplexed reporter screening

Glucocorticoids are widely used to suppress inflammation and treat various immune-mediated diseases. Some glucocorticoid receptor (GR)-regulated genes mediate the therapeutic response, whereas others cause debilitating side effects. To discover selective modulators of the GR response, we developed a high-throughput, multiplexed system to monitor regulation of 4 promoters simultaneously. An initial screen of 1,040 natural products and Food and Drug Administration-approved drugs identified modulators that caused GR to regulate only a subset of its target promoters. Some compounds selectively inhibited GR-mediated gene activation without altering the repression of cytokine expression by GR. This approach will facilitate identification of genes and small molecules that augment beneficial effects of GR and diminish deleterious ones. Our results have important implications for the development of GR modulators and the identification of cross-talk pathways that control selective GR gene regulation.
Gender Dierence in Support for Democracy in Sub-Saharan Africa: The role of Social Institutions

Little empirical investigation has been put forward to explain why women are less likely to support democracy than men in Sub-Saharan Africa. This gender dierence in politics has been found in numerous studies and may hinder the much needed democratic legitimacy in this region. This paper addresses the question of whether this observed gap is due to the omission of social institutions related to gender inequality that aect women daily life and deprive them of autonomy at home. We hypothesize that women who live under autocracy at home are less likely to support democracy outside because it does not aect their private life, following the idea that how women are treated in a society might have major implications for the economic, social, and political functioning of the society. We nd that the gender dierence in support for democracy is no longer signicant after we control for the gender discrimination in the Family Code, in Physical Integrity and in Civil Liberties. Results are robust to the use of dierent Afrobarometer surveys and to the inclusion of time and country xed-eects. This study has also provided evidence that women living in countries with favorable laws toward women (e.g, marriage, domestic violences, freedom of movement and access to public spaces) are more supportive of democracy than the other women. Hence we suggest that democratic regimes are may be more willing to protect woman’s friendly laws than authoritarian regimes.
Targeting the Warburg effect in cancer cells through ENO1 knockdown rescues oxidative phosphorylation and induces growth arrest

In the last 5 years, novel knowledge on tumor metabolism has been revealed with the identification of critical factors that fuel tumors. Alpha-enolase (ENO1) is commonly over-expressed in tumors and is a clinically relevant candidate molecular target for immunotherapy. Here, we silenced ENO1 in human cancer cell lines and evaluated its impact through proteomic, biochemical and functional approaches. ENO1 silencing increased reactive oxygen species that were mainly generated through the sorbitol and NADPH oxidase pathways, as well as autophagy and catabolic pathway adaptations, which together affect cancer cell growth and induce senescence. These findings represent the first comprehensive metabolic analysis following ENO1 silencing. Inhibition of ENO1, either alone, or in combination with other pathways which were perturbed by ENO1 silencing, opens novel avenues for future therapeutic approaches.
The dynamic blood–brain barrier

With the endothelium as its central unit, the blood–brain barrier (BBB) is a complex multicellular structure separating the central nervous system (CNS) from the systemic circulation. Disruption of the BBB has now been implicated in a multitude of acute and chronic CNS disorders indicating the potentially devastating effects of BBB breakdown on brain function. However, the healthy BBB is not an impermeable wall, but rather a communication ‘centre’, responding to and passing signals between the CNS and blood. New studies are identifying BBB‐specific transport pathways that tightly regulate the entry and exit of molecules to and from the brain. They are revealing a highly plastic barrier in which dynamic changes in BBB components like paracellular tight junction complexes can contribute to BBB maintenance. Here, we provide a succinct overview of the current state‐of‐play in BBB research and summarize novel findings into BBB regulation in homeostatic regulation of the brain.
Parametric study of a solar heating system used for buldings air heating

The endeavor of this paper is the study of the thermal performances of a Solar Heating System (SHS) used in used in buildings air-heating. The SHS consists of a flat-plate solar collector, solar hot water cylinder and an active layer integrated inside the simulated building. The study is performed by means of TRNSYS 16 simulation program. The approach consists firstly in the optimization of the SHS sizing and then we evaluate the long-term performances of the SHS. The results shows that the optimal sizing of the SHS that allows the supply of a maximum rate of the SF consist on using 6 m2 area of solar collector, a collector's mass flow rate of about 100 kg/h and a hot water storage cylinder with a capacity of 450 1. The long-term performances study shows that the auxiliary energy, energy collected and energy load from the SHS are respectively 583.52 MJ/m2, 3463.77 MJ/m2 and 3733.71 MJ/m2. The results of the study show also that the average solar fraction of the SHS is about 84%.
Tourist Spending Dynamics in the Algarve: A Cross-Sectional Analysis

This paper assesses the determinants of international tourists' spending in the Algarve from 2007 to 2010. Based on a sample of 15,542 observations a cross-section model was estimated using ordinary least squares. The results reveal that a combination of socio-demographic, behavioural and motivation variables explain the spending patterns of international tourists in the Algarve. Analysis of the data indicates that tourist motivations related to accommodation facilities, cultural and historical resources, gastronomy, hospitality, prices and sightseeing tours positively affect tourists' spending. Moreover, the findings provide evidence that, over the years, the most loyal markets in Algarve reveal changing patterns in their spending behaviour. Destination management authorities should be aware of this spending behaviour of second-generation sun and sand visitors and should formulate strategies accordingly. Policy and managerial recommendations are discussed.
Hypercoagulability panel testing predicts thrombosis in neonates undergoing cardiac surgery

Thrombosis contributes to morbidity and mortality in neonates following cardiac surgery. Alterations in hemostatic factors following cardiac surgery have been described, but there is no data correlating these changes with risk of thrombosis in neonates. The aim of this study is to predict thrombosis in neonates undergoing cardiac surgery by assessment of a panel of hypercoagulability markers. Neonates undergoing cardiac surgery were enrolled preoperatively and prospectively followed. Preoperative hypercoagulability panel testing included thrombin generation assay (TGA), immunoassays for antithrombin III, protein C, protein S, factor VIII, thrombin‐activatable fibrinolytic inhibitor (TAFI), plasminogen activator inhibitor‐1 (PAI‐1), and cardiolipin antibody. Postoperative thrombosis was defined by clinical events (shunt thrombosis, limb ischemia, and stroke) or imaging (intravascular or intracardiac thrombus). Risk factors for thrombosis were assessed. One hundred neonates were enrolled in the study over a two‐year period. The incidence of postoperative in‐hospital thrombosis was 20%. The only significant clinical risk factor associated with thrombosis was the single ventricle physiology. Hypercoagulability factors associated with increased risk of thrombosis by univariate analysis were elevated PAI‐1, TAFI, and TGA, and presence of anticardiolipin antibodies. Multivariable logistic regression analysis demonstrated that elevated PAI‐1 (P = 0.015), TAFI (P = 0.028), and TGA (P = 0.007) were independent predictors of thrombosis. Hypercoagulability panel testing may help identify neonates at high risk for thrombosis following cardiac surgery. Future studies are warranted to determine if high risk patients benefit from targeted anticoagulation therapies. Am. J. Hematol. 89:151–155, 2014. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Barriers to treatment adherence among African American and white women with systemic lupus erythematosus.

OBJECTIVE To determine whether African Americans with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) have poorer treatment adherence than whites, and to determine ethnic group differences in barriers to adherence, and how barriers affect adherence. METHODS We compared 68 African American and 54 white women with SLE on 19 potential barriers, on 2 adherence behaviors during the past year, and on how the potential barriers relate to each nonadherence behavior. RESULTS African Americans and whites were similar on most barriers, although African Americans were more likely to rely on religion and were more concerned about long-term medication effects. The 2 ethnic groups were comparable on medication nonadherence, but whites tended to have poorer clinic appointment adherence than African Americans. Finally, we found that barriers related to negative affect (depression, medication concerns, physical symptoms) as well as short-term memory problems and the need for child or elder care were associated with nonadherence among African Americans, whereas perceived treatment inefficacy and lacking trust in physicians were associated with nonadherence among whites. CONCLUSION Relationships between adherence barriers and nonadherence may be ethnicity specific, suggesting that interventions to address barriers should be targeted to specific groups.