Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Productivity convergence in the European regions, 1980–2003: a sectoral and spatial approach

This article analyses the evolution of the EU productivity between 1980 and 2003, both across regions and sectors. By making use of various techniques (cross-section, nonparametric and spatial approaches) it concludes that: (1) the regional and sectoral dispersion of productivity is quite high; (2) the gains experienced in aggregate productivity are due entirely to the sectors productivity growth effect; (3) there is a weak beta-convergence process at the aggregate and sectoral levels; (4) the accounting decomposition of the aggregate productivity convergence process reveals the sectoral productivity growth effect to be the only responsible factor for regional catching-up; (5) finally, there are clear signs of spatial dependence which, when properly addressed, increase the speed of convergence at the aggregate level.
Improving Real-Time Estimates of Output and Inflation Gaps With Multiple-Vintage Models

Real-time estimates of output gaps and inflation gaps differ from the values that are obtained using data available long after the event. Part of the problem is that the data on which the real-time estimates are based is subsequently revised. We show that vector-autoregressive models of data vintages provide forecasts of post-revision values of future observations and of already-released observations capable of improving estimates of output and inflation gaps in real time. Our findings indicate that annual revisions to output and inflation data are in part predictable based on their past vintages. This article has online supplementary materials.
The Location and Employment Choices of New Firms: An Econometric Model with Discrete and Continuous Endogenous Variables

B USINESS location is a subject of great interest. Businessmen obviously want to know where to locate their plants. State planners want to know the best way to attract new employment to their state. Regional economists use business location to get an advance reading on the health of an economy. Newly locating plants are responding to current incentives in making their locational choices and are therefore a better barometer of a region's future than employment at existing plants whose decisions are obviously influenced by their prior locational decision. Despite all the interest, economists know very little about the factors influencing new business location. (See Carlton (1979) for a survey. ) Part of the reason is undoubtedly the lack of data on new business formation. As far as I know, Dun and Bradstreet is the only systematic data source available for studying new business formation. However, there have been only a handful of studies using this data set. And only two, Schmenner (1975) and Carlton (1979), have econometrically attempted to model location by economic variables. Schmenner's study looked at location within an SMSA and failed to find much explanatory power for his economic variables. Carlton (1979) focused on interregional location of new single establishment (one plant) firms and was able to uncover some significant economic effects. I also examined the location of branch plants in that paper, but failed to model the size of the branch plant. Obviously, what is of interest is not only where new location will occur but how much employment will be generated. No one to my knowledge has linked the two. This paper simultaneously models both the location and employment choice of new branch plants across SMSAs. The important methodological contributions are showing that the two decisions are linked (via duality theory) and exploiting this link in the model estimation. A special bonus of the methodology is that it allows for direct testing of the independence of irrelevant alternatives assumption in a logit model. The study takes special care to use information on individual plants in narrowly defined industries (4 digit SIC code) and narrowly defined geographic regions (SMSAs). The use of such disaggregate data is a distinguishing feature of the work. Some of the specific findings of the study are the following:
ASSOCIATION OF THE BRAIN-DERIVED-NEUROTROPHIC-ACTOR val 66 met GENOTYPE WITH RESPONSE INHIBITION

bstract—Response inhibition is a basic executive function hich is dysfunctional in various basal ganglia diseases. The rain-derived-neurotrophic-factor (BDNF) plays an important athophysiological role in these diseases. In the current tudy we examined the functional relevance of the BDNF al66met polymorphism for response inhibition processes in 7 healthy human subjects using event-related potentials ERPs), i.e. the Nogo-N2 and Nogo-P3, which likely reflect ifferent aspects of inhibition. Our results support the preotor inhibition theory of the Nogo-N2. We show that the DNF val66met polymorphism selectively modulates the ogo-N2. Response inhibition was better in the val/met–met/ et group, since this group committed fewer false alarms, nd their Nogo-N2 was larger, compared to the val/val group. his is the first study showing that met alleles of the BDNF al66met polymorphism confer an advantage for a specific ognitive function. We propose a neuronal model how this dvantage gets manifest on a neuronal level. © 2010 IBRO. ublished by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Induction of the cholesterol metabolic pathway regulates the farnesylation of RAS in embryonic chick heart cells: a new role for Ras in regulating the expression of muscarinic receptors and G proteins

We propose a novel mechanism for the regulation of the processing of Ras and demonstrate a new function for Ras in regulating the expression of cardiac autonomic receptors and their associated G proteins. We have demonstrated previously that induction of endogenous cholesterol synthesis in cultured cardiac myocytes resulted in a coordinated increase in expression of muscarinic receptors, the G protein α‐subunit, G–αi2, and the inward rectifying K+ channel, GIRK1. These changes in gene expression were associated with a marked increase in the response of heart cells to parasympathetic stimulation. In this study, we demonstrate that the induction of the cholesterol metabolic pathway regulates Ras processing and that Ras regulates expression of G‐αi2. We show that in primary cultured myocytes most of the RAS is localized to the cytoplasm in an unfarnesylated form. Induction of the cholesterol metabolic pathway results in increased farnesylation and membrane association of RAS. Studies of Ras mutants expressed in cultured heart cells demonstrate that activation of Ras by induction of the cholesterol metabolic pathway results in increased expression of G‐αi2 mRNA. Hence farnesylation of Ras is a regulatable process that plays a novel role in the control of second messenger pathways.
Regional Dimensions of Monetary Policy in Indonesia

s of doctoral theses on the Indonesian economy 387 interest rates on loans – from rural and regional banks alike – which suggests that Indonesia’s bank-loan markets are segmented geographically. After controlling for regional fixed effects, it reveals that variations in regional interest rates are linked to variations in risk factors, administrative costs, economies of scale, and market concentration. © 2013 Masagus M. Ridhwan http://dx.doi. org/10.1080/00074918.2013. 850635
Promoter polymorphisms of tumor necrosis factor‐α are associated with risk of gastric mucosa–associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma

Genes involved in regulating antimicrobial immunity and inflammation may modulate the risk of Helicobacter pylori–associated diseases. IL‐1 and TNF‐α are major cytokines detected in H. pylori–infected tissues. We aimed to determine the role of gene polymorphisms for these cytokines and their receptors in 2 distinct H. pylori–related gastric malignancies, adenocarcinoma (GAC) and maltoma. Genotyping for IL‐1β (–31 C/T, –511 C/T), TNF‐α (–238 G/A, –308 G/A, –857 C/T, –863 C/A, –1031 T/C), TNFR1 (–383 A/C) and TNFR2 (196 G/T) was undertaken for 70 patients with maltoma and 204 patients with noncardia GAC and compared to 210 unrelated healthy controls. Genotype frequencies showed no differences among patients with GAC or maltoma and controls for IL‐1β, TNFR1 or TNFR2. The TNF‐α –857 T variant was significantly underrepresented in maltoma compared to controls (6.4% vs. 14.3%, p = 0.018), conferring a 3‐fold decrease in risk (OR = 0.33, 95% CI 0.15–0.75). Comparison of allele frequencies between GAC and controls failed to show any statistical significance for TNF‐α polymorphisms. We concluded that TNF‐α –857 T itself or a neighboring gene may modify the risk of maltoma. The differences in genetic background as well as divergent clinicopathologic features between GAC and maltoma support the notion that fundamental mechanistic differences exist in these 2 well‐defined H. pylori–related malignancies. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
A novel protein glycan biomarker and LCAT activity in metabolic syndrome

The cholesterol‐esterifying enzyme, lecithin:cholesterol acyltransferase (LCAT), is instrumental in high‐density lipoprotein (HDL) remodelling. LCAT may also modify oxidative and inflammatory processes, as supported by an inverse relationship with HDL antioxidative functionality and a positive relationship with high‐sensitivity C‐reactive protein (hsCRP). GlycA is a recently developed proton nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy‐measured biomarker of inflammation whose signal originates from a subset of N‐acetylglucosamine residues on the most abundant glycosylated acute‐phase proteins. Plasma GlycA correlates positively with hsCRP and may predict cardiovascular disease even independent of hsCRP. Here, we tested the extent to which plasma GlycA is elevated in metabolic syndrome (MetS), and determined its relationship with LCAT activity.
Examination of the behavior of R&D returns using a power law

This paper provides an improved model, based on historical data, that describes the returns on assets that result from R&D efforts to assist managers of public and private R&D activities. Such a model may lead to better decision support tools to monetize the value that may be extracted from R&D, which is otherwise often undervalued. Real option pricing models are used to gauge appropriate funding levels for assets such as R&D projects that contain large time-dependent uncertainties. However, this study finds that assuming the Gaussian distribution describes fluctuations in value is not appropriate for assets whose value is derived from R&D activities. This conclusion is based on a study of 43 military R&D projects and 100 technology-intensive small firms. A power law, such as the Cauchy distribution, is shown to be more accurate in describing fluctuations in returns from R&D investments. Copyright The Author 2012. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com, Oxford University Press.
Valuable, Rare, Inimitable Resources and Organization (VRIO) Resources or Valuable, Rare, Inimitable Resources (VRI) Capabilities: What Leads to Competitive Advantage?

The resource-based view (RBV) argues that valuable, rare, inimitable resources and organization (VRIO) lead to competitive advantage. Dynamic capabilities (DC) are a comparatively new field and the related literature is mainly conceptual. Capabilities can be considered as the firm’s routines and processes. We argue that the “O” in VRIO refers to DC. DCs are the “organization” needed to transform bundles of resources into competitive advantage. Consequently, does competitive advantage stem from VRIO resources or from VRI capabilities? Through a case study we analyzed the development of one capability in a medium-sized Portuguese footwear manufacturer. After reviewing the process of development of the capability, we performed a VRIO test for each of the resources it exploits and a VRI test of the capability. We can conclude that none of the resources contributing to the capability are VRIO, but the capability is VRI.
Rating impairment and disability in Parkinson's disease: Evaluation of the unified Parkinson's disease rating scale

Although the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) is widely used to monitor disease progression and drug efficacy, no attempts have been made to evaluate its scientific and clinical quality. Poor clinical sensibility of items in the activities of daily living (ADL) section and redundancy of items in the motor examination (ME) section prompted us to determine if the number of items in these sections could be reduced to a smaller, equally sensitive set that would describe the data as relibly as did the original set of items. Therefore, we assessed 111 patients with idiopathic Parkinson's disease on the UPDRS and Hoehn and Yahr staging scales. Our results show that the ADL (13 items) and ME (14 items) sections can be reduced to 8 items each without loss of reliability or validity. Our report is preliminary and needs validation.
Psychostimulant Prescription for ADHD in New South Wales

Objective: There is a need for Australian studies of ADHD that utilize the individual child as the unit of analysis because they provide a more accurate picture of national patterns (in new prescriptions, start age, and duration). The aim of this study was to build toward a national picture of patterns in psychostimulant use for ADHD by undertaking a retrospective analysis of archival data on prescriptions within New South Wales (NSW), Australia’s most populated state. Method: A person-based data set was used to assess (a) rate of new prescriptions by age group, (b) demographic characteristics (age of start, male:female ratio), (c) duration of use, and (d) comparisons across the two decades. Results: Five findings were observed: (a) The prevalence of psychostimulant use was 1.24% in 2010, (b) there was significant variability in the rate of new prescriptions by age group after 2003, (c) start age declined over the 1990 to 2000 period, but began to increase from 2000 to 2010, (d) the male:female ratio declined, and (e) the duration of psychostimulant use declined consistently. Conclusion: Results suggest disconnect between persistence across the life span and actual treatment patterns. A decline in medication treatment for more than 1 year and the growing proportion of discontinuous treatment suggests a need for strategies to assist families with the transition onto and off medications.
The pho regulon-dependent Ugp uptake system for glycerol-3-phosphate in Escherichia coli is trans inhibited by Pi

sn-Glycerol-3-phosphate (G3P) or glyceryl phosphoryl phosphodiesters, the substrates of the phoB-dependent Ugp transport system, when transported exclusively through this system, can serve as a sole source of phosphate but not as a sole source of carbon (H. Schweizer, M. Argast, and W. Boos, J. Bacteriol. 150:1154-1163, 1982). In order to explain this phenomenon, we tested two possibilities: repression of the pho regulon by Ugp-mediated transport and feedback inhibition by internal G3P or its degradation product Pi. Using an ugp-lacZ fusion, we found that the expression of ugp does not decline upon exposure to G3P, in contrast to the repressing effect of transport of Pi via the Pst system. This indicated that the Ugp system becomes inhibited after the uptake and metabolism of G3P. Using 32P-labeled G3P, we observed that little Pi is released by cells taking up G3P via the Ugp system but large amounts of Pi are released when the cells are taking up G3P via the GlpT system. Using a glpD mutant that could not oxidize G3P but which could still phosphorylate exogenous glycerol to G3P after GlpF-mediated transport of glycerol, we could not find trans inhibition of Ugp-mediated uptake of exogenous 14C-G3P. However, when allowing uptake of Pi via Pst, we observed a time-dependent inhibition of 14C-G3P taken up by the Ugp transport system. Inhibition was half maximal after 2 min and could be elicited by Pi concentrations below 0.5 mM. Cells had to be starved for Pi in order to observe this inhibition. We conclude that the activity of the Ugp transport system is controlled by the level of internal phosphate.
SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND SOCIAL CHANGE COURSE'S EFFECTS ON TECHNOLOGICAL LITERACY LEVELS OF SOCIAL STUDIES PRE-SERVICE TEACHERS

Social studies curricula are required to prepared as educate children who continue to learn after their formal training and it is vital that teachers receive an education properly. In Social Studies Education Departments of Education Faculties Science, Technology and Social Change course is convenient to this aim and it contributes to technological literacies of pre-service teachers which needed in twenty-first century. In this study, it is tried to determine the effect of Science, Technology and Social Change course on pre-service social studies teachers technological literacy levels. Technological Literacy Scale which was developed by Yigit (2011) was used in determining technological literacy levels of pre-service social studies teachers in this decriptive research. This scale is based on ITEA’s teachnological literacy standards and it consists five sub-dimensions and thirty-three items and its’ internal consistency is . 86. In three state universities this scale was applied to pre-service social studies teachers who (100) took Science- Teachnology and Social Change Course and who (100) didn’t take yet. Besides, opinions of pre-service social studies teachers (50) are picked to support quantitative data. Quantitative data were analized with SPSS 17.0 program for development level of technological literacy. T-test and ANOVA were used in analyse process. Content analyse technique was also used to analyse quantitative data depending on characteristics of research and data. In conclusion, it was found that Science, Teachnology and Social Change Course affected pre-service social studies teachers’ technological literacies positively. However this result was differed dependent on the lecturer.
Projections from the lateral, basal, and accessory basal nuclei of the amygdala to the hippocampal formation in rat

The amygdaloid complex and hippocampal formation mediate functions involving emotion and memory. To investigate the connections that regulate the interactions between these regions, we injected the anterograde tracer Phaseolus vulgaris‐leucoagglutinin into various divisions of the lateral, basal, and accessory basal nuclei of the rat amygdala. The heaviest projection to the entorhinal cortex originates in the medial division of the lateral nucleus which innervates layer III of the ventral intermediate and dorsal intermediate subfields. In the basal nucleus, the heaviest projection arises in the parvicellular division and terminates in layer III of the amygdalo‐entorhinal transitional subfield. In the accessory basal nucleus, the parvicellular division heavily innervates layer V of the ventral intermediate subfield. The most substantial projection to the hippocampus originates in the basal nucleus. The caudomedial portion of the parvicellular division projects heavily to the stratum oriens and stratum radiatum of CA3 and CA1. The accessory basal nucleus projects to the stratum lacunosum‐moleculare of CA1. The subiculum receives a substantial input from the caudomedial parvicellular division. The parasubiculum receives dense projections from the caudal portion of the medial division of the lateral nucleus, the caudomedial parvicellular division of the basal nucleus, and the parvicellular division of the accessory basal nucleus. Our data show that select nuclear divisions of the amygdala project to the entorhinal cortex, hippocampus, subiculum, and parasubiculum in segregated rather than overlapping terminal fields. These data suggest that the amygdaloid complex is in a position to modulate different stages of information processing within the hippocampal formation. J. Comp. Neurol. 403:229–260, 1999. © 1999 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 ICP0 Phosphorylation Mutants Impair the E3 Ubiquitin Ligase Activity of ICP0 in a Cell Type-Dependent Manner

ABSTRACT Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) infected cell protein 0 (ICP0) is a 110-kDa nuclear phosphoprotein that is required for both the efficient initiation of lytic infection and the reactivation of quiescent viral genomes from latency. The ability of ICP0 to act as a potent viral transactivator is mediated by its N-terminal zinc-binding RING finger domain. This domain confers E3 ubiquitin ligase activity to ICP0 and is required for the proteasome-dependent degradation of a number of cellular proteins during infection, including the major nuclear domain 10 (ND10) constituent protein promyelocytic leukemia. In previous work we mapped three phosphorylation regions within ICP0, two of which directly affected its transactivation capabilities in transient transfection assays (Davido et al., J. Virol. 79:1232-1243, 2005). Because ICP0 is a phosphoprotein, we initially sought to test the hypothesis that phosphorylation regulates the E3 ubiquitin ligase activity of ICP0. Although none of the mutations affected ICP0 E3 ligase activity in vitro, transient transfection analysis indicated that mutations within one or more of the phosphorylated regions impaired the ability of ICP0 to form foci with colocalizing conjugated ubiquitin and to disrupt ND10. Mutations within one of the regions also affected ICP0 stability, and all of these phenomena occurred in a cell type-dependent manner. In the context of viral infection, only one ICP0 phosphorylation mutant (P1) showed a significant defect in viral replication and enhanced protein stability compared to all the other viruses tested. This study suggests that specific cellular environments and context of expression (transfection versus infection) differentially regulate several activities of ICP0 related to its E3 ubiquitin ligase activity via phosphorylation.
Work, More Work and Retirement: Older Workers' Perspectives

This article reports the findings from a qualitative study in Scotland, UK, which explored, in some depth, older employees' preferences and expectations regarding work and retirement. Many expected to continue working, but various barriers frustrated those expectations, especially over-rigidity in employers' approaches. The research highlighted the diversity of factors that played a part, including gender, size of employing organisation, and health. The potentially minimal impact of the forthcoming Employment Equality (Age) Regulations is explored, and a holistic approach to the employment of workers – whether younger or older – is urged.
A multicenter 1H-MRS study of the medial temporal lobe in AD and MCI

Objective: The need for biological markers of Alzheimer disease (AD) is constantly increasing. Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS) studies have provided consistent evidence for a reduction of the neuronal marker N-acetylaspartate (NAA) in patients with AD. Within the German Competence Network on Dementia, we conducted a 1H-MRS study in patients with mild dementia and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) at four sites to investigate the multicenter feasibility of 1H-MRS. Methods: In total, 130 patients with dementia (98 AD, 32 non-AD), 136 subjects with MCI (70 of AD type, 66 of non-AD type), and 45 unimpaired control subjects were included. Single-volume 1H-MRS of the left medial temporal lobe was performed at long and short echo times. Metabolites were quantified and metabolic ratios were determined. Results: We found a significant reduction of NAA concentration in patients with AD as compared to healthy volunteers and compared to patients with MCI of AD type. NAA/Cr (creatine/phosphocreatine) was also lower in patients with AD compared to control subjects. NAA, choline compounds, and Cr were lower in patients with AD compared to patients with non-AD dementia. Conclusions: We demonstrated the multicenter feasibility of proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS) of the medial temporal lobe in mild dementia and mild cognitive impairment, which is a prerequisite for the application of 1H-MRS in large-scale clinical trials. Since the concentration measures of the metabolites are adjusted for brain tissue volume, these findings are indicators of biochemical pathology beyond brain atrophy.