Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
An Empirical Analysis of the Determinants of Inflation in Nigeria

This paper investigates the determinants of inflation in Nigeria between 1980 and 2012. The properties of time series variables were examined through the use of OLS, Augmented Dickey-Fuller technique in testing the unit root property of the series and Granger causality test of causation between inflation and money supply, government expenditure, exchange rate, and interest rate, cointegration and vector error correction techniques was also employed. The results of unit root suggested that all the variables in the model are stationary. Inflation is stationary at level while money supply, government expenditure, exchange rate and interest rate are stationary at first difference. The results of Causality suggested causation between inflation and some of the included variables. The Johansen cointegration result shows that there existed long run relationship between inflation and the included variables. The VEC error correction result also confirmed the existence of long run relationship between the variables of the model with only money supply and exchange rate causing interest rate. The OLS results revealed that money supply and interest rate influenced inflation positively, while government expenditure and exchange rate influenced inflation negatively. Therefore, a good performance of the economy in terms of price stability may therefore, be achieved by reducing money supply and interest rate and also increasing government expenditure and exchange rate in the country. A major policy implication of this study is that concerted effort should be made by policy makers to stabilize prices (inflation) by reducing money supply and interest rate as well as increasing government expenditure and exchange rate; most importantly increasing exchange rate and reducing interest rate. Key words : Inflation, effects, Error Correction Method, co-integration, money supply
2004 William Allan Award address. Cloning of the DMD gene.

I must start by thanking Jane Gitschier for that very kind and thorough introduction. Would you believe I have tears in my eyes? At the onset, I must say that I am extremely honored to have received the 2004 William Allan Award from the American Society of Human Genetics. This honor was beyond my wildest dreams when I started my career in human genetics. In my lecture, I will try to outline which parts of my career I feel contributed to my receiving this award. I’m here today to review a little bit about the cloning of the gene responsible for Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) and to tell you a little bit about where things
Mouse gene targeting reveals an essential role of mTOR in hematopoietic stem cell engraftment and hematopoiesis

mTOR integrates signals from nutrients and growth factors to control protein synthesis, cell growth, and survival. Although mTOR has been established as a therapeutic target in hematologic malignancies, its physiological role in regulating hematopoiesis remains unclear. Here we show that conditional gene targeting of mTOR causes bone marrow failure and defects in multi-lineage hematopoiesis including myelopoiesis, erythropoiesis, thrombopoiesis, and lymphopoiesis. mTOR deficiency results in loss of quiescence of hematopoietic stem cells, leading to a transient increase but long-term exhaustion and defective engraftment of hematopoietic stem cells in lethally irradiated recipient mice. Furthermore, ablation of mTOR causes increased apoptosis in lineage-committed blood cells but not hematopoietic stem cells, indicating a differentiation stage-specific function. These results demonstrate that mTOR is essential for hematopoietic stem cell engraftment and multi-lineage hematopoiesis.
Hallucination space relationship learning to improve very low resolution face recognition

It is known that face recognition rate is affected by the resolution of probe image. Therefore it is natural to expect improving the resolution via face hallucination would increase the recognition rate. However, it was concluded in the previous works that improvement in the visual quality does not necessarily lead to a better recognition rate, and performance of face hallucination for recognition is especially poor when very low resolution (VLR) images are used. Experiment results in this paper will show that there is a correlation between visual quality and recognition rate. And hallucination space relationship learning algorithm is proposed which is robust on hallucinating VLR images to improve the performance in terms of both visual quality and recognition rate.
PKCι is a target of 7,8,4′‐trihydroxyisoflavone for the suppression of UVB‐induced MMP‐1 expression

The soy isoflavone daidzein is bioconverted to 7,8,4′‐trihydroxyisoflavone (7,8,4′‐THIF) by microorganisms. Here, we investigated the matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)‐1 inhibitory properties of 7,8,4′‐THIF that arise through the suppression of UVB‐induced MMP‐1 expression. 7,8,4′‐THIF reduced UVB‐induced MMP‐1 expression at the transcriptional level in primary human dermal fibroblasts and inhibited UVB‐induced transcriptional activity of AP‐1, a major activator of MMP‐1 expression. Additionally, it was observed that the mitogen‐activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway, a crucial signalling cascade for MMP‐1 expression, was suppressed by 7,8,4′‐THIF. Protein kinase C iota (PKCι) was suspected to be a direct target of 7,8,4′‐THIF. The direct interaction between 7,8,4′‐THIF and PKCι was confirmed using pull‐down assays and immobilized metal ion affinity‐based fluorescence polarization assays. Finally, we observed that 7,8,4′‐THIF inhibited UVB‐induced MMP‐1 expression in a human skin equivalent model. Taken together, these results suggest that 7,8,4′‐THIF, a bioconversion product of daidzein, suppresses UVB‐induced MMP‐1 expression.
Genotype and phenotype frequencies of paraoxonase 1 in fertile and infertile men

Abstract Paraoxonase1 (PON1) is a glycoprotein associated with high density lipoprotein and has antioxidant activity. The impact of PON1 in various stages of spermatogenesis has also been suggested. This study was aimed to investigate frequencies of phenotypes and Q192R genotypes of PON1 in fertile and infertile males. Q192R variants of PON1 were determined in 150 fertile and 150 infertile men using the polymerase chain reaction–restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) technique. Plasma arylesterase and paraoxonase activities were detected by spectrophotometry and malondialdehyde (MDA) level was measured using thiobarbituric acid. Our results showed no significant difference in the distribution of PON1 genotypes and alleles between fertile and infertile groups. However morphology and motility of sperm were associated with various genotypes of PON1. The number of fertile males with the BB phenotype (high activity) was significantly higher than that of infertile males, whereas the number of individuals with the AB phenotype (moderate activity) was statistically higher in infertile men compared with the fertile group. Additionally, MDA and arylesterase activity levels were significantly higher in infertile subjects compared with fertile men. We speculate that the low activity of PON1 can be a risk factor for male infertility probably due to a decrease in antioxidant activity of PON1 and increase in lipid peroxidation.
Influence of the Drilling Mud Formulation Process on the Bacterial Communities in Thermogenic Natural Gas Wells of the Barnett Shale

ABSTRACT The Barnett Shale in north central Texas contains natural gas generated by high temperatures (120 to 150°C) during the Mississippian Period (300 to 350 million years ago). In spite of the thermogenic origin of this gas, biogenic sulfide production and microbiologically induced corrosion have been observed at several natural gas wells in this formation. It was hypothesized that microorganisms in drilling muds were responsible for these deleterious effects. Here we collected drilling water and drilling mud samples from seven wells in the Barnett Shale during the drilling process. Using quantitative real-time PCR and microbial enumerations, we show that the addition of mud components to drilling water increased total bacterial numbers, as well as the numbers of culturable aerobic heterotrophs, acid producers, and sulfate reducers. The addition of sterile drilling muds to microcosms that contained drilling water stimulated sulfide production. Pyrosequencing-based phylogenetic surveys of the microbial communities in drilling waters and drilling muds showed a marked transition from typical freshwater communities to less diverse communities dominated by Firmicutes and Gammaproteobacteria. The community shifts observed reflected changes in temperature, pH, oxygen availability, and concentrations of sulfate, sulfonate, and carbon additives associated with the mud formulation process. Finally, several of the phylotypes observed in drilling muds belonged to lineages that were thought to be indigenous to marine and terrestrial fossil fuel formations. Our results suggest a possible alternative exogenous origin of such phylotypes via enrichment and introduction to oil and natural gas reservoirs during the drilling process.
Hospitalized community-acquired pneumonia in the elderly: an Australian case-cohort study

SUMMARY This study describes the epidemiology of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in elderly Australians for the first time. Using a case-cohort design, cases with CAP were in-patients aged ⩾65 years with ICD-10-AM codes J10-J18 admitted over 2 years to two tertiary hospitals. The cohort sample was randomly selected from all hospital discharges, frequency-matched to cases by month. Logistic regression was used to estimate risk ratios for factors predicting CAP or associated mortality. A total of 4772 in-patients were studied. There were 1952 cases with CAP that represented 4% of all elderly admissions: mean length of stay was 9·0 days and 30-day mortality was 18%. Excluding chest radiograph, 520/1864 (28%) cases had no investigations performed. The strongest predictors of CAP were previous pneumonia, history of other respiratory disease, and aspiration. Intensive-care-unit admission, renal disease and increasing age were the strongest predictors of mortality, while influenza vaccination conferred protection. Hospitalization with CAP in the elderly is common, frequently fatal and a considerable burden to the Australian community. Investigation is ad hoc and management empirical. Influenza vaccination is associated with reduced mortality. Patient characteristics can predict risk of CAP and subsequent mortality.
The effects of inter-state conflicts on foreign investment flows to the developing world: Enduring vs ephemeral risk of conflicts

How do inter-state conflicts affect foreign investment flows to developing countries? Conventional wisdom says conflicts disrupt economic interactions. This article develops and tests two competing causal mechanisms of the wisdom by focusing on foreign investment flows to developing countries. The first hypothesis states that conflicts carry enduring risk to foreign investors, making conflict-prone countries persistently less attractive. The second hypothesis says that the risk of conflict is ephemeral, allowing foreign investment to recover during peace-time. A monadic analysis of 95 developing countries from 1980 to 2000 provides strong evidence for the enduring risk hypothesis. However, the finding is limited by both the level of conflict hostility and the ex post immobility of foreign investment. The enduring risk of conflicts is significant for both actual warfare rather than use of force, and foreign direct investment (FDI) rather than foreign portfolio investment (FPI). The finding is robust in a series of subsample analyses, which reflect the distinctive experiences of developing countries in the late 20th century.
Fuse: Accurate Multiplexing of Hardware Performance Counters Across Executions

Collecting hardware event counts is essential to understanding program execution behavior. Contemporary systems offer few Performance Monitoring Counters (PMCs), thus only a small fraction of hardware events can be monitored simultaneously. We present new techniques to acquire counts for all available hardware events with high accuracy by multiplexing PMCs across multiple executions of the same program, then carefully reconciling and merging the multiple profiles into a single, coherent profile. We present a new metric for assessing the similarity of statistical distributions of event counts and show that our execution profiling approach performs significantly better than Hardware Event Multiplexing.
An analytical pipeline for genomic representations used for cytosine methylation studies

MOTIVATION Representations of the genome can be generated by the selection of a subpopulation of restriction fragments using ligation-mediated PCR. Such representations form the basis for a number of high-throughput assays, including the HELP assay to study cytosine methylation. We find that HELP data analysis is complicated not only by PCR amplification heterogeneity but also by a complex and variable distribution of cytosine methylation. To address this, we created an analytical pipeline and novel normalization approach that improves concordance between microarray-derived data and single locus validation results, demonstrating the value of the analytical approach. A major influence on the PCR amplification is the size of the restriction fragment, requiring a quantile normalization approach that reduces the influence of fragment length on signal intensity. Here we describe all of the components of the pipeline, which can also be applied to data derived from other assays based on genomic representations.
A Practical Guide for Policy Analysis: The Eightfold Path to More Effective Problem Solving

Preface Acknowledgments Introduction Part I THE EIGHTFOLD PATH Step One: Define the Problem Step Two: Assemble Some Evidence Step Three: Construct the Alternatives Step Four: Select the Criteria Step Five: Project the Outcomes Step Six: Confront the Trade-Offs Step Seven: Stop, Focus, Narrow, Deepen, Decide! Step Eight: Tell Your Story PART II ASSEMBLING EVIDENCE Getting Started Locating Relevant Sources Gaining Access and Engaging Assistance Conducting a Policy Research Interview Using Language to Characterize and Calibrate Protecting Credibility Strategic Dilemmas of Policy Research PART III HANDLING A DESIGN PROBLEM It's a Production System Crosswalks to the Eightfold Path Define the Problem-Focus on a Primary Outcome Construct the Alternatives-Configure the System's Organizational Structure and Its Operating Processes Select the Criteria-Define the Objectives to Be Achieved Project the Outcomes-Test Whether It Will Work Confront the Trade-Offs-Examine the System from Multiple Perspectives Design a Transition Strategy PART IV "SMART (BEST) PRACTICES" RESEARCH: UNDERSTANDING AND MAKING USE OF WHAT LOOK LIKE GOOD IDEAS FROM SOMEWHERE ELSE Develop Realistic Expectations Analyze Smart Practices Observe the Practice Describe Generic Vulnerabilities But Will It Work Here? Back to the Eightfold Path APPENDIX A SPECIMEN OF A REAL-WORLD POLICY ANALYSIS Preface Summary Reducing Consumption: More Enforcement against Typical Dealers Reducing Consumption: More Enforcement against Higher-Level Dealers Reducing Cocaine-Related Crime Conclusion Appendix B THINGS GOVERNMENTS DO Taxes Regulation Subsidies and Grants Service Provision Agency Budgets Information The Structure of Private Rights The Framework of Economic Activity Education and Consultation Financing and Contracting Bureaucratic and Political Reforms APPENDIX C UNDERSTANDING PUBLIC AND NONPROFIT INSTITUTIONS: ASKING THE RIGHT QUESTIONS Mission Environment Performance Measurement Technology Production/Delivery Processes Frontline Workers and Co-Producers Partners and Other Outsiders Centralization/Decentralization Culture and Communications Politics Leadership Change APPENDIX D STRATEGIC ADVICE ON THE DYNAMICS OF GATHERING POLITICAL SUPPORT Sequencing Timing APPENDIX E TIPS FOR WORKING WITH CLIENTS References Index
No relationship observed between human p53 codon‐72 genotype and HPV‐associated cervical cancer in a population group with a low arginine‐72 allele frequency

Infection with high‐risk human papillomavirus (HR‐HPV) is a necessary but not a sufficient event in the development of cervical cancer, as most infections regress without intervention. Thus, genetic host factors and cellular immune responses could be potential modifiers for the risk of developing cervical cancer. In particular, p53 is considered as the most critical tumour suppressor gene and is involved in regulating cell division. The polymorphism on p53, which encodes either a proline or an arginine amino acid residue at codon 72, has been reported as a possible risk factor for cervical disease. This polymorphism has been shown to differentially affect the efficiency of degradation of p53 protein mediated by HR‐HPV E6 oncoprotein. Women with histologically proven cancer of the cervix (n = 111) and hospital‐based controls (n = 143) were included in this study. The patients and controls were from the Western Cape Province in South Africa. Genotyping of the p53 polymorphism was conducted using polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment‐length polymorphism method. The distributions of the allelic frequencies were stratified in both patients and controls into two South African ethnic population groups. In this study, we observed no association between the distribution of p53 polymorphism and susceptibility to cervical cancer in the Western Cape Province populations (P = 0.466). However, the frequency of the Pro/Pro residue at codon 72 was increased in the South African population when compared to Caucasians, Indians and Portuguese population groups. Notably, as the distribution of the Pro/Pro at codon 72 of p53 gene was significantly different (P < 0.05) between the control groups of South Africa and other population groups. This result suggests that ethnic disparity may influence the levels of p53 produced.
ACCOUNTING INFORMATION SYSTEMS IN SMEs

The research questions concern the possible link between Accounting Information Systems (AIS) and profitability in small and medium-sized firms (SMEs). "Instrumental" functions of AIS are compared with profitability for 24SMEs in the Swedish prefab housing industry. Data were collected by extensive, structured interviews with firm CEOs and CFOs. Results are interpreted in the context of the "sense-making process". AIS parts include: budgets, cash management, calculations, accounting and reports. The instrumental functions are evaluated in terms of completeness, complexity, logic, consistency and timeliness. The findings indicate that instrumental features of calculations and reporting do matter and are related to profitability in the business. Well designed features of these parts of an AIS seemed to be necessary but not sufficient prerequisites for profitability. It is suggested that the relationships can be better understood in the light of sense-making aspects. On the basis of the findings a framework of decision models is proposed. The framework is based on two dimensions of a problematic situation: degree of structure and complexity.
The Succinated Proteome of FH-Mutant Tumours

Inherited mutations in the Krebs cycle enzyme fumarate hydratase (FH) predispose to hereditary leiomyomatosis and renal cell cancer (HLRCC). Loss of FH activity in HLRCC tumours causes accumulation of the Krebs cycle intermediate fumarate to high levels, which may act as an oncometabolite through various, but not necessarily mutually exclusive, mechanisms. One such mechanism, succination, is an irreversible non-enzymatic modification of cysteine residues by fumarate, to form S-(2-succino)cysteine (2SC). Previous studies have demonstrated that succination of proteins including glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH), kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (KEAP1) and mitochondrial aconitase (ACO2) can have profound effects on cellular metabolism. Furthermore, immunostaining for 2SC is a sensitive and specific biomarker for HLRCC tumours. Here, we performed a proteomic screen on an FH-mutant tumour and two HLRCC-derived cancer cell lines and identified 60 proteins where one or more cysteine residues were succinated; 10 of which were succinated at cysteine residues either predicted, or experimentally proven, to be functionally significant. Bioinformatic enrichment analyses identified most succinated targets to be involved in redox signaling. To our knowledge, this is the first proteomic-based succination screen performed in human tumours and cancer-derived cells and has identified novel 2SC targets that may be relevant to the pathogenesis of HLRCC.
Inflation and Tax Evasion: An Empirical Analysis

This paper contains an analysis of the effect of inflation on aggregate tax evasion in the United States over the period 1947-81. It is found that tax evasion in both absolute and relative terms is positively related to the inflation rate. Further, the results indicate that aggregate evasion has risen in both absolute and relative terms with increases in the marginal tax rate, but has fallen with increases in the detection probability, the penalty rate, and the wage share of income. Finally, evasion has risen in absolute terms but has fallen in relative terms when real true income has risen.
Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Variants Resistant to First- and Second-Version Fusion Inhibitors and Cytopathic in Ex Vivo Human Lymphoid Tissue

ABSTRACT Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) fusion inhibitors blocking viral entry by binding the gp41 heptad repeat 1 (HR1) region offer great promise for antiretroviral therapy, and the first of these inhibitors, T20 (Fuzeon; enfuvirtide), is successfully used in the clinic. It has been reported previously that changes in the 3-amino-acid GIV motif at positions 36 to 38 of gp41 HR1 mediate resistance to T20 but usually not to second-version fusion inhibitors, such as T1249, which target an overlapping but distinct region in HR1 including a conserved hydrophobic pocket (HP). Based on the common lack of cross-resistance and the difficulty of selecting T1249-resistant HIV-1 variants, it has been suggested that the determinants of resistance to first- and second-version fusion inhibitors may be different. To further assess HIV-1 resistance to fusion inhibitors and to analyze where changes in HR1 are tolerated, we randomized 16 codons in the HR1 region, including those making contact with HR2 codons and/or encoding residues in the GIV motif and the HP. We found that changes only at positions 37I, 38V, and 40Q near the N terminus of HR1 were tolerated. The propagation of randomly gp41-mutated HIV-1 variants in the presence of T1249 allowed the effective selection of highly resistant forms, all containing changes in the IV residues. Overall, the extent of T1249 resistance was inversely correlated to viral fitness and cytopathicity. Notably, one HIV-1 mutant showing ∼10-fold-reduced susceptibility to T1249 inhibition replicated with wild type-like kinetics and caused substantial CD4+-T-cell depletion in ex vivo-infected human lymphoid tissue in the presence and absence of an inhibitor. Taken together, our results show that the GIV motif also plays a key role in resistance to second-version fusion inhibitors and suggest that some resistant HIV-1 variants may be pathogenic in vivo.