Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Reactions of Canadian Interest Rates to Macroeconomic Announcements: Implications for Monetary Policy Transparency

In this study we statistically quantify the reactions of Canadian and U.S. interest rates to macroeconomic announcements released in Canada and in the United States. We find that Canadian interest rates react very little to Canadian macroeconomic news and are significantly affected by U.S. macroeconomic news, which indicates that international influences on the Canadian fixed-income markets are important. Moreover, we find little evidence that Canadian interest rates have become more sensitive to Canadian macroeconomic announcements over time. This suggests that Canadian market participants have gained little understanding of which macroeconomic variables condition the Bank's monetary policy reaction function and that the Bank of Canada's efforts, since the early 1990s, to make its conduct of monetary policy more transparent to the public have not been fruitful. We hypothesize that the lack of fixed monetary policy announcement dates in Canada prior to December 2000, and the Bank's efforts to, on occasion, smooth destabilizing fluctuations in foreign exchange rates, have contributed to the inability of Canadian market participants to better understand the monetary policy reaction function.
Regulatory T Cells Control Uveoretinitis Induced by Pathogenic Th1 Cells Reacting to a Specific Retinal Neoantigen1

In many clinical cases, uveitis develops secondary to an infection. This could result from peripheral activation followed by ocular penetration and reactivation of T cells specific for microbial Ags expressed in the retina. To gain insights into the pathophysiology of uveitis, we developed a new mouse model based on stable retinal expression of influenza virus hemagglutinin (HA) neoantigen by adeno-associated virus-mediated gene transfer. One month thereafter, we adoptively transferred HA-specific T cells, which were activated in vitro or in vivo. Intraocular inflammation was clinically and histologically observed in all animals within 15 days. The ocular infiltrate was composed mostly of macrophages and HA-specific T cells with a proinflammatory cytokine profile. Depletion of CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells exacerbated the disease, whereas HA-specific CD4+CD25+ T cells given i.v. controlled the disease. This novel model should allow to better study the pathophysiology and therapeutic of uveitis.
Impaired NO‐mediated vasodilatation in rat coronary arteries after asphyxial cardiac arrest

Cardiovascular dysfunction after cardiac arrest is a common finding. It is unknown whether altered endothelium‐mediated vasoreactivity contributes to this dysfunction. We hypothesised that cardiac arrest and resuscitation results in impaired endothelial function. This was addressed by measurements of inflammatory and endothelial plasma markers and of endothelium‐dependent vasodilatation in coronary and mesenteric arteries in rats after cardiac arrest and resuscitation.
Induction of Innate Immune Response Genes by Sin Nombre Hantavirus Does Not Require Viral Replication

ABSTRACT Maladaptive immune responses are considered to be important factors in the pathogenesis of the two diseases caused by hantaviruses, hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome and hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome (HCPS). While the intensity of adaptive antiviral T-cell responses seems to correlate with the severity of HCPS, there is increasing evidence that innate antiviral responses by endothelial cells, the native targets for hantavirus infection in vivo, are induced within hours of exposure to infectious hantaviruses. To investigate early events in the innate response to Sin Nombre virus (SNV), the principal etiologic agent of HCPS in North America, we treated human endothelial cells with live virus, or virus subjected to inactivation by UV irradiation at minimal doses required to inhibit replication, and assayed host expression of interferon-stimulated genes (ISG) by microarray and reverse transcription-PCR. We show herein that a variety of ISG are induced between 4 and 24 h after exposure to both live and killed virus. The levels of such induction at early time points (before 24 h) were generally higher in cells treated with SNV particles that had been killed by exposure to UV irradiation. Additionally, SNV exposed to increasing doses of UV irradiation induced ISG better than live virus despite increased disruption of viral RNA integrity. However, SNV replication was required for continued ISG overexpression by 3 days posttreatment. These results suggest that hantavirus particles may themselves be capable of early induction of ISG and that ongoing production of viral particles during infection could contribute to the pathogenic process.
Battery Power Smoothing Control in a Marine Electric Power Plant Using Nonlinear Model Predictive Control

This brief presents a power variation smoothing method using batteries on a weak ship grid. For some marine vessels, power fluctuations on the ac grid are large. This results in the large variations in the electrical frequency of the grid and excessive wear and tear of the power producers. Adding batteries connected to a dc/ac drive to smooth out the power fluctuations has been suggested. However, due to the large amount of fluctuation, batteries can overheat. Therefore, we suggest using a bandpass filter with the cutoff frequency parameters optimized by a model predictive control based on a power spectral density estimate of power consumption for disturbance prediction.
A model assessing the effectiveness of direct-toconsumer advertising: integration of concepts and measures from marketing and healthcare

The advertising of prescription medications directly to consumers (DTC advertising) has become a familiar practice in the USA. As with all advertising spending, key questions include: how effective is this advertising? ; what are the best ways to measure advertising effectiveness? This paper identifies key effectiveness measures that are appropriate for the unique situation of DTC advertising, and presents these measures in a unified framework. In addition, it briefly describes candidate predictors of DTC ad effectiveness. In an attempt to gain a better understanding of DTC advertising, the paper integrates concepts and measures from the fields of marketing and healthcare.
LOCATION DETERMINANTS OF FDI: A LITERATURE REVIEW

The development of economic activity and the rise in foreign direct investment (FDI) in recent decades has prompted a great deal of research into the phenomenon of multinational companies. A vast amount of empirical literature on FDI catalogues a long list of determinants that try to explain direct investment by multinational companies in a particular location, but it is noticeable that the results are not always consensual. This article provides a review of the theoretical approaches to and empirical studies on FDI in an attempt to single out the most robust factors for explaining the geographic distribution of FDI flows worldwide. It also suggests paths for future research in this area.
Asynchronous Uplink Access with FBMC-PAM for Future Wireless Systems

- FBMC-PAM is a recently introduced filter bank multicarrier technique which exploits pulse amplitude modulation and operates at the same symbol rate as OFDM, unlike FBMC-OQAM which operates at twice that symbol rate. The scheme is efficiently implemented in the frequency domain and, in the system, the receiver is equipped with a frequency domain equalizer. In the present paper, uplink access is considered, focusing on two issues, single carrier modulation and preamble-based channel estimation. It is shown that the scheme can handle asynchronous users, thanks to the spectral separation brought by the filter bank and flexible frequency domain equalizers, and the performance is demonstrated by simulations. An FBMC-PAM-based physical layer can be envisaged for the uplink of future wireless systems.
Modified Root Submergence Technique for Pontic Site Development in Maxillary Anterior Region.

Shubham Kumar1, Pooja Singh1, Devleena Bhowmick2, Pratima Srivastava1, Krishna Kumar Gupta3 1Post-graduate Student, Department of Periodontology & Implantology, Sardar Patel Post Graduate Institute of Dental & Medical Sciences, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India, 2Post-graduate Student, Department of Oral Medicine & Radiology, Sardar Patel Post Graduate Institute of Dental & Medical Sciences, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India, 3Professor & Head, Department of Periodontology & Implantology, Vyas Dental College & Hospital, Jodhpur, Rajasthan, India
Pain relief after inguinal herniorrhaphy. Ineffectiveness of pulsed electromagnetic energy

Summary A double-blind randomised controlled trial was performed to study the analgesic effect of pulsed electromagnetic energy on pain after elective inguinal herniorrhaphy. Usinga portable machine, treatment was given for 15 minutes twice daily. Pain was assessed by linear analogue scales at 24 and 48 hours post-operatively. No significant analgesic effect could be detected and there was no difference in analgesic requirements in the treated and non-treated groups.
Application of an Additional Excitation in Inverter-Fed Induction Motors for Air-Gap Eccentricity Diagnosis

In this paper, the application of an additional excitation in induction motor (IM) drives for static, dynamic, and mixed eccentricity diagnosis is proposed. The additional excitation consists in a predefined inverter-switching pattern that is applied on the motor for a short time, while the fundamental excitation is canceled. This excitation was used previously to implement a position estimation strategy. The strategy obtains information about the rotor position from the motor saliencies effects over the zero-sequence voltage. The air-gap eccentricity is a kind of saliency that affects the zero-sequence voltage and allows the use of the additional excitation for eccentricity diagnosis. For the evaluation of the feasibility of this proposal, a multiple-coupled circuit model of the IM is used. The effects of series and series-parallel stator winding connections on the diagnosis signals are shown. Experimental results to validate the proposal are also given. These results show that it is possible to use the diagnosis strategy in a self-commissioning scheme
Functional Properties of Recombinant Type I and Type III Inositol 1,4,5-Trisphosphate Receptor Isoforms Expressed in COS-7 Cells*

Inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptors (IP3Rs) are ubiquitous intracellular Ca2+ release channels whose functional characterization by transfection has proved difficult due to the background contribution of endogenous channels. In order to develop a functional assay to measure recombinant channels, we transiently transfected the rat type I IP3R into COS-7 cells. Saponin-permeabilized COS cells transfected with type I IP3R showed a 50% increase in inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP3)-mediated Ca2+ release at saturating [IP3] (10 μm) but no enhancement at subsaturating [IP3] (300 nm). However, cotransfection of the IP3R and human sarco/endoplasmic reticulum ATPase (SERCA)-2b ATPase cDNA resulted in 60 and 110% increases in Ca2+ release at subsaturating and saturating doses of IP3, respectively. IP3 or adenophostin A failed to release 45Ca2+ from microsomal vesicles prepared from cells expressing either type I IP3R or SERCA cDNAs alone. However, microsomal vesicles prepared from cells doubly transfected with IP3R and SERCA cDNAs released 33.0 ± 0.04% of the A23187-sensitive pool within 30 s of 1 μm adenophostin A addition. Similarly, the initial rate of 45Ca2+ influx into oxalate-loaded microsomal vesicles was inhibited by IP3 only when the microsomes were prepared from COS cells doubly transfected with SERCA-2b and IP3R DNA. The absence of a functional contribution from endogenous IP3Rs has enabled the use of this assay to measure the Ca2+ sensitivities of IP3-mediated45Ca2+ fluxes through recombinant neuronal type I (SII(+)), peripheral type I (SII(−)), and type III IP3Rs. All three channels displayed a biphasic dependence upon [Ca2+]cyt. Introduction of mutations D2550A and D2550N in the putative pore-forming region of the type I IP3R inhibited IP3-mediated45Ca2+ fluxes, whereas the conservative substitution D2550E was without effect. This assay therefore provides a useful tool for studying the regulatory properties of individual IP3R isoforms as well as for screening pore mutations prior to more detailed electrophysiological analyses.
Association of aging and survival in a large HIV-infected cohort on antiretroviral therapy

Objective:To examine if there is a significant difference in survival between elderly (>50 years) and nonelderly adult patients receiving combination antiretroviral therapy in Uganda between 2004 and 2010. Design:Prospective observational study. Methods:Patients 18–49 years of age (nonelderly) and 50 years of age and older enrolled in the AIDS Support Organization Uganda HIV/AIDS national programme were assessed for time to all-cause mortality. We applied a Weibull multivariable regression. Results:Among the 22 087 patients eligible for analyses, 19 657 (89.0%) were aged between 18 and 49 years and 2430 (11.0%) were aged 50 years or older. These populations differed in terms of the distributions of sex, baseline CD4 cell count and death. The age group 40–44 displayed the lowest crude mortality rate [31.4 deaths per 1000 person-years; 95% confidence interval (CI) 28.1, 34.7) and the age group 60–64 displayed the highest crude mortality rate (58.9 deaths per 1000 person-years; 95% CI 42.2, 75.5). Kaplan–Meier survival estimates indicated that nonelderly patients had better survival than elderly patients (P < 0.001). Adjusted Weibull analysis indicated that elderly age status was importantly associated (adjusted hazard ratio 1.23, 95% CI 1.08–1.42) with mortality, when controlling for sex, baseline CD4 cell count and year of therapy initiation. Conclusion:As antiretroviral treatment cohorts mature, the proportion of patients who are elderly will inevitably increase. Elderly patients may require focused clinical care that extends beyond HIV treatment.
Gram-negative trimeric porins have specific LPS binding sites that are essential for porin biogenesis

Significance Specific and functional interactions between membrane lipids and proteins are increasingly evident across biology. The outer membrane (OM) of gram-negative bacteria such as Escherichia coli is a selective barrier formed by complex lipids (lipopolysaccharides; LPSs) and outer-membrane proteins. The high stability and low permeability of the OM are critical to bacterial growth and pathogenesis. Here, using biochemical and structural techniques, we reveal specific LPS binding sites on OM porin proteins that allow them to stabilize, rather than disrupt, the ordered network of LPS molecules. Furthermore, we demonstrate that one such site is essential for porin assembly in the OM. The outer membrane (OM) of gram-negative bacteria is an unusual asymmetric bilayer with an external monolayer of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and an inner layer of phospholipids. The LPS layer is rigid and stabilized by divalent cation cross-links between phosphate groups on the core oligosaccharide regions. This means that the OM is robust and highly impermeable to toxins and antibiotics. During their biogenesis, OM proteins (OMPs), which function as transporters and receptors, must integrate into this ordered monolayer while preserving its impermeability. Here we reveal the specific interactions between the trimeric porins of Enterobacteriaceae and LPS. Isolated porins form complexes with variable numbers of LPS molecules, which are stabilized by calcium ions. In earlier studies, two high-affinity sites were predicted to contain groups of positively charged side chains. Mutation of these residues led to the loss of LPS binding and, in one site, also prevented trimerization of the porin, explaining the previously observed effect of LPS mutants on porin folding. The high-resolution X-ray crystal structure of a trimeric porin–LPS complex not only helps to explain the mutagenesis results but also reveals more complex, subtle porin–LPS interactions and a bridging calcium ion.
Pricing Credit-Sensitive Debt When Interest Rates, Credit Ratings and Credit Spreads Are Stochastic

This paper develops a model for the pricing of credit-sensitive debt contracts. Over the past two decades, the debt markets have seen a proliferation of contracts designed to reapportion interest rate and credit risks between issuer and investors. Contracts including credit-sensitive notes (CSNs), spread adjusted notes (SPANs), and floating rate notes (FRNs) adjust investors' exposures to three risks: interest rate risk, changes in credit risk caused by changes in the credit rating of the issuer of the debt, and changes in credit risk caused by changes in spreads on the debt, even when ratings have not changed. In the paper, we develop a pricing model incorporating all three risks, with special emphasis on credit risks. The model incorporates a decomposition of credit spreads into two stochastic elements: the default process and the recovery process in the event of default. The model is easily implementable as it uses observable inputs. By using a discrete time formulation the model is numerically easy to employ, and also permits the pricing of debt with embedded options of American type. It also allows for pricing contracts between parties with varying credit ratings such as swaps where each counterparty may have different credit quality. These features impart a degree of generality and practicality to the model which should make it attractive to academics and practitioners alike.
Chromosomal region 16p13: further evidence of increased predisposition to immune diseases

Objective: Genome-wide studies have identified the chromosomal region 16p13 in the susceptibility to type 1 diabetes (T1D) and multiple sclerosis (MS). This region includes the CLEC16A/KIAA0350 gene and an adjacent gene, MHC2TA (MHC class II transactivator), previously associated with susceptibility to MS and rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The role of CLEC16A polymorphisms in the pathogenesis of T1D, MS and RA and its relationship with the association reported with a MHC2TA haplotype were investigated. Methods: CLEC16A (rs2903692/rs6498169/rs11074956) polymorphisms were analysed in 435 patients with MS, 316 with T1D and 600 with RA and in 550 ethnically matched controls. The MHC2TA rs3087456G/rs4774C risk haplotype was studied in an independent RA cohort. Results: rs2903692 conferred a protective effect on patients with T1D, MS and RA. The described association of rs6498169 with MS was replicated in MS and RA cohorts. The effect of the MHC2TA rs3087456G/rs4774C haplotype on RA susceptibility was confirmed, and the haplotype was found to be in negative linkage disequilibrium with the CLEC16A rs2903692A/rs6498169A haplotype. Conclusions: Associations of CLEC16A polymorphisms with T1D and MS were successfully replicated in a Spanish population. A novel association of rs6498169 with a predisposition to RA was described which is consistent with previous MHC2TA results. These data provide evidence for the influence of variants within this chromosomal region on the development of complex diseases.
Distribution of renal tumor growth rates determined by using serial volumetric CT measurements.

PURPOSE To retrospectively determine the distribution of growth rates across different sizes and subtypes of renal cortical tumors by assessing tumor volume and maximum tumor diameter at serial volumetric computed tomographic (CT) examinations. MATERIALS AND METHODS The institutional review board approved this retrospective, HIPAA-compliant study. Fifty-three of 2304 patients (34 men, 19 women; mean age, 67 years +/- 10 [standard deviation; range, 39-88 years) who underwent nephrectomy from 1989 to 2006 did not receive preoperative chemotherapy or radiation therapy and underwent at least two preoperative contrast material-enhanced CT examinations (at least 3 months apart) with identical section thickness that was no more than one-fifth of longitudinal tumor diameter. Tumor volume and maximum diameter were measured on CT scans. Reciprocal of doubling time (DT) (RDT) was calculated. Analysis of variance and Student t tests were performed. RESULTS Thirty-two clear cell carcinomas, 10 papillary carcinomas, six chromophobe carcinomas, four oncocytomas, and one angiomyolipoma were analyzed. Median tumor size was 2.9 cm (range, 1-12 cm). Seven tumors did not increase in volume. DT ranged from -78476.54 to 18057.43 days (mean, -1230.73 days; median, 590.51 days). [corrected] Growth rate determined by using maximum diameter ranged from -10.8 to 33.2 mm/y (mean, 5.1 mm/y; median, 3.5 mm/y). Faster-growing tumors were more likely to be clear cell carcinomas, those of higher grade had higher growth rates. No significant correlation was found between RDT and tumor initial volume, subtype, or grade. Small renal tumors (<or=3.5 cm) were similar to larger tumors in subtype and growth rate. Age at diagnosis correlated negatively with renal tumor growth rate (P = .03). CONCLUSION Growth rates in renal tumors of different sizes, subtypes, and grades represent a wide range and overlap substantially. Small renal tumors appear to be similar to larger ones in nature.
Antecedents and Outcomes of Brand Management from the Perspective of Resource Based View ( RBV ) Theory Imelda

Brand management requires greater emphasis on internal factors to increase brand performance. A model of antecedents and outcomes of brand management is developed in this study based on the Resource Based View (RBV) Theory. Top management emphasis on brand, corporate supportive resources and market orientation are identified as crucial internal factors or antecedents for success of brand management. Apart from that, the brand management measurement are expanded in this study with the introduction of three new marketing constructs namely marketing capabilities, innovation and brand orientation as new dimensions in brand management which currently comprised of management related constructs. This study also contributes in the brand management of small and medium enterprise (SMEs) literature as previous studies mainly focused on the brand management for multinational companies or large organizations. One important issue of SMEs is the “internal” brand management which is currently under-researched even though it is critical in brand building and management. Therefore, this research aims to highlight the antecedents and outcomes of brand management in Malaysians’ SMEs based on RBV theory. A comprehensive literature review was done and a conceptual model is proposed in this literature review.
Security Aspects of IPv 6-based Wireless Sensor Networks

Seamless integration of wireless sensor networks (WSN) with conventional IP-based networks is a very important basis for the Internet of Things (IoT) concept. To realize this goal, it is important to implement the IP protocol stack into a WSN. A global IP-based network is currently going through a transition from IPv4 to IPv6. Therefore, IPv6 should have priority in the implementation of the IP protocol into WSN. The paper analyses the existing security threats and possible countermeasures in IPv6-based WSNs. It also analyzes the implementation of a unique security framework for IPv6-based WSNs. The paper also analyzes a possible intrusion detection system for IPv6-based WSNs.