Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Trade Policies and Incentives in Indian Agriculture: Methodology, Background Statistics and Protection, and Incentive Indicators, 1965-95

This paper is the first in a series of studies to provide background data and protection and incentive indicators for 13 major Indian crops, which have been estimated in connection with extensive research on Indian agricultural incentives. The general methodology of the studies is described in the first section of the paper. The second section of the paper focuses on sugarcane and sugar. It shows that between 1965 and 1994 real domestic prices of sugar and cane were quite stable in India, declining an average of 0.6 percent (sugar) and 0.3 percent (cane) a year. During the same 29 years the free market price of sugar fluctuated widely (expressed in India rupees) but in real terms increased about 1.3 percent a year. This contrasts in trends reflects the real devaluation of the rupee after 1986 but meant that by the early 1990s, at world sugar prices of US 13-15 cents a pound or higher, India's domestic prices were roughly equivalent to, or below, world reference prices. Because of the fluctuations in world free market prices, nominal protection of sugar and sugarcane production in India--as measured by differences between domestic prices and border reference prices--also fluctuated. Nominal protection was 1) high during low world prices in the 1960s and the mid-1980s; 2) negative when world prices were high in the mid-1970s and early 1980s; and 3) moderate to low by previous standards between 1989 and 1994. Incentives for cane production did not change much when allowance is made for the nominal protection and tradable inputs (principally fertilizers) or subsidies for the principal nontradable imports (canal irrigation, credit, and electricity for pumpsets). Incentives for cane production were somewhat higher in Uttar Pradesh than in Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu. Half of Indian cane production is used by artisanal producers of gur and small-scale de facto unregulated producers of khandsari sugar. Because of India's complex regulatory system--especially in the important sugar producing state, Uttar Pradesh--incentives are significantly higher for unregulated activities than for the modern sugar mill sector. Regulations subject sugar mills to controls that require them to 1) sell specific quantities of their sugar productions at low"levy"prices; 2) sell molasses production at a fraction (0.1 or less) of open market and border prices; and 3) pay minimum prices (for specific quantities of cane) at above free market prices, except in years of cane shortages.
Employability in a Knowledge-driven Economy

Abstract This article examines the concept of employability. The recent policy emphasis on employability rests on the assumption that the economic welfare of individuals and the competitive advantage of nations have come to depend on the knowledge, skills and enterprise of the workforce. Those with degree-level qualifications are seen to play a particularly important role in managing the 'knowledge-driven' economy of the future. But the rhetoric that shrouds the idea of employability has been subjected to little conceptual examination. The purpose of this article is to show that the way employability is typically defined in official statements is seriously flawed because it ignores what will be called the 'duality of employability'. It also introduces 'positional conflict theory' as a way of conceptualising the changing relationship between education, employment and the labour market.
Continuous integration platform for Arduino embedded software

Software development for embedded systems is challenging due to hardware resource limitations and complexities in testing and verification. Although there are numerous approaches and tools, the integration and deployment of these tools for a particular software development project requires effort. The contribution of this work is a platform for continuous integration that adapts common open source testing software for enterprise development for use with Arduinos. A description of a software development workflow that utilizes the platform is provided as well as its specific application to developing a database library for embedded systems.
Mycoplasma genitalium-Derived Lipid-Associated Membrane Proteins Activate NF-κB through Toll-Like Receptors 1, 2, and 6 and CD14 in a MyD88-Dependent Pathway

ABSTRACT Mycoplasma genitalium is a leading pathogen of nongonoccocal chlamydia-negative urethritis, which has been implicated directly in numerous other genitourinary and extragenitourinary tract pathologies. The pathogenesis of infection is attributed in part to excessive immune responses. M. genitalium-derived lipid-associated membrane proteins (LAMPs) are a mixture of bacterial lipoproteins, exposed at the surface of mycoplasma, that are potent inducers of the host innate immune system. However, the interaction of M. genitalium-derived LAMPs as pathogenic agents with Toll-like receptors (TLRs) and the signaling pathways responsible for active inflammation and NF-κB activation have not been fully elucidated. In this study, LAMPs induced the production of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in a dose-dependent manner. Blocking assays showed that TLR2- and CD14-neutralizing antibodies reduced the expression of TNF-α and IL-6 in THP-1 cells. Furthermore, LAMP-induced NF-κB activation was increased in 293T cells transfected with TLR2 plasmid. The activity of NF-κB was synergically augmented by cotransfected TLR1, TLR6, and CD14. Additionally, LAMPs were shown to inhibit NF-κB expression by cotransfection with dominant-negative MyD88 and TLR2 plasmids. These results suggest that M. genitalium-derived LAMPs activate NF-κB via TLR1, TLR2, TLR6, and CD14 in a MyD88-dependent pathway.
Working Paper

: This paper introduces a new model of trend (or underlying) in(cid:135)ation. In contrast to many earlier approaches, which allow for trend in(cid:135)ation to evolve according to a random walk, ours is a bounded model which ensures that trend in(cid:135)ation is constrained to lie in an interval. The bounds of this interval can either be (cid:133)xed or estimated from the data. Our model also allows for a time-varying degree of persistence in the transitory component of in(cid:135)ation. The bounds placed on trend in(cid:135)ation mean that standard econometric methods for estimating linear Gaussian state space models cannot be used and we develop a posterior simulation algorithm for estimating the bounded trend in(cid:135)ation model. In an empirical exercise with CPI in(cid:135)ation we (cid:133)nd the model to work well, yielding more sensible measures of trend in(cid:135)ation and forecasting better than popular alternatives such as the unobserved components stochastic volatility model.
The Economic effects of a Local Minimum Income Support Program

Since Reddito Minimo d'Inserimento pilot experiment ended, a number of papers have attempted to study minimum income policies in Italy. Contributions have aimed at providing insight for possible future program implementations. In this paper we present a case study as an applied contribution to this debate. We analyze a minimum income support program implemented in a small town in the South of Italy, Mola di Bari, by using a new dataset which has been designed and collected for the purpose. With respect to the program, we describe the policy intervention and we analyze such issues as (i) the eligibility criteria, (ii) the targeting choices and results, (iii) the distributive and the welfare effects on the beneficiaries and on the overall town population (iv) the incentive effects, i.e. the effects on the labour market partecipation.
Trade Union Presence and Employer-Provided Training in Great Britain

Using linked employer-employee data from the British 1998 Workplace Employee Relations Survey, we find a positive correlation between workplace union recognition and private-sector employer-provided training. We explore the avenues through which union recognition might affect training by interacting recognition with the closed shop, the level at which pay bargaining takes place, and multi-unionism. For non-manual-labor men and women, only union recognition matters. The various types of collective-bargaining institutions have no separate effect. However, the male manual training probability is significantly increased by union presence only through multiple unionism with joint negotiation. In contrast, for women manual workers, union recognition at the workplace has no effect on the training probability.
C‐terminus of the Sgf73 subunit of SAGA and SLIK is important for retention in the larger complex and for heterochromatin boundary function

The budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae contains active and inactive chromatin separated by boundary domains. Previously, we used genome‐wide screening to identify 55 boundary‐related genes. Here, we focus on Sgf73, a boundary protein that is a component of the Spt‐Ada‐Gcn5 acetyltransferase (SAGA) and SLIK (SAGA‐like) complexes. These complexes have histone acetyltransferase (HAT) and histone deubiquitinase activity, and Sgf73 is one of the factors necessary to anchor the deubiquitination module. Domain analysis of Sgf73 was carried out, and the minimum region (373–402 aa) essential for boundary function was identified. This minimum region does not include the domain involved in anchoring the deubiquitination module, suggesting that the histone deubiquitinase activity of Sgf73 is not important for its boundary function. Next, Sgf73‐mediated boundary function was analyzed in disruption strains in which different protein subunits of the SAGA/SLIK/ADA complexes were deleted. Deletion of ada2, ada3 or gcn5 (a HAT module component) caused complete loss of the boundary function of Sgf73. The importance of SAGA or SLIK complex binding to the boundary function of Sgf73 was also analyzed. Western blot analysis detected both the full‐length and truncated forms of Spt7, suggesting that SAGA and SLIK complex formation is important for the boundary function of Sgf73.
Anti-mullerian hormone as a predictor of time to menopause in late reproductive age women.

CONTEXT Anti-mullerian hormone (AMH) has emerged as a marker of ovarian reserve and a possible surrogate measure of reproductive aging. OBJECTIVE The aim of the study was to evaluate the predictive value of AMH levels in determining the median time to menopause for late reproductive age women and the predictive ability of AMH compared to FSH and inhibin b. DESIGN AND SETTING A 14-yr follow-up in the Penn Ovarian Aging Study, 1996-2010, was conducted for a randomly identified population-based cohort. SUBJECTS A total of 401 late reproductive age women participated in the study. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE Observed time to menopause was measured. RESULTS All participants were premenopausal, with a mean (SD) age of 41.47 (3.52) yr and a median AMH level of 0.68 ng/ml at baseline. AMH strongly predicted time to menopause; age further improved predictions. Among women with a baseline AMH level below 0.20 ng/ml, the median time to menopause was 5.99 yr [95% confidence interval (CI), 4.20-6.33] in the 45- to 48-yr age group and 9.94 yr (95% CI, 3.31-12.73) in the 35- to 39-yr age group. With higher baseline AMH levels above 1.50 ng/ml, the median time to menopause was 6.23 yr in the oldest age group and more than 13.01 yr in the youngest age group. Smoking significantly reduced the time to menopause (hazard ratio, 1.61; 95% CI, 1.19-2.19; P = 0.002). AMH was a stronger predictor of time to menopause than FSH or inhibin b. CONCLUSIONS AMH is a strong predictor of median time to menopause in late reproductive age women. Age and smoking are significant and independent contributors to the predictions of AMH.
A Model for ex vivo Renal Angiogenesis

Attempts to study renal angiogenesis have been hampered by the lack of an appropriate model. Here we present data on a successful ex vivo culture of renal medullary explants in three-dimensional collagen 1 or Matrigel lattices and characterize the dynamics of capillary formation by sprouting endothelial cells. Initially, endothelial cells represented 71 ± 3% among the sprouting cells, but within a week growing capillaries were comprised exclusively of endothelial cells. The quantitative analysis showed that the number of sprouting capillaries progressively increased until 12 days in culture, after which capillaries underwent involution. Occasional formation of glomeruloid bodies was noted. Capillaries were characterized by a well-defined lumen, whereas glomeruloid bodies showed cellular debris occupying the luminal space. In view of the existing controversy regarding angiogenic competence in diabetic nephropathy, we applied this ex vivo culture system to Zucker diabetic rat model of diabetes mellitus. Comparative analysis of capillary sprouting in Zucker diabetic fat and lean nondiabetic control rats showed no differences in angiogenic properties of renal explants obtained at the age of 11 weeks. However, when kidneys were obtained from rats at age of 21 weeks, the capillary sprouting was significantly reduced in Zucker diabetic rats compared to age-matched lean rats. The rate of capillary involution was unaffected in Zucker diabetic rats. In conclusion, the data presented herein delineate the first successful ex vivo model of angiogenesis initiated from the renal medullary explants of adult rats and provide evidence of impaired angiogenesis in Zucker diabetic rats with the established, but not with incipient diabetes mellitus.
Search for Differentiated Products: Identification and Estimation

When consumers search for differentiated products, a given search decision can be explained either by low search cost or by low tastes for the set of products already found. We propose an identification strategy that allows to estimate the search cost distribution in the presence of unobserved tastes. The required data takes the form of conditional search decisions: observations of search actions combined with previously observed product displays. We develop an application using clickstream data from a hotel search platform. Estimates of price elasticity of demand in the search model differ from those in the static model, reflecting the bias due to endogeneity of search-generated choice sets.
Effect of Clinical-Decision Support on Documentation Compliance in an Electronic Medical Record

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the efficacy of enhancing an existing prompt system in our obstetric electronic medical record in regard to documentation of estimated fetal weights and indications for labor induction. METHODS: Preintervention rates of documentation of indications for labor induction and estimated fetal weight were established at two hospital sites that used the same obstetric electronic medical record system. A compliance adherence mechanism with an enhanced prompting system was installed at the intervention hospital. Changes in the percentage of records with completed documentation were then calculated at the intervention and control hospitals. Additionally, the effects of the intervention on the pattern of documentation of indications for labor induction and on the accuracy of estimated fetal weight were tested. RESULTS: In the intervention hospital, the documentation rate increased from 42% to 69.4% for indications for labor induction, and from 55.7% to 77% for estimated fetal weight (both P<.001) during the study period although the estimated fetal weight documentation rate did not reach the level seen at base in the control hospital (92.5%). In the control hospital, there were no significant changes in rates of estimated fetal weight during the study period, but there was a decrease in indications for labor induction documentation rates. The accuracy of estimated fetal weights did not change with the enhanced documentation compliance mechanism. CONCLUSION: Increasing the frequency and modifying the methodology of prompts in an electronic medical record increased the documentation of both estimated fetal weight and indications for labor induction but did not lead to full compliance with documentation. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: I
The role of participatory modeling in landscape approaches to reconcile conservation and development

Conservation organizations are increasingly turning to landscape approaches to achieve a balance between conservation and development goals. We use six case studies in Africa and Asia to explore the role of participatory modeling with stakeholders as one of the steps towards implementing a landscape approach. The modeling was enthusiastically embraced by some stakeholders and led to impact in some cases. Different stakeholders valued the modeling exercise differently. Noteworthy was the difference between those stakeholders connected to the policy process and scientists; the presence of the former in the modeling activities is key to achieving policy impacts, and the latter were most critical of participatory modeling. Valued aspects of the modeling included stimulating cross-sector strategic thinking, and helping participants to confront the real drivers of change and to recognize trade-offs. The modeling was generally considered to be successful in building shared understanding of issues. This understanding was gained mainly in the discussions held in the process of building the model rather than in the model outputs. The model itself reflects but a few of the main elements of the usually rich discussions that preceded its finalization. Problems emerged when models became too complex. Key lessons for participatory modeling are the need for good facilitation in order to maintain a balance between “models as stories” and technical modeling, and the importance of inviting the appropriate stakeholders to achieve impact.
Natural killer cells as indispensable players and therapeutic targets in autoimmunity

Natural killer (NK) cells of the innate immune system are equipped with a cytolytic machinery and produce cytokines, which enable these cells to profoundly modify adaptive immune responses to foreign invaders, as well as to self-antigens. Here we discuss the recent advances in understanding how NK cells can proactively influence sequential pathogenic steps that are instrumental for the initiation and progression of autoimmune diseases in human and experimental disease models. We also discuss the possible use of NK cells as a surrogate marker for disease activity and responsiveness to immune therapy. Finally, we present results on NK cell-based therapies in inflammatory and autoimmune disorders with a focus on existing challenges and current promises for the development of more effective therapies.
Policy-based Indicator Systems: Emerging debates and lessons

A surge of interest in using indicators to address the variety of social problems has been observed around the world over the last few decades. Manson & Gilbert (1991) have termed it as ‘Social Indicator Movement’. Since the Bruntland Commission Report (WCED, 1987), greater efforts have been made to construct the indicators of sustainability at national and local levels. The United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development (UNCSD) is developing Sustainable Development Indicators for monitoring and for the promotion of the implementation of Agenda 21 (UNCSD, 2001). The United Nations Commission on Human Settlement (UNCHS) has developed a common set of key urban indicators (UNCHS, 1997) for monitoring the progress of the objectives of the Habitat Agenda. IUCN and the International Development Research Center’s (IDRC) Barometer of Sustainability measures society’s well-being and progress towards sustainability (Moldan & Billharz, 1996). The relevance, use and choice of indicators have been questioned at various levels and places (Brugmann, 1994, 1997; Maclaren, 1996a,b; Pinfield, 1996; Kline, 2000; Bell & Morse, 2001). In spite of such questions, many indicator-making efforts continue for a specific sector of an economy to a whole economy or for local to global levels. This paper outlines the major international indicator initiatives at the global, national and local levels. Salient features and some of the methodological shortcomings of the current approaches are highlighted and major debates and controversies are discussed from the viewpoints of the authors in this paper.
Prohepcidin, B-Type Natriuretic Peptide, and Iron Status in a Cohort of Elderly Women from the Rhine-Ruhr Area

Air pollution on Lung function, Inflammation and Aging) cohort investigation. Therefore, prohepcidin, the 84-amino acid precursor of hepcidin, was determined by a commercial assay to be a potential surrogate marker for hepcidin which can be used in routine laboratory examination. Some studies have investigated the association between prohepcidin and parameters of iron status, with conflicting results [7–17] . According to our knowledge, this parameter has not yet been determined in a population of elderly women. Among different diseases associated with iron deficiency (ID) and anemia, anemia is common in patients with heart failure [18–20] . B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) is a reliable marker of left ventricular dysfunction. Elevated BNP concentrations are associated with a poor outcome in patients with heart failure and coronary artery disease. Studies have shown that BNP concentrations in cardiac patients [21–23] and in the general population are inversely and independently related to Hb concentrations [24] . This suggests that elevated BNP concentraThe elderly constitute a fast growing segment of populations worldwide. Both anemia and iron overload have emerged as risk factors that are associated with a variety of adverse outcomes in older adults [1–5] . Standard laboratory parameters like serum ferritin (SF), transferrin, transferrin saturation (Tsat), serum iron (SI), Hb, MCV, and HCT are commonly used for the assessment of iron status, but rapid progress has been made in understanding the regulation of iron metabolism by the hepatic peptide hormone hepcidin [6] . Hepcidin is synthesized in response to elevated plasma iron stores, thus ensuring homeostasis. Hepcidin synthesis is also increased by infection and inflammation. Increased hepcidin concentrations are of major importance in anemia of inflammation and iron-resistant iron deficiency anemia (IDA). On the other hand hepcidin is decreased in diseases that are attended by iron overload like most hereditary hemochromatoses or iron-loading anemias. A commercial assay for the measurement of serum hepcidin was not available at the time of the SALIA (Study on the influence of Received: April 14, 2010 Accepted after revision: July 1, 2010 Published online: September 28, 2010
Environmental quality: issues and causes of deterioration – A survey on environmental awareness among the public in Liaoning Province, China

A large-scale and comprehensive survey of public environmental awareness was carried out in Liaoning Province, China, where one of the largest heavy industrial bases is located. This survey was organized by the EU-CHINA Liaoning Integrated Environmental Program. The aim of the survey was to collect public information and awareness of environmental issues and therefore provide a valuable reference source for the government to formulate environmental policy. Statistical survey specialists and environmental protection experts worked together to establish survey items and questionnaires, and the design and survey were performed in strict accordance to the requirements of the project. The survey involved five large cities and 5996 respondents, representing residents, policy-makers, teachers, students, workers in enterprises, and farmers in suburban regions of the five cities. The evaluation of public opinion on current environmental issues and diversity among different survey groups were summarized statistically. The findings of the survey research are: the public is very concerned about air, water, and food pollution, improvement of the environment for community life and further global environmental changes. The survey also emphasized the need for better education to raise environmental awareness and the importance of public initiatives in environmental protection and management.