Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
VITAMIN D IN HEALTH AND DISEASE: The Evolution of Assays for Parathyroid Hormone

Reliable measurements of the concentration of parathyroid hormone (PTH) in serum or plasma are crucial for the effective clinical management of patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). New PTH assays that increase the specificity of such measurements are now available and are widely utilized. The current review summarizes key technical developments in the evolution of PTH assays. We also discuss the diagnostic value of various methods for measuring PTH in serum or plasma for the assessment of patients with renal bone disease.
Reduced Cardiac L-Type Ca2+ Current in Cavβ2−/− Embryos Impairs Cardiac Development and Contraction With Secondary Defects in Vascular Maturation

Cardiac myocyte contraction depends on transmembrane L-type Ca2+ currents and the ensuing release of Ca2+ from the sarcoplasmic reticulum. Here we show that these L-type Ca2+ currents are essential for cardiac pump function in the mouse at developmental stages where the functional significance of the heart becomes imperative to blood flow and to the continuing growth and survival of the embryo. Disruption of the Cavβ2 gene, which encodes for the predominant ancillary β subunit of cardiac Ca2+ channels, resulted in diminished L-type Ca2+ currents in cardiomyocytes of embryonic day 9.5 (E9.5). This led to a functionally compromised heart, causing defective remodeling of intra- and extraembryonic blood vessels and embryonic death following E10.5. The defects in vascular remodeling were also observed when the Cavβ2 gene was selectively targeted in cardiomyocytes, demonstrating that they are secondary to cardiac failure rather than a result of the lack of Cavβ2 proteins in the vasculature. Partial rescue of the Ca2+ channel currents by a Ca2+ channel agonist significantly postponed embryonic death in Cavβ2−/− mice. Taken together, these data strongly support the essential role of L-type Ca2+ channel activity in cardiomyocytes for normal heart development and function and that this is a prerequisite for proper maturation of the vasculature.
Ammonia‐oxidizing bacteria dominates over ammonia‐oxidizing archaea in a saline nitrification reactor under low DO and high nitrogen loading

A continuous nitrification reactor treating saline wastewater was operated for almost 1 year under low dissolved oxygen (DO) levels (0.15–0.5 mg/L) and high nitrogen loadings (0.26–0.52 kg‐N/(m3 day)) in four phases. The diversity and abundance of ammonia‐oxidizing archaea (AOA) and ammonia‐oxidizing bacteria (AOB) were analyzed by cloning, terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (T‐RFLP) and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). The results showed that there were only one dominant AOA species and one dominant AOB species in the reactor in all of the four experimental phases. The amoA gene of the dominant AOA only had a similarity of 89.3% with the cultured AOA species Nitrosopumilus maritimus SCM1. All of the AOB species detected in the reactor belong to Nitrosomonas genus and it was found that the AOB populations changed with the ammonium loadings and DO levels. The abundance of AOB in the reactor was ∼40 times larger than that of AOA, and the ratio of AOB to AOA increased significantly up to ∼2,000 to ∼4,000 with the increase of ammonium loading, indicating that AOB are much more competitive than AOA in high ammonium environments and probably AOA play a less important role than AOB in the nitrification reactors. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2011;108: 2544–2552. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Combination of FMRI-SMRI-EEG data improves discrimination of schizophrenia patients by ensemble feature selection

Multimodal brain imaging data fusion is a scientifically interesting and clinically important topic; however, there is relatively little work on N-way data fusion. In this paper, we applied multi-set canonical correlation analysis (MCCA) to combine data of resting state fMRI, EEG and sMRI, in order to elucidate the abnormalities that underlie schizophrenia patients and also covary across multiple modalities. We also tested whether the identified group-discriminative components can be used for feature selection in group classification. MCCA is demonstrated to be an effective feature selection technique, especially in multimodal fusion. We also proposed an ensemble feature selection scheme by combining two sample t-test, MCCA and support vector machine with recursive feature elimination (SVM-RFE), resulting in optimal group-discriminating features for each modality. Finally, we compared the classifying power between two groups based on the above selected features via 7 modality-combinations. Results show that the fMRI-sMRI-EEG combination derives the best classification accuracy in training (91%) and predication rate (100%) in testing data, validating the effectiveness and advantages of multimodal fusion in discriminating schizophrenia.
Female wage profiles: An additive mixed model approach to employment breaks due to childcare

The paper investigates female wage profiles in West-Germany between 1984 and 2008 using data from the German Socio Economic Panel. The empirical study focuses on the short-run wageloss due to childcare and the long-run wage-profile in post-birth employment, respectivly. This is compared with wage profiles from females who are not mothers. As statistical analysis tool Additive Mixed Models are employed and estimated seperatetly for different levels of educational achievements. The models are dynamic in that main covariate effects are allowed to vary smoothly with working experience. The intention of the paper is to demonstrate with state of the art statistical models how wages are affected by labour market experience, employment interruptions and other covariates. The educational level of the mother and the time off the job influence the amount of wageloss and the wage profile afterwards. Labour market experience, as one major determinant of human capital, influences wages heavily and follows a dynamic patter.
Finding balanced graph bi-partitions using a hybrid genetic algorithm

Proposes a hybrid genetic algorithm (GA) for the graph-balanced bi-partition problem, a challenging NP-hard combinatorial optimization problem arising in many practical applications. The hybrid character of the GA lies in the application of a heuristic procedure to improve candidate solutions. The basic idea behind our heuristic is to identify and exploit clusters, i.e. subgraphs with a relatively high edge density. The resulting hybrid genetic algorithm turns out to be very effective, both in terms of quality of solutions and running time. On a large class of benchmark families of graphs, our hybrid genetic algorithm yields results of the same or better quality than those obtained by all other heuristic algorithms we are aware of, for comparable running times.
IFRS Practices and the Persistence of Accounting System Classification

The earliest paper on international classification of accounting systems is one hundred years old. For about fifteen years from the late 1960s, many papers on the subject were published. One feature of several of the classifications was the dichotomous split of countries into Anglo and continental European. This has been extensively debated. This paper prepares a classification based on the accounting policy choices made by the largest listed companies of eight countries in 2008/9. All the companies were using the same reporting rules, International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). This classification by IFRS practices shows the same two groups as a classification of national practices drawn up in 1980, despite 30 years of harmonization. None of the classifications above or the more recent ones was based on the actual accounting practices of companies in annual reports. This has several disadvantages, as the paper investigates. This paper's classification is the first to be based on accounting practices, as well as being the first in the IFRS era. The paper also investigates the implications of the persistent differences in practices for assessing the success of the IASB's whole project on improving comparability of financial statements.
Choices without Prices without Apologies

Valuing is usually regarded as a process of compressing information about attributes into a single metric. Armed with this reduced form of compact information, the consumer can consider a particular object, with a particular price attached (or implied), and make an "informed" decision. But the process of valuing is less straightforward than we ordinarily suppose. When environmental goods and services become the object of information compaction, it is possible that important information is lost. We comment on the choice problem germane to environmental goods and services and challenge the presumption that environmental choices made without explicit pricing are inferior to those in which hypothetical valuation studies are undertaken.
Continuity and Change in the 2010 Merger Guidelines

The revision is also innovative, because it modifies the methodology to place greater emphasis on evidence of adverse competitive effects. Most of this A¢â‚¬A“evidenceA¢â‚¬Â is completely consistent with past practice and uncontroversial. One type of A¢â‚¬A“evidenceA¢â‚¬Â is not. Malcolm B. Coate (FTC) & Joseph J. Simons (Paul, Weiss)
Facility location and routing decisions for a food delivery network

This paper addresses the problem of designing efficient logistical arrangements for preparation and delivery of edible food (by a voluntary organization). The short shelf-life of edible, ready-to-eat food items complicates the provisioning and distribution networks. The design of the underlying logistical system constitutes an interesting combinatorial optimization problem. Our paper explains the problem background and rigorously defines the underlying mathematical problem. Thereafter, we develop a set of algorithms/techniques (exact and heuristic) to solve the problem faster. We blend the stronger lower bounds (obtained from an alternate MIP formulation) with better upper bounds (obtained using a fast and efficient heuristic approach) to develop a new exact technique. We report the detailed results from computational analysis of our new techniques.
A comparative study on the Kindergarten evaluation system between Taiwan and Hong Kong

This study uses the comparative education theory proposed by G. Z. F. Bereday with the aim of analyzing the kindergarten accreditation system of Taiwan and Hong Kong. Interviews were accomplished with school administrators, scholars (experts) who are responsible for the kindergarten accreditation in Taiwan and Hong Kong. Results show that within cities and counties in Taiwan, the kindergarten and pre-school counseling are considered to be temporarily evaluation, and while some counties even uses a parallel system of evaluation and early childhood education counseling program. However, in Hong Kong, evaluation has been ongoing already for the past several years. In Taiwan, evaluation is mostly regarded negatively, while in Hong Kong evaluation is regarded as a positive undertaking.
An LFT approach for distributed control of nonstationary LPV systems

We develop an operator theoretic framework for heterogeneous, discrete-time, nonstationary linear parameter-varying systems in linear fractional representation. These systems are interconnected over arbitrary directed graphs and subjected to a communication latency of one sampling period. We give results, based on the ℓ2-induced norm performance measure, for analysis and synthesis of distributed controllers that have the same structure as the plant. The analysis and synthesis conditions are convex, but infinite dimensional in general. They become finite dimensional in the case of distributed eventually time-periodic systems over finite graphs.
Distribution and strain typing of Brachyspira pilosicoli in two Western Australian piggeries

The intestinal spirochaete Brachyspira pilosicoli causes intestinal spirochaetosis (IS), a diarrhoeal disease first recognised in 1980. This condition results in production losses due to reduced growth rates and poor feed conversion. The purpose of this study was to investigate the distribution and strain diversity of B. pilosicoli on two piggeries in Western Australia.
Analysis of a protein-binding domain of p53

The tumor suppressor protein p53 was first isolated as a simian virus 40 large T antigen-associated protein and subsequently was found to function in cell proliferation control. Tumor-derived mutations in p53 occur predominantly in four evolutionarily conserved regions spanning approximately 50% of the polypeptide. Previously, three of these regions were identified as essential for T-antigen binding. We have examined the interaction between p53 and T antigen by using Escherichia coli-expressed human p53. By a combination of deletion analysis and antibody inhibition studies, a region of p53 that is both necessary and sufficient for binding to T antigen has been localized. This function is contained within residues 94 to 293, which include the four conserved regions affected by mutation in tumors. Residues 94 to 293 of p53 were expressed in both wild-type and mutant forms. T-antigen binding was unaffected by tumor-derived mutations which have been associated with the wild-type conformation of p53 but was greatly reduced by mutations which were previously shown to alter p53 conformation. Our results show that, like T-antigen binding to the Rb tumor suppressor protein, T antigen appears to interact with the domain of p53 that is commonly mutated in human tumors.
Practical survey on antibiotic-resistant bacterial communities in livestock manure and manure-amended soil

Abstract Through livestock manure fertilization, antibiotics, antibiotic-resistant bacteria and genes are transferred to agricultural soils, resulting in a high prevalence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in the soil. It is not clear, however, whether a correlation exists between resistant bacterial populations in manure and manure-amended soil. In this work, we demonstrate that the prevalence of cephalexin-, amoxicillin-, kanamycin- and gentamicin-resistant bacteria as well as bacteria simultaneously resistant to all four antibiotics was much higher in manure-amended soils than in manure-free soil. 454-pyrosequencing indicated that the ARB and multiple antibiotic-resistant bacteria (MARB) in swine or chicken manure and manure-amended soil were mainly distributed among Sphingobacterium, Myroides, Enterococcus, Comamonas and unclassified Flavobacteriaceae. The genus Sphingobacterium was highly prevalent among ARB from swine manure and manure-amended soil, and was also the most dominant genus among MARB from chicken manure and manure-amended soil. Other dominant genera among ARB or MARB populations in manure samples, including Myroides, Enterococcus and Comamonas, could not be detected or were detected at very low relative abundance in manure-amended soil. The present study suggests the possibility of transfer of ARBs from livestock manures to soils and persistence of ARB in these environments.
Consolidations tarifaires, protection inutilisée et libéralisation des échanges agricoles

Les precedentes evaluations quantitatives des effets de la liberalisation des echanges agricoles presumaient que les reductions negociees des tarifs consolides se traduisent par une diminution correspondante des taux tarifaires effectivement appliques. Toutefois, cette methode surestime la reduction effective des tarifs appliques et, partant, les avantages de la liberalisation des echanges, puisque les taux appliques sont souvent tres inferieurs aux tarifs consolides dans les listes issues du cycle d’Uruguay. A l’aide de donnees sur les taux appliques et consolides et du modele GTAP-CGE, les auteurs chiffrent l’ampleur du biais consecutif. Il apparait que la distorsion des estimations est particulierement prononcee pour les reductions tarifaires faibles et pour les pays ou les ecarts entre taux consolides et taux appliques sont importants. Afin d’eviter de formuler des avis errones, les specialistes de l’analyse quantitative des politiques soucieux d’informer les decideurs des effets probables de reductions tarifaires negociees devraient donc prendre en .
Government Policies and Sources of Latecomer Firms' Capability Building: A Learning Story from Brazil

Although much has been written about the implications of the structural reforms of the 1990s for industrial progress in developing countries, especially in Latin America, less attention has been given to the role of meso and micro factors in sector and firm-level technological capability building. Most existing studies are based on aggregate analyses that argue either for or against such reforms. Seeking to offer an alternative perspective on this debate, this paper examines sources of firms' technological capability accumulation in the light of changes in government policies. It draws on first-hand empirical evidence from 75 organizations in Northern Brazil. The evidence suggests that policies and factors at the meso and micro level do matter in understanding the learning strategies underlying firms' capability-building processes. The latter do not take place in a vacuum or just on the back of sound, market-oriented macroeconomic policies. A combination of different kinds of government policies, foreign competition and firm-level learning efforts has been proving essential for firms to develop innovative capability. However, the move into more advanced capability levels in the sampled firms will not just involve a “discontinuity” in their existing learning strategies; it will also entail a redesign of the related government policies.
The Pension Acceptance Decision of Older Workers

This study focuses on factors related to an older worker's decision to accept a pension and on how this influences subsequent market work. A life-cycle model is used which emphasizes the asset nature of the pension decision and in particular includes changes in potential earnings streams due to the work restrictions imposed by a pension. The empirical results show that the timing of acceptance of a pension depends upon the actuarial value of the plan at different ages, not on payments in any one year. While health affects the pension decision, voluntary economic decision variables play a major role in the timing of pension acceptance for both the healthy and those in ill health.
An empirical investigation of the use of analytical review by external auditors

Abstract This paper reports the results of the first comprehensive survey to investigate the use of analytical review (AR) by external auditors in the UK. The research indicates that extent of usage varies significantly according to firm size and with each audit stage. Results suggest that the recent Auditing Standard which mandates the use of AR at both the planning and review stages will raise standards of practice; in particular those of smaller firms. More effective audit comfort, rather than competition between firms, was regarded as the most important factor driving the increased use of AR. Straightforward AR techniques were regarded as cost-effective and were found to dominate. Regression analysis, on the other hand, was regarded as cost ineffective and to require expert knowledge.
The Effects of Global Liquidity on Global Imbalances

This paper examines whether global liquidity has effects on global imbalances. To this end, we estimate Panel-VARX models using data from the G5 (United States, United Kingdom, Euro area, Japan, and Canada) and 20 emerging countries. The empirical results show that the effects on global imbalances of global liquidity, especially the US monetary aggregate, are significant. The foreign exchange reserves of emerging economies are also found to play a significant role related to global imbalances.
Dynein Light Chain LC8 Inhibits Osteoclast Differentiation and Prevents Bone Loss in Mice

NF-κB is one of the key transcription factors activated by receptor activator of NF-κB ligand (RANKL) during osteoclast differentiation. The 8-kDa dynein L chain (LC8) was previously identified as a novel NF-κB regulator. However, its physiological role as an NF-κB inhibitor remains elusive. In this study, we showed the inhibitory role of LC8 in RANKL-induced osteoclastogenesis and signaling pathways and its protective role in osteolytic animal models. LC8 suppressed RANKL-induced osteoclast differentiation, actin ring formation, and osteoclastic bone resorption. LC8 inhibited RANKL-induced phosphorylation and subsequent degradation of IκBα, the expression of c-Fos, and the consequent activation of NFATc1, which is a pivotal determinant of osteoclastogenesis. LC8 also inhibited RANKL-induced activation of JNK and ERK. LC8-transgenic mice exhibited a mild osteopetrotic phenotype. Moreover, LC8 inhibited inflammation-induced bone erosion and protected against ovariectomy-induced bone loss in mice. Thus, our results suggest that LC8 inhibits osteoclast differentiation by regulating NF-κB and MAPK pathways and provide the molecular basis of a new strategy for treating osteoporosis and other bone diseases.
Spatial and temporal evolution of hemorrhage in the hyperacute phase of experimental spinal cord injury: In vivo magnetic resonance imaging

To follow the spatial and temporal evolution of hemorrhage, in vivo MRI studies of experimental spinal cord injury (SCI) were performed on 17 rats in the very acute phase (hyperacute), starting as early as 9 min and continued up to 400 min posttrauma. Axial MR images were processed slice by slice over a 21 mm length around the epicenter of the injury. The data were analyzed statistically and fitted to an empirically derived function to characterize the spatial and temporal evolution of hemorrhage. The results indicated that 1) the initial hemorrhage in the very early phase of the injury area covered 12.5% of the total cord area and subsequently increased with a time constant of 700 min, 2) a major portion of the hemorrhage was concentrated spatially within the 4 mm distance from the epicenter, 3) the volume of hemorrhage normalized to its initial value increased linearly at a rate of approximately 0.0015 min−1, and 4) edema was observed at the gray‐ and white‐matter junction as early as 12 min postinjury. In general, edema appeared to be focal and scattered in this phase of the injury, which made its quantification unreliable on MRI. Magn Reson Med 43:594–600, 2000. © 2000 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.