Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Blood, Sweat, and Tears: The Rise and Decline of the East German Economy, 1949–1988 / Blut, Schweiß, Tränen: Aufstieg und Niedergang der ostdeutschen Wirtschaft, 1949–1988

Summary The rise of the East-German economy in the 1950s and 1960s and its decline in the 1970s and 1980s is difficult to explain by neoclassical economics. However; the observed life cycle may be explained by the inclusion of concepts from old and new institutional economics and from functional economics. Three distinct periods may be identified. During the “blood” period of forced development and autocratic rule, the information system and the system of property rights were roughly compatible with the economic structure. Then, in the “sweat” period, an attempt to overtake the capitalistic societies failed. Finally, in the “tears” period, economic decline could only be disguised by unsustainable inflows of foreign capital. This institutional explanation of the East-German collapse is tested with data for the period 1949-1988 and cannot be rejected. Zusammenfassung Es fällt schwer, den Aufstieg der ostdeutschen Wirtschaft in den 50er und 60er Jahren und deren Zusammenbruch in den 70er und 80er Jahren mit Hilfe der neoklassischen Theorie zu erklären. Die alte und neue Institutionenökonomik sowie die funktionalistische Ökonomik liefern zusätzliche Konzepte, um den Lebenszyklus der ostdeutschen Wirtschaft zu beschreiben. Drei Perioden sind kennzeichnend: die „Blut”-Periode mit ihrer forcierten Entwicklung und ihren autokratischen Regeln, in der das Informationssystem und das System der Eigentumsrechte nicht vollständig im Gegensatz zur wirtschaftlichen Struktur standen; die „Schweiß”-Periode, in der der vergebliche Versuch unternommen wurde, den Westen zu überholen ohne aufzuholen; die „Tränen”- Periode, in der der wirtschaftliche Absturz nur durch große und langfristig nicht aufrechtzuerhaltende Kapitalzuflüsse aus dem Ausland verschleiert werden konnte. Die institutionelleErklärung des finanziellen Kollaps’ des Systems wird mit Daten aus der Periode von 1949 bis 1988 in einem ökonometrischen Modell getestet und läßt sich nicht widerlegen.
A resident Golgi protein is excluded from peri-Golgi vesicles in NRK cells

To understand the structure and the function of the Golgi apparatus, it is essential to establish how resident Golgi enzymes are localized in only a few Golgi cisternae. In particular it is crucial to establish whether Golgi enzymes are retained specifically in cisternae, or if they are continuously transported from cisterna to cisterna. Here we report that a resident Golgi enzyme is largely excluded from peri-Golgi transport vesicles in normal rat kidney cells, a cell type in which conflicting results have been reported. Analysis of the lateral distribution of two markers within Golgi cisternae led to the same conclusion: a protein incorporated in vesicles (KDEL receptor) is concentrated at the rims of cisternae where vesicles form, while mannosidase II is not. These results suggest that localization of resident Golgi enzymes is achieved primarily by selective retention within cisternae and exclusion from transport vesicles. These observations cannot easily be reconciled with the vision of rapidly maturing Golgi cisternae as the principal means of intra-Golgi transport.
The effects of exercise training on levels of vascular endothelial growth factor in tumor-bearing mice.

BACKGROUND Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) affects tumor growth and metastasis by mediating angiogenesis. Vascular endothelial growth factor overexpression is considered a predictor of poor prognosis in cancer patients. Exercise may increase the circulating levels of VEGF, which is important to angiogenesis. We examined the effects of exercise training on VEGF levels and tumor growth in male C57BL/6 mice inoculated with Lewis lung cancer cells. METHODS Thirty-two mice were randomly assigned to either the tumor control (TC, n=16) group or the tumor exercise (TE, n=16) group. Half of the mice in TE group received aerobic interval exercise training, and the other half received aerobic continuous exercise training for 4 weeks. The animal weights and tumor volumes were assessed three times per week. Serum VEGF levels were determined at baseline, 2 and 4 weeks. The solid tumor, lung and liver were excised and evaluated at study completion. RESULTS There was a significant increase in VEGF levels after the 4-week exercise training program in TE group, but no significant changes were observed in TC group. CONCLUSIONS Although exercise training increased serum VEGF levels, group differences were not evident in our study. Exercise training did not alter the survival rate or tumor growth in tumor-bearing mice.
Impact of Gate-Aperture Overlap on the Channel-Pinch Off in InGaAs/InGaN-Based Bonded Aperture Vertical Electron Transistor

A unipolar transistor consisting of an In0.53Ga0. 47As (InGaAs) channel and a III-Nitride (III-N)-based drain-region with a maximum on-current of 192 mA/mm is reported. This unique device is realized by employing wafer-bonding to a current aperture vertical electron transistor and is referred to as a wafer-bonded aperture vertical electron transistor (BAVET). An In0.52Al0. 48As/InGaAs layer-stack is used for the gate-barrier and channel regions, while the aperture, current-blocking-layer (CBL) and drift regions are part of the III-N layer structure. This letter investigates the factors affecting the off-characteristics of a BAVET by varying the overlaps of the gate-CBL (LGO) and gate-aperture (LGA) regions. A dual-functionality of modulating the channel and providing a field-plate effect is realized using the LGO and LGA parts of the gate, respectively. We report that the improvement in channel-pinch off is a stronger function of LGA than it is of LGO. A weak pinch off in the InGaAs channel is shown to be the consequence of impact-ionization leading to channel-breakdown, and using a gate-aperture overlap dramatically improves both the pinch off and off-state-breakdown in BAVETs.
Stationarity Enforcement of Accelerator Based TRNG by Genetic Algorithm

Random numbers generated by pseudo-random and true random number generators (TRNG), are used in a wide variety of applications. A TRNG relies on a nondeterministic source to produce random numbers. In this paper, we develop a TRNG using a heuristic evolutionary algorithm together with signal processing techniques. Our proposed algorithm consists of three phases:(i) Extraction: where a noise source(such as race conditions during concurrent memory accesses on a GPU) is sampled into random numbers, (ii) Exact Histogram Equalization: takes the output from (i) and delivers a specified output distribution, (iii) Stationarity Enforcement: using a genetic algorithm, the output of (ii) is permuted until the random numbers meet wide sense stationarity within a specified quality defined by Gaussian distribution with the expected standard deviation on the power spectral density of random numbers. We propose guideline parameters for the evolutionary algorithm to ensure fast convergence, within the first 100 generations, with a standard deviation over the specified quality level of less than 0.02.
The macroeconomic determinants of the outward foreign direct investment of China: whither the home country?

Event synopsis: Multinational companies from emerging and developing economies (EMNCs) are becoming major players in the globalized world economy and are likely to wield growing influence on economic dynamics in OECD, emerging, and developing countries alike. Host OECD countries will increasingly need to engage with the array of challenges and opportunities presented by emerging-economy multinationals seeking access to their markets and assets. A number of recent high-profile and controversial cases illustrate that the ascent of EMNCs onto the world stage will not necessarily be entirely without frictions. Yet, in spite of the media attention towards investments into the OECD, important immediate impacts of outward direct investment from emerging and developing economies (OFDI) are likely to be felt also in developing host countries, where investments from other emerging and developing economies constitute more and more important complements to investment flows from OECD countries (South-South investments). No less important will be the effects in the home countries of the outward investing firms themselves. The contemporary rise of outward investment from emerging and developing countries remains insufficiently analyzed, both empirically and theoretically. Topics The emergence of MNCs from emerging and developing economies raise a wide range of challenges for theorists, business strategists, and policymakers alike, for example: Why do companies from emerging and developing economies (EMNCs) invest abroad, how do they do it and which challenges do they face? How do EMNCs impact on different types of host economies? How are costs and benefits distributed? How are benefits captured? Which new policy challenges do they introduce? How are home economies affected by the internationalization of domestic firms? Should home countries pursue particular policies to accelerate or otherwise influence their OFDI? Which internationalizations patterns and strategies do EMNCs pursue? Are these qualitatively different from what we know from the received literature? How does EMNC behavior vary between different industries and why? How does the rise of EMNCs influence global competition in different industries? Do EMNCs differ from industrialized-country MNCs in terms of corporate governance and corporate social responsibility? How are companies from China and India in particular coming to internationalize their operations? Which are the roles of state-owned EMNCs?
Population Structures of Two Genotypes of Vibrio vulnificus in Oysters (Crassostrea virginica) and Seawater

ABSTRACT Vibrio vulnificus biotype 1 strains can be classified into two genotypes based on the PCR analysis of variations in the virulence-correlated gene (vcg). Genotype has been correlated with human infection for 90% of isolates from human cases having the vcgC sequence type and 87% of environmental strains having the vcgE variant. In this study we examined the dynamics of V. vulnificus populations and the distribution of the two genotypes recovered from oysters and surrounding estuarine wasters. Analysis of 880 isolates recovered from oysters showed a disparity in the ratio of the two genotypes, with those of the vcgE (E) genotype accounting for 84.4% of the population. In contrast, 292 isolates recovered from the waters surrounding the oyster sites revealed an almost equal distribution of the two genotypes. The levels of vcgC (C genotype) strains from both sources increased as a percentage of the population as water temperatures increased, while no culturable V. vulnificus cells were recovered from December through February. Our results suggest that there is a selective advantage for strains of the E genotype within oysters while survival of the C genotype strains may be favored by increased water column temperatures. These data suggest that the low incidence of infections may be due to the comparatively rare consumption of an oyster that contains a greater number of V. vulnificus vcgC genotype strains than of vcgE genotype strains. Levels of the two genotypes as well as seasonal dynamics within both oyster tissue and the surrounding waters may aid in identifying risk factors associated with human infection.
Effect of insulin‐like growth factor I and its interaction with gonadotropins on in vitro maturation and embryonic development, cell proliferation, and biosynthetic activity of cumulus‐oocyte complexes and granulosa cells in buffalo

In this study we have examined the effect of insulin like growth factor I (IGF‐I) and its interaction with gonadotropins in the presence or absence of granulosa cell coculture on in vitro oocyte maturation (IVM) and their subsequent embryonic development in buffalo. We also have examined the role of IGF‐I alone or in combination with gonadotropins on DNA synthesis, steroidogenesis, and protein synthesis of cumulus‐oocytes complexes (COCs) and granulosa cells. Results showed that IGF‐I stimulates oocytes maturation in a dose‐dependent manner, with maximal effect at a dose of 100 ng/ml (P < 0.05). IGF‐I showed positive interaction with follicle‐stimulating hormone (FSH) in the presence or absence of granulosa cells on meiotic maturation and synergistically enhanced DNA synthesis, protein synthesis, and steroidogenesis in the presence of granulosa cells. This synergistic effect is mainly caused by the increase of IGF‐I receptors in granulosa cells by FSH, as evident by [125I]IGF‐I binding study. Luteinizing hormone (LH), however, was found to suppress IGF‐I and IGF‐I + FSH stimulated oocyte maturation. Addition of LH to cultures containing IGF‐I + FSH, on the contrary, caused a significant increase in oocyte maturation when cocultured with granulosa cells. Addition of IGF‐I during IVM significantly improve cleavage and blastocyst development rate over the control group. However, there was no cumulative effect when IGF‐I and gonadotropins were present together. Addition of granulosa cells during IVM, however, enhanced blastocyst development in the IGF‐I + FSH and IGF‐I + FSH + LH groups.
Differences in outcomes between women and men associated with percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty. A regional prospective study of 13,061 procedures. Northern New England Cardiovascular Disease Study Group.

BACKGROUND A prospective study of patients undergoing percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty was conducted to examine differences in mortality and nonfatal outcomes by sex. Data were collected on 12,232 patients representing 13,061 trips to the catheterization laboratory for percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) of 17,096 lesions between 1989 and 1993. Differences in patient characteristics, comorbidities, severity of illness, and treatments were examined and crude and adjusted odds ratios (ORs) for women versus men reported. METHODS AND RESULTS Rates of success, fatal and nonfatal outcomes, ORs, and 95% Cls were calculated. Clinical success for women (88.8%) and men (87.9%) was good and comparable. Mortality rates for women (1.64%) and men (0.7%) differed, with an OR (women versus men) of 2.34 (95% CI, 1.64, 3.35). Nonfatal adverse outcomes rates (coronary artery bypass grafting and myocardial infarction) for women (5.29%) and for men (4.29%) were of borderline significance, with an OR of 1.19 (95% CI, 1.00, 1.41). Women were older, were more likely to be hypertensive and diabetic, and had more urgent and emergent procedures. For mortality, the adjusted OR (women versus men) was 1.64 (95% CI, 1.09, 2.47), and for nonfatal adverse outcomes, the OR was 1.14 (95% CI, 0.95, 1.36). CONCLUSIONS Although the success rate of PTCA for men and women is comparable, women are at higher risk for adverse outcomes. For nonfatal events, the excess risk-is attributable to differences in case mix. For death, the risk remains elevated even after adjusting for case mix.
The potential for estradiol and ethinylestradiol degradation in english rivers

Water samples were collected in spring, summer, and winter from English rivers in urban/industrial (River Aire and River Calder, Yorkshire, UK) and rural environments (River Thames, Oxfordshire, UK) to study the biodegradation potential of the key steroid estrogen 17β‐estradiol (E2) and its synthetic derivate ethinylestradiol (EE2). Microorganisms in the river water samples were capable of transforming E2 to estrone (E1) with half‐lives of 0.2 to 9 d when incubated at 20°C. The E1 was then further degraded at similar rates. The most rapid biodegradation rates were associated with the downstream summer samples of the River Aire and River Calder. E2 degradation rates were similar for spiking concentrations throughout the range of 20 ng/L to 500 μg/L. Microbial cleavage of the steroid ring system was demonstrated by release of radiolabeled CO2 from the aromatic ring of E2 (position 4). When E2 was degraded, the loss of estrogenicity, measured by the yeast estrogen screen (YES) assay, closely followed the loss of the parent molecule. Thus, apart from the transient formation of E1, the degradation of E2 does not form other significantly estrogenic intermediates. The E2 could also be degraded when incubated with anaerobic bed sediments. Compared to E2, EE2 was much more resistant to biodegradation, but both E2 and EE2 were susceptible to photodegradation, with half‐lives in the order of 10 d under ideal conditions.
[Bio-absorbable synthetic polyesters and tissue regeneration. A study of three-dimensional proliferation of ovine chondrocytes and osteoblasts].

The tissue engineering area henceforth calls more and more for bioabsorbable substrata made of biopolymers (collagen, laminin.) or polymers (PLA, PLGA, PGA.) to realize the three-dimensional culture of tissue equivalents. The poly (beta-hydroxybutyrate-beta-hydroxyvalerate), a biopolymer considered as being biodegradable and biocompatible, has been recently introduced for orthopaedic biomaterials and regeneration purposes. In our study, a PHB/9% HV polymer was transformed into 3D foams, then applied to the culture 3D of ovine chondrocytes (fibrous rings & growth plates) and osteoblasts (periostum). Sponges made of bovine type I collagen were used as references. Orthopaedic cells were isolated, prepared and sown by simple injection to the geometrical center of the substrata, then incubated from 0 to 35 days by changing the culture medium all 4 days. Maximal densities were reached after 21 days: 18-24.10(6) cells/g for the chondrocytes, 8-10.10(6) cells/g for the osteoblasts. The cellular proliferation was more marked, with highest cell densities, for the collagen sponges. Laser confocal microscopy shows that the cellular diffusion take place throughout the entire volume of the porous artificial substrata. Future studies will allow to apply the porous bioabsorbable substrata to high-density cell cultures, to the tissue engineering and regeneration, for example for orthopaedic tissues: cartilage, fibrocartilage and bone.
DETERMINANTS OF THE CHANGING VOLUME OF CORPORATE ANNUAL FINANCIAL REPORTS: EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE FROM NIGERIA

ABSTRACT This contribution was motivated by the need to investigate the determinants of thechanging volume of corporate annual reports. The study sample was 12 banks purposively selectedfrom the universe of banks quoted on the Nigerian Stock Exchange from 2005 to 2014. The samplewas restricted to 120 firm-year with consistent regression data. The study adopted the balancedpanel data regression technique with a preference for the random effect model since the estimatedcoefficients of both models did not vary significantly. The study found a positive and statisticallysignificant relationship between compulsory disclosure, narrative disclosure, product page countand the volume of the corporate annual report. The relationship between the control variables offirm size and age is insignificant. By implication, there was evidence of optimum use of corporateannual report for governance and accountability, information asymmetry and corporate controland integrated marketing communication. Against the backdrop of the multidimensional usefulnessof the corporate annual report, we recommend that all corporate stakeholders should extensivelyrely on the document for any decision concerning corporate activities. The current study isrestricted to Nigerian quoted banks; we recommend a more robust study that will integrate otherNigerian quoted companies, to help for efficient and extensive generalization
[ABL1, SRC and other non-receptor protein tyrosine kinases as new targets for specific anticancer therapy].

Non-receptor protein tyrosine kinases are responsible for signal transduction during many physiologic cellular processes, including cell growth and proliferation, apoptosis, differentiation, regulation of actin cytoskeleton, cell shape, adhesion, motility and migration. Aberrant activity of protein tyrosine kinases (acquired as a result of chromosomal translocation or point mutation) has been implicated in the stimulation of cancer growth and progression, the induction of drug-resistance, tumour neovascularization, tissue invasion, extravasation and the formation of metastases. Small molecule tyrosine kinase inhibitors interfere with these pathophysiological circuits by blocking the signalling cascades triggered by the aberrantly activated protein tyrosine kinases (e.g. BCR-ABL1, FIP1L1-PDGFRA or ETV6-PDGFRB). Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (imatinib, nilotinib, dasatinib) now belong to established anti-cancer agents with clinical activity in patients with CML, Ph+ ALL, and myeloid neoplasms with overexpression of PDGFRA, PDGFRB and wild-type KIT. New generation tyrosine kinase inhibitors (e.g. dasatinib) with extended activity against SRC and EPH kinases belong to promising anti-cancer agents with documented preclinical activity in several solid tumours (e.g. prostate cancer).
Parental atrial fibrillation as a risk factor for atrial fibrillation in offspring.

CONTEXT Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common cardiac dysrhythmia in the United States. Whereas rare cases of familial AF have been reported, it is unknown if AF among unselected individuals is a heritable condition. OBJECTIVE To determine whether parental AF increases the risk for the development of offspring AF. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS Prospective cohort study (1983-2002) within the Framingham Heart Study, a population-based epidemiologic study. Participants were 2243 offspring (1165 women, 1078 men) at least 30 years of age and free of AF whose parents had both been evaluated in the original cohort. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Development of new-onset AF in the offspring was prospectively examined in association with previously documented parental AF. RESULTS Among 2243 offspring participants, 681 (30%) had at least 1 parent with documented AF; 70 offspring participants (23 women; mean age, 62 [range, 40-81] years) developed AF in follow-up. Compared with no parental AF, AF in at least 1 parent increased the risk of offspring AF (multivariable-adjusted odds ratio [OR], 1.85; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.12-3.06; P =.02). These results were stronger when age was limited to younger than 75 years in both parents and offspring (multivariable-adjusted OR, 3.23; 95% CI, 1.87-5.58; P<.001) and when the sample was further limited to those without antecedent myocardial infarction, heart failure, or valve disease (multivariable-adjusted OR, 3.17; 95% CI, 1.71-5.86; P<.001). CONCLUSIONS Parental AF increases the future risk for offspring AF, an observation supporting a genetic susceptibility to developing this dysrhythmia. Further research into the genetic factors predisposing to AF is warranted.