Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Absence of somatotopic projection of muscle afferents onto motoneurons of same muscle.

During weak voluntary contractions, muscle afferents from a restricted region of the tibialis anterior of humans were activated with mechanical or electrical stimuli while electromyographic recordings (EMG) were made from pairs of motor units. One motor unit of a pair was located in the region of muscle from which the afferents arose; the other was at least 10 cm distal. The territories of the motor units of each pair did not overlap. All motor units were of low threshold, recruited at less than 5% of maximal voluntary strength. Direct recordings of muscle afferent activity, using a microelectrode in the nerve fascicle innervating the tibialis anterior, showed that taps delivered to the muscle belly activated submaximally a discrete population of receptors, restricted to the site of the taps. The spread of the disturbance set up by the taps or by vibration at 100 Hz applied to the muscle belly was measured with an accelerometer and was also found to be restricted to the site of application of the vibrator tip. With each of 12 pairs of motor units, vibration at 100 Hz was applied to the muscle near the motor unit of higher threshold for recruitment in a voluntary contraction. The vibration produced detectable reflex effects but did not alter recruitment order within any pair of motor units. During voluntary contractions involving 10 pairs of motor units, taps were applied to the muscle belly near each motor unit of a pair. The taps produced, at short latency, an increase in the probability of discharge of each motor unit. This change in probability is related to a composite excitatory postsynaptic potential (EPSP) caused by dynamically responding mechanoreceptors near the tap site and is generated through monosynaptic/oligosynaptic pathways. Taps near one motor unit of a pair did not selectively or preferentially affect the discharge of that motoneuron. During a voluntary contraction of tibialis anterior, electrical stimuli just below threshold for efferent axons, and so probably above threshold for afferent axons, were delivered singly and in brief trains through a microelectrode in a nerve fascicle innervating that muscle. Such stimulation had no detectable effect on the discharge pattern of four pairs of motor units. These findings suggest that the feedback from a few receptors in the muscle has a negligible effect on the motoneuron pool, in comparison with the total excitatory drive present during a voluntary contraction. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Currency forecast errors at times of low interest rates: evidence from survey data on the Yen/Dollar exchange rate

Using survey expectations data and Markov-switching models, this paper evaluates the characteristics and evolution of investors' forecast errors about the yen/dollar exchange rate. Since our model is derived from the uncovered interest rate parity (UIRP) condition and our data cover a period of low interest rates, this study is also related to the forward premium puzzle and the currency carry trade strategy. We obtain the following results. First, with the same forecast horizon, exchange rate forecasts are homogeneous among different industry types, but within the same industry, exchange rate forecasts differ if the forecast time horizon is different. In particular, investors tend to undervalue the future exchange rate for long term forecast horizons; however, in the short run they tend to overvalue the future exchange rate. Second, while forecast errors are found to be partly driven by interest rate spreads, evidence against the UIRP is provided regardless of the forecasting time horizon; the forward premium puzzle becomes more significant in shorter term forecasting errors. Consistent with this finding, our coefficients on interest rate spreads provide indirect evidence of the yen carry trade over only a short term forecast horizon. Furthermore, the carry trade seems to be active when there is a clear indication that the interest rate will be low in the future.
Targeting TGF‐&bgr;1 by employing a vaccine ameliorates fibrosis in a mouse model of chronic colitis

Background: Intestinal fibrosis and stricture formation are major complications of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), for which there are currently few effective treatments. We sought to investigate whether targeting transforming growth factor‐beta1 (TGF‐&bgr;1), a key profibrotic mediator, with a peptide‐based virus‐like particle vaccine would be effective in suppressing intestinal fibrosis by using a mouse model of 2,4,6‐trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS)‐induced chronic colitis. Methods: The vaccine was prepared by inserting a peptide derived from mouse TGF‐&bgr;1 into a carrier hepatitis B core antigen using gene recombination methods. Chronic colitis was induced in BALB/c mice by 8 weekly TNBS administrations. Mice were subcutaneously injected with vaccine, carrier, or phosphate‐buffered saline (PBS) in 2 separate studies: either before or after acute inflammatory responses commenced. Results: Sera from vaccinated mice exhibited significantly elevated levels of TGF‐&bgr;1‐specific immunoglobulin G (IgG), which inhibited TGF‐&bgr;1‐induced luciferase production in mink lung epithelial cells. In the chronic colitis model, mice receiving vaccine showed improved body weight gain and significantly reduced colonic collagen deposition. Hematoxylin and eosin staining and semiquantitative scoring indicated that vaccination even ameliorated colonic inflammation. Cytokine profile analysis revealed that levels of TGF‐&bgr;1, interleukin (IL)‐17, and IL‐23 in vaccinated mouse colon tissues were decreased, and that percentages of IL‐17‐expressing CD4+ lymphocytes in mesenteric lymph node cells were reduced. Furthermore, Smad3 phosphorylation, a key event in TGF‐&bgr; signaling, was decreased in colonic tissue in vaccinated mice. Conclusions: This TGF‐&bgr;1 peptide‐based vaccine, which suppressed excessive TGF‐&bgr;1 bioactivity, may prevent the development of intestinal fibrosis and associated complications, presenting a novel approach in the treatment of IBD. (Inflamm Bowel Dis 2010)
Assessment of postprandial lipemia: nutritional influences

Recent reports have contributed new information on the influence of the size and spacing of fat-containing meals on processes related to fat digestion and absorption, lymphatic transport, and postprandial responses of plasma lipoproteins. The postabsorptive concentrations of plasma triglycerides and common polymorphisms of apolipoprotein B and apolipoprotein E exert important influences on postprandial lipoprotein responses. Attention to these characteristics of individuals and groups can facilitate interpretation of responses to meals containing different fatty acids and varying amounts of cholesterol. Additional evidence is accumulating that points to disease related abnormalities of postprandial lipoprotein metabolism related to clearance mechanisms for triglyceride-rich lipoproteins and processes related to reverse cholesterol transport.
Rethinking 'Regional Industrial Relations': Space, Place and the Social Relations of Work

The dismantling of centralised modes of labour regulation and the emergence of new spatial divisions of labour under 'globalisation' have produced renewed interest in 'regional industrial relations'. Yet much of the existing literature in this genre—and industrial relations scholarship in general—remains wedded to a positivist conception of space. The most promising avenues for reconceptualising the spatiality of capital-labour relations are to be found in the work of radical economic geographers. They recognise that space itself is a human construct and that capital and labour have differing mobilities and, therefore, different subjective and strategic orientations to space and to particular places. From these premises, they argue that local labour markets are the points of intersection between production and reproduction and the primary focus of attention of local modes of labour regulation. These insights, we suggest, provide the means to rethink what has been described as regional industrial relations and capital- labour relations more generally.
Loss of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) expression in metastatic sites of HER2-overexpressing primary breast tumors.

PURPOSE We evaluated whether patients with human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) -positive primary breast tumors had metastatic tumors that were HER2 positive (concordant) or HER2 negative (discordant). We then evaluated whether treatment with trastuzumab or chemotherapy before biopsy of the metastasis had any effect on the rate of HER2 discordance. We also compared the overall survival durations of patients with HER2-concordant and -discordant tumors. PATIENTS AND METHODS We retrospectively identified all patients who initially had been diagnosed with HER2-positive (immunohistochemistry 3+ and/or fluorescent in situ hybridization positive) primary breast cancer between 1997 and 2008 at MD Anderson Cancer Center who also had metastatic tumor biopsy results available for review. RESULTS We included 182 patients who met our criteria. Forty-three (24%) of the 182 patients with HER2-positive primary tumors had HER2-negative metastatic tumors. The HER2 discordance rates differed significantly on the basis of whether patients received chemotherapy (P = .022) but not on the basis of whether patients received trastuzumab (P = .296). Patients with discordant HER2 status had shorter overall survival than did patients with concordant HER2 status (hazard ratio [HR], 0.43; P = .003). A survival difference remained among the 67 patients who received trastuzumab (HR, 0.56; P = .083) and 101 patients who did not (HR, 0.53; P = .033) before their metastasis biopsies. CONCLUSION We confirmed that loss of HER2-positive status in metastatic tumors can occur in patients with primary HER2-positive breast cancer. Our data strongly support the need for biopsies of metastatic lesions to accurately determine patient prognosis and appropriate use of targeted therapy.
For better or worse? Workplace changes and the health and well-being of Norwegian workers

Previous research has not always distinguished between downsizing and broader organizational redesign, or at least not analysed the two together, and may therefore have confounded the effects of the two on employees' health and well-being. Analyses of cross-sectional data on Norwegian employees ( N = 1944) suggest that downsizing and internal reorganization affects employees in predominantly negative ways. Neither downsizing nor internal reorganization of work are related to employees' level of task discretion. Internal reorganization is related to high work demands, job insecurity, low job satisfaction and work related health problems. Downsizing is related to high work demands and job insecurity, but the associations with job satisfaction and work related health problems are rather weak. Downsizing is more closely related to job insecurity than is reorganization, but reorganization is more closely related to high work demands, low job satisfaction and work related health problems than is downsizing.
BBD: A new Bayesian bi-clustering denoising algorithm for IASI-NG hyperspectral images

We propose a new denoising method for 3D hyperspectral images for the future MetOp-Second Generation series satellite incorporating the new IASI-NG interferometer, to be launched in 2021. This adaptive method retrieves the data model directly from the input noisy granule, using the following techniques: dual clustering (spectral and spatial), dimensionality reduction by adaptive PCA, and Bayesian denoising. The use of dimensionality reduction by PCA has been already proven an effective denoising technique because of intrinsic data redundancy. We demonstrate here that by combining a local PCA dimensionality reduction with a dual clustering and a Bayesian denoising, it is possible to improve significantly the PSNR with respect to PCA reduction alone. This noise reduction hints at the possibility to multiply of the resolution of the satellite by factor 4, while keeping an acceptable SNR.
DNA Replication in the Archaea

SUMMARY The archaeal DNA replication machinery bears striking similarity to that of eukaryotes and is clearly distinct from the bacterial apparatus. In recent years, considerable advances have been made in understanding the biochemistry of the archaeal replication proteins. Furthermore, a number of structures have now been obtained for individual components and higher-order assemblies of archaeal replication factors, yielding important insights into the mechanisms of DNA replication in both archaea and eukaryotes.
Binding of the Hepatitis C Virus E2 Glycoprotein to CD81 Is Strain Specific and Is Modulated by a Complex Interplay between Hypervariable Regions 1 and 2

ABSTRACT The envelope glycoprotein E2 of hepatitis C virus (HCV) is the target of neutralizing antibodies and is presently being evaluated as an HCV vaccine candidate. HCV binds to human cells through the interaction of E2 with the tetraspanin CD81, a putative viral receptor component. We have analyzed four different E2 proteins from 1a and 1b viral isolates for their ability to bind to recombinant CD81 in vitro and to the native receptor displayed on the surface of Molt-4 cells. A substantial difference in binding efficiency between these E2 variants was observed, with proteins derived from 1b subtypes showing significantly lower binding than the 1a protein. To elucidate the mechanism of E2-CD81 interaction and to identify critical regions responsible for the different binding efficiencies of the E2 variants, several mutants were generated in E2 protein regions predicted by computer modeling to be exposed on the protein surface. Functional analysis of these E2 derivatives revealed that at least two distinct domains are responsible for interaction with CD81. A first segment centered around amino acid residues 613 to 618 is essential for recognition, while a second element including the two hypervariable regions (HVRs) modulates E2 receptor binding. Binding inhibition experiments with anti-HVR monoclonal antibodies confirmed this mapping and supported the hypothesis that a complex interplay between the two HVRs of E2 is responsible for modulating receptor binding, possibly through intramolecular interactions. Finally, E2 proteins from different isolates displayed a profile of binding to human hepatic cells different from that observed on Molt-4 cells or isolated recombinant CD81, indicating that additional factors are involved in viral recognition by target liver cells.
Reliability of the [13C]‐acetate breath test in the measurement of gastric emptying of ethanol solutions: a methodological study

Background: The [ 13 C]‐acetate breath test is a clinically well‐established test for measuring gastric emptying of liquids and correlates significantly with scintigraphy. However, no studies have been undertaken to examine the relationship between gastric emptying measured by the [ 13 C]‐acetate breath test and ultrasonography. Furthermore, it is not known how ethanol may affect gastric emptying as measured by the [ 13 C]‐acetate breath test. This is particularly important because of the additional steps of absorption, metabolism and exhalation of the tracer involved in the [ 13 C]‐acetate breath test compared to the simple measurement of gastric emptying by ultrasonography. The aim of the present study was to examine the relationship between the gastric half emptying times measured by the [ 13 C]‐acetate breath test and by ultrasonography and to determine the effect of ethanol on the comparability between both methods. Methods: On separate days, 10 healthy, fasted randomly selected subjects received the following solutions by gastric tube: 500 mL water, 4% and 10% (v/v) ethanol, 5.5% and 11.4 % (w/v) glucose. Gastric half emptying times of the test solutions were simultaneously determined using the [ 13 C]‐acetate breath test and ultrasonography of the fundus and the antrum. Results: The gastric emptying rates determined by ultrasonography of the fundus correlated significantly with the results obtained using the [ 13 C]‐acetate breath test for all test solutions (r = 0.64–0.92, P < 0.05 for all), whereas ultrasonography of the antrum correlated significantly with the breath test only when water (r = 0.94, P = 0.001) was used. The difference between the mean half‐emptying times obtained using the [ 13 C]‐acetate breath test and ultrasonography of the fundus was 55 ± 1.8 min. This difference was significantly longer when 4% and 10% (v/v) ethanol solutions were given (61.2 ± 3.3 and 71.2 ± 2.9 min) compared to water (P < 0.05). Conclusions: A good correlation was found between gastric emptying as measured by the [ 13 C]‐acetate breath test and ultrasonography of the fundus. Measurements that were obtained using the [ 13 C]‐acetate breath test demonstrate a longer gastric half emptying time compared with those obtained using ultrasonography. This difference is even more marked when ethanol solutions are used. Presumably, this is because ethanol affects the absorption and/or the hepatic metabolism of the tracer. The [ 13 C]‐acetate breath test is therefore not a reliable gastric emptying test for comparison of different solutions, especially when ethanol‐containing liquids are used.
The mediating effect of individual readiness for change in the relationship between organisational culture and TQM implementation

Despite the substantial body of existing literature examining the influence of organisational culture (OC) on total quality management (TQM) implementation, the mechanism through which an organisation's culture comes to have an impact on TQM implementation has not been adequately addressed. The purpose of this article is to empirically examine the mediating role of individual readiness for change (IRFC) as one possible mechanism through which an organisation's culture results in having an impact on TQM implementation. To achieve this, a questionnaire-based survey was developed and self-administered to 350 middle managers in Syrian manufacturing organisations. The analysis of the collected data revealed that the adhocracy and group culture types are the most supportive cultures for TQM implementation. Furthermore, the results of this study show support for the mediating role of IRFC in the relationship between OC and TQM implementation. Therefore, this article makes a novel contribution by providing a refined and deeper comprehension of the relationships between OC types and TQM implementation. The article highlights the managerial implications of the findings and suggests future research directions.
Continuum and Discrete Initial-Boundary Value Problems and Einstein’s Field Equations

Many evolution problems in physics are described by partial differential equations on an infinite domain; therefore, one is interested in the solutions to such problems for a given initial dataset. A prominent example is the binary black-hole problem within Einstein’s theory of gravitation, in which one computes the gravitational radiation emitted from the inspiral of the two black holes, merger and ringdown. Powerful mathematical tools can be used to establish qualitative statements about the solutions, such as their existence, uniqueness, continuous dependence on the initial data, or their asymptotic behavior over large time scales. However, one is often interested in computing the solution itself, and unless the partial differential equation is very simple, or the initial data possesses a high degree of symmetry, this computation requires approximation by numerical discretization. When solving such discrete problems on a machine, one is faced with a finite limit to computational resources, which leads to the replacement of the infinite continuum domain with a finite computer grid. This, in turn, leads to a discrete initial-boundary value problem. The hope is to recover, with high accuracy, the exact solution in the limit where the grid spacing converges to zero with the boundary being pushed to infinity.The goal of this article is to review some of the theory necessary to understand the continuum and discrete initial boundary-value problems arising from hyperbolic partial differential equations and to discuss its applications to numerical relativity; in particular, we present well-posed initial and initial-boundary value formulations of Einstein’s equations, and we discuss multi-domain high-order finite difference and spectral methods to solve them.
The Consequences of Globalisation: India's Software Industry and Cross-Border Labour Mobility

The Indian software industry is a prime example of globalisation. The industry has been characterised by large cross-border mobility of its skilled labour force. Using a unique survey of Indian software firms, our paper quantifies the extent and impact of mobility on firm behaviour and performance. Cross-border labour mobility in the paper refers to both temporary and permanent labour flows by Indian software professionals. The picture that emerges is of a highly mobile world in which temporary mobility has been an important characteristic of the industry. A significant number of workers have work experience abroad in a developed country. Moreover, the share of skilled workers with such experience has been positively associated with the incidence of skilled migration from the firm. This suggests network effects are at work. In terms of the impact on performance as measured by the change in turnover per worker and the change in the employment size of the firm the paper finds little evidence of a robust adverse effect. Further, the evidence suggests that there have been important external effects at work, as through changes in the willingness of workers to acquire skills, as well as through increased provision of educational services. These have further abated the risk of a brain drain. However, the software industry may be rather different from other industries. Our results need to be interpreted as the outcome of a particular case of skilled migration and not one necessarily representative of all types of skilled migration and source sectors.
The Behavior of Bid-Ask Spreads and Volume in Options Markets During the Competition for Listings in 1999

In August 1999, U.S. exchanges began to compete directly for order flow in many options that had been exclusively listed on another exchange, shifting 37% of option volume to multiple-listing status by the end of September. Effective and quoted bid-ask spreads decrease significantly after multiple listings with spreads generally maintaining their initial lower levels 1 year later. These results hold for both time series and pooled regressions and are robust. We reject that economies of scale in market making cause the decrease in spreads and support the view that interexchange competition reduces option transaction costs. Copyright 2003 by the American Finance Association.
Higher Education Financing in the New EU Member States: Leveling the Playing Field

The study reviews the experience in the EU8 countries of the emergence of private higher education institutions and introduction of fees for student who do not gain regular admission. This has resulted in a dual-track system that is affecting the equity of access to higher education. The authors have addressed this with a variety of financing mechanisms in the EU8 countries and seek to develop some useful policy options to "level the playing field" for countries contemplating further reforms, which would include the introduction of variable fees, needs-based grants and loans to increase private financial flows into higher education while facilitating equal access across the board. The study begins with and introduction. Chapter 2 provides an overview of current higher education systems in the EU8 in a comparative perspective. Chapter 3 suggests some directions for further reform initiatives. Chapter 4 concludes.