Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Policy processes of a land grab: at the interface of politics ‘in the air’ and politics ‘on the ground’ in Massingir, Mozambique

The creation and enforcement of policies have been proposed as necessary to protect rural dwellers from dispossession by land grabs. Failing to consider the influence of the micro-politics of the policy implementation phase, these policies are insufficient. Based on an in-depth case study from southern Mozambique of a collision between a green grab and a land grab, this paper describes how two policies were used, first to facilitate a land grab and then to rescind the land concession. At a shifting intersection between politics ‘in the air’ and politics ‘on the ground’, convergence and later divergence among powerful groups shaped the space for policy enactment.
Crop Input Response Functions with Stochastic Plateaus

Agronomic research on crop response to nitrogen fertilizer suggests that a plateau function may be appropriate, but the plateau varies across fields and years. Available models that treat the plateau as a stochastic variable are not readily extendable to handle field or year random effects as seems to be appropriate based on the agronomic data. This article develops a method of estimating a response function with a stochastic plateau that can capture random effects. The method is then used to determine economically optimal levels of nitrogen fertilizer for wheat (Triticum aestivum). Copyright 2008, Oxford University Press.
Effects of Trypsin and Plasmin Treatment of Myelin on the Myelin‐Associated Glycoprotein and Basic Protein

Abstract: Human and rat myelin preparations were incubated with varying concentrations of trypsin and plasmin to determine the effects of these proteolytic enzymes on myelin‐associated glycoprotein (MAG), basic protein, and other myelin proteins and to compare the effects with those of the neutral protease that was reported to be endogenous in myelin. Basic protein was most susceptible to degradation by both trypsin and plasmin, whereas MAG was relatively resistant to their actions. Under the assay conditions used, the highest concentrations of trypsin and plasmin degraded > 80% of the basic protein but < 30% of the MAG, and lower concentrations caused significant loss of basic protein without appreciably affecting MAG. Neither trypsin nor plasmin caused a specific cleavage of MAG to a derivative of MAG (dMAG) in a manner analogous to the endogenous neutral protease. Thus the endogenous protease appears unique in converting human MAG to dMAG much more rapidly than it degrades basic protein. MAG is slowly degraded along with other proteins when myelin is treated with trypsin or plasmin, but it is less susceptible to their action than is basic protein.
Exchange Rate Pass-Through: Evidence from Aggregate Japanese Exports*

It has been suggested that recent findings of a decline in aggregate exchange rate pass-through are due to changes in demand elasticities within the U.S., or to changes in competitive (supply) conditions in for those imports. An alternate explanation is that the commodity composition of U.S. imports has shifted in such a was as to change the overall pass-through. Evidence supportive of this conjecture is presented. We find, using sectoral level volume and import prices of imports from Japan, that U.S. imports are now more heavily concentrated in those sectors with traditionally low pass-through, whereas individual sector passthrough estimations are stable throughout the sample.
Effect of Phospholipid Composition on Characterization of Liposomes Containing 9-Nitrocamptothecin

ABSTRACT 9-Nitrocamptothecin (9-NC), a newly developed camptothecin derivative, had poor solubility in any pharmaceutically acceptable solvents. One way of improving the solubility is to formulate the drug into liposomes. However, 9-NC has low affinity to lipid membranes resulting in a very low drug-to-liposome entrapment. We developed a novel liposome-based 9-NC formulation which was composed of soybean phosphatidylcholine (SPC), hydrogenated soybean phosphatidylcholine (HSPC), and cholesterol. Compared with conventional liposomes composed of only SPC and cholesterol, 9-NC/lipid molar ratio increased from 1:72 to 1:18 while incorporation efficiency was still maintained about 80%. In addition, after 9-NC was encapsulated into novel liposomes, pharmacokinetic results revealed an increase in area under the plasma concentration-time curve (AUC) and a decrease in distribution volume of 9-NC following intravenous administration to rats. Increased stability in plasma may account for the improved pharmacokinetic behavior of the novel liposomes. Effect of HSPC/SPC molar ratio on characterization of the novel liposomes was also investigated. Except for drug/lipid molar ratio and encapsulation efficiency, HSPC/SPC molar ratio had only a little effect on other properties of novel liposomes. In conclusion, the study suggests that the novel liposomes can act as promising carriers for hydrophobic substances such as 9-NC.
A Broader Look at the “Accountability” Movement

Based on a 50-state survey, this article provides an analysis of the impacts of civil service reform on human resource management (HRM) systems. The most fundamental conclusion is that public employees in a majority of states are being directly affected by human resources reforms. In particular, the civil service's traditional job protections are eroding because of decentralization of HRM authority, the active declassification of workers, restrictions on due process rights, and the efforts of activist governors. The implications of these phenomena on the professional civil service—and the notion of a public management career—are examined.
Beyond the market versus planning dichotomy: Understanding privatisation and its reverse in US cities

Abstract City service delivery requires planners and city managers to move beyond the public–private dichotomy and explore the benefits of interaction between markets and planning. Using International City County Management survey data on US local governments from 1992, 1997 and 2002, we find a shift where reverse contracting (re-internalisation) now exceeds the level of new contracting out (privatisation). We model how a theoretical shift from new public management to new public service in public administration mirrors a behavioural shift among city managers. Results confirm the need to balance economic concerns with political engagement of citizens and lend empirical support to a theory of social choice that links communicative planning with market management.
Comparison of shear bond strength of orthodontic brackets bonded with halogen and plasma arc light curing

Background: Reduced time and appropriate bond strength of brackets is one of the most important aspects of orthodontic treatments. Prolonged halogen light curing for bonding of brackets is undesirable, so the purpose of this study was to compare the shear bond strength of brackets bonded with halogen light and plasma arc system. Materials and Mehods: This was an experimental in vitro study. A total of 60 intact premolar teeth were collected and divided into four groups. Stainless steel orthodontic brackets were bonded to them. In groups 1 and 2, curing was done using halogen light given for 20 seconds from two and four angles. In groups 3 and 4, curing was carried out using the plasma arc system for 6 seconds from two and four angles. The shear bond strength was recorded by Instron. The statistics of ANOVA, Tukey's test, and T-test were used in data analysis. Results: There was a statistically significant difference in shear bond strength among the four groups (P = 0.043) and between group 1 with group 2 (P = 0.035). Yet, there was no statistically significant difference between brackets bonded with plasma arc and those bonded with halogen light or between the two groups of plasma arc. Conclusion: Using the plasma arc system is superior to other methods due to reduced curing time. Also, since in using the halogen light system, an increase in curing periods from different angles resulted in a significant increase in shear bond strength; it is advisable to apply the halogen light from different angles.
RNA expression in the early characterization of hepatotoxicants in Wistar rats by high‐density DNA microarrays

High‐density microarrays are useful tools to study gene expression for the purpose of characterizing functional tissue changes in response to the action of drugs and chemicals. To test whether high‐density expression data can identify mechanisms of toxicity and to identify an unknown sample through its RNA expression pattern, groups of male Wistar rats were administered 6 hepatotoxicants. The compounds chosen for this study were microcystin‐LR (MLR), phenobarbital (PB), lipopolysaccharide (LPS), carbon tetrachloride (CT), thioacetamide (THA), and cyproterone acetate (CPA). These hepatotoxicants are known to induce adverse liver effects through different mechanisms. Liver mRNA was isolated and used to generate biotinylated cRNA for hybridization to a custom 1,600–rat gene DNA microarray. Treatment correlation matrices analyzed hybridization data from a hepatotoxicant‐blinded sample, with gene expression coefficients (GEC) evaluated by means of hierarchical cluster analysis and visual representation as dendrograms. The experimental liver toxicity from the different treatments was confirmed by means of concurrent histopathology, liver enzymes, and bilirubin assays. This toxico genomic analysis identified multiple genes and groups of genes that were affected by the hepatotoxicants on study, indicating that high‐density microarray expression data are useful to identify groups of genes involved in toxicity. In addition, the mRNA expression profile of an unidentified sample can be accurately identified when compared with the expression profiles resident in the data set. This study supports the use of gene expression–profiling technology to determine or to predict toxic liver effects. (HEPATOLOGY 2001;33:1239‐1258.)
Merging Time‐Series Australian Data Across Databases: Challenges and Solutions

This study discusses the differences in company identification across sources of Australian data and raises important issues which should be considered prior to merging across databases. In particular, we show that the practice among accounting databases of overwriting prior identifiers used by a given company, with its most recent, results in failure to match data which actually exists. We suggest a method for reconciling these differences and show that our method results in a match rate of 97 percent with the Aspect company identification file, and 94 percent after missing accounting data is considered. This contrasts with a match rate of only 71 percent when performing a direct merge.
Systematic genetic dissection of PTS in Vibrio cholerae uncovers a novel glucose transporter and a limited role for PTS during infection of a mammalian host

A common mechanism for high affinity carbohydrate uptake in microbial species is the phosphoenolpyruvate‐dependent phosphotransferase system (PTS). This system consists of a shared component, EI, which is required for all PTS transport, and numerous carbohydrate uptake transporters. In Vibrio cholerae, there are 13 distinct PTS transporters. Due to genetic redundancy within this system, the carbohydrate specificity of each of these transporters is not currently defined. Here, using multiplex genome editing by natural transformation (MuGENT), we systematically dissect PTS transport in V. cholerae. Specifically, we generated a mutant strain that lacks all 13 PTS transporters, and from this strain, we created a panel of mutants where each expresses a single transporter. Using this panel, we have largely defined the carbohydrate specificities of each PTS transporter. In addition, this analysis uncovered a novel glucose transporter. We have further defined the mechanism of this transporter and characterized its regulation. Using our 13 PTS transporter mutant, we also provide the first clear evidence that carbohydrate transport by the PTS is not essential during infection in an infant mouse model of cholera. In summary, this study shows how multiplex genome editing can be used to rapidly dissect complex biological systems and genetic redundancy in microbial systems.
A Peptide Derived from a β2-Adrenergic Receptor Transmembrane Domain Inhibits Both Receptor Dimerization and Activation*

One of the assumptions of the mobile receptor hypothesis as it relates to G protein-coupled receptors is that the stoichiometry of receptor, G protein, and effector is 1:1:1 (Bourne, H. R., Sanders, D. A., and McCormick, F. (1990) Nature 348, 125–132). Many studies on the cooperativity of agonist binding are incompatible with this notion and have suggested that both G proteins and their associated receptors can be oligomeric. However, a clear physical demonstration that G protein-coupled receptors can indeed interact as dimers and that such interactions may have functional consequences was lacking. Here, using differential epitope tagging we demonstrate that β2-adrenergic receptors do form SDS-resistant homodimers and that transmembrane domain VI of the receptor may represent part of an interface for receptor dimerization. The functional importance of dimerization is supported by the observation that a peptide derived from this domain that inhibits dimerization also inhibits β-adrenergic agonist-promoted stimulation of adenylyl cyclase activity. Moreover, agonist stimulation was found to stabilize the dimeric state of the receptor, while inverse agonists favored the monomeric species, which suggests that interconversion between monomeric and dimeric forms may be important for biological activity.
Radiofrequency and microwave bioelectromagnetic interactions: State of the art and future perspectives

A general view of the recent bioelectromagnetic research and of its future perspectives is presented in this paper. Indeed open issues on the effects of radiofrequency and microwave low-level chronic exposure need further scientific clarifications. In this context, recent epidemiological studies are discussed as well as human, animal and cellular investigations. Prospective cohort studies of children and adolescents are one of the most important priorities for epidemiology. For human studies, provocation investigations devoted to identity possible neurobiological mechanisms underlying any RF field effects on the adults and children brain seem the most significant issue, whilst for animal studies open questions are mainly related to the possible greater sensitivity on early-life and prenatal stage to RF and MW exposure.
Asset prices, macro prudential regulation, and monetary policy

Confidence in combining inflation-targeting-cum-flexible-exchange-rate regimes with isolated micro prudential regulation as a means to guarantee both macroeconomic and financial stability has been shattered by the scale and synchronization of the asset price booms and busts that preceded the global financial crisis. It has now become clear that if monetary policy makers and prudential regulators are to succeed in achieving stability, there can be no complacency regarding asset price cycles. This note explores some of the ways in which monetary policy can address asset price booms and busts through its integration with macro prudential regulation.
Modelling the demand for loans to the private sector in the euro area

This article studies the determinants of loans to the private sector in the euro area. Using the Johansen methodology, the study identifies one cointegrating relationship linking real loans, GDP and interest rates. This relationship implies that in the long-run real loans are positively related to real GDP and negatively to real short-term and long-term interest rates. Both the signs and the magnitude of the coefficients suggest that the cointegrating vector describes a long-run demand equation. The short-run dynamics of the demand for euro area real loans is subsequently modelled by means of a Vector Error Correction Model (VECM). A number of specification tests performed on the VECM produce satisfactory results, with tests of stability of the model parameters showing no signs of structural breaks during the sample period (1980: 1–1999: 2). All of this suggests that developments in real loans to the private sector in the euro area can be reasonably explained by the model.
Model-based extremum seeking for a class of nonlinear systems

In this paper we consider extremum seeking for plants that can be represented as a series connection of an integrator chain and an unknown nonlinear system. Using recent results on singularly perturbed Lie bracket approximations we develop an extremum seeking scheme that exploits the special structure of the plant. We illustrate our results by means of a source-seeking example for double integrator vehicles.
The design of a novel wideband up-converter module in millimeter wave

In this paper, a novel wideband up-converter module applied in millimeter wave is proposed. The local signal (LO) of 13∼17GHz is feed into an active multiplier through a SMA connector, and the output signal of 26∼34GHz is then mixed with an intermediate frequency signal (IF) of 6GHz±0.5GHz through another SMA connector. Thus, the RF signal of 32∼40GHz is considered as the final output signal with 5∼10dBm power range, 55dBc spurious spectrum suppression in −40∼+55°C. And, to inhibit unwanted signals, the switching filtering component is employed based on waveguide filter. Finally, the thin film planner filter is designed to reduce the size without deteriorating the index of the mixing module.
β‐Amyloid‐induced neuronal apoptosis requires c‐Jun N‐terminal kinase activation

β‐Amyloid (Aβ) has been strongly implicated in the pathophysiology of Alzheimer's disease (AD), but the means by which the aggregated form of this molecule induces neuronal death have not been fully defined. Here, we examine the role of the c‐Jun N‐terminal kinases (JNKs) and of their substrate, c‐Jun, in the death of cultured neuronal PC12 cells and sympathetic neurons evoked by exposure to aggregated Aβ. The activities of JNK family members increased in neuronal PC12 cells within 2 h of Aβ treatment and reached 3–4‐fold elevation by 6 h. To test the role of these changes in death caused by Aβ, we examined the effects of CEP‐1347 (KT7515), an indolocarbazole that selectively blocks JNK activation. Inclusion of CEP‐1347 (100–300 nm) in the culture medium effectively blocked the increases in cellular JNK activity caused by Aβ and, at similar concentrations, protected both PC12 cells and sympathetic neurons from Aβ‐evoked‐death. Effective protection required addition of CEP‐1347 within 2 h of Aβ treatment, indicating that the JNK pathway acts relatively proximally and as a trigger in the death mechanism. A dominant‐negative c‐Jun construct also conferred protection from Aβ‐evoked death, supporting a model in which JNK activation contributes to death via activation of c‐Jun. Finally, CEP‐1347 blocked Aβ‐stimulated activation of caspase‐2 and ‐3, placing these downstream of JNK activation. These observations implicate the JNK pathway as a required element in death evoked by Aβ and hence identify it as a potential therapeutic target in AD.
Serendipity-empowered path planning for predictive task completion

People spend a great deal of time driving and performing daily tasks. Although a number of studies have focused on personalized path planning and task management, people tend to miss out on the opportunities to complete some tasks that could be accomplished on their regular drive. We are interested in supporting serendipity: completing other necessary tasks on the way to a destination. As there are a number of places to complete tasks around a driver's regular commute, combining tasks and regular paths gives people opportunities to find places where they can complete tasks without extra planning and time. For this purpose, we propose a serendipity-empowered path recommendation that combines daily tasks with drivers' regular routes for predictive task completion. The proposed approach first generates a number of diverse or serendipitous paths by iteratively extending routes to consider the given tasks of drivers and corresponding point of interests. It then selects the best path by ranking the serendipitous routes with their properties. Using the best path, users are then able to perform their daily tasks on the way to their originally planned destination. We evaluated the proposed approach by modeling regular routes and tasks from 12 local drivers, and simulating serendipitous routes with a simulation prototype. We found that using serendipitous routes reduced the number of trips and time required for completing the tasks. We also found that the drivers tended to do their tasks when they moved from their office to their home and had no preferred ranking strategy for selecting the best route.
Theory of graphitic boron nitride nanotubes.

Based upon the similarities in properties between carbon- and BN-based (BN=boron nitride) materials, we propose that BN-based nanotubes can be stable and study their electronic structure. A simple Slater-Koster tight-binding scheme has been applied. All the BN nanotubes are found to be semiconducting materials. The band gaps are larger than 2 eV for most tubes. Depending on the helicity, the calculated band gap can be direct at [Gamma] or indirect. In general, the larger the diameter of the nanotube the larger the band gap, with a saturation value corresponding to the calculated local-density-approximation band gap of hexagonal BN. The higher ionicity of BN is important in explaining the electronic differences between these tubes and similar carbon nanotubes.
An Extensible Multilingual Open Source Lemmatizer

We present GATE DictLemmatizer, a multilingual open source lemmatizer for the GATE NLP framework that currently supports English, German, Italian, French, Dutch, and Spanish, and is easily extensible to other languages. The software is freely available under the LGPL license. The lemmatization is based on the Helsinki Finite-State Transducer Technology (HFST) and lemma dictionaries automatically created from Wiktionary. We evaluate the performance of the lemmatizers against TreeTagger, which is only freely available for research purposes. Our evaluation shows that DictLemmatizer achieves similar or even better results than TreeTagger for languages where there is support from HFST. The performance drops when there is no support from HFST and the entire lemmatization process is based on lemma dictionaries. However, the results are still satisfactory given the fact that DictLemmatizer isopen-source and can be easily extended to other languages. The software for extending the lemmatizer by creating word lists from Wiktionary dictionaries is also freely available as open-source software.
European Economic and Monetary Union’s perverse effects on sectoral wage inflation: Negative feedback effects from institutional change?

Public sector unions push for unmerited wage increases, exacerbating inflation and deficits. Despite this conventional wisdom, governments in several European countries successfully limited public sector wage growth during the 1980s and 1990s. This article argues that the recent rise in public sector wage inflation in the eurozone is an unintended consequence of the shift towards Economic and Monetary Union. I argue that monetary union’s predecessors, the European Monetary System and Maastricht, imposed an institutional constraint on governments, which enhanced their ability to impose moderation: national-level, inflation-averse central banks that could punish rent-seeking sectoral wage-setters via monetary contraction. Monetary union’s alteration of this constraint weakened governments’ capabilities to deny inflationary settlements.