Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Acute exacerbations of asthma: epidemiology, biology and the exacerbation‐prone phenotype

Asthma is a highly prevalent chronic respiratory disease affecting 300 million people world‐wide. A significant fraction of the cost and morbidity of asthma derives from acute care for asthma exacerbations. In the United States alone, there are approximately 15 million outpatient visits, 2 million emergency room visits, and 500 000 hospitalizations each year for management of acute asthma. Common respiratory viruses, especially rhinoviruses, cause the majority of exacerbations in children and adults. Infection of airway epithelial cells with rhinovirus causes the release of pro‐inflammatory cytokines and chemokines, as well as recruitment of inflammatory cells, particularly neutrophils, lymphocytes, and eosinophils. The host response to viral infection is likely to influence susceptibility to asthma exacerbation. Having had at least one exacerbation is an important risk factor for recurrent exacerbations suggesting an ‘exacerbation‐prone’ subset of asthmatics. Factors underlying the ‘exacerbation‐prone’ phenotype are incompletely understood but include extrinsic factors: cigarette smoking, medication non‐compliance, psychosocial factors, and co‐morbidities such as gastroesophageal reflux disease, rhinosinusitis, obesity, and intolerance to non‐steroidal anti‐inflammatory medications; as well as intrinsic factors such as deficient epithelial cell production of the anti‐viral type I interferons (IFN‐α and IFN‐β). A better understanding of the biologic mechanisms of host susceptibility to recurrent exacerbations will be important for developing more effective preventions and treatments aimed at reducing the significant cost and morbidity associated with this important global health problem.
BMP-induced reprogramming of the neural retina into retinal pigment epithelium requires Wnt signalling

ABSTRACT In vertebrates, the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) and photoreceptors of the neural retina (NR) comprise a functional unit required for vision. During vertebrate eye development, a conversion of the RPE into NR can be induced by growth factors in vivo at optic cup stages, but the reverse process, the conversion of NR tissue into RPE, has not been reported. Here, we show that bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) signalling can reprogram the NR into RPE at optic cup stages in chick. Shortly after BMP application, expression of Microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (Mitf) is induced in the NR and selective cell death on the basal side of the NR induces an RPE-like morphology. The newly induced RPE differentiates and expresses Melanosomalmatrix protein 115 (Mmp115) and RPE65. BMP-induced Wnt2b expression is observed in regions of the NR that become pigmented. Loss of function studies show that conversion of the NR into RPE requires both BMP and Wnt signalling. Simultaneous to the appearance of ectopic RPE tissue, BMP application reprogrammed the proximal RPE into multi-layered retinal tissue. The newly induced NR expresses visual segment homeobox-containing gene (Vsx2), and the ganglion and photoreceptor cell markers Brn3α and Visinin are detected. Our results show that high BMP concentrations are required to induce the conversion of NR into RPE, while low BMP concentrations can still induce transdifferentiation of the RPE into NR. This knowledge may contribute to the development of efficient standardized protocols for RPE and NR generation for cell replacement therapies. Summary: The bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) are key regulators in cell reprogramming during regeneration of the neural retina and retinal pigment epithelium in the embryonic chick.
Determinants of Touristic Attraction in Portuguese Regions and Their Impact on GDP

The tourism sector is considered a powerful stimulator of national economies because it affects those economic sectors associated with it, and at the same time creates jobs, increases domestic demand, contributes positively to the balance of payments and allows a better reallocation of wealth. Recognizing this importance, it becomes relevant to investigate the impact of tourism in Portugal at the regional level in order to compare the different Portuguese regions and identify their determinants of attraction. After characterizing the Portuguese tourism market, the authors undertake an empirical analysis, based on a panel data analysis for the Portuguese regions classified by NUTs II and for the period 1990–2007. The results suggest that Lisbon is the region that contributes most to Portuguese GDP because its tourism product is more differentiated.
Freight Integration in Liner Shipping: A Strategy Serving Global Production Networks

Container shipping lines are well aware of the growing importance of global production networks. While continuing to focus on improving the fundamentals, many shipping lines have developed a keen interest in other segments of the logistics and transportation market to offer integrated and worldwide services to global production networks. This paper aims to assess the overall level of freight integration in thirty-four shipping lines, and provides an insight into the extent to which freight integration serves as a business model in liner shipping. The results point to a great variety and range of freight integration in the shipping business. Each carrier leverages its service portfolio to develop specific capabilities. There is clearly no single best strategy for the whole liner shipping industry to serve global production networks. Copyright 2006 Blackwell Publishing.
Genetic association of physically unlinked islands of genomic divergence in incipient species of Anopheles gambiae

Previous efforts to uncover the genetic underpinnings of ongoing ecological speciation of the M and S forms of the African malaria vector Anopheles gambiae revealed two centromere‐proximal islands of genetic divergence on X and chromosome 2. Under the assumption of considerable ongoing gene flow between M and S, these persistently divergent genomic islands were widely considered to be ‘speciation islands’. In the course of microarray‐based divergence mapping, we discovered a third centromere‐associated island of divergence on chromosome 3, which was validated by targeted re‐sequencing. To test for genetic association between the divergence islands on all three chromosomes, SNP‐based assays were applied in four natural populations of M and S spanning West, Central and East Africa. Genotyping of 517 female M and S mosquitoes revealed nearly complete linkage disequilibrium between the centromeres of the three independently assorting chromosomes. These results suggest that despite the potential for inter‐form gene flow through hybridization, actual (realized) gene flow between M and S may be substantially less than commonly assumed and may not explain most shared variation. Moreover, the possibility of very low gene flow calls into question whether diverged pericentromeric regions—characterized by reduced levels of variation and recombination—are in fact instrumental rather than merely incidental to the speciation process.
Using Smartphones in Supply Chains

Summary Using Smartphones in Supply Chains Mobile phones have settled in our lives for good. The technological development made them actual miniature computers with significant computing capability and many diverse functions, which earned them the name „smartphones”. They create new possibilities of application, also in business environments. As it turns out, already today smartphones are the most popular mobile devices used in supply chain management. Surely, as versatile and multi-functional devices, they will gain even larger share in the implementation of business tasks in the foreseeable future. The purpose of this paper is to describe the potential areas in supply chain management smartphones can be used in, compared to the current trends. The specified examples of application will be used to draw conclusions regarding the expected effects of use and most promising areas of implementation. These deliberations will be put in a wider social context, which is inevitable if we are to treat the consumer as the last link in the supply chain which, owing to the reported demand, is becoming a causative factor in all flows of goods. Streszczenie Wykorzystanie smartfonów w łańcuchach dostaw Telefony komórkowe na dobre zagościły w naszym życiu. Ich rozwój doprowadził do tego, że obecnie stanowią one zminiaturyzowane komputery o sporych możliwościach obliczeniowych i wielu rozmaitych funkcjach, zwane smartfonami. Otwierają się nowe możliwości wykorzystania tych urządzeń - także w biznesie. Jak się okazuje już dzisiaj smartfony cieszą się największą popularnością pośród urządzeń mobilnych wykorzystywanych w zarządzaniu łańcuchem dostaw. Z pewnością jako wszechstronne urządzenia wielofunkcyjne zwiększą one jeszcze swój udział w realizacji zadań biznesowych w tym obszarze w najbliższych latach. Celem artykułu jest charakterystyka potencjalnych obszarów wykorzyst smartfonów w zarządzaniu łańcuchem dostaw na tle aktualnych tendencji. Przywołane przykłady wykorzystania posłużą do sformułowania wniosków na temat spodziewanych efektów implementacji i najbardziej obiecujących obszarów wdrożeń. Rozważaniom będzie towarzyszyć szerszy, społeczny kontekst, co jest nieuniknione jeśli traktować konsumenta jako ostatnie ogniwo łańcucha dostaw, które poprzez zgłaszany popyt staje się czynnikiem sprawczym wszelkich przepływów rzeczowych.
Further evidence on the predictability of international equity returns

hl uation measures such as dividend yields and price-toMSCI national equity indexes: earnings ratios are useful predictors of international equity returns. ' The purpose of this study is to present empirical evidence of the forecasting power of price-to-cash flow ratios and to show that the tendency of undervalued stocks to outperform overvalued stocks over the long term can be exploited in the construction of global equity portfolios by implementing allocation strategies based on stock prices in relation to cash learnings. Many successful value investors in the United States have focused on price-to-earnings ratios to achieve above-average portfolio returns, because they are easily obtainable and easy to apply. International investors, who have to contend with considerable differences in accounting and reporting practices between individual countries, have found price-tocash flow ratios to be even more reliable and useful measures of investment value. As cash flow is a function of the operations of a company rather than the result of inflation or accounting gimmickry, it also introduces an element of quality into the earnings picture that is sometimes missing in a narrowly defined earnings concept. Australia Austria Belgium Canada Denmark France Germany Hong Kong Italy -Japan Netherlands Norway Singapore/Malaysia Spain Sweden Switzerland United Kingdom USA.
Temperature sensing circuits in CMOS-SOI technology

This paper compares various circuits allowing on-line temperature measurement and monitoring implemented in CMOS-SOI technology. Firstly, we discuss two architectures implementing an integrated circuit that generates an accurate output current or voltage proportional to the absolute temperature, i.e. PTAT. Secondly, we propose another type of integrated circuit that uses the MOSFET threshold voltage to determine the chip local temperature, namely Vt extractor circuit. The accuracy, linearity, sensitivity and calibration problems of the different circuits are discussed and compared with each other in the temperature range of 300K-420K. It is shown that threshold voltage extractor circuits are very appropriate to determine the temperature of low power, analog and mixed-signal designs due to their accuracy, low power consumption and no need for calibration. The circuits have been fabricated using 1μm partially depleted (PD) CMOS-SOI technology, and their accuracy has been experimentally verified by comparing simulated and measured results.
FORECASTING PERFORMANCE OF AN ESTIMATED DSGE MODEL FOR THE SOUTH AFRICAN ECONOMY

We construct a small open-economy New Keynesian dynamic stochastic general equilibrium (DSGE) model for South Africa with nominal rigidities, incomplete international risk sharing and partial exchange rate pass-through. The parameters of the model are estimated using Bayesian methods, and its out-of-sample forecasting performance is compared with Bayesian vector autoregression (VAR), classical VAR and random-walk models. Our results indicate that the DSGE model generates forecasts that are competitive with those from other models, and it contributes statistically significant information to combined forecast measures.
Women with bipolar illness: clinical and research issues.

OBJECTIVE The purpose of this article is to review the literature concerning gender differences in the course of bipolar illness and discuss issues relevant to the treatment of women with the illness. METHOD The literature concerning the following topics is reviewed: gender differences in the course of bipolar illness; effects of the female reproductive cycle on the course of bipolar illness; special considerations in the treatment of bipolar women (focusing on the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal and hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid axes); and hypotheses to explain the greater prevalence of rapid cycling among bipolar women than among bipolar men. RESULTS Data clearly indicate that rapid cycling is more common among bipolar women. Data also suggest that bipolar women may have more depressive episodes (and fewer manic episodes) and may be more likely to suffer from mixed (as opposed to pure) mania than bipolar men. While it is clear that bipolar women are at high risk for postpartum episodes, the effects of other reproductive system events (i.e., puberty, menstrual cycle, pregnancy, menopause, use of oral contraceptives or hormone replacement therapy) on the course or treatment of bipolar illness have received little systematic study. It is unclear whether women are at higher risk than men for developing lithium-induced hypothyroidism. Higher rates of hypothyroidism, greater use of antidepressants, and gonadal steroid effects are possible explanations for the greater prevalence of rapid cycling among bipolar women. CONCLUSIONS Gender differences in bipolar illness and the effects of the female reproductive system on the course and treatment of the illness deserve more study. The importance of a longitudinal approach to these questions is emphasized.
Variation in Property Tax Abatement Programs Among States

This research provides an exhaustive review of U.S. property tax abatement programs and identifies and compares critical structural differences of abatement programs across states. Program differences are much greater than the existing literature recognizes. As a result, perhaps the most comprehensive database on the diversity of property tax abatements is offered to practitioners who are considering the design of a new abatement program or the revision of an existing one, as well as to researchers interested in furthering research on the effectiveness of this policy tool. For each of the identified abatement program features, advantages and disadvantages are discussed in light of existing literature.
URINE SAMPLING TECHNIQUES FOR CAPTIVE WHITE-TAILED DEER

Three urine sampling techniques were employed in nutritional experiments with captive white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus). Urethral catheterization permitted successful urine collection from females. Furosemide induced urination in male fawns 36.4 ±3.1 min (SE) after injection. Significant (P<0.05) variation in the responses of individual fawns to this drug were detected. Xylazine hydrochloride induced urination in adult males 91.8 ± 4.7 min after injection. Significant (P<0.01) differences in responses to this drug were detected among individual deer and sample months. The applicability of these urine sampling techniques is discussed.
Dissemination in distinct Brazilian regions of an epidemic carbapenem-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa producing SPM metallo-beta-lactamase.

BACKGROUND In Brazil, carbapenem use has been limited by high carbapenem-resistance rates among Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates. OBJECTIVE The main objective of this study was to evaluate the presence of an epidemic P. aeruginosa strain in unrelated Brazilian hospitals. We also aimed to search for the gene blaSPM, which encodes production of SPM, a novel metallo-beta-lactamase (MBL). METHODS A reference broth microdilution method was used for antimicrobial susceptibility testing. The isolates were typed by ribotyping and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). A disc-approximation test using MBL inhibitors was employed to screen isolates for MBL production. PCR was used to search for the gene blaSPM. RESULTS A total of 43 clinical isolates of carbapenem-resistant P. aeruginosa were collected from 12 hospitals. Colistin retained greatest activity in vitro. A single ribogroup included 17 P. aeruginosa isolates (39.5%) collected from seven unrelated hospitals located in five Brazilian states. Sixteen of these isolates showed an identical PFGE pattern, and 15 produced an SPM-1-like MBL. The remaining 26 isolates were grouped into 25 diverse ribogroups; none were MBL producers. CONCLUSIONS The emergence and dissemination of an epidemic clone has contributed to the high carbapenem resistance rates among P. aeruginosa isolates in Brazil. In addition, the production of SPM MBL has an important role in carbapenem resistance in this region. This is the first report of dissemination of an SPM-1-like-MBL-producing strain of P. aeruginosa among unrelated Brazilian hospitals.
Welfare Rankings of the Distribution of Earnings in Italy

The aim of this article is to compare the economic well-being associated to the distribution of earnings in Italy. To this purpose, dominance techniques are extensively used to minimize the disagreement about the set of social values introduced into the analysis. We will show that even in a simple economic framework, dominance conditions do not allow extensive ranking. Indeed, unanimous welfare prescriptions are hardly achieved at any dimension, which means that more specific indicators are needed to allow a rank on the basis of specific value judgments. Using the Analysis of Gini (ANOGI), we are able to show that differences among regional distributions accentuate over time, confirming the persistence of the Italian dualism among geographical areas.
Gem Depletion: Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Spinal Muscular Atrophy Crossover

The determining factor of spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), the most common motor neuron degenerative disease of childhood, is the survival motor neuron (SMN) protein. SMN and its Gemin associates form a complex that is indispensible for the biogenesis of small nuclear ribonucleoproteins (snRNPs), which constitute the building blocks of spliceosomes. It is as yet unclear whether a decreased capacity of SMN in snRNP assembly, and, hence, transcriptome abnormalities, account for the specific neuromuscular phenotype in SMA. Across metazoa, the SMN‐Gemins complex concentrates in multiple nuclear gems that frequently neighbour or overlap Cajal bodies. The number of gems has long been known to be a faithful indicator of SMN levels, which are linked to SMA severity. Intriguingly, a flurry of recent studies have revealed that depletion of this nuclear structure is also a signature feature of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), the most common adult‐onset motor neuron disease. This review discusses such a surprising crossover in addition to highlighting the most recent work on the intricate world of spliceosome building, which seems to be at the heart of motor neuron physiology and survival.
A Survey of Cache Coherence Schemes for Multiprocessors

Schemes for cache coherence that exhibit various degrees of hardware complexity, ranging from protocols that maintain coherence in hardware, to software policies that prevent the existence of copies of shared, writable data, are surveyed. Some examples of the use of shared data are examined. These examples help point out a number of performance issues. Hardware protocols are considered. It is seen that consistency can be maintained efficiently, although in some cases with considerable hardware complexity, especially for multiprocessors with many processors. Software schemes are investigated as an alternative capable of reducing the hardware cost. >
Technological Change in Large U.S. Commercial Banks

This article examines technological change, its relationship to firm size, and its impact on the efficient scale of output and product mix for large U.S. commercial banks. The results suggest that technological change lowered real costs by about one percent per year, increased the cost-minimizing scale of outputs, and affected product mix. The authors do not find support for the Galbraith-Schumpeter hypothesis. This suggests that the largest banks cannot use innovation alone to outpace smaller banks. The major implications are that public policies allowing freer banking combinations do not necessarily run counter to the public interest. Copyright 1991 by University of Chicago Press.
Burden of Recurrent Respiratory Tract Infections in Children: A Prospective Cohort Study

Background: The burden of recurrent respiratory infections is unclear. We identified young children with recurrent respiratory infections in order to characterize the clinical manifestations, risk factors and short-term consequences. Methods: In this prospective cohort study, 1089 children were followed from birth to 2 years of age for respiratory infections by a daily symptom diary. Nasal swabs taken during respiratory infections were analyzed for viruses from 714 children. Nasopharyngeal swabs collected at 2 months of age were cultured for bacteria. The 10% of children with the highest number of annual respiratory illness days were defined to have recurrent respiratory tract infections. Results: The 90th percentile in the number of annual respiratory illness days was 98. Children above this limit (n = 109) had a median of 9.6 acute respiratory infections per year. Rhinovirus was detected in 58% of their infections. Of the children with recurrent infections, 60% were diagnosed with at least 3 episodes of acute otitis media, 73% received at least 3 antibiotic treatments and 21% were hospitalized for an acute respiratory infection. Tympanostomy was performed for 35% and adenoidectomy for 13% of the children. Asthma was diagnosed in 12% by 24 months of age. Older siblings increased the risk of recurrent respiratory infections. Early nasopharyngeal colonization with Streptococcus pneumoniae was common in children who later developed recurrent infections. Conclusions: Children with recurrent respiratory infections frequently use health care services and antibiotics, undergo surgical procedures and are at risk for asthma in early life. Having older siblings increases the risk of recurrent infections.
Chasing value offerings through green supply chain innovation

Purpose – The need for innovations to achieve economically viable and green supply chains has been illuminated in recent literature. Closed‐loop supply chains are part of green supply chain management and include traditional forward supply‐chain activities as well as additional activities of the reverse supply chain. Extant supply chain literature calls for a chain perspective in order to avoid sub‐optimization in the chain since changes at one stage can affect the performance at other stages. The purpose of the paper is to analyze how implementation of green supply chain innovations can enhance value offerings along the supply chain.Design/methodology/approach – This research is based on an explorative, single‐embedded case study of a food supply chain. The case is concerned with implementation of green supply chain innovation in terms of biogas technology. The single case comprises four actors in the food supply chain: a retailer, an industrial bakery, a mill, and a farmer. Data collection is based on s.