Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Attenuation of Aqueous Benzene in Soils under Saturated Flow Conditions

The fate of aqueous benzene in subsurface was investigated in this study, focusing on the role of sorption and biodegradation on the benzene attenuation under dynamic flow conditions. Two sets of column tests were conducted in Plexiglass flow cells packed uniformly with sandy aquifer materials. The first set of the experiment was conducted with a step-type injection of benzene with different powder activated carbon (PAC) contents: (1) PAC = 0 %; (2) PAC = 0.5 %; (3) PAC = 2.0 %. The second set was performed as a pulse-type with different test conditions: (4) benzene; (5) benzene and bacteria (Pseudomonas aeruginosa); (6) benzene and bacteria (P. aeruginosa) with hydrogen peroxide. In addition, numerical experiments were performed to examine the role of sorption processes on the benzene attenuation. In the step mode experiments, the KCl breakthrough curves (BTCs) reached the input concentration while the benzene BTCs were considerably lower than those of KCl with slight retardation for all cases, indicating that both reversible/retardation and irreversible sorption occurred. The pulse type tests showed that attenuation of benzene increased in the presence of bacteria due to biodegradation. The benzene attenuation by microbial degradation increased furthermore in the presence of hydrogen peroxide owing to sufficient supply of dissolved oxygen in soil column. Numerical experiments demonstrated that retardation could not contribute to the attenuation of benzene in soils but could only extend its breakthrough time. Experimental results indicated that aqueous benzene could be attenuated by irreversible sorption and biodegradation during transport through the subsurface. Additionally, the attenuation of aqueous benzene is closely related to organic carbon content and oxygen level existing in contaminated aquifers.
A Military Revolution?: Military Change and European Society, 1550-1800

Preface - MILITARY CHANGE - Theory of the Military Revolution - 1560-1660 Reassessed - Change 1660-1760 - THE LIMITATIONS OF CHANGE, 1660-1760 - Constraints, 1660-1760 - Limited Operations? - Colonial Conflict - The Coming of Revolution - MILITARY CHANGE AND EUROPEAN SOCIETY - Absolutism and Military Change - A Militarized Society? - Conclusion
Partial purification and substrate analysis of bacterially expressed HIV protease by means of monoclonal antibody.

Retroviruses code for a specific protease which is essential for polyprotein precursor processing and viral infectivity. The HIV‐specific protease has been predicted to be an aspartic protease which is located at the amino terminus of the pol gene. We have prepared several constructs for bacterial expression of the protease. Two of them span the whole protease region and result in its autocatalytic activation. Analysis of the dynamics of this activation indicates a two‐step process which starts at the carboxy terminus and ends at the amino terminus of the protease. The activated protease is a molecule of 9 kd as evidenced by monoclonal antibody in immunoblot analysis. A construct in which the carboxy terminus of the protease is deleted results in a stable, enzymatically inactive 27‐kd protein which proved useful as substrate since it contains one of the predicted cleavage sites. The stability of this protein indicates that the carboxy‐terminal sequences of the protease are essential for its activity and its autocatalytic activation. The protease which is very hydrophobic was solubilized by acetone treatment and passaged over ultrogel and propylagarose columns for partial purification. It elutes as a dimer and tends to aggregate. It is inhibited by pepstatin A in agreement with its expected active site and its theoretical classification as aspartic protease. Cleavage of the gag precursor results in the mature capsid protein, p17. The protease does not, however, cleave the denatured 27‐kd substrate or the denatured gag precursor. Therefore its specificity appears to be not solely sequence‐ but also conformation‐dependent. This property needs to be taken into account for the development of protease inhibitors for therapy of AIDS.
[Intestinal infection and irritable bowel syndrome].

OBJECTIVE To determine whether intestinal infection plays a role on the pathogenesis of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). METHODS 295 patients who had no previous history of functional bowel disorder had received treatment for dysentery (n = 235) or for acute bowel infection at the hospital between April-October, 1998, were followed up for 1 - 2 years and evaluated for their subsequent bowel habits. A cohort study of 243 subjects using their siblings, husbands or wives who did not have dysentery or acute bowel infection at the same period was taken as control. Furthermore, the contents of mRNAs of IL-1alpha, IL-1beta and IL-1ra in the mucosa at the terminal ileum and recto-sigmoid junctions were determined and compared using RT-PCR method in 30 IBS patients and 12 controls. RESULTS (1) Sixty-six (22.4%) patients were reported to have functional bowel disturbance, and 24 (8.1% total and 10.2% among cases of dysentery) developed IBS in the study group, whereas, only 7.4% had altered bowel habit and 0.8% had IBS in the control group (P < 0.01). (2) The risk of having functional bowel disturbance was higher in patients who suffered from a longer duration (> 8 d, OR = 3.5) of dysentery. (3) The IL-1beta mRNA level in the mucosa of terminal ileum and recto-sigmoid junction of IBS patients with dysentery was higher than that of controls and IBS patients without dysentery (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION Intestinal infection plays a role on the pathogenesis of IBS through some immunological factors.
Bezafibrate, A Peroxisome Proliferator-activated Receptor (PPAR)-&agr; Activator, Prevents Pancreatic Degeneration in Obese and Diabetic Rats

Introduction Damage to the exocrine pancreas has been observed in patients and animals with hyperlipidemia and hyperglycemia. Bezafibrate, a peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)-&agr; activator, has been shown to improve lipid and glucose metabolism, and to interfere with the inflammatory response. Aim To examine the effects of bezafibrate on exocrine pancreas in hyperlipidemic obese and diabetic Otsuka Long-Evans Tokushima Fatty (OLETF) rats that have no cholecystokinin-1 receptor gene expression. Methodology One group of rats (n = 8) received a bezafibrate-rich diet (150 mg/100 g normal chow) from 12 weeks of age until 30 weeks of age, whereas a control group (n = 8) received standard rat chow. Results Bezafibrate treatment significantly reduced serum triglyceride, total cholesterol, and free fatty acids levels and significantly increased the pancreatic wet weight (1,145 ± 54 vs 874 ± 33 mg/rat, p < 0.01), and protein (169 ± 7 vs 128 ± 11 mg/pancreas p < 0.01) and enzyme contents in the pancreas compared with those in untreated control rats. Immunohistochemical studies of the pancreas showed that expression of proinflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor-&agr;, interleukin-1&bgr; and interleukin-6, and &agr;-smooth muscle actin in bezafibrate-treated rats was greatly suppressed compared with that in the untreated control rats. The histopathologic changes such as vacuolar degeneration and tubular complexes observed in the control rat pancreas were markedly improved in bezafibrate-treated rats. Conclusions Our results suggest that bezafibrate reduces hyperlipidemia, inhibits pancreatic inflammation, and prevents pancreatic degeneration in obese and diabetic OLETF rats.
Repeated games with public information revisited

We consider repeated games with compact actions sets and pure strategies in which players commonly observe a public signal which reveals imperfectly the action profile. We characterize the set of payoffs profiles that can be sustained by a perfect equilibrium, as players become increasingly patient. There are two conditions: admissibility and joint rationality. An admissibly feasible payoff can be achieved by an action profile that offers no unilateral deviation which is both undetectable and profitable. It is jointly rational if for all weights on players, the weighted payoff is greater than or equal to the minmax level of the weighted payoff function. This characterization is alternative to the one provided by the " score method " of Fuden-berg and Levine (1994). We provide a simple construction of equilibrium strategies based on cooperation, punishments and rewards. Punishments rely on Blackwell's approachability algorithm.
Further optimisations of constant Q cepstral processing for integrated utterance and text-dependent speaker verification

Many authentication applications involving automatic speaker verification (ASV) demand robust performance using short-duration, fixed or prompted text utterances. Text constraints not only reduce the phone-mismatch between enrolment and test utterances, which generally leads to improved performance, but also provide an ancillary level of security. This can take the form of explicit utterance verification (UV). An integrated UV + ASV system should then verify access attempts which contain not just the expected speaker, but also the expected text content. This paper presents such a system and introduces new features which are used for both UV and ASV tasks. Based upon multi-resolution, spectro-temporal analysis and when fused with more traditional parameterisations, the new features not only generally outperform Mel-frequency cepstral coefficients, but also are shown to be complementary when fusing systems at score level. Finally, the joint operation of UV and ASV greatly decreases false acceptances for unmatched text trials.
The Employment Effects of the National Minimum Wage

This paper estimates the employment effects of the introduction of the UK National Minimum Wage in April 1999 and subsequent upratings in 2000 and 2001. It uses a difference-in-differences estimator based on position in the wage distribution. For the upratings an adjusted estimator is also introduced to allow for the possible differential response to the change in the macro employment trend. No significant adverse employment effects are found for any of these events for any of the estimators for any demographic group.
A note on forecasting the CAC 40 and DAX stock index futures

In this paper we extend the research on the predictability of stock and bond markets to futures markets. By using stock and bond market forecasting variables we build ex ante models of the MATIF CAC 40 and DFB DAX stock index futures contracts. Since it is possible to construct a practical trading rule from the out-of-sample forecasts from these models, we use these models as a valid test of the efficient market hypothesis. We find that while we can develop a profitable trading rule for the French contract, a similar profitable trading rule for the German contract cannot be developed. Our results appear to suggest that the stock index futures market in France appears to be weakly inefficient, while the German model may only represent spurious correlations between the forecasting variables and the DFB DAX contract.
The role of public capital in production

The impact of the stock of public capital on costs of production in the private sector is examined using annual data over the period 1958-89. A translog cost function is estimated and public capital is found to be a significant input. The estimates indicate that public capital has positive marginal product and that private and public capital are complements in production, rather than substitutes. Copyright 1992 by MIT Press.
Leiden LIS Sectoral Income Inequality Dataset

The Leiden LIS Sectoral Income Inequality Dataset contains information on multiple indicators of earnings inequality and employment within 9 sectors and 12 subsectors for 12 developed countries and 49 LIS waves between 1969 and 2005. We provide additional information of earnings and employment at the country level. This dataset draws upon data from the Luxembourg Income Study (LIS) micro dataset, which is a time series of household survey data containing information on earnings and employment, standardised across countries. The Leiden LIS Sectoral Income Inequality Dataset allows researchers and public policy analysts to compare sectoral earnings inequality and employment levels across developed countries over the last three decades, based on a standardised classification of sectors across countries and periods. The data can be linked to other sectoral databases, for instance to the OECD Structural Analysis (STAN) database. The database extends the work of Mahler, Jesuit, and Roscoe (1999) who calculate sectoral earnings inequality in 10 countries around the years 1985 and 1990.
The correlation between portal myofibroblasts and development of intrahepatic bile ducts and arterial branches in human liver.

BACKGROUND/AIMS The development of the intrahepatic bile ducts most likely requires interactions between epithelial and mesenchymal cells. In view of the epithelial-mesenchymal interactions between portal myofibroblasts (pMFs) and biliary epithelial cells in adult diseases of the bile ducts, we investigated the presence and function of pMFs during the development of intrahepatic bile ducts, as well as the development of intrahepatic branches of the hepatic artery. METHODS We performed haematoxylin-eosin-stainings and immunohistochemistry for alpha-smooth-muscle actin, cytokeratin 19 and vimentin on serial sections of 45 fetal and postnatal liver biopsies. RESULTS The mesenchyme of portal tracts in the ductal plate stage devoid of a hepatic artery branch, contained numerous and diffusely scattered pMFs. Portal tracts with a hepatic artery branch were always larger than those without and showed a decreasing number of pMFs. In the remodeling stage, all portal tracts contained a hepatic artery branch, and pMFs were restricted to the periductal mesenchyme. These periductal pMFs disappeared after full incorporation of the bile duct. CONCLUSION Our findings strongly suggest interactions between pMFs and epithelial cells of the developing bile ducts. The development of the intrahepatic arterial branches always precedes the incorporation of the tubular segments of the ductal plate.
Location, Decentralization, and Knowledge Sources for Innovation

When firms seek to innovate, they must decide where to locate their innovation activity. This location choice requires firms to make a simultaneous choice about the organizational structure of innovation activity: almost by definition, multiple locations per firm imply some degree of decentralization. We compare predictions of the knowledge-based view with the predictions of organizational economics regarding the location and decentralization of R&D. Using firm-level data on R&D locations in Finland, we examine the conditions under which firms with multiple R&D locations also have greater innovation output. Our results indicate that multilocation of R&D activity is positively associated with imitative innovation output and is strongly correlated with greater external knowledge sourcing. We also find that the positive association between multiple R&D locations and innovative output does not apply to new-to-the-market innovations. The results are consistent with the interpretation that multilocation of R&D enables firms to access a broad set of external sources of knowledge in pursuit of imitative rather than new-to-the market innovation. Moreover, these findings imply heterogeneity in R&D strategies between firms pursuing new-to-the-market innovation and firms pursuing imitative innovation. It is thus important to distinguish between new-to-the-market and imitative innovations, because their determinants may differ.
Rapid Upregulation of Aromatase mRNA and Protein Following Neural Injury in the Zebra Finch (Taeniopygia guttata)

The expression of aromatase (oestrogen synthase) within the vertebrate central nervous system (CNS) is key in the provision of local oestrogens to neural circuits. Aromatase expression appears to be exclusively neuronal under normal conditions. However, some in vitro studies suggest the presence of astrocytic aromatase in songbirds and mammals. Recently, aromatase in reactive astrocytes has been demonstrated in response to neural injury in the mammalian CNS. Since the glial aromatase expression first documented in cultures of the songbird telencephalon may reflect processes similar to those in response to mammalian neural injury, we investigated whether injury alters the pattern of aromatase‐expression in the zebra finch, a species with very high levels of forebrain aromatase expression. Adult males received a penetrating neural injury to the right hemisphere and were killed either 24 or 72 h later. Controls were anaesthetized and otherwise unmanipulated. We determined the expression of aromatase mRNA and protein using in situ hybridization and immunocytochemistry, respectively. Both the transcription and translation of aromatase is dramatically upregulated around the lesion site in response to neural injury in the zebra finch forebrain. This effect is robust and rapid, occurring within 24 h of the injury itself. Cells that upregulate aromatase appear to be reactive astrocytes based upon morphology. The hemisphere contralateral to the injury and both hemispheres in control birds showed the normal, exclusively neuronal pattern of aromatase expression. The upregulation of aromatase in astrocytes may provide high levels of oestrogen available to modulate processes such as CNS repair. Injury‐induced upregulation of astrocytic aromatase may be a general characteristic of the injured vertebrate brain.
An NF1-like Protein Functions as a Repressor of the von Willebrand Factor Promoter*

The expression of the von Willebrand factor (vWf) gene is restricted to endothelial cells and megakaryocytes. We have previously reported the identification of a region of the vWf gene that regulates its cell-type-specific expression in cell culture. This region (spanning nucleotides −487 to +247) consists of a core promoter (spanning nucleotides −90 to +22), a positive regulatory region (spanning nucleotides +155 to +247), and a negative regulatory region spanning nucleotides −312 to −487. To identify the trans-acting factor(s) that interacts with the negative regulatory region, we carried out gel mobility and DNase1 footprint analyses of sequences −312 to −487. These analyses demonstrated that an NF1-like protein interacts with DNA sequences spanning −440 to −470 nucleotides in the negative regulatory region of the vWf promoter. Base substitution mutations of the NF1 binding site abolished the NF1-DNA interaction. Furthermore, mutation of the NF1 binding site in the promoter fragment (−487 to +155) that contained the core and the negative regulatory region resulted in activation of the mutant promoter in both endothelial and nonendothelial cells. The wild type promoter fragment (−487 to +155) was not activated in either cell type. These results demonstrate that an NF1-like protein functions as a repressor of vWf promoter activity. In contrast, the mutation of the same NF1 binding site, but now in the context of the larger 734-base pair endothelial cell-specific promoter fragment (−487 to +247), did not result in promoter activation in nonendothelial cells. The data indicate that there are additional repressor elements within the vWf promoter region suppressing its activity specifically, in nonendothelial cells, and suggest that there is a secondary repressor element(s) that is located in the terminal region of the first exon of this gene.
The role of microRNA in development of cardiovascular diseases among haemodialysed patients with chronic renal failure

microRNA (miRNA) belongs to non-coding ribonucleic acid molecules, which have an impact on the post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression by inhibition of translation. miRNAs are considered as an important factor in the development of cardiovascular diseases such as arrhythmia, coronary artery disease, and hypertension. Hypertension is one of the most common complications found in patients with end-stage renal disease. Its development may be associated with alteration in the level of an enzyme called renelase, which is responsible for metabolism of catecholamines. A decreased level of renelase was observed in advanced stages of renal failure, which might be connected with changes in miRNA expression. It is believed that haemodialysis of patients with end-stage renal disease does not change the level of miRNA. The aim of our work was to analyse the role of miRNAs in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases and the possibility of miRNA level alterations in haemodialysed patients with advanced renal failure.
Early effect of surgery on quality of life in women with operable breast cancer.

BACKGROUND Quality of life (QOL) after a diagnosis of breast cancer varies considerably across individuals. The treatment modality of the patients significantly contributes to their QOL. The present study reports the initial findings on the early effects of surgery in patients with breast cancer. METHODS Two hundred and fifty-one women with breast cancer undergoing surgery were interviewed prior to and after the surgery using the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy for Breast (FACT-B). Trial Outcome Index (TOI) was calculated besides total and subscale scores. The results were analyzed using paired t-test and two-sample paired Wilcoxon signed rank test. Multivariate analysis was carried out using repeated measures general liner model with 2-way interactions. RESULTS Significant reduction in physical well-being (P = 0.001), functional well-being (P = 0.00) and the breast-specific subscale (P = 0.000) was observed after surgery. No significant change was observed in social or emotional well-being. Total FACT scores and TOI too showed significant declines (P = 0.000; and P = 0.000 respectively) on univariate analysis. Multivariate analysis, however, showed no difference in QOL after surgery, but QOL was significantly poor among women undergoing mastectomy. CONCLUSIONS Results of the present study indicate no significant change in overall QOL immediately after the surgery, probably reflecting strong family and social support for these women. QOL was significantly better among women undergoing breast conservation compared with mastectomy.
The Hematological Effects of Nitrous Oxide Anesthesia in Pediatric Patients

BACKGROUND:Prolonged administration of nitrous oxide causes an increase in plasma homocysteine in children via vitamin B12 inactivation. However, it is unclear whether nitrous oxide doses used in clinical practice cause adverse hematological effects in pediatric patients. METHODS:This retrospective study included 54 pediatric patients undergoing elective spinal surgery: 41 received nitrous oxide throughout anesthesia (maintenance group), 9 received nitrous oxide for induction and/or emergence (induction/emergence group), and 4 did not receive nitrous oxide (nitrous oxide–free group). Complete blood counts obtained before and up to 4 days after surgery were assessed for anemia, macrocytosis/microcytosis, anisocytosis, hyperchromatosis/hypochromatosis, thrombocytopenia, and leukopenia. The change (&Dgr;) from preoperative to the highest postoperative value was calculated for mean corpuscular volume (MCV) and red cell distribution width (RDW). RESULTS:No pancytopenia was present in any patient after surgery. All patients had postoperative anemia, and none had macrocytosis. Postoperative MCV (mean [99% confidence interval]) peaked at 86 fL (85–88 fL), 85 fL (81–89 fL), and 88 fL (80–96 fL) and postoperative RDW at 13.2% (12.8–13.5%), 13.3% (12.7–13.8%), and 13.0% (11.4–14.6%) for the maintenance group, the induction/emergence group, and the nitrous oxide–free group. Two patients in the maintenance group (5%) developed anisocytosis (RDW >14.6%), but none in the induction/emergence group or in the nitrous oxide–free group (P = 0.43). Both &Dgr;MCV (P = 0.52) and &Dgr;RDW (P = 0.16) were similar across all groups. CONCLUSIONS:Nitrous oxide exposure for up to 8 hours is not associated with megaloblastic anemia in pediatric patients undergoing major spinal surgery.