Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Parties and Democracy in Italy

A guide to the changing place of political parties within the Italian political system, seeking to shed light on how the parties operate and their role in the country's politics. Starting from a recognition of the traditional centrality of parties in Italian political life, the book's main focus is on the consequences and causes of the transformation in the party system which began to unfold from 1989 onwards. Arguing that the latter has its roots in the specific choices made by the traditional parties as they attempted to adapt to change in their electoral environment, the book then proceeds to examine what effects the changing party system is having on such traditional, "party-driven" features of Italian politics such as "sottogoverno" and "lotizzazione" and on the functioning of such institutions as parliament and the executive. The book concludes by attempting to assess whether parties are still central to political and civil society or whether their role has diminished in importance
HIV-1 Protease Inhibitor Induced Oxidative Stress Suppresses Glucose Stimulated Insulin Release: Protection with Thymoquinone

The highly active anti-retroviral therapy (HAART) regimen has considerably reduced the mortality rate in HIV-1 positive patients. However, long-term exposure to HAART is associated with a metabolic syndrome manifesting cardiovascular dysfunction, lipodystrophy, and insulin resistance syndrome (IRS). The inclusion of HIV-1 protease inhibitors (PIs) in HAART has been linked to the induction of IRS. Although several molecular mechanisms of PI-induced effects on insulin action have been postulated, the deleterious effects of PIs on insulin production by pancreatic β-cells have not been fully investigated and therapeutic strategies to ameliorate insulin dysregulation at this level have not been targeted. The present study showed that exposure to several different PIs, nelfinavir (5–10 μM), saquinavir (5–10 μM) and atazanavir (8–20 μM), decreases glucose stimulated insulin secretion from rat pancreatic β-cells (INS-1). Nelfinavir significantly increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and suppressed cytosolic, but not mitochondrial superoxide dismutase (SOD) levels. Nelfinvair also decreased both glutathione and ATP and increased UCP2 levels in these cells. Simultaneous treatment with thymoquinone (TQ) (2.5 μM), an active ingredient of black seed oil, significantly inhibited the effect of nelfinavir on augmented ROS production and suppressed SOD levels. Both TQ and black seed oil exposure increased glucose stimulated insulin secretion and ameliorated the suppressive effect of nelfinavir. The present findings imply a direct role of ROS in PI induced deleterious effects on pancreatic β-cells. Our findings also suggest that TQ may be used as a potential therapeutic agent to normalize the dysregulated insulin production observed in HAART treated patients.
Second primary cancers in thyroid cancer patients: a multinational record linkage study.

CONTEXT Increasing incidence and improved prognosis of thyroid cancer have led to concern about the development of second primary cancers, especially after radioiodine treatment. Thyroid cancer can also arise as a second primary neoplasm after other cancers. OBJECTIVE The objective of the study was to assess the risk of second primary cancer after thyroid cancer and vice versa. DESIGN This was a multinational record linkage study. SETTING The study was conducted at 13 population-based cancer registries in Europe, Canada, Australia, and Singapore. PATIENTS OR OTHER PARTICIPANTS A cohort of 39,002 people (356,035 person-yr of follow-up) with primary thyroid cancer were followed up for SPN for up to 25 yr, and 1,990 cases of thyroid cancer were diagnosed after another primary cancer. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES To assess any possible excess of second primary neoplasms after thyroid cancer, the observed numbers of neoplasms were compared with expected numbers derived from age-, sex-, and calendar period-specific cancer incidence rates from each of the cancer registries, yielding standardized incidence ratios (SIRs). The SIR of second primary thyroid cancer after various types of cancer was also calculated. RESULTS During the observation period, there were 2821 second primary cancers (all sites combined) after initial diagnosis of thyroid cancer, SIR of 1.31 (95% confidence interval 1.26-1.36) with significantly elevated risks for many specific cancers. Significantly elevated risks of second primary thyroid cancer were also seen after many types of cancer. CONCLUSION Pooled data from 13 cancer registries show a 30% increased risk of second primary cancer after thyroid cancer and increased risks of thyroid cancer after various primary cancers. Although bias (detection, surveillance, misclassification) and chance may contribute to some of these observations, it seems likely that shared risk factors and treatment effects are implicated in many. When following up patients who have been treated for primary thyroid cancer, clinicians should maintain a high index of suspicion for second primary cancers.
Change and development in pluralistic settings: an exploration of HR practices in Chinese township and village enterprises

Very few systematic studies have been conducted on the managerial practices of Chinese Township and Village Enterprises (TVEs) despite their increasing contributions to China's economic development. Focusing on the HRM practices in ten different TVE organizations in a new city in Southeastern China, this study aims at filling a gap in the literature by exploring the general HRM practices in those organizations. Results show that HRM practices in TVEs, although still relatively primitive compared to those in state-owned enterprises (SOEs), have been much more formalized recently. Employees are now mostly selected rather than referred by existing employees or ' guanxi ' as they were previously. New employees in many large TVEs are now trained through formal procedures rather than through apprenticeships, and pay is tightly linked to performance and skill levels. However, in smaller TVEs, HR practices are less formalized. The study points out that the firm size may be an institutional factor affecting the implementation of formal HRM practices. Yet, regardless of the form of personnel management, HRM practices are shown to be a very important factor in the economic success of TVE firms. Further studies are necessary to understand HRM and other managerial practices in TVEs and to test the relationships between HRM practices and firm performance among the TVEs.
Exchange Rate Hysteresis: the Real Effects of Large vs Small Policy Misalignments

Using the sticky price monetary model of exchange rate determination and the sunk cost model of trade hysteresis, we show that a sufficiently large policy misalignment can induce hysteresis in the trade balance and thereby alter the steady? state real exchange rate. Thus in our model exchange rate dynamics are path dependent, PPP need not hold and money need not be neutral even in the very long run. We present only positive analysis but conjecture that the results have strong welfare, policy, and econometric implications. Since hysteresis in our model can entail industrial dislocation and the scrappage of sunk assets, we suggest that these factors may constitute a welfare cost of large policy misalignments that have not been formally considered. On the policy side, one could sensibly argue against the dollar volatility of the 1980s without at the same time arguing for a return to a formal exchange rate regime (because 1980s-size swings may involve welfare costs that 1970s-size swings do not). Lastly, since the long-run exchange rate is path dependent, standard empirical tests of exchange rate models may be misspecified.
Real-Time Forecasting and Political Stock Market Anomalies: Evidence for the United States

Using monthly data from 1953 to 2003, we apply a real-time modeling approach to investigate the implications of U.S. political stock market anomalies for forecasting excess stock returns in real-time. Our empirical findings show that political variables, chosen on the basis of widely used model-selection criteria, are often included in real-time forecasting models. However, political variables do not contribute systematically to improving the performance of simple trading rules. For this reason, political stock market anomalies are not necessarily an indication of market inefficiency.
Characterization of the Early Events Leading to Totipotency in an Arabidopsis Protoplast Liquid Culture by Temporal Transcript Profiling[W][OPEN]

An efficient liquid medium gave high plating efficiencies of protoplasts. Transcription profiles of plantlets and protoplast-derived cells during the first week of culture were used to track major molecular processes of the reentry in the cell cycle as the plant cells transitioned toward a totipotent state. Candidate genes for plant cell reprogramming are highlighted. The molecular mechanisms underlying plant cell totipotency are largely unknown. Here, we present a protocol for the efficient regeneration of plants from Arabidopsis thaliana protoplasts. The specific liquid medium used in our study leads to a high rate of reentry into the cell cycle of most cell types, providing a powerful system to study dedifferentiation/regeneration processes in independent somatic cells. To identify the early events in the establishment of totipotency, we monitored the genome-wide transcript profiles of plantlets and protoplast-derived cells (PdCs) during the first week of culture. Plant cells rapidly dedifferentiated. Then, we observed the reinitiation and reorientation of protein synthesis, accompanied by the reinitiation of cell division and de novo cell wall synthesis. Marked changes in the expression of chromatin-associated genes, especially of those in the histone variant family, were observed during protoplast culture. Surprisingly, the epigenetic status of PdCs and well-established cell cultures differed, with PdCs exhibiting rare reactivated transposons and epigenetic changes. The differentially expressed genes identified in this study are interesting candidates for investigating the molecular mechanisms underlying plant cell plasticity and totipotency. One of these genes, the plant-specific transcription factor ABERRANT LATERAL ROOT FORMATION4, is required for the initiation of protoplast division.
The Reverse Favourite-Longshot Bias and Market Efficiency in Major League Baseball: An Update

Racetrack and sports betting markets have been researched extensively with respect to the question of market efficiency. In contrast to the consistently observed favourite-longshot bias found in racetrack betting markets, it has been shown that gamblers in the market for Major League Baseball games reveal the opposite behaviour. This paper updates the previous study with ten years of additional data for the 1990-99 seasons. The strength of the reverse favourite-longshot bias is virtually identical to the original paper. The result suggests that, contrary to most reported inefficiencies in gambling markets, this bias appears to be permanent. Copyright Blackwell Publishing Ltd and the Board of Trustees of the Bulletin of Economic Research 2003.
The Evolution of U.S. Airline Competition

The next section reviews the evolution of the domestic airline industry since the late 1970s, when it was abruptly freed from most regulatory constraints on pricing, entry, and exit. (International air travel is considered here only as it relates to competition in the domestic industry.) The following sections will examine structure issues and strategic developments in airline competition and discuss public policy options in dealing with the airline industry.
Guanxi and operational performance: the mediating role of supply chain integration

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to extend prior supply chain research by empirically exploring the relationship among guanxi, supply chain integration (SCI), and operational performance. More specifically, this study investigates the mediating role of SCI. Design/methodology/approach Ordinary least square regression is used to analyze survey data collected from 126 automobile manufacturers in China. Findings The results reveal a significant positive relationship between guanxi and SCI, and that SCI is significantly and positively related to operational performance. The authors’ findings further suggest that guanxi indirectly affects operational performance through SCI. Practical implications The empirical findings imply that it is vital for managers to recognize the important mediating role of dynamic SCI capabilities. Originality/value As a fundamental Chinese cultural norm, guanxi can be critical in a supply chain context. Although previous research has identified the importance of guanxi and SCI in improving firm performance, far less attention was given to the study of the mediating effect of SCI on the guanxi-performance relationship. This study thus fulfills the research gap by providing an initial empirical examination of the mediating role of SCI in China’s automotive industry.
The basic domain of myogenic basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) proteins is the novel target for direct inhibition by another bHLH protein, Twist

In vertebrates, the basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) protein Twist may be involved in the negative regulation of cellular determination and in the differentiation of several lineages, including myogenesis, osteogenesis, and neurogenesis. Although it has been shown that mouse twist (M-Twist) (i) sequesters E proteins, thus preventing formation of myogenic E protein-MyoD complexes and (ii) inhibits the MEF2 transcription factor, a cofactor of myogenic bHLH proteins, overexpression of E proteins and MEF2 failed to rescue the inhibitory effects of M-Twist on MyoD. We report here that M-Twist physically interacts with the myogenic bHLH proteins in vitro and in vivo and that this interaction is required for the inhibition of MyoD by M-Twist. In contrast to the conventional HLH-HLH domain interaction formed in the MyoD/E12 heterodimer, this novel type of interaction uses the basic domains of the two proteins. While the MyoD HLH domain without the basic domain failed to interact with M-Twist, a MyoD peptide containing only the basic and helix 1 regions was sufficient to interact with M-Twist, suggesting that the basic domain contacts M-Twist. The replacement of three arginine residues by alanines in the M-Twist basic domain was sufficient to abolish both the binding and inhibition of MyoD by M-Twist, while the domain retained other M-Twist functions such as heterodimerization with an E protein and inhibition of MEF2 transactivation. These findings demonstrate that M-Twist interacts with MyoD through the basic domains, thereby inhibiting MyoD.
Related Fact Checks

The emergence of "Fake News" and misinformation via online news and social media has spurred an interest in computational tools to combat this phenomenon. In this paper we present a new "Related Fact Checks" service, which can help a reader critically evaluate an article and make a judgment on its veracity by bringing up fact checks that are relevant to the article. We describe the core technical problems that need to be solved in building a "Related Fact Checks" service, and present results from an evaluation of an implementation.
Economic Evaluation Cost-Effectiveness of Second-Generation Antipsychotics for the Treatment of Schizophrenia

Objective: To compare the cost-effectiveness of alternate treatment strategies using second-generation antipsychotics (SGAs) for patients with schizophrenia. Methods: We developed a Markov model to estimate the costs and quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) for different sequences of treatments for 40-year-old patients with schizophrenia. We considered first-line treatment with one of the four SGAs: olanzapine (OLZ), risperidone (RSP), quetiapine (QTP), and ziprasidone (ZSD). Patients could switch to another of these antipsychotics as second-line therapy, and only clozapine (CLZ) was allowed as thirdline treatment. We derived parameter estimates from the Clinical Antipsychotic Trial of Intervention Effectiveness (CATIE) study and published sources. Results: The ZSD-QTP strategy (first-line treatment with ZSD, change to QTP if ZSD is discontinued, and switch to CLZ if QTP is discontinued) was most costly while yielding the greatest QALYs, with an incremental cost-effective ratio (ICER) of $542,500 per QALY gained compared with the ZSD-RSP strategy. However, the ZSD-RSP strategy had an ICER of $5,200/QALY gained versus the RSP-ZSD strategy and had the greatest probability of being cost-effective given a willingness-to-pay threshold between $50,000 and $100,000 per QALY. All other treatment strategies were more costly and less effective than another strategy or combination of other strategies. Results varied by different time horizons adopted. Conclusions: The ZSD-RSP strategy was most cost-effective at a willingness-to-pay threshold between $5,200 and $542,500 per QALY. Our results should be interpreted with caution because they are based largely on the CATIE trial with potentially limited generalizability to all patient populations and doses of SGAs used in practice.
The Relationship between Productivity and Real Wage Growth in Canada and OECD Countries, 1961-2006

The most direct mechanism by which labour productivity affects living standards is through real wages, that is, wages adjusted to reflect the cost of living. Between 1980 and 2005, the median real earnings of Canadians workers stagnated, while labour productivity rose 37 per cent. This report analyzes the reasons for this situation. It identifies four factors of roughly equal importance: rising earning inequalities; falling terms of trade for labour; a decrease in labour’s share of GDP; and measurement issues. This report also explores the relationship between labour productivity and real wages by province and by sector, as well as in the United States and in other high-income countries.
Combined psychotherapy plus antidepressants for panic disorder with or without agoraphobia.

BACKGROUND Panic disorder can be treated with pharmacotherapy, psychotherapy or in combination, but the relative merits of combined therapy have not been well established. OBJECTIVES To review evidence concerning short- and long-term advantages and disadvantages of combined psychotherapy plus antidepressant treatment for panic disorder with or without agoraphobia, in comparison with either therapy alone. SEARCH STRATEGY The Cochrane Collaboration Depression, Anxiety and Neurosis Controlled Trials Registers (CCDANCTR-Studies and CCDANCTR-References) were searched on 11/10/2005, together with a complementary search of the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials and MEDLINE, using the keywords antidepressant and panic. A reference search, SciSearch and personal contact with experts were carried out. SELECTION CRITERIA Two independent review authors identified randomised controlled trials comparing the combined therapy against either of the monotherapies among adult patients with panic disorder with or without agoraphobia. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS Two independent review authors extracted data using predefined data formats, including study quality indicators. The primary outcome was relative risk (RR) of "response" i.e. substantial overall improvement from baseline as defined by the original investigators. Secondary outcomes included standardised weighted mean differences in global severity, panic attack frequency, phobic avoidance, general anxiety, depression and social functioning and relative risks of overall dropouts and dropouts due to side effects. MAIN RESULTS We identified 23 randomised comparisons (representing 21 trials, 1709 patients), 21 of which involved behaviour or cognitive-behaviour therapies. In the acute phase treatment, the combined therapy was superior to antidepressant pharmacotherapy (RR 1.24, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.02 to 1.52) or psychotherapy (RR 1.17, 95% CI 1.05 to 1.31). The combined therapy produced more dropouts due to side effects than psychotherapy (number needed to harm (NNH) around 26). After the acute phase treatment, as long as the drug was continued, the superiority of the combination over either monotherapy appeared to persist. After termination of the acute phase and continuation treatment, the combined therapy was more effective than pharmacotherapy alone (RR 1.61, 95% CI 1.23 to 2.11) and was as effective as psychotherapy (RR 0.96, 95% CI 0.79 to 1.16). AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS Either combined therapy or psychotherapy alone may be chosen as first line treatment for panic disorder with or without agoraphobia, depending on patient preference.
Carbon nanotubes for interconnect applications

We briefly review the status of the application of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) for future interconnects and present results concerning possible integration schemes. Growth of single nanotubes at lithographically defined locations (vias) has been achieved which is a prerequisite for the use of CNTs as future interconnects. For the 20 nm node a current density of 5/spl middot/10/sup 8/ A/cm/sup 2/ and a resistance of 7.8 k/spl Omega/ could be achieved for a single multi-walled CNT vertical interconnect.
Fundamental and second-harmonic ultrasound field computation of inhomogeneous nonlinear medium with a generalized angular spectrum method

The simulation of nonlinear propagation of ultrasound waves is typically based on the Kuznetsov-Zabolotskaya- Khokhlov equation. A set of simulators has been proposed in the literature but none of them takes into account a possible spatial 3-D variation of the nonlinear parameter in the investigated medium. This paper proposes a generalization of the angular spectrum method (GASM) including the spatial variation of the nonlinear parameter. The proposed method computes the evolution of the fundamental and second-harmonic waves in four dimensions (spatial 3-D and time). For validation purposes, the one-way fields produced by the GASM are first compared with those produced by established reference simulators and with experimental one-way fields in media with a homogeneous nonlinear parameter. The same simulations are repeated for media having an axial variation of the nonlinear parameter. The mean errors estimated in the focal region are less than 4.0% for the fundamental and 5.4% for the second harmonic in all cases. Finally, the fundamental and second-harmonic fields simulated for media having nonlinear parameter variations in the axial, lateral, and elevation directions, which cannot be simulated with other currently available methods, are presented. The new approach is also shown to yield a reduction in computation time by a factor of 13 with respect to the standard nonlinear simulator.
Hybrid-Polarity and Reconstruction Methods for Sea Ice With L- and C-Band SAR

The potential of using the hybrid polarity (HP) mode for sea ice surveillance in L- and C-band synthetic aperture radar (SAR) is investigated. The objective is to study the possibilities to reconstruct a pseudo-quad-polarimetric (QP) covariance matrix using existing and novel reconstruction methods. Our main goal is to study how close the HP mode, in terms of polarimetric information, is to the QP mode. Two new reconstruction methods are proposed and investigated. Although they exhibit similar performance to the known method developed by Souyris et al., they are less complex and do not require any user input. We discovered that the median and standard deviation of the relative error between the true and the estimated cross-polarization intensity are better for the L-band compared to the C-band SAR data. This discovery is based on four pairs of quasi-simultaneous QP SAR images of Arctic sea ice acquired by Radarsat-2 and ALOS-2.