Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Rho-Kinase Inhibition Reduces Early Microvascular Leukocyte Accumulation in the Rat Kidney following Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury: Roles of Nitric Oxide and Blood Flow

Aim: To study whether microvascular leukocyte accumulation after rat renal ischemia and reperfusion (IR) is decreased by Rho kinase inhibition, independently of effects upon nitric oxide (NO) and renal blood flow. Methods: Male Wistar rats were subjected to 60 min of ischemia by bilateral clamping and 60 min of reperfusion of the renal arteries, or a sham procedure. Haemodynamics were monitored and microsphere blood flow to the kidneys was measured. The infusion of the Rho kinase inhibitor (Y27632) was commenced before clamping and IR. The NO synthase inhibitor, NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME), was administered after the start of reperfusion whilst the dopamine-1 receptor agonist fenoldopam, a renal vasodilator, was infused during the reperfusion period. Digital imaging microscopy analysis of cryosections was done to determine leukocyte accumulation and vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein serine 239 phosphorylation (p-VASP ser 239), a marker of endothelial NO. Results: Leukocytes (60–70% neutrophils) accumulated within blood vessels in the corticomedullary junction and medulla of the kidney. Leukocyte accumulation was markedly reduced by the Rho kinase inhibitor but not by fenoldopam. However, both drugs improved renal blood flow and microvascular expression of p-VASP ser 239 in the corticomedullary junction and medulla, which were decreased following IR. L-NAME treatment of IR animals pretreated with the Rho kinase inhibitor reduced blood flow and p-VASP ser 239 expression and increased leukocyte accumulation. Conclusion: Early microvascular leukocyte accumulation in the corticomedullary junction and medulla of the rat kidney after IR is ameliorated by Rho kinase inhibition. This effect is partly independent upon attenuation of decreased NO and renal blood flow.
QT interval in cardiac amyloidosis

The aim of the study was to investigate whether cardiac amyloidosis is associated with QT interval abnormalities and ventricular arrhythmias. A controlled study of 30 patients was undertaken at a university cardiology department in a large referral hospital. Thirty patients (18 men, 12 women, mean age 56 ± 12 years) with systemic amyloidosis verified by biopsy and strong indications of cardiac amyloidosis comprised the study group, with 30 healthy age‐ and sex‐matched individuals serving as controls. Complete M‐mode and two‐dimensional echocardiographic study was undertaken and QT interval and QTc were calculated. All patients and controls underwent 24‐h Holter monitoring for arrhythmias. Left ventricular (LV) wall thickening was found in all patients with cardiac amyloidosis. The LV mass in the patients with cardiac amyloidosis was significantly greater than that of the control group, as was the ratio LVmass/body surface area (p < 0.001). There was no significant difference in the max QT interval or in QTc dispersion between the two groups, although the max QTc was greater in the patients with cardiac amyloidosis. Patients with cardiac amyloidosis did not have a higher incidence of arrhythmias than the controls. Although patients with thickened cardiac walls due to cardiac amyloidosis have a prolonged QTc in comparison with controls, they do not show an increase in interlead QTc dispersion which might suggest the possibility of regional disturbances of the uniformity of repolarization. Patients with cardiac amyloidosis do not have a higher incidence of arrhythmias than controls.
The Zeitgeist of Challenging the Evidence. A Perspective on the International Consensus Meeting on Periprosthetic Joint Infection.

BACKGROUND The economic burden of the treatment of periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) is high and the treatment of PJI has a high degree of international controversy. Several papers have declared the International Consensus Meeting on Periprosthetic Joint Infection (ICMPJI) to be the "flawless pledge of international academics" to overcome the challenges of musculoskeletal infections. The purpose of this paper is to highlight for the first time some essential insights into the key dilemmas that are associated with this international consensus process. METHODS The proceedings of the ICMPJI was reviewed, and the critical consensus agreements that were reached were communicated via e-mail to 48 leading orthopaedic surgeons, microbiologists and statisticians around the world. Of these, 30 responded, 8 did not, and 10 of respondents were not aware of the ICMPJI. RESULTS A thorough review of the ICMPJI proceedings identified a clear need to resolve some of the dilemmas that we highlight in this paper. The Delphi procedure has been described as a survey technique that enables a group dynamic-based practice. Although there have been several published reports on this procedure, its scientific merit is still being debated. Several challenges and questions have been raised regarding the application of the Delphi technique, but there is no doubt that it is a vital approach for achieving consensus on subjects where none currently exists. CONCLUSION Performing prospective clinical studies in this area is currently the best and only option to overcome this challenge. In the long term, this approach will not only incorporate the standard of clinical evidence but also adopt regional mores for treating infection, which include patient values, cultural differences and local financial resources.
Commodity Taxation in Welfare States

Unemployment is a central policy issue in countries with a "generous" welfare system that is hard to reform. This paper addresses why these countries tend to adopt high commodity tax rates in the optimal taxation context. We explore the role of commodity taxation in alleviating moral hazard and hence involuntary unemployment and then provide supportive evidence from a quantitative analysis. Unlike the usual full employment models, at the heart of this paper is a new dimension of distortion, the "between-states" (employment state vs. unemployment state) consumption choice distortion, which can be dealt with by a certain optimal combination of commodity and income taxation. Our results therefore offer an explanation for the widely observed coexistence of direct and indirect taxation.
Public Support for the European Union: Cost/Benefit Analysis or Perceived Cultural Threat?

This research note argues that much of the literature on support for European integration misses the heart of the nature of opposition to this process by ignoring the notion of perceived threat. Essentially, people are hostile toward the European project in great part because of their perceptions of threats posed by other cultures. I analyze this hypothesis by replicating a piece of research that previously appeared in this journal, adding measures of perceived threat to that model. The results support the main contention, which is that perceived cultural threat is an important factor that has been mistakenly ignored in explanations of hostility toward the European Union.
Creating value for employees: investment in employee development

Relying on a social exchange theory we examine the relationships among perceived investment in employees' development (PIED), job satisfaction, organizational commitment and intent to leave. Individual-level analyses from a sample of 405 nurses from two countries indicate that PIED is positively associated with job satisfaction and affective commitment but not with continuance commitment. As expected, job satisfaction and affective commitment fully mediate the relationship between PIED and intent to leave. Overall, this research shows support for partial measurement equivalence and equivalent structural parameters across both samples.
Human APOE Isoform-Dependent Effects on Brain β-Amyloid Levels in PDAPP Transgenic Mice

To investigate the role of human apolipoprotein E (apoE) on Aβ deposition in vivo, we crossed PDAPP mice lacking mouse Apoe to targeted replacement mice expressing human apoE (PDAPP/TRE2, PDAPP/TRE3, or PDAPP/TRE4). We then measured the levels of apoE protein and Aβ peptides in plasma, CSF, and brain homogenates in these mice at different ages. We also quantified the amount of brain Aβ and amyloid burden in 18-month-old mice. In young PDAPP/TRE4 mice that were analyzed at an age before brain Aβ deposition, we observed a significant decrease in the levels of apoE in CSF and brain when compared with age-matched mice expressing either human E2 or E3. The brain levels of Aβ42 in PDAPP/TRE4 mice were substantially elevated even at this very early time point. In older PDAPP/TRE4 mice, the levels of insoluble apoE protein increased in parallel to the dramatic rise in brain Aβ burden, and the majority of apoE was associated with Aβ. In TRE4 only mice, we also observed a significant decrease in the level of apoE in brain homogenates. Since the relative level of apoE mRNA was equivalent in PDAPP/TRE and TRE only mice, it appears that post-translational mechanisms influence the levels of apoE protein in brain (E4 < E3 ≪ E2), resulting in early and dramatic apoE isoform-dependent effects on brain Aβ levels (E4 ≫ E3 > E2) that increase with age. Therapeutic strategies aimed at increasing the soluble levels of apoE protein, regardless of isoform, may effectively prevent and (or) treat Alzheimer's disease.
The Measurement of Dynamic Productive Efficiency

Measuring dynamic productive efficiency from observed input-output data raises several new issues which are absent in the static production frontier studies. The adjustment cost approach is developed here as an interface between the static and the dynamic frontier studies, and the non-parametric method of Farrell developed for static efficiency is extended for the specification of a dynamic production frontier. Copyright 1999 by Blackwell Publishing Ltd and the Board of Trustees of the Bulletin of Economic Research
The Role of Short-Termism and Uncertainty Avoidance in Organizational Inaction on Climate Change

Despite increasing pressure to deal with climate change, firms have been slow to respond with effective action. This article presents a multi-level framework for a better understanding of why many firms are failing to reduce their absolute greenhouse gas emissions, which contribute to climate change. The concepts of short-termism and uncertainty avoidance from research in psychology, sociology, and organization theory can explain the phenomenon of organizational inaction on climate change. Antecedents related to short-termism and uncertainty avoidance reinforce one another at three levels—individual, organizational, and institutional—and result in organizational inaction on climate change. The article also discusses the implications of this multi-level framework for research on corporate sustainability.
What Determines Productivity in Senegal? Sectoral Disparities and the Dual Labour Market

Abstract This paper analyses the output gap between the formal and informal sectors in Senegal using a matched employer–employee database. While the production process in some informal sub-sectors is similar to the one in the formal sector, there is evidence that the economy is deeply cleaved between productive and non-productive firms within the informal sector and between voluntary and involuntary jobs on a labour market which proves to be dual. We find that education externalities are significant although modest in both sectors and that the differences in human and physical capital account for about two thirds of the output gap.
Adaptive control scheme for interleaved DC/DC power converters

In this paper, a novel adaptive control scheme for interleaved DC/DC power converters is proposed to improve the transient response to load current step inputs with high slew rate. The proposed adaptive control scheme is based upon gain scheduling scheme with pole-zero cancellation method to tune the parameters of the proportional-integral-derivative (PID) controller for efficiently improving the output transient response. The proposed adaptive control scheme is verified on a 12 V input with 1.2 V output, 40 A interleaved DC/DC synchronous buck converter and the simulation and experimental results are presented to fully demonstrate the theoretical analysis.
Oral hygiene behaviors and caries experience in Northwest PRECEDENT patients.

OBJECTIVES To investigate the association between oral hygiene behaviors (toothbrushing, water rinsing after brushing, interproximal cleaning, and adjunctive use of fluoride products) and recent caries (past 24 months) in a random sample of patients in Northwest PRECEDENT practices. METHODS Practitioner-members of Northwest PRECEDENT, a dental practice-based research network, conducted a longitudinal study on caries risk assessment. At baseline, patients completed a questionnaire on oral self-care, snacking, health, and socio-demographics. A dental examination recorded readily visible heavy plaque and decayed, missing, and filled teeth; chart review captured new caries and treatments in the previous 24 months. Bivariate and multiple generalized estimating equations (GEE) log-linear regression models stratified by age-groups were used to relate oral hygiene behaviors to the primary outcome of mean dental caries in the past 24 months on data from 1400 patients in 63 practices. The primary exposure of interest was fluoride toothbrushing frequency. RESULTS Fluoride toothbrushing once per day or twice or more per day by patients 9-17 was significantly associated with a 50% lower mean caries rate compared with fluoride toothbrushing less than once per day, after adjustment for covariates [rate ratios (RR) = 0.5; 95% confidence intervals (CI) = 0.3-0.8]. After adjustment, for patients 18-64, fluoride toothbrushing two or more times per day was significantly associated with a 40% lower recent mean caries rate (RR = 0.6; 95% CI = 0.4-0.9); in patients 65+, twice a day or more fluoride toothbrushing was not associated with lower caries rates (RR = 1.1; 95% CI = 0.7-1.8). Of the other oral hygiene variables, after adjustment, patients 18-64 who rinsed with water after brushing had a 40% lower mean caries rate compared with no rinsing (RR = 0.6; 95% CI = 0.4-0.9) and the presence of readily visible heavy plaque was significantly associated with an increase in the mean caries rate for patients 18-64 (RR = 1.6; 95% CI = 1.2-2.2) and 65+ (RR = 2.5; 95% CI = 1.8-3.5). CONCLUSIONS In the present study, the frequency of fluoride toothbrushing and the presence of readily visible heavy plaque were the factors most strongly associated with mean caries rate. In young patients with permanent dentition, the daily application of fluoride toothpaste appears more important than emphasis on thorough plaque removal. While for adults, the protective effect of twice daily fluoride toothbrushing disappears with advancing age and the presence of readily visible heavy plaque becomes increasingly associated with caries risk.
The computational route from bilayer membranes to vesicle fusion

Biological membranes are examples of ‘smart’ materials whose properties and behaviour emerge from the propagation across many scales of the molecular characteristics of their constituents. Artificial smart materials, such as drug delivery vehicles and biosensors, often rely on modifying naturally occurring soft matter, such as polymers and lipid vesicles, so that they possess useful behaviour. However, the complexity of natural membranes, both in their static properties, exemplified in their phase behaviour, and in their dynamic properties, as in the kinetics of their formation and interactions, hinders their rational modification. Mesoscopic simulations, such as dissipative particle dynamics (DPD), allow in silico experiments to be easily and cheaply performed on complex, soft materials requiring as input only the molecular structure of the constituents at a coarse-grained level. They can therefore act as a guide to experimenters prior to performing costly assays. Additionally, mesoscopic simulations provide the only currently feasible window on the length- and timescales relevant to important biophysical processes such as vesicle fusion. We review here the development of computational models of bilayer membranes, and in particular the use of mesoscopic simulations to follow the molecular rearrangements that occur during membrane fusion.
The hedonic repeat visit: exploring consumption differences among first-time and repeat Japanese visitors in Hawaii.

This article investigates product and service consumption between first-time and repeat Japanese visitors in Hawaii. Overall, the empirical results reveal that repeat visitors to Waikiki are likely to be Japanese females, in their mid-thirties, who relish in fun, self-indulgent, overall hedonic consumption, during their stay. Unlike first-time visitors, who take sightseeing tours and who express interest in purchasing products reminiscent of the local culture, repeat visitors are likely to engage in shopping, golfing, and in patronizing spas during their Hawaiian vacation.
An evaluation of the Investors in People Standard

The authors describe the Investors in People Standard and explain the process which organisations need to complete to gain the accolade Investor in People. A postal survey with 455 respondents is described and findings given. A total of 17 case studies were also conducted, as were seven interviews with key agencies in this field. The authors conclude that there is evidence of positive perception of the impact of human resource development (HRD) on organisational performance and that there is a common acceptance of certain strategies as best practice. There is also evidence that the adoption of a systematic process to adjusting training and development to business strategies results in a more normative commitment to employee development.
Energy scope of handoff strategies in macro-femtocell environments

Energy consumption in downlink mode is becoming an important topic as cellular communications grow into a large scale enterprise. The search for high rates keeping energy constraints low has put forward the idea that cells with smaller size may improve not only the capacity of the network, but also reduce the amount of energy that is needed to achieve such capacities. When using heterogeneous networks, users can be encouraged to handoff to a femtocell, that offers better capacity per unit energy spent, by means of different handoff strategies. These strategies may also improve the energy use of the network if the handoff priority is given to both, capacity, and energy use.
Successful Wage Concertation: The Economic Effects of Wage Pacts and Their Alternatives

Recent debates on pacts have focused on the prerequisites for their emergence, whereas questions of their efficacy have receded into the background. In particular, systematic analyses of the effectiveness of pacts in terms of their capacity to enhance economic performance are missing. The aim of this article is therefore to assess the economic impact of pacts. As the majority of pacts concern wages, the assessment will concentrate on a comparison of the performance of pacts with alternative governance mechanisms for wage policies, that is, alternative pay‐setting modes. The findings show that when wage pacts are endowed with the ability to govern lower‐level pay determination, they are better at enhancing economic performance than other forms of coordination.
Homeowner Perspectives on Fire Hazard, Responsibility, and Management Strategies at the Wildland-Urban Interface

Following a survey of forest homeowners in rural Michigan to assess the value of reducing the risk of damage from wildfires at the wildland-urban interface, focus group discussions were conducted with a subset of survey participants to learn about their perceptions concerning specific components of fire hazard (e.g., how fires start, fire control, fire damage), their understanding of how fire protection responsibility is allocated between government and individuals, and their under standing of and preferences for alternative fire management strategies. Focus-group data were analyzed using a framework based on behavioral economics and psychometric models of risk. Attributes associated with the fire risk help explain the relative popularity of different fire protection strategies. Because participants consider forest fires inherently uncontrollable, and the resulting damage essentially random, they are only weakly supportive of investments in firefighting infrastructure, unlikely to take all possible steps .
Pricing long-term options with stochastic volatility and stochastic interest rates

The markets for long-term options have expanded tremendously over the last decade. Nowadays many of these derivatives along with pension schemes and insurance products depend on joint changes in stock prices, interest rates and inflation. As a result the dependencies between the underlying assets have a large impact on the pricing and risk management of the above contracts. The simultaneous decrease in asset prices and long-term interest rates, around 2003 and during the credit crisis, provides an illustration of this phenomenon and caused the funding ratios of many pension funds to drop to historically low levels. Especially insurance companies and pension funds are dealing with such contracts in large amounts and they are becoming increasingly aware of the incorporated options and associated risks. At any rate, appropriate methods for the valuation of long-term options should be able to accommodate the stochastic nature of the market risks in a realistic and efficient manner. This thesis studies the pricing and risk management of long-term options and consists of three parts. The first part focuses on the incorporation of long-dated maturities into new derivative pricing models. The second part develops efficient simulation schemes for the valuation and risk management of exotic options. The final part examines the pricing of two specific types of embedded options.
Investing in a Multidimensional Market

Many years ago, the authors demonstrated that there is much greater dimensionality to the stock market than is suggested by the one-factor capital asset pricing model. Investors today continue to underestimate the market’s dimensionality through their recent embrace of “smart beta” strategies. Such strategies assume a market in which a few chosen factors produce persistent returns. In reality, there are numerous factors that produce returns, which vary over time. Those returns can best be captured by a multidimensional approach that emphasizes diversification across many proprietary factors and continuous adjustment of exposures to those factors.