Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Grappling with Governance: The Emergence of Business Improvement Districts in a National Capital

Business improvement districts (BIDs) constitute a relatively new mode of urban governance in which business and property owners pay surtaxes for collectivized, privatized maintenance and development services in their respective neighborhoods. Although they are typically considered an innovative means of improving urban areas—or at the very least a benign intervention of business owners to draw new consumers—the case of Washington, D.C., shows that BIDs are also an increasingly entrenched neo-liberal institution promoted by state restructuring and interurban competition. Given local conditions, such as a permissive legislative environment and fragmented governance, the proliferation, size, and influence of D.C.’s BIDs pose concerns about institutional accountability, socioeconomic inequality, and sustainability of services. Using a mixed-methods approach that integrates urban governance theory, performance metrics, and interviews with BID and D.C. government officials, this study finds that Washington’s BIDs have promoted revitalization but also pose concerns about limited public accountability, exacerbated socioeconomic and spatial inequalities, and further retreat of the municipal government.
The role of multinational corporations in UK sustainable development policy

In a context of globalisation and complex governance systems, the power of multinational corporations (MNCs), and subsequently their role in sustainable development is being questioned. This thesis will enter this debate by investigating the role of MNCs in UK sustainable development policy. Specifically, focus has been placed on the production of the UK National Sustainable Development Strategy(NSDS), 'Securing Hie future'. In order to undertake this investigation in a systematic and robust way an original evaluation framework, the Actor Influence Framework, has been designed, developed and tested within this thesis. The AIF has drawn together insights from a wide-ranging debate surrounding power and influence, marrying the dimensions of power with those relating to deliberation and discourse. The AIF has been used within a multi-method approach consisting of; interviews, non-participant observation and document review, which was located within a research framework which has been informed by the social constructivist and interpretist traditions. This thesis has identified MNCs' influence on UK sustainable development policymaking, and one of the main findings is that MNCs do play a role in the decisionmaking process; however, this is largely a tacit one, for example through setting the policy agenda. Importantly, in the case of the UK NSDS, MNCs had relatively little direct participation, for instance through taking part in consultation,i n the formal production of the NSDS,and moreover considered it to be an unimportant element of UK policy. This also raises the question of whether participation in fact equates to influence. The second main finding of this thesis is that the move to more open, transparent decision-making which has occurred within sustainable development decision-making has in fact led to a displacement effect, with this thesis showing that there is a return, by MNCS, to old style 'back roorn' informal discussions. The third main finding has been that, through the development and application of the AIF, the proposition that a synthesis approach to analysis was required was correct. Finally, this thesis will argue that through the tacit power held by MNCs, they have gained a 'monopoly of legitimacy' within the decision-making process, with the dominant policy discourse being one which is corporate-centric. This situation means that the concept of sustainable development in its search for environmental, social and economic equity has been tamed and therefore does not challenge the status quo. Subsequently, MNCs do not need to act directly to affect policy in this area.
The Effect of Genotype and Pedigree Error on Linkage Analysis: Analysis of Three Asthma Genome Scans

The effects of genotype and relationship errors on linkage results arc evaluated in three of the Genetic Analysis Workshop 12 asthma genome scans. A number of errors are detected in the samples. While the evidence for linkage is not striking in any data set with or without error, in some cases the difference in test statistic could support different conclusions. The results provide empirical evidence for the predicted effects of genotype and relationship error and highlight the need for rigorous detection and elimination of data error in complex trait studies. © 2001 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
[Relationship between LUTS (lower urinary tract symptoms) and quality of life].

OBJECTIVES To evaluate the impact of the lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) included in the IPSS on the quality of life and to determine the relationship between quality of life or total IPSS score and treatment. METHODS Retrospective review of the IPSS questionnaire in 125 male patients who had consulted for LUTS between January 2001 and December 2003. Results were included in an Access database. Statistical analyses were done with the SPSS 11.0 software. RESULTS 17% of the patients showed severe symptoms in accordance to the IPSS score. In the quality of life evaluation grouped into two categories, 88% referred good or indifferent quality of life. In the evaluation of the association between IPSS individual questions and quality of life there was a significant association for all questions. Patients reporting worse quality of life had a 6 times higher risk of receiving treatment. With a mean follow-up of two years, 91% of patients who were not on treatment continued without it. CONCLUSIONS The most severe symptoms are, the worse the quality of life. The independent parameters that most influenced decision to start treatment were quality of life and total IPSS. Frequency, weak stream and hesitation may explain quality of life on each patient.
Are High-Beta, Large-Capitalization Stocks Overpriced?

One clear distinction between the Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM) and the dividend discount model is how they treat returns. The Markowitz mean-variance theory underlying the CAPM treats return as a unitary concept. The dividend discount model treats earnings and price as two distinct concepts and derives expected return from the relation between the two. The causal factors determining price and earnings are distinct. The earnings of a firm depend on the life cycle of the firm's product, developments by its competitors, the state of the economy and so on. The price of a firm's stock depends in part on its earnings (and, to that extent, on the same factors that determine earnings), but it also depends on many entirely different factors, such as interest rates, the price of gold and real estate opportunities. Inasmuch as price and earnings are causally distinct, the CAPM might have a theoretical problem. The Achilles heel of the CAPM may be its assumption that the hypothetical return distribution remains fixed over short time intervals. This is frequently true of earnings. If investors are primarily concerned with earnings, then prices should also tend to be stable over short time intervals. If prices are based on factors besides earnings, however, then there is little basis for price stability. This is most clear in the case of speculative price "bubbles," where price is bid up solely on the basis of anticipated further price rise. The relevant question is whether investor awareness of investment theory introduces price instabilities that affect the validity of the theory upon which that awareness is based. Classic investment theory argues, for example, that investors who focus on earnings should receive a premium for high-risk investments. The CAPM argues that beta is a measure of systematic risk, and that high-beta stocks should therefore have a higher mean return. If investors believe in the CAPM, however, then they will bid up high-beta stocks in anticipation of a higher return. This will in turn reduce the return on those stocks. If enough investors base their purchases on beta, their actions would result in a general overshoot of the price of high-beta stocks to a point where they yield lower returns than low-beta stocks. That is, widespread acceptance of the CAPM could cause high-beta stocks to be overpriced in relation to lowbeta stocks. Now that institutional investors generally accept the basic CAPM risk-return relation, it seems plausible that the price of high-beta stocks may well be above the level justified by increased risk or increased earnings. 1
IFRS Policy Changes and the Continuation of National Patterns of IFRS Practice

International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) contain several policy options. This paper examines the choices made in 2008/9 IFRS financial statements by large listed companies from five countries on all the options that are observable. We compare these choices with those that had been made by the same companies in 2005/6, which (except for the German companies) was the year of transition to IFRS. For Australian and UK companies, we find – as expected – that there were few policy changes. However, despite the constraints on policy change within IFRS, we find that French and Spanish companies not only made more changes than the other companies but that they also made more changes after transition than at transition. Further investigation reveals that these findings are largely driven by a small number of topics. One possible explanation for the pattern of these changes is a ‘learning’ process, which is supported by finding that nearly all the post-transition changes made by the French and Spanish companies were away from previous national requirements. However, we consider other possible explanations. We also present the profiles of IFRS practices for 2008/9. Despite the changes in policy from 2005/6, we find clear evidence that national patterns of IFRS practice continue through the period, so that international comparability remains in doubt.
First demonstration of ∼3500 cm2/V-s electron mobility and sufficient BTI reliability (max Vov up to 0.6V) In0.53Ga0.47As nFET using an IL/LaSiOx/HfO2 gate stack

In this paper, we demonstrate for the first time an implant free In<inf>0.53</inf>Ga<inf>0.47</inf>As n-MOSFET that meets the reliability target for advanced technology nodes with a max operating V<inf>ov</inf> of 0.6 V. In addition, an excellent electron mobility (μ<inf>eff, peak</inf>=3531 cm2/V-s), low SS<inf>lin</inf>=71 mV/dec and an EOT of 1.15 nm were obtained. We also report the scaling potential of this stack to 1nm EOT without loss of performance, reliability and further reduction of the sub-threshold swing (SS<inf>lin</inf>=68mV/dec). On top of the novel IL we presented last year, in this paper we insert a LaSiO<inf>x</inf> layer between the IL and HfO<inf>2</inf> offering an increased chemical stability of the gate stack. This combination is key and offers both an improved interface quality as well as a reduction of the oxide trap density.
Response of lipogenic enzymes to overfeeding in liver and adipose tissue of light and heavy breeds of chicks

1. Chicks, 3-d-old, of a heavy breed (HB) and a light breed (LB) were overfed for 18 d. The activities of acetyl-CoA carboxylase (EC 6.4.1.2; CBX), fatty acid synthetase (FAS), ATP citrate lyase (EC 4.1.3.8; CCE), NADP-malate dehydrogenase (decarboxylating) (EC 1.1.1.40; ME), 6-glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.49; G6PDH) and phosphogluconate dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.44; 6PGDH) were determined in abdominal adipose tissue (AT) and liver samples of overfed and ad lib. -fed chicks. Size and fat content of liver and adipose tissue were also determined in order to evaluate the extent of obesity. 2. On ad lib. -feeding HB chicks consumed more food, gained more weight and deposited more fat than the corresponding LB chicks. Their lipogenic enzymes were more active than in the LB chicks in both adipose tissue and liver. The increase in food consumption (%) that could be achieved by overfeeding was three times greater in the LB chicks than in the HB chicks. 3. Overfeeding increased the weight and fat content of liver and AT in both breeds. The specific activities of CBX, FAS, CCE and ME in liver and AT increased in the LB chicks only and the total activities of liver and AT enzymes increased much more in the LB chicks than in the HB chicks in which the increase was derived mainly from tissue enlargement. 4. The activity of the pentose cycle dehydrogenases was very low in liver, but in AT about one third of the NADPH generating capacity could be accounted for by these dehydrogenases. 5. The results show that lipogenic enzymes of chicks respond to an increased substrate flux. It is suggested that the enlarged liver, the higher participation of AT in lipogenesis and the uninterrupted supply of cropstored excess food enable the chick to accommodate the increased amounts of substrate with only moderate enzymic adaptation.
An analysis of the structure of the antigen receptor on a pigeon cytochrome c-specific T cell hybrid.

The monoclonal antibody A2B4-2 has been shown to bind to the antigen receptor on the cloned pigeon cytochrome c-specific T cell hybrid, 2B4. Initial immunoprecipitation and SDS-PAGE analysis with this clonotypic antibody demonstrated that the antigen receptor on this cell had a m.w. of 85,000 to 90,000. Under reducing conditions, the receptor protein appeared as two bands of 45,000 to 50,000 and 40,000 to 44,000 on an SDS-PAGE gel. In this paper the antigen receptor on this T cell hybrid is further characterized. The molecule is shown to be a heterodimer that exists in two different forms on the cell surface. Receptor molecules with an apparent m.w. of 84,000 and 86,000 were isolated by immunoprecipitation and separation on polyacrylamide gradient gels. After reduction, the individual alpha- and beta-chains were separated by isoelectric focusing. In both forms of the receptor, the acidic alpha-chain had an apparent m.w. of 42,000 to 44,000. This alpha-chain associated with one of two forms of beta-chain. One beta-chain had a m.w. of 42,000 to 44,000, with a pI range of 7.5 to 7.9, and the alternate form of the beta-chain, beta', had a m.w. of 46,000 to 48,000 and a more acidic pI range of 6.5 to 7.5. The results of this investigation indicate that under reducing conditions on SDS-PAGE gels, the original upper 45,000 to 50,000 m.w. band represented beta'-chains alone, whereas the lower 40,000 to 44,000 m.w. band represented a mixture of alpha- and beta-chains. Additional data are presented to indicate that this heterodimeric protein has intrachain as well as interchain disulfide bonds. This conclusion was reached from the characteristic pattern of protein migration on SDS-PAGE gels in the presence of a reducing agent concentration gradient. Thus, both chains of the antigen receptor must have intrachain disulfide bonds and may have similar domain structures.
Molecular Characterization of a Phospholipase D Generating Anandamide and Its Congeners*

Anandamide (N-arachidonoylethanolamine) is known to be an endogenous ligand of cannabinoid and vanilloid receptors. Its congeners (collectively referred to as N-acylethanolamines) also show a variety of biological activities. These compounds are principally formed from their corresponding N-acyl-phosphatidylethanolamines by a phosphodiesterase of the phospholipase D-type in animal tissues. We purified the enzyme from rat heart, and by the use of the sequences of its internal peptides cloned its complementary DNAs from mouse, rat, and human. The deduced amino acid sequences were composed of 393–396 residues, and showed that the enzyme has no homology with the known phospholipase D enzymes but is classified as a member of the zinc metallohydrolase family of the β-lactamase fold. As was overexpressed in COS-7 cells, the recombinant enzyme generated anandamide and other N-acylethanolamines from their corresponding N-acyl-phosphatidylethanolamines at comparable rates. In contrast, the enzyme was inactive with phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine. Assays of the enzyme activity and the messenger RNA and protein levels revealed its wide distribution in murine organs with higher contents in the brain, kidney, and testis. These results confirm that a specific phospholipase D is responsible for the generation of N-acylethanolamines including anandamide, strongly suggesting the physiological importance of lipid molecules of this class.
Evidence for a ligation step in the DNA replication of the autonomous parvovirus minute virus of mice

Newly replicated DNA of the autonomous parvovirus minute virus of mice was pulse-labeled with 32PO4 during the time of maximal viral DNA replication in highly synchronized A9 cells. The subsequent processing of viral DNA-protein complexes was monitored during a chase period with no label. Several distinct classes of duplex replicative-form and progeny single-stranded DNA molecules were characterized and found to accumulate at different times during infection. Analysis of the terminal structures associated with these various forms provided new insights into the mechanism by which viral DNA replicates and, in particular, suggested that interstrand ligation occurs during this process.
Do Non-Tariff Measures in the EU, Japan and the ASEAN Matter for Export Consignments from Malaysia?

This paper explores the impact of non-tariff measures (NTMs) on Malaysian exports to the major traditional markets of the European Union (EU), Japan and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), spanning the period 2000-2013. The empirical findings reveal the presence of a dual effect of NTMs on Malaysian exports; The NTMs can facilitate trade or restrict it. From the Malaysian experience in the trade of broad categories of products, NTMs appear to have a beneficial impact on industrial exports but not on agricultural exports. Similarly, positive effects of NTMs are noted in Malaysia’s trade with ASEAN and Japan but not with the EU. A possible reason why NTMs act as a catalyst for trade is that its high export concentration in both products and markets results in an “offensive” approach that ensures sustained market access in major importing countries. The findings of the paper are therefore relevant to the current national policy debate on market access in traditional markets and for policy considerations in negotiating comprehensive bilateral free trade agreements (FTAs), specifically the ongoing Malaysia-EU FTA.
"It's Not the Pants, it's the People in the Pants" Learnings from the Gap Agile Transformation What Worked, How We Did it, and What Still Puzzles Us

After 7 years of traditional IT delivery, Gap Inc.Direct decided to adopt Agile. This experience report discusses three key factors that contributed to our successful (and ongoing) Agile transformation: 1. Ambitious Pilot Project, 2. Massive Investment in Continuous Integration, 3. Rethinking our Assets. The choices we made might seem risky and even counter-intuitive, but understanding them could help other organizations consider different points of view and priorities as they embark on the transition to Agile. Additionally, we will identify ongoing challenges and what is left in our transformation backlog.
Integrated description of protein dynamics from room-temperature X-ray crystallography and NMR

Significance Most proteins are inherently flexible and their dynamics play a central role in their biological functions. A molecular level understanding of protein function and mechanism requires an accurate description of the atomic coordinates in both time and space. Here we show, through studies of the enzyme dihydrofolate reductase, that multiconformer models derived from room-temperature X-ray crystallographic data can be used synergistically with nuclear magnetic resonance relaxation measurements to provide a detailed description of both the amplitude and timescale of fluctuations in atomic coordinates. This hybrid approach provides a more complete description of protein dynamics than can be obtained from either method alone. The room-temperature crystallographic ensemble accurately reflects the picosecond–nanosecond motions of the protein backbone and side chains. Detailed descriptions of atomic coordinates and motions are required for an understanding of protein dynamics and their relation to molecular recognition, catalytic function, and allostery. Historically, NMR relaxation measurements have played a dominant role in the determination of the amplitudes and timescales (picosecond–nanosecond) of bond vector fluctuations, whereas high-resolution X-ray diffraction experiments can reveal the presence of and provide atomic coordinates for multiple, weakly populated substates in the protein conformational ensemble. Here we report a hybrid NMR and X-ray crystallography analysis that provides a more complete dynamic picture and a more quantitative description of the timescale and amplitude of fluctuations in atomic coordinates than is obtainable from the individual methods alone. Order parameters (S2) were calculated from single-conformer and multiconformer models fitted to room temperature and cryogenic X-ray diffraction data for dihydrofolate reductase. Backbone and side-chain order parameters derived from NMR relaxation experiments are in excellent agreement with those calculated from the room-temperature single-conformer and multiconformer models, showing that the picosecond timescale motions observed in solution occur also in the crystalline state. These motions are quenched in the crystal at cryogenic temperatures. The combination of NMR and X-ray crystallography in iterative refinement promises to provide an atomic resolution description of the alternate conformational substates that are sampled through picosecond to nanosecond timescale fluctuations of the protein structure. The method also provides insights into the structural heterogeneity of nonmethyl side chains, aromatic residues, and ligands, which are less commonly analyzed by NMR relaxation measurements.
Grupos económicos y bonanza minera en el Perú

This paper analyzes the organizational strategies of the five most important national economic groups in the Peruvian mining industry – Buenaventura, Brescia, Volcan, Hochschild, and Milpo – during the first decade of this century, a period characterized by a sustained mining boom resulting from rising international prices of metals and by increased socio-environmental conflicts. In the unprecedented context of the boom, these mining groups strengthened their finances as a result of windfall profits, reformulated their business strategies in response to socio-environmental conflicts, reinforced (with the exception of Milpo Group) their principal characteristic as enterprises under the control and ownership of Peruvian families, and initiated the internationalization of their investments.