Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Glycosylphosphatidylinositol anchors regulate glycosphingolipid levels[S]

Glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) anchor biosynthesis takes place in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). After protein attachment, the GPI anchor is transported to the Golgi where it undergoes fatty acid remodeling. The ER exit of GPI-anchored proteins is controlled by glycan remodeling and p24 complexes act as cargo receptors for GPI anchor sorting into COPII vesicles. In this study, we have characterized the lipid profile of mammalian cell lines that have a defect in GPI anchor biosynthesis. Depending on which step of GPI anchor biosynthesis the cells were defective, we observed sphingolipid changes predominantly for very long chain monoglycosylated ceramides (HexCer). We found that the structure of the GPI anchor plays an important role in the control of HexCer levels. GPI anchor-deficient cells that generate short truncated GPI anchor intermediates showed a decrease in very long chain HexCer levels. Cells that synthesize GPI anchors but have a defect in GPI anchor remodeling in the ER have a general increase in HexCer levels. GPI-transamidase-deficient cells that produce no GPI-anchored proteins but generate complete free GPI anchors had unchanged levels of HexCer. In contrast, sphingomyelin levels were mostly unaffected. We therefore propose a model in which the transport of very long chain ceramide from the ER to Golgi is regulated by the transport of GPI anchor molecules.
The Measurement of Inflation: A Stochastic Approach

The stochastic approach to index number theory views each commodity price change as an independent observation on the underlying rate of inflation so that inflation can be estimated by averaging over all the prices. This article extends the approach by (a) allowing for sustained changes in relative prices, (b) showing the link with Divisia index numbers, and (c) deriving standard errors for the inflation estimates. The results are illustrated with Australian data.
Biological Role of the CCAAT/Enhancer-binding Protein Family of Transcription Factors*

CCAAT/enhancer-binding proteins (C/EBPs) comprise a family of transcription factors that are critical for normal cellular differentiation and function in a variety of tissues. The prototypic C/EBP is a modular protein, consisting of an activation domain, a dimerization bZIP region, and a DNA-binding domain. All family members share the highly conserved dimerization domain, required for DNA binding, by which they form homo- and heterodimers with other family members. C/EBPs are least conserved in their activation domains and vary from strong activators to dominant negative repressors. The pleiotropic effects of C/EBPs are in part because of tissue- and stage-specific expression. Dimerization of different C/EBP proteins precisely modulates transcriptional activity of target genes. Recent work with mice deficient in specific C/EBPs underscores the effects of these factors in tissue development, function, and response to injury.
Stable isotopes, beaks and predators: a new tool to study the trophic ecology of cephalopods, including giant and colossal squids

Cephalopods play a key role in the marine environment but knowledge of their feeding habits is limited by lack of data. Here, we have developed a new tool to investigate their feeding ecology by combining the use of their predators as biological samplers together with measurements of the stable isotopic signature of their beaks. Cephalopod beaks are chitinous hard structures that resist digestion and the stable isotope ratios of carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) are indicators of the foraging areas and trophic levels of consumers, respectively. First, a comparison of δ13C and δ15N values of different tissues from the same individuals showed that beaks were slightly enriched in 13C but highly impoverished in 15N compared with lipid-free muscle tissues. Second, beaks from the same species showed a progressive increase in their δ15N values with increasing size, which is in agreement with a dietary shift from lower to higher trophic levels during cephalopod growth. In the same way, there was an increase in the δ15N signature of various parts of the same lower beaks in the order rostrum, lateral walls and wings, which reflects the progressive growth and chitinization of the beaks in parallel with dietary changes. Third, we investigated the trophic structure of a cephalopod community for the first time. Values of δ15N indicate that cephalopods living in slope waters of the subantarctic Kerguelen Islands (n=18 species) encompass almost three distinct trophic levels, with a continuum of two levels between crustacean- and fish-eaters and a distinct higher trophic level occupied by the colossal squid Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni. δ13C values demonstrated that cephalopods grow in three different marine ecosystems, with 16 species living and developing in Kerguelen waters and two species migrating from either Antarctica (Slosarczykovia circumantarctica) or the subtropics (the giant squid Architeuthis dux). The stable isotopic signature of beaks accumulated in predators' stomachs therefore revealed new trophic relationships and migration patterns and is a powerful tool to investigate the role of the poorly known cephalopods in the marine environment.
Remaking Citizenship: Latina Immigrants and New American Politics

Standing at the intersection of immigration and welfare reform, immigrant Latin American women are the target of special scrutiny in the United States. Both the state and the media often present them as scheming "welfare queens" or long-suffering, silent victims of globalization and machismo. This book argues for a reformulation of our definitions of citizenship and politics, one inspired by women who are usually perceived as excluded from both. Weaving the stories of Mexican and Central American women with history and analysis of the anti-immigrant upsurge in 1990s California, this compelling book examines the impact of reform legislation on individual women's lives and their engagement in grassroots political organizing. Their accounts of personal and political transformation offer a new vision of politics rooted in concerns as disparate as domestic violence, childrearing, women's self-esteem, and immigrant and workers' rights.
Capturing the Public Interest

Following Calavita and Krumholz’s answers to conservative attacks on planning, this commentary offers another way to promote planning in public discourse. Transaction cost theory (TCT) debunks the “planning versus markets” dichotomy, relieving planning advocates from claiming the need for public intervention, an argument that encounters frequent skepticism. TCT makes the case for planning in three ways: (1) rejecting generalizations, it focuses debate on specific cases; (2) breaking the link between planning and government, it disarms conservative critics; (3) it provides an authoritative theoretical base for answering neoliberal attacks on public planning. Convincing people that planning (not only as public intervention) is necessary and enhances their welfare is an argument that can be won.
Managing Working Capital Efficiency in Capital Goods Sector in India

Efficient management of working capital is an important indicator of sound health of an organization. It means management of various components of working capital in such a way that an adequate amount of working capital is maintained for smooth running of a firm and for fulfillment of twin objectives of liquidity and profitability. The present study aims to examine the efficiency of working capital management practices of 14 companies in capital goods sector (as per BSE 200 companies) from the year 2000–2001 to 2009–2010. The analysis is based on Performance Index, Utilization Index and Efficiency Index of Working Capital Management. The study shows that number of firm’s efficiently managing working capital varies from 35 per cent to 78 per cent over the span of time period under study. The study also proposes to evaluate the ability of individual firms in reaching the target level of efficiency, i.e., average performance of industry. The revelations made by the study if followed are bound to generate increased profits and profitability of leading corporate of India. The study also attempts to study the degree of the relationship between the Efficiency Index and Profitability measured by Income to Current Assets and Income to Average Total Assets.
The ownership structure of foreign subsidiaries and the effect of institutional distance: a case study of Japanese firms

This study investigates how institutional distance between a home country and a host country affects the ownership structure of foreign subsidiaries. Using a sample consisting of foreign subsidiaries of Japanese firms, the effect of institutional distance on the ownership structure of foreign subsidiaries is tested. The results indicate that Japanese firms reduce equity shares in foreign subsidiaries as institutional distance increases. The study also finds that internationally experienced Japanese firms tend to have large equity ownership in institutionally distant countries. In addition, this study shows that complementing host country experience with international experience further mitigates uncertainty arising from institutional distance.
RADIO-SELECTED BINARY ACTIVE GALACTIC NUCLEI FROM THE VERY LARGE ARRAY STRIPE 82 SURVEY

Galaxy mergers play an important role in the growth of galaxies and their supermassive black holes. Simulations suggest that tidal interactions could enhance black hole accretion, which can be tested by the fraction of binary active galactic nuclei (AGNs) among galaxy mergers. However, determining the fraction requires a statistical sample of binaries. We have identified kiloparsec-scale binary AGNs directly from high-resolution radio imaging. Inside the 92 deg2 covered by the high-resolution Very Large Array survey of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) Stripe 82 field, we identified 22 grade A and 30 grade B candidates of binary radio AGNs with angular separations less than 5″ (10 kpc at z = 0.1). Eight of the candidates have optical spectra for both components from the SDSS spectroscopic surveys and our Keck program. Two grade B candidates are projected pairs, but the remaining six candidates are all compelling cases of binary AGNs based on either emission line ratios or the excess in radio power compared to the Hα-traced star formation rate. Only two of the six binaries were previously discovered by an optical spectroscopic search. Based on these results, we estimate that ∼60% of our binary candidates would be confirmed once we obtain complete spectroscopic information. We conclude that wide-area high-resolution radio surveys offer an efficient method to identify large samples of binary AGNs. These radio-selected binary AGNs complement binaries identified at other wavelengths and are useful for understanding the triggering mechanisms of black hole accretion.
Linking as leverage: emissions trading and the politics of climate change

Seven years after the United States rejected binding emissions limitations and George Bush declared the Kyoto Protocol dead, there are signs of change. There is growing interest in emissions trading at the regional, national and substate level, and in the prospect of linking schemes together. This article suggests that the rapid growth of emissions trading markets themselves may be helping to swing the cost-benefit analysis of participation in emissions reduction commitments for American actors and others. Most simply, the practical viability of international emissions trading has now been confirmed, largely by the European market, but there are two further elements to this development for which this article presents the early evidence. Firstly, unanticipated benefits appear to be accruing in the established compliance markets. Secondly, ownership of the emerging markets can bring new bargaining power to encourage others to adopt meaningful climate targets.
Educational differences in timing and quantum of childbearing in Britain: a study of cohorts born 1940-1969

Background: Increased postponement of fertility, especially among higher-educated women, means it is important to know whether women recuperate births at older ages, but evidence for the UK is lacking. The extent to which the timing and quantum of mothers’ fertility underlie the strong educational gradient in completed family size is also unclear. Objective: We investigate the relative contributions of childlessness, timing, and quantum to educational differences in completed fertility within cohorts born between 1940 and 1969. Methods: We analyse retrospective fertility histories from 44,351 women, born 1940-1969, interviewed in the British General Household Survey (1979-2009) and the UK Household Longitudinal Study (2009-2010). After describing educational differences in the timing of first birth and parity distributions, we quantify the relative contributions of childlessness, delayed entry into motherhood, and fertility rates conditional upon age at entry into motherhood, to educational differences in completed family size. Results: Within each cohort, the educational gradient in completed family size is explained, in demographic accounting terms, almost entirely by educational differences in the proportions remaining childless and the age distribution of mothers at entry into motherhood. Conditional upon age at entry into motherhood, subsequent fertility rates are similar across educational groups and across cohorts. Conclusions: Unlike for some other European countries, the postponement of motherhood to later ages in Britain has not resulted in a significant increase in childbearing among more-educated women who enter motherhood at later ages. The stability of aggregate measures of completed fertility in Britain is not the result of a straightforward process of postponement followed by recuperation.
A Linguistic Fuzzy-XCS classifier system

Data-driven construction of fuzzy systems has followed two different approaches. One approach is termed precise (or approximative) fuzzy modelling, that aims at numerical approximation of functions by rules, but that pays little attention to the interpretability of the resulting rule base. On the other side is linguistic (or descriptive) fuzzy modelling, that aims at automatic rule extraction but that uses fixed human provided and linguistically labelled fuzzy sets. This work follows the linguistic fuzzy modelling approach. It uses an extended Classifier System (XCS) as mechanism to extract linguistic fuzzy rules. XCS is one of the most successful accuracy-based learning classifier systems. It provides several mechanisms for rule generalization and also allows for online training if necessary. It can be used in sequential and non-sequential tasks. Although originally applied in discrete domains it has been extended to continuous and fuzzy environments. The proposed Linguistic Fuzzy XCS has been applied to several well-known classification problems and the results compared with both, precise and linguistic fuzzy models.
Lifestyle measures in the management of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease: clinical and pathophysiological considerations

Several lifestyle and dietary factors are commonly cited as risk factors for gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD) and modification of these factors has been advocated as first-line measures for the management of GORD. We performed a systematic review of the literature from 2005 to the present relating to the effect of these factors and their modification on GORD symptoms, physiological parameters of reflux as well as endoscopic appearances. Conflicting results existed for the association between smoking, alcohol and various dietary factors in the development of GORD. These equivocal findings are partly due to methodology problems. There is recent good evidence that weight reduction and smoking cessation are beneficial in reducing GORD symptoms. Clinical and physiological studies also suggest that some physical measures as well as modification of meal size and timing can also be beneficial. However, there is limited evidence for the role of avoiding alcohol and certain dietary ingredients including carbonated drinks, caffeine, fat, spicy foods, chocolate and mint.
Oral testimonies as a source of community history, with special reference to the Batho Project, Bloemfontein

The value of oral testimonies as a source for researching and writing community history is investigated with special reference to the National Museum’s Batho Project. The role of oral history and its contribution towards the study of community history as a sub-discipline of history is discussed. Oral history, community history and cultural history not only complement one another, but also facilitate the holistic study of a community’s history. This article also looks at the ways in which oral testimonies may be used as source material for the writing of a community’s history. The purpose of the Batho Project, how the project was implemented and the experience gained thus far is also discussed. Finally, the importance and signifi cance of community history in the South African context is evaluated. Key words: Batho; Batho Project; community history; cultural history; oral history; oral testimonies
Dangerous universal donors; observations on destruction of recipient's A cell after transfusion of group O blood containing high titer of A antibodies of immune type not easily neutralizable by soluble A substance.

1. A severe hemolytic reaction was observed in an "A-intermediate" recipient following transfusion of group O blood containing A antibodies in high titer. Hemoglobinemia persisted for at least thirty hours, during which time the patient became markedly anemic. Azotemia, hyperbilirubinemia, spherocytosis and increased osmotic and mechanical fragilities of the patient’s erythrocytes were observed for nine days. 2. The recipient was rendered temporarily incompatible with prospective A1 donors as a result of incomplete absorption of the anti-A agglutinins in the transfused group O blood. 3. The A antibodies in the serum of the dangerous universal donor were shown to have the following peculiarities : (a) When normal AB serum was used as a diluent for the group O serum and as a medium for cell suspensions, the titer against A1 cells was higher than that obtained with saline as a diluent and suspension medium. (b) After "neutralization" with soluble A and B factors, the group O serum agglutinated neither A nor B cells in "saline systems," but in "serum systems" the treated O serum still agglutinated A1 cells in very high titer and A-intermediate cells in low titer. (c) A1 cells, but not A-intermediate or A2 cells, gave positive reactions with anti-human-globulin rabbit serum (indirect Coombs test) after exposure to the neutralized O serum. (d) The group O serum hemolyzed, and fixed complement with, all types of A cells but not B cells. These peculiarities suggested that the group O donor had developed A antibodies of immune type and predominantly of A1 specificity, but the stimulus for production of these antibodies could not be ascertained. 4. It is emphasized that the type of antibody (i.e., natural or immune), as well as the titer, must be taken into account in any attempt to assess the dangers inherent in the use of universal donors, and that "conditioning" of group O blood by addition of soluble A and B factors in conventional quantities may not effectively neutralize immune A1 and B antibodies if such be present. It is pointed out, however, that further observations are needed to show whether or not neutralization of "saline" agglutinins and hemolysins by A and B factors may render dangerous bloods relatively safe despite the persistence of incomplete antibodies. 5. Possible mechanisms of prolonged erythrocyte destruction in this case are discussed.
Suicidal Ideation Among 8-Year-Olds Who Are Maltreated and At Risk: Findings From the LONGSCAN Studies

Suicidal ideation was examined among 1,051 8-year-old children identified as maltreated or at risk for maltreatment. Of these children, 9.9% reported suicidal ideation. Many variables, including maltreatment, had bivariate associations with suicidal ideation. Severity of physical abuse, chronicity of maltreatment, and the presence of multiple types of maltreatment strongly predicted suicidal ideation. In multivariate analyses of the domains of proximity, only ethnic background remained significant among demographic variables, only witnessed violence and maltreatment remained significant among family or contextual variables, and only child psychological distress, substance use, and poor social problem solving remained significant among child variables. The effects of ethnicity, maltreatment, and witnessed violence on suicidal ideation were mediated by child functioning. There were few interactions between maltreatment and other factors to predict suicidal ideation. Children who are maltreated and those exposed to community and domestic violence are at increased risk of suicidal ideation, even by age 8.
Running with the Devil: The Advent of a Cynical Bubble

Not all bubbles are born equal. We explore the nature and underlying psychology of four different kinds of bubbles, in order to assess which comes closest to describing the current market. To us, the current market environment is largely a greater fool market. Because such markets lack fundamental support, they are liable to precipitous declines. This is exacerbated when everyone seems to be watching the same indicator (earnings optimism). As Keynes noted when disillusion falls upon an over-optimistic and over-bought market, it should fall with sudden and catastrophic force.
Smoking is Not a Good Prognostic Factor following First-Ever Acute Ischemic Stroke

Background and Purpose There is evidence that smoking increases stroke risk; however, the effect of smoking on functional outcome after stroke is unclear. The aim of this study was to explore the effect of smoking status on outcome following acute ischemic stroke. Methods We assessed 1,117 patients with first-ever acute cerebral infarction and no prestroke disability whose functional outcome was measured after three months. A poor outcome was defined as a modified Rankin Scale score of ≥2. Smoking within one month prior to admission was defined as current smoking. Our analysis included demographics, vascular risk factors, initial National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score, stroke subtype, onset-to-admission time, thrombolytic therapy, initial blood pressure, and prognostic blood parameters as covariates. Results At baseline, current smokers were predominantly male, approximately 10 years younger than non-smokers (mean age, 58.6 vs. 68.3 years), and less likely to have hypertension and atrial fibrillation (53.9% vs. 65.4% and 8.7% vs. 25.9%, respectively), with a lower mean NIHSS score (4.6 vs. 5.7). The univariate analyses revealed that current smokers had a better functional outcome and significantly fewer deaths at three months follow-up when compared with non-smokers (functional outcome: 64.0% vs. 58.4%, P=0.082; deaths: 3.0% vs. 8.4%, P=0.001); however, these effects disappeared after adjusting for covariates (P=0.168 and P=0.627, respectively). Conclusions In this study, smoking was not associated with a good functional outcome, which does not support the paradoxical benefit of smoking on functional outcome following acute ischemic stroke.