Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Stability of Tristetraprolin mRNA Is Regulated by Mitogen-activated Protein Kinase p38 and by Tristetraprolin Itself*

Tristetraprolin (TTP) is an mRNA-destabilizing protein that negatively regulates the expression of proinflammatory mediators such as tumor necrosis factor α, granulocyte/macrophage colony-stimulating factor, and cyclooxygenase 2. Here we investigate the regulation of TTP expression in the mouse macrophage cell line RAW264.7. We show that TTP mRNA is expressed in a biphasic manner following stimulation of cells with lipopolysaccharide and that the second phase of expression, like the first, is dependent on mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) p38. MAPK p38 acts through a downstream kinase to stabilize TTP mRNA, and this stabilization is mediated by an adenosine/uridine-rich region at the 3′-end of the TTP 3′-untranslated region. Hence TTP is post-transcriptionally regulated in a similar manner to several proinflammatory genes. We also demonstrate that TTP is able to bind to its own 3′-untranslated region and negatively regulate its own expression, forming a feedback loop to limit expression levels.
Screening, Cross-Border Banking and the Allocation of Credit

We analyse competition among banks when banks can use creditworthiness tests that generate (imperfect) information about borrowers. When banks can strategically adjust the test characteristics by investing resources in the screening technology, we show that credit markets are not easily contestable. An increase in the intensity of competition may have little effects on incumbents' conduct and overall market shares. Moreover, we provide conditions under which screening efforts are reduced by competition. In such situations the quality of the overall loan portfolio declines and the economy incurs higher aggregate risk due to the lower quality of banks' information production. The welfare gains from integrating fragmented loan markets can actually be negative.
New revisionists and the Keynesian era in British economic policy

This article surveys the literature, which has argued that post-1945 British economic policy should not be described as Keynesian. It attempts to apply explicit definitions of ‘Keynesian', ‘influence', and ‘the Treasury view'. It suggests that in post-1945 monetary and fiscal policies, in the treatment of the balance of payments, and in attitudes to public expenditure, strong Keynesian influences can be detected. The idea of a ‘Keynesian era' should not be rejected and it is hinted that the failure to accelerate the growth rate, rather than the external dimension, caused the Keynesian era to unravel.
Causality between Electricity Consumption and economic growth in Tunisia: policy implications

In this paper, we examine the causal relationship between Electricity Consumption (EC) and economic growth in Tunisia during 1971–2007. Empirical results of the study verify the absence of a long-term equilibrium relationship between EC and economic growth in Tunisia but verify the existence of unidirectional causality running from EC to economic growth by adopting Granger causality model. Consequently, the policy makers in Tunisia should place priority in early stages of reconstruction on building capacity additions and infrastructure development of the electric power sector as this would force the sustainable economic growth in Tunisia.
Effects of hypoxic preconditioning on synaptic ultrastructure in mice

Hypoxic preconditioning (HPC) elicits resistance to more drastic subsequent insults, which potentially provide neuroprotective therapeutic strategy, but the underlying mechanisms remain to be fully elucidated. Here, we examined the effects of HPC on synaptic ultrastructure in olfactory bulb of mice. Mice underwent up to five cycles of repeated HPC treatments, and hypoxic tolerance was assessed with a standard gasp reflex assay. As expected, HPC induced an increase in tolerance time. To assess synaptic responses, Western blots were used to quantify protein levels of representative markers for glia, neuron, and synapse, and transmission electron microscopy was used to examine synaptic ultrastructure and mitochondrial density. HPC did not significantly alter the protein levels of astroglial marker (GFAP), neuron‐specific markers (GAP43, Tuj‐1, and OMP), synaptic number markers (synaptophysin and SNAP25) or the percentage of excitatory synapses versus inhibitory synapses. However, HPC significantly affected synaptic curvature and the percentage of synapses with presynaptic mitochondria, which showed concomitant change pattern. These findings demonstrate that HPC is associated with changes in synaptic ultrastructure. Synapse 69:7–14, 2015. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
A Review of Incentive Mechanisms in Peer-to-Peer Systems

Free riders in the Peer-to-Peer (P2P) networks are nodes that only consume services but provide little or nothing in return. They seriously degrade the fault-tolerance, scalability and content availability of the P2P systems. The solution to free riding problem in P2P networks is to have incentive mechanisms that aim to improve the network utility by influencing the nodes to be more cooperative. This paper proposes five design requirements that an incentive mechanism should satisfy and suggests that the existing incentive mechanisms can be classified into three categories: Monetary- based, Fixed contribution and Reciprocity-based schemes. The paper outlines the principles, provides typical examples and applications and discusses limitations of these schemes. The applicability of each scheme is also discussed against the proposed deign requirements. The aim is to provide an overview and guidance to enhance the applicability of incentive mechanisms in P2P systems.
Social and breeding status are associated with the expression of GnIH

Discoveries of how social behavior can influence the plasticity of gonadotropin‐releasing hormone (GnRH) have revolutionized the field of behavioral neuroendocrinology by providing new insights into the neural mechanisms controlling behavior. In 2000, the neuropeptide gonadotropin inhibitory hormone (GnIH) was discovered and is changing the way we view how the brain mediates reproduction and associated behaviors. GnIH acts as a reproductive ‘pause button’, momentarily inhibiting the activity of the reproductive system. However, how GnIH fluctuates naturally in response to social environment is unknown. We examine how the outcome of competition for limited resources needed for reproduction is associated with GnIH. We experimentally manipulated nesting opportunities for pairs of European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) and examined brain GnIH mRNA and peptide content, as well as GnRH content and plasma testosterone and corticosterone. By limiting the number of nest boxes per enclosure and thus the number of social pairing and nesting opportunities, we observed that birds which outcompeted others for nest boxes (‘winners’) had significantly fewer numbers of GnIH peptide‐producing cells than those without nest boxes (‘losers’) and this relationship changed with breeding stage. GnRH content, testosterone and corticosterone did not vary with nest box ownership. Thus, while birds appeared reproductively capable across treatments, our data indicate that GnIH may serve as a modulator of reproductive behaviors in response to social environment. Additionally, we provide some evidence of the adaptive value of this mechanism.
A novel Phytophthora infestans haustorium‐specific membrane protein is required for infection of potato

Phytophthora infestans causes late‐blight, a devastating and re‐emerging disease of potato crops. During the early stages of infection, P. infestans differentiates infection‐specific structures such as appressoria for host epidermal cell penetration, followed by infection vesicles, and haustoria to establish a biotrophic phase of interaction. Here we report the cloning, from a suppression subtractive hybridization library, of a P. infestans gene called Pihmp1 encoding a putative glycosylated protein with four closely spaced trans‐membrane helices. Pihmp1 expression is upregulated in germinating cysts and in germinating cysts with appressoria, and significantly upregulated throughout infection of potato. Transient gene silencing of Pihmp1 led to loss of pathogenicity and indicated involvement of this gene in the penetration and early infection processes of P. infestans. P. infestans transformants expressing a Pihmp1::monomeric red fluorescent protein (mRFP) fusion demonstrated that Pihmp1 was translated in germinating sporangia, germinating cysts and appressoria, accumulated in the appressorium, and was located at the haustorial membrane during infection. Furthermore, we discovered that haustorial structures are formed over a 3 h period, maturing for up to 12 h, and that their formation is initiated only at sites on the surface of intercellular hyphae where Pihmp1::mRFP is localized. We propose that Pihmp1 is an integral membrane protein that provides physical stability to the plasma membrane of P. infestans infection structures. We have provided the first evidence that the surface of oomycete haustoria possess proteins specific to these biotrophic structures, and that formation of biotrophic structures (infection vesicles and haustoria) is essential to successful host colonization by P. infestans.
The Public Health Impact of Global Climate Change

Accurate predictions of the public health impact of global climatic changes are hampered by the absence of a dose-response relationship between climate change and human health and imprecise, often conflicting, meteorological models of climate change. Public health officials are obligated to educate policy makers and the public about the significant threats posed to population health and quality of life by the inexorable progression of global climate change. Only an enlightened public consciousness can muster the political will required to press for policy changes and to support new technologies to conserve energy and to protect the environment from manmade agents of destruction.
Perceived Diving Impacts and Management Implications at a Popular South African Reef

Coral reefs are threatened by impacts such as from scuba diving, and ongoing research is required to assess diving impacts, diver behavior and environmental knowledge. This study investigated perceived diving impacts, reef condition and norms among scuba divers at Sodwana Bay (South Africa). Divers viewed contact with coral as damaging, and perceived environmental degradation at dive sites. However, most divers saw activities such as photography as causing little or no damage to reefs. One meter or less was believed to be a safe distance from the reef or the wildlife to avoid contact or disturbance, and encounter norms were high. Age and experience influenced most perceptions, although cannot be accepted as reliable indicators of divers' perceptions or behavior, due to the heterogeneous conduct of divers of various experience and age as described in literature. The importance of human perceptions to understand what strategies need implementation in diving management is discussed.
Integration Between the Baltic and International Stock Markets

Using cointegration tests, this paper analyzes the existence of long-run relationships among Baltic stock markets and major international stock markets, including the United States, Japan, Germany, the United Kingdom, and France. Bivariate and multivariate cointegration tests indicate a common trend linking Latvia to European markets. Evidence indicates that the German market dominates this long-run relationship. In general, short-term Granger causality indicates causality running from the European markets to the Baltic markets, as well as among the Baltic states, excepting Latvian and Lithuanian short-term effects on the Estonian market. Overall, the results suggest that international investors can obtain diversification benefits given a long-term investment horizon because of the low degree of integration between the Baltic and international capital markets.
Effects of LY274614, a competitive NMDA receptor antagonist, on the micturition reflex in the urethane‐anaesthetized rat

1 The effects of 3 competitive N‐methyl‐d‐aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonists, LY274614, LY233536 and LY235723, on the micturition reflex and external urethral sphincter EMG activity, were examined either under isovolumetric conditions or during continuous filling cystometry in urethane‐anaesthetized (1.2 g kg−1, s.c.) rats. 2 Intravenous administration of LY274614 (3–30 mg kg−1) inhibited in a dose‐dependent fashion both bladder and sphincter activity in the intact rats. In addition, the volume threshold for inducing micturition was increased and voided volume was decreased. 3 Intrathecal administration of LY274614 (0.06–30 μg) similarly inhibited bladder and sphincter activity during cystometry in intact rats. 4 In chronic spinal cord (T6−T8) transected rats LY274614 (0.1–30 mg kg−1, i.v.) did not alter bladder activity under isovolumetric conditions but decreased the amplitude of micturition contractions and sphincter EMG activity during cystometry at a dose of 10–30 mg kg−1. 5 The inhibitory effects of i.v. administration of LY274614, on bladder and sphincter activity induced by infusion of chemical irritant (0.1 % acetic acid) or saline, were similar; except that a slightly larger dose was needed to inhibit sphincter activity during acetic acid infusion. 6 Peak amplitude of micturition contractions recovered to 50% of control 3 h following i.v. (30 mg kg−1) or i.t. (6 μg) administration of LY274614. 7 Two other chemically related NMDA antagonists, LY233536 and LY235723 produced similar but less potent effects than LY274614 when given i.v. 8 These data indicate that glutamatergic transmitter mechanisms at the level of the spinal cord are important in modulating bladder activity in the intact animal, but that these mechanisms do not contribute to bladder reflexes in the chronic spinal rat. These mechanisms may, however, contribute to sphincter activity in both intact or chronic spinal rats.
What makes websites trustworthy? A two-phase empirical study

Trustworthiness has been cited as one of the most important factors in the completion of commercial transactions, and this is also true for internet commerce systems. In the internet commerce environment, people do business by interacting with a customer interface which, in this case, is an internet vendor's website. Thus, websites must be designed carefully to induce feelings of trust on the part of the customer, which will influence the decision to buy from a specific vendor. The objective of this research was to identify website design features that have significant effect on customer trust in internet shopping. A two-phase empirical study was conducted. In Phase I, respondents were asked to rate the importance of various website design features in terms of their trust for internet shopping. Forty six features were identified and grouped into nine categories. In Phase II, a different group of respondents were asked to decide whether each of these 46 features and nine categories was a Hygiene factor (i.e., a 'must have' factor, without which a customer would certainly feel distrustful), or a Motivator (i.e., a 'good to have' factor, without which a customer would not feel distrustful, but which, if present, could increase the customer's perception of trustworthiness).
Modelling Probabilities of Devaluations

I show why, when the realized rates of depreciation within the exchange rate band are regressed on a given information set and conditioned on (ex post) actual no realignment (a la drift adjustment), a 'peso problem' is still encountered. The reason is that the frequency of realignments in the data need not be the same as the frequency of the (even small) subjective probabilities that a realignment may take place. I suggest an alternative approach to solve the peso problem and provide consistent estimates. My estimates of the expected realignment rates are greater than the ones obtained using the drift adjustment method.
The EU–Russia Energy Approach under the Prism of Interdependence

Abstract This essay aims to analyse and interpret the EU–Russia approach in the energy sector under the prism of interdependence. It seeks to account for both the increasing cooperation among EU member-states and Russia as far as security of supplies is concerned, but also provides a sound explanation for the steady clashes between the two sides. For this reason, we use the terms sensitivity and vulnerability to refer to the position that each side holds on bilateral energy matters and, accordingly, to the actions it is capable of taking to resolve its problems. This model of interdependence provides a profound understanding of the bifurcated relationship between the EU and Russia and interprets both its cooperative and conflictive elements.
Regional House Prices and the Ripple Effect: A New Interpretation

In Britain, house prices exhibit a distinct spatial pattern over time, rising first in a cyclical upswing in the south-east and, then, spreading out over the rest of the country. This is known as the ripple effect. Although previous studies have shown that, statistically, the ripple effect is a valid representation of the data, providing convincing economic explanations is less straightforward. Some studies have concentrated on the role of migration; others argue that the pattern reflects different regional growth rates. This paper suggests that structural differences in regional housing markets are important. A new model of house prices for the regions in Great Britain is devised and estimated in which the coefficients exhibit non-random spatial patterns. The coefficients reflect structural differences between the regions and it is shown, through simulations, that the model can generate a ripple effect irrespective of regional growth patterns.
The drivers of current account surplus in Germany and the politics of rebalancing in the Eurozone

Current account deficits have caught the public’s attention as they have contributed to the European debt crisis. However, surpluses also constitute an issue as a deficit in any country must be financed through a surplus in another country. In 2013, Germany, now the world’s largest surplus economy, registered a record high US$273 billion surplus. This paper looks at what accounts for Germany’s surplus, revealing that the major driving factors include strong global demand for quality German exports, domestic wage restraint, an undervalued single currency, high domestic savings rate and interest rate convergence in the euro area. This paper echoes the US Treasury’s view that a persistent German surplus makes it harder for the eurozone as a whole and the southern peripheral economies in particular to recover from the current financial crisis by imposing a Europe-wide “deflationary bias” through pushing up the exchange rate of the euro, exporting feeble German inflation and projecting its ultra-tight macroeconomic policies onto crisis economies. This paper contends that Germany’s trade surplus is likely to endure as Germany and other eurozone countries uphold diverging views on the nature of the surplus engage in a blame-game amidst a sluggish rebalancing process. Prizing the surplus as a reflection of hard work and economic competitiveness, German authorities urge their southern eurozone colleagues to undertake bold structural reforms to correct the imbalance, while the hand-tied governments in crisis-stricken economies call on Germany to do its “homework” by boosting German demands for European goods and services.
The constituents of Urtica cannabina used in Uighur medicine

Urtica cannabina L. (Urticaceae) is a perennial herb that grows in Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region (northwest China). Two megastigmanes (1, 2) and five flavonoid glycosides (3-7) were isolated from its fruit. Compound 1 was determined by spectroscopic analysis to be (+)-blumenol A, and its absolute stereochemistry was determined in detail using chemical conversion and a modification of Mosher’s method. Other compounds were identified as (+)-dehydrovomifoliol (2), isovitexin (3), isoquercitrin (4), astragalin (5), afzelin (6), and quercitrin (7) using spectroscopic (NMR, HMBC, MS) and physical methods (melting point and optical rotation). Compounds 1-7 were isolated from this plant for the first time, while this is the first report of megastigmanes in the Urticaceae family. The chemotaxonomic significance of the isolation of these megastigmanes and flavonoid glycosides from Urtica species is discussed.
Further Evidence on the Relationship Between Ownership and Performance

The objective of this paper is to extend prior research into the relationship between ownership and performance while controlling for the known market anomalies of firm size and earnings to price. The empirical results do support recent works indicating a positive relationship between the degree of insider ownership and performance. Using a piecewise regression model, both size and ownership are found to be significant. An additional finding of the paper supplements several recent works questioning the earlier works of S. Basu (1977 and 1983). Copyright 1992 by MIT Press.
The Properties of the Parameterization of ARMAX Systems and Their Relevance for Structural Estimation and Dynamic Specification

IN THIS PAPER some topological and geometrical properties of the parameter space and of the relation between transfer functions and parameters for ARMAX systems are shown. We think that, especially in the multivariable case, for a deeper understanding of both inference problems and problems of numerical calculations, in addition to the problems of identifiability, the associated topological and geometrical structure has to be clarified. In this sense this paper aims to contribute to a general theory of inference in ARMAX systems by means of an investigation of the relevant properties of the structure of such systems and to link identifiability and estimation. In particular the results of the paper show the connection between consistent estimation and dynamic specification (i.e. the specification of the maximum lag lengths). The consequences of different kinds of misspecification of these maximum lags are discussed and possibilities of detecting such misspecifications are indicated. We deal with ARMAX systems in "structural" specification. The word "structural" here is mainly used to indicate that the maximum lags with which each of the variables occurs in every equation have been prescribed. Analogous results have been derived in a different ("non-structural") setting in Deistler and Hannan [4]. Partly similar problems have been treated in Kalman [11], Clark [1], Hannan [7], Hazewinkel [10], and Deistler, Dunsmuir, and Hannan [3]. In the case of "structural" specification genuine differences and difficulties occur. Now, let us introduce the basic terminology and assumptions. We consider ARMAX systems
A General Architecture for Robotics Systems: A Perception-Based Approach to Artificial Life

Departing from the conventional view of the reasons for the behavior of living systems, this research presents a radical and unique view of that behavior, as the observed side effects of a hierarchical set of simple, continuous, and dynamic negative feedback control systems, by way of an experimental model implemented on a real-world autonomous robotic rover. Rather than generating specific output from input, the systems control their perceptual inputs by varying output. The variables controlled do not exist in the environment, but are entirely internal perceptions constructed as a result of the layout and connections of the neural architecture. As the underlying processes are independent of the domain, the architecture is universal and thus has significant implications not only for understanding natural living systems, but also for the development of robotics systems. The central process of perceptual control has the potential to unify the behavioral sciences and is proposed as the missing behavioral principle of Artificial Life.