Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
8. Renegotiating Decentralization and State–Civil Society Relations: A Reinterpretation of Naga City’s Experiment in Participatory Governance

Introduction The story of Naga City, located in the Bicol region of the Philippines, as an internationally renowned and award-winning local government for “best practices” in decentralized participatory governance has been told many times over. In academic books and journals, international development bulletins and regional and national magazines, Naga City’s outstanding achievements in various fields of governance – in health, nutrition, peace and order, child welfare, environmental protection, solid waste management, tax collection, government procurement, etc. -have received well deserved accolades as a dynamic and liveable city in a “Third World” country. Naga’s impressive rise in the 1990s from a third-class to a first-class city in terms of income and revenue is matched by its city government’s commitment to the efficient delivery of social services, especially housing, health and education, using innovative public participation mechanisms. For its many creative and precedent-setting innovations, it has received at least 100 national, regional, and international awards since 1988 (see Appendix 1). Among the most prestigious ones are the 2002 United Nations Conference on Human Settlements that cited Naga’s Participatory Governance as one of the “Top 20 Best Practices” in the world, and the 2002 World Bank’s “Model City with Good Practices and Innovations in Government Procurement”. In the year 2002 alone, Naga garnered a total of 2 international awards, 9 national, 11 regional, and 6 individual awards given to its public officials, 3 of which went to its long-time mayor, Jesse Robredo, who has been widely credited for turning Naga into a “first-class” city since the 1990s.
Structural basis of cellular dNTP regulation by SAMHD1

Significance SAMHD1 is a dNTPase that depletes the cellular dNTP pool to inhibit the replication of retroviruses, including HIV-1. The dNTPase activity of SAMHD1 also enables the enzyme to be a major regulator of cellular dNTP levels in mammalian cells, in addition to be implicated in the pathogenesis of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and Aicardi Goutières syndrome (AGS). Here we present extensive structural and enzymatic data to reveal how SAMHD1 is activated and regulated via the combined actions of GTP and all cellular dNTPs. Our work establishes a complete spectrum of nucleotide binding and the exquisite regulatory mechanism of SAMHD1 in cellular dNTP metabolism, retrovirus restriction, and the pathogenesis of CLL and AGS. The sterile alpha motif and HD domain-containing protein 1 (SAMHD1), a dNTPase, prevents the infection of nondividing cells by retroviruses, including HIV, by depleting the cellular dNTP pool available for viral reverse transcription. SAMHD1 is a major regulator of cellular dNTP levels in mammalian cells. Mutations in SAMHD1 are associated with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and the autoimmune condition Aicardi Goutières syndrome (AGS). The dNTPase activity of SAMHD1 can be regulated by dGTP, with which SAMHD1 assembles into catalytically active tetramers. Here we present extensive biochemical and structural data that reveal an exquisite activation mechanism of SAMHD1 via combined action of both GTP and dNTPs. We obtained 26 crystal structures of SAMHD1 in complex with different combinations of GTP and dNTP mixtures, which depict the full spectrum of GTP/dNTP binding at the eight allosteric and four catalytic sites of the SAMHD1 tetramer. Our data demonstrate how SAMHD1 is activated by binding of GTP or dGTP at allosteric site 1 and a dNTP of any type at allosteric site 2. Our enzymatic assays further reveal a robust regulatory mechanism of SAMHD1 activity, which bares resemblance to that of the ribonuclease reductase responsible for cellular dNTP production. These results establish a complete framework for a mechanistic understanding of the important functions of SAMHD1 in the regulation of cellular dNTP levels, as well as in HIV restriction and the pathogenesis of CLL and AGS.
Comparison of eye morphology and retinal topography in two species of new world vultures (Aves: Cathartidae)

Vultures are highly reliant on their sensory systems for the rapid detection and localization of carrion before other scavengers can exploit the resource. In this study, we compared eye morphology and retinal topography in two species of New World vultures (Cathartidae), turkey vultures (Cathartes aura), with a highly developed olfactory sense, and black vultures (Coragyps atratus), with a less developed sense of olfaction. We found that eye size relative to body mass was the same in both species, but that black vultures have larger corneas relative to eye size than turkey vultures. However, the overall retinal topography, the total number of cells in the retinal ganglion cell layer, peak and average cell densities, cell soma area frequency distributions, and the theoretical peak anatomical spatial resolving power were the same in both species. This suggests that the visual systems of these two species are similar and that vision plays an equally important role in the biology of both species, despite the apparently greater reliance on olfaction for finding carrion in turkey vultures. Anat Rec, 296:1954–1970, 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Toxicity and Distribution of Lidocaine in Nonasphyxiated and Asphyxiated Baboon Fetuses

The dosage and blood concentration of lidocaine required to produce central nervous and cardiovascular system toxicity in both nonasphyxiated and asphyxiated fetuses were determined in ten pregnant baboons with fetuses of average gestation of 158 days (term, 185 days). Lidocaine was infused into the fetal jugular vein until cardiac arrest occurred, following which fetal brain, heart, lungs, liver and kidneys were obtained. Mean dosage and blood concentration of lidocaine associated with seizures were 9.4 mg/kg and 15.2 µg/ml, respectively, in the nonasphyxiated fetuses, and 3.9 mg/kg and 5.6 µg/ml, respectively, in the asphyxiated ones. The dosage and blood concentration of the drug required to produce cardiac arrest were significantly higher in the nonasphyxiated group (35 mg/kg and 269 µg/ml, respectively) compared to the sphyxiated group (9 mg/kg and 40 µg/ml, respectively). Tissue-plasma ratios of lidocaine were significantly higher (P < 0.05) in the brain, heart, and liver of the asphyxiated fetuses as compared with the nonasphyxiated ones. The relative proportion of the injected dose found in the organs was also higher (P < 0.05) in the asphyxiated group. These results indicate that the increased sensitivity of the asphyxiated fetus to lidocaine may be related in part to a greater uptake of local anesthetics by the fetal organs.
Temporal disorganization of circadian rhythmicity and sleep-wake regulation in mechanically ventilated patients receiving continuous intravenous sedation.

OBJECTIVES Sleep is regulated by circadian and homeostatic processes and is highly organized temporally. Our study was designed to determine whether this organization is preserved in patients receiving mechanical ventilation (MV) and intravenous sedation. DESIGN Observational study. SETTING Academic medical intensive care unit. PATIENTS Critically ill patients receiving MV and intravenous sedation. METHODS Continuous polysomnography (PSG) was initiated an average of 2.0 (1.0, 3.0) days after ICU admission and continued ≥ 36 h or until the patient was extubated. Sleep staging and power spectral analysis were performed using standard approaches. We also calculated the electroencephalography spectral edge frequency 95% SEF₉₅, a parameter that is normally higher during wakefulness than during sleep. Circadian rhythmicity was assessed in 16 subjects through the measurement of aMT6s in urine samples collected hourly for 24-48 hours. Light intensity at the head of the bed was measured continuously. MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS We analyzed 819.7 h of PSG recordings from 21 subjects. REM sleep was identified in only 2/21 subjects. Slow wave activity lacked the normal diurnal and ultradian periodicity and homeostatic decline found in healthy adults. In nearly all patients, SEF₉₅ was consistently low without evidence of diurnal rhythmicity (median 6.3 [5.3, 7.8] Hz, n = 18). A circadian rhythm of aMT6s excretion was present in most (13/16, 81.3%) patients, but only 4 subjects had normal timing. Comparison of the SEF₉₅ during the melatonin-based biological night and day revealed no difference between the 2 periods (P = 0.64). CONCLUSIONS The circadian rhythms and PSG of patients receiving mechanical ventilation and intravenous sedation exhibit pronounced temporal disorganization. The finding that most subjects exhibited preserved, but phase delayed, excretion of aMT6s suggests that the circadian pacemaker of such patients may be free-running.
Acute Pain Management: Operative or Medical Procedures and Trauma

Objective To review the topics presented in the Agency for Health Care Policy and Research (AHCPR) Clinical Practice Guideline for Acute Pain Management and provide updated information on therapeutic issues as necessary. Data Sources AHCPR Clinical Practice Guideline for Acute Pain Management: Operative or Medical Procedures and Trauma. A MEDLINE search (1990 to June 1996) of English-language literature pertaining to pain assessment and management was performed. Reference lists from relevant articles also served as a literature source. Study Selection and Data Extraction All articles identified from the data sources were evaluated. Relevant information, as determined by the authors, was included in the review. Data Synthesis Inadequate acute pain management continues to be recognized as a problem due to limited health professional education on the treatment of pain, inadequate patient empowerment, negative connotations associated with opioid analgesics (e.g., fear of “addiction”), federal regulations associated with prescribing opioid analgesics, and difficulty in assessing pain. The widespread inadequacy in pain management prompted the development of the AHCPR Clinical Practice Guideline for Acute Pain Management, which was published in 1992. In addition to reviewing the pain guideline, this article includes updated information on ketorolac tromethamine, tramadol, local anesthetics, sedation, regional anesthetic techniques, and the management of opioid adverse effects. Conclusions The AHCPR Clinical Practice Guideline for Acute Pain Management is a comprehensive, yet functional, review for clinicians. Most issues relating to acute pain assessment and management are adequately discussed. Overall, this guideline is a worthwhile general resource to clinicians. It is important, however, for clinicians managing acute pain issues to supplement this guideline with more detailed and current information.
Control and management of a connected car using YANG/RESTCONF and cloud computing

This paper describes the implementation of an innovative proof-of-concept (PoC) for a connected car, modeled with YANG, which can be remotely controlled using SDN/NFV technologies. In particular, the remote control of the car is based on a service application running on a remote data center. The demonstration is performed using a RESTCONF server installed in a Raspberry Pi aboard of a small car. This server is responsible for the sensors and actuators of the car and allows for its remote control from a user terminal (e.g., a smartphone, tablet, or laptop) and through the cloud, running a control application as a service.
[Experimental examination concerning the efficacy of silver-coated Dacron prostheses in vascular graft infections following subcutaneous implantation in a standardized infection model].

UNLABELLED It was the aim of the study to examine the efficacy of silver coated prostheses in comparison to Rifampin in impregnated prostheses in the prevention of vascular graft infections. MATERIAL AND METHODS 24 C3H/HcN mice with a bodyweight between 24 and 27 grams were assigned to four different groups. GROUP I: control gel-sealed Dacron graft (Uni-Graft DV) (6), GROUP II: gel-sealed Dacron graft (Uni-Graft DV) contaminated locally with 2 x 10(7) CFU/1.2 ml Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923 (6), GROUP III: silver prosthesis (Intergard Silver) contaminated locally with 2 x 10(7) CFU/0.2 ml Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923 (6), GROUP IV: Rifampin impregnated prosthesis contaminated locally with 2 x 10(7) CFU/0.2 ml Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923 (6). 14 days after primary operation all animals were euthanized and the grafts harvested. Specimens were examined for signs of infections by histology and microbiology. RESULTS At termination of the trial on day 14 none of the grafts of group I were contaminated. 6 out of 6 grafts in group II, 6 out of 6 grafts in group III and 1 out of 6 grafts in group IV presented with infected grafts. The use of antimicrobial Rifampin could significantly prevent infection after bacterial challenge in group IV. CONCLUSION The silver protected prosthesis (Intergard Silver) seems to be not effective in protecting vascular infection in vivo. However, the Rifampin group showed excellent results. In conclusion Rifampin bonded gelatin-sealed Dacron grafts are significantly more resistant to bacteremic infection than are silver/collagen-coated Dacron grafts.
Age‐related differences in the dose–response relationship of muscle protein synthesis to resistance exercise in young and old men

We investigated how myofibrillar protein synthesis (MPS) and muscle anabolic signalling were affected by resistance exercise at 20–90% of 1 repetition maximum (1 RM) in two groups (25 each) of post‐absorptive, healthy, young (24 ± 6 years) and old (70 ± 5 years) men with identical body mass indices (24 ± 2 kg m−2). We hypothesized that, in response to exercise, anabolic signalling molecule phosphorylation and MPS would be modified in a dose‐dependant fashion, but to a lesser extent in older men. Vastus lateralis muscle was sampled before, immediately after, and 1, 2 and 4 h post‐exercise. MPS was measured by incorporation of [1,2‐13C] leucine (gas chromatography–combustion–mass spectrometry using plasma [1,2‐13C]α‐ketoisocaparoate as surrogate precursor); the phosphorylation of p70 ribosomal S6 kinase (p70s6K) and eukaryotic initiation factor 4E binding protein 1 (4EBP1) was measured using Western analysis with anti‐phosphoantibodies. In each group, there was a sigmoidal dose–response relationship between MPS at 1–2 h post‐exercise and exercise intensity, which was blunted (P < 0.05) in the older men. At all intensities, MPS fell in both groups to near‐basal values by 2–4 h post‐exercise. The phosphorylation of p70s6K and 4EBP1 at 60–90% 1 RM was blunted in older men. At 1 h post‐exercise at 60–90% 1 RM, p70s6K phosphorylation predicted the rate of MPS at 1–2 h post‐exercise in the young but not in the old. The results suggest that in the post‐absorptive state: (i) MPS is dose dependant on intensity rising to a plateau at 60–90% 1 RM; (ii) older men show anabolic resistance of signalling and MPS to resistance exercise.
RESPONSABILIDADE SOCIAL CORPORATIVA: O QUE REVELAM OS RELATÓRIOS SOCIAIS DAS EMPRESAS

This research considers an analysis on how companies listed in the Brazilian Stock Exchange understand corporative social responsibility and put it in practice. Through qualitative analysis, it was observed that one third of the companies of the sample presented deviations in the understanding of what corporative social responsibility is, confusing philanthropy with the business itself, volunteer actions of employees as their own, fines with investments, among others ambiguous information. The contribution of the present research is relevant as it condenses and demonstrates the (mis)match between the understanding and the practice of corporate social responsibility.
A sound database development for environmental sound recognition

Environmental sound recognition has become a hot topic in recent years. It is necessary to establish a database which comprises the sounds to be recognized in advance to be able to recognize the environmental sounds. In this paper, we present the design and pilot establishment of a database which will become the base of the impulsive environmental sound recognition system which is planned to establish later. This database which comprises impulsive environmental sounds will provide the requested features for the detection and recognition of sounds obtained from the environment. As offline it will be used for development and test platform for algorithms that will be developed. Besides we explain the measures taken into account during data collection for the database, since it is hard to find and record impulsive environmental sounds.
R&D and CEO departure date: do financial incentives make CEOs more opportunistic?

The purpose of this article is to examine whether Research and Development (R&D) expenditure is biased downward because of self-serving behavior of highly incentivized managers. This offers an insight into the general relationship between incentives and opportunism. Using instrumental variables and panel-data methods for a sample of high R&D spenders in the UK, we examine whether R&D is reduced in cases of imminent departure of the CEO. Results show evidence for this but only for the sample above the median in intensity of stock and options in the compensation package. This suggests that opportunism is enhanced by inappropriately strong incentives. The main results are robust to the inclusion of a number of corporate governance variables. JEL classification: G30, O30
Evaluation of a computerized measurement technique for joint alignment before and during periacetabular osteotomy

Periacetabular osteotomy (PAO) is intended to treat a painful dysplastic hip. Manual radiological angle measurements are used to diagnose dysplasia and to define regions of insufficient femoral head coverage for planning PAO. No method has yet been described that recalculates radiological angles as the acetabular bone fragment is reoriented. In this study, we propose a technique for computationally measuring the radiological angles from a joint contact surface model segmented from CT-scan data. Using oblique image slices, we selected the lateral and medial edge of the acetabulum lunate to form a closed, continuous, 3D curve. The joint surface is generated by interpolating the curve, and the radiological angles are measured directly using the 3D surface. This technique was evaluated using CT data for both normal and dysplastic hips. Manual measurements made by three independent observers showed minor discrepancies between the manual observations and the computerized technique. Inter-observer error (mean difference ± standard deviation) was 0.04 ± 3.53° for Observer 1; −0.46 ± 3.13° for Observer 2; and 0.42 ± 2.73° for Observer 3. The measurement error for the proposed computer method was −1.30 ± 3.30°. The computerized technique demonstrates sufficient accuracy compared to manual techniques, making it suitable for planning and intraoperative evaluation of radiological metrics for periacetabular osteotomy.
Electrothermal Control of Graphene Plasmon–Phonon Polaritons

Graphene plasmons are known to offer an unprecedented level of confinement and enhancement of electromagnetic field. They are hence amenable to interacting strongly with various other excitations (for example, phonons) in their surroundings and are an ideal platform to study the properties of hybrid optical modes. Conversely, the thermally induced motion of particles and quasiparticles can in turn interact with electronic degrees of freedom in graphene, including the collective plasmon modes via the Coulomb interaction, which opens up new pathways to manipulate and control the behavior of these modes. This study demonstrates tunable electrothermal control of coupling between graphene mid‐infrared (mid‐IR) plasmons and IR active optical phonons in silicon nitride. This study utilizes graphene nanoribbons functioning as both localized plasmonic resonators and local Joule heaters upon application of an external bias. In the latter role, they achieve up to ≈100 K of temperature variation within the device area. This study observes increased modal splitting of two plasmon–phonon polariton hybrid modes with temperature, which is a manifestation of increased plasmon–phonon coupling strength. Additionally, this study also reports on the existence of a thermally excited hybrid plasmon–phonon mode. This work can open the door for future optoelectronic devices such as electrically switchable graphene mid‐infrared plasmon sources.
Diabetes Mellitus in Ataxia-Telangiectasia, Fanconi Anemia, Xeroderma Pigmentosum, Common Variable Immune Deficiency, and Severe Combined Immune Deficiency Families

The hypothesis that heterozygous carriers of genes for certain autosomal recessive syndromes may be predisposed to diabetes was tested by comparing diabetes incidence from age 20 to 69 yr in blood relatives to that in spouse controls among 7999 adult family members of patients with one of five autosomal recessive syndromes: ataxia-telangiectasia (A-T), Fanconi anemia (FA), xeroderma pigmentosum (XP), common variable immune deficiency (CVID), and severe combined immune deficiency (SCID). FA and A-T families were studied because earlier findings in family members and the frequency of diabetes in homozygotes suggested that heterozygotes might also be predisposed to diabetes. The XP, CVID, and SCID families were included to see what analysis of family data would reveal when there was no prior evidence for a gene-diabetes association. The diabetes rate ratios of 2.6 and 4.2 among FA and SCID females, respectively, were significantly elevated. For female FA heterozygotes specifically, the estimated relative risk of 5.1 for developing diabetes was also significantly elevated. Among males, the most pronounced, although not statistically significant, findings were an elevated rate ratio of 2.2 for A-T males and a low-rate ratio of 0.5 for CVID males. The results suggest that heterozygotes for some of the diabetes-associated autosomal recessive syndromes may themselves be predisposed to diabetes.
Organization of the left-hand end of the herpes simplex virus type 2 BglII N fragment

We have determined the complete nucleotide sequence surrounding the region coding for a 38,000-dalton protein of herpes simplex virus type 2 strain 333 that is encoded between map coordinates 0.58 to 0.595 on the viral genome. The sequence data have revealed an open translational reading frame of 1,011 nucleotides encoding a protein of 337 amino acids. Upstream of those sequences, transcriptional regulatory signals could be identified that overlap another open reading frame of 489 nucleotides, which presumably encodes the carboxy-terminal 163 amino acids of a 140,000-dalton protein. Downstream of the gene encoding the 38,000-dalton protein a polyadenylation signal was found as well as one further along on the other strand near a termination codon that presumably punctuates the gene specifying a 61,000-dalton protein. The DNA sequence data were compared with the amended sequence of the herpes simplex virus type 1 strain KOS 40,000-dalton protein (K. G. Draper, R. F. Frink, and E. K. Wagner, J. Virol. 43:1123-1128, 1982) and with the 5' end of the same gene from herpes simplex virus type 1 strain 17 (J. McLaughlan and J. B. Clements, J. Gen. Virol. 64:997-1006, 1983) to assess the degree of inter- and intratypic variation. The comparison of the sequences has provided a basis for the type specifity of this viral protein and for different mechanisms giving rise to the diversity between herpes simplex virus types 1 and 2.