Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
On the Prediction of the Inflation Crises of South Africa Using Markov-Switching Bayesian Vector Autoregressive and Logistic Regression Models

The aim of this study is to build an early warning system (EWS) model for inflation rates of South Africa (SA). A logistic regression model (LRM) is used in collaboration with a Markov-switching Bayesian vector autoregressive (MS-BVAR) to produce the estimates. Monte Carlo experimental methods are used to simulate both the inflation rate and repo rate of the SA economy. The procedure simulated 228 observations for the period of January 1999 to December 2017. Preliminary results confirmed the applicability of both models for further analyses. MS (2)-BVAR(1) proved to be the most appropriate model for detecting regime shifts in inflation rates. The results indicate that SA inflation might be in a low inflation regime for the period of 11 years and 4 months. Surprisingly, we discovered that the repo rate is not a good tool to combat the inflation rate in SA i.e a 1% increase in the repo in a month significantly increased inflation rate by about 81%. The findings also confirmed 51% and 53% of in-sample and out-of-sample SA inflation crises forecasts to be correctly classified. This is in accordance with the reported results of Cruz and Mapa (2013) and Makatjane and Xaba (2016). The verdicts of the study are relevant for policy purposes and literature.
Ferritin L is the Sole Serum Ferritin Constituent and a Positive Hepatic Acute-Phase Protein

ABSTRACT Ferritin L (FTL) and ferritin H (FTH) subunits are responsible for intracellular iron storage. Serum ferritin levels are not only dependant on body iron stores. Aims of the present study are to demonstrate nature, source, and major regulatory mediators of serum ferritin in an animal model of acute-phase (AP) response. Animals (rats, wild-type [WT] mice, and interleukin [IL]-6ko mice) were injected with turpentine oil (TO) intra-muscularity to induce a sterile abscess and sacrificed at different time points afterward. Rat hepatocytes were isolated for cell culture and, after reaching confluence, stimulated with major AP cytokines to induce AP conditions. We found a significantly increased expression of both ferritin subunits in liver at mRNA and protein levels during AP response. In the serum of both control and TO-injected rats, only FTL was detectable by Western blotting, whereas no increase in serum FTL was measured by Western blot or enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. An increase in protein expression of FTL and FTH was observed in lysates of rat hepatocytes after treatment with IL-6, IL-1&bgr;, and tumor necrosis factor-&agr;; however, only FTL was increasingly released into supernatant. In both TO-injected rats and WT mice, a dramatic increase in serum IL-6 levels was observed, along with an increased amount of hepatic ferritin subunits. However, an increase of hepatic FTL but not of FTH protein expression was observed in IL-6ko mice after TO injection. Our data demonstrate that FTL is the only rat serum ferritin whose release into circulation from the hepatocytes is increased by the effect of AP cytokines (e.g., IL-6). In contrast, FTH expression is intracellular in both under physiological and AP conditions.
Extravascular lung water in sepsis-associated acute respiratory distress syndrome: Indexing with predicted body weight improves correlation with severity of illness and survival*

Objectives:To determine whether extravascular lung water predicts survival in patients with early acute respiratory distress syndrome, to determine the relationship between extravascular lung water and other markers of lung injury, and to examine if indexing extravascular lung water with predicted body weight (EVLWp) strengthens its discriminative power. Design:Extravascular lung water and other markers of lung injury were measured prospectively in 19 patients with sepsis-induced acute respiratory distress syndrome for 3 days. Setting:The intensive care units of an academic tertiary referral hospital. Measurements and Main Results:Lung injury score, Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score, dead space-tidal volume fraction (Vd/Vt), and EVLWp were all significantly higher on day 1 in nonsurvivors compared with survivors (lung injury score, 2.8 ± 0.34 vs. 1.9 ± 0.50; p = .004) (Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score, 13 ± 3.4 vs. 7.7 ± 0.8; p = .006) (Vd/Vt, 0.68 ± 0.07 vs. 0.58 ± 0.07; p = .009) (EVLWp, 20.6 ± 4.6 vs. 11.6 ± 1.9 mL/kg; p = .002). EVLWp correlated with Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score, lung injury score, Vd/Vt, and Pao2/Fio2. The receiver operator characteristic curve analysis indicated that EVLWp, Vd/Vt, and extravascular lung water (p = .0005, .009, and .013, respectively) but not Pao2/Fio2 (p = .311) discriminate between survivors and nonsurvivors. Three-day average EVLWp >16 mL/kg predicted in-hospital mortality with 100% specificity and 86% sensitivity. Conclusions:Increased extravascular lung water is a feature of early acute respiratory distress syndrome and predicts survival. Indexing extravascular lung water to predicted body weight, instead of actual body weight, improves the predictive value of extravascular lung water for survival and correlation with markers of disease severity.
Silencing of the Rac1 GTPase MtROP9 in Medicago truncatula Stimulates Early Mycorrhizal and Oomycete Root Colonizations But Negatively Affects Rhizobial Infection[C][W][OA]

RAC/ROP proteins (ρ-related GTPases of plants) are plant-specific small G proteins that function as molecular switches within elementary signal transduction pathways, including the regulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation during early microbial infection via the activation of NADPH oxidase homologs of plants termed RBOH (for respiratory burst oxidase homolog). We investigated the role of Medicago truncatula Jemalong A17 small GTPase MtROP9, orthologous to Medicago sativa Rac1, via an RNA interference silencing approach. Composite M. truncatula plants (MtROP9i) whose roots have been transformed by Agrobacterium rhizogenes carrying the RNA interference vector were generated and infected with the symbiotic arbuscular mycorrhiza fungus Glomus intraradices and the rhizobial bacterium Sinorhizobium meliloti as well as with the pathogenic oomycete Aphanomyces euteiches. MtROP9i transgenic lines showed a clear growth-reduced phenotype and revealed neither ROS generation nor MtROP9 and MtRBOH gene expression after microbial infection. Coincidently, antioxidative compounds were not induced in infected MtROP9i roots, as documented by differential proteomics (two-dimensional differential gel electrophoresis). Furthermore, MtROP9 knockdown clearly promoted mycorrhizal and A. euteiches early hyphal root colonization, while rhizobial infection was clearly impaired. Infected MtROP9i roots showed, in part, extremely swollen noninfected root hairs and reduced numbers of deformed nodules. S. meliloti nodulation factor treatments of MtROP9i led to deformed root hairs showing progressed swelling of its upper regions or even of the entire root hair and spontaneous constrictions but reduced branching effects occurring only at swollen root hairs. These results suggest a key role of Rac1 GTPase MtROP9 in ROS-mediated early infection signaling.
Patient Safety Education at U.S. and Canadian Medical Schools: Results From the 2006 Clerkship Directors in Internal Medicine Survey

Purpose To describe current patient safety curricula at U.S. and Canadian medical schools and identify factors associated with adoption of these programs. Method A survey was mailed to institutional members of the Clerkship Directors in Internal Medicine at U.S. and Canadian academic medical schools in 2006. Respondents self-reported implementation of patient safety curricula and associated methods of instruction at the institution level. Results The survey had a 76% response rate (83/110). Only 25% of institutional members reported that their schools had explicit patient safety curricula. All respondents that reported having curricula use lectures and small-group instruction, and these were more likely to occur in preclinical settings. Topics and methods of instruction included reporting adverse incidents and analysis of medical errors; improvement of physician order writing to prevent medication errors; core measures; national patient safety goals; and standardization of medical care through the use of clinical guidelines and order set templates. Although only 25% of respondents reported having explicit curricula, 72% agreed that patient safety instruction should occur during medical school. Conclusions Despite calls from regulatory, medical, and educational organizations to increase patient safety training of medical students, internal medicine clerkship directors report that few schools in the United States and Canada have implemented specific patient safety curricula. Most existing patient safety curricula use lecture and small-group discussion as preferred methods of instruction.
Sites of toxicity of specific photooxidation products of anthracene to higher plants: Inhibition of photosynthetic activity and electron transport in Lemna gibba L. G‐3 (Duckweed)

Sites of toxicity of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were examined to determine if inhibition of photosynthetic activity could be correlated to whole‐organism toxicity. The inhibition of photosynthesis was observed by detecting the induction kinetics of endogenous chlorophyll a (Chl a) fluorescence. Anthracene (ANT) photooxidation products were applied to the aquatic higher plant Lemna gibba L. G‐3 at concentrations ranging from 0.01 to 10 ppm. The impact on Chl a fluorescence was found to correlate with whole‐organism toxicity for the 13 PAH compounds tested in this in vivo study. The mechanism of toxic action starts with inhibition of photosystem I (PSI) or the cytochrome‐b6/f complex, followed by photooxidative damage to photosystem II (PSII). To study the effects of oxygenated ANTs on photosynthesis in vivo, the IC50s for FV/FM (PSII activity) and FQ/FM (activity downstream from PSII) were determined. The IC50s for a decrease of FQ/FM for all 13 chemicals were on average twofold lower than those for FV/FM. FV/FM was found to be a measure of acute toxicity, whereas FQ/FM was found to be a measure of chronic toxicity. Thus, Chl a fluorescence by use of the whole organism was able to detect the impacts of photomodified ANT products and indicate a site of action for the chemicals. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Environ Toxicol 17: 462–471, 2002; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/tox.10080
Demonstration of a relationship between white blood cell count, insulin resistance, and several risk factors for coronary heart disease in women

In order to evaluate the relationship between peripheral white blood cell (WBC) count, insulin‐mediated glucose uptake, and several risk factors for coronary heart disease (CHD), WBC, plasma glucose and insulin responses to a 75‐g oral glucose challenge, fasting plasma cholesterol, high‐density‐lipoprotein (HDL)‐cholesterol, and triglyceride concentration, and systolic and diastolic blood pressure were determined in 63 consecutive female volunteers with normal glucose tolerance. The results demonstrated the presence of statistically significant correlation coefficients between WBC count and both insulin‐mediated glucose disposal (r = 0.50, P < 0.001) and insulin response to oral glucose (r = 0.50, P < 0.001). Furthermore, WBC count correlated with plasma glucose response to oral glucose (r = 0.48, P < 0.001), fasting plasma triglyceride (r = 0.37, P < 0.005) and HDL‐cholesterol concentrations (r = −0.38, P < 0.005), and systolic (r = 0.22, P < 0.1) and diastolic (r = 0.27, P < 0.05) blood pressure. However, the only two variables significantly correlated with WBC count in multivariate regression analysis were insulin resistance (r = 0.49, P < 0.01) and insulin response (r = 0.35, P < 0.05). These data indicate that WBC count is significantly correlated with changes in carbohydrate and lipoprotein metabolism and blood pressure that increase the risk of CHD. However, it appears that these relationships are secondary to resistance to insulin‐mediated glucose uptake and hyperinsulinaemia.
Purification and characterization of chaperonin 60 and chaperonin 10 from the anaerobic thermophile Thermoanaerobacter brockii.

Chaperonin 60 and chaperonin 10 (GroEL and GroES homologues, respectively) have been isolated from extracts of the anaerobic thermophile Thermoanaerobacter brockii. A simple and rapid purification for chaperonin 60 made use of hydrophobic and anion-exchange chromatographies, and could be readily scaled up; approximately 2 mg pure chaperonin 60 was obtained/g cells. In contrast with all other prokaryotic chaperonin 60 proteins that have been studied, which are tetradecamers, including those from Thermus sp. , the T. brockii protein is a heptamer, and as isolated was not in association with chaperonin 10. The preparation is readily crystallized using 2-propanol or poly(ethylene glycol) with MgCl2. The N-terminal amino acid sequence of this preparation is similar to other thermophilic chaperonin 60 proteins. Chaperonin 10 was purified from the flow-through of the first hydrophobic column (which bound chaperonin 60) using a more hydrophobic adsorbent to remove contaminating proteins, followed by anion-exchange chromatography. Chaperonin 10 was obtained with a yield of approximately 10% that of chaperonin 60. The subunit molecular mass of chaperonin 10 determined by electrospray mass spectrometry is 10254 +/- 0.4 Da, which is very similar to the molecular mass of Escherichia coli GroES. Similarly, the subunit size of chaperonin 60 determined by mass spectrometry is very similar to that of GroEL, at 57949 +/- 10 Da. T. brockii chaperonin 60 has an ATPase activity that is suppressed by chaperonin 10, and the two proteins together are active in protein-folding assays. Mitochondrial malate dehydrogenase was successfully refolded at 37 degrees C after denaturation in guanidine hydrochloride, using T. brockii chaperonin 60 and chaperonin 10, or chaperonin 60 and E. coli GroES. The denatured enzyme was protected from aggregation by association with chaperonin 60. Guanidine-hydrochloride-denatured preparations of isocitrate dehydrogenase and secondary alcohol dehydrogenase isolated from T. brockii were also refolded at 60-65 degrees C. In each case, refolding required chaperonin 60, chaperonin 10 and ATP, giving up to 80% regeneration of control activity.
Ethnicity and differential access to care for eating disorder symptoms.

OBJECTIVE The impact of ethnicity on access to health care for eating disorder symptoms among participants in the 1996 National Eating Disorders Screening Program (NEDSP) was examined in two studies. METHOD Self-report and clinician-assessed data were analyzed from 9,069 participants in an educational and two-stage screening program for eating disorders in Study I. In Study II, both cross-sectional and prospective data from a randomly selected sample of 289 participants from the same program were analyzed to investigate the impact of ethnic minority status on both help-seeking patterns and clinician referral patterns for eating disorder symptoms. RESULTS Even after controlling for severity of self-reported eating disorder symptoms, both Latino and Native American participants in the NEDSP were significantly less likely than Whites to receive a recommendation or referral for further evaluation or care. Ethnic minority subjects with self-acknowledged eating and weight concerns were also significantly less likely than non-minority participants to have been asked by a doctor about eating disorder symptoms. Only one marginally significant difference was found between ethnic minority and non-minority respondents with respect to their help-seeking behaviors, namely, ethnic minority subjects were less likely (at the level of a trend) to seek eating disorders treatment within 1(1/2)-2 years following the NEDSP. DISCUSSION These data suggest that clinician bias may be an important barrier to access to care for eating disorder symptoms in ethnic minority populations.
ALL FOR THE MONEY? THE LIMITS OF MONETARY REWARDS IN INNOVATION CONTESTS WITH USERS

Practitioners increasingly use innovation contests to harness the knowledge of external crowds for internal innovation purposes in exchange for prize money. While some innovation contests have the objective to attract professional experts from distant fields to obtain technical solutions, other innovation contests primarily target customers or users in order to generate new product and service ideas. Hence, external crowds differ substantially across, but also within, innovation contests in terms of personal needs in the innovation domain. Drawing upon the private-collective model of innovation, we argue that participants’ “userness” in terms of personal needs gives rise to non-monetary reward expectations and collectively oriented participation as opposed to the private pursuit of monetary rewards emphasised in innovation contests. Hence, the effectiveness of monetary rewards in innovation contests is bound to certain participants and behaviours. In particular, participants weigh non-monetary rewards more strongly against monetary rewards (1) when their personal need in the innovation domain is high, and (2) when choosing to engage collectively in evaluating and commenting on other contributions as opposed to submitting own contributions. We find support for these hypotheses in an empirical study where user participation in a real innovation contest is regressed on survey-based measures of expected rewards that users perceive prior to the contest. The observed effect sizes of the proposed shifts from monetary to non-monetary rewards are so pronounced that for a given level of personal need and a given type of participation behaviour only either reward type is effective and a compensational relation between both types of rewards does not exist. Monetary rewards are even detrimental and lower user participation if the two proposed boundary conditions are taken together.
Post-translational transport into intact chloroplasts of a precursor to the small subunit of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase.

A precursor to the small subunit of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase [3-phospho-D-glycerate carboxylyase (dimerizing), EC 4.1. 1.39] has been identified among the products of cell-free translation of polyadenylated RNA from spinach and pea. In both cases, the precursor is larger than the mature protein by 4000-5000 daltons. Upon incubation of post-ribosomal supernatants of the in vitro protein synthesis mixtures with purified intact chloroplasts, the pea and spinach precursors are transported interchangeably into the chloroplasts and processed to the mature size and charge. Moreover, the newly transported small subunits are found to assemble with endogenous large subunits to form the holoenzyme. In contrast, a precursor to the Chlamydomonas reinhardtii small subunit is not taken up by higher plant chloroplasts, indicating the specificity of the transport events. Together, these results demonstrate that the in vitro reconstruction of the post-translational transport of the higher plant precursors is physiologically significant.
A two-way inductive power interface for single loads

Inductive Power Transfer (IPT) is a technique for transferring power from one system to anther with no physical contacts. Until now this technique has been widely used only for unidirectional power delivery in numerous applications over a wide power range. As bi-directional and contactless power transfer is advantageous for applications such electric vehicles and moving appliances, this paper presents a novel IPT technique, which enables contactless power transfer from one system to another across an air-gap in both directions. The proposed system employs identical electronics, comprising a reversible rectifier and an inductor-capacitor-inductor (LCL) circuit, on each side of the air-gap, and controls both the amount and direction of power flow at unity power factor through magnitude control of the voltages generated by reversible rectifiers. Theoretical analysis is presented with simulations to show that the proposed method of bi-directional power control is feasible, and be ideal for applications which require both contactless and bi-directional power flow.
Potent antihypertrophic effect of the bradykinin B2 receptor system on the renal vasculature.

BACKGROUND Angiotensin type 1 (AT1) receptor-deficient mice (Agtr1-/-), which selectively lack both AT1A and AT1B receptor genes, are characterized by marked intrarenal vascular thickening. In the present study, we explored the possible involvement of the kinin-kallikrein system in the development of this renal vascular hypertrophy. METHODS Wild-type and Agtr1-/- mice were examined for the developmental regulation pattern of the kinin-kallikrein system and treated with aprotinin (a kallikrein inhibitor), AcLys [D-b Nal7, Ile8] des-Arg9-bradykinin (a bradykinin B1 receptor antagonist), or Hoe-140 (a bradykinin B2 receptor antagonist) from 3 to 14 days of age. RESULTS The normal postnatal up-regulation of kininase II was organ-specifically suppressed in Agtr1-/- kidneys at 2 and 3 weeks of age. Immunohistochemical staining in Agtr1-/- mice revealed tissue kallikrein staining along the nephron from connecting tubules to cortical collecting tubules in proximity to the hypertrophic vasculature, whereas tissue kallikrein staining was confined to connecting tubules in wild-type mice. Aprotinin and Hoe-140 accelerated the vascular hypertrophy significantly as determined by wall thickness ratio, whereas B1 receptor antagonism had no effect. CONCLUSION The kinin-kallikrein system in the Agtr1-/- mouse kidney is functionally activated by local suppression of kininase II and extensive redistribution of kallikrein to perivascular areas. This activation, specific to the kidney, serves to dampen a development of the marked vascular hypertrophy. These results demonstrate, to our knowledge for the first time, the antihypertrophic effect of the bradykinin B2 receptor system on the renal vasculature in vivo.
Evaluating local vulnerability and organisational resilience to frequent flooding in Africa: the case of Northern Cameroon

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to evaluate local vulnerability and organisational resilience including coping/adaptive capacity to climate risks, specifically frequent flooding in Northern Cameroon. Design/methodology/approach The research is exploratory/deductive and draws upon qualitative methods, secondary and empirical techniques supplemented by semi-structured qualitative interviews with senior disaster managers. Secondary information sources, which include peer review articles, government reports/plans, newspaper articles and other grey literature, enhanced the analysis. Findings The research findings have unveiled the physical and social vulnerability of Northern Cameroon to frequent flooding. Results also show that institutional performance for flood management in Cameroon is ineffective, and adaptive capacity is highly deficient. Cameroon’s legislative framework for flood management is weak, and this exacerbates the poor implementation of structural and non-structural flood management measures. Results also indicate issues with relief, evacuation and foreign assistance in flood management. Recommendations that focus on enhancing capacity of response to frequent flooding via reducing vulnerabilities, managing resilience and enhancing adaptive capacity are provided. Originality/value Using Gallopin’s (2006) model of vulnerability, this paper makes a distinct contribution by offering insights into the role of adaptive capacity in disaster management systems in developing (African) countries via an evaluation of vulnerabilities and organisational resilience to repeated flooding in Northern Cameroon.