Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Currency Conflict and Trade Policy: A New Strategy for the United States By C. Fred Bergsten and Joseph Gagnon Peterson Institute for International Economics, Washington, DC, USA, 2017

The world’s existing level of prosperity is unprecedented. Economists maintain that this outcome could not have been achieved without the possibility of exploiting comparative advantages via international trade. But there are plenty of examples in history showing that the rules of international trade can be violated to gain unfair advantages and that, in turn, can threaten the potential benefits from a well-functioning multilateral trading system. The likely impact of a country’s actions to move the exchange rate – sometimes referred to as ‘currency manipulation’ – with the aim of doing better than its trade competitors in the international markets is an enduring topic of debate in academic and policy circles. In their book, C. Fred Bergsten and Joseph Gagnon, both affiliated to the Peterson Institute for International Economics inWashington, DC, seek to ascertain the significance of currency manipulation in the recent past and do so with a great deal of success. The book contains six chapters. While chapter 1 provides an introduction to the rest of the book, chapter 2 explains the economics behind the trade balance and policies that can affect its trajectory. Chapter 3, in turn, discusses what are considered legitimate and illegitimate currency policies. Exchange rate fluctuations other than those generated by cyclical fluctuations can adversely affect an economy. Therefore, it is realistic to expect governmental actions intending to smooth excessive short-run fluctuations in the exchange rate, and can be considered legitimate. The legitimacy of that policy is expected to be endorsed or otherwise by organizations like the International Monetary Fund (IMF), for instance, during periodic assessments of member economies via its Article IV staff missions and subsequent Board reports. In contrast, the authors consider intervention with the aim of affecting a currency’s long-run path to be illegitimate. The debate on the distinction between legitimate and illegitimate currency policies leads to the book’s core theme: currency conflict. This conflict is more likely to arise when there is evidence of significant and ongoing currency manipulation, which amounts to unrelenting illegitimate currency policies. The events leading to the Plaza Accord in 1985 are an example of a past currency conflict. Chapter 4 (page 76) defines currency manipulation as ‘official action to push or maintain a country’s current account balance above a reasonable norm . set within a relatively narrow band around zero based on long-term and cyclical factors that World Trade Review (2018), 17: 2, 367–370 © Cambridge University Press
Impact of Smoking on the Ocular Surface, Tear Function, and Tear Osmolarity

ABSTRACT Purpose: This study evaluated the effects of cigarette smoking on the ocular surface, tear function, and tear osmolarity. Materials and Methods: A total of 50 smokers with at least 5 years of heavy smoking (defined as 1 pack/day) and 51 nonsmoking, healthy individuals were enrolled. Tear osmolarity was measured with an osmometer (TearLab™ Osmolarity System). Ocular surface examinations involved corneal fluorescein staining, measurement of the tear film breakup time (TBUT), the Schirmer 1 test, measurement of corneal sensitivity with a Cochet–Bonnet esthesiometer, and conjunctival impression cytology. Dry eye symptoms were scored using the Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) questionnaire. The results were compared with those from an age and sex-matched control group. The Chi-squared and independent sample t-tests were used for statistical analyses. Results: The smokers had significantly higher tear osmolarity values (305.38 ± 9.81 vs. 301.14 ± 7.04 mOsm/L; p = 0.014) and OSDI scores (34.13 ± 16.58 vs. 18.09 ± 9.61; p < 0.001) than the healthy controls. However, the TBUT, corneal sensitivity, and goblet cell density were significantly lower in smokers compared to healthy controls, but the fluorescein staining and Schirmer 1 test results were not statistically different between the smokers and controls. Conclusion: Smoking results in increased osmolarity of the tear film, which can damage the ocular surface and tear function.
Security-constrained optimal generation scheduling for GENCOs

This paper presents an approach for maximizing a GENCO's profit in a constrained power market. The proposed approach considers the Interior Point Method (IPM) and Benders decomposition for solving the security-constrained optimal generation scheduling (SC-GS) problem. The master problem represents the economic dispatch problem for a GENCO which intends to optimize its profit. The formulation of the master problem does not bear any transmission network constraints. The subproblem will be used by the same GENCO to check the viability of its proposed bidding strategy in the presence of transmission network constraints. In this case if the subproblem does not yield a certain level of financial return for the GENCO or if the subproblem results in an infeasible solution of the GENCO's proposed bidding strategy, the GENCO will modify its proposed solution according to the Benders cuts that stem out of the subproblem. The study shows a more flexible scheduling paradigm for a GENCO in a competitive arena. The proposed approach proves practical for modeling the impact of transmission congestion on a GENCO's expected profit in a competitive environment.
Cell-Mediated Immunity Against Antigenically Drifted Influenza A(H3N2) Viruses in Children During a Vaccine Mismatch Season.

BACKGROUND Emergence of antigenically drifted influenza A(H3N2) viruses resulted in reduced vaccine effectiveness in all age groups during the 2014-2015 influenza season. In children, inactivated influenza vaccine (IIV) elicited neutralizing antibodies (Abs) against drifted strains at significantly lower levels than against the vaccine strain. Little is known about the cross-reactivity of cell-mediated immunity against drifted strains in children. METHODS Children aged 3-17 years (n = 48) received IIV during the 2014-2015 influenza season. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells, collected before (on day 0) and after (on days 7 and 21) vaccination were evaluated for induction of cross-reactive plasmablasts, memory B cells, and cytokine-secreting CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells against the vaccine and drifted A(H3N2) viruses by an enzyme-linked immunospot assay and flow cytometry. RESULTS IIV increased frequencies of plasmablasts and memory B cells. The overall induction of the T-cell response was not significant. Both B-cell and T-cell responses showed significant cross-reactivity against A(H3N2) viruses. Age and preexisting immunity affected virus-specific plasmablast responses and fold-change of T-cell responses, respectively. The proportion of T-helper type 1-prone (ie, interferon γ- or tumor necrosis factor α-secreting) CD4(+) T cell responses also increased with age. CONCLUSIONS In children aged 3-17 years, B- and T-cell responses following IIV receipt showed significant cross-reactivity against A(H3N2) viruses during a vaccine mismatch season.
Direct interaction between exocyst and Wave complexes promotes cell protrusions and motility

ABSTRACT Coordination between membrane trafficking and actin polymerization is fundamental in cell migration, but a dynamic view of the underlying molecular mechanisms is still missing. The Rac1 GTPase controls actin polymerization at protrusions by interacting with its effector, the Wave regulatory complex (WRC). The exocyst complex, which functions in polarized exocytosis, has been involved in the regulation of cell motility. Here, we show a physical and functional connection between exocyst and WRC. Purified components of exocyst and WRC directly associate in vitro, and interactions interfaces are identified. The exocyst–WRC interaction is confirmed in cells by co-immunoprecipitation and is shown to occur independently of the Arp2/3 complex. Disruption of the exocyst–WRC interaction leads to impaired migration. By using time-lapse microscopy coupled to image correlation analysis, we visualized the trafficking of the WRC towards the front of the cell in nascent protrusions. The exocyst is necessary for WRC recruitment at the leading edge and for resulting cell edge movements. This direct link between the exocyst and WRC provides a new mechanistic insight into the spatio-temporal regulation of cell migration. Highlighted Article: A direct link between exocyst and Wave complexes is revealed, providing new mechanistic insight into the spatio-temporal coordination between membrane trafficking and actin polymerization.
Social value creation in the impact of social entrepreneurship

The laboratory for this research is seven non-profit social ventures. The topic of enquiry is: how can we better understand the way in which social value is created? Based on research into Boards, Volunteers and low-paid support staff, and the visionary Social Entrepreneurs themselves, seven CEOs were respondents to E(Entrepreneurship)-Indicators which amplify constructs from entrepreneurship theory. A cross-venture analysis showed that while social entrepreneurs share aspects of major factors with regular for-profit entrepreneurs, they are also unique in how they perceive human need, express spirituality, and their non-regard for good luck. INTRODUCTION A major barrier to valuing the contribution of non-profit ventures has been the absence of a concept of social capital value. This research sees social value creation as a core determinant to gauging the value of social outcomes. The impact from a collective way of doing good in the society needs an agreed-to scale of valuing. Prior to introducing an acceptable concept for social value into the language and epistemology of social entrepreneurship, it seemed necessary to explore what is known and what are givens amongst the leaders and facilitators of social entrepreneurship. Accordingly, Social Entrepreneurs are seen as a subset of Entrepreneurship. They are people with drive to bring about change in the Society—constructive change, resulting in social capital. A Broad View of the Not-for-Profit Sector: At the macro level the field of non-profit ventures is as broad as it is wide. It includes charitable organizations which raise donations but receive substantial amounts of finance from government. These are service delivery, welfare organizations which extend the welfare arm of governments per se. More recently, it has been recognized that micro industries or enterprises can bolster in-house service delivery, and these assist in bringing income into the funding base of the welfare community they service. This set-up has a ‘demand’ side orientation. Parallel to welfare at home are the aid organizations overseas which both seek public support in the home country and who receive a share of GDP. These non-government aid agencies attract people who volunteer their lives in service to the aims of the organizations they have joined.
The enzymatic mechanisms for deoxythymidine synthesis in human leukocytes. IV. Comparisons between normal and leukemic leukocytes.

(1) Synthesis of deoxythymidine by either direct transfer of deoxyribosyl to thymine (pyrimidine deoxyribosyltransferase) or by a coupled deoxynucleoside phosphorylase mechanism is approximately twofold greater with normal leukocyte extracts (55 to 88% granulocytes) than with extracts prepared from leukocytes obtained from patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia. Activities in lymphocytes (normal or leukemic) are one-fifth the activity of normal granulocytes. (2) The lower activity in chronic myelogenous leukemia remains at 50% of normal even when patients are in hematologic remission with a normal per cent mature granulocytes in the peripheral blood. (3) The leukemic enzyme could not be distinguished from the normal by pH optima, thermal stability, or kinetic properties. The Km's for the deoxyribosyl acceptor and deoxyribosyl donors were identical for both enzymes. Both are subject to substrate inhibition by thymine and to inhibition by purine bases with similar Ki's. In addition, the transferase component of both the leukemic and the normal cell enzyme is activated by phosphate and arsenate. It appears, therefore, that there is no qualitative difference between the enzyme obtained from leukocytes of patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia and the enzyme obtained from normal leukocytes, suggesting that the difference in total cell activity is due to an actual decrease in amount of enzyme in chronic myelogenous leukemia or to a mixed cell population, one with a normal quantity of enzyme and the other with little or no active enzyme. (4) In both the normal cell and the leukemic cell extracts, transferase and phosphorylase activities could not be separated. The ratio of the two activities remained constant over a 140- and a 230-fold purification in normal and leukemic cell extracts, respectively. These and other observations indicate that transferase and phosphorylase activities are associated with the same protein. (5) The metabolism of pyrimidine and purine deoxynucleosides is similar for normal and leukemic cells. Catabolism of all deoxynucleosides tested was by direct phosphorolysis, except for deoxyadenosine which required initial deamination to deoxyinosine before phosphorolysis. In contrast to the greater rates of pyrimidine deoxynucleoside synthesis and cleavage with normal leukocyte extracts, the rates of purine deoxynucleoside synthesis and cleavage were approximately twofold greater with extracts prepared from cells of patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia. There was no significant difference in the rate of phosphorolytic cleavage of pyrimidine nucleosides (uridine) between the CML and normal leukocyte extracts.
Residents as Professionalism Teachers and Assessors; A Pilot Study on Implementing a Faculty Development Program Leading to Curriculum Development

Background: Several threats to professional values that were previously undisputable are faced now by medical professionals. In response, medical professionals and the concerned societies decided to stand against this dilemma and come up with proper solutions beginning with the recognition of the substantiated need for reinforcing professionalism evaluation in graduates of medical specialties. Hence, professionalism has been clearly named as a core competence by most of the accreditation councils for medical graduates and practitioners. Ideally, professionalism should be taught explicitly as a cognitive base, followed by intended role modeling and reflective practice with feedback that takes place in clinical encounters by trained faculty. Then, it should be assessed thoroughly with structured standardized rating scales or by more than one statistically sound assessment method. Since one third of information acquired by medical students is attributed to residents and interns, this training program proposed residents to be a part of professionalism teaching and assessment. Further, a targeted needs assessment obtained through a small group discussion with multiple interviews revealed that residents are dissatisfied with their ability to judge numerous professional dilemmas that they frequently encounter.
Feasibility of Endoscopic Assessment and Treating to Target to Achieve Mucosal Healing in Ulcerative Colitis

Background:Mucosal healing (MH) as a treatment target for ulcerative colitis is of growing interest because it is associated with improved clinical outcomes. However, the feasibility and probability of reaching MH in clinical practice is unknown. We therefore evaluated the feasibility of “treating to target” according to endoscopic findings to reach MH. Methods:All endoscopic outcomes of patients with ulcerative colitis followed in a single inflammatory bowel disease unit from 2011 to 2012 were reviewed and subsequent therapeutic management. Cumulative incidence of MH and histologic healing (HH) were estimated using a Kaplan–Meier method. Results:A total of 60 patients underwent at least 2 consecutive endoscopic assessments, of whom 45 and 48 patients had endoscopic and histologic evidence of active disease, respectively. After a median follow-up of 76 weeks, 27 of 45 (60%) patients with endoscopic disease activity at baseline achieved MH and 24 (50%) of 48 patients with histologic disease activity at baseline had HH. The cumulative probabilities of MH were 26%, 52%, and 70% at 26, 52, and 76 weeks, respectively. The cumulative probabilities of HH at weeks 26, 52, and 76 from the time of initial procedure were 19%, 41%, and 57%, respectively. Any adjustment in medical therapy in case of persistent endoscopic activity was associated with both MH and HH. Conclusions:Repeated assessment of endoscopic disease activity with adjustment of medical therapy to the target of MH is feasible in clinical practice in patients with ulcerative colitis, and seems to be of benefit.
INVITED EDITORIAL COMMENT

1. Bradford Cornell 1. is a professor of finance at the California Institute of Technology and managing director at SMBP LLC in Pasadena, CA . (bcornell{at}caltech.edu) I wear two hats. For 40 years, I have been a professor of finance. For the last 10 years, I have run a small hedge fund. In
The Driving Forces of Co2 Emissions and Its Responsiveness in Ethiopia: An Integrated Analysis Using Vector Error Correction Model

The main objective of this study is to examine the driving factors of CO2 emissions in Ethiopia to promote sustainable development. This study employees an integrated approach of the multiplicative product of Population, Affluence, and Technology (IPAT) identity as a framework using Vector Error Correction Model (VECM). The results indicate the long-run responsiveness of CO2 emissions for the population is positive and significant and fits with the Malthusian perspective, which holds that population growth increases environmental impacts and showing the combined move of social and environmental sustainability is not bearable. To measure the effect, a one percentage change increase in population leads to a 1.9 percentage increment in the CO2 emission in Ethiopia, significantly and adversely affecting the human and environment system in the long run. Therefore, the government seeks to devise a sound policy to manage population pressure and reduce its adverse effect on human and environment system to promote the green growth strategy and sustainable development. Keywords: Environmental impacts, CO2 emissions, Integrated approach (IA), Human-environment interactions, IPAT and Ethiopia
Assessment on self-care, mobility and social function of children with spina bifida in Turkey

The aim of the study was to investigate the functional performance in children with spina bifida, using the Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory (PEDI) to look into capacity of twenty-eight children with spina bifida with lesions at different levels in different dimensions of self-care, mobility and social function. Mean age of the patients was 3.5 ± 2.3 (1–10) years. In the muscle test carried out, 13 patients (44.8%) had no movements including pelvic elevation in lower extremity muscles and they were at level 5. Sixteen patients (54%) were non-ambulatory according to the Hoofer ambulation classification. Raw and scale scores in the self-care, mobility and social function domains both in the functional skill scale and in the caregiver scale were found to be lower compared to the data of the normal population. A statistically significant correlation was observed in the self-care values of the Functional Skills Scales and the Caregiver Assistance Scale measurements, which was positive for age and negative for Functional Ambulation Scale and muscle test (P < 0.05). A positive relation was found between the Functional Skills Scales-mobility area and age while a negative relation was observed between Functional Ambulation Scale and muscle test (P < 0.005). A negative relation was also found between Caregiver Assistance Scale-mobility and Functional Ambulation Scale and muscle test (P < 0.005). In our study, the functional performance of the children was found to be low. Low-level lesions, encouraging muscular strength and independence in mobility are all very important factors for functional independence.
Divergent roles for macrophages in lymphatic filariasis

Macrophages have long been recognized as important cells associated with filarial infection but their function as effectors and/or suppressors has not been elucidated. Recent advances in our understanding of the role that macrophages may play in lymphatic filariasis have come from in vitro studies and mouse models of filarial infection. Based on these new findings, we hypothesize that while dead or dying worms induce the ‘classical’ activation of macrophages and a subsequent pro‐inflammatory response, live and healthy worms secrete products that induce type 2 cytokines and the differentiation of ‘alternatively’ activated macrophages that downregulate an inflammatory response. Thus, the balance between the ‘classical’ and ‘alternative’ activation pathways of macrophages could be an important factor in inflammatory pathology associated with filariasis.
The political logics of clean energy transitions

Abstract Technology costs and deployment rates, represented in experience curves, are typically seen as the main factors in the global clean energy transition from fossil fuels towards low-carbon energy sources. We argue that politics is the hidden dimension of technology experience curves, as it affects both costs and deployment. We draw from empirical analyses of diverse North American and European cases to describe patterns of political conflict surrounding clean energy adoption across a variety of technologies. Our analysis highlights that different political logics shape costs and deployment at different stages along the experience curve. The political institutions and conditions that nurture new technologies into economic winners are not always the same conditions that let incumbent technologies become economic losers. Thus, as the scale of technology adoption moves from niches towards systems, new political coalitions are necessary to push complementary system-wide technology. Since the cost curve is integrated globally, different countries can contribute to different steps in the transition as a function of their individual comparative political advantages.
Genetics of celiac disease.

Celiac disease (CD) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the gut resulting from ingestion of gluten, occurring in genetically susceptible individuals. The strong genetic association of CD with the DQ2 and DQ8 HLA heterodimers has been known for long, but others non-HLA genes are involved. In order to identify susceptibility genes to CD, several studies have been performed, based on either linkage analyses or candidate gene approaches. This review describes these different studies and their results. The hypothesis of the implication of the DR53 heterodimer in the HLA region has been proposed. The existence of a susceptibility locus on chromosome 5q has been evidenced through linkage analysis and candidate gene strategies have revealed the role of CTLA-4 and of the immunoglobulin gamma genes in the disease.