Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Muramylpeptide shedding modulates cell sensing of Shigella flexneri

Bacterial infections trigger the activation of innate immunity through the interaction of pathogen‐associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) with pattern recognition molecules (PRMs). The nucleotide‐binding oligomerization domain (Nod) proteins are intracellular PRMs that recognize muramylpeptides contained in peptidoglycan (PGN) of bacteria. It is still unclear how Nod1 physically interacts with PGN, a structure internal to the Gram‐negative bacterial envelope. To contribute to the understanding of this process, we demonstrate that, like Escherichia coli, Bordetella pertussis and Neisseria gonorrheae, the Gram‐negative pathogen Shigella spontaneously releases PGN fragments and that this process can be increased by inactivating either ampG or mppA, genes involved in PGN recycling. Both Shigella mutants, but especially the strain carrying the mppA deletion, trigger Nod1‐mediated NF‐κB activation to a greater extent than the wild‐type strain. Likewise, muramylpeptides spontaneously shed by Shigella are able per se to trigger a Nod1‐mediated response consistent with the relative amount. Finally, we found that qualitative changes in muramylpeptide shedding can alter in vivo host responses to Shigella infection. Our findings support the idea that muramylpeptides released by pathogens during infection could modulate the immune response through Nod proteins and thereby influence the outcome of disease.
Quality metrics for mutation testing with applications to WS‐BPEL compositions

Mutation testing is a successful testing technique based on fault injection. However, it can be very costly, and several cost‐reduction techniques for reducing the number of mutants have been proposed in the literature. Cost reduction can be aided by an analysis of mutation operators, but this requires the definition of specialized metrics. Several metrics have been proposed before, although their effectiveness and relative merits are not easy to assess. A step ahead in the evaluation of mutation‐reduction techniques would be a better metric to determine objectively the quality of a set of mutants with respect to a given test suite. This work introduces such a metric, which is naturally extended to mutation operators and may be used to reduce the number of mutants, particularly of equivalent mutants. Finally, a firm mutation analysis tool for WS‐BPEL service compositions is presented, and experimental results obtained by comparing different metrics on several compositions are presented. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Stakeholder Preference and Stated vs Derived Importance Satisfaction Research

This paper presents a case study that reveals how stakeholders in the research process, by recommending specific data collection and analytical techniques, exert significant ‘hidden’ influence on the decisions made on the basis of market research findings. While disagreements among stakeholders regarding research design are likely, the possibility that strategies adopted by companies are dependent upon stakeholder research preferences has not been adequately addressed in the literature. Two widely used quantitative customer satisfaction evaluation approaches, involving stated and derived importance, are compared within a real-life market research setting at an international bank. The comparative analysis informs an ongoing debate surrounding the applicability of explicit and implicit importance measures, and demonstrates how recommendations are dependent upon the methodological and analytical techniques selected. The findings, therefore, have significant implications for importance-based satisfaction market research planning, and highlight the need to consider the impact of stakeholder preferences on research outcomes.
Economic valuation of irrigation water in smallholder farming system in Rwanda: the case of Kibaya-Cyunuzi scheme.

This study has been carried out in one irrigation scheme of the Eastern Province, Rwanda. The study determined the economic value of irrigation water of a smallholder irrigation scheme (Kibaya-Cyunuzi Scheme). The specific objectives were to estimate the economic value of water for irrigation, investigate the willingness to pay among smallholder farmers for irrigation water in Kibaya-Cyunuzi scheme and to identify the impact of Irrigation Management Transfer using water users’ association on water allocation and management in the scheme. The study worked on the data collected from 110 respondents from two villages which are Kibaya and Cyunuzi. The data were analyzed using descriptive and quantitative methods. The Residual Computation Method was used to compute the economic values of irrigation water for paddy as a main crop found in the scheme. This is because the government of Rwanda has given the production of paddy in the country’s marshlands a priority, because the marshlands are the areas where paddy has a great potential for increased production. The Contingent Valuation Method was employed to elicit the farmers’ willingness to pay for irrigation water and its related infrastructures; while the socio-technical analysis helped us to capture the process of water control and management through Water users association. The findings show that the economic value of water for irrigation for paddy was 5.33 Frw/m. The economic value for paddy is low in that scheme due to the fact that some parts of that scheme do not receive sufficient water and paddy needs much water. The results from CVM indicate that the respondents were willing to pay an average of 8000 Frw per Ha per annum for irrigation water. The study also shows that the WUAs are becoming the realms of interaction for different interest groups involved in water management. The study revealed some of the problems faced by farmers in the scheme, and whose solutions require joint effort among stakeholders in order to improve farming in that scheme. The decision making process related to water sector investments, allocation and management could be properly guided if key dimensions of water that are related to water availability and use in the face of increased scarcity are properly accounted
Expression of endoglin in human melanocytic lesions

Summary Angiogenesis plays an important role in progression of various tumours including malignant melanoma. It is possible that the immunostaining of angiogenic markers could differentiate benign and malignant melanocytic lesions or that the immunostaining pattern with angiogenic markers could vary with tumour thickness and thus be a prognostic marker. We were interested to see whether there was any correlation between endoglin (CD 105; EDG) expression with tumour thickness in primary cutaneous malignant melanomas (MM), any correlation between EDG expression and clinical outcome in patients with primary cutaneous MMs and any difference in staining pattern between cutaneous MMs and Spitz naevi which could be of diagnostic value. Tissue sections from 14 primary cutaneous MM lesions with a Breslow thickness of > 2 mm, 10 primary cutaneous MM lesions with a Breslow thickness of 1–2 mm, and six Spitz and 10 compound naevi were stained for EDG. EDG expression was compared with survival in patients with primary cutaneous MMs. Overall, EDG staining was positive in 96% of MMs and 94% of benign melanocytic naevi. Very strong (++++) and strong (+++) EDG staining was found in 58% of MMs and 56% of benign melanocytic lesions. EDG expression did not vary significantly with the thickness of the lesion in primary cutaneous melanoma. Survival of melanoma patients did not correlate with the degree of EDG expression. Therefore, expression of this marker alone is not sufficient to differentiate benign and malignant melanocytic lesions.
‘It's really a hard life’: Love, gender and HIV risk among male‐to‐female transgender persons

Scientific studies demonstrate high rates of HIV infection among male‐to‐female (MTF) transgender individuals and that stigma and discrimination place MTFs at increased risk for infection. However, there is little research examining how gender roles contribute to HIV risk. This paper reports on in‐depth interviews with 20 MTFs attending a community clinic. Data reveal that stigma and discrimination create a heightened need for MTFs to feel safe and loved by a male companion and that in turn places them at a higher risk for acquiring HIV. Male‐to‐female transgender individuals appear to turn to men to feel loved and affirmed as women; their main HIV risk stems from their willingness to engage with sexual partners who provide a sense of love and acceptance but who also may also request unsafe sexual behaviours. A model illustrating how HIV risk is generated from stigma and discrimination is presented.
A paradox: after stroke, the non‐lesioned lower limb motor cortex may be maladaptive

What are the neuroplastic mechanisms that allow some stroke patients to regain high‐quality control of their paretic leg, when others do not? One theory implicates ipsilateral corticospinal pathways projecting from the non‐lesioned hemisphere. We devised a new transcranial magnetic stimulation protocol to identify ipsilateral corticospinal tract conductivity from the non‐lesioned hemisphere to the paretic limb in chronic stroke patients. We also assessed corticospinal tract degeneration by diffusion tensor imaging, and used an ankle tracking task to assess lower limb motor control. We found greater tracking error during antiphase bilateral ankle movement for patients with strong conductivity from the non‐lesioned hemisphere to the paretic ankle than for those with weak or no conductivity. These findings suggest that, instead of assisting motor control, contributions to lower limb motor control from the non‐lesioned hemisphere of some stroke survivors may be maladaptive.
Genetic Control of Isoniazid Metabolism in Man

collars limits their use to some extent" (Lancet, 1958). It has also been suggested that conservative treatment should not include the prolonged use of collars, because prolonged complete immobilization allows neck muscles to atrophy or become lax (Allen, 1952). Both these views are misguided. A patient who has signs of progressive degeneration of the spinal cord with the prospect of quadriplegia should not be deterred, by self-consciousness about his appearance, from timely immobilization in a light Minerva type of collar if this has a good chance of halting or reversing the disease. While such a collar gives more complete immobilization than a short " under the chin " model, it does not allow the muscles to atrophy any more than does a walkingplaster on a limb. The patient remains ambulant, and can in many cases return to work in his collar. Such a collar has, we believe, allowed striking improvement in a number of our severely disabled cases, and should be used more often. It should be used reasonably early. Good results cannot be expected where symptoms have been present for over a year. It is impracticable where the patient is bedfast. In one or two cases where an otherwise disabled patient has been able to sit up, the Zimmer type of traction has been a useful temporary expedient. Otherwise we have not found traction helpful. While cases of prolapsed nucleus pulposus require prompt operation and should be recognized, satisfactory recovery from severe neurological disability in myelopathy from cervical spondylosis can occur with a conservative regime. The principle of rest is easier to understand and apply than operative measures. It also has obvious advantages where the diagnosis may remain in doubt.
PRELIMINARY REPORT ON THE USE OF CHLORAMPHENICOL (CHLOROMYCETIN) IN THE TREATMENT OF ACUTE GONORRHEAL URETHRITIS.

The great advances which have been made in recent years in the treatment of gonorrhea infections would appear to have provided the medical profession with adequate therapeutic agents for this disease. The numerous advantages of penicillin treatment have resulted in its replacing the sulfonamide drugs, except in selected cases (1). Even the disadvantages of parenteral injections of penicillin have been avoided by a number of workers who have administered the antibiotic by mouth (1). Indeed, Campbell, Dougherty and Curtis reported on the oral use of penicillin in the prophylaxis of gonorrhea at an earlier session of this Symposium (2). Despite the fact that penicillin has many attributes of an ideal drug for the treatment of gonorrhea, it has one distinct drawback, i.e., its suppressive effect on a coexisting syphilitic infection. This problem of the possible masking of syphilis by treating acute gonorrhea patients with-amounts of penicillin which are adequate for the bacterial infection but inadequate for the spirochetal infection is of tremendous importance (1, 3). Therefore, the search must continue for a drug with the activity of penicillin against the gonococcus but without its marked anti-spirochetal action. This report is a progress note which presents certain preliminary data suggesting that chloramphenicol, or Chloromycetin,2 approaches penicillin in its efficacy in the treatment of acute gonorrheal urethritis in the male and that this new drug is distinctly less spirocheticidal than penicillin.
Analysts as Gatekeepers in Brazil: Analysts’ Coverage and Earnings Management

This paper examines the relationship of analysts’ coverage, forecasting errors and earnings management. To identify analysts’ coverage we used the I/B/E/S database, from where we also obtained information on the consensus projections of analysts for listed Brazilian companies, in the period from 1998 to 2004. As an empirical proxy for earnings management we used the model of Kang & Silvaramakrishnan (1995) to estimate discretionary accruals. The correlation tests indicated a negative correlation between the number of analysts covering firms and the magnitude of their discretionary accruals in absolute terms, indicating that more scrutiny inhibits earnings management. We also found a negative correlation between analysts’ coverage and forecasting errors, meaning that when a firm is followed by more analysts, their consensus forecast tends to be more accurate. Multivariate regressions showed statistically significant results in the same sense. Therefore, market analysts, despite the severe criticism they receive from the specialized press, in reality have a beneficial effect on corporate governance, by monitoring managers and inhibiting earnings management.
Prevalence of Salmonella spp. and Listeria monocytogenes in different cheese types produced in Turkey

Purpose – The present paper seeks to determine the prevalence of Salmonella spp. and Listeria (L.) monocytogenes in several cheese varieties.Design/methodology/approach – A total 280 cheese samples (105 white cheese, 70 processed cheese, 45 dil cheese and 60 kasar cheese) purchased from supermarkets in six provinces of Turkey were collected at intervals between March 2007 and February 2008.Findings – The results showed that 1.9 percent of white cheese samples were contaminated with Salmonella spp, whereas the L. monocytogenes prevalence was 4.8 percent in this type of cheese sample. The prevalence of L. monocytogenes in processed cheese and kasar cheese were found to be 1.4 percent and 1.7 percent, respectively. No Salmonella spp. was isolated from these cheese varieties. Neither Salmonella spp. nor L. monocytogenes were found in dil cheese samples examined.Originality/value – Cheese is a ready to eat product that with a low incidence of contamination may pose great public health concerns. Microbiological.
Pricing Dynamics after Mandatory Price Disclosure

This paper studies how pricing strategies evolved following the implementation of a mandatory disclosure law that affected the Chilean retail-gasoline industry and allowed gas stations to interact with their rivals through a website. We use that in Chile the wholesale price changes only once per week and that changes are publicly announced, to show that pricing strategies have changed significantly since disclosure was introduced. We focus our study on changes along five dimensions. We first show that firms have reduced the frequency of price adjustments. Second, after a year since disclosure was introduced, when firms adjust prices within a week, they increased them relative to their initial price, while when the system was introduced, they used to decreased them. Third, we show that firms change their prices earlier when the wholesale cost decreases relative to when it increases, while at the same time, after a year since disclosure was introduced, firms are changing their prices earlier than when the system was implemented. Fourth, we show that price dispersion increased immediately after the implementation of mandatory disclosure but it decreased over time reaching levels significantly lower than the initial ones. Fifth, the difference between retail and wholesale price increased over time and its dispersion decreased. One interpretation of our findings is that firms have learned to interact with their rivals through the website over time.
How can a smartphone application help increase swift and clear communication in a noisy environment ?

This paper explores new ways of interaction and information gathering in noisy environments. It introduces several events were noise blocked the way of communication exchange. In the same setting, this paper introduces several kinds of other types of information exchange making use of a smartphone application. It wil test these types of of communication by setting up experiments.
The Face of Europe's Active Labour Market Policy Agenda *

The subject of this paper is to determine whether there is a special European Agenda of activation. First, we do a historical legal research of the evolution of the measures used to govern the European active labour market policies. Whether this evolution of used measures evolves into a specific European agenda of activation is valued on those measures’ potential integration capacity and the way in which they are mutually connected. We find that whereas in the beginning (1963) European active labour market policy measures mainly focus on vocational training, the scope widens in the course of time to a comprehensive approach using several instruments. Furthermore, the potential capacity of these instruments to influence the member states’ national labour market policies has increased. These findings lead us to the subsequent question whether national policies have converged. Relying on disaggregated expenditure data and indicators for several policy instruments, we found that labour market policies have become increasingly activating, whereas non-EU countries have not. Although EU member states tend to follow the policies of the European guidelines and recommendations, this paper provides evidence that some active labour market policy instruments are more eligible to converge than others.
High Volume Sinonasal Budesonide Irrigations for Chronic Rhinosinusitis: An Update on the Safety and Effectiveness

Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) is a common inflammatory disease of the paranasal sinuses associated with severe impairments in patient quality of life, sleep, and productivity. Topical corticosteroid therapy is a key component to a successful management plan for patients with CRS. Delivering topical medical therapies using high-volume sinonasal irrigations are commonly used following endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS) due to its proven efficacy for improving drug delivery into the paranasal sinuses. Topical high volume budesonide irrigations have become a popular offlabel management strategy for CRS with the purpose to improve topical steroid delivery into the sinonasal cavities. Early evidence outlined in this review suggests that high volume sinonasal budesonide irrigations are an effective treatment modality in patients with CRS following ESS. Overall it appears that short-term use of this therapy is likely safe, however, future studies will need to assess the safety of higher doses and longer-term therapy of budesonide irrigations in patients with CRS.
Transcription-Coupled Events Associating with Immunoglobulin Switch Region Chromatin

Class switch recombination (CSR) at the antibody immunoglobulin locus is regulated by germline transcription (GLT)–coupled modifications in the accessibility of the switch region, where CSR takes place. Here we show that histone acetylation of switch regions is linked to CSR but that histone acetylation cannot alone promote CSR or GLT. Activation-induced cytidine deaminase (AID) specifically associates with the CSR target chromatin in a GLT-coupled manner, which may occur potentially by means of physical interaction between AID and the transcription machinery. These data indicate an important role of GLT in the regulation of chromatin accessibility, strongly suggesting that the target of AID is chromatin DNA. Our results give insights on the role of AID and the regulatory mechanism of CSR.
Half-cone SPECT system for small animal imaging

Molecular imaging studies using small animals such as mice require the development of high-sensitivity, high-resolution pinhole SPECT imaging systems. It is well known that the photon detection efficiency drops remarkably as the pinhole angle increases, and spatial resolution decreases as the magnification factor decreases. To obtain high efficiency and high resolution, the pinhole should be put as close as possible to the object while the pinhole angle remains as small as possible. To address these conflicting requirements, we proposed a half-cone imaging geometry in which the detector looks at only half of the FOV in each view, while the FOV being reconstructed remain the same. Our preliminary results demonstrated that SPECT system using this geometry could achieve higher sensitivity and better spatial resolution
Purification of a Crude Mitochondrial Fraction by Density‐Gradient Centrifugation

Most mitochondria prepared by differential centrifugation are contaminated to some extent by lysosomes, peroxisomes, tubular Golgi membranes, and small amounts of endoplasmic reticulum. Density gradient centrifugation using a variety of density media‐‐sucrose, Percoll, Nycodenz, Iodixanol‐‐is described here and is used to prepare purer fractions of mitochondria. The resulting gradient can be analyzed for three marker enzymes: succinate dehydrogenase (mitochondria), b‐galactosidase (lysosomes), and catalase (peroxisomes).
The Effect of personality characteristics of financial and executive directors on the quality of financial reporting

This research is to investigate different aspects of personality Characteristics of financial and executive directors and their impacts on accounting information. This research is organized around three themes including examining the effect of financial and executive director’s replacement on quality of financial reporting, the effect of managements’ too much self-confidence on the output of financial reporting, finally the effect of financial and executive directors’ sex on the output of financial reporting. Through considering objective samples, this research tries to study the importance of personality characteristics of financial and executive directors as an important factor on outputs of financial reporting. This study also attempts to present a new insight into improving the quality of corporating governance and financial reporting. Finally, it shows that without considering the personality characteristics of financial and executive directors, the structure of corporating governance in each firm cannot maximize the stockholders wealth.