Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Intensity of GABA‐evoked responses is modified by nitric oxide‐active compounds in the subthalamic nucleus of the rat: A microiontophoretic study

We have previously described modulatory effects of nitric oxide (NO)–active drugs on subthalamic nucleus (STN) neurons. In this study, the effects of microiontophoretically applied NO‐active compounds on GABA‐evoked responses were investigated in subthalamic neurons extracellularly recorded from anesthetized rats: 45 of 62 cells were excited by S‐nitroso‐glutathione (SNOG), an NO donor, whereas 28 of 43 neurons were inhibited by Nω‐nitro‐L‐arginine methyl ester (L‐NAME), a NOS inhibitor. Nearly all neurons responding to SNOG and/or L‐NAME showed significant inhibitory responses to the administration of iontophoretic GABA. In these cells, the changes induced by NO‐active drugs in the magnitude of GABA‐evoked responses were used as indicators of NO modulation. In fact, when an NO‐active drug was co‐iontophoresed with GABA, significant changes in GABA‐induced responses were observed: generally, decreased magnitudes of GABA‐evoked responses were observed during continuous SNOG ejection, whereas the administration of L‐NAME enhanced GABA responses. In contrast, glutamate‐evoked responses were enhanced by SNOG and dampened by L‐NAME co‐iontophoresis. Furthermore, the iontophoretic administration of bicuculline (a GABAA receptor antagonist) completely abolished the GABA‐evoked inhibitory responses and reduced the magnitude of both the SNOG‐ and L‐NAME‐induced effects. The results suggest that the NO‐mediated modulation of subthalamic neurons could also be a result of an interaction between NO and GABAA neurotransmission. Increased NOS activity has been shown in the hyperactive STN neurons of parkinsonian patients; on the basis of our observations about the influence of NO‐active drugs on the baseline and GABA‐evoked activity of subthalamic cells, such hyperactivity suggests the involvement of increased NO levels and reduced sensitivity to GABA. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Determinants of bank efficiency: evidence from a semi‐parametric methodology

In this paper, we use a semi-parametric two-stage model to examine the effect of bank-specific, industry-specific and macroeconomic determinants of bank efficiency. This method, proposed by Simar and Wilson (2007), relaxes several deficiencies of previous two-stage analyses, which regress non-parametric estimates of bank efficiency on exogenous determinants. In particular, we propose a bootstrap procedure to be used in the second stage and we compare the results obtained to the equivalents of a Tobit model. We suggest that the Tobit regressions inaccurately provide insignificant estimates for the effect of bank size, industry concentration and economic investment on bank efficiency, a fact that illustrates the power of the new method. Since the effect of these determinants has been ambiguous in previous literature, this may be a desideratum for future research.
Effektivität und Sicherheit von getunnelten pleuralen Dauerkathetern

Zusammenfassung Bei symptomatischen malignen Pleuraergüssen sollte ein therapeutisches Verfahren gewählt werden, welches die Dyspnoe und die konsekutive Einschränkung der Lebensqualität in der meist palliativen Situation verbessert. Ein dauerhaft implantierter Pleurakatheter (indwelling pleural catheter – IPC) ist eine der aktuell zur Verfügung stehenden Methoden, deren Bedeutung in den letzten Jahren zugenommen hat. Effektivität und Sicherheit dieser Methode sind unter realen klinischen Bedingungen außerhalb von Studien noch unzureichend geklärt. Es wurden die Daten von 94 Patienten, die aus klinischer Indikation mit einem IPC versorgt wurden, retrospektiv analysiert. Ausgewertet wurden neben Sicherheit und Effektivität die Patientencharakteristika, peri- und postinterventionelle Komplikationen, wie Infektionen oder das Auftreten eines Pneumothorax, und der längerfristige Verlauf mit dem Schwerpunkt der Frage, ob eine Pleurodese eingetreten ist. Insgesamt 89,5% (n = 85) der Patienten erhielten den IPC aufgrund eines rezidivierenden Pleuraergusses bei maligner Grunderkrankung. Die mittlere Krankenhausverweildauer nach Implantation lag für diejenigen Patienten, die nicht noch im Krankenhaus an ihrer infausten Erkrankung verstorben sind, bei 3,29 Tagen. Bei 21,2% (n = 20) der Patienten kam es zu einer Pleurodese. Methodenbedingte Komplikationen traten bei 33,7% (n = 32) der Patienten auf, lediglich bei 8 Patienten gab es jedoch weiteren Handlungsbedarf. Spätkomplikationen sind bei 9 Patienten aufgetreten. Die mittlere Überlebenszeit nach Implantation lag bei durchschnittlich 88,72 Tagen. Zusammenfassend zeigen die Daten, dass der IPC eine technisch einfach durchführbare, minimalinvasive Alternative zu rezidivierenden Punktionen oder anderen Pleurodeseverfahren ist. Ein wesentlicher Vorteil ist die ambulante Versorgungsmöglichkeit.
Genotype–phenotype correlation in 1,507 families with congenital adrenal hyperplasia owing to 21-hydroxylase deficiency

Over the last two decades, we have extensively studied the genetics of congenital adrenal hyperplasia caused by 21-hydroxylase deficiency (CAH) and have performed 8,290 DNA analyses of the CYP21A2 gene on members of 4,857 families at risk for CAH—the largest cohort of CAH patients reported to date. Of the families studied, 1,507 had at least one member affected with one of three known forms of CAH, namely salt wasting, simple virilizing, or nonclassical CAH. Here, we report the genotype and phenotype of each affected patient, as well as the ethnic group and country of origin for each patient. We showed that 21 of 45 genotypes yielded a phenotypic correlation in our patient cohort. In particular, contrary to what is generally reported in the literature, we found that certain mutations, for example, the P30L, I2G, and I172N mutations, yielded different CAH phenotypes. In salt wasting and nonclassical CAH, a phenotype can be attributed to a genotype; however, in simple virilizing CAH, we observe wide phenotypic variability, particularly with the exon 4 I172N mutation. Finally, there was a high frequency of homozygous I2G and V281L mutations in Middle Eastern and Ashkenazi Jewish populations, respectively. By identifying the predominant phenotype for a given genotype, these findings should assist physicians in prenatal diagnosis and genetic counseling of parents who are at risk for having a child with CAH.
IT for Information-Based Partnerships: Empirical Analysis of Environmental Contingencies to Value Co-Creation

We empirically examine IT value co-creation in supply chains, incorporating key contingencies of the competitive environment. Prior research suggests that IT used for strategic information based partnerships may benefit supply chains facing higher volatility, enabling tightly coupled integration and enhanced strategic response to changing consumer preferences. Analyzing a unique dataset comprising over 6,000 U.S. manufacturing plants, we obtain three principal results. First, value co-creation using either IT for strategic information-based partnerships (ITIP) or merely IT for transaction efficiency (ITT) is positive and significant. Second, the co-created value from ITIP is larger than that for (ITT), suggesting that information-based partnerships, while perhaps requiring a greater investment, yield a higher return. Third and most importantly, co-created value from using IT for information-based partnerships is positively moderated by demand volatility, i.e., value is greater in higher demand volatility environments. However, we find the opposite is true for using IT for efficient transactions. This is a new contribution to the literature and has important theoretical and practical implications.
The Role of Proteinase 3 and Neutrophils in ANCA-Associated Systemic Vasculitis

Systemic vasculitides are a group of disorders characterized by vascular inflammation, leading to vessel occlusion and consequent necrosis or ischemia. Depending on site and extent of inflammation, vasculitis has a varied presentation and prognosis. The classification of systemic vasculitides is based on the dominant vessel involved. They are also classified as idiopathic, primary and secondary to connective tissue diseases (rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosis), infections (infective endocarditis) and drugs (Firestein GS, 2008; Watts R, 1995). AASV (ANCA-Associated Systemic Vasculitis) is the most common primary small-vessel vasculitis that occurs in adults, and recent data indicates that the incidence has shown an up-swing. As per recent reports, the annual incidence of AASV varies from 12.4 to 19.8 per million. In two recent studies by our group, we found an incidence for AASV of 20.9/million, with a point prevalence of 268/million inhabitants in southern Sweden (Knight, 2006; Mohammad, 2007; Mohammad, 2009). ANCA (anti neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies)-associated Vasculitis is a term that refers to a group of disorders marked by multi-organ system involvement, small vessel vasculitis and the presence of ANCA. These include Wegener’s granulomatosis (WG), Churg-Strauss syndrome (CSS) and Microscopic polyangiitis (MPA). The two most important ANCA antigens are PR3 and MPO. The vast majority of anti-PR3 antibodies yield a c-ANCA (cytoplasmic) pattern on IIF, while most antiMPO antibodies produce a p-ANCA (perinuclear) pattern, with some exceptions (Segelmark, 1994). As per an international consensus document from 1999, anti-MPO and anti-PR3 antibodies are referred to as MPOANCA and PR3-ANCA. AASV is characterized histologically by leukocytoclasis, infiltration and accumulation of apoptotic and necrotic neutrophils in tissues, and fibrinoid necrosis of the vessel walls. The histological lesions in AASV are also termed pauci-immune, as only a few or no immunoglobulins/ complement components are detected in the vasculitic lesions. AASV is associated with significant morbidity and mortality (median survival of five months, in the absence of treatment), with almost all patients requiring long term and aggressive immunosuppressive treatment (Booth, 2003). The etiology of AASV remains largely unknown. Genetic predisposition (PIZ allele of ┙1AT, CTLA-4, PTPN22, HLA DR1-DQw1) and environmental factors including exposure to silica and asbestos, drugs (anti-thyroid medications), and various infections (bacterial endocarditis, hepatitis C virus) have been demonstrated to either predispose to, or correlate with ANCA and development of vasculitis (Beaudreuil, 2005; Choi, 2000; Elzouki, 1994;
R&D management issues for small to medium sized technology oriented manufacturing firms: A case of material development for dental application

This paper discusses R&D strategy for a small to medium sized technology oriented manufacturing firm. Specifically, issues to catch up the top runner and to establish competitive advantage will be discussed based on a case study of Yamamoto Precious Metal Company Ltd. This company was originally established as a retailer of gold material more than 55 years ago, but it changed its business model to manufacturing company. Major businesses were refinement and processing of precious metals and production of precious-metals alloy for dental application. In accordance with market requirement changes, the company expanded the product portfolio to ceramics, and resin material keeping the application domain same. The company was late to deal with composite resin which is popular material used in dentists. The composite resin system is composed of main body and interface to the tooth. Existing players provide the main body and the interface separately. Typically the interface material is profitable as opposed to the main body. In order to get in this business, Yamamoto Precious Company is developing unified material to integrate two parts. This will reduce dentists' burden tremendously at the cost of profitability for the manufacturer. The R&D strategy which can be categorized as a destructive innovation will be discussed.
Contactin-2/TAG-1-directed autoimmunity is identified in multiple sclerosis patients and mediates gray matter pathology in animals

Gray matter pathology is increasingly recognized as an important feature of multiple sclerosis (MS), but the nature of the immune response that targets the gray matter is poorly understood. Starting with a proteomics approach, we identified contactin-2/transiently expressed axonal glycoprotein 1 (TAG-1) as a candidate autoantigen recognized by both autoantibodies and T helper (Th) 1/Th17 T cells in MS patients. Contactin-2 and its rat homologue, TAG-1, are expressed by various neuronal populations and sequestered in the juxtaparanodal domain of myelinated axons both at the axonal and myelin sides. The pathogenic significance of these autoimmune responses was then explored in experimental autoimmune encephalitis models in the rat. Adoptive transfer of TAG-1–specific T cells induced encephalitis characterized by a preferential inflammation of gray matter of the spinal cord and cortex. Cotransfer of TAG-1–specific T cells with a myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein-specific mAb generated focal perivascular demyelinating lesions in the cortex and extensive demyelination in spinal cord gray and white matter. This study identifies contactin-2 as an autoantigen targeted by T cells and autoantibodies in MS. Our findings suggest that a contactin-2–specific T-cell response contributes to the development of gray matter pathology.
Category and Inventory Management

Category and inventory management in retailing involves many novel and challenging aspects, including shelf space allocation, effect of inventory on stimulating demand, retail competition, substitution, and transshipment. Suitably managing these aspects has required new modeling advancements in the operations research and management science literature with the potential for a large improvement in the profitability of retailers. In this introductory article, we describe the main characteristics of these models, focusing on the principles involved, the insights from optimization, and techniques or heuristics used in practice. Keywords: inventory management; retail operations; space allocation; space elasticity; substitution; transshipment; competition
Comparing Software Acquisition Models Against Each Other: The Build vs. Buy vs. Rent Trade Study

Abstract : Software can currently be acquired in three different methods. The first is to have software custom built/developed to match a particular specification/requirement. We shall refer to this option as make. The second is to purchase a software product from a vendor/supplier. We shall refer to this option as buy. The third is to rent/outsource the use of a software product or a software development environment from a third-party supplier. We shall refer to this option as rent. It seems that what is lacking is some guidance to help acquirers decide which of these three software acquisition approaches to consider and, eventually, to select. This lack of objective, quantitative guidance (including risks associated with each option decisions needed for each option, etc.) causes acquirers to sometimes make ill-informed decisions about which acquisition method to use. This paper identifies some of the differences between these three acquisition models as mapped against several life cycle phases and project activities, and then identifies risks associated with the rent option.
Advertising and Australian pig producers welfare

The pig meat market in Australia is characterized by generic (fresh pork, bacon etc.) advertising. These advertising expenditures are funded from collective levies from pig producers. At the same time, there are extensive brand advertising activities in the pig market. Impact of advertising on pig meat consumption has been a long-standing argument. So far, there have been several studies done on the effectiveness of generic pork advertising in Australia up to 1988. However, the previous studies only looked at generic advertising and didn’t account for other media information as brand advertising and fast food advertising effects on pork consumption. As well, the previous studies are contradictory about the effects of generic pork advertising. In this study the economic relationships in the consumption of pig meat are examined, the effectiveness of the advertising programs from 1985 to 1997 is evaluated and pig producers welfare is assessed. The whole system consists of a two-stage demand system derived from a translog indirect utility function for five meats: beef, lamb, chicken, pork and bacon and ham, a single supply equation and a single demand equation for pigs and a trade equation.
Determination and fate of oxytetracycline and related compounds in oxytetracycline production wastewater and the receiving river

This study investigated the occurrence and fate of oxytetracycline (OTC) and its related substances, 4‐epi‐oxytetracycline (EOTC), α‐apo‐oxytetracycline (α‐apo‐OTC), and β‐apo‐oxytetracycline (β‐apo‐OTC), in a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) treating OTC production wastewater and a river receiving the effluent from the WWTP using liquid chromatography electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (LC‐ESI‐MS). The percent removal of OTC in the WWTP was 38.0 ± 10.5%, and the concentration of OTC was still up to 19.5 ± 2.9 mg/L in the treated outflow. The concentration slightly decreased along the river, from 641 ± 118 μg/L at site R2 (discharging point) to 377 ± 142 μg/L at site R4 (∼20 km from site R2), which was still higher than the minimal inhibition concentration of OTC reported (∼250 μg/L). On the other hand, the total amount of its related substances in the treated effluent was less than 5% of OTC. Concentrations of α‐apo‐OTC and β‐apo‐OTC increased along the river, from 5.76 ± 0.63 and 2.08 ± 0.30 μg/L at site R2 to 11.9 ± 4.9 and 12.0 ± 4.6 μg/L at R4, respectively, although EOTC decreased from 31.5 ± 3.8 to 12.9 ± 1.1 μg/L, respectively. The mean concentration of β‐apo‐OTC in river sediments was 20.8 ± 7.8 mg/kg, and its ratio to OTC was approximately 0.11, nearly twice the ratio of α‐apo‐OTC and EOTC to OTC (0.058 ± 0.014 and 0.061 ± 0.015, respectively).
Are the Markets Afraid of Kim Jong-Il?

We perform event analysis on particular episodes of the tension in the Korean peninsula between 2000 and 2008, and investigate their effect on South Korean financial markets (stock markets, bond yield spreads and the exchange rate) given that South Korea would be the first affected by a military aggression from North Korea. Surprisingly, in nearly all cases, these events, which have often been dramatized in the world media, have no significant impact on either of these variables or only a very small one. We also find no significant impact of events on listed firms that would a priori be likely to suffer from increased tension between the two Koreas. Since financial markets contain often better predictions than expert opinions or surveys, these results strongly suggest that the North Korean threat is non credible.
Managing Codified Knowledge

Firms can derive significant benefits from consciously, proactively, and aggressively managing their explicit and explicable knowledge, which many consider the most important factor of production in the knowledge economy. Doing this in a coherent manner requires aligning a firm's organizational and technical resources and capabilities with its knowledge strategy. However, appropriately explicating tacit knowledge so it can be efficiently and meaningfully shared and reapplied ? especially outside the originating community ? is one of the least understood aspects of knowledge management. This suggests a more fundamental challenge, namely, determining which knowledge an organization should make explicit and which it should leave tacit ? a balance that can affect competitive performance. The management of explicit knowledge utilizes four primary resources that the author details: repositories of explicit knowledge; refineries for accumulating, refining, managing, and distributing the knowledge; organization roles to execute and manage the refining process; and information technologies to support the repositories and processes. On the basis of this concept of knowledge management architecture, a firm can segment knowledge processing into two broad classes: integrative and interactive ? each addressing different knowledge management objectives. Together, these approaches provide a broad set of knowledge-processing capabilities. They support well-structured repositories for managing explicit knowledge, while enabling interaction to integrate tacit knowledge. The author presents two case studies of managing explicit knowledge. One is an example of an integrative architecture for the electronic publishing of knowledge gleaned by industry research analysts. The second illustrates the effective use of an interactive architecture for discussion forums to support servicing customers. Zack also discusses several key issues about the broader organizational context for knowledge management, the design and management of knowledge-processing applications, and the benefits that must accrue to be successful. In summary, organizations that are managing knowledge effectively (1) understand their strategic knowledge requirements, (2) devise a knowledge strategy appropriate to their business strategy, and (3) implement an organizational and technical architecture appropriate to the firm's knowledge-processing needs.
BINARY MAPPING OF MONOTONIC SEQUENCES THE ARONSON AND THE CELLULAR AUTOMATON FUNCTIONS

The n'th binary digit of the real number ξ in (0, 1) is 1 if and only if n is in the monotonic sequence S, then ξ is the binary map of S. This mapping is an isomorphism between the set of positive monotonic sequences and a subset of the real numbers in the interval (0, 1). Due to this mapping, any automorphism over the set of monotonic sequences corresponds to some kind of a function (0, 1) → (0, 1). For example, Cloitre et al. in 2003 introduced the Aronson transform B of a monotonic integer sequence A as n is in B if and only if bn is in A , which is an automorphism. Hence, the binary mapping transforms it to a function the Aronson function , which exhibits a delicate fractal structure. The author shows that the analogous function related to the inverse Aronson transformation is the inverse of the Aronson function. Due to the binary mapping, it is possible to introduce a simple arithmetics among the monotonic sequences, increasing vastly the amount of de nable sequences. The binary mapping and its inverse makes also possible to de ne functions as well as sequence transformations by using cellular automata. Mathematics Subject Classi cation 2000, main: 11B83, 11B85, 11B99, 11Y55; additional: 20M14, 20M15, 20K20, 37B15.
INCIDENCE OF INNOVATION ON CREATION OF VALUE: PROPOSAL OF A MODEL FROM THE FINANCIAL APPROACH

This paper presents a conceptual framework that allows measuring and managing the effects of innovation on the value of a company. The theoretical framework contains a description of innovation as a strategic inductor of company’s chain of value, and it follows the fundaments of value management. The methods to calculate the economic value added of the company, the value of added market and company’s value, and its relation with innovation. The model shows the in and out variables, and factors included in the process, then the impact on economic value added is dimensioned foreach one the innovation types, through a multiple linear regression model. The model emphasizes in the assessment of investment intensity in various activities of innovation.
A STUDY ON THE CONTEMPORARY RISEN ISSUES IN THE MERGERS AND ACQUISITIONS: STRATEGY OF THE MEXICAN BUSINESS LEADERS

The corporate strategy is critical to achieving the goals of the firm and must be set out clearly and according to their needs. M & As have become a trend for the growth of Mexican companies, despite having diverse motivations through the description of their implementations in the three largest Mexican firms and the results we achieved demonstrate the effectiveness of this type strategic alliances and other useful items detected less consolidated companies.