Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Targeting Lymphangiogenesis After Islet Transplantation Prolongs Islet Allograft Survival

Background. Lymphatics are important for their conduit functions of transporting antigen, immune cells, and inflammatory mediators to draining lymph nodes and to the general circulation. Lymphangiogenesis is involved in many pathologic processes; however, the roles for lymphatic responses in transplantation have not been thoroughly investigated. Methods. Mice were made diabetic by a single high dose of streptozotocin and then received islet allografts. Animals were treated with three different lymphatic inhibitors. FTY720, an analog of sphingosine 1-phosphate, inhibited lymphocyte migration into afferent and efferent lymphatics. Sunitinib, a kinase inhibitor, blocked several receptors, including vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 3 (VEGFR3), the major growth factor receptor for lymphatic endothelial cells. Anti-VEGFR3 monoclonal antibody specifically inhibited VEGFR3. Diabetes was determined by daily monitoring of blood glucose levels. Inflammation within islet grafts was assessed by immunohistochemistry for insulin, T cells (CD3), and lymphatics (LYVE-1). Results. After transplantation, lymphangiogenesis occurred in islet allografts and in draining lymph nodes. FTY720, sunitinib, and anti-VEGFR3 each inhibited lymphangiogenesis in the islets and significantly prolonged allograft survival. Immunofluorescent staining demonstrated that administration of each of the lymphatic inhibitors resulted in preservation of islets and &bgr;-cells along with a markedly reduced infiltration of T cells into the grafts. Conclusion. Lymphangiogenesis occurs in islet allografts in response to inflammation and plays a key role in the islet inflammation in alloimmunity. Interfering with lymphatic function leads to inhibition of lymphangiogenesis and prolonged or indefinite allograft survival. These observations suggest new therapeutic targets for rejection and tolerance.
PENGARUH KESADARAN MEREK, SIKAP DAN NILAI YANG DIRASA TERHADAP NIAT PEMBELIAN ULANG SARIMI DI SURABAYA TIMUR

Brand awareness is one of the factors which can make the consumers identify, under-stand and recognize a specific brand and finally can lead them to have a repurchase in-tention towards the products. Besides that, the reaction of consumer‟s sense about the product also affects consumer‟s decision to purchase the product. A consumer decisions to purchase may also be affected by the perceived value or benefits of the product, and then finally consideration to purchase the product. This study attempts to analyze the relevance of brand awareness, attitude, and perceived value of the product repurchase intention. This research took the sample of 100 consumers of instant noodles with its trade mark of Sarimi in East Surabaya. The results shows that brand awareness, atti-tude, and perceived value both partially and simultaneously affect repurchase intention of the instant noodle with Sarimi trade mark in East Surabaya.
A Novel Cost Optimization Framework for Multi-Cloudlet Environment over Optical Access Networks

In the post-4G era, "low latency" has become one of the most important network requirements along with support for ultra-high capacity and ultra-high reliability. This has led to the evolution of "cloudlets" to support similar services provided by legacy cloud technology viz., storage capacity and computational capability. In this paper, we propose a novel framework for cloudlet-empowered-cloud network design and planning, based on optical access infrastructures. Our focus is on network planning to optimize network infrastructure cost by formulating a nonlinear programming model to identify placement locations of cloudlet servers subjected to capacity and latency constraints. We demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed model against urban, suburban and rural scenarios, providing guidance on the installation and maintenance costs. Furthermore, we assess the percentage of incremental energy arising from the presence of cloudlets in the optical access network. The proposed framework is a first in yielding insights that will serve as a foundation for further cloudlet network planning strategies.
Plasmid‐encoded protein: The principal factor in the “metabolic burden” associated with recombinant bacteria

Experimental elucidation of the metabolic load placed on bacteria by the expression of foreign protein is presented. The host/vector system is Escherichia coli RR1/pBR329 (ampr, camr, and letr). Plasmid content results, which indicate that the plasmid copy number monotonically increases with decreasing growth rate, are consistent with the literature on ColE1‐like plasmids. More significantly, we have experimentally quantified the reduction in growth rate brought about by the expression of chloramphenicol‐acetyl‐transferase (CAT) and β‐lactamase. Results indicate a nearly linear decrease in growth rate with increasing foreign protein content. Also, the change in growth rate due to foreign protein expression depends on the growth rate of the cells. The observed linear relationship is media independent and, to our knowledge, previously undocumented. Furthermore, the induction of CAT, mediated by the presence of chloramphenicol, is shown to occur only at low growth rates, which further increases the metabolic load.
Sudden death following periorbital pellet injury

Purpose: To report an uneventful sudden death because of a periorbital pellet injury. Method: Review of autopsy findings. Results: A 20-year-old hunter was shot accidentally during hunting. At autopsy, the body showed no significant injuries or deformity except for the pellet injuries and ecchymosis on the medial side of the left lower eyelid. Skull roentgenography located a pellet in the base of the cranium. Upon craniotomy, the cause of death was diagnosed as subarachnoidal haemorrhage due to incomplete basilar artery injury. The pellet entered through the medial cantus, passed through the inferior orbital fissure than the sphenooccipital junction and basilar artery and lodged in the pons. Conclusion: A-high index of suspicion is required in order to detect an intracranial extension in periorbital injuries.
On the equivalence of buyer and seller proposals within canonical matching and pricing environments

This paper considers equilibrium proposals by either buyers or sellers in the canonical ‘urnball’ matching market. The proposals can either be posted prices announced by buyers; posted prices announced by sellers; or announcements by sellers (or by buyers) to entertain price proposals, as in auctions. We derive the expected revenue equivalence of these different modes of proposing in this canonical trading environment.
Incremental Internationalization: A Test of Johanson and Vahlne's Thesis

■ Johanson and Vahlne theorized that the internationalization of the firm is an incremental process owing to the progressive reduction of psychic distance through managers' gradual accumulation of experiential knowledge of foreign markets. ■ A study of European forest products firms failed to support this conceptualization. No significant differences in the appreciation of barriers and incentives to internationalization were found among the managers of firms at various stages of internationalization.
The galaxy UV luminosity function at z≃ 2–4; new results on faint-end slope and the evolution of luminosity density

We present a new, robust measurement of the evolving rest-frame ultraviolet (UV) galaxy luminosity function (LF) over the key redshift range from z ≃ 2 to z ≃ 4. Our results are based on the high dynamic range provided by combining the Hubble Ultra Deep Field (HUDF), CANDELS/GOODS-South, and UltraVISTA/COSMOS surveys. We utilize the unparalleled multifrequency photometry available in this survey ‘wedding cake’ to compile complete galaxy samples at z ≃ 2, 3, 4 via photometric redshifts (calibrated against the latest spectroscopy) rather than colour–colour selection, and to determine accurate rest-frame UV absolute magnitudes (M1500) from spectral energy distribution (SED) fitting. Our new determinations of the UV LF extend from M1500 ≃ −22 (AB mag) down to M1500 = −14.5, −15.5 and −16 at z ≃ 2, 3 and 4, respectively (thus, reaching ≃ 3–4 mag fainter than previous blank-field studies at z ≃ 2,3). At z ≃ 2, 3, we find a much shallower faint-end slope (α = −1.32 ± 0.03) than reported in some previous studies (α ≃ −1.7), and demonstrate that this new measurement is robust. By z ≃ 4, the faint-end slope has steepened slightly, to α = −1.43 ± 0.04, and we show that these measurements are consistent with the overall evolutionary trend from z = 0 to 8. Finally, we find that while characteristic number density (ϕ*) drops from z ≃ 2 to z ≃ 4, characteristic luminosity (M*) brightens by ≃ 1 mag. This, combined with the new flatter faint-end slopes, has the consequence that UV luminosity density (and hence unobscured star formation density) peaks at z ≃ 2.5–3, when the Universe was ≃ 2.5 Gyr old.
Measuring and Motivating Quantity, Creativity, or Both

ABSTRACT We examine how worker productivity differs when compensation is based on quantity, creativity, or the product of both measures. In an experiment in which participants design "rebus puzzles," we find that combining quantity and creativity measures in a creativity-weighted pay scheme results in creativity-weighted productivity scores that are significantly lower than those generated by participants with quantity incentives alone. Follow-up analysis indicates that relative to participants in the quantity-only condition, participants in the creativity-weighted condition produce approximately the same number of high-creativity puzzles, but produce significantly fewer puzzles overall. Thus, while participants rewarded for creativity-weighted output tend to restrict their production to high-creativity efforts, they are unable to translate this focus into a greater volume of high-creativity output. Implications address a possible explanation for firms' reluctance to incorporate creativity measures within multidimensional performance measurement systems, notwithstanding published suggestions to do so. Copyright University of Chicago on behalf of the Institute of Professional Accounting, 2008.
Gastric Cancer Surveillance in a High-Risk Population in Tuscany (Central Italy): Preliminary Results

Background/Aims: The surveillance of subjects at high risk for developing gastric cancer (GC) may represent an effective strategy for reducing specific morbidity and mortality. The aim of this study was to identify GC at its initial phase and to identify precancerous lesions in a group of GC high-risk subjects. Methods: We enrolled first-degree relatives of patients affected by GC who resided in a GC high-risk area (Tuscany, Central Italy). The study’s protocol included the collection of several individual measurements, including a blood sample for the determination of specific biomarkers, an upper digestive tract endoscopy with detailed gastric biopsies and Helicobacter pylori (Hp) treatment followed by a specific check. Results: We enrolled 167 subjects who were members of 128 different familial groups with GC history. We identified 1 case of initial-phase GC, 1 gastric dysplasia type II, 32 intestinal metaplasia, 10 gastric atrophy, and 21 atrophic chronic gastritis. 81 subjects were Hp-positive and underwent eradication therapy. Conclusion: This study of a GC high-risk Italian population reveals positive results in terms of population compliance, the identification of specific gastric lesions requiring close follow-up and successful therapy for Hp infection. To define future surveillance strategies, a longer follow-up of these patients is necessary.
CREDIT RISK AND THE PERFORMANCE OF NIGERIAN BANKS

Recently banks witnessed rising non-performing credit portfolios and these significantly contributed to financial distress in the banking sector. Banks collect deposits and lends to customers but when customers fail to meet their obligations problems such as non-performing loans arise. This study evaluates the impact of credit risk on the profitability of Nigerian banks. Financial ratios as measures of bank performance and credit risk were the data collected from secondary sources mainly the annual reports and accounts of sampled banks from 2004 - 2008. Descriptive, correlation and regression techniques were used in the analysis. The findings revealed that credit risk management has a significant impact on the profitability of Nigeria banks. Therefore, management need to be cautious in setting up a credit policy that might not negatively affects profitability and also they need to know how credit policy affects the operation of their banks to ensure judicious utilization of deposits.
Neisseria meningitidis vaccines

The epidemiology of acute meningitis in the UK is changingfast and will continue to do so. The introduction of mumpsvaccine (as a component of MMR) has almost eliminated thecommonest cause of viral meningitis. In the 1980s,capsulated strains of Haemophilus influenzaetype b andNeisseria meningitidiscaused about equal numbers of casesof bacterial meningitis, predominating over pneumococciand other bacteria. There were more than 1,000 cases ofinvasive Hib disease (of which more than half manifested asmeningitis) in each year from 1989 to 1993, but followingthe introduction of conjugated Hib vaccines for infants andyoung children in the UK in 1992, numbers then fell bymore than two thirds in 1994, with a continuing downwardtrend that was sustained until very recently.
Food Therapy in Sinosphere Asia

Traditional Chinese Food Therapy has long been an integral part of dietary practices in Sinosphere Asia. This therapy is defined by the classification of foods into cooling (Yin) and heaty (Yang) and the manipulation of dietary intake of these foods as a therapeutic strategy for chronic diseases. Both functional dyspepsia (FD) and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) are chronic, functional gut disorders widely prevalent in Sinosphere Asia. Diet is increasingly recognized as a symptom trigger in FD and IBS, and the evidence suggesting the utility of diet therapies as front-line management is growing, particularly in the West. Specifically, a diet low in Fermentable, Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides, and Polyols is an efficacious therapy for patients with IBS. In contrast, a proportion of patients with IBS in Sinosphere Asia utilize Chinese Food Therapy for symptom management. Chinese Food Therapy provides an attractive target for integration with evidence-based Western dietary therapies as a management strategy in FD and IBS. However, significant gaps in research exist with the utility of Chinese Food Therapy that first need to be addressed. This includes a lack of standardization for heaty and cooling classification, limited mechanistic rationale or clinical studies supporting its efficacy in FD and IBS, and the lack of an ideal practitioner for implementation of Chinese Food Therapy. Hence, the review provides a summary of the role of diet and nutrition in Sinosphere Asia with an emphasis on FD and IBS, and an examination of how modern dietary practices may be able to be integrated into practices in this region.
Vertical InAs/GaAsSb/GaSb tunneling field-effect transistor on Si with S = 48 mV/decade and Ion = 10 μA/μm for Ioff = 1 nA/μm at Vds = 0.3 V

We present a vertical nanowire InAs/GaAsSb/GaSb TFET with a highly scaled InAs diameter (20 nm). The device exhibits a minimum subthreshold swing of 48 mV/dec. for V<inf>ds</inf> = 0.1–0.5 V and achieves an I<inf>on</inf> = 10.6 μA/μm for I<inf>off</inf> = 1 nA/μm at V<inf>ds</inf> = 0.3 V. The lowest subthreshold swing achieved is 44 mV/dec. at V<inf>ds</inf>= 0.05 V. Furthermore, a benchmarking is performed against state-of-the-art TFETs and MOSFETs demonstrating a record high I60 and performance benefits for V<inf>ds</inf> between 0.1 and 0.3 V.
Surveillance of non-fatal agricultural injuries among farm operators in the Central States region of the United States

Agriculture is a major industry in the U.S. with high rates of fatal and non-fatal occupational injuries. The dynamic nature of the U.S. agriculture industry, regional variations in farming practices, and the diverse workforce make surveillance of injuries challenging. A recent National Academies (U.S.) evaluation reported that data for non-fatal agricultural injury are scarce, and mainly available through national surveys. Limited data are available for employees in the agriculture sector, especially farm owners and operators. The objectives of this study were to1) review and evaluate existing survey-based systems for surveillance of non-fatal agricultural injuries on U.S. farms, and 2) determine the incidence of non-fatal agricultural injuries, and risk factors of injuries among farm operators in seven Midwestern states (Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota), aka Central
Earnings Management and Firm Value in Chapter 11

We study the impact of earnings management prior to bankruptcy filing on the passage of firms through Chapter 11. Using data on 261 U.S. public firms, we construct three measures of earnings management, two of which are accounting (accrual) manipulation measures (discretionary accruals and abnormal working capital accruals) and one a real activities manipulation measure (abnormal operating cash flows). Our key findings are that earnings management prior to bankruptcy reduces the likelihood of plan confirmation and emergence from Chapter 11. The findings are consistent with creditors rewarding conservative earnings reporting and punishing overly optimistic earnings reports. We find clear evidence that upward management of earnings destroys economic value by making the survival of the firm less likely, an effect that has not previously been uncovered by the literature. We also find that auditor choice (Big 4 vs. non-Big 4) directly affects the probability for plan confirmation as well as the likelihood of emergence from bankruptcy.
Safe Level for Noise Exposure?

The safety of long, continuous exposure to several different levels of noise was determined. Chinchillas were exposed for two or nine days to an octave band of noise with a center frequency of . 5 kHz or 4 kHz. By examining the inner ear for evidence of acute cellular degeneration, exposures which produced minimal permanent damage could be identified easily. Differences were found between the two bands of noise in the level required to produce injury, and the type, location and extent of damage which occurred as the level was increased. The findings help explain why exposure to industrial noise, which is generally low frequency, first produces measurable auditory changes for high frequency tones.
An Extended Lyapunov-Function-Based Control Strategy for Single-Phase UPS Inverters

In this study, an extended Lyapunov-function-based control strategy that assures global asymptotic stability is proposed for single-phase UPS inverters. The Lyapunov function is formed from the energy stored in the inductor and capacitor due to the fact that the system states converge to the equilibrium point if the total energy is continuously dissipated. It is shown analytically that the classical Lyapunov-function-based control leads to a globally asymptotically stable system at the expense of steady-state errors in the output voltage, which exist due to the lack of outer voltage loop in the control input. Therefore, an extended Lyapunov-function-based control strategy is proposed, which eliminates the steady-state error without destroying the global stability of the closed-loop system. The steady state and dynamic performance of the proposed control strategy has been tested by simulations and experiments under resistive and diode bridge rectifier loads. The results obtained from a 1-kW inverter demonstrate that the developed control strategy not only offers global stability, but also leads to good quality sinusoidal voltage with a reasonably low THD, almost zero steady-state error in the output voltage, and fast dynamic response under linear and nonlinear loads.
Multi-terminal DC transmission systems for connecting large offshore wind farms

This paper describes the use of voltage source converter (VSC) based, multi-terminal (MT) HVDC transmission system technology for connecting large doubly-fed induction generator (DFIG) based wind farms, over long distance. The operational principles of the proposed system are described and control strategies for coordinating various grid side converters are proposed, to ensure smooth system operation and power sharing between various AC networks. DC voltage control and DC droop characteristics are implemented for the grid side VSC which transmit wind farm generated power to AC grids. PSCAD/EMTDC simulations for a four-terminal DC system for connecting two wind farms to two different AC networks are presented to demonstrate robust performance during wind speed and power variations, and large disturbances caused by the trip of one of the wind farms.
Convertible Bonds and Bank Risk-Taking

We study how contingent capital that converts in equity ahead of default affects bank risk-shifting. Going concern conversion restores equity value in highly levered states, thus reducing heightened risk incentives. In contrast, conversion at default for traditional bail-inable debt has no effect on endogenous risk. The main beneficial effect comes from reduced leverage at conversion. In contrast to traditional convertible debt, equity dilution under going concern conversion has the opposite effect. The negative effect of dilution is tempered by any value transfer at conversion. We find that CoCo capital may be less risky than bail-inable debt when lower priority is compensated by lower endogenous risk, which is beneficial as a lower bond yield improves incentives. The risk reduction effect of CoCo debt depends critically on the informativeness of the trigger, but is always inferior to pure equity.
Rigid Gas Permeable Lens Binding: Significance and Contributing Factors

ABSTRACT A retrospective analysis of lens binding was performed using records from 279 cases of overnight wear of rigid gas permeable (RGP) lenses in a variety of materials and designs. The overall incidence of lens binding on eye opening was 22%. Typically, the lens was bound nasally, became mobile spontaneously in less than 1 h, and produced staining of the central cornea and inferior conjunctiva. A corneal indentation ring was noted in 53% of eyes that experienced a bound lens. A statistical analysis was performed to determine whether RGP lens binding was associated with particular lens parameters, patient characteristics, or lens fitting factors. Overnight lens binding was found to occur more frequently with lenses of large diameter, flat base curve and minimal axial edge lift, fitted “on‐K” or flat relative to central corneal curvature, and exhibiting less than optimal on‐eye lens movement before eye closure.