Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Thymic Dendritic Cells Present Blood-Borne Antigens to Medullary Thymocytes In Vivo : A Possible Role in the Generation of the T-Cell Repertoire

The ~hymus. r~presents a crucial phase in t~e dIfferentiatIOn ofT cells, from their earlIest precursor committed to the T-cell lineage i~ the bone marrow, to the full array of penpheral T-effector cells. Specification o~ T-~ell subse! s, generation of receptor dIversIty, selectIOn of self-MHC-restricted T-cell precursors, and induction of selftole~ance. are thought to be largely or exclusIvely mtrathymic events [24]. How such complex functional events relate to the relatively simple structure of the thymus is poorly understood. It has become apparent that the patter~ of T-cell reactivity is selected by the enVIronment [6, 26J in which T cells . develop rather than being strictly genetIcally fixed; thus interest has focused on the definition of such selection sites. To this end direct cell-cell interactions between c.ells of the T-cell lineage and nonlymphoId stromal cells in the murine thymus h~ve bee.n characterized [25, 13, 14]. ~ese mteractIOns preexist in vivo, can be Isolated as intact multicellular lymphostromal complexes by differential digestion of the thymus, and are thus amenable to analysis in vitro. At least three lymphostromal-cell interactions can be discerned: (I) between T cells and macrophages (M4», (2) between T cells and dendritic cells (DC) (both 1 and 2 referred to as thymocyte rosettes, T-ROS), and (3) be-
Factors affecting Pig Farmers' Adoption of the HACCP System

The goal of this study is to determine, based on survey results, the underlying factors that affect the intention of the farmers who have not adopted the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) system for the rearing phase of pig production to adopt this system in the future. The research model for this study was con structed based on strategic contingency theory, the theory of the diffusion of innovation, and the technology acceptance model (TAM). Using structural equation modeling with partial least squares (PLS), this study analyzes the effects of the intensity of competition, the environmental uncertainty, the innovativeness and self-efficacy of the individual farmers, and the impact of the credibility of the G. H. Jung( ) Gyeonggi-do Agricultural Research and Extension Service, South Korea e-mail : jgh1324@gg.go. kr Phone : +82-31-229-6181 K. A. Ahn · H. E. Kim · H. B. Jo · Y. C. Choe Affiliation : Program in Regional Information, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Seoul National University, South Korea Phone : +82-2-880-4747 K. A. Ahn e-mail : ahnka@snu.ac. kr H. E. Kim e-mail : etneul@gmail.com H. B. Jo e-mail : jhb243@naver.com Y. C. Choe e-mail : aggi@snu.ac. kr Phone : +82-2-880-4743 This work was carried out with the support of “Cooperative Research Program for Agriculture Science & Technology Development (Project No. PJ0064802011)” Rural Development Administration, Republic of Korea. Agricultural Technology Service Center (ATSC), which acts as the principal agent of technology dissemination and as a leader of change, on the perceived usefulness of technology and the farmers’ intention to adopt the system. The results of the analysis are as follows. First, with regard to the underlying factors affecting the intention to adopt the new system, the intensity of competition within the industry and the institutional credibility of the ATSC were inferred to underlie the perceived usefulness. Second, institutional credibility has a positive impact on the perceived usefulness of the system, and the perceived usefulness, in turn, has a positive impact on the intention to adopt. The perceived ease of use also has a positive impact on the intention to adopt. Because the factor that has the biggest impact on the intention of a farm to adopt is the credibility of the ATSC, it is crucial for extension organizations, such as the ATSC, to make greater efforts to promote the expansion of the HACCP system. Because farmers feel that the implementation of the HACCP system is an instrumental strategy for coping with the high intensity of competition within the industry, they attempt to gain a competitive edge through the production of safe livestock products.
Pharmaceutical Intervention On Ca2+/camp Signaling Interaction: Benefits For Combating Neurodegeneration and Diseases Related To Aging

The pharmaceutical intervention on the interaction between intracellular signaling pathways mediated by Ca and cAMP (Ca/cAMP signaling interaction) could bring important benefits for combating neurodegeneration and diseases related to aging. This discovery emerged from classical neurotransmission studies using rodent vas deferens as a model. From classical reports using this model, the concept of Ca-dependent processes involved in the neurotransmission (Ca influx triggers muscle contraction and neurotransmitter release) is amply accepted. Thus, Ca channel blockers (CCB) due to reduction of Ca influx through L-type voltageactivated Ca channels (VACC) should reduce neurotransmission. Nonetheless, using this model, some studies performed since 1975 reported that reduction of Ca influx by low concentrations of CCB (verapamil, diltiazem or nifedipine) produced a paradoxical increase of the contractions mediated by sympathetic nerves, a phenomenon known as “calcium paradox”. Recent studies using adrenal chromaffin cells have also demonstrated that CCB caused a paradoxical increase of the catecholamine release. Because these compounds are blocking the L-type VACC, an augmented nerve-mediated response due to increased neurotransmitter release was an unexpected outcome. In 2013, we revealed that the Ca/cAMP signaling interaction could properly explain the so-called “calcium paradox”. The original paper published by us in Cell Calcium (2013) has appeared four times in ScienceDirect TOP 25 Hottest Articles lists. In conclusion, these findings may significantly impact on neurodegenerative diseases, thus may stimulate the development of new pharmacological strategies to combat the diseases related to aging. Corresponding author: Leandro Bueno Bergantin Department of Pharmacology – Universidade Federal de São Paulo – Escola Paulista de Medicina, Laboratory of Autonomic and Cardiovascular Pharmacology – Tel. : 55 11 5576-4973, Rua Pedro de Toledo, 669 – Vila Clementino, São Paulo – SP, Brazil, CEP: 04039-032. Email: leanbio39@yahoo.com. br
Characterization of Hazardous Ice Using Radarsat-2 and Ice Profiling Sonar

Ice can pose a hazard for operations (e.g., transportation, shipping, surveillance, offshore oil and gas exploration) and for infrastructure (e.g., ports, pipelines, offshore structures). There is an increasing need for fine-scale characterization of hazardous ice conditions. This information is of interest to many stakeholders including industry and government agencies. Spaceborne SAR sensors are being used for near-real-time monitoring of the regional ice conditions. Satellite-derived sea ice information products typically rely on the interpretation of ice analysts, sometimes supported by semi-automated tools. However, validation of data products remains a challenge due to limited or no ground truth. Operated from subsurface moorings located below the sea ice canopy, the ULS instrumentation, consisting of the ASL Ice Profiling Sonar (IPS) and the Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP), provides accurate measurements of ice draft on a continuous basis and allow detailed characterization of potentially hazardous ice features, e.g., large keels, hummocky ice, multi-year ice, episodes of large internal ice pressures, and glacial ice. In this work, our objective was to calibrate and validate satellite-based ice data products using continuous measurements obtained from ULS instruments. We focused on the development of techniques to integrate high resolution polarimetric RADARSAT-2 imagery and corresponding ULS datasets to characterize hazardous ice. The results include paired satellite and ULS datasets; calibration and validation of algorithms for hazardous ice detection and satellite-based ice draft estimation.
Boundary regularity of the solution to the Complex Monge-Amp\`{e}re equation on pseudoconvex domains of infinite type

Let $\Omega$ be a bounded, pseudoconvex domain of $\mathbb C^n$ satisfying the "$f$-Property". The $f$-Property is a consequence of the geometric "type" of the boundary; it holds for all pseudoconvex domains of finite type but may also occur for many relevant classes of domains of infinite type. In this paper, we prove the existence, uniqueness and "weak" H\"older-regularity up to the boundary of the solution to the Dirichlet problem for the complex Monge-Amp\`{e}re equation $$ \begin{cases} \det\left[\dfrac{\partial^2(u)}{\partial z_i\partial\bar z_j}\right]=h\ge 0 & \text{in}\quad\Omega,\\ u=\phi & \text{on} \quad b\Omega. \end{cases} $$
Demystifying the illusion of the positive effects of ownership concentration on corporate performance

Evidence supporting the relationship between ownership structure and corporate performance has been rather contradictory. In this research, we investigate the effects of ownership structure on business performance on a sample of 600 listed Canadian firms. We used a three-phase analysis of variance in which each phase used a different definition of ownership concentration: i) the overall concentration of the five largest shareholders (CONC); ii) the holdings of the largest shareholder (BLC1); and iii) inside shareholders as either managers or directors (BLCI). For each phase, we used cluster analysis and three other concentration cutoff levels (an even-split into thirds, extreme quartiles, and the Morck, Shleifer and Vishny (1988) cutoff) to verify if there is an optimal level of concentration cutoff that may impact the performance. Our results indicate a high level of ownership concentration in Canadian corporations. The Berle-Means widely held corporation is far from universal. Besides, while state control of traded firms is infrequent, family control is common. However, our findings indicate only a weak association between performance measures and ownership concentration levels, except for the return on investment, which shows some improvement with a high level of ownership. Our results confirm those of Demsetz and Lehn (1985). Overall, no evidence is found to support the efficient monitoring hypothesis, since performance cannot be improved by blockholders who seem not only to be entrenched but may benefit from perquisites and on-the-job consumption. This might indicate that large shareholders expropriate minority absentee owners.
Identification of feline Tritrichomonas foetus surface epitopes: Putative targets for development of a novel diagnostic test for feline trichomonosis

Tritrichomonas foetus (T. foetus) is a flagellated protozoa that infects the distal ileum and proximal colon of domestic cats and the urogenital epithelium of cattle. Feline trichomonosis is recognized as a prevalent cause of large bowel diarrhea in cats worldwide. The suspected route of transmission is fecal-oral, with cats in densely crowded environments at highest risk for infection. Thus, the recommended strategy for minimizing spread of infection is to identify and isolate T. foetus-positive cats from the general population. Rapid and accurate identification of infected cats can be challenging with currently inadequate ability to accurately detect the organism in samples at point of care facilities. Thus, identification of targets for use in development of a novel diagnostic test, preventative, or therapy for feline T. foetus infection is a significant area of research. Despite a difference in organ tropism between T. foetus genotypes, evidence exists for conserved virulence factors between feline and bovine T. foetus. The bovine T. foetus surface antigen, 1.15-1.17, has been identified as an adhesin that is conserved across isolates. Vaccination with the purified antigen results in amelioration of cytopathogenicity and more rapid clearance of infection in cattle. We hypothesized that antigen 1.15-1.17 is conserved across feline T. foetus isolates and that this antigen would represent an attractive target for development of a novel diagnostic test or therapy for feline trichomonosis. In these studies, we used monoclonal antibodies previously generated against epitopes of the bovine T. foetus 1.151.17 antigen, to evaluate for the presence and role of antigen 1.15-1.17 in the cytopathogenicity of feline T. foetus. A previously validated in vitro co-culture approach was used to model feline
Neoproterozoic and post-Caledonian exhumation and shallow faulting in NW Finnmark from K–Ar dating and p∕T analysis of fault rocks

Abstract. Well-preserved fault gouge along brittle faults in Paleoproterozoic, volcano-sedimentary rocks of the Raipas Supergroup exposed in the Alta–Kvænangen tectonic window in northern Norway yielded latest Mesoproterozoic (approximately 1050 ± 15 Ma) to mid-Neoproterozoic (approximately 825–810 ± 18 Ma) K–Ar ages. Pressure–temperature estimates from microtextural and mineralogy analyses of fault rocks indicate that brittle faulting may have initiated at a depth of 5–10 km during the opening of the Asgard Sea in the latest Mesoproterozoic–early Neoproterozoic (approximately 1050–945 Ma) and continued with a phase of shallow faulting to the opening of the Iapetus Ocean–Ægir Sea and the initial breakup of Rodinia in the mid-Neoproterozoic (approximately 825–810 Ma). The predominance and preservation of synkinematic smectite and subsidiary illite in cohesive and non-cohesive fault rocks indicate that Paleoproterozoic basement rocks of the Alta–Kvænangen tectonic window remained at shallow crustal levels (< 3.5 km) and were not reactivated since mid-Neoproterozoic times. Slow exhumation rate estimates for the early–mid-Neoproterozoic (approximately 10–75 m Myr−1) suggest a period of tectonic quiescence between the opening of the Asgard Sea and the breakup of Rodinia. In the Paleozoic, basement rocks in NW Finnmark were overthrusted by Caledonian nappes along low-angle thrust detachments during the closing of the Iapetus Ocean–Ægir Sea. K–Ar dating of non-cohesive fault rocks and microtexture mineralogy of cohesive fault rock truncating Caledonian nappe units show that brittle (reverse) faulting potentially initiated along low-angle Caledonian thrusts during the latest stages of the Caledonian Orogeny in the Silurian (approximately 425 Ma) and was accompanied by epidote–chlorite-rich, stilpnomelane-bearing cataclasite (type 1) indicative of a faulting depth of 10–16 km. Caledonian thrusts were inverted (e.g., Talvik fault) and later truncated by high-angle normal faults (e.g., Langfjorden–Vargsundet fault) during subsequent, late Paleozoic, collapse-related widespread extension in the Late Devonian–early Carboniferous (approximately 375–325 Ma). This faulting period was accompanied by quartz- (type 2), calcite- (type 3) and laumontite-rich cataclasites (type 4), whose cross-cutting relationships indicate a progressive exhumation of Caledonian rocks to zeolite-facies conditions (i.e., depth of 2–8 km). An ultimate period of minor faulting occurred in the late Carboniferous–mid-Permian (315–265 Ma) and exhumed Caledonian rocks to shallow depth at 1–3.5 km. Alternatively, late Carboniferous (? ) to early–mid-Permian K–Ar ages may reflect late Paleozoic weathering of the margin. Exhumation rates estimates indicate rapid Silurian–early Carboniferous exhumation and slow exhumation in the late Carboniferous–mid-Permian, supporting decreasing faulting activity from the mid-Carboniferous. NW Finnmark remained tectonically quiet in the Mesozoic–Cenozoic.
Validating Structural Credit Portfolio Models

Concentrations in a bank’s credit portfolio are key drivers of credit risk. These risk concentrations may be caused by material concentrations of exposure to individual names as well as large exposures to single sectors (geographic regions or industries) or to several highly correlated sectors. The most common approach to introduce sector concentration into a credit portfolio model is through systematic factors affecting multiple borrowers. The specification of the factor model, which determines the dependence structure of rating migrations and defaults, is a central problem in credit portfolio modeling. Different data sources can be used as input for the calibration of factor models, i.e., equity data, credit spreads or default and rating information. The most frequent approach is based on information from equity markets, mainly due to the good quality and wide coverage of this data source. Since individual firm returns are available, methodologies based on equity information allow for firm-specific pairwise correlations and more granular industry definitions than historical rating data methods. The main disadvantage of equity data is the fact that equity prices do not solely reflect the credit quality of companies but also information that is unrelated to credit risk, e.g. liquidity issues, risk aversion of market participants, etc. Historical rating and default data, on the other hand, are not distorted by information unrelated to credit quality but require some aggregation, typically by rating class, country or industry. Hence, these data sources are natural candidates for validating the dependence structure of credit portfolio models on an aggregate level. In this paper, we shall review the most frequently used techniques for deriving correlations from default and rating data: moment estimators (Lucas, 1995; Bahar and Nagpal, 2001; de Servigny and Renault, 2002; Frey and McNeil, 2003; Jobst and de Servigny, 2005) and maximum likelihood estimators (Gordy and Heitfield, 2002; Demey et al., 2004). Our empirical results are based on S&P rating data from 1981 to 2009. We group the rated companies into cohorts that correspond to industry segments, rating classes or combinations of both. Intra-cohort and inter-cohort correlations are calculated using maximum likelihood estimation. Our results are broadly in line with previous studies reported in the literature:
Aftershock sequence analysis of 19 May, 2009 earthquake of Lunayyir lava flow, northwest Saudi Arabia

Aftershock sequence of 19th May, 2009 Lunayyir earthquake (Mw 5.7) has been recorded by deploying seismic stations immediately after the occurrence of the main shock. Analysis of this sequence clarified that; the major part of cumulative seismic moment released during the first hours after the occurrence of the main shock; their orientation is north west (NW) parallel to the Red Sea axial trend along Najd faulting system; it is clustered at two depths; from 5-10 and 15-25 km beneath Lunayyir area; illustrated successive periods of maxima and minima; decayed rapidly following the relation of n(t)=37.28 t-0.6. Fault plane solutions for five large events indicate normal faulting is the major mechanism. These findings are in agreement with the north east (NE) (transform fault) trend runs crossing the Red Sea into Shield area where the activity has been initiated and travelled through the Lunayyir area. While the NW Najd faulting system runs parallel to the Red Sea axial trend and intersected with NE fault trend underlying Lunayyir area. Accordingly, it can be concluded that, the recent earthquake activities at Lunayyir lava flow area are related to the present-day Red Sea tectonics. Monitoring earthquake activities through installing permanent seismic network around the area is highly recommended. Key words: aftershock sequence, fault plane solution, stress, and Lunayyir.
Swarm aggregations using artificial potentials and sliding mode control

In this article we build on results of V. Gazi et al. (2003, 2002) on swarm stability. V. Gazi et al. considered aggregating a swarm model in n-dimensional space based on artificial potential functions for inter-individual interactions and motion along the negative gradient of the combined potential. Here the author considers a general model for vehicle dynamics of each agent (swarm member) and uses sliding mode control theory to force their motion to obey the dynamics of the swarm considered in V. Gazi et al. (2003, 2002). In this context, the results in V. Gazi et al. (2003, 2002) serve as a "proof of concept" for swarm aggregation, whereas the present results serve as a possible implementation method for engineering swarms with given vehicle dynamics. Moreover, the presented control scheme is robust with respect to disturbances and system uncertainties.
Twenty-five Years of Inflation Targeting in Australia : Are There Better Alternatives for the Next 25 Years ?

This paper surveys alternative monetary frameworks and evaluates whether the current inflation targeting framework followed by the RBA for the past 25 years is likely to be the most appropriate framework for the next 25 years. While flexible inflation targeting has appeared to work well in Australia in the past decades, the nature of future shocks suggests that some form of nominal income targeting is worth considering as an evolutionary change in Australia’s framework for monetary policy. This paper was presented at the RBA conference on “Inflation Targeting and Central Bank Frameworks: Evolution or Revolution? ” held in Sydney on April 12-13, 2018. The views expressed in the paper are those of the authors and should not be interpreted as reflecting the views of any of the above collaborators or of the Institutions with which the authors are affiliated including the trustees, officers or other staff of the ANU or The Brookings Institution. The authors did not receive financial support from any firm or person with a financial or political interest in this article. Neither is currently an officer, director, or board member of any organization with an interest in this article. _________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Twenty -fiv e Y ears of In f lat ion Targeting in A ust ralia 2 HUT C H INS CE NT E R ON F IS C A L & MO N E T A R Y P O L IC Y A T B RO OK IN GS