Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A city-level analysis of property crime clearance rates

Abstract Theft, burglary, and vehicle theft are among the most frequently committed and least commonly cleared Part I offenses in the United States, but have received disproportionately little attention in the clearance literature. This study contributes to recent efforts to remedy this shortage by presenting offense-specific analyses of burglary, larceny, and vehicle theft clearance rates in a sample of 110 large US cities. Data were gathered from the Uniform Crime Report, the Law Enforcement Management and Administrative Statistics survey, and the American Community Survey. Independent variables comprised social disorganization measures (e.g. residential instability, poverty, etc.) and policing variables, including the use of broken windows policing. Although broken windows policing is related to higher clearance rates in a few prior studies, that effect was not observed in the present work. Racial diversity and police spending per capita (which were negatively associated with clearance rates) were the only variables that were significantly associated with the clearance of all three crimes.
Beliefs about intergenerational assistance following divorce and remarriage: does race and ethnicity matter?

Most researchers who have studied beliefs about intergenerational assistance have studied primarily white European Americans living in nuclear families rather than diverse racial and ethnic groups. The purpose of this thesis was to compare racial and ethnic similarities and differences in beliefs and reasoning about intergenerational assistance following divorce and remarriage. A nationally representative sample (n = 3316) was drawn using random digit dialing. White European Americans, African Americans, Asian Americans, and Latinos responded to vignettes in which older (step)parents needed help from adult (step)children. Overall, results indicated more similarities than differences in beliefs and reasoning about intergenerational assistance between the four groups. Future studies should examine more diverse tasks and contexts that may elicit different responses between groups; how familism may be applied differently to kin versus stepkin; and the influence of acculturation on Latinos’ and Asian Americans’ beliefs about intergenerational assistance.
Calabi-Yau algebras

We introduce some new algebraic structures arising naturally in the geometry of Calabi-Yau manifolds and mirror symmetry. We give a universal construction of Calabi-Yau algebras in terms of a noncommutative symplectic DG algebra resolution. In dimension 3, the resolution is determined by a noncommutative potential. Representation varieties of the Calabi-Yau algebra are intimately related to the set of critical points, and to the sheaf of vanishing cycles of the potential. Numerical invariants, like ranks of cyclic homology groups, are expected to be given by `matrix integrals' over representation varieties. We discuss examples of Calabi-Yau algebras involving quivers, 3-dimensional McKay correspondence, crepant resolutions, Sklyanin algebras, hyperbolic 3-manifolds and Chern-Simons. Examples related to quantum Del Pezzo surfaces will be discussed in [EtGi].
Masculine Compromise: Migration, Family, and Gender in China

Acknowledgments 1. Introduction: Migration, Family, and Masculinity in Postsocialist China 2. Marginal Men and China's Grand Narratives 3. Striking a Balance: Courtship, Sexuality, and Marriage 4. Conjugal Power and Diverse Strategies 5. Housework and Respectability 6. Migration, Fatherhood, and Emotionality 7. Filial Piety from Afar: Migrant Sons Renegotiating Elderly Care 8. Masculine Compromise: A Feminist Framework of Changing Masculinity Bibliography Index
Seoul National University Bright Quasar Survey in Optical (SNUQSO). I. First Phase Observations and Results

We present results from the first phase of the Seoul National University Bright Quasar Survey in Optical (SNUQSO) as well as its basic observational setup. Previous and current large-area surveys have been successful in identifying many quasars, but they could have missed bright quasars due to their survey design. In order to help complete the census of bright quasars, we have performed spectroscopic observations of new bright quasar candidates selected from various methods based on optical colors, near-infrared colors, radio, and X-ray data. In 2005/2006, we observed 55 bright quasar candidates using the Bohyunsan Optical Echelle Spectrograph (BOES) on the 1.8 m telescope at the Bohyunsan Optical Astronomy Observatory in Korea. We identify 14 quasars/Seyferts from our observation, including an optically bright quasar with i = 14.98 mag at z = 0.092 (SDSS J003236.59–091026.2). Non-quasar/Seyfert objects are found to be mostly stars, among which there are five M-type stars and one cataclysmic variable. Our result shows that there still exist bright quasars to be discovered. However, at the same time, we conclude that finding new bright quasars in high Galactic latitude regions is very challenging and that the existing compilation of optically bright quasars is nearly complete in the northern hemisphere.
Preoperative CT Predicting Recurrence of Surgically Resected Adenocarcinoma of the Lung

AbstractPathologic lymphovascular invasion (LVI) has been shown to be related to tumor recurrence in lung adenocarcinoma (ADC). We investigated preoperative computed tomography (CT) findings that may be related to pathologic LVI and recurrence of surgically managed stage I–II ADC of the lung.Consecutive patients (n = 275) with ADC from January 2013 to December 2013 were retrospectively enrolled. Two independent chest radiologists analyzed the CT findings. Clinical, CT (stage, margin, pleural tag, axial location, and peritumoral interstitial thickening), and pathologic findings (stage, % lepidic growth, and LVI) were reviewed. Cox proportional hazard regression analysis was used to estimate the hazard ratios (HRs) for patients with (n = 34) and without (n = 241) recurrence.The &kgr; index for agreement on the CT findings between radiologists was 0.705 to 0.845. In univariate analysis, % lepidic growth (P = 0.006), LVI (P < 0.001), size (P < 0.001), and staging (P = 0.011) differentiated significantly between patients with and without recurrence. Long diameter (P < 0.001), mass type (P < 0.001), marginal lobulation (P = 0.020), central location (P < 0.001), and peritumoral interstitial thickening (P < 0.001) were significantly related to recurrence on CT. Peritumoral interstitial thickening was positively correlated with tumor size (P < 0.001), LVI (P < 0.001), N staging (P = 0.005), stage (P < 0.001), mass type (P < 0.001), and recurrence (P = 0.003). In multivariate analysis, size (HR, 1.052; 95% CI, 1.022–1.082; P < 0.001), central location (HR, 3.152; 1.387–7.166; P = 0.006), and LVI (HR, 2.153, 95% CI, 1.038–4.465; P = 0.039) were independent predictors of recurrence.Large, centrally located tumors with LVI tend to recur after surgery. Presence of peritumoral interstitial thickening on CT appears to predict pathologic LVI and recurrence.
Auditory memory function in expert chess players

Background: Chess is a game that involves many aspects of high level cognition such as memory, attention, focus and problem solving. Long term practice of chess can improve cognition performances and behavioral skills. Auditory memory, as a kind of memory, can be influenced by strengthening processes following long term chess playing like other behavioral skills because of common processing pathways in the brain. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the auditory memory function of expert chess players using the Persian version of dichotic auditory-verbal memory test. Methods: The Persian version of dichotic auditory-verbal memory test was performed for 30 expert chess players aged 20-35 years and 30 non chess players who were matched by different conditions; the participants in both groups were randomly selected. The performance of the two groups was compared by independent samples t-test using SPSS version 21. Results: The mean score of dichotic auditory-verbal memory test between the two groups, expert chess players and non-chess players, revealed a significant difference (p≤ 0.001). The difference between the ears scores for expert chess players (p= 0.023) and non-chess players (p= 0.013) was significant. Gender had no effect on the test results. Conclusion: Auditory memory function in expert chess players was significantly better compared to non-chess players. It seems that increased auditory memory function is related to strengthening cognitive performances due to playing chess for a long time.
Impact Assessment of Repeated Exposure of Organotypic 3D Bronchial and Nasal Tissue Culture Models to Whole Cigarette Smoke

Cigarette smoke (CS) has a major impact on lung biology and may result in the development of lung diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or lung cancer. To understand the underlying mechanisms of disease development, it would be important to examine the impact of CS exposure directly on lung tissues. However, this approach is difficult to implement in epidemiological studies because lung tissue sampling is complex and invasive. Alternatively, tissue culture models can facilitate the assessment of exposure impacts on the lung tissue. Submerged 2D cell cultures, such as normal human bronchial epithelial (NHBE) cell cultures, have traditionally been used for this purpose. However, they cannot be exposed directly to smoke in a similar manner to the in vivo exposure situation. Recently developed 3D tissue culture models better reflect the in vivo situation because they can be cultured at the air-liquid interface (ALI). Their basal sides are immersed in the culture medium; whereas, their apical sides are exposed to air. Moreover, organotypic tissue cultures that contain different type of cells, better represent the physiology of the tissue in vivo. In this work, the utilization of an in vitro exposure system to expose human organotypic bronchial and nasal tissue models to mainstream CS is demonstrated. Ciliary beating frequency and the activity of cytochrome P450s (CYP) 1A1/1B1 were measured to assess functional impacts of CS on the tissues. Furthermore, to examine CS-induced alterations at the molecular level, gene expression profiles were generated from the tissues following exposure. A slight increase in CYP1A1/1B1 activity was observed in CS-exposed tissues compared with air-exposed tissues. A network-and transcriptomics-based systems biology approach was sufficiently robust to demonstrate CS-induced alterations of xenobiotic metabolism that were similar to those observed in the bronchial and nasal epithelial cells obtained from smokers.
Multistratified Expression of Polysialic Acid and Its Relationship to VAChT-containing Neurons in the Inner Plexiform Layer of Adult Rat Retina

We investigated the localization of polysialic acid (PSA), neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM), and vesicular acetylcholine transporter (VAChT) in adult rat retina by using immunofluorescence with a confocal laser scanning microscope. Western blot analysis showed a typical broad smear of PSA and isoforms of NCAM (120, 140, and 180 kD). PSA immunofluorescence revealed multistratification in the inner plexiform layer (IPL). Dual immunostaining for PSA and NCAM exhibited the selective co-expression of PSA and NCAM on Müller cells. Moreover, dual immunolabeling for PSA and VAChT completely separated the five strata in the IPL. Strata 1, 3, and 5 were immunoreactive for PSA and Strata 2 and 4 for VAChT. These results suggest the possibility that PSA molecules on Müller cells are spatially related to ON and OFF retinal channels in the IPL.
INTERACTIONS AMONG MECHANISMS OF SEXUAL SELECTION ON MALE BODY SIZE AND HEAD SHAPE IN A SEXUALLY DIMORPHIC FLY

Abstract Darwin envisaged male-male and male-female interactions as mutually supporting mechanisms of sexual selection, in which the best armed males were also the most attractive to females. Although this belief continues to predominate today, it has been challenged by sexual conflict theory, which suggests that divergence in the interests of males and females may result in conflicting sexual selection. This raises the empirical question of how multiple mechanisms of sexual selection interact to shape targeted traits. We investigated sexual selection on male morphology in the sexually dimorphic fly Prochyliza xanthostoma, using indices of male performance in male-male and male-female interactions in laboratory arenas to calculate gradients of direct, linear selection on male body size and an index of head elongation. In male-male combat, the first interaction with a new opponent selected for large body size but reduced head elongation, whereas multiple interactions with the same opponent favored large body size only. In male-female interactions, females preferred males with relatively elongated heads, but male performance of the precopulatory leap favored large body size and, possibly, reduced head elongation. In addition, the amount of sperm transferred (much of which is ingested by females) was an increasing function of both body size and head elongation. Thus, whereas both male-male and male-female interactions favored large male body size, male head shape appeared to be subject to conflicting sexual selection. We argue that conflicting sexual selection may be a common result of divergence in the interests of the sexes.
Quality-Aware Video Adaptation over Heterogeneous Environment

Video adaptation allows universal video access over user’s heterogeneous environments. The challenging key issue is to find the optimal adaptation operations to meet resource constraints given by the heterogeneous environments, while at the same time maximizing the user’s quality of experience. In this thesis, we concentrate on optimal transcoding decision techniques for video adaptation. There exist multidimensional scaling operations for video rate transcoding, such as spatial, temporal, and SNR resolution scaling operations. To efficiently allocate bits for video transcoding in heterogeneous environments, the multidimensional quality factors need to be exploited. Therefore, the transcoding decision problem can be formulized as a quality optimization problem to determine the best combination of the multidimensional transcoding operations satisfying the given resource constraints. In this thesis we propose two systematic schemes to deal with the quality optimization problem. In distortion model-based transcoding decision scheme, we mainly present the concrete distortion model for the multidimensional video transcoding. In case of multidimensional video transcoding, it should be noted that there are interdependencies among the transcoding operations. Because one transcoding
Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis Show Altered Lipoprotein Profiles with Dysfunctional High-Density Lipoproteins that Can Exacerbate Inflammatory and Atherogenic Process

Objective In order to identify putative biomarkers in lipoprotein, we compared lipid and lipoprotein properties between rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients and control with similar age. Methods We analyzed four classes of lipoproteins (VLDL, LDL, HDL2, HDL3) from both male (n = 8, 69±4 year-old) and female (n = 25, 53±7 year-old) rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients as well as controls with similar age (n = 13). Results Although RA group showed normal levels of total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol, and glucose, however, the RA group showed significantly reduced high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-C level and ratio of HDL-C/TC. The RA group showed significantly elevated levels of blood triglyceride (TG), uric acid, and cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) activity. The RA group also showed elevated levels of advanced glycated end (AGE) products in all lipoproteins and severe aggregation of apoA-I in HDL. As CETP activity and TG contents were 2-fold increased in HDL from RA group, paraoxonase activity was reduced upto 20%. Electron microscopy revealed that RA group showed much less HDL2 particle number than control. LDL from the RA group was severely oxidized and glycated with greater fragmentation of apo-B, especially in female group, it was more atherogenic via phagocytosis. Conclusion Lipoproteins from the RA patients showed severely altered structure with impaired functionality, which is very similar to that observed in coronary heart patients. These dysfunctional properties in lipoproteins from the RA patients might be associated with high incidence of cardiovascular events in RA patients.
Effectiveness of Classification Measures in Predicting Achievement in the Israel Defence Forces - Fitness Instruction Trainers Courses as a Case Study

Abstract Human resources are the most crucial element in the selection of suitable fitness instruction trainers (FIT) and the results of the screening process impact greatly on the entire physical training system in the Israeli army, both in the short-term and the long-term (potential officers, young officers and developing and veteran officers). The aim of the current study is to examine the effectiveness, validity and reliability of the screening process for acceptance to the female fitness instructors training course in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). The screening process aims to identify those that are most suitable from a large pool of candidates, in order to ensure the highest possible level of candidates and the lowest possible drop-out rate from the training course and subsequent army service. The paper examines the reliability of the classification exam currently administered in the course and its validity in predicting those candidates who will succeed in the course and in their assignments afterwards. The sample is based on a data analysis of nine screening dates over three years (three each year). The evaluation of validity is based on the relationship between the course entrance exam grades (administered a year before enlistment), exam grades at the beginning of the course and additional data relating to success in the field.
Working versus schooling: the impact of social expenditure

Cet article presente un modele ou le travail des enfants resulte d’un arbitrage du menage entre scolariser ou faire travailler l’enfant. L’education est consideree comme un investissement risque, la survie de l’enfant etant incertaine. L’impact des depenses publiques d’education et de sante sur le travail des enfants est pris en compte en specifiant un mecanisme de transmission propre a chaque type de depense. Il apparait d’une part que les depenses de sante permettent de reduire d’autant plus le travail des enfants que la mortalite des enfants est elevee. D’autre part une aversion au risque moderee est une condition necessaire pour que les depenses d’education permettent de reduire le travail des enfants. Ces resultats theoriques sont valides empiriquement sur un panel de 66 pays en developpement entre 1985 et 2000.
Branch flow model: Relaxations and convexification

We propose a branch flow model for the analysis and optimization of mesh as well as radial networks. The model leads to a new approach to solving optimal power flow (OPF) problems that consists of two relaxation steps. The first step eliminates the voltage and current angles and the second step approximates the resulting problem by a conic program that can be solved efficiently. For radial networks, we prove that both relaxation steps are always exact, provided there are no upper bounds on loads. For mesh networks, the conic relaxation is always exact and we characterize when the angle relaxation may fail. We propose a simple method to convexify a mesh network using phase shifters so that both relaxation steps are always exact and OPF for the convexified network can always be solved efficiently for a globally optimal solution. We prove that convexification requires phase shifters only outside a spanning tree of the network graph and their placement depends only on network topology, not on power flows, generation, loads, or operating constraints. Since power networks are sparse, the number of required phase shifters may be relatively small.
Participation sociale et sclérose en plaques : Réalité particulière1

La sclerose en plaques (SEP) est une maladie chronique evolutive presentant de nombreuses particularites qui peuvent avoir comme impact que les personnes atteintes vivent des obstacles a leur participation sociale. Quatre-vingt-neuf participants ont repondu a des questionnaires afin de faire un portrait de la participation sociale et d’identifier les facteurs l’influencant. L’analyse des donnees a permis de relever certaines caracteristiques de la maladie, dont le diagnostic, la symptomatologie et le portrait socioeconomique des personnes atteintes, pouvant avoir un impact sur la participation sociale, puis les facteurs influencant specifiquement certains roles sociaux (loisirs et relations interpersonnelles). L’article se termine en soulevant l’importance du role d’accompagnateur du travailleur social aupres de personnes vivant avec la SEP.
Treatment of Uterine Myoma with 2.5 or 5 mg Mifepristone Daily during 3 Months with 9 Months Posttreatment Followup: Randomized Clinical Trial

Objectives. To evaluate the efficacy, safety, and quality of life by using 2.5 and mifepristone 5 mg daily doses to treat uterine fibroids over 3 months with a 9-month followup period. Design. Randomized clinical trial. Place. “Eusebio Hernández” Hospital, Havana, Cuba. Subjects. 220 women with symptomatic uterine fibroids. Treatment. One-half (2.5 mg) or one-whole 5 mg mifepristone tablet. Variables to Evaluate Efficacy. Changes in fibroid and uterine volumes, in symptomatic prevalence and intensity, and in quality of life. Results. After 3-month treatment, fibroid volume decreased by 27.9% (CI 95% 20–35) and 45.5% (CI 95% 37–62), in the 2.5 and 5 mg groups, respectively, P = 0.003. There was no difference in the prevalence of symptoms at the end of treatment, unlike after 6- and 9-month followup when there was a difference. Amenorrhea was significantly higher in the 5 mg group, P = 0.001. There were no significant differences in mifepristone side effects between the groups. Both groups displayed a similar improvement in quality of life. Conclusions. The 2.5 mg dosage resulted in a lesser reduction in fibroid size but a similar improvement in quality of life when compared to the 5 mg dose. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01786226.
Disrupting the Balance between Tumor Epithelia and Stroma is a Possible Therapeutic Approach for Pancreatic Cancer

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a type of highly lethal malignant tumor. PDAC is locally invasive and is surrounded by a dense desmoplasia or fibrosis, which can involve adjacent vital structures. Previously, the effect of pancreatic stellate cells (PSCs) of stroma in the progression of PDAC has received more attention, and most in vitro and in vivo studies revealed that PSCs appear to confer biological aggressiveness. However, clinical trials targeting desmoplasia or PSCs showed disappointing results. Recent studies found that stromal components, especially activated PSCs, are able to inhibit the occurrence and progression of PDAC. Inhibition of the stroma or desmoplasia through genetic regulations or drugs accelerates the formation and progression of PDAC. Thus, we hypothesized that in various times and spaces, there is a balance between the tumor epithelia and stroma; once the balance is upset, the tumor traits may undergo certain changes. Therefore, finding the key changing points of this relationship to corrupt or influence it, instead of blindly inhibiting the stroma motivation or simply maintaining stroma activation, will destroy the cooperation or promote the competition and antagonism among cells. This approach may render tumors more vulnerable and thus unable to resist anti-cancer therapies.