Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Romantic Ethic and the Spirit of Modern Consumerism

concerning what exactly has been demonstrated (pp. 135, 140). And though North has now adopted a critical stance toward received economic doctrine, it is not fair to single him out for special criticism, because the weaknesses of this book reflect in a very real sense the weaknesses of the theoretical literatures from which he continues to draw inspiration. Economic theory and economic history have traditionally been impoverished, not because there has been no place for institutional analysis in these disciplines but because individual practitioners have lacked a serious concern with mastering the rich texture of institutional variation and its consequences. North would probably agree intellectually with this statement. But the empirical content of this book is (like much of the theoretical work on which it is based) ultimately so thin and anecdotal as to serve up an unsatisfying intellectual repast. Future progress in political economy will require that we meld the economist's understanding of the economic consequences of rule variation with the attention to detail and specialized research skills that are currently the province of legal historians and specialists in comparative law.
TWO DIMENSIONAL PHOTONIC CRYSTALS WITH DIFFERENT SYMMETRIES FOR WAVEGUIDES AND RESONANT CAVITIES APPLICATIONS

In this paper we investigate the properties of two-dimensional photonic crystals (2D PhCs) with both hexagonal and square symmetry for applications in optoelectronics and telecommunication. An efficient way of manipulating the light is to make use of the defects introduced within the periodic structure, which consequently break the symmetry of the crystal, resulting in linear waveguides or resonant cavities. We calculate using finite-difference time-domain and finitedifference frequency-domain methods the properties associated with several kinds of defects, conveniently selected, performed in 2D PhCs with square and hexagonal symmetry.
NZO-3 Expression Causes Global Changes to the Actin Cytoskeleton in MDCK Cells : Linking a Tight Junction Protein to Rho GTPases

We previously demonstrated that exogenous expression of a truncated form of the tight junction protein ZO-3 affected junctional complex assembly and function. Current results indicate that this ZO-3 construct influences actin cytoskeleton dynamics more globally. We show that expression of the amino-terminal half of ZO-3 (NZO-3) in MDCK cells results in a decreased number of stress fibers and focal adhesions and causes an increased rate of cell migration in a wound healing assay. We also demonstrate that RhoA activity is reduced in NZO3-expressing cells. We determined that ZO-3 interacts with p120 catenin and AF-6, proteins localized to the junctional complex and implicated in signaling pathways important for cytoskeleton regulation and cell motility. We also provide evidence that NZO-3 interacts directly with the C-terminus of ZO-3, and we propose a model where altered interactions between ZO-3 and p120 catenin in NZO-3-expressing cells affect RhoA GTPase activity. This study reveals a potential link between ZO-3 and RhoA-related signaling events.
Explorer Insights into TREM 2 biology by network analysis of human brain gene expression data

Rare variants in TREM2 cause susceptibility to late-onset Alzheimer’s disease. Here we use microarraybased expression data generated from 101 neuropathologically normal individuals and covering 10 brain regions, including the hippocampus, to understand TREM2 biology in human brain. Using network analysis, we detect a highly preserved TREM2-containing module in human brain, show that it relates to microglia, and demonstrate that TREM2 is a hub gene in 5 brain regions, including the hippocampus, suggesting that it can drive module function. Using enrichment analysis we show significant overrepresentation of genes implicated in the adaptive and innate immune system. Inspection of genes with the highest connectivity to TREM2 suggests that it plays a key role in mediating changes in the microglial cytoskeleton necessary not only for phagocytosis, but also migration. Most importantly, we show that the TREM2-containing module is significantly enriched for genes genetically implicated in Alzheimer’s disease, multiple sclerosis, and motor neuron disease, implying that these diseases share common pathways centered on microglia and that among the genes identified are possible new disease-relevant
Digital democracy in Asia: The impact of the Asian internet on political participation

ABSTRACT This study examines the effects of Internet use on political participation in East and Southeast Asia. Data came from the Asian Barometer Survey, gathered in two waves: 2005–07 and 2010–11. The results show that Internet use is positively associated with unconventional political participation, while it is not with institutionalized action. Also, the data reveal the mechanism by which the technology influences interpersonal discussion and self-efficacy, in turn leading to participation. Furthermore, Internet use is found to provide mobilizing capacities for those who lack organizational membership as a traditional agent of political action.
Online Markov Decision Processes

We consider a Markov decision process (MDP) setting in which the reward function is allowed to change after each time step (possibly in an adversarial manner), yet the dynamics remain fixed. Similar to the experts setting, we address the question of how well an agent can do when compared to the reward achieved under the best stationary policy over time. We provide efficient algorithms, which have regret bounds with no dependence on the size of state space. Instead, these bounds depend only on a certain horizon time of the process and logarithmically on the number of actions.
Energy Input and Mass Redistribution by Supernovae in the Interstellar Medium

We present the results of numerical studies of supernova remnant evolution and its effects on galactic and globular cluster evolution. We show that parameters such as the density and the metallicity of the environment significantly influence the evolution of the remnant and thus change its effects on the global environment (e.g., globular clusters, galaxies) as a source of thermal and kinetic energy. We conducted our studies using a one-dimensional hydrodynamics code, in which we implemented a metallicity-dependent cooling function. Global time-dependent quantities such as the total kinetic and thermal energies and the radial extent are calculated for a grid of parameter sets. The quantities calculated are the total energy, the kinetic energy, the thermal energy, the radial extent, and the mass. We distinguished between the hot, rarefied bubble and the cold, dense shell, since these two phases are distinct in their roles in a gas-stellar system. We also present power-law fits to those quantities as a function of environmental parameters after the extensive cooling has ceased. The power-law fits enable simple incorporation of improved supernova energy input and matter redistribution (including the effect of the local conditions) in galactic/globular cluster models. Our results for the energetics of supernova remnants in the late stages of their expansion give total energies ranging from ≈ 9 × 1049 to ≈ 3 × 1050 ergs, with a typical case being ≈ 1050 ergs, depending on the surrounding environment. About 8.5 × 1049 ergs of this energy can be found in the form of kinetic energy. Supernovae play an important role in the evolution of the interstellar medium and galaxies as a whole, providing mechanisms for kinetic energy input and for phase transitions of the interstellar medium. However, we have found that the total energy input per supernova is about 1 order of magnitude smaller than the initial explosion energy.
Auditory Model-Based Dynamic Compression Controlled by Subband Instantaneous Frequency and Speech Presence Probability Estimates

Sensorineural hearing loss typically results in elevated thresholds and steepened loudness growth significantly conditioned by a damage of outer hair cells (OHC). In hearing aids, amplification and dynamic compression aim at widening the limited available dynamic range. However, speech perception particularly in complex acoustic scenes often remains difficult. Here, a physiologically motivated, fast acting, model-based dynamic compression algorithm (MDC) is introduced which aims at restoring the behaviorally estimated basilar membrane input-output (BM I/O) function in normal-hearing listeners. A system-specific gain prescription rule is suggested, based on the same model BM I/O function and a behavioral estimate of the individual OHC loss. Cochlear off-frequency component suppression is mimicked using an instantaneous frequency (IF) estimate. Increased loudness as a consequence of widened filters in the impaired system is considered in a further compensation stage. In an extended version, a subband estimate of the speech presence probability (MDC+SPP) additionally provides speech-selective amplification in stationary noise. Instrumental evaluation revealed that the IF control enhances the spectral contrast of vowels and benefits in quality predictions at higher signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs) were observed. Compared with a conventional multiband dynamic compressor, MDC achieved objective quality and intelligibility benefits for a competing talker at lower SNRs. MDC+SPP outperformed the conventional compressor in the quality predictions and reached comparable instrumental speech intelligibility as achieved with linear amplification. The proposed algorithm provides a first promising basis for auditory model-based compression with signal-type- and bandwidth-dependent gains.
Modeling the Warm Ionized Interstellar Medium and Its Impact on Elemental Abundance Studies

We present model calculations of ionization fractions for elements in the warm (T ~ 104 K), low-density photoionized interstellar medium (WIM) of the Milky Way. We model the WIM as a combination of overlapping low-excitation H II regions having n(H+)/n(H) ≳ 0.8. Our adopted standard model incorporates an intrinsic elemental abundance pattern similar to that found for warm neutral clouds in the Galaxy and includes the effects of interstellar dust grains. The radiation field is characterized by an ionizing spectrum of a star with Teff ≈ 35,000 K and an ionization parameter log(q) ≈ -4.0. The emergent emission-line strengths are in agreement with the observed ratios of [S II]/Hα, [N II]/Hα, [S II]/[N II], [O I]/Hα, [O III]/Hα, and He I/Hα in the Galactic WIM. Although the forbidden emission-line intensities depend strongly on the input model parameters, the ionization fractions of the 20 elements studied in this work are robust over a wide range of physical conditions considered in the models. These ionization fractions have direct relevance to absorption-line determinations of the elemental abundances in the warm neutral and ionized gases in the Milky Way and other late-type galaxies. We demonstrate a method for estimating the WIM contributions to the observed column densities of singly and doubly ionized atoms used to derive abundances in the warm neutral gas. We apply this approach to study the gas-phase abundances of the warm interstellar clouds toward the halo star HD 93521.
Deep Neural Networks predict Hierarchical Spatio-temporal Cortical Dynamics of Human Visual Object Recognition

The complex multi-stage architecture of cortical visual pathways provides the neural basis for efficient visual object recognition in humans. However, the stage-wise computations therein remain poorly understood. Here, we compared temporal (magnetoencephalography) and spatial (functional MRI) visual brain representations with representations in an artificial deep neural network (DNN) tuned to the statistics of real-world visual recognition. We showed that the DNN captured the stages of human visual processing in both time and space from early visual areas towards the dorsal and ventral streams. Further investigation of crucial DNN parameters revealed that while model architecture was important, training on real-world categorization was necessary to enforce spatio-temporal hierarchical relationships with the brain. Together our results provide an algorithmically informed view on the spatio-temporal dynamics of visual object recognition in the human visual brain.
Factors Affecting the Ability of Coaches to Estimate Their Athletes’ Trait and State Anxiety Levels

This study assessed the ability of coaches to estimate their athletes’ A-trait and A-state levels, examined variables influencing this ability, and attempted to identify what physical or behavioral cues coaches use in assessing the anxiety levels of their athletes. Collegiate cross-country coaches (N=126) and athletes served as subjects. Overall, the coaches were found to be inaccurate estimators of both levels, accounting for less than 8% of the variance. Multiple regression analyses also revealed that the coach’s age was a significant predictor of ability to assess an athlete’s A-trait level, and the size of the team affected a coach’s A-state estimating ability. Coaches of women’s teams were significantly more accurate than coaches of men’s teams in their estimates of A-trait and A-state levels. Finally, coaches rated changes in athletes’ communication levels and behavior patterns as the most important cues to look for when assessing anxiety levels.
Communities , Collaboration and Cooperation in Personalized Web Search ∗

Collaborative Web Search is an approach to Web search that takes advantage of ideas from casebased reasoning in order to improve upon the results of a standard search engine. It retrieves and reuses the prior search experiences of a community of like-minded searchers. Collaborative Web search contemplates a society of differently focused communities, each with their own case-base of search experiences. In the past we have focused on how the experiences of a single community can assist with future searches by its community’s members, by personalizing results according to learned community preferences. This paper borrows ideas from collaborative and distributed case-based reasoning to show how search experiences of related communities can also usefully assist search.
Toward a preliminary macro theory of drug addiction

Currently, the drug addiction literature is replete with micro‐level theories of addiction that offer important insights into individual and small‐group processes leading to addiction. However, few offer much consideration of macro‐level matters (e.g., social structural and cultural). Macro theories of addiction are even more scarce. This inattention to macro‐level factors may ultimately impede the ability to reduce addiction and related social problems. The purpose of this article is to offer preliminary formulations for a macro theory of drug addiction. A critique of leading micro‐oriented theories, coupled with Hall and Jefferson's (1976) Cultural Studies school, helps facilitate this effort. The discussion centers on drug subcultures instead of individual addicts and brings macro‐level matters (e.g., economic and social inequality and cultural norms and values) to the center of the debate. Furthermore, the new theoretical formulations offer important insights into rates of addiction among population s.
A Cross-Cultural Analysis of Avoidance (Relative to Approach) Personal Goals

The results from this research supported our primary hypothesis that the adoption of avoidance (relative to approach) personal goals varies as a function of individualism-collectivism (across representations of this distinction). Interdependent self-construals were positively related and independent self-construals were negatively related to adoption of avoidance goals (Study 1), Asian Americans adopted more avoidance goals than non-Asian Americans (Study 2), and persons from South Korea and Russia adopted more avoidance goals than those in the United States (Studies 3 and 4, respectively). Studies 3 and 4 investigated and found support for our secondary hypothesis that avoidance personal goals are a negative predictor of subjective well-being in individualistic (the United States), but not collectivistic (South Korea and Russia), countries. The findings are discussed in terms of other approach-avoidance constructs and motivational processes.
Genetic of Alzheimer’s Disease: A Narrative Review Article

Background: Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is one of the most common problems for old peoples. Etiology of AD is not clear, but genetic factors play a major role in determining a person’s risk to develop AD. Twin and family studies confirm that AD has a genetic basis. AD genetics has been split into two broad categories: early-onset and late-onset. EOAD cases are inherited in an autosomal dominant pattern. In this form, dominant mutations in genes like APP, PSEN-1 and PSEN-2 associated with AD. This study aimed to consider the role of genetic in AD. Method: At the first, most of the references in relation with genetic basis of AD searched from the following web-sites: PubMed, Science direct, Wiley & Sons (1995–2014). Then, the most common genes and their affects described briefly. Results: Aging is the most obvious risk factor for developing AD. There is a genetic basis for AD, of course this relation is not complete but it is significant. Conclusion: More than thousand genes studied in relation with Alzheimer’s disease. Against the improvements in understanding different aspects of AD, the accurate genetic foundation of AD remain unclear.
Mesenchymal Stem Cell for Prevention and Management of Intervertebral Disc Degeneration

Intervertebral disc degeneration (IVD) is a frequent pathological condition. Conservative management often fails, and patients with IVD degeneration may require surgical intervention. Several treatment strategies have been proposed, although only surgical discectomy and arthrodesis have been proved to be predictably effective. The aim of biological strategies is to prevent and manage IVD degeneration, improve the function, the anabolic and reparative capabilities of the nucleus pulposus and annulus fibrosus cells, and inhibit matrix degradation. At present, clinical applications are still in their infancy. Further studies are required to clarify the role of mesenchymal stem cells and gene therapy for the prevention and treatment of IVD degeneration.
The first-year university experience for sexual minority students: A grounded theory exploration

ABSTRACT This exploratory study used grounded theory to understand the role of minority stress on the first-year experience of lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer, and questioning emerging adults attending a university in the Northeastern part of the United States. Twenty-one lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer, and questioning sophomores participated in focus groups asking them to reflect on their first-year of university. Themes suggest that participants tackle multiple challenges simultaneously: the developmental task of increased independence and stressors specific to lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer, and questioning adults such as encountering stigma. Furthermore, participants manifested resilience in response to minority stress. Participants joined campus organizations, expressed pride in their identities, made use of social supports, and sought out safe opportunities to disclose. The discussion concludes with implications for practice and policy.
The Optimal Reading Strategy for EPC Gen-2 RFID Anti-Collision Systems

The anti-collision mechanism is an important part in Radio-frequency Identification (RFID) technology. Recently, many anti-collision algorithms were designed based on the EPCglobal standards. These works mainly focused on the tag population estimation. But they chose frame size based on the classical results of Random Access (RA) systems. We show that a new theory is needed for the optimization of the RFID systems as they have characteristics very different from the RA systems. We model the reading process as a Markov Chain and derive the optimal reading strategy through first-passage-time analysis. We show that the optimal strategy can be easily incorporated into the EPCglobal standards to give significant performance improvement.
Effects of muscle type, castration, age, and compensatory growth rate on androgen receptor mRNA expression in bovine skeletal muscle.

The effect of testosterone on sexual dimorphism is evident by differential growth of forelimb and neck muscles in bulls and steers. Divergent hormone sensitivites may account for the differential growth rates of individual muscles. Therefore, the objective of this study was to compare androgen receptor (AR) expression in three different muscles of bulls and steers at various ages and growth rates. Thirty Montbéliard bulls and 30 steers were assigned to four slaughter age groups. Four or five animals of each sex were slaughtered at 4 and 8 mo of age. Animals in the remaining two slaughter groups (12 and 16 mo) were divided into groups of either restricted (R) or ad libitum (AL) access to feed. Five animals of each sex and diet were slaughtered at the end of the restricted intake period at 12 mo of age. To simulate compensatory growth, the remaining animals (R and AL) were allowed ad libitum access to feed until slaughter at 16 mo of age. Total RNA was extracted from samples of semitendinosus (ST), triceps brachii (TB), and splenius (SP) muscles. Androgen receptor mRNA was quantified in 200-ng total RNA preparations using an internally standardized reverse transcription (RT) PCR assay. Data were analyzed using 18S ribosomal RNA concentrations as a covariable. Steers had higher AR mRNA levels per RNA unit than bulls (P < .01). Androgen receptor mRNA levels differed between muscles (P < .05), with lowest expression in the SP. The pattern of AR expression differed (P < .05) for each muscle with increasing age. Between 4 and 12 mo of age, AR mRNA levels increased (P < .05) in SP but remained unchanged in the ST and TB. Feeding regimen had no effect on muscle AR expression, but steers exhibiting compensatory growth had higher AR mRNA levels than AL steers (P < .01) or bulls (P < .01). Our results show that AR expression is muscle-specific and may be modulated by circulating testicular hormones. These data suggest that the regulation of AR expression may be linked to allometric muscle growth patterns in cattle and compensatory gain in steers.
Identification and counterfactuals in dynamic models of market entry and exit

This paper addresses a fundamental identification problem in the structural estimation of dynamic oligopoly models of market entry and exit. Using the standard datasets in existing empirical applications, three components of a firm’s profit function are not separately identified: the fixed cost of an incumbent firm, the entry cost of a new entrant, and the scrap value of an exiting firm. We study the implications of this result on the power of this class of models to identify the effects of different comparative static exercises and counterfactual public policies. First, we derive a closed-form relationship between the three unknown structural functions and the two functions that are identified from the data. We use this relationship to provide the correct interpretation of the estimated objects that are obtained under the ‘normalization assumptions’ considered in most applications. Second, we characterize a class of counterfactual experiments that are identified using the estimated model, despite the non-separate identification of the three primitives. Third, we show that there is a general class of counterfactual experiments of economic relevance that are not identified. We present a numerical example that illustrates how ignoring the non-identification of these counterfactuals (i.e., making a ‘normalization assumption’ on some of the three primitives) generates sizable biases that can modify even the sign of the estimated effects. Finally, we discuss possible solutions to address these identification problems.