Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Stigma, stereotypes and Brazilian soap operas: road-blocks to ending human trafficking in Vietnam, Ghana and Ukraine

During the last 15 years, we have witnessed a significant and increasing focus on human trafficking in the work and research of international organisations, local and international non-governmental organisations, governments, researchers and academics from a range of disciplines. However, the focus remains on presumed structural causes of trafficking, including assumptions regarding victims' levels of education and sex. Other socio-cultural factors are frequently ignored in trafficking discourse. Based on fieldwork carried out in Vietnam, Ghana and Ukraine from July 2009 to November 2010, including 50 interviews with key informants, this article directs attention to some of these oft-ignored factors that continue to act as a barrier to ending human trafficking. Attention is paid to three socio-cultural factors that act as road-blocks to efforts to counter trafficking in all three countries: first, the stigmatisation of both sex work and trafficking; second, a narrow understanding of who constitutes a victim of trafficking and third, lack of attention by researchers and activists to the role of images of successful migration abroad as an influential pull factor. These research findings indicate the importance of understanding the intersections between race, culture, gender, sexuality and class to relation to women's and men's involvement in unsafe and/or exploitative migration abroad.
Social Avoidance and its Relation to Bartholomew's Adult Attachment Typology

In her four-fold model of attachment, Bartholomew (1990) distinguished two socially avoidant attachment styles, fearful and dismissing, in terms of self-esteem and social avoidance. Unfortunately, her measure of social avoidance (sociability) cannot discriminate sociability from shyness, an important aspect of social avoidance. The association of shyness and sociability with Bartholomew's attachment-style groups was assessed in a sample of 676 participants. Fearful subjects differentiated themselves from dismissing subjects on ratings of sociability and shyness, suggesting that dismissing subjects' social avoidance is due to low sociability, whereas the fearful subjects' social avoidance is due to shyness. Results are discussed in terms of the maintenance of avoidance attachment styles and of their implications for the study of social avoidance.
3D kinematics of white dwarfs from the SPY project

We present kinematics of a sample of 107 DA white dwarfs from the SPY project (ESO SN Ia Progenitor surveY) and discuss kinematic criteria for a distinction of thin disk, thick disk, and halo populations. This is the first homogeneous sample of white dwarfs for which 3D space motions have been determined. Since the percentage of old stars among white dwarfs is higher than among main-sequence stars, they are presumably valuable tools in studies of old populations such as the halo and the thick disk. Studies of white dwarf kinematics can help to determine the fraction of the total mass of our Galaxy contained in the form of thick disk and halo white dwarfs, an issue which is still under discussion. Radial velocities and spectroscopic distances obtained by the SPY project are combined with our measurements of proper mo- tions to derive 3D space motions. Galactic orbits and further kinematic parameters are computed. We calculate individual errors of kinematic parameters by means of a Monte Carlo error propagation code. Our kinematic criteria for assigning population membership are deduced from a sample of F and G stars taken from the literature for which chemical criteria can be used to distinguish between thin disk, thick disk and halo. Candidates for thick disk and halo members are selected in a first step from the classical U-V-velocity diagram. Our final assignment of population membership is based on orbits and position in the Jz-eccentricity diagram. We find four halo and twelve thick disk white dwarfs. We also present a systematic study of the eects of ignoring the radial velocity in kinematic investigations.
Further Evidence on Simulation Inference for Near Unit-Root Processes with Implications for Term Structure Estimation (Job Market Paper)

We study indirect estimation methods with a special emphasis on issues related to continuous time models of the interest rate. Using a highly persistent discrete AR(1) model, Duffee and Stanton (2008) (DS) argued for the superiority of indirect inference (II) over the efficient method of moments (EMM) for estimating term structure models. We extend the work of DS by conducting a thorough comparison of analytic and simulation-based EMM and II estimators in the context of continuous time models of the interest rate, and we confront issues that are specific to this setting, such as the choice of an auxiliary model and the relative importance of discretization bias and finite sample bias. We arrive at a different conclusion than DS by considering an alternative formulation of the EMM estimator that performs better than the original one, and overall its behavior closely matches that of II. We also show that the excessive bias of the EMM estimator is particular to the over-identified setting considered by DS.
Infiltrating myoepithelioma of the breast.

This report describes the histologic and ultrastructural features of a spindle cell myoepithelioma arising in the breast of a 60-year-old woman. By light microscopy, the tumor consisted of interlacing bundles of elongated cells sometimes arranged in a storiform pattern. No intraductal or invasive carcinoma was identified. Ultrastructurally, the neoplasm was composed of activated, differentiated myoepithelial cells showing evidence of squamous metaplasia, i.e., spindle-shaped cells joined by mature desmosomes and encompassed by remnants of basal lamina containing a well-developed rough endoplasmic reticulum, pinocytotic vesicles, prekeratin filaments, and longitudinally oriented bundles of microfilaments with fusiform densities. Numerous cisternae of rough endoplasmic reticulum suggested heightened metabolic activity, whereas the presence of cytoplasmic prekeratin filaments indicated squamous metaplasia. The cells comprising most previously reported "myoepitheliomas" examined by electron microscopy lacked many of the distinctive fine structural features of the normal myoepithelial cell. At present, the diagnosis of myoepithelioma should be based on strict ultrastructural criteria. The clinical behavior of this particular lesion in the breast is unknown. If the tumor follows the course of comparable salivary gland neoplasms, the likelihood of systemic spread is low. Primary therapy for a tumor proven to be an infiltrating myoepithelioma of the breast should be directed at complete excision of the lesion.
The Reuters Corpus Volume 1 -from Yesterday’s News to Tomorrow’s Language Resources

Reuters, the global information, news and technology group, has for the first time made available free of charge, large quantities of archived Reuters news stories for use by research communities around the world. The Reuters Corpus Volume 1 (RCV1) includes over 800,000 news stories typical of the annual English language news output of Reuters. This paper describes the origins of RCV1, the motivations behind its creation, and how it differs from previous corpora. In addition we discuss the system of category coding, whereby each story is annotated for topic, region and industry sector. We also discuss the process by which these codes were applied, and examine the issues involved in maintaining quality and consistency of coding in an operational, commercial environment.
Explaining lower educated workers' training intentions

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to contribute to the discussion on how to increase lower educated workers' participation in training programs inside and outside the workplace through stimulating intentions with respect to training. Design/methodology/approach: This article is based on data from the Study on Life Long Learning and Employment by TNO (Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research), a three-wave longitudinal study among lower educated workers in three different companies in The Netherlands. Data from the baseline questionnaire on 213 workers who are not currently participating in training activities are used along with a multiple regression model to test whether subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, attitude/expected value, management support, coworker support, career orientation, job insecurity and prior participation in informal learning correlate with lower educated workers' intentions with respect to training. Findings: This study shows that when stimulating lower educated workers' intentions with respect to training, one should focus on their attitude towards training participation, their subjective norms on training participation and their perceived behavioral control over participating in training. These aspects can be influenced through management support, coworker support and promoting career orientation. These factors contribute to the personal factors and thus, although indirectly, stimulate intentions with respect to training. Originality/value: This article is the first to present clear ideas on ways to stimulate lower educated workers' intentions to participate in workplace learning activities and to develop interventions to strengthen their current and future labor market position. It also shows that in stimulating lower educated workers' intentions with respect to training the focus should be on individual, as well as organizational, or group factors. © Emerald Group Publishing Limited.
The Effects of Humor on Attention in Magazine Advertising

Abstract It was the objective of this investigation to determine whether humor in advertising heightens attention levels and whether the potential heightening of attention is moderated by audience confounds. The study utilized Starch readership scores obtained for humorous liquor ads which appeared in magazine issues surveyed by Starch from 1976–1979. The results indicate that humorous ads tended to out perform magazine ad norms and that these effects are moderated by gender and racial audience composition differences.
A Survey of Genomic Traces Reveals a Common Sequencing Error, RNA Editing, and DNA Editing

While it is widely held that an organism's genomic information should remain constant, several protein families are known to modify it. Members of the AID/APOBEC protein family can deaminate DNA. Similarly, members of the ADAR family can deaminate RNA. Characterizing the scope of these events is challenging. Here we use large genomic data sets, such as the two billion sequences in the NCBI Trace Archive, to look for clusters of mismatches of the same type, which are a hallmark of editing events caused by APOBEC3 and ADAR. We align 603,249,815 traces from the NCBI trace archive to their reference genomes. In clusters of mismatches of increasing size, at least one systematic sequencing error dominates the results (G-to-A). It is still present in mismatches with 99% accuracy and only vanishes in mismatches at 99.99% accuracy or higher. The error appears to have entered into about 1% of the HapMap, possibly affecting other users that rely on this resource. Further investigation, using stringent quality thresholds, uncovers thousands of mismatch clusters with no apparent defects in their chromatograms. These traces provide the first reported candidates of endogenous DNA editing in human, further elucidating RNA editing in human and mouse and also revealing, for the first time, extensive RNA editing in Xenopus tropicalis. We show that the NCBI Trace Archive provides a valuable resource for the investigation of the phenomena of DNA and RNA editing, as well as setting the stage for a comprehensive mapping of editing events in large-scale genomic datasets.
Steganalysis: the investigation of hidden information

The goal of steganography is to avoid drawing suspicion to the transmission of a hidden message. If suspicion is raised, then this goal is defeated. Discovering and rendering useless such covert messages is a new art form known as steganalysis. The authors provide an overview of some characteristics in information hiding methods that direct the steganalyst to the existence of a hidden message and identify where to look for hidden information.
Language impairments in the development of sign: Do they reside in a specific modality or are they modality-independent deficits?*

Various theories of developmental language impairments have sought to explain these impairments in modality-specific ways – for example, that the language deficits in SLI or Down syndrome arise from impairments in auditory processing. Studies of signers with language impairments, especially those who are bilingual in a spoken language as well as a sign language, provide a unique opportunity to contrast abilities across language in two modalities (cross-modal bilingualism). The aim of the article is to examine what developmental sign language impairments can tell us about the relationship between language impairments and modality. A series of individual and small group studies are presented here illustrating language impairments in sign language users and cross-modal bilinguals, comprising Landau-Kleffner syndrome, Williams syndrome, Down syndrome, Autism and SLI. We conclude by suggesting how studies of sign language impairments can assist researchers to explore how different language impairments originate from different parts of the cognitive, linguistic and perceptual systems.
Goal Fusion: The Integration of Goals Within the Self-Concept

Goal fusion refers to the perception that a goal is integrated within one's self-concept. We created a new measure of goal fusion and examined how incremental differences in such fusion results in positive and negative goal-relevant consequences. A pilot study supported the measure's test–retest reliability. Study 1 found that goal fusion uniquely contributed to participants' goal-relevant cognitions and behaviors above and beyond the effects of other related constructs. Study 2 found that higher goal fusion predicted greater goal investments and goal achievement 1 month later. Study 3 found that goal success and failure differentially impacted peoples' self-concept clarity depending on whether they were or were not fused with the goal. Collectively, the findings indicate our goal fusion assessment is a reliable, valid and useful measure.
0 00 60 67 v 2 3 A ug 2 00 0 A Gaussian Weave for Kinematical Loop Quantum Gravity

Remarkable efforts in the study of the semi-classical regime of kinematical loop quantum gravity are currently underway. In this note, we construct a “quasi-coherent” weave state using Gaussian factors. In a similar fashion to some other proposals, this state is peaked in both the connection and the spin network basis. However, the state constructed here has the novel feature that, in the spin network basis, the main contribution for this state is given by the fundamental representation, independently of the value of the parameter that regulates the Gaussian width. Typeset using REVTEX Electronic address: corichi@nuclecu.unam. mx Electronic address: mreyes@fis.cinvestav. mx
Neurotoxicity of the Parkinson Disease-Associated Pesticide Ziram Is Synuclein-Dependent in Zebrafish Embryos

Background: Exposure to the commonly used dithiocarbamate (DTC) pesticides is associated with an increased risk of developing Parkinson disease (PD), although the mechanisms by which they exert their toxicity are not completely understood. Objective: We studied the mechanisms of ziram’s (a DTC fungicide) neurotoxicity in vivo. Methods: Zebrafish (ZF) embryos were utilized to determine ziram’s effects on behavior, neuronal toxicity, and the role of synuclein in its toxicity. Results: Nanomolar-range concentrations of ziram caused selective loss of dopaminergic (DA) neurons and impaired swimming behavior. Because ziram increases α-synuclein (α-syn) concentrations in rat primary neuronal cultures, we investigated the effect of ziram on ZF γ-synuclein 1 (γ1). ZF express 3 synuclein isoforms, and ZF γ1 appears to be the closest functional homologue to α-syn. We found that recombinant ZF γ1 formed fibrils in vitro, and overexpression of ZF γ1 in ZF embryos led to the formation of neuronal aggregates and neurotoxicity in a manner similar to that of α-syn. Importantly, knockdown of ZF γ1 with morpholinos and disruption of oligomers with the molecular tweezer CLR01 prevented ziram’s DA toxicity. Conclusions: These data show that ziram is selectively toxic to DA neurons in vivo, and this toxicity is synuclein-dependent. These findings have important implications for understanding the mechanisms by which pesticides may cause PD. Citation: Lulla A, Barnhill L, Bitan G, Ivanova MI, Nguyen B, O’Donnell K, Stahl MC, Yamashiro C, Klärner FG, Schrader T, Sagasti A, Bronstein JM. 2016. Neurotoxicity of the Parkinson disease-associated pesticide ziram is synuclein-dependent in zebrafish embryos. Environ Health Perspect 124:1766–1775; http://dx.doi. org/10.1289/EHP141
The Mechanical and Biological Properties of Chitosan Scaffolds for Tissue Regeneration Templates Are Significantly Enhanced by Chitosan from Gongronella butleri

Chitosan with a molecular weight (MW) of 104 Da and 13% degree of acetylation (DA) was extracted from the mycelia of the fungus Gongronella butleri USDB 0201 grown in solid substrate fermentation and used to prepare scaffolds by the freeze-drying method. The mechanical and biological properties of the fungal chitosan scaffolds were evaluated and compared with those of scaffolds prepared using chitosans obtained from shrimp and crab shells and squid bone plates (MW 105-106 Da and DA 10-20%). Under scanning electron microscopy, it was observed that all scaffolds had average pore sizes of approximately 60-90 μm in diameter. Elongated pores were observed in shrimp chitosan scaffolds and polygonal pores were found in crab, squid and fungal chitosan scaffolds. The physico-chemical properties of the chitosans had an effect on the formation of pores in the scaffolds, that consequently influenced the mechanical and biological properties of the scaffolds. Fungal chitosan scaffolds showed excellent mechanical, water absorption and lysozyme degradation properties, whereas shrimp chitosan scaffolds (MW 106Da and DA 12%) exhibited the lowest water absorption properties and lysozyme degradation rate. In the evaluation of biocompatibility of chitosan scaffolds, the ability of fibroblast NIH/3T3 cells to attach on all chitosan scaffolds was similar, but the proliferation of cells with polygonal morphology was faster on crab, squid and fungal chitosan scaffolds than on shrimp chitosan scaffolds. Therefore fungal chitosan scaffold, which has excellent mechanical and biological properties, is the most suitable scaffold to use as a template for tissue regeneration.
Toward an understanding of consumer ambivalence.

A case study of wedding planning is used to explore the concept of consumer ambivalence. Focus groups, in-depth interviews, and shopping trips were employed to generate text. A formal definition of consumer ambivalence is provided. Our analysis revealed four antecedents of consumer ambivalence: expectation versus reality, overload, role conflict with purchase influences, and custom and value conflict. These antecedents were then linked to particular coping strategies that informants employed to manage the ambivalence that was generated. Suggestions of how future research might explore consumer ambivalence are offered. Copyright 1997 by the University of Chicago.
Legal Violence: Immigration Law and the Lives of Central American Immigrants1

This article analyzes how Central American immigrants in tenuous legal statuses experience current immigration laws. Based on ethnographic observations and over 200 interviews conducted between 1998 and 2009 with immigrants in Los Angeles and Phoenix and individuals in sending communities, this study reveals how the convergence and implementation of immigration and criminal law constitute forms of violence. Drawing on theories of structural and symbolic violence, the authors use the analytic category “legal violence” to capture the normalized but cumulatively injurious effects of the law. The analysis focuses on three central and interrelated areas of immigrants’ lives—work, family, and schooling—to expose how the criminalization of immigrants at the federal, state, and local levels is not only exclusionary but also generates violent effects for individual immigrants and their families, affecting everyday lives and long-term incorporation processes.
Improving the rates of quitting smoking for veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder.

OBJECTIVE Smoking is highly prevalent and refractory among people with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This study aimed to improve the rate of quitting smoking for veterans with PTSD by integrating treatment for nicotine dependence into mental health care. METHOD Smokers undergoing treatment for PTSD (N=66) were randomly assigned to 1) tobacco use treatment delivered by mental health providers and integrated with psychiatric care (integrated care) versus 2) cessation treatment delivered separately from PTSD care by smoking-cessation specialists (usual standard of care). Seven-day point prevalence abstinence was the primary outcome, measured at 2, 4, 6, and 9 months after random assignment. Data were analyzed by using a generalized estimating equations approach following the intent-to-treat principle. RESULTS Subjects assigned to integrated care were five times more likely than subjects undergoing the usual standard of care to abstain from smoking across follow-up assessment intervals (odds ratio=5.23). Subjects in the integrated care condition were significantly more likely than subjects in usual standard of care to receive transdermal nicotine and nicotine gum. They also received a greater number of smoking-cessation counseling sessions. Stopping smoking was not associated with worsening symptoms of PTSD or depression. CONCLUSIONS Smoking-cessation interventions can be safely incorporated into routine mental health care for PTSD and are more effective than treatment delivered separately by a specialized smoking-cessation clinic. Integrating cessation treatment into psychiatric care may have the potential for improving smoking quit rates in other populations of chronically mentally ill smokers.
Dissonance Versus Self-Perception Theories: A Radical Conception of Festinger'S Theory

Summary The aim was to show that a radical conception of dissonance theory makes it possible to make predictions that are confirmed by the facts and that cannot be reinterpreted in terms of self-perception theory. The Ss were led to perform a tedious task and, having completed it, received negative feedback (experiment I) or positive feedback (experiment II) concerning the quality of their performance. Consistent with the radical conception of dissonance theory, the Ss found the task more interesting after negative feedback and less interesting after positive feedback. These results are contrary to those obtained on the basis of the self-perception hypothesis. An interpersonal simulation (experiment III) shows, moreover, that observers cannot anticipate these results.