Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
New tyrannosaur from the mid-Cretaceous of Uzbekistan clarifies evolution of giant body sizes and advanced senses in tyrant dinosaurs

Significance Tyrannosaurs—the iconic group of dinosaurian carnivores that includes Tyrannosaurus rex—dominated latest Cretaceous ecosystems with their colossal sizes and sophisticated senses. A gap in the mid-Cretaceous fossil record between these giant apex predators and their older, smaller relatives makes it difficult to understand how the characteristic body size and ecological habits of T. rex and kin developed. A new species from Uzbekistan fills this gap. This horse-sized animal shows that tyrannosaurs had yet to achieve huge size at this time but had already evolved key brain and sensory features of the gigantic latest Cretaceous species. Tyrannosaurs apparently developed giant body size rapidly, late in the Cretaceous, and their success may have been enabled by their early-evolving keen senses. Tyrannosaurids—the familiar group of carnivorous dinosaurs including Tyrannosaurus and Albertosaurus—were the apex predators in continental ecosystems in Asia and North America during the latest Cretaceous (ca. 80–66 million years ago). Their colossal sizes and keen senses are considered key to their evolutionary and ecological success, but little is known about how these features developed as tyrannosaurids evolved from smaller basal tyrannosauroids that first appeared in the fossil record in the Middle Jurassic (ca. 170 million years ago). This is largely because of a frustrating 20+ million-year gap in the mid-Cretaceous fossil record, when tyrannosauroids transitioned from small-bodied hunters to gigantic apex predators but from which no diagnostic specimens are known. We describe the first distinct tyrannosauroid species from this gap, based on a highly derived braincase and a variety of other skeletal elements from the Turonian (ca. 90–92 million years ago) of Uzbekistan. This taxon is phylogenetically intermediate between the oldest basal tyrannosauroids and the latest Cretaceous forms. It had yet to develop the giant size and extensive cranial pneumaticity of T. rex and kin but does possess the highly derived brain and inner ear characteristic of the latest Cretaceous species. Tyrannosauroids apparently developed huge size rapidly during the latest Cretaceous, and their success in the top predator role may have been enabled by their brain and keen senses that first evolved at smaller body size.
Ethical beliefs of hospitality and tourism students towards their school life

This study aims to find out the ethical beliefs of hospitality and tourism students in Hong Kong by using a questionnaire with 21 ethical statements. From the 402 valid questionnaires received, four major dimensions were identified by factor analysis. The highest level of tolerance, or in other words, the lowest ethical standard, was found towards “violations of school rules”, followed by “plagiarism and copying assignments”. “Unfair advantage” was ranked third whilst “selfishness” has the lowest level of tolerance (highest ethical standard). Independent t‐test and ANOVA analysis reveal that types of school attended, gender and level of program have various degrees of influence, while religious background and age show no indication of significant impact. In view of the limited resources and teaching hours available, it is recommended that priority should be given to the teaching of “business ethics” as it impacts on students’ moral development and future career in the industry.
What are the Policy Lessons from Sweden? On the Rise, Fall and Revival of a Capitalist Welfare State

This paper discusses a number of questions with regard to Sweden's economic and political development: • How did Sweden become rich? • What explains Sweden's high level of income equality? • What were the causes of Sweden's problems from 1970 to 1995? • How is it possible that Sweden, since the crisis of the early 1990s, is growing faster than most EU countries despite its high taxes and generous welfare state? These questions are analysed using recent insights from institutional economics, as well as studies of inequality and economic growth. The main conclusion is that there is little, if any, Swedish exceptionalism: Sweden became rich because of well-functioning capitalist institutions, and inequality was low before the expansion of the welfare state. The recent favourable growth record of Sweden, including the period of financial stress (2008–10), is a likely outcome of a number of far-reaching structural reforms implemented in the 1980s and 1990s.
Investment Analysis of Autocallable Contingent Income Securities

Autocallable contingent income securities (autocalls) have payouts contingent on the performance of an underlying asset and give investors an opportunity to earn high yields in a low-interest environment. The authors collected data on US-issued autocalls and modeled a typical autocall under various assumptions, finding that they are issued on underlying assets that display high volatility, high prices, and negative skewness. Incorporating stochastic volatility into the model explains some of the overpricing routinely reported in prior studies. Autocallable contingent income securities, or autocalls, are a relatively new type of structured finance security whose payout is contingent on the performance of an underlying asset and that gives investors an opportunity to earn high yields in a low-interest environment. These complex products, which have many payoff features to consider, are often targeted primarily at retail investors, which, as a result, has provided challenges for both investors and regulators. We collected data on autocalls issued in the United States and described their contractual properties and the properties of their underlying assets at issuance. We found that the autocalls are generally issued on underlying assets that display high volatility, high prices, and negative skewness. Following our analysis of autocall characteristics at issuance, we modeled a typical autocall under different assumptions about the price of the underlying asset, analyzed the rationale behind the characteristics of the underlying asset at issuance, and discussed the valuation of autocalls using various models. We conclude that the traditional use of the geometric Brownian motion model is inappropriate because of several factors, including (1) our empirical findings regarding underlying assets’ price characteristics at issuance that suggest underwriters do not choose underlying assets at random, (2) the large body of evidence of stochastic volatility showing differences in short- and long-term volatility, and (3) the vast evidence suggesting reversals in stock prices. Although the literature has consistently found that structured products are overpriced, we found that incorporating stochastic volatility into the pricing model eliminates some of the overpricing routinely reported in prior studies.
International Migration: A Case Against Building Ever-Higher Fences

International migration, seen as a powerful force of truly global character that is shaping today's socio-economic reality, is a highly controversial and politicised issue. This paper explores its ramifications in the context of a growing backlash against immigration across the rich world. Specifically, it argues that the free flow of people - like the free movement of goods and capital - is beneficial to developed and developing economies alike and, in doing so, shows how migration produces win-win outcomes. Thus the study, while admitting that inflows of foreign-born workers pose challenges and entail trade-offs, makes a case for the liberalisation of immigration policies. The paper deepens our understanding of the issues at hand and constitutes a voice in favour of liberal-policy choices.
The European Council and The Council of the European Union: Shapers of a European Confederation

The European Council and the Council of the European Union play key roles in the European Union. ' The European Council is largely concerned with system-steering, while the Council of the EU undertakes sectoral policymaking. What is common to these roles is the balancing act carried out by both institutions. Both have to mediate the centripetal dynamics of integration, termed cooperative confederalism here, and the centrifugal dynamics which are found in the strongly entrenched territorial nature of power, centered on the member states. Using new institutionalist analysis, the article illuminates different facets of the two institutions 'functioning in mediating the two dynamics.
Global economic crisis, austerity and neoliberal urban governance in England

The post-2008 global economic recession has had different spatial impacts as national and subnational economies are affected by and respond to economic downturn in a variety of ways. Drawing on recent research on the two English Core Cities of Bristol and Liverpool this paper develops an integrated and multiscalar analysis to explore the differentiated impacts of the economic crisis on cities and public services. This analysis is located within the local policy contexts through which they are mediated, thus furthering our understanding of variegated neoliberal urban governance and the rescaling of cities to draw out the ‘webs of interlocal and interorganizational relations’ (Peck, J. and Tickell, A. (2002) Neoliberalizing space, Antipode, 380–404) and their manifestation across sites.
Bacteriostatic and bactericidal activities of beta-lactams against Streptococcus (Enterococcus) faecium are associated with saturation of different penicillin-binding proteins

The MICs and MBCs of benzylpenicillin, ampicillin, cefotaxime, and methicillin were evaluated against a Streptococcus (Enterococcus) faecium wild-type strain and against three mutants hyperproducing PBP 5 in cells incubated at both optimal and suboptimal temperatures. In the wild-type strain grown at optimal temperature, the MBCs of all beta-lactams were significantly greater than the MICs (bacteriostatic effect). As opposed to this, in the same cells grown at suboptimal temperature and in the mutants hyperproducing PBP 5 at all temperatures, the MICs of all antibiotics coincided with the MBCs (bactericidal effect). Under all conditions in which the MIC and MBC were the same, with all antibiotics, growth inhibition occurred only at the minimal concentration saturating all penicillin-binding proteins (PBPs) (or at higher concentrations). On the contrary, under conditions in which the MIC was lower than the MBC, only some of the PBPs were saturated (or bound) at both the MIC and the MBC, PBP 5 in no case being either saturated or bound. Under all conditions in which saturation of all PBPs was needed for growth inhibition, cells died at all antibiotic MBCs with kinetics which were much faster than those with which they died at the MBCs under conditions in which not all PBPs were saturated (or bound). In addition, under the former conditions, antibiotic concentrations above the MBCs did not significantly accelerate cell death kinetics, while under the latter conditions there was an acceleration in kinetics with increasing antibiotic concentrations up to full saturation of PBPs. It is suggested that the killing that occurs when all PBPs are saturated is a direct consequence of inactivation of PBP functions, while killing occurring when only some of them are saturated or bound is also (or mainly) an indirect consequence of inability of cells to grow and that, in S. faecium, the targets for growth inhibition and cell killing reside in different PBPs: for the latter effect, inactivation of one (or more) of the high-molecular-weight PBPs is sufficient, whereas in the former case inactivation of PBP 5 is necessary (after saturation of all other PBPs).
Impact of capital structure on micro firm productivity: empirical evidence from Swedish firm-level data

The paper examines the impact of key productivity determinants at the firm level using data on 24,257 Swedish micro firms, including approximately 194,000 observations for the 2007 to 2008 period. The regression model includes a firm-level measure of total factor productivity as the dependent variable and capital structure and other relevant control variables as independent variables. Analysis reveals that firm-level variables, such as lagged productivity, size, age, profitability, short-term debt ratio, and industry affiliation, significantly affect firm productivity. Agency cost theory seems applicable in partly explaining the relationship between capital structure and productivity.
Creating Engaging Health Promotion Campaigns on Social Media: Observations and Lessons From Fitbit and Garmin

Background The popularity and reach of social media make it an ideal delivery platform for interventions targeting health behaviors, such as physical inactivity. Research has identified a dose-response relationship whereby greater engagement and exposure are positively associated with intervention effects, hence enhancing engagement will maximize the potential of these interventions. Objective This study examined the social media activity of successful commercial activity tracker brands to understand which creative elements (message content and design) they use in their communication to their audience, which social media platforms attract the most engagement, and which creative elements prompted the most engagement. Methods Posts (n=509) made by Fitbit and Garmin on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram over a 3-month period were coded for the presence of creative elements. User engagement regarding the total number of likes, comments, or shares per post was recorded. Negative binomial regression analyses were used to identify creative elements associated with higher engagement. Results Engagement on Instagram was 30-200 times higher than on Facebook, or Twitter. Fitbit and Garmin tended to use different creative elements from one another. A higher engagement was achieved by posts featuring an image of the product, highlighting new product features and with themes of self-improvement (P<.01). Conclusions Findings suggest that Instagram may be a particularly promising platform for delivering engaging health messaging. Health messages which incorporate inspirational imagery and focus on a tangible product appear to achieve the highest engagement. Fitbit and Garmin employed difference creative elements, which is likely to reflect differences in their target markets. This underscores the importance of market segmentation in health messaging campaigns.
The promise and peril of the state in neoliberal times: implications for the critical environmental education movement in Brazil

Neoliberal ideology has made an impact on environmental education (EE) policies and practices in Brazil. The EE in Family Agriculture Program, of national scope and administered by the Ministry of the Environment, seeks to promote sustainable development in rural areas, specifically through strategies focused on adult education and non-formal education aimed at small producers (family agriculture). This program reveals profound ideological contradictions between the critical and transformative rhetoric of public policy and the actual program structures and practices administered by the state in a dependent economy, which primarily serve to reinforce a capitalist mode of production marked by high environmental impact and deeply stratified class relations. In the neoliberal era, states intending to protect the environment through critical EE strategies suffer serious limitations due to their role as stewards of a globalized economy based on the supply of raw materials, high-impact land-use, and a cheap labor force.
Reinventing Professionalism: Journalism and News in Global Perspective

Acknowledgments vi Introduction 1 1 Paths to Professionalism 19 2 The Dilemmas of Professional Autonomy 43 3 The Ambiguities of Professional Journalism 73 4 Questioning Professional Journalism 94 5 The Professional Logic of Journalism 121 6 Professionalism and Media Patrimonialism 149 7 The Globalization of Professional Cultures 174 8 Post-Professional Journalism? 202 Conclusion: Reinventing Professionalism 222 References 234 Index 263
The MIC3 Gene of Toxoplasma gondii Is a Novel Potent Vaccine Candidate against Toxoplasmosis

ABSTRACT Infection with the intracellular protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii causes serious public health problems and is of great economic importance worldwide. The micronemal protein MIC3, which is a potent adhesin of T. gondii, could be a significant candidate vaccine against toxoplasmosis. In this study, all CBA/J mice intramuscularly vaccinated with a plasmid encoding the immature form of the MIC3 protein (pMIC3i) produced specific anti-MIC3 immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies, and their sera displayed high antibody titers. This response was increased by the coadministration of a plasmid encoding the granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (pGM-CSF). Similarly, a specific and significant cellular immune response was obtained in mice immunized with pMIC3i, and this response was markedly enhanced by pGM-CSF coadministration. The cellular immune response was associated with the production of gamma interferon IFN-γ and interleukin-2 (IL-2), indicating that this was a Th1-type response. This was confirmed by the production of large amounts of IgG2a. Mice immunized with pMIC3i displayed significant protection against an oral challenge with T. gondii 76K cysts, exhibiting fewer brain cysts than did the control mice. Coadministration of pGM-CSF enhanced this protection. In conclusion, this study describes the design of a potent DNA vaccine encoding the novel T. gondii target antigen, MIC3 protein, that elicits a strong specific immune response as well as providing effective protection against T. gondii infection. In the attempt to achieve complete protection against toxoplasmosis, MIC3 is a good candidate vaccine which could be combined with other relevant and previously described candidates, such as SAG1 and GRA4.
The Donor Major Histocompatibility Complex Class I Chain-Related Molecule A Allele rs2596538 G Predicts Cytomegalovirus Viremia in Kidney Transplant Recipients

The interaction of major histocompatibility complex class I chain-related protein A (MICA) and its cognate activating receptor natural killer (NK) group 2 member D (NKG2D) receptor plays a significant role in viral immune control. In the context of kidney transplantation (KTx), cytomegalovirus (CMV) frequently causes severe complications. Hypothesizing that functional polymorphisms of the MICA/NKG2D axis might affect antiviral NK and T cell responses to CMV, we explored the association of the MICA-129 Met/Val single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) (affecting the binding affinity of MICA with the NKG2D receptor), the MICA rs2596538 G/A SNP (influencing MICA transcription), and the NKG2D rs1049174 G/C SNP (determining the cytotoxic potential of effector cells) with the clinical outcome of CMV during the first year after KTx in a cohort of 181 kidney donor-recipients pairs. Univariate analyses identified the donor MICA rs2596538 G allele status as a protective prognostic determinant for CMV disease. In addition to the well-known prognostic factors CMV high-risk sero-status of patients and the application of lymphocyte-depleting drugs, the donor MICA rs2596538 G allele carrier status was confirmed by multivariate analyses as novel-independent factor predicting the development of CMV infection/disease during the first year after KTx. The results of our study emphasize the clinical importance of the MICA/NKG2D axis in CMV control in KTx and point out that the potential MICA transcription in the donor allograft is of clinically relevant importance for CMV immune control in this allogeneic situation. Furthermore, they provide substantial evidence that the donor MICA rs2596538 G allele carrier status is a promising genetic marker predicting CMV viremia after KTx. Thus, in the kidney transplant setting, donor MICA rs2596538 G may help to allow the future development of personal CMV approaches within a genetically predisposed patient cohort.
Environmental Crime and Punishment: Empirical Evidence from the German Penal Code

U.S. and E.U. environmental policy employ criminal sanctions to enforce compliance. Recent moves toward revising their use are based on little empirical evidence as to their effectiveness. This paper exploits a unique dataset to study the deterrent effect of criminal enforcement. The dynamic panel data analysis leads to three findings. First, criminal sanctions do provide the intended deterrent effects. Second, standing trial provides one of the most significant deterrents, rather than the probability of conviction or the magnitude of fines. Third, public preferences regarding environmental quality and political economy variables affect reported environmental crime. (JEL K11, Q53)
Canine mycoplasmas. I. Cultivation from conjunctivae, respiratory- and genital tracts.

The occurrence of mycoplasmas in the conjunctivae and in the respiratory and genital tracts of dogs has been investigated by cultivation experiments. Whereas mycoplasmas from conjunctiva could be cultivated in a few cases only, they occurred in a very high frequency in the upper respiratory tract without relation to clinical disease. Mycoplasmas from lungs with pneumonic lesions were cultivated, but not mycoplasmas from normal lungs. From the genital tract, they were isolated from half of the female dogs, and a little more frequently from the males. Using indirect immunofluorescence identification of mycoplasma colonies, a mixed flora was found in the pharynx of approx. 85 per cent of the examined dogs. In half of the female dogs, a mixed flora was present in the vagina whereas this was apparently not the case in the prepuce of male dogs.
Physiological role of the GlnK signal transduction protein of Escherichia coli: survival of nitrogen starvation

Escherichia coli contains two PII‐like signal trans‐duction proteins, PII and GlnK, involved in nitrogen assimilation. We examined the roles of PII and GlnK in controlling expression of glnALG , glnK and nac during the transition from growth on ammonia to nitrogen starvation and vice versa. The PII protein exclusively controlled glnALG expression in cells adapted to growth on ammonia, but was unable to limit nac and glnK expression under conditions of nitrogen starvation. Conversely, GlnK was unable to limit glnALG expression in cells adapted to growth on ammonia, but was required to limit expression of the glnK and nac promoters during nitrogen starvation. In the absence of GlnK, very high expression of the glnK and nac promoters occurred in nitrogen‐starved cells, and the cells did not reduce glnK and nac expression when given ammonia. Thus, one specific role of GlnK is to regulate the expression of Ntr genes during nitrogen starvation. GlnK also had a dramatic effect on the ability of cells to survive nitrogen starvation and resume rapid growth when fed ammonia. After being nitrogen starved for as little as 10 h, cells lacking GlnK were unable to resume rapid growth when given ammonia. In contrast, wild‐type cells that were starved immediately resumed rapid growth when fed ammonia. Cells lacking GlnK also showed faster loss of viability during extended nitrogen starvation relative to wild‐type cells. This complex phenotype resulted partly from the requirement for GlnK to regulate nac expression; deletion of nac restored wild‐type growth rates after ammonia starvation and refeeding to cells lacking GlnK, but did not improve viability during nitrogen starvation. The specific roles of GlnK during nitrogen starvation were not the result of a distinct function of the protein, as expression of PII from the glnK promoter in cells lacking GlnK restored the wild‐type phenotypes.