Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
NBER WORKING PAPER SERIES EVALUATING THE DIFFERENTIAL EFFECTS OF ALTERNATIVE WELFARE-TO-WORK TRAINING COMPONENTS: A RE-ANALYSIS OF THE CALIFORNIA GAIN PROGRAM

In this paper, we explore ways of combining experimental data and non-experimental methods to estimate the differential effects of components of training programs. We show how data from a multi-site experimental evaluation in which subjects are randomly assigned to any treatment versus a control group who receives no treatment can be combined with non-experimental regressionadjustment methods to estimate the differential effects of particular types of treatments. We also devise tests of the validity of using the latter methods. We use these methods and tests to re-analyze data from the MDRC Evaluation of California’s Greater Avenues to Independence (GAIN) program. While not designed to estimate the differential effects of the Labor Force Attachment (LFA) training and Human Capital Development (HCD) training components used in this program, we show how data from this experimental evaluation can be used in conjunction with non-experimental methods to estimate such effects. We present estimates of both the shortand long-term differential effects of these two training components on employment and earnings. We find that while there are shortterm positive differential effects of LFA versus HCD, the latter training component is relatively more beneficial in the longer-term. V. Joseph Hotz Department of Economics UCLA Los Angeles, CA 90095 and NBER hotz@econ.ucla. edu Guido W. Imbens Department of Economics University of California, Berkeley 549 Evans Hall, #3880 Berkeley, CA 94720 and NBER imbens@econ.berkeley. edu Jacob A. Klerman RAND jacob_klerman@rand.org
Enhanced delay compensator based parallel cascade control scheme

Conventional parallel cascade control structure (PCCS) does not yield satisfactory closed-loop performance for processes with large time delay. To overcome this limitation, this manuscript presents a modified Smith delay compensator based PCCS. Stable, integrating and unstable processes with dead time are considered in this work. The proposed PCCS consists of a secondary disturbance rejection controller, a stabilizing controller, a setpoint tracking controller, a setpoint filter and a lag filter for the predicted disturbance. Settings of the primary setpoint filter and setpoint tracking controller are obtained using direct synthesis approach whereas the secondary disturbance rejection controller is designed using internal model control approach. Routh-Hurwitz stability criterion is used to design the stabilizing controller. Moreover, the method of choosing primary and secondary closed-loop time constants is discussed. Simulation studies show that the proposed scheme results in enhanced regulatory performance which is very much essential in process industries.
New Constraints on Type Ia Supernova Progenitor Models

We use the StarTrack population synthesis code to discuss potential progenitor models of SNe Ia: the single-degenerate scenario, the semidetached double white dwarf binary, and the double-degenerate scenario. Using the most recent calculations of accretion onto white dwarfs, we consider SN Ia explosions of various white dwarfs in binary systems. We calculate the evolutionary delay times from the zero-age main sequence to the explosion and verify which scenarios can satisfy the constraints found by Strolger et al., i.e., a delay time of 2-4 Gyr. It is found that the semidetached double white dwarf binary model is inconsistent with observations. Only SN Ia progenitors in the double-degenerate scenario are compatible with observations in all tested evolutionary models, with a characteristic delay time of ~3 Gyr. If double-degenerate mergers are excluded as SN Ia progenitors, we find that the single-degenerate scenario may explain the observed delay times for models with low common-envelope efficiency. It is also noted that the delay time distributions within the various tested SN Ia scenarios vary significantly and can potentially be used as an additional constraint on progenitor models.
Assembly of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Antigens on Bacteriophage T4: a Novel In Vitro Approach To Construct Multicomponent HIV Vaccines

ABSTRACT Bacteriophage T4 capsid is an elongated icosahedron decorated with 155 copies of Hoc, a nonessential highly antigenic outer capsid protein. One Hoc monomer is present in the center of each major capsid protein (gp23*) hexon. We describe an in vitro assembly system which allows display of HIV antigens, p24-gag, Nef, and an engineered gp41 C-peptide trimer, on phage T4 capsid surface through Hoc-capsid interactions. In-frame fusions were constructed by splicing the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) genes to the 5′ or 3′ end of the Hoc gene. The Hoc fusion proteins were expressed, purified, and displayed on hoc− phage particles in a defined in vitro system. Single or multiple antigens were efficiently displayed, leading to saturation of all available capsid binding sites. The displayed p24 was highly immunogenic in mice in the absence of any external adjuvant, eliciting strong p24-specific antibodies, as well as Th1 and Th2 cellular responses with a bias toward the Th2 response. The phage T4 system offers new direction and insights for HIV vaccine development with the potential to increase the breadth of both cellular and humoral immune responses.
Blood‐brain barrier‐specific properties of a human adult brain endothelial cell line

Establishment of a human model of the blood‐brain barrier has proven to be a difficult goal. To accomplish this, normal human brain endothelial cells were transduced by lentiviral vectors incorporating human telomerase or SV40 T antigen. Among the many stable immortalized clones obtained by sequential limiting dilution cloning of the transduced cells, one was selected for expression of normal endothelial markers, including CD31, VE cadherin, and von Willebrand factor. This cell line, termed hCMEC/D3, showed a stable normal karyotype, maintained contact‐inhibited monolayers in tissue culture, exhibited robust proliferation in response to endothelial growth factors, and formed capillary tubes in matrix but no colonies in soft agar. hCMEC/D3 cells expressed telomerase and grew indefinitely without phenotypic dedifferentiation. These cells expressed chemokine receptors, up‐regulated adhesion molecules in response to inflammatory cytokines, and demonstrated blood‐brain barrier characteristics, including tight junctional proteins and the capacity to actively exclude drugs. hCMEC/D3 are excellent candidates for studies of blood‐brain barrier function, the responses of brain endothelium to inflammatory and infectious stimuli, and the interaction of brain endothelium with lymphocytes or tumor cells. Thus, hCMEC/D3 represents the first stable, fully characterized, well‐differentiated human brain endothelial cell line and should serve as a widely usable research tool.
Participación, democracia y formación para la ciudadanía. Los consejos de infancia

El objeto de este articulo es fundamentar el derecho de la infancia a la participacion social y presentar una propuesta concreta que haga posible el ejercicio de algunas dimensiones de tal derecho. En la primera parte se argumentan tres buenos motivos para promover la participacion social de la infancia: es un derecho juridicamente establecido, sirve para optimizar el funcionamiento de los ambitos en los que se produce y constituye un excelente medio (por no decir el mejor) para la formacion de la ciudadania en los valores democraticos. En la segunda parte, se describe la experiencia de los consejos infantiles municipales como organos de participacion social y medios para la formacion de la ciudadania. En la tercera parte, se dilucidan y sistematizan las capacidades participativas y democraticas concretas que desarrollan los ninos como consecuencia de su implicacion en tales consejos. Se trata de un trabajo fundamentalmente teorico y de reflexion, aunque parte del conocimiento directo de sus autores de estas formas de participacion.
Effects of zinc sources and levels of zinc amino acid complex on growth performance, hematological and biochemical parameters in weanling pigs

Objective The objective of the study was to investigate the effects of zinc amino acid complex (ZnAA) on growth performance, hematological and biochemical parameters in weanling pigs. Methods In Exp. 1, a total of 216 Duroc×Landrace×Large White weanling pigs were assigned randomly to 6 dietary treatments. Each treatment had 6 replicates (pens) with 6 pigs each. The diets were corn-soybean meal based with supplementation of 0, 20, 40, 80, 120 mg Zn/kg from ZnAA or 40 mg Zn/kg from feed-grade zinc sulfate. The experiment lasted 42 days. In Exp. 2, a total of 180 weanling pigs were assigned randomly to 3 dietary treatments supplemented with 0, 80, or 800 mg Zn/kg from ZnAA. Results In Exp. 1, pigs fed 40 to 80 mg Zn/kg from ZnAA had higher (p<0.05) average daily gain (ADG) than the unsupplemented group during d 0 to 14. During d 0 to 42, the pigs fed 20 to 120 mg Zn/kg from ZnAA had increased (p<0.05) ADG. Pigs fed 20 to 120 mg/kg Zn from ZnAA had lower feed:gain (p<0.05), increased the activity of serum Cu-Zn superoxide dismutase on d 14, and increased serum Zn levels on d 42 (p<0.05). In Exp. 2, pigs fed diets with 800 mg Zn/kg had increased average daily feed intake during d 15 to 28 (p<0.05) compared to the unsupplemented group. During d 0 to 28, the pigs fed supplemental Zn had increased ADG (p<0.05). On d 14 and d 28, pigs fed supplemental Zn had higher the serum alkaline phosphatase activities (p<0.05). No significant differences were observed in the hematological parameters and organ indices. Conclusion Supplementation with 20 to 80 mg/kg Zn from ZnAA improved the growth performance in weaned pigs. The piglets can tolerate up to 800 mg/kg Zn from ZnAA with limited potential health effects.
Investigation of Arsenic-Stressed Yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) as a Bioassay in Homeopathic Basic Research

This study investigated the response of arsenic-stressed yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) towards homeopathically potentized Arsenicum album, a duckweed nosode, and gibberellic acid. The three test substances were applied in five potency levels (17x, 18x, 24x, 28x, 30x) and compared to controls (unsuccussed and succussed water) with respect to influencing specific growth parameters. Five independent experiments were evaluated for each test substance. Additionally, five water control experiments were analyzed to investigate the stability of the experimental setup (systematic negative control experiments). All experiments were randomized and blinded. Yeast grew in microplates over a period of 38 h in either potentized substances or water controls with 250 mg/l arsenic(V) added over the entire cultivation period. Yeast's growth kinetics (slope, Et50, and yield) were measured photometrically. The test system exhibited a low coefficient of variation (slope 1.2%, Et50 0.3%, yield 2.7%). Succussed water did not induce any significant differences compared to unsuccussed water. Data from the control and treatment groups were both pooled to increase statistical power. In this study with yeast, no significant effects were found for any outcome parameter or any homeopathic treatment. Since in parallel experiments arsenic-stressed duckweed showed highly significant effects after application of potentized Arsenicum album and duckweed nosode preparations from the same batch as used in the present study, some specific properties of this experimental setup with yeast must be responsible for the lacking response.
Social Shaping of Enterprise System Acquisition and Development: The Influence of Reference Users in XiZi Holdings

In this research-in-progress paper, we present a preliminary model of how reference users shape enterprise systems (ES) acquisition and development based on the case study of Xizi Holdings, one of the largest private enterprises in China. Our model draws on the theoretical lens of the social shaping of technology in the context of streamlining complex packaged ES adoption. The model is built on stage-wise observations of the roles that reference users play across the ES acquisition and development process. Our preliminary model identifies three intermediary mechanisms (i.e. attaching, staging and shaping of technology) that are enabled by reference users in the process of negotiating ES acquisition and development. It contributes to the existing discourse in recent IS research on the expanding role of users in influencing the development of packaged enterprise systems and their acquisition.
The Neisseria meningitidis ADP-Ribosyltransferase NarE Enters Human Epithelial Cells and Disrupts Epithelial Monolayer Integrity

Many pathogenic bacteria utilize ADP-ribosylating toxins to modify and impair essential functions of eukaryotic cells. It has been previously reported that Neisseria meningitidis possesses an ADP-ribosyltransferase enzyme, NarE, retaining the capacity to hydrolyse NAD and to transfer ADP-ribose moiety to arginine residues in target acceptor proteins. Here we show that upon internalization into human epithelial cells, NarE gains access to the cytoplasm and, through its ADP-ribosylating activity, targets host cell proteins. Notably, we observed that these events trigger the disruption of the epithelial monolayer integrity and the activation of the apoptotic pathway. Overall, our findings provide, for the first time, evidence for a biological activity of NarE on host cells, suggesting its possible involvement in Neisseria pathogenesis.
Individual Differences in Emotional Response to Music

Although emotional experiences with music have been enjoyed for millennia, research involving music has focused primarily on emotions perceived rather than felt, and not much research exists into differential emotional response to music as a function of individual differences. A recent study (Djikic, 2011) looked at the effect of music on personality, but it did not assess emotional state before or after listening. In an extension of that study, the present research explores how changes in emotion may be related to selfreported personality. Relationships between extraversion and neuroticism, emotional state before and after music listening, and liking the stimulus were examined. It was hypothesized that in predicting final emotional state, an interaction was expected between initial emotional state and liking the stimulus; personality was expected to moderate the relationship between liking the stimulus and its type; and greater change in affect would be found in music than in control conditions. A one-factor between-subjects experiment was conducted in which participants listened to one of four randomly-assigned sound conditions: choral music likely to be perceived as happy, instrumental music likely to be perceived as sad, Brownian noise, or a classroom lecture. Sixty students from a university located in the southeastern United States participated individually in a laboratory setting. Repeated measures assessed affect, extraversion and neuroticism, both before and after listening. Liking the stimulus was found to interact with initial negative affect in predicting negative affect after listening, but no similar interaction was found for positive affect. Highest levels of neuroticism were associated with liking the stimulus likely to be perceived as sad. Significantly greater reduction in negative affect was found in music
Comparison of Outcomes After Laparoscopic Versus Posterior Retroperitoneoscopic Adrenalectomy: A Pilot Study

Background:Posterior retroperitoneoscopic adrenalectomy (PRA) was popularized by Walz and colleagues as an alternative approach to minimally invasive adrenalectomy, offering less postoperative pain and faster return to normal activity compared with laparoscopic transperitoneal adrenalectomy (LA). The authors have recently changed from LA to PRA in suitable patients and audited their outcomes. Methods:Data were prospectively collected for 10 patients who underwent PRA, and a chart review and telephone interviews were conducted with 13 consecutive patients who underwent LA by the same surgeon. Patient demographics, tumor characteristics, analgesia use, operative and anesthetic time, length of stay, and complications were recorded. Results:Data were collected for 13 LAs and 10 PRAs. Patients’ baseline characteristics, including age, BMI, and tumor size, were similar between the 2 groups. There were no conversions to open surgery, transfusions, or deaths. Operative time was similar between the 2 groups. PRA patients required less, inpatient postoperative opioid analgesia compared with LA patients (median 1.25 vs. 23 mg of intravenous morphine equivalent, P=0.003), and had a shorter length of stay (median 1 vs. 2 d, P<0.001). The median total days on opioids were lower for PRA patients compared with LA patients (0.5 vs. 9 d, P<0.001). Conclusion:Our initial results supports previously published findings that PRA is a safe procedure, with a relatively short learning curve, resulting in reduced postoperative analgesia use, and reduced length of hospital stay when compared with the laparoscopic transperitoneal approach.
Phase I clinical trials in 56 patients with thyroid cancer: the M. D. Anderson Cancer Center experience.

INTRODUCTION Thyroid cancer is the most common endocrine malignancy. The outcomes of patients with relapsed thyroid cancer treated on early-phase clinical trials have not been systematically analyzed. PATIENTS AND METHODS We reviewed the records of consecutive patients with metastatic thyroid cancer referred to the Phase I Clinical Trials Program from March 2006 to April 2008. Best response was assessed by Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors. RESULTS Fifty-six patients were identified. The median age was 55 yr (range 35-79 yr). Of 49 patients evaluable for response, nine (18.4%) had a partial response, and 16 (32.7%) had stable disease for 6 months or longer. The median progression-free survival was 1.12 yr. With a median follow-up of 15.6 months, the 1-yr survival rate was 81%. In univariate analysis, factors predicting shorter survival were anaplastic histology (P = 0.0002) and albumin levels less than 3.5 g/dl (P = 0.05). Among 26 patients with tumor decreases, none died (median follow-up 1.3 yr), whereas 52% of patients with any tumor increase died by 1 yr (P = 0.0001). The median time to failure in our phase I clinical trials was 11.5 months vs. 4.1 months for the previous treatment (P = 0.04). CONCLUSION Patients with advanced thyroid cancer treated on phase I clinical trials had high rates of partial response and prolonged stable disease. Time to failure was significantly longer on the first phase I trial compared with the prior conventional treatment. Patients with any tumor decrease had significantly longer survival than those with any tumor increase.
The Global Impact of Sutures Assessed in a Finite Element Model of a Macaque Cranium

The biomechanical significance of cranial sutures in primates is an open question because their global impact is unclear, and their material properties are difficult to measure. In this study, eight suture‐bone functional units representing eight facial sutures were created in a finite element model of a monkey cranium. All the sutures were assumed to have identical isotropic linear elastic material behavior that varied in different modeling experiments, representing either fused or unfused sutures. The values of elastic moduli employed in these trials ranged over several orders of magnitude. Each model was evaluated under incisor, premolar, and molar biting conditions. Results demonstrate that skulls with unfused sutures permitted more deformations and experienced higher total strain energy. However, strain patterns remained relatively unaffected away from the suture sites, and bite reaction force was likewise barely affected. These findings suggest that suture elasticity does not substantially alter load paths through the macaque skull or its underlying rigid body kinematics. An implication is that, for the purposes of finite element analysis, omitting or fusing sutures is a reasonable modeling approximation for skulls with small suture volume fraction if the research objective is to observe general patterns of craniofacial biomechanics under static loading conditions. The manner in which suture morphology and ossification affect the mechanical integrity of skulls and their ontogeny and evolution awaits further investigation, and their viscoelastic properties call for dynamic simulations. Anat Rec 293:1477–1491, 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Consistent model for drain current mismatch in MOSFETs using the carrier number fluctuation theory

This work presents an approach for accurate MOS transistor matching calculation. Our model, which is based on an accurate physics-based MOSFET model, allows the assessment of mismatch from process parameters and valid for any operating region. Experimental results taken on a test set of transistors implemented in a 1.2 /spl mu/m CMOS technology corroborate the theoretical development of this work.
Impact of Organizational Factors

this paper explores the impact of organizational factors on a major information system project in a governmental organization in Norway. The study revealed that the predominant organizational factors include; authoritarian style, functional structure, and a working culture that values conformity and loyalty upwards and is resistant to knowledge sharing. These factors are deeply rooted in the procedures, work-flows, minds and hearts of people and limit an organization’s ability to involve, align and manage project key-stakeholders. The results also suggest that project management competence in the owner organization is key for addressing or reducing the impact of these factors. Keywords—Requirements management; user involvement; organizational factors; organizational culture; information systems projects
Federal Reserve Bank of New York

We propose a measure for systemic risk, ∆CoVaR, defined as the conditional value at risk (CoVaR) of the financial system conditional on an institution being under distress in excess of the CoVaR conditional on the median state of the institution. Our ∆CoVaR estimates show that characteristics such as leverage, size, maturity mismatch, and asset price booms significantly predict systemic risk contribution. We provide out-of-sample forecasts of a countercyclical, forward-looking measure of systemic risk and show that the 2006Q4 value of this measure would have predicted more than one third of realized ∆CoVaR during the financial crisis.