Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Media Mergers and the Ideological Content of Programming

This paper shows how rules restricting common ownership of multiple media outlets affect both the magnitude and diversity of the ideological content of programming. While in most industries the assumption that firms maximize profits is quite reasonable, we assume that media owners derive utility from the ideological content of programming (say, because they want to influence public policy) as well as from profit. As a result, owners are willing to sacrifice some profits to engage in their preferred form of ideological persuasion. In our model, there are two media outlets and three media owners, each of whom can have one of two ideologies. We define a parameter lI[-1,1] that captures the affinity between the two ideologies. If l=1 the ideologies are identical; if l=0, they are unrelated; and if l=-1, they are diametrically opposed. We find that even if common ownership is prohibited, ideological diversity is not guaranteed: if the two ideologies are sufficiently opposed (l sufficiently negative), then the owners of the two media outlets will have the same ideology. If the two ideologies are not so far apart (l positive or not too negative), however, then prohibiting common ownership will lead to ideological diversity (the owners of the two outlets will have different ideologies). When there is ideological diversity, the total magnitude of ideological content is greater since we assume diminishing returns to ideological persuasion. By the same token, the greater the ideological diversity, the greater is the total magnitude of ideological content. If common ownership is permitted, we find that common ownership often eliminates the ideological diversity that would have existed if the two ideologies were not too opposed (l positive or not too negative). On the other hand, if the two ideologies are strongly opposed, then allowing for common ownership can lead to diversity that would not have otherwise existed. The reason is that an owner of both outlets puts more ideological content into her programming at each outlet than would two different owners who are ideologically similar. (Some of the viewers lost when programming becomes more ideological switch to the other outlet; an owner of both outlets internalizes this externality.) This raises the cost of not owning at least one outlet for the potential owner whose ideology is very opposed to the ideology of the first owner. This increases her willingness to pay for the second outlet if she believes the alternative is common ownership. There is also another equilibrium where the owner with the opposed ideology believes that the alternative to her owning the second outlet is separate ownership by owners with identical ideologies. In this equilibrium, permitting common ownership does not lead to more ideological diversity. The issues of the ideological diversity of the media and the amount of ideological programming have a myriad of important implications. In particular, both of these issues have significant effects on how the media influences government policy.
Investigating the Effect of Solid Boundaries on the Gas Molecular Mean-Free-Path

A key parameter for micro-gas-flows, the mean free path, is investigated in this paper. The mean free path is used in various models for predicting micro gas flows, both in the governing equations and their boundary conditions. The conventional definition of the mean free path is based on the assumption that only binary collisions occur and is commonly described using the macroscopic quantities density, viscosity and temperature. In this paper we compare the prediction by this definition of the mean free paths for helium, neon and argon gases under standard temperature and pressure conditions, with the mean free paths achieved by measurements of individual molecules using the numerical simulation technique of molecular dynamics. Our simulation using molecular dynamics consists of a cube with six periodic boundary conditions, allowing us to simulate an unconfined gas “package”. Although, the size of this package is important, since its impact on computational cost is considerable, it is also important to have enough simulated molecules to average data from. We find that the molecular dynamics method using 20520 simulated molecules yields results that are within 1% accuracy from the conventional definition of the mean free paths for neon and argon and within 2.5% for helium. We can also conclude that the normal approximation of only considering binary collisions is seemingly adequate for these gases under standard temperature and pressure conditions. We introduce a single planar wall and two parallel planar walls to the simulated gas of neon and record the mean free paths at various distances to the walls. It is found that the mean free paths affected by molecular collisions with the walls corresponds well with theoretical models up to Knudsen numbers of 0.2.
Functionalization of Magnetic Chitosan Particles for the Sorption of U(VI), Cu(II) and Zn(II)—Hydrazide Derivative of Glycine-Grafted Chitosan

A new magnetic functionalized derivative of chitosan is synthesized and characterized for the sorption of metal ions (environmental applications and metal valorization). The chemical modification of the glycine derivative of chitosan consists of: activation of the magnetic support with epichlorohydrin, followed by reaction with either glycine to produce the reference material (i.e., Gly sorbent) or glycine ester hydrochloride, followed by hydrazinolysis to synthesize the hydrazide functionalized sorbent (i.e., HGly sorbent). The materials are characterized by titration, elemental analysis, FTIR analysis (Fourrier-transform infrared spectrometry), TGA analysis (thermogravimetric analysis) and with SEM-EDX (scanning electron microscopy coupled to energy dispersive X-ray analysis). The sorption performances for U(VI), Cu(II), and Zn(II) are tested in batch systems. The sorption performances are compared for Gly and HGly taking into account the effect of pH, the uptake kinetics (fitted by the pseudo-second order rate equation), and the sorption isotherms (described by the Langmuir and the Sips equations). The sorption capacities of the modified sorbent reach up to 1.14 mmol U g−1, 1.69 mmol Cu g−1, and 0.85 mmol Zn g−1. In multi-metal solutions of equimolar concentration, the chemical modification changes the preferences for given metal ions. Metal ions are desorbed using 0.2 M HCl solutions and the sorbents are re-used for five cycles of sorption/desorption without significant loss in performances.
Elder self-neglect: research and practice

Elder self-neglect is a global public health and human rights issue that threatens older people’s health and safety. It commonly refers to refusal or failure to provide oneself with care and protection in areas of food, water, clothing, hygiene, medication, living environments, and safety precautions. While prevalent, the status of self-neglecting individuals remains largely unclear, in particular within community-dwelling populations. By reviewing the epidemiology of elder self-neglect (definition, prevalence, risk factors, and consequences) to date, the present paper identifies key research gaps such as methodological inconsistency in case identification and measurement, and study designs that are inadequate to determine risk factors of self-neglect. More importantly, in light of the rapidly growing older population, relevant stakeholders (researchers, healthcare providers, social service providers, legal professionals, community organizations, and policymakers) must be prepared for an expected increasing number of self-neglect cases and enlarging scope of the problem. Hence, in this article, I present an overview regarding the management issues of elderly self-neglect related to the detection, assessment, reporting and referral, and decision-making capacity. Based on the current literature, the paper is aimed to explore the present knowledge and challenges, and how they can pave the way for solutions to self-neglect research, practice, and policy.
Temporal polyethism and behavioural canalization in the honey bee,
 Apis mellifera
 


Abstract Two models of temporal polyethism in the honey bee were evaluated. The developmental-programme model asserts a causal relationship between age and task performance. The foraging-for-work model asserts that this relationship is an epiphenomenon associated with a self-organizing system. The effect of a worker's pre-foraging environment on task selection as a forager was also examined. Four groups of workers, emerging at 6-day intervals, were introduced to a colony. Workers in group 1 were introduced when less than 12 h old. Workers in groups 2 and 3 were divided into deprived and non-deprived groups. Non-deprived groups were introduced to the colony when less than 12 h old. Deprived groups were confined to an incubator for 12 days and 6 days, respectively, then introduced to the colony along with group 4 (
Primacy and recency effects as indices of the focus of attention

Ongoing debate surrounds the capacity and characteristics of the focus of attention. The present study investigates whether a pattern of larger recency effects and smaller primacy effects reported in previous working memory studies is specific to task conditions used in those studies, or generalizes across manipulations of task-demand. Two experiments varied task-demands by requiring participants to remember lists of letters and to then respond to a subsequent two-item probe by indicating either the item that was presented later in the list (judgment of recency) or the item was presented earlier (judgment of primacy). Analyses tested the prediction that a WM task emphasizing later items in a list (judgment of recency) would encourage exaggerated recency effects and attenuated primacy effects, while a task emphasizing earlier items (judgment of primacy) would encourage exaggerated primacy effects and attenuated recency effects. Behavioral results from two experiments confirmed this prediction. In contrast to past studies, fMRI contrasts revealed no brain regions where activity was significantly altered by the presence of recency items in the probe, for either task condition. However, presence of the primacy item in the probe significantly influenced activity in frontal lobe brain regions linked to active maintenance, but the location and direction of activation changes varied as a function of task instructions. In sum, two experiments demonstrate that the behavioral and neural signatures of WM, specifically related to primacy and recency effects, are dependent on task-demands. Findings are discussed as they inform models of the structure and capacity of WM.
Alcohol use disorders and the course of depressive and anxiety disorders.

BACKGROUND Inconsistent findings have been reported on the role of comorbid alcohol use disorders as risk factors for a persistent course of depressive and anxiety disorders. AIMS To determine whether the course of depressive and/or anxiety disorders is conditional on the type (abuse or dependence) or severity of comorbid alcohol use disorders. METHOD In a large sample of participants with current depression and/or anxiety (n = 1369) we examined whether the presence and severity of DSM-IV alcohol abuse or alcohol dependence predicted the 2-year course of depressive and/or anxiety disorders. RESULTS The persistence of depressive and/or anxiety disorders at the 2-year follow-up was significantly higher in those with remitted or current alcohol dependence (persistence 62% and 67% respectively), but not in those with remitted or current alcohol abuse (persistence 51% and 46% respectively), compared with no lifetime alcohol use disorder (persistence 53%). Severe (meeting six or seven diagnostic criteria) but not moderate (meeting three to five criteria) current dependence was a significant predictor as 95% of those in the former group still had a depressive and/or anxiety disorder at follow-up. This association remained significant after adjustment for severity of depression and anxiety, psychosocial factors and treatment factors. CONCLUSIONS Alcohol dependence, especially severe current dependence, is a risk factor for an unfavourable course of depressive and/or anxiety disorders, whereas alcohol abuse is not.
MUC4 and ErbB2 Expression in Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Upper Aerodigestive Tract: Correlation With Clinical Outcomes

Objectives/Hypothesis: Expression of the membrane mucin MUC4 has been associated with a variety of malignancies, including squamous cell carcinoma of the upper aerodigestive tract. MUC4 modulates cell signaling pathways as an intramembrane ligand of ErbB2. The hypotheses of the study were that MUC4 expression would correlate with ErbB2 expression and that MUC4 expression would correlate with clinical outcomes in squamous cell carcinoma of the upper aerodigestive tract.
Eigenvector Synchronization, Graph Rigidity and the Molecule Problem

The graph realization problem has received a great deal of attention in recent years, due to its importance in applications such as wireless sensor networks and structural biology. In this paper, we extend the previous work and propose the 3D-As-Synchronized-As-Possible (3D-ASAP) algorithm, for the graph realization problem in ℝ3, given a sparse and noisy set of distance measurements. 3D-ASAP is a divide and conquer, non-incremental and non-iterative algorithm, which integrates local distance information into a global structure determination. Our approach starts with identifying, for every node, a subgraph of its 1-hop neighborhood graph, which can be accurately embedded in its own coordinate system. In the noise-free case, the computed coordinates of the sensors in each patch must agree with their global positioning up to some unknown rigid motion, that is, up to translation, rotation and possibly reflection. In other words, to every patch, there corresponds an element of the Euclidean group, Euc(3), of rigid transformations in ℝ3, and the goal was to estimate the group elements that will properly align all the patches in a globally consistent way. Furthermore, 3D-ASAP successfully incorporates information specific to the molecule problem in structural biology, in particular information on known substructures and their orientation. In addition, we also propose 3D-spectral-partitioning (SP)-ASAP, a faster version of 3D-ASAP, which uses a spectral partitioning algorithm as a pre-processing step for dividing the initial graph into smaller subgraphs. Our extensive numerical simulations show that 3D-ASAP and 3D-SP-ASAP are very robust to high levels of noise in the measured distances and to sparse connectivity in the measurement graph, and compare favorably with similar state-of-the-art localization algorithms.
Strains of Paramecium quadecaurelia from Namibia, Africa; genetic and molecular studies

Summary. New strains of Paramecium quadecaurelia were found in Namibia, Africa. Previously, this species from the P. aurelia complex was known only from Australia, Emily Gap. Namibian strains were identified by mating reaction; their relationship with the Australian strain was studied by classical strain crosses (survival in F1 and F2 generations) and by comparison of cytosol-type hsp70 gene sequences. Phylogenetic trees of the Namibian and Australian strains of P. quadecaurelia and the other species of the P. aurelia complex were generated based on the maximum-likelihood method.
Characterization of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Monomeric and Trimeric gp120 Glycoproteins Stabilized in the CD4-Bound State: Antigenicity, Biophysics, and Immunogenicity

ABSTRACT The human immunodeficiency virus type 1 exterior gp120 envelope glycoprotein is highly flexible, and this flexibility may contribute to the inability of monomeric gp120 immunogens to elicit broadly neutralizing antibodies. We previously showed that an S375W modification of a critical interfacial cavity central to the primary receptor binding site, the Phe43 cavity, stabilizes gp120 into the CD4-bound state. However, the immunological effects of this cavity-altering replacement were never tested. Subsequently, we screened other mutations that, along with the S375W alteration, might further stabilize the CD4-bound state. Here, we define a selected second cavity-altering replacement, T257S, and analyze the double mutations in several gp120 envelope glycoprotein contexts. The gp120 glycoproteins with the T257S-plus-S375W double mutation (T257S+S375W) have a superior antigenic profile compared to the originally identified single S375W replacement in terms of enhanced recognition by the broadly neutralizing CD4 binding-site antibody b12. Isothermal titration calorimetry measuring the entropy of the gp120 interaction with CD4 indicated that the double mutant was also stabilized into the CD4-bound state, with increasing relative fixation between core, full-length monomeric, and full-length trimeric versions of gp120. A significant increase in gp120 affinity for CD4 was also observed for the cavity-filling mutants relative to wild-type gp120. The most conformationally constrained T257S+S375W trimeric gp120 proteins were selected for immunogenicity analysis in rabbits and displayed a trend of improvement relative to their wild-type counterparts in terms of eliciting neutralizing antibodies. Together, the results suggest that conformational stabilization may improve the ability of gp120 to elicit neutralizing antibodies.
Accuracy of physical working capacity 170 to estimate aerobic fitness in prepubertal diabetic boys and in 2 insulin dose conditions.

AIM Exercise tests evaluate the effects of physical activity, which is one of the four recommendations for diabetes treatment. An adjusted and accurate measure of aerobic capacity in diabetic patients is thus needed. This study compared two estimates of aerobic fitness (maximal oxygen uptake vs physical working activity PWC170, i.e., the workload at a pulse of 170) and the usual versus a reduced insulin dose in preadolescent boys with type 1 diabetes mellitus. METHODS Sixteen prepubertal type 1 diabetic boys performed a submaximal test, the PWC(170). Gas exchange values and capillary blood glucose levels were monitored and, when possible, the test was extended to exhaustion. In 7 boys, the test was performed twice on separate days. On one day they received their usual insulin dose and on the other, their short-acting insulin was reduced by 1/3; the two tests were held in random order. The 9 other children were tested only once after receiving their usual insulin dose. RESULTS For the 16 boys who performed the test with the usual insulin dose, PWC(170) (W) and peak oxygen uptake (peak VO(2)) (L.min(-1)) correlated closely (r=0.81, P=0.002). Aerobic fitness did not change with insulin dose, but some hypoglycemic episodes occurred when insulin dose was not reduced. CONCLUSIONS Since maximal effort does not add more information, routine use of the submaximal peak VO(2)-correlated test, the PWC(170), seems sufficient, possibly in association with a planned insulin dose reduction. This dose change does not interfere with performance, but could reduce the risk of hypoglycemia.
60 GHz outdoor urban measurement study of the feasibility of multi-Gbps mm-wave cellular networks

Future 5G cellular networks are expected to exploit the abundant spectrum resources of the millimeter-wave (mm-wave) bands to satisfy demand for multi-Gbps mobile links anticipated by exponential data traffic growth. However, given the directional nature of mm-wave links, the feasibility of mm-wave mobile networks is critically dependent on efficient antenna beamsteering and a rich inventory of strong LOS (line-of-sight) and NLOS (non line-of-sight) paths from effective reflectors in the urban environment. In this paper we report results from detailed angular measurements of 60 GHz links at an example outdoor pico-cellular site in a mixed-use urban environment typical of European cities. Our work is the first to systematically analyze the beamsteering requirements of future mm-wave cellular networks based on real measurements. Our results reveal that the urban environment provides substantial opportunities for multi-Gbps mm-wave connectivity, but that the availability of strong LOS/NLOS links is highly location and orientation-specific. Our results also show that high speed mm-wave links are very sensitive to beam misalignment. This has important implications for practical mm-wave cellular network design: (i) high-precision beamsteering is required to maintain stable data rates even for quasi-stationary users; and (ii) providing seamless high speed service in mobility scenarios will be extremely challenging. Our results thus cast doubt on whether outdoor mm-wave cellular deployments will be feasible in practice, given the high network control overhead of meeting such stringent beamsteering requirements.
How Bodo Became Brazilian: European Migration to Southern Brazil Before World War I

This paper studies the long-term consequences of th e government-sponsored programs of European immigration to Southern Brazil before the Gr at War. We find that the municipalities closer to the original sites of nine teenth century government sponsored settlements ( colônias) have higher per capita income, less poverty and d ependence on Bolsa Família cash transfers, better health and education outcom es, less homicides; and for the areas close to German colonies, also less inequalit y of ncome and educational outcomes than otherwise. Since that is a reduced form relationshi p, we then attempt to identify the relative importance of more egalitarian landholdings and hig her initial human capital in determining those outcomes. Our findings are suggestive that mo re egalitarian land distribution played a more important role than higher initial human capit l in achieving the good outcomes associated with closeness to a colônia. 1 Irineu de Carvalho Filho is an Economist at the Re search Department of the International Monetary Fun d (email: idecarvalhofilho@imf.org); Leonardo Monasteri o is an Economist at IPEA (e-mail: leonardo.monasterio@ipea.gov.br). (Disclaimer: This Working Paper should not be reported as representi ng the views of the IMF. The views expressed in this Worki ng Paper are those of the author(s) and do not nece ssarily represent those of the IMF or IMF policy). Walter Belluzzo and Rafael G. Duarte helped us to o btain and understand the ENEM test scores data. We owe to Cleandro Krause (IPEA) for the valuable informat ion about the location of the official settlements i the present day grid of municípios. Joana Naritomi and Eustáquio Reis gently provided d ata on soil quality.