Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Demand Estimation With Heterogeneous Consumers and Unobserved Product Characteristics : A Hedonic Approach . ∗

We study the identification and estimation of Gorman-Lancaster style hedonic models of demand for differentiated products for the case when one product characteristic is not observed. Our identification and estimation strategy is a two-step approach in the spirit of Rosen (1974). Relative to Rosen’s approach, we generalize the first stage estimation to allow for a single dimensional unobserved product characteristic, and also allow the hedonic pricing function to have a general, non-additive structure. In the second stage, if the product space is continuous and the functional form of utility is known then there exists an inversion between the consumer’s choices and her preference parameters. This inversion can be used to recover the distribution of random coefficients nonparametrically. For the more common case when the set of products is finite, we use the revealed preference conditions from the hedonic model to develop a Gibbs sampling estimator for the distribution of random coefficients. We apply our methods to estimating personal computer demand. ∗We would like to thank Daniel Ackerberg, Steven Berry, Richard Blundell, Timothy Bresnahan, Donald Brown, Ian Crawford, Hidehiko Ichimura, Guido Imbens, John Krainer, Jonathon Levin, Rosa Matzkin, Costas Meghir, Whitney Newey, Ariel Pakes, Peter Reiss, Marcel Richter, and Ed Vytlacil for many helpful discussions, as well as three anonymous referees, and seminar participants at Carnegie Mellon, Northwestern, Stanford, UBC, UCL, UCLA, Wash. Univ. in St. Louis, Wisconsin, and Yale for helping us to clarify our thoughts. Both authors would also like to thank the Hoover Institution for their support. Any remaining errors are our own. †Dept. of Economics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305 ‡Graduate School of Business, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305-5015
IGF signaling directs ventricular cardiomyocyte proliferation during embryonic heart development

Secreted factors from the epicardium are believed to be important in directing heart ventricular cardiomyocyte proliferation and morphogenesis, although the specific factors involved have not been identified or characterized adequately. We found that IGF2 is the most prominent mitogen made by primary mouse embryonic epicardial cells and by a newly derived immortalized mouse embryonic epicardial cell line called MEC1. In vivo, Igf2 is expressed in the embryonic mouse epicardium during midgestation heart development. Using a whole embryo culture assay in the presence of inhibitors, we confirmed that IGF signaling is required to activate the ERK proliferation pathway in the developing heart, and that the epicardium is required for this response. Global disruption of the Igf2 gene, or conditional disruption of the two IGF receptor genes Igf1r and Insr together in the myocardium, each resulted in a significant decrease in ventricular wall proliferation and in ventricular wall hypoplasia. Ventricular cardiomyocyte proliferation in mutant embryos was restored to normal at E14.5, concurrent with the establishment of coronary circulation. Our results define IGF2 as a previously unexplored epicardial mitogen that is required for normal ventricular chamber development.
The Occurrence of Causal Bridging and Predictive Inferences in Young and Older Adults

Four experiments used an indirect measure of memory, perceptual identification, to examine possible differences in the generation of causal bridging and predictive inferences by young and older adults. In Experiments 1 and 2, young and older adults read paragraphs in which material necessary for understanding causal connections was either explicitly stated or merely implied. Identification of target words related to the causal connection, whether stated or implied, was better than identification of new, unrelated words. This benefit was similar in young and older adults. In Experiments 3 and 4, the generation of predictive inferences that are not necessary for discourse comprehension was examined. Overall, the results of these 2 experiments suggested no systematic age differences in the generation of these optional, elaborative inferences. Recognition memory for inferences was also tested in each experiment. The evidence suggests that causal bridging inferences, but not predictive inferences, may be incorporated into the textbase by both young and older adults. Results are discussed in terms of current theorizing about comprehension deficits in old age.
SMALL-SCREEN SOCIAL GROUPS: SOAP OPERAS AND SOCIAL NETWORKS

Previous work on Shakespearian plays has shown that the structure of these dramas reflects the levels of grouping found in a variety of human societies. In this paper, we use data from soap operas to investigate whether this form of narrative drama also displays evidence of this form of social structuring. Data from ten weekly serials were analysed and revealed that mean scene size (number of speaking characters per scene) was similar to that previously found for Shakespearian plays, and also similar to the mean size of naturally forming conversational groups. This group size is usually identified as corresponding to individual “support cliques” in the literature. The number of recurring characters appearing per episode and per week of episodes was also similar to that found for Shakespeare's plays and corresponded to the size of human “sympathy groups”. A questionnaire study administered to 30 respondents revealed that individuals maintained an average of 85.8 “para-social” television-based relationships.
Transdermal Glyceryl Trinitrate as an Effective Adjunctive Treatment with Artemether for Late-Stage Experimental Cerebral Malaria

ABSTRACT Cerebral malaria (CM) is associated with low nitric oxide (NO) bioavailability, cerebrovascular constriction, occlusion, and hypoperfusion. Administration of exogenous NO partially prevents the neurological syndrome and associated vascular pathology in an experimental CM (ECM) mouse model. In this study, we evaluated the effects of transdermal glyceryl trinitrate in preventing ECM and, in combination with artemether, rescuing late-stage ECM mice from mortality. The glyceryl trinitrate and/or artemether effect on survival and clinical recovery was evaluated in C57BL/6 mice infected with P. berghei ANKA. NO synthase (NOS) expression in mouse brain was determined by Western blots. Mean arterial pressure (MAP) and pial arteriolar diameter were monitored using a tail-cuff blood pressure system and a cranial window preparation, respectively. Preventative administration of glyceryl trinitrate at 0.025 mg/h decreased ECM mortality from 67 to 11% and downregulated inducible NOS expression in the brain. When administered as adjunctive rescue therapy with artemether, glyceryl trinitrate increased survival from 47 to 79%. The adjunctive therapy caused a sustained reversal of pial arteriolar vasoconstriction in ECM mice, an effect not observed with artemether alone. Glyceryl trinitrate induced a 13% decrease in MAP in uninfected mice but did not further affect MAP in hypotensive ECM mice. Glyceryl trinitrate, when combined with artemether, was an effective adjunctive rescue treatment for ECM. This treatment ameliorated pial arteriolar vasospasm and did not significantly affect MAP. These results indicate that transdermal glyceryl trinitrate has potential to be considered as a candidate for adjunctive therapy for CM.
Impact of Collagen Cross-linking on Psychological Distress and Vision and Health-Related Quality of Life in Patients With Keratoconus

Objective: To evaluate the changes in psychological distress level and quality of life (QoL) scores of keratoconus (KC) patients 1 year after corneal collagen cross-linking (CXL). Methods: Observational cross-sectional study. Thirty-three, consecutive progressive KC patients who received CXL treatment were enrolled in the study. All patients were evaluated before and 1 year after CXL ophthalmologically and psychologically. Main outcome measures were the visual, refractive, and topographic changes and the Beck Depression Inventory, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), Short Form-36 (SF-36), and The National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire (NEI-VFQ-25). Results: There were significant improvements in the keratometric readings at flat axis, steep axis, the mean keratometric reading, the corneal astigmatism (Kast), and the maximum keratometric reading. State-Trait Anxiety Inventory-II scores, QoL dimensions, such as physical role difficulty, general health, mental health, ocular pain, near activities, distance activities, peripheral vision, and mental health scores, and the composite score of NEI-VFQ-25, were higher after surgery. There was a positive correlation between the changes observed in Kast and mental health; a negative correlation between the changes in Kast and STAI-II, and a negative correlation between the changes in mental health and STAI-II. Change in STAI-II has significantly predicted the improvement observed in general health. Conclusions: Our results suggested lower trait anxiety and better vision-related and health-related QoL in KC patients 1 year after successful CXL treatment. Better QoL in these patients seems to be related not only with the visual and refractive results but also improvement observed in trait anxiety.
Relationship Between Physician and Hospital Procedure Volume and Mortality After Carotid Artery Stenting Among Medicare Beneficiaries

Background—Clinical trials demonstrated the efficacy of carotid artery stenting (CAS) relative to carotid endarterectomy when performed by physicians with demonstrated proficiency. It is unclear how CAS performance may be influenced by the diversity in CAS and non-CAS provider volumes in routine clinical practice. Methods and Results—We linked Medicare claims to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ CAS Database (2005–2009). We assessed the association between 30-day mortality and past-year physician (0, 1–4, 5–9, 10–19, ≥20) and hospital (<10, 10–19, 20–39, ≥40) CAS volumes and past-year hospital coronary and peripheral stenting volumes (<200, 200–399, 400–849, ≥850) among beneficiaries at least 66 years of age. Unadjusted 30-day mortality risk was 1.8% (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.6–2.0) for 19 724 patients undergoing CAS by 2045 physicians in 729 hospitals. Median past-year CAS volume was 9 (interquartile range, 4–19) for physicians and 23 (interquartile range, 12–41) for hospitals. Compared to physicians performing ≥20 CAS in the past year, lower CAS volumes were associated with higher adjusted risks of 30-day morality (P value for trend < 0.05): 1.4 (95% CI, 0.9–2.3) for 0 past-year CAS, 1.3 (95% CI, 0.9–1.8) for 1 to 4, 1.1 (95% CI, 0.8–1.6) for 5 to 9, and 0.9 (95% CI, 0.7–1.4) for 10 to 19. An inverse relationship between 30-day mortality and past-year CAS hospital volume as well as past-year hospital non-CAS volume, past-year hospital non-CAS volume, and 30-day mortality was also noted. Conclusions—Among Medicare patients, an inverse relationship exists between physician and hospital CAS volumes and hospital non-CAS stenting volume and 30-day mortality, even after adjusting for all pertinent patient- and hospital-level factors.
Relationship of biofilm formation and different virulence genes in uropathogenic Escherichia coli isolates from Northwest Iran

Background and objectives: The Escherichia coli (E. coli) bacterium is one of the main causative agents of urinary tract infections (UTI) worldwide. The ability of this bacterium to form biofilms on medical devices such as catheters plays an important role in the development of UTI. The aim of the present study was to investigate the possible relationship between virulence factors and biofilm formation of E. coli isolates responsible for urinary tract infection. Materials and methods: A total of 100 E. coli isolates isolated from patients with UTI were collected and characterized by routine bacteriological methods. In vitro biofilm formation by these isolates was determined using the 96-well microtiter-plate test, and the presence of fimA, papC, and hly virulence genes was examined by PCR assay. Data analysis was performed using SPSS 16.0 software. Results: From 100 E. coli isolates isolated from UTIs, 92% were shown to be biofilm positive. The genes papC, fimA, and hly were detected in 43%, 94% and 26% of isolates, respectively. Biofilm formation in isolates that expressed papC, fimA, and hly genes was 100%, 93%, and 100%, respectively. A significant relationship was found between presence of the papC gene and biofilm formation in E. coli isolates isolated from UTI (P<0.01), but there was no statistically significant correlation between presence of fimA and hly genes with biofilm formation (P<0.072, P<0.104). Conclusion: Results showed that fimA and hly genes do not seem to be necessary or sufficient for the production of biofilm in E. coli, but the presence of papC correlates with increased biofilm formation of urinary tract isolates. Overall, the presence of fimA, papC, and hly virulence genes coincides with in vitro biofilm formation in uropathogenic E. coli isolates.
Contesting education policy in the public sphere: media debates over policies for the Queensland school curriculum

This paper investigates the work of media discourses on education policy in public debates over the Queensland school curriculum. It draws on theories of discourse, theories that have recently influenced the field of policy sociology, to outline a conceptualization of policy and media texts as discourses in the public sphere. In so doing, it notes the significant contribution such public discourses on education make to the policy process. The paper employs critical discourse analysis to investigate the discursive constructions of curriculum during one particular policy initiative. The analysis focuses on newspaper debates over the inclusion of a subject called Health and Physical Education (HPE) in the Queensland secondary school curriculum. The paper shows how educational policy issues were discursively constituted and contested through the construction of public discourses on education policy. In particular, it demonstrates how such public discourses worked to construct authoritative voices on educational policy. The paper concludes with a call to teachers and policymakers to seek opportunities to construct an authoritative public voice on issues of education policy.
Diffusion weighted imaging: Technique and applications

Diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) is a method of signal contrast generation based on the differences in Brownian motion. DWI is a method to evaluate the molecular function and micro-architecture of the human body. DWI signal contrast can be quantified by apparent diffusion coefficient maps and it acts as a tool for treatment response evaluation and assessment of disease progression. Ability to detect and quantify the anisotropy of diffusion leads to a new paradigm called diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). DTI is a tool for assessment of the organs with highly organised fibre structure. DWI forms an integral part of modern state-of-art magnetic resonance imaging and is indispensable in neuroimaging and oncology. DWI is a field that has been undergoing rapid technical evolution and its applications are increasing every day. This review article provides insights in to the evolution of DWI as a new imaging paradigm and provides a summary of current role of DWI in various disease processes.
Strain-Induced Spatial and Spectral Isolation of Quantum Emitters in Mono- and Bilayer WSe2

Two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenide semiconductors are intriguing hosts for quantum light sources due to their unique optoelectronic properties. Here, we report that strain gradients, either unintentionally induced or generated by substrate patterning, result in spatially and spectrally isolated quantum emitters in mono- and bilayer WSe2. By correlating localized excitons with localized strain variations, we show that the quantum emitter emission energy can be red-tuned up to a remarkable ∼170 meV. We probe the fine-structure, magneto-optics, and second-order coherence of a strained emitter. These results raise the prospect of strain-engineering quantum emitter properties and deterministically creating arrays of quantum emitters in two-dimensional semiconductors.
The criminal history of ‘false confessors’ and other prison inmates

Abstract In this study 56 Icelandic prison inmates who claimed to have made a false confession to the police sometime in their lives were compared on various criminological variables with 423 other prison inmates. The ‘false confessors’ were found to have a significantly more active criminal life-style than the other inmates, including having obtained a criminal conviction younger and having spent more time in prison. They had also had significantly more experience of police interrogations than the other inmates. The authors conclude that among this sample false confession was very much a part of their criminal lifestyle. The ‘false confessors’ in the present study appear to be quite different from those suspects who confess falsely due to unfamiliarity and inexperience with police interrogations and procedures.
Induces Apoptosis of Human Mast Cells Leflunomide Inhibits PDK1/Akt Pathway and

Mast cells release many inﬂammatory mediators that play an important role not only in allergic diseases but also in chronic inﬂammatory diseases, autoimmune diseases, and others. A lot of mast cells exist in synovium of rheumatoid arthritis, and it is known that synovitis does not occur in mast cell-deﬁcient mice. Thus, it is thought that mast cells play a very important role in rheumatoid arthritis pathogenesis. Leﬂunomide is a drug used clinically in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. We used clinical doses of 2-cyano-3-hydroxy- N -(4-triﬂuoromethylphenyl)-butenamide (A77 1726), which is an active metabolite of leﬂunomide, and decreased the number of viable human primary mast cells in a concentration-dependent manner. This decrease was not reversed by uridine. Inhibition of pyrimidine synthesis by dihydro-orotic acid dehydrogenase inhibition, which is the primary mechanism of action of A77 1726, was not involved. A77 1726 dramatically induced apoptosis of human mast cells and inhibited the phosphorylation of Akt, an important survival signal of mast cells, in a concentration-dependent manner. Caspases 3 and 9, downstream molecules of Akt survival pathway, were also fragmented by A77 1726. In addition, it became evident for the ﬁrst time that the mechanism involved in this result was the concentration-dependent inhibition of PDK1 phosphorylation, which controls the activation of Akt. These results indicate a new way of controlling mast cells and may therefore be the basis for innovative approaches to the treatment of various diseases related to mast cells. The Journal of Immunology, 2007, 179: 6479–6484.
Expansion of the Spinocerebellar Ataxia Type 10 (SCA10) Repeat in a Patient with Sioux Native American Ancestry

Spinocerebellar ataxia type 10 (SCA10), an autosomal dominant cerebellar ataxia, is caused by the expansion of the non-coding ATTCT pentanucleotide repeat in the ATAXIN 10 gene. To date, all cases of SCA10 are restricted to patients with ancestral ties to Latin American countries. Here, we report on a SCA10 patient with Sioux Native American ancestry and no reported Hispanic or Latino heritage. Neurological exam findings revealed impaired gait with mild, age-consistent cerebellar atrophy and no evidence of epileptic seizures. The age at onset for this patient, at 83 years of age, is the latest documented for SCA10 patients and is suggestive of a reduced penetrance allele in his family. Southern blot analysis showed an SCA10 expanded allele of 1400 repeats. Established SNPs surrounding the SCA10 locus showed a disease haplotype consistent with the previously described “SCA10 haplotype”. This case suggests that the SCA10 expansion represents an early mutation event that possibly occurred during the initial peopling of the Americas.
Socio-cultural transformations through tourism: a comparison of residents' perspectives at two destinations in Kerala, India

Kerala, a state in Southwestern India, evolved into a prominent international tourism destination primarily by linking tourism experiences with nature. Although sufficient significance has been accorded to tourism as a development strategy in Kerala, tourism's contributions to the development processes and the sustainability of tourism activities remain unexplored. Though tourism impacts have been extensively studied, researchers have rarely compared socio-cultural transformations in destinations with and without a planned intervention in tourism. This paper compares residents' perceptions on socio-cultural impacts of tourism at Kumily and Kumarakom in Kerala. The article explores whether tourism activities in Kumily, with its planned intervention, are more sustainable than in Kumarakom, without any interventions. The conversion of ex-poachers into forest protectors and the involvement of the marginalized people in community-based ecotourism are a few among the many transformations that have occurred at Kumily while haphazard tourism development at Kumarakom gave rise to several socio-cultural challenges. Primary data were collected through residents' survey, and the findings indicate that Kumily with its planned intervention has a more sustainable tourism development pattern than Kumarakom.
Parent Education for Autism

Providing effective support services for families of children with autism is a growing area of concern. Individual and system-level risk factors that are associated with having autism could result in poor outcomes. Positive behavior interventions that address individual and family needs could potentially ameliorate these risk factors. Literature on parent education, effective behavior interventions, and the importance of viewing the individual within a socioecocultural framework are presented. These components should be considered in designing effective intervention programs for families. This article documents through a review of relevant research the need to provide appropriate services along with the need to develop service delivery models that will effectively reach families.
The Computational Metaphor of Mind: More Bugs in the Program

The "COMPUTATIONAL METAPHOR OF MIND" has gained currency in cognitive science, computer science, philosophy, and, not least, in the popular imagination. In "Mind and Metaphor" (1995) and "Language, Thought, and Computation" (1997), Mario Radovan canvassed the strengths and weaknesses of the metaphor as a tool of inquiry. This article uses recent developments in the application of theory to metaphor, including the topics of vagueness (vs. explanation), emergent features, the indefiniteness of a grouping, and shifts in the order of terms in the metaphor to test the general and implicit weaknesses of this particular use of metaphor. The metaphor is pervasively vague and can even lead to contradictory claims, but, interestingly, it can be rescued from false uses of the homunculus problem.