Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Impact Evaluation

In recent years, interest in rigorous impact evaluation has grown tremendously in policy-making, economics, public health, social sciences and international relations. Evidence-based policy-making has become a recurring theme in public policy, alongside greater demands for accountability in public policies and public spending, and requests for independent and rigorous impact evaluations for policy evidence. Frolich and Sperlich offer a comprehensive and up-to-date approach to quantitative impact evaluation analysis, also known as causal inference or treatment effect analysis, illustrating the main approaches for identification and estimation: experimental studies, randomization inference and randomized control trials (RCTs), matching and propensity score matching and weighting, instrumental variable estimation, difference-in-differences, regression discontinuity designs, quantile treatment effects, and evaluation of dynamic treatments. The book is designed for economics graduate courses but can also serve as a manual for professionals in research institutes, governments, and international organizations, evaluating the impact of a wide range of public policies in health, environment, transport and economic development.
Anti-Tumour Efficacy of Capecitabine in a Genetically Engineered Mouse Model of Pancreatic Cancer

Capecitabine (CAP) is a 5-FU pro-drug approved for the treatment of several cancers and it is used in combination with gemcitabine (GEM) in the treatment of patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PDAC). However, limited pre-clinical data of the effects of CAP in PDAC are available to support the use of the GEMCAP combination in clinic. Therefore, we investigated the pharmacokinetics and the efficacy of CAP as a single agent first and then in combination with GEM to assess the utility of the GEMCAP therapy in clinic. Using a model of spontaneous PDAC occurring in KrasG12D; p53R172H; Pdx1-Cre (KPC) mice and subcutaneous allografts of a KPC PDAC-derived cell line (K8484), we showed that CAP achieved tumour concentrations (∼25 µM) of 5-FU in both models, as a single agent, and induced survival similar to GEM in KPC mice, suggesting similar efficacy. In vitro studies performed in K8484 cells as well as in human pancreatic cell lines showed an additive effect of the GEMCAP combination however, it increased toxicity in vivo and no benefit of a tolerable GEMCAP combination was identified in the allograft model when compared to GEM alone. Our work provides pre-clinical evidence of 5-FU delivery to tumours and anti-tumour efficacy following oral CAP administration that was similar to effects of GEM. Nevertheless, the GEMCAP combination does not improve the therapeutic index compared to GEM alone. These data suggest that CAP could be considered as an alternative to GEM in future, rationally designed, combination treatment strategies for advanced pancreatic cancer.
Four-Year Course of Serum and Cerebrospinal Fluid Antibody Titers in a Patient with Anti-NMDAR Encephalitis

The natural long-term course of antibody titers in patients with anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (anti-NMDAR) encephalitis remains uncertain. We measured anti-NMDAR antibodies in a patient with anti-NMDAR encephalitis who had a severe disease course for 5 years. The antibody titers in the first serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples were 1:1600 and 1:320, respectively. During gradual recovery, the serum and CSF titers initially decreased, but remained unchanged during the last 2 years. Four years after the onset of disease, the serum and CSF antibody titers were 1:200 and 1:80, respectively. Anti-NMDAR antibodies can persist for prolonged periods in patients with a poor clinical course.
Structure and Coding Content of CST (BART) Family RNAs of Epstein-Barr Virus

ABSTRACT CST (BART BARF0) family viral RNAs are expressed in several types of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection, including EBV-associated cancers. Many different spliced forms of these RNAs have been described; here we have clarified the structures of some of the more abundant splicing patterns. We report the first cDNAs representing a full-length CST mRNA from a clone library and further characterize the transcription start. The relative abundance of splicing patterns and genomic analysis of the open reading frames (ORFs) suggest that, in addition to the much studied BARF0 ORF, there may be important products made from some of the upstream ORFs in the CST RNAs. Potential biological functions are identified for two of these. The product of the RPMS1 ORF is shown to be a nuclear protein that can bind to the CBF1 component of Notch signal transduction. RPMS1 can inhibit the transcription activation induced through CBF1 by NotchIC or EBNA-2. The protein product of another CST ORF, A73, is shown to be a cytoplasmic protein which can interact with the cell RACK1 protein. Since RACK1 modulates signaling from protein kinase C and Src tyrosine kinases, the results suggest a possible role for CST products in growth control, perhaps consistent with the abundant transcription of CST RNAs in cancers such as nasopharyngeal carcinoma.
Economic Shocks and Unrest in French West Africa

We show that rainfall, temperature, and commodity price shocks predict unrest in colonial French West Africa between 1906 and 1956. We use a simple model of taxation and anti-tax resistance to explain these results. In the colonial period, the response of unrest to economic shocks was strongest in more remote areas and those lacking a history of pre-colonial states. In modern data spanning 1997 to 2011, the effect of economic shocks on unrest is weaker. Past patterns of heterogeneity are no longer present. The response of unrest to economic shocks, then, differs across institutional contexts within a single location.
Pomegranate Juice Enhances Healthy Lifespan in Drosophila melanogaster: An Exploratory Study

Exploring innovative ways to ensure healthy aging of populations is a pre-requisite to contain rising healthcare costs. Scientific research into the principles and practices of traditional medicines can provide new insights and simple solutions to lead a healthy life. Rasayana is a dedicated branch of Ayurveda (an Indian medicine) that deals with methods to increase vitality and delay aging through the use of diet, herbal supplements, and other lifestyle practices. The life-span and health-span enhancing actions of the fruits of pomegranate (Punica granatum L.), a well-known Rasayana, were tested on Drosophila melanogaster (fruitfly) model. Supplementation of standard corn meal with 10% (v/v) pomegranate juice (PJ) extended the life-span of male and female flies by 18 and 8%, respectively. When male and female flies were mixed and reared together, there was 19% increase in the longevity of PJ fed flies, as assessed by MSD, the median survival day (24.8). MSD for control and resveratrol (RV) groups was at 20.8 and 23.1 days, respectively. A two-fold enhancement in fecundity, improved resistance to oxidative stress (H2O2 and paraquat induced) and to Candida albicans infection were observed in PJ fed flies. Further, the flies in the PJ fed group were physically active over an extended period of time, as assessed by the climbing assay. PJ thus outperformed both control and RV groups in the life-span and health-span parameters tested. This study provides the scope to explore the potential of PJ as a nutraceutical to improve health span and lifespan in human beings.
Superpotentials for superconformal Chern–Simons theories from representation theory

These notes provide a detailed account of the universal structure of superpotentials defining a large class of superconformal Chern–Simons theories with matter, many of which appear as the low-energy descriptions of multiple M2-brane configurations. The amount of superconformal symmetry in the Chern–Simons matter theory determines the minimum amount of global symmetry that the associated quartic superpotential must realize, which in turn restricts the matter superfield representations. Our analysis clarifies the necessary representation-theoretic data which guarantees a particular amount of superconformal symmetry. Thereby we shall recover all the examples of M2-brane effective field theories that have appeared in the recent literature. The results are based on a refinement of the unitary representation theory of Lie algebras to the case when the Lie algebra admits an ad-invariant inner product. The types of representation singled out by the superconformal symmetry turn out to be intimately associated with triple systems admitting embedding Lie (super)algebras and we obtain a number of new results about these triple systems which might be of independent interest. In particular, we prove that any metric 3-Lie algebra embeds into a real metric 3-graded Lie superalgebra in such a way that the 3-bracket is given by a nested Lie bracket.
BQ123 Stimulates Skeletal Muscle Antioxidant Defense via Nrf2 Activation in LPS-Treated Rats

Little is understood of skeletal muscle tissue in terms of oxidative stress and inflammation. Endothelin-1 is an endogenous, vasoconstrictive peptide which can induce overproduction of reactive oxygen species and proinflammatory cytokines. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether BQ123, an endothelin-A receptor antagonist, influences the level of TNF-α, IL-6, SOD-1, HO-1, Nrf2 mRNA, and NF-κB subunit RelA/p65 mRNA in the femoral muscle obtained from endotoxemic rats. Male Wistar rats were divided into 4 groups (n = 6) and received iv (1) saline (control), (2) LPS (15 mg/kg), (3) BQ123 (1 mg/kg), (4) BQ123 (1 mg/kg), and LPS (15 mg/kg, resp.) 30 min later. Injection of LPS led to significant increase in levels of RelA/p65 mRNA, TNF-α, and IL-6, while content of SOD-1, HO-1, and Nrf2 mRNA was unchanged. Administration of BQ123 prior to LPS challenge resulted in a significant reduction in RelA/p65 mRNA, TNF-α, and IL-6 levels, as well as markedly elevated concentrations of SOD-1, HO-1, and Nrf2 mRNA. BQ123 appears to enhance antioxidant defense and prevent production of TNF-α and IL-6 in skeletal muscle of LPS-treated rat. In conclusion, endothelin-A receptor antagonism exerts significant impact on the skeletal muscle favouring anti-inflammatory effects and protection against oxidative stress.
Stratification of Carbon Fractions and Carbon Management Index in Deep Soil Affected by the Grain-to-Green Program in China

Conversion of slope cropland to perennial vegetation has a significant impact on soil organic carbon (SOC) stock in A horizon. However, the impact on SOC and its fraction stratification is still poorly understood in deep soil in Loess Hilly Region (LHR) of China. Samples were collected from three typical conversion lands, Robinia psendoacacia (RP), Caragana Korshinskii Kom (CK), and abandoned land (AB), which have been converted from slope croplands (SC) for 30 years in LHR. Contents of SOC, total nitrogen (TN), particulate organic carbon (POC), and labile organic carbon (LOC), and their stratification ratios (SR) and carbon management indexes (CMI) were determined on soil profiles from 0 to 200 cm. Results showed that the SOC, TN, POC and LOC stocks of RP were significantly higher than that of SC in soil layers of 0–10, 10–40, 40–100 and 100–200 cm (P<0.05). Soil layer of 100–200 cm accounted for 27.38–36.62%, 25.10–32.91%, 21.59–31.69% and 21.08–26.83% to SOC, TN, POC and LOC stocks in lands of RP, CK and AB. SR values were >2.0 in most cases of RP, CK and AB. Moreover, CMI values of RP, CK, and AB increased by 11.61–61.53% in soil layer of 100–200 cm compared with SC. Significant positive correlations between SOC stocks and CMI or SR values of both surface soil and deep soil layers indicated that they were suitable indicators for soil quality and carbon changes evaluation. The Grain-to-Green Program (GTGP) had strong influence on improving quantity and activity of SOC pool through all soil layers of converted lands, and deep soil organic carbon should be considered in C cycle induced by GTGP. It was concluded that converting slope croplands to RP forestlands was the most efficient way for sequestering C in LHR soils.
Molecular Basis of Symbiotic Promiscuity

SUMMARY Eukaryotes often form symbioses with microorganisms. Among these, associations between plants and nitrogen-fixing bacteria are responsible for the nitrogen input into various ecological niches. Plants of many different families have evolved the capacity to develop root or stem nodules with diverse genera of soil bacteria. Of these, symbioses between legumes and rhizobia (Azorhizobium, Bradyrhizobium, Mesorhizobium, and Rhizobium) are the most important from an agricultural perspective. Nitrogen-fixing nodules arise when symbiotic rhizobia penetrate their hosts in a strictly controlled and coordinated manner. Molecular codes are exchanged between the symbionts in the rhizosphere to select compatible rhizobia from pathogens. Entry into the plant is restricted to bacteria that have the “keys” to a succession of legume “doors”. Some symbionts intimately associate with many different partners (and are thus promiscuous), while others are more selective and have a narrow host range. For historical reasons, narrow host range has been more intensively investigated than promiscuity. In our view, this has given a false impression of specificity in legume-Rhizobium associations. Rather, we suggest that restricted host ranges are limited to specific niches and represent specialization of widespread and more ancestral promiscuous symbioses. Here we analyze the molecular mechanisms governing symbiotic promiscuity in rhizobia and show that it is controlled by a number of molecular keys.
Syntax at Hand: Common Syntactic Structures for Actions and Language

Evidence that the motor and the linguistic systems share common syntactic representations would open new perspectives on language evolution. Here, crossing disciplinary boundaries, we explore potential parallels between the structure of simple actions and that of sentences. First, examining Typically Developing (TD) children displacing a bottle with or without knowledge of its weight prior to movement onset, we provide kinematic evidence that the sub-phases of this displacing action (reaching + moving the bottle) manifest a structure akin to linguistic embedded dependencies. Then, using the same motor task, we reveal that children suffering from specific language impairment (SLI), whose core deficit affects syntactic embedding and dependencies, manifest specific structural motor anomalies parallel to their linguistic deficits. In contrast to TD children, SLI children performed the displacing-action as if its sub-phases were juxtaposed rather than embedded. The specificity of SLI’s structural motor deficit was confirmed by testing an additional control group: Fragile-X Syndrome patients, whose language capacity, though delayed, comparatively spares embedded dependencies, displayed slower but structurally normal motor performances. By identifying the presence of structural representations and dependency computations in the motor system and by showing their selective deficit in SLI patients, these findings point to a potential motor origin for language syntax.
Automatic segmentation and identification of mixed-language speech using delta-BIC and LSA-based GMMs

This paper proposes an approach to segmenting and identifying mixed-language speech. A delta Bayesian information criterion (delta-BIC) is firstly applied to segment the input speech utterance into a sequence of language-dependent segments using acoustic features. A VQ-based bi-gram model is used to characterize the acoustic-phonetic dynamics of two consecutive codewords in a language. Accordingly the language-specific acoustic-phonetic property of sequence of phones was integrated in the identification process. A Gaussian mixture model (GMM) is used to model codeword occurrence vectors orthonormally transformed using latent semantic analysis (LSA) for each language-dependent segment. A filtering method is used to smooth the hypothesized language sequence and thus eliminate noise-like components of the detected language sequence generated by the maximum likelihood estimation. Finally, a dynamic programming method is used to determine globally the language boundaries. Experimental results show that for Mandarin, English, and Taiwanese, a recall rate of 0.87 for language boundary segmentation was obtained. Based on this recall rate, the proposed approach achieved language identification accuracies of 92.1% and 74.9% for single-language and mixed-language speech, respectively.
On smoothing potentially non‐stationary climate time series

A simple approach to the smoothing of a potentially non‐stationary time series is presented which provides an optimal choice among three alternative, readily motivated and easily implemented boundary constraints. This method is applied to the smoothing of the instrumental Northern Hemisphere (NH) annual mean and cold‐season North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) time series, yielding an objective estimate of the smoothed decadal‐scale variations in these series including long‐term trends.
A Framework for Applying Point Clouds Grabbed by Multi-Beam LIDAR in Perceiving the Driving Environment

The quick and accurate understanding of the ambient environment, which is composed of road curbs, vehicles, pedestrians, etc., is critical for developing intelligent vehicles. The road elements included in this work are road curbs and dynamic road obstacles that directly affect the drivable area. A framework for the online modeling of the driving environment using a multi-beam LIDAR, i.e., a Velodyne HDL-64E LIDAR, which describes the 3D environment in the form of a point cloud, is reported in this article. First, ground segmentation is performed via multi-feature extraction of the raw data grabbed by the Velodyne LIDAR to satisfy the requirement of online environment modeling. Curbs and dynamic road obstacles are detected and tracked in different manners. Curves are fitted for curb points, and points are clustered into bundles whose form and kinematics parameters are calculated. The Kalman filter is used to track dynamic obstacles, whereas the snake model is employed for curbs. Results indicate that the proposed framework is robust under various environments and satisfies the requirements for online processing.
The impact of China's FDI surge on FDI in South-East Asia: panel data analysis for 1986-2001

China’s surge in foreign direct investment inflows is raising concerns that it is taking such investment away from other South-East Asian economies. This article assesses whether this is the case, using fixed-effects estimation to test for the relationships between FDI in South-East Asian economies within a simple model of location determinants of foreign direct investment, assuming the supply of FDI to be elastic. The results suggest that China raised rather than diverted such investment into neighbouring economies during 1986-2001; the results obtain whether inflows are lagged or not. This may be because countries do not compete for foreign direct investment in market and resource-seeking activities; the only competitive segment is likely to be export-processing – here China may be complementing other countries in electronics, where they are being integrated into a regional production network. There may be FDI substitution in other export-oriented industries, but the effect is not large enough to influence the results. However, the data do not allow different types of FDI to be tested separately, and this conclusion remains speculative.
Food souvenirs and their influence on tourist satisfaction and behavioural intentions

Food souvenirs are tangible reminders of a travel destination and play an important role in the hospitality and tourism industry. However, little research has been devoted to the definition, attributes, and impact of food souvenirs on tourist attitudes, and post-purchase behavioural intentions, which consists of intention to repurchase, recommend, say something positive, and repurchase even if the price increased. In a response to the identified gap, this study inspects the dimensions of food souvenirs and assesses its impact on tourist satisfaction and behavioural intentions. This study applies exploratory factor analysis to identify the dimensions of food souvenirs and uses multiple regression to assess the association between these food souvenir dimensions and tourist satisfaction and post purchase intensions. The data was collected from 252 domestic tourists in Bandung, Indonesia. The factor analysis produced five dimensions of food souvenirs, including brand and packaging, uniqueness, food quality, authenticity, and taste/value. Among these dimensions; uniqueness, authenticity, taste/value are important determinants of satisfaction with food souvenir itself, but also with behavioural intentions. Further, this study reveals that satisfaction with food souvenir is a critical driver of tourist satisfaction with visiting the destination. These results offer an opportunity for retail businesses managers and destination organisation managers to develop strategy to satisfy tourists by providing unique and locally symbolic food souvenirs.
in international rowers A 12-month prospective cohort study of injury

http://bjsm.bmj. com/content/44/3/207.full. html Updated information and services can be found at: These include: References http://bjsm.bmj. com/content/44/3/207.full. html#ref-list-1 This article cites 25 articles, 15 of which can be accessed free at: service Email alerting box at the top right corner of the online article. Receive free email alerts when new articles cite this article. Sign up in the Notes
EEG-Neurofeedback as a Tool to Modulate Cognition and Behavior: A Review Tutorial

Neurofeedback is attracting renewed interest as a method to self-regulate one’s own brain activity to directly alter the underlying neural mechanisms of cognition and behavior. It not only promises new avenues as a method for cognitive enhancement in healthy subjects, but also as a therapeutic tool. In the current article, we present a review tutorial discussing key aspects relevant to the development of electroencephalography (EEG) neurofeedback studies. In addition, the putative mechanisms underlying neurofeedback learning are considered. We highlight both aspects relevant for the practical application of neurofeedback as well as rather theoretical considerations related to the development of new generation protocols. Important characteristics regarding the set-up of a neurofeedback protocol are outlined in a step-by-step way. All these practical and theoretical considerations are illustrated based on a protocol and results of a frontal-midline theta up-regulation training for the improvement of executive functions. Not least, assessment criteria for the validation of neurofeedback studies as well as general guidelines for the evaluation of training efficacy are discussed.