Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
State Capacity in Latin America

"State capacity is exceptionally low in Latin America, even when compared to other former colonies. This paper analyzes four possible factors that could potentially explain this troubling feature: political inequality, economic inequality, interstate conflict and civil war. With the exception of external war, these variables have a negative effect on state-building in models where the accumulation of state capacity is analogous to investment under uncertainty. These analytical predictions are then tested with cross-country data, paying special attention to Latin America. Democracy´s impact on state capacity is quite positive, as is the effect of the frequency of external wars when data for the last century is used. However, in the data for the last half century, external wars have little effect, but the negative effects of internal wars and income inequality become highly significant. The model explains why Latin America has failed to develop its state, despite the improvement in the various measures of democracy. In fact, both the theoretical model and the empirical evidence suggest that the effects of democracy are undermined in the presence of high economic inequality. "
Identification of Neuropeptide W as the Endogenous Ligand for Orphan G-protein-coupled Receptors GPR7 and GPR8*

The structurally related orphan G-protein-coupled receptors GPR7 and GPR8 are expressed in the central nervous system, and their ligands have not been identified. Here, we report the identification of the endogenous ligand for both of these receptors. We purified the peptide ligand from porcine hypothalamus using stable Chinese hamster ovary cell lines expressing human GPR8 and cloned the cDNA encoding its precursor protein. The cDNA encodes two forms of the peptide ligand with lengths of 23 and 30 amino acid residues as mature peptides. We designated the two ligands neuropeptide W-23 (NPW23) and neuropeptide W-30 (NPW30). The amino acid sequence of NPW23 is completely identical to that of the N-terminal 23 residues of NPW30. Synthetic NPW23 and NPW30 activated and bound to both GPR7 and GPR8 at similar effective doses. Intracerebroventricular administration of NPW23 in rats increased food intake and stimulated prolactin release. These findings indicate that neuropeptide W is the endogenous ligand for both GPR7 and GPR8 and acts as a mediator of the central control of feeding and the neuroendocrine system.
Isotypes of alpha-tubulin are differentially regulated during neuronal maturation

The mRNAs for two isotypes of alpha-tubulin, termed T alpha 1 and T26, are known to be expressed in the rat nervous system. We have compared the expression of these two alpha-tubulin mRNAs during neural development, using RNA blotting and in situ hybridization techniques with probes directed against unique sequences of each mRNA. T alpha 1 mRNA is highly enriched in the embryonic nervous system but is markedly less abundant in the adult brain; T26 mRNA is expressed in many embryonic tissues with little change in abundance during development. Within the nervous system, T alpha 1 mRNA is enriched in regions with neurons actively undergoing neurite extension, such as the cortical plate, whereas T26 mRNA is relatively homogeneous in distribution, with some enrichment in proliferative zones. Expression of T alpha 1 mRNA is also increased in PC12 cells induced to differentiate and extend neurite processes by nerve growth factor. Taken together, the data indicate that T alpha 1-tubulin mRNA is expressed at high levels during the extension of neuronal processes. The abundant expression of T alpha 1-tubulin mRNA may therefore reflect either a means to increase the available pool of alpha-tubulin or a specific requirement for the T alpha 1 isotype for neurite extension.
Counselling Psychology in Canada

Counselling psychology in Canada has experienced tremendous growth and greater recognition within the last 30 years. However, there is little empirical research on the practice of counselling psychology in Canada and the characteristics of Canadian counselling psychologists. We administered a 74 item questionnaire to 79 counselling psychologists who were members of the Counselling Psychology Section of the Canadian Psychological Association, achieving a 35.4% response rate. The survey asked various questions organized under the headings of: Background Information, Theoretical Orientations, Professional Activities, Training and Career Experiences, and Future. Overall, these Canadian counselling psychologists seem to see the discipline as moderately different from clinical psychology and from counsellor education, and are largely satisfied with their choice of career in counselling psychology. Results further indicate that independent practice is the most common work-setting and that respondents spend a large share of their time providing individual, non-career related, counselling/psychotherapy of primarily a rehabilitative/treatment-oriented nature. A strengths-focused approach was also highly valued by the sample. The development of the field, distinctive characteristics of Canadian counselling psychology, the place of counselling psychology in the Canadian health care delivery system, credentialing, professional organizations, education and training issues, allied professions, opportunities for the field, and threats to the field are also discussed.
Multicentric Sporadic Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors (GISTs) of the Stomach With Distinct Clonal Origin: Differential Diagnosis to Familial and Syndromal GIST Variants and Peritoneal Metastasis

Most sporadic gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) occur solitary, whereas a multicentric appearance is suspicious for a familial or syndromal setting such as with germline mutations of proto-oncogene tyrosine protein kinase Kit (KIT) or platelet derived growth factor receptor alpha (PDGFRA), or even for metastases. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether multicentric sporadic GISTs are of clonal origin. Four patients with 1 clinically apparent tumor (mean size 5.6 cm) and 1 to 3 further small incidental tumors (mean size 0.7 cm) were analysed by mutation analysis and comparative genomic hybridization for mutations of KIT and PDGFRA and chromosomal imbalances in their tumors. No clinicopathologic features have been found being indicative of one of the established familial or syndromal GIST variants. Each of the small GISTs were localized in the muscularis propria, and were visible from the serosal but not from the mucosal side. Different mutations of KIT and PDGFRA were present among individual tumors of each patient, and germline mutation of KIT and PDGFRA could be excluded. Comparative genomic hybridization revealed a mean count of 7 chromosomal imbalances in the clinically apparent tumors compared with a mean count of 0.3 in the small incidental counterparts. Sporadic GISTs can appear multicentric by coincidence. They are an important differential diagnosis to familial and syndromal GIST variants, or even to peritoneal metastases. Different mutations of KIT and PDGFRA among individual tumors in 1 patient refer to different clonal origin of multicentric sporadic GISTs. The type of mutation of KIT and PDGFRA was independent of tumor size, whereas small GISTs <1 cm rarely had genomic imbalances.
Simulations and Experiments on Low-Pressure Permeation of Fabrics: Part II—The Variable Gap Model and Prediction of Permeability

Use of the creeping flow assumption provides a computationally efficient and accurate means of predicting flow fronts in reinforcement media in many technologically important polymer processes. In the case of fabrics, this creeping flow is shown to proceed primarily through the gaps in fabrics, with capillarity playing little if any role for commonly used materials. This finding has important implications for selection of strategy in modeling manufacturing processes of such materials. Namely, in the presence of fabric deformation which induces local shear, changes in the gap architecture greatly affect the flow patterns, and are not well predicted by tensor transformation of Darcy-type permeabilities. Asimple, classic flow model is adapted to the case of fabrics penetrated by low-pressure viscous liquids after careful analysis of fabric architecture. An applicability range of this creeping flow model, the variable gap model, is developed. The present paper gives the model assumptions, and confirmation of its agreement with more sophisticated calculations. A demonstration of the approach for an unbalanced fabric (Knytex 24 5×4 unbalanced plain-woven glass fabric) shows excellent prediction of the bounds on flow behavior, and supports our earlier experimental findings on flow front orientation. This approach also shows clear superiority to semi-empirical, geometry-based models, since no fitting parameters at all are used in the modeling: only the constituent materials’ geometry and properties are needed. This methodology is better able to predict trends in flow fronts, both qualitatively and quantitatively, than semi-empirical fitting. Extension of this work to realistic production processes is planned. 1Author to whom correspondence should be addressed. 1285 Journal ofCOMPOSITE MATERIALS, Vol. 35, No. 14/2001
Ansa pancreatica as a predisposing factor for recurrent acute pancreatitis

AIM To determine the non-biased prevalence and clinical significance of ansa pancreatica in patients with acute pancreatitis using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). METHODS Our institutional review board approved this cross-sectional study, which consisted of a community-based cohort of 587 consecutive participants in a whole-body health-check program, and 73 subjects with episode of acute pancreatitis (55 patients with a single episode of acute pancreatitis, and 18 patients with recurrent acute pancreatitis). All of the subjects underwent abdominal MRI including magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography, medical examinations, and blood tests. Two board-certified, diagnostic, abdominal radiologists evaluated the images, and ansa pancreatica was diagnosed based on its characteristic anatomy on MRI. RESULTS Compared with the community group [5/587 (0.85%)], patients with recurrent acute pancreatitis had a significantly higher frequency of ansa pancreatica [2/18 (11.1%)] (P = 0.016; OR = 14.3; 95%CI: 1.27-96.1), but not compared with patients with single-episode acute pancreatitis [1/55 (1.8%)] (P = 0.42; OR = 2.1; 95%CI: 0.44-19.7). Multiple logistic regression analysis using age, alcohol intake, presence of ansa pancreatica, and presence of autoimmune disease as independent covariates, revealed a significant relationship between the presence of ansa pancreatica and recurrent acute pancreatitis. The presence of autoimmune disease was also significantly associated with the onset of recurrent acute pancreatitis. On the other hand, neither age nor alcohol intake were significantly related to the onset of recurrent acute pancreatitis. CONCLUSION The present study is the first to provide robust evidence that the presence of ansa pancreatica is significantly associated with recurrent acute pancreatitis.
A Point Mutation in the Two-Component Regulator PhoP-PhoR Accounts for the Absence of Polyketide-Derived Acyltrehaloses but Not That of Phthiocerol Dimycocerosates in Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Ra

ABSTRACT Similarities between Mycobacterium tuberculosis phoP-phoR mutants and the attenuated laboratory strain M. tuberculosis H37Ra in terms of morphological and cytochemical properties, lipid content, gene expression and virulence attenuation prompted us to analyze the functionality of this two-component regulator in the latter strain. Sequence analysis revealed a base substitution resulting in a one-amino-acid change in the likely DNA-binding region of PhoP in H37Ra relative to H37Rv. Using gel-shift assays, we show that this mutation abrogates the ability of the H37Ra PhoP protein to bind to a 40-bp segment of its own promoter. Consistent with this result, the phoP gene from H37Rv but not that from H37Ra was able to restore the synthesis of sulfolipids, diacyltrehaloses and polyacyltrehaloses in an isogenic phoP-phoR knock-out mutant of M. tuberculosis Moreover, complementation of H37Ra with phoP from H37Rv fully restored sulfolipid, diacyltrehalose and polyacyltrehalose synthesis, clearly indicating that the lack of production of these lipids in H37Ra is solely due to the point mutation in phoP. Using a pks2-3/4 knock-out mutant of M. tuberculosis H37Rv, evidence is further provided that the above-mentioned polyketide-derived acyltrehaloses do not significantly contribute to the virulence of the tubercle bacillus in a mouse model of infection. Reasons for the attenuation of H37Ra thus most likely stand in other virulence factors, many of which are expected to belong to the PhoP regulon and another of which, unrelated to PhoP, appears to be the lack of production of phthiocerol dimycocerosates in this strain.
Seasonal Synchronization in a Chaotic Ocean-Atmosphere Model

Abstract The signatures of feedback between the atmosphere and the ocean are studied with a simple coupled model. The atmospheric component, based on Lorenz's 1984 model is chaotic and has intrinsic variability at all timescales. The oceanic component models the wind-driven circulation, and has intrinsic variability only in the decadal band. The phase of the cospectrum of atmospheric and oceanic temperatures is examined and it is found that in the decadal band, the oceanic signal leads the atmospheric one, while the opposite is true at shorter and longer timescales. The associated atmosphere-only model, driven by the oceanic temperature derived from a coupled run, synchronizes to the coupled run for arbitrary initial conditions. When noise is introduced in the time series of oceanic driving, episodic synchronization still occurs, but only in summer, indicating that control of the atmosphere by the oceanic variables is prevalent in this season.
Adaptação Materna ao Transtorno do Espectro Autismo: Relações entre Crenças, Sentimentos e Fatores Psicossociais

The beliefs and feelings associated with the development of a child with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) play an important part in maternal adaptation. However, these factors are not always comprehended based on associated psychosocial aspects. Objective: to investigate the beliefs and feelings of mothers of ASD children, associating them to various psychosocial factors based on Bradford’s biopsychosocial metamodel. Boundaries: transversal and exploratory study of multiple cases. Participants: four mothers (aged 38 to 45 years) of ASD boys (ages between 3 years and 5 months and 6 years and 9 months). Instruments: Maternal Perception of Child Interview, Demographic Data and Child Development Interview, Goldberg General Health Questionnaire (GHQ). Results: mothers’ beliefs about child development, ability to indentify children’s skills and their own sense of auto-efficiency are related to many psychosocial factors: perception of intra and extra-family resources and quality of health-care systems. It is discussed that the diagnosis impact may be mediated by psychosocial factors.
Normal Cells, but Not Cancer Cells, Survive Severe Plk1 Depletion

ABSTRACT We previously reported the phenotype of depletion of polo-like kinase 1 (Plk1) using RNA interference (RNAi) and showed that p53 is stabilized in Plk1-depleted cancer cells. In this study, we further analyzed the Plk1 depletion-induced phenotype in both cancer cells and primary cells. The vector-based RNAi approach was used to evaluate the role of the p53 pathway in Plk1 depletion-induced apoptosis in cancer cells with different p53 backgrounds. Although DNA damage and cell death can occur independently of p53, p53-deficient cancer cells were much more sensitive to Plk1 depletion than cancer cells with functional p53. Next, the lentivirus-based RNAi approach was used to generate a series of Plk1 hypomorphs. In HeLa cells, two weak hypomorphs showed only slight G2/M arrest, a medium hypomorph arrested with 4N DNA content, followed later by apoptosis, and a strong Plk1 hypomorph underwent serious mitotic catastrophe. In well-synchronized HeLa cells, a medium level of Plk1 depletion caused a 2-h delay of mitotic progression, and a high degree of Plk1 depletion significantly delayed mitotic entry and completely blocked cells at mitosis. In striking contrast, normal hTERT-RPE1 and MCF10A cells were much less sensitive to Plk1 depletion than HeLa cells; no apparent cell proliferation defect or cell cycle arrest was observed after Plk1 depletion in these cells. Therefore, these data further support suggestions that Plk1 may be a feasible cancer therapy target.
Rhizobial and Fungal Symbioses Show Different Requirements for Calmodulin Binding to Calcium Calmodulin–Dependent Protein Kinase in Lotus japonicus[W][OA]

Leguminous plants have mutualistic symbiotic relationships with rhizobial bacteria and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. These two distinct symbioses share calcium calmodulin–dependent protein kinase (CCaMK), a key regulator for accommodation of bacterial and fungal symbionts. This article demonstrates that the two symbioses are distinguished by differential regulation of CCaMK by calmodulin binding. Ca2+/calmodulin (CaM)–dependent protein kinase (CCaMK) is a key regulator of root nodule and arbuscular mycorrhizal symbioses and is believed to be a decoder for Ca2+ signals induced by microbial symbionts. However, it is unclear how CCaMK is activated by these microbes. Here, we investigated in vivo activation of CCaMK in symbiotic signaling, focusing mainly on the significance of and epistatic relationships among functional domains of CCaMK. Loss-of-function mutations in EF-hand motifs revealed the critical importance of the third EF hand for CCaMK activation to promote infection of endosymbionts. However, a gain-of-function mutation (T265D) in the kinase domain compensated for these loss-of-function mutations in the EF hands. Mutation of the CaM binding domain abolished CaM binding and suppressed CCaMKT265D activity in rhizobial infection, but not in mycorrhization, indicating that the requirement for CaM binding to CCaMK differs between root nodule and arbuscular mycorrhizal symbioses. Homology modeling and mutagenesis studies showed that the hydrogen bond network including Thr265 has an important role in the regulation of CCaMK. Based on these genetic, biochemical, and structural studies, we propose an activation mechanism of CCaMK in which root nodule and arbuscular mycorrhizal symbioses are distinguished by differential regulation of CCaMK by CaM binding.
Decoding of Repeated Objects from Local Field Potentials in Macaque Inferior Temporal Cortex

Stimulus repetition produces a decrease of the response and affects neuronal synchronization of macaque inferior temporal (IT) neurons. Previously we showed that such stimulus-specific adaptation results in a decreased accuracy by which IT neurons encode repeated compared to non-repeated objects. Not only spiking activity, but also local field potentials (LFPs) are affected by repetition. Here we ask how the repetition-induced changes in IT LFPs affect object decoding accuracy. To answer this, we recorded local field potentials using a laminar microelectrode in macaque IT. We presented two familiar stimuli each for 500 ms successively with an inter-stimulus interval of 500 ms. Trials consisted either of a repetition of the same stimulus or of their alternation. Machine learning-based classifier was employed to decode stimulus identity from the LFP power in different frequency bands of each penetration. We found that the object classification accuracy depended strongly on spectral frequency, with frequencies below 30 Hz (alpha and beta) producing greater accuracies than gamma bands. However, the effect of repetition on classification accuracy was stronger at the gamma frequencies, showing a decrease in classification accuracy for repeated stimuli and a tendency for an improved object encoding when the stimulus was preceded by a different stimulus. The present results demonstrate that due to adapting input, stimulus encoding in IT (1) can be more accurate for stimuli that differ from recently preceding ones while being impaired for stimuli that are repeated, and (2) these effects are more pronounced at high spectral frequencies of the LFP.
Interindividual differences in the analgesic response to ketamine in chronic orofacial pain

The analgesic effect of the N‐methyl‐D‐aspartate (NMDA) receptor blocker ketamine in 17 patients (13 females and four males, age 32–88 years) who had suffered neuropathic orofacial pain for time periods ranging from 6 months to 28 years was examined. The patients were given an i.m. test‐dose of 0.4 mg/kg ketamine combined with 0.05 mg/kg midazolam. Four patients did not experience any analgesic effect of the i.m. test dose. The remaining 13 patients experienced an analgesic effect which lasted for less than 1 h (transient effect) in seven and for several hours (long‐term effect) in six. One week later they were given 4 mg/kg ketamine to be taken orally in combination with a hypnotic drug for three consecutive nights. All patients who reported a long‐term analgesic effect after i.m. ketamine also reported reduced pain intensity on days after taking ketamine at night. The findings of this open study are in accord with the results from a previous double‐blind randomized investigation. In order to evaluate the role of age and pain duration for the analgesic effect of ketamine, we pooled the data from the two studies and performed a correlation analysis of 43 patients. We found a positive correlation between a long pain‐history and lack of analgesic effect and also between a short pain‐history and a long‐term analgesic effect of low‐dose ketamine. The apparent relationship between patient age and ketamine response was, however, not statistically significant. Further, patients with pain following a nerve lesion and patients without a known lesion of peripheral nerves were equally distributed between the three response groups. These results indicate that pain mechanisms are subject to alterations with time and that these alterations involve transition from NMDA to non‐NMDA receptor mediated transmission in central pain pathways.
The effects of different types of imagery delivery on performance and self-efficacy

The main objective of this thesis is to identify the most effective way of delivering imagery to athletes. Researchers have proposed that imagery effectiveness is affected by a number of factors, including the method used to deliver imagery. One type of imagery delivery, referred to as routine imagery (RI) in this thesis, has been used in many studies and applied settings (for a review, see Cooley, Williams, Burns, & Cumming, 2013) where the same scenario was imagined without any changes throughout the intervention period. Another method recently used in the literature, which is called progressive imagery (PI) in this thesis, is to implement various elements of imagery in a progressive way (Wakefield & Smith, 2012). In other words, in PI we start the imagery training programs with simple images, few objects, and little action, then create more complex situations by adding information in steps. Another alternative training method introduced in this thesis is retrogressive imagery (RETI), in which the process of PI is reversed.