Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
INTERSECTING INTERESTS

Abstract Despite claims by normative theorists that gender diversity in Congress leads to better representation of women’s interests, the results of empirical studies have been largely mixed. While some scholars have found positive effects of gender diversity, others have found very little impact. We argue that it is not the presence of White and minority women alone that makes political institutions more responsive to women’s issues, but rather it is the organizational presence of minority men along with minority women who make similar claims for inclusion, power, and organizational formation to achieve those goals that matters. We examine to what extent gender and racial diversity have led to more attention to issues that directly and indirectly impact women. Using congressional hearings data from 1951–2004, we find that the increased presence of minority men and women legislators in the House, but less so in the Senate, is responsible for keeping women’s interests on the congressional agenda. We demonstrate how an intersectional and additive approach can add both theoretical and empirical value to the study of political representation by demonstrating the impact of women and minorities in Congress.
Population Structure of Streptococcus pneumoniae Causing Invasive Disease in Adults in Portugal before PCV13 Availability for Adults: 2008-2011

Among the 1660 isolates recovered from invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) in adults (> = 18 yrs) in 2008–2011, a random sample of ≥50% of each serotype (n = 871) was chosen for MLST analysis and evaluation for the presence and type of pilus islands (PIs). The genetic diversity was high with 206 different sequence types (STs) detected, but it varied significantly between serotypes. The different STs represented 80 clonal complexes (CCs) according to goeBURST with the six more frequent accounting for more than half (50.6%) of the isolates—CC156 (serotypes 14, 9V and 23F), CC191 (serotype 7F), CC180 (serotype 3), CC306 (serotype 1), CC62 (serotypes 8 and 11A) and CC230 (serotype 19A). Most of the isolates (n = 587, 67.3%) were related to 29 Pneumococcal Molecular Epidemiology Network recognized clones. The overall proportion of isolates positive for any of the PIs was small (31.9%) and declined gradually during the study period (26.6% in 2011), mostly due to the significant decline of serotype 1 which is associated with PI-2. The changes in serotypes that occurred in adult IPD after the introduction of the seven-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV7) for children were mostly due to the expansion of previously circulating clones, while capsular switching was infrequent and not related to vaccine use. The reduction of IPD caused by PCV7 serotypes in the years following PCV7 implementation did not result in a decline of antimicrobial resistance in part due to the selection of resistant genotypes among serotypes 14 and 19A.
On the mutual information of 3D massive MIMO systems: An asymptotic approach

Motivated by the recent interest in 3D beamforming to enhance system performance, we present an information-theoretic channel model for multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) systems, that can support the elevation dimension. The principle of maximum entropy is used to determine the distribution of the channel matrix consistent with the prior angular information. We provide an explicit expression for the cumulative density function (CDF) of the mutual information in the large number of transmit antennas and paths regime. The derived Gaussian approximation is quite accurate even for realistic system dimensions. The simulation results study the achievable performance through the meticulous selection of the transmit antenna downtilt angles. The results are directly applicable to the analysis of 5G 3D massive MIMO systems.
Emerging into adulthood in the face of racial discrimination: Physiological, psychological, and sociopolitical consequences for african american youth.

Emerging adulthood is a critical developmental period that bridges adolescence and adulthood and is distinguished by identity exploration through education, vocation, relationships, and culture. However, the transition to adulthood is disrupted for African Americans, because they experience interpersonal and institutional discrimination in everyday settings including school, employment, and housing. In this article, we provide a summary of the current literature and explore the psychological, physiological, and sociopolitical consequences of racial discrimination for African American emerging adults. Extant research underscores the stress that discrimination places on African American emerging adults and the deleterious effects that discrimination has on mental and physical health. Equally, scholarship highlights the significance of discrimination in shaping African American emerging adult sociopolitical development. Finally, we recommend applications of the current literature toward the wellbeing and development of African American emerging adults and their communities in terms of clinical care, socialization, and civic engagement.
Corynebacterium peritonitis in Australian peritoneal dialysis patients: predictors, treatment and outcomes in 82 cases.

BACKGROUND Infection due to Corynebacterium species has been reported with increasing frequency over recent decades. The impacts of enhanced laboratory detection together with widespread use of new peritoneal dialysis (PD) connection technology and antimicrobial prophylaxis strategies on Corynebacterium PD-associated peritonitis have not been well studied. METHODS We investigated the frequency, predictors, treatment and clinical outcomes of Corynebacterium peritonitis in all Australian adult patients involving 66 centres who were receiving PD between 1 October 2003 and 31 December 2006. RESULTS Eighty-two episodes of Corynebacterium peritonitis (2.3% of all peritonitis episodes) occurred in 65 (1.4%) PD patients. Ten (15%) patients experienced more than one episode of Corynebacterium peritonitis and additional organisms were isolated in 12 (15%) episodes of Corynebacterium peritonitis. The incidence of Corynebacterium peritonitis was significantly and independently predicted only by BMI: RR 2.72 (95% CI 1.38-5.36) for the highest tertile BMI compared with the lowest tertile. The overall cure rate with antibiotics alone was 67%, which was similar to that of peritonitis due to other organisms. Vancomycin was the most common antimicrobial agent administered in the initial empiric and subsequent antibiotic regimens, although outcomes were similar regardless of antimicrobial schedule. Corynebacterium peritonitis not infrequently resulted in relapse (18%), repeat peritonitis (15%), hospitalization (70%), catheter removal (21%), permanent haemodialysis transfer (15%) and death (2%). The individuals who had their catheters removed more than 1 week after the onset of Corynebacterium peritonitis had a significantly higher risk of permanent haemodialysis transfer than those who had their catheters removed within 1 week (90% versus 43%, P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS Corynebacterium is an uncommon but significant cause of PD-associated peritonitis. Complete cure with antibiotics alone is possible in the majority of patients, and rates of adverse outcomes are comparable to those seen with peritonitis due to other organisms. Use of vancomycin rather than cephazolin as empiric therapy does not impact outcomes, and a 2-week course of antibiotic therapy appears sufficient. If catheter removal is required, outcomes are improved by removing the catheter within 1 week of peritonitis onset.
Efficacy of Parent-Child Interaction Therapy with Parents with Intellectual Disability

ABSTRACT Parents with intellectual disability (ID) face many parenting challenges that may affect their ability to parent effectively, and such deficits are often associated with various poor child outcomes. Research findings are inconsistent for interventions targeting systematic skills for parents with ID. Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) is an empirically supported treatment that incorporates performance-based training to enhance parenting ability. This study evaluated implementation of PCIT with parents with ID using a multiple baseline design across behaviors. Results suggest increases in positive parenting behaviors and consistent discipline. However, limitations related to poor maintenance and generalization warrant the need for future research.
Liver Regeneration Associated Protein (ALR) Exhibits Antimetastatic Potential in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Augmenter of liver regeneration (ALR), which is critically important in liver regeneration and hepatocyte proliferation, is highly expressed in cirrhotic livers and hepatocellular carcinomas (HCC). In the current study, the functional role of ALR in hepatocancerogenesis was analyzed in more detail. HepG2 cells, in which the cytosolic 15 kDa ALR isoform was reexpressed stably, (HepG2-ALR) were used in migration and invasion assays using modified Boyden chambers. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) markers were determined in HepG2-ALR cells in vitro and in HepG2-ALR tumors grown in nude mice. ALR protein was quantified in HCC and nontumorous tissues by immunohistochemistry. HepG2-ALR, compared with HepG2 cells, demonstrated reduced cell motility and increased expression of the epithelial cell markers E-cadherin and Zona occludens-1 (ZO-1), whereas SNAIL, a negative regulator of E-cadherin, was diminished. Matrix metalloproteinase MMP1 and MMP3 mRNA expression and activity were reduced. HepG2-ALR cell-derived subcutaneously grown tumors displayed fewer necrotic areas, more epithelial-like cell growth and fewer polymorphisms and atypical mitotic figures than tumors derived from HepG2 cells. Analysis of tumor tissues of 53 patients with HCC demonstrated an inverse correlation of ALR protein with histological angioinvasion and grading. The 15 kDa ALR isoform was found mainly in HCC tissues without histological angioinvasion 0. In summary the present data indicate that cytosolic ALR reduces hepatoma cell migration, augments epithelial growth and, therefore, may act as an antimetastatic and EMT reversing protein.
Study and realization of a non-contact power supply system with fast information transmission capability

This study establishes an intelligent battery charging system using inductive transmission of power and fast full-duplex information. The inductive charging system improves the drawback like failure connection, sparking and the risk of electrical shock of the conventional charging system. Inductive transmission of power and information has the advantages of safety, reliability, and convenience. The power and information are simultaneously transferred through one ferrite core. That means the photo coupler that is used to transfer the voltage or current signal to primary to control the output voltage is replaced by the full-duplex information transmission system with the bidirectional Amplitude Shift Keying (ASK) signal. In the proposed inductive charging system, the information transmission speed is bounded by the switching frequency for the power transmission. Therefore, the information transmission speed is the main issue in this thesis. The proposed information transmission wouldn't be interfered by the power transmission and the transmission speed can achieve over 200kbps that is twice more than other inductive charging system. The feedback signal from the secondary to the primary is not only used to control the output voltage, but also used to detect the length of air gap.
THE SPECIFIC SELECTION OF RECIRCULATING LYMPHOCYTES BY ANTIGEN IN NORMAL AND PREIMMUNIZED RATS

Thoracic duct lymphocytes (TDL) from normal rats will restore a primary antibody response to sheep erythrocytes (SRBC) in irradiated recipients and cause a graft-versus-host reaction in F1 hybrid rats; lymphocytes from rats immunized with either tetanus toxoid or dinitrophenylated bovine gamma globulin (DNP BGG) will generate specific antibody after cell transfer and challenge. The ability of TDL to mediate each of these responses is severely depressed by giving a single intravenous dose of the specific antigen shortly before cannulation of the thoracic duct, although the lymphocyte donors themselves respond normally. The injection of antigen does not decrease the output of lymphocytes in the thoracic duct and the effect is specific for the antigen injected. The findings are most readily accounted for by assuming that small subpopulations of specific lymphocytes are selected from the recirculating pool by antigen which has localized in lymphoid tissue. The observation that passive antibody abolishes selection by SRBC supports this interpretation. The strong selection exerted by a subcutaneous injection of SRBC in Freund's complete adjuvant, which induces delayed hypersensitivity but little early antibody, suggests that a common cell type may be involved in the induction of both delayed hypersensitivity and antibody formation. The anti-DNP antibody response generated by TDL from rats immunized with DNP BGG was abolished by a selecting injection of the homologous conjugate. The response was depressed to a smaller degree by injections of either BGG or dinitrophenylated human serum albumin, suggesting that carrier-specific (T) and hapten-specific (B) lymphocytes could be separately selected from the recirculating pool. The regional selection of recirculating lymphocytes by antigen may explain a number of phenomena in which the prior injection of antigen has been found to inhibit a subsequent immune response.
Learning and the Return to Private Equity February 15 , 2004

This paper suggests a solution to the puzzling finding documented in Moskowitz and Vissing-Jorgensen (2002) that the return to an index of private equity is equal to the return to the CRSP index of public equity even though investment in private firms is substantially riskier. It presents an occupational choice model where human and financial capital can be jointly invested in a private business as an alternative to working for pay and investing in the stock market. Entrepreneurs learn about their firm’s unobservable average return over time. Only firms that pay a high average return survive but the existence of young firms that learn about their, possibly low, productivities drives down the return to the index of private equity. Agents are willing to make the initial investment at a negative premium on the stock to buy the option of enjoying the more favorable self-employment earnings process. I calibrate the model and show that this mechanism can explain the empirical fact mentioned above. The learning model in the paper obtains this result by using a self-employment earnings process that is consistent with the results in Hamilton (2000) both in terms of average excess earnings over the ones for paid-employees and in terms of a tenure profile of entrepreneurial earnings that starts below and then overtakes the one for workers after a few years.
This study presents a nonlinear spatiotemporal analysis of 1167 station temperature records from the United States

[1] This study presents a nonlinear spatiotemporal analysis of 1167 station temperature records from the United States Historical Climatology Network covering the period from 1898 through 2008. We use the empirical mode decomposition method to extract the generally nonlinear trends of each station. The statistical significance of each trend is assessed against three null models of the background climate variability, represented by stochastic processes of increasing temporal correlation length. We find strong evidence that more than 50% of all stations experienced a significant trend over the last century with respect to all three null models. A spatiotemporal analysis reveals a significant cooling trend in the South-East and significant warming trends in the rest of the contiguous U.S. It also shows that the warming trend appears to have migrated equatorward. This shows the complex spatiotemporal evolution of climate change at local scales.
Chromosomal Regions Underlying Noncoagulation of Milk in Finnish Ayrshire Cows

About 10% of Finnish Ayrshire cows produce noncoagulating milk, i.e., milk that does not form a curd in a standard 30-min testing time and is thus a poor raw material for cheese dairies. This phenomenon is associated with peak and midlactation, but some cows produce noncoagulating milk persistently. A genomewide scan under a selective DNA pooling method was carried out to locate genomic regions associated with the noncoagulation of milk. On the basis of the hypothesis of the same historical mutation, we pooled the data across sires. Before testing pools for homogeneity, allele intensities were corrected for PCR artifacts, i.e., shadow bands and differential amplification. Results indicating association were verified using daughter design and selective genotyping within families. Data consisted of 18 sire families with 477 genotyped daughters in total, i.e., 12% of each tail of the milk coagulation ability. Data were analyzed using interval mapping under maximum-likelihood and nonparametric methods. BMS1126 on chromosome 2 and BMS1355 on chromosome 18 were associated with noncoagulation of milk across families on an experimentwise 0.1% significance level. By scanning gene databases, we found two potential candidate genes: LOC538897, a nonspecific serine/threonine kinase on chromosome 2, and SIAT4B, a sialyltransferase catalyzing the last step of glycosylation of κ-casein on chromosome 18. Further studies to determine the role of the candidates in the noncoagulation of milk are clearly needed.
Does Supporting Equated Learning for Online and On-campus Postgraduate Students by Using a VLE Increase Tutor Workload?

This study assesses the effects of study mode on student achievement, student satisfaction and staff workload in three modes of study: online learning, on-campus learning and a blended mix of both online and on-campus tutorials. Statistical analysis revealed no significant differences in grades (summative marks) between online and on-campus groups. However, online students required more tutor assistance than on-campus students. Online provision increased tutor time, dependent on group size and study mode. Similar to other research these findings indicate that students are not disadvantaged by the isolation of online learning, and/or that tutors’ workload increases to create parity in summative grade scores. This ongoing evaluation suggests that traditional on-campus views of calculating tutor workload may require rethinking to acknowledge online tutor activity.
Peer-Facilitated Learning: Students’ Experiences

ABSTRACT This article explores first-year students’ motivation for attending peer-facilitated learning (PFL) sessions at a University of Technology, and how they benefit from it. Studies have shown better academic performance for students attending PFL sessions; however, little attention has been dedicated to questioning what else outside of subject knowledge is being disseminated during these sessions; what motivates students to attend these sessions; and what students benefit from attending these sessions. Research has revealed that the majority of first-year students experience challenges with the transition between high school and university. Consequently, first-year experience has become the focus of higher education institutions worldwide. This situation calls for an effective intervention programme such as PFL to assist first-year students with the challenges of transition. The findings of this study contrary to popular literature that highlights academic success as the focus of PFL, revealed that students demonstrate a strong inclination to soft skills and social interactions as the main motivation for attending PFL sessions. This calls for a re-evaluation on how PFL support should be organised especially for first-year students.
Navigating Difficult Times with Pillow Talk: Post Sex Communication as a Strategy for Mitigating Uncertainty Following Relational Transgressions

The present study extends previous work on communication after sexual activity by investigating the influence of “pillow talk” over time within relationships that have experienced a recent transgression. Thirty-six participants who had experienced a transgression committed by a current dating partner provided information about their levels of relational uncertainty, amount of pillow talk, and relational outcomes. Findings revealed that, over the course of a month, increased changes in pillow talk were negatively associated with uncertainty and positively associated with several relational outcomes. Self and relationship uncertainty also mediated the associations between pillow talk and several relational outcomes. These results provide insight into how pillow talk might play a protective function in helping dating partners manage uncertainty following a relational transgression.
Human Insula Activation Reflects Risk Prediction Errors As Well As Risk

Understanding how organisms deal with probabilistic stimulus-reward associations has been advanced by a convergence between reinforcement learning models and primate physiology, which demonstrated that the brain encodes a reward prediction error signal. However, organisms must also predict the level of risk associated with reward forecasts, monitor the errors in those risk predictions, and update these in light of new information. Risk prediction serves a dual purpose: (1) to guide choice in risk-sensitive organisms and (2) to modulate learning of uncertain rewards. To date, it is not known whether or how the brain accomplishes risk prediction. Using functional imaging during a simple gambling task in which we constantly changed risk, we show that an early-onset activation in the human insula correlates significantly with risk prediction error and that its time course is consistent with a role in rapid updating. Additionally, we show that activation previously associated with general uncertainty emerges with a delay consistent with a role in risk prediction. The activations correlating with risk prediction and risk prediction errors are the analogy for risk of activations correlating with reward prediction and reward prediction errors for reward expectation. As such, our findings indicate that our understanding of the neural basis of reward anticipation under uncertainty needs to be expanded to include risk prediction.
Characterization of flow‐regulated cortical collecting duct endothelin‐1 production

Collecting duct (CD) endothelin‐1 (ET‐1) is an autocrine inhibitor of Na+ and water reabsorption. Salt or water loading increases CD ET‐1 production; this is likely due, at least in part, to increased tubule fluid flow. The mechanisms by which flow stimulates CD ET‐1 production are incompletely understood. In particular, flow induction of cortical CD (CCD) and inner medullary CD (IMCD) ET‐1 synthesis may occur via different mechanisms. Since flow‐mediated ET‐1 production in IMCD has been more extensively characterized than in the CCD, this study was undertaken to further examine putative signaling pathways involved in flow‐stimulated CCD ET‐1 production. The CD cell line, mpkCCDcl4, was exposed to static or flow (2 dyne/cm2 for 2 h) conditions and ET‐1/GAPDH mRNA levels were assessed. Intracellular Ca2+, Ca2+‐stimulated Ca2+ release, calcineurin, and protein kinase c α/β isoforms were all involved in the ET‐1 flow response. TRPC6, but not other CD‐expressed TRP channels (TRPC3, 4, and 5, or TRPV4) played a role in the ET‐1 flow response. Purinergic signaling pathways and cilia were not involved in the ET‐1 flow response. Based on these and previously published findings, we present a comparison of flow‐stimulated CD ET‐1 production between CCD and IMCD. We suggest that flow‐stimulated CCD ET‐1 production may be more involved in responding to Na+ delivery, while IMCD ET‐1 production may be more responsive to water and solute delivery; the responsible pathways for mediating these effects in the two regions of the CD appear to be substantially distinct from one another.