Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Je suis un Italien de Paris: Italian migrants’ incorporation in a European capital city

ABSTRACT Italy has experienced a new wave of population outflows, in particular since the end of the 2000s, with France as one of the top destinations. This paper investigates the structural and socio-cultural integration of Italian migrants in Paris. The paper is based on a mixed-methods approach, using in-depth interviews, census data and an online survey. We found that the profile and incorporation patterns of post-crisis migrants reflects a long-term trend of middling migration out of Italy. Similar to other studies, we show that current Italian migrants are prevailingly highly skilled and employed in non-manual jobs. As for socio-cultural integration, the paper highlights the symbolic value of the host city, to which migrants are strongly attached. Moreover, the longer the Italian’s stay in Paris, the higher his/her integration in Italy-oriented activities, both within Paris and in Italy. This indicates a complex incorporation model that is at odds with assimilation but at the same time departs from ethnicised and community-based patterns. Italian migrants combine being both Parisian and Italian in a ‘synergistic balancing act’ (Erdal and Oeppen 2013. ‘Migrant Balancing Acts: Understanding the Interactions between Integration and Transnationalism.’ Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies 39 (6):867–884. ) of integration and transnationalism.
Different Effects of Angiotensin Receptor Blockade on End-Organ Damage in Salt-Dependent and Salt-Independent Hypertension

Background— Although angiotensin II type 1 receptor blockers have emerged as effective antihypertensive agents, it is not known how efficacious these agents are in treating hypertension-associated target organ damage. Methods and Results— The present study was undertaken to compare the effect of angiotensin type 1 receptor inhibition on the progression of the organ damage observed in 2 models of hypertension, namely, salt-sensitive and nitric oxide synthase inhibition–mediated hypertension. Effective (16.4 &mgr;mol/kg) and ineffective (0.8 to 4.9 &mgr;mol/kg) antihypertensive doses of candesartan cilexetil were initiated after hypertension was established. Both low- and high-dose candesartan cilexetil significantly reduced cardiac and renal damage in the nitric oxide synthase inhibitor model of hypertension (P<0.05 versus untreated); however, high-dose candesartan caused a significant increase in renal damage in the Dahl salt-sensitive model of hypertension (P<0.05 versus untreated). Interestingly, the beneficial end-organ effects of candesartan in the nitric oxide synthase inhibition model were independent of sustained antihypertensive actions of candesartan, whereas the exacerbation of renal injury with candesartan in the Dahl salt-sensitive model was inversely related to its blood pressure–lowering effect. Conclusions— These data show that angiotensin type 1 blockade reduces injury in the l-nitroarginine methyl ester model but increases tissue injury in the salt-sensitive model. These data suggest that angiotensin II via angiotensin type 1 receptor activation contributes to organ damage in nitric oxide–deficient salt-independent hypertension but is protective in salt-induced hypertension. These data further suggest that (1) renal injury may evolve independently of blood pressure and (2) the effectiveness of an antihypertensive agent in ameliorating renal injury may depend on the etiology of the hypertension.
Development of Two-Step Temperature Process to Modulate the Physicochemical Properties of β-lactoglobulin Nanoparticles

The development of a new manufacturing process, a two-step temperature treatment, to modulate the physicochemical properties of nanoparticles including the size is critical. This is because its physicochemical properties can be key factors affecting the cellular uptake and the bioavailability of bioactive compounds encapsulated in nanoparticles. The aims of this study were to produce (beta-lactoglobulin) β-lg nanoparticles and to understand how two-step temperature treatment could affect the formation and physicochemical properties of β-lg nanoparticles. The morphological and physicochemical properties of β-lg nanoparticles were determined using atomic force microscopy and a particle size analyzer, respectively. Circular dichroism spectroscopy was used to investigate the secondary structure of β-lg. The surface hydrophobicity and free thiol groups of β-lg were increased with a decrease in sub-ambient temperature and an increase in mild heat temperature. As sub-ambient temperature was decreased, a decrease in α-helical content and an increase in β-sheet content were observed. The two-step temperature treatment firstly involved a sub-ambient temperature treatment from 5 to 20°C for 30 min, followed secondly by a mild heat temperature treatment from 55 to 75°C for 10 min. This resulted in the production of spherically-shaped particles with a size ranging from 61 to 214 nm. Two-way ANOVA exhibited the finding that both sub-ambient and mild heat temperature significantly (p<0.0001) affected the size of nanoparticles. Zeta-potential values of β-lg nanoparticles were reduced with increasing mild heat temperature. In conclusion, two-step temperature treatment was shown to play an important role in the manufacturing process – both due to its inducement of the conformational changes of β-lg during nanoparticle formation, and due to its modulation of the physicochemical properties of β-lg nanoparticles.
Uniform asymptotic inference and the bootstrap after model selection

Recently, Tibshirani et al. (2016) proposed a method for making inferences about parameters defined by model selection, in a typical regression setting with normally distributed errors. Here, we study the large sample properties of this method, without assuming normality. We prove that the test statistic of Tibshirani et al. (2016) is asymptotically valid, as the number of samples n grows and the dimension d of the regression problem stays fixed. Our asymptotic result holds uniformly over a wide class of nonnormal error distributions. We also propose an efficient bootstrap version of this test that is provably (asymptotically) conservative, and in practice, often delivers shorter intervals than those from the original normality-based approach. Finally, we prove that the test statistic of Tibshirani et al. (2016) does not enjoy uniform validity in a high-dimensional setting, when the dimension d is allowed grow.
BIOINFORMATICS ORIGINAL PAPER

Motivation: Enzymes are complex catalytic machines, which perform sequences of elementary chemical transformations resulting in biochemical function. The building blocks of enzymes, elementary functional loops (EFLs), possess distinct functional signatures and provide catalytic and binding amino acids to the enzyme’s active sites. The goal of this work is to obtain primordial prototypes of EFLs that existed before the formation of enzymatic domains and served as their building blocks. Results: We developed a computational strategy for reconstructing ancient prototypes of EFLs based on the comparison of sequence segments on the proteomic scale, which goes beyond detection of conserved functional motifs in homologous proteins. We illustrate the procedure by a CxxC-containing prototype with a very basic and ancient elementary function of metal/metal-containing cofactor binding and redox activity. Acquiring the prototypes of EFLs is necessary for revealing how the original set of protein folds with enzymatic functions emerged in predomain evolution. Supplementary Information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
The Relationship between Intrinsic Motivation, Motivational Interviewing and Physical Activity in an African American Church Population

MOTIVATIONAL INTERVIEWING: A PATH TOWARD HEALTH BEHAVIOR CHANGE IN AFRICAN AMERICANS by Simone S. Rahotep, M.S. African Americans carry a disproportionate amount of the health burden for chronic disease in the United States (Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2007). Diabetes, heart disease and cancer, to name a few, are diseases which prematurely capture the lives of African Americans. While chronic, these diseases are preventable with the advent of behavioral change. Physical activity is a primary contributor to longer life expectancy and fewer health concerns (United States Department of Health and Human Services, 1996). While American society, as a whole, struggles to incorporate more physical activity in their lifestyles, African Americans exhibit higher levels of physical inactivity which correlates to higher instances of preventable and chronic health problems in this subgroup of the population. Thus intervention which addresses the specific needs of this community, the mechanisms by which to prompt behavior change and the most effective means to disseminate this information is needed to affect health behavior change in this population. The African American church provides an ideal vehicle by which to diminish these health issues as existing teaching, support and resource mechanisms can be utilized. The current paper explores the relationship between increasing intrinsic motivation through employing motivational interviewing as a strategy to increase physical activity among African Americans church members. THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MOTIVATIONAL INTERVIEWING, INTRINSIC MOTIVATION AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY IN AN AFRICAN AMERICAN CHURCH POPULATION by Simone S. Rahotep A Dissertation Presented in Partial Fulfillment of Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Counseling Psychology in the Department of Counseling and Psychological Services in the College of Education Georgia State University
Uricosuric targets of tranilast

Uric acid, generated from the metabolism of purines, has both proven and emerging roles in human disease. Serum uric acid in humans is determined by production and by the net balance of reabsorption and secretion in kidney and intestine. In the human kidney, epithelial reabsorption dominates over secretion, such that in normal subjects there is at least 90% net reabsorption of filtered urate resulting in a fractional excretion of <10%. Tranilast, an anti‐inflammatory drug with pleiotropic effects, has a marked hypouricemic, uricosuric effect in humans. We report here that tranilast is a potent inhibitor of [14C]‐urate transport mediated by the major reabsorptive urate transporters (URAT1, GLUT9, OAT4, and OAT10) in Xenopus oocytes; this provides an unequivocal molecular mechanism for the drug's uricosuric effect. Tranilast was found to inhibit urate transport mediated by URAT1 and GLUT9 in a fully reversible and noncompetitive (mixed) manner. In addition, tranilast inhibits the secretory urate transporters NPT1, OAT1, and OAT3 without affecting the secretory efflux pump ABCG2. Notably, while benzbromarone and probenecid inhibited urate as well as nicotinate transport, tranilast inhibited the urate transport function of URAT1, GLUT9, OAT4, OAT10, and NPT1, without significantly affecting nicotinate transport mediated by SMCT1 (IC50 ~1.1 mmol/L), SMCT2 (IC50 ~1.0 mmol/L), and URAT1 (IC50 ~178 μmol/L). In summary, tranilast causes uricosuria by inhibiting all the major reabsorptive urate transporters, selectively affecting urate over nicotinate transport. These data have implications for the treatment of hyperuricemia and gout, the pharmacology of tranilast, and the structure‐function analysis of urate transport.
Obesity and Other Correlates of Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviors among US High School Students

Understanding correlates of physical activity (PA) can help inform and improve programs that promote PA among youth. We analyzed data from the 2010 National Youth Physical Activity and Nutrition Study, a representative sample of US students in grades 9–12. Logistic regression was used to examine associations between PA correlates (obesity, physical education classes, sports team participation, attitude toward PA, adult support for PA, and environmental support for PA) and participation in daily PA (DPA), vigorous PA (VPA), muscle-strengthening activity (MSA), viewing television (TV), and using computers or video games (C/VG). A positive attitude toward PA and adult support for PA were both associated with increased PA and decreased sedentary behavior. However, among students who lived in neighborhoods that were not safe for PA, a positive attitude toward PA was not associated with increased DPA or decreased sedentary behavior and was less strongly associated with VPA and MSA. Efforts to increase PA among youth should promote a positive attitude toward PA among youth and encourage adult family members to support their efforts to be active. Policies that promote safe neighborhoods may work synergistically with a positive attitude toward PA to increase participation in PA and decrease sedentary behaviors.
Is Doing Good Good for You? How Corporate Charitable Contributions Enhance Revenue Growth

This study examines the impact of corporate philanthropy growth on sales growth using a large sample of charitable contributions made by U.S. public companies from 1989 through 2000. Applying Granger causality tests, we find that charitable contributions are significantly associated with future revenue, whereas the association between revenue and future contributions is marginally significant at best. We then identify the mechanism underlying our findings. Our results are particularly pronounced for firms that are highly sensitive to consumer perception, where individual consumers are the predominant customers. In addition, we document a positive relationship between contributions and customer satisfaction. Overall, our evidence suggests that corporate philanthropy, under certain circumstances, furthers firms' economic objectives. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Contribution of Auditory Working Memory to Speech Understanding in Mandarin-Speaking Cochlear Implant Users

Purpose To investigate how auditory working memory relates to speech perception performance by Mandarin-speaking cochlear implant (CI) users. Method Auditory working memory and speech perception was measured in Mandarin-speaking CI and normal-hearing (NH) participants. Working memory capacity was measured using forward digit span and backward digit span; working memory efficiency was measured using articulation rate. Speech perception was assessed with: (a) word-in-sentence recognition in quiet, (b) word-in-sentence recognition in speech-shaped steady noise at +5 dB signal-to-noise ratio, (c) Chinese disyllable recognition in quiet, (d) Chinese lexical tone recognition in quiet. Self-reported school rank was also collected regarding performance in schoolwork. Results There was large inter-subject variability in auditory working memory and speech performance for CI participants. Working memory and speech performance were significantly poorer for CI than for NH participants. All three working memory measures were strongly correlated with each other for both CI and NH participants. Partial correlation analyses were performed on the CI data while controlling for demographic variables. Working memory efficiency was significantly correlated only with sentence recognition in quiet when working memory capacity was partialled out. Working memory capacity was correlated with disyllable recognition and school rank when efficiency was partialled out. There was no correlation between working memory and lexical tone recognition in the present CI participants. Conclusions Mandarin-speaking CI users experience significant deficits in auditory working memory and speech performance compared with NH listeners. The present data suggest that auditory working memory may contribute to CI users' difficulties in speech understanding. The present pattern of results with Mandarin-speaking CI users is consistent with previous auditory working memory studies with English-speaking CI users, suggesting that the lexical importance of voice pitch cues (albeit poorly coded by the CI) did not influence the relationship between working memory and speech perception.
It’s my choice! Investigating barriers to pro-social blood donating behaviour

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate barriers to pro-social behaviour in the form of blood donating using self-determination theory. Design/methodology/approach Respondents were recruited through intercepts at a major international university and at points within the community in a capital city in Australia. Sampling was conducted over a three-week period resulting in a sample of 617 respondents. Findings Results show intrinsic motivations positively influence intentions towards blood donation, self-identity, and locus of control. Further, despite positively influencing other factors, external regulation positively influenced amotivation indicating the more likely people feel pressured to donate blood, the less likely they will be motivated to donate blood. Originality/value This would suggest one way to influence more people to become donors is to place greater focus on the positive emotional feelings they derive from the act of donating blood and the control they have over that donation. Using external regulation strategy which often suggests people “must” or “have-to” donate blood may be limiting blood donation numbers.
Endogenous Sudden Stops in a Business Cycle Model with Collateral Constraints:A Fisherian Deflation of Tobin's Q

The current account reversals, large recessions, and price collapses that define Sudden Stops contradict the predictions of a large class of models in which the current account is a vehicle for consumption smoothing and investment financing. This paper shows that the quantitative predictions of a business cycle model with collateral constraints are consistent with the key features of Sudden Stops. Standard shocks to imported input prices, the world interest rate, and productivity trigger collateral constraints on debt and working capital when borrowing levels are high relative to asset values, and these high-leverage states are endogenous outcomes. In these situations, Irving Fisher's debt-deflation mechanism causes Sudden Stops as the deflation of Tobin's Q leads to a spiraling decline in the prices and holdings of collateral assets. This has immediate effects on output and factor demands because collapsing collateral values cut access to working capital. In contrast with previous findings, collateral constraints induce significant amplification in the responses of macroaggregates to shocks. Because of precautionary saving, Sudden Stops are infrequent events nested within normal cycles in the long run, but they remain a positive probability event.
Charged Nariai black holes with a dilaton

The Reissner-Nordstrom-de Sitter black holes of standard Einstein-Maxwell theory with a cosmological constant have no analogue in dilatonic theories with a Liouville potential. The only exception are the solutions of maximal mass, the Charged Nariai solutions. We show that the structure of the solution space of the Dilatonic Charged Nariai black holes is quite different from the non-dilatonic case. Its dimensionality depends on the exponential coupling constants of the dilaton. We discuss the possibility of pair creating such black holes on a suitable background. We find conditions for the existence of Charged Nariai solutions in theories with general dilaton potentials, and consider specifically a massive dilaton.
Investigating the Public-Private Wage Gap in Ireland Using Data from the National Employment Survey 2007

This paper uses data from the 2007 National Employment Survey to analyse the public-private sector wage gap in Ireland. The purpose of the paper is to highlight the issues around attempting to establish a definitive measurement of the public-private sector wage differential. A number of different approaches are used to estimate the public-private wage gap, and the limitations of these various methods are highlighted. A range of plausible estimates of this wage gap are presented for 2007. In particular, this report investigates the effect of weighting on the estimates as well as exploring the impact that the inclusion of size of enterprise has on the results. These results show that, in general, there is a premium associated with working in the public sector when average estimates are calculated. When quantile regression is used to consider how the premium varies across the distribution of earnings, it was found that the premium was highest at the lower end of the earnings distribution and lowest at the top end. However, in most instances modelled, the public-private wage gap became a discount at the higher end of the earnings distribution. Generally, the exclusion of size of enterprise from the model increased the public-private wage gap by approximately 5 percentage points. Conducting the analysis on weighted data rather than unweighted data tended to increase the size of the wage gap, and this was particularly true for male employees. In this paper, we also analyse a sample that excluded personal and protective services employees. The exclusion of this particular sub-sample had the effect of considerably reducing the public-private wage gap, most noticeably for males. This impact was evident in both the weighted and unweighted analyses. In light of the difficulties highlighted in this report in comparing public and private sector wages, it should be noted that any type of regression or related analysis that attempts to directly compare earnings across the public and private sector is prone to oversimplification.
Minimally-Constrained Multilingual Embeddings via Artificial Code-Switching

We present a method that consumes a large corpus of multilingual text and produces a single, unified word embedding in which the word vectors generalize across languages. In contrast to current approaches that require language identification, our method is agnostic about the languages with which the documents in the corpus are expressed, and does not rely on parallel corpora to constrain the spaces. Instead we utilize a small set of human provided word translations---which are often freely and readily available. We can encode such word translations as hard constraints in the model's objective functions; however, we find that we can more naturally constrain the space by allowing words in one language to borrow distributional statistics from context words in another language. We achieve this via a process we term artificial code-switching. As the name suggests, we induce code-switching so that words across multiple languages appear in contexts together. Not only do embedding models trained on code-switched data learn common cross-lingual structure, the common structure allows an NLP model trained in a source language to generalize to multiple target languages (achieving up to 80% of the accuracy of models trained with target-language data).
Communication in schizophrenia, between pragmatics, cognition, and social cognition

We previously reported communication disruption in schizophrenia at the pragmatic level, i.e., in the ability to match language and context. Pragmatic abilities interact with a number of cognitive functions, from Theory of Mind to executive control, which in turn are known to be compromised in schizophrenia. This study aims to explore the relationship between communication-related skills, assessed through a newly developed pragmatic protocol, and neuropsychological measures, including Theory of Mind, in a sample of 39 patients with schizophrenia. Among all neuropsychological domains assessed, verbal short term memory and executive functions seem to especially correlate with the comprehension of the pragmatic aspects of language. Other cognitive and socio-cognitive domains seem to correlate in a task-specific fashion, i.e., depending on the pragmatic task under investigation. Our findings suggest that, while there is a cognitive platform for pragmatic abilities, communicative behavior is at least partially independent of the global cognitive profile. Also, the effect of Theory of Mind is likely to be mediated by more basic cognitive functions.