Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Minimum Wages in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Primer

Although the sectors and fraction of workers covered are small given the low rates of formality and urbanization in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), as the number of covered workers grows wage regulation will become increasingly significant. We find that higher minimum wage values are associated with higher GDP per capita. Importantly, however, we find that the minimum wage relative to the mean wage is higher in low income countries than in lower- and upper-middle income countries. Indeed, SSA as a whole reflects a bias towards a more aggressive minimum wage policy compared to the rest of the world. There is limited research on the employment effect of minimum wages in SSA, but the few findings are consistent with the broad summary of global research. By and large, introducing and raising the minimum wage has a small negative impact or no measurable negative impact. However, there is significant variation around this average finding – the employment elasticities are not constant nor linear. Where increases in a minimum wage are large and immediate, this can result in employment losses, but more modest increases usually have very little observably adverse effects and may have positive impacts on wages. The great variability in findings on employment could be due partly to the great variation in the detail of the minimum wage regimes and schedules country by country, but also by the variations in compliance. We find that higher Kaitz indices are associated with higher levels of non-compliance. The release of country-level earnings and employment data at regular intervals lies at the heart of a future country-focused minimum wage research agenda for Africa.
ADAPTIVE PLASTICITY IN DEVELOPMENT OF SCAPHIOPUS COUCHII TADPOLES IN DESERT PONDS

Couch's spadefoot toads (Scaphiopus couchii) breed in ephemeral desert ponds that are highly variable in duration. Rapid development is expected to be advantageous in short‐duration ponds, but slower development, allowing more time for growth, may be advantageous in ponds of longer duration. Previous experiments have revealed both genetic variation in development time and phenotypic plasticity in response to pond drying. In this paper, I examine the norms of reaction of five sibships of tadpoles to see whether there is genetic variation in the effect of pond duration, i.e., in phenotypic plasticity. Several important results emerged. 1) Differences among sibships in development time that were seen in the lab were also seen in the field. 2) There was no evidence for genetic variation in plasticity of development; all sibships exhibited faster development and decreased larval period in ponds of short duration. Plasticity in development appears to be adaptive, as size at metamorphosis was correlated with duration of larval period. The slowest developing sibship, however, suffered higher mortality compared to other sibships in short duration ponds. 3) Sibships did not differ in growth or size at metamorphosis in short‐duration ponds, but the slowest developing sibship metamorphosed at the largest size in long duration ponds, resulting in a significant genotype x environment interaction for size at metamorphosis. Thus, although only one of the five sibships responded differently, there appears to be genetic variation for plasticity in growth, and a genetically determined trade‐off between fitness in short‐duration ponds (via rapid development) and fitness in long duration ponds (via large size at metamorphosis). This may explain the existence of both phenotypic plasticity and genetic variation in development. A single genotype, although capable of adaptive plasticity, is not sufficiently flexible to have equally high fitness in both long‐ and short‐duration ponds.
Disruptive Religion : The Force of Faith in Social Movement Activism

Acknowledgements, About the Contributors, Introduction: Correcting a Curious Neglect, or Bringing Religion Back In, Part One: Preexistent Organizations and Leadership, Chapter 1. The Black Church in the Civil Rights Movement: The SCLS as the Decentralized, Radical Arm of the Black Church, Chapter 2. Radical Islamic Insurgency in the Iranian Revolution of 1978-1979, Part Two: Religious Ritual and Insurgent Consciousness, Chapter 3. Pastoral Mobilization and Contention: The Religious Foundation of the Solidarity Movement in Poland, Chapter 4. Religious Rituals of Resistance and Class Consciousness in Bolivian Tin-Making CommunitiesPart Three: Mobilization and Repression, Chapter 5. Popular Religion, Protest and Revolt: The Emergence of Political Insurgency in the Nicaraguan and Salvadoran Churches of the 1960s-1980s, Chapter 6. Church Leadership, State Repression, and the 'Spirit of Involvement' in the South African Anti-Apartheid Movement, 1983-1990, Part Four: Symbolic Worlds and Activist Identity, Chapter 7. For God and the Fatherland: Protestant Symbolic Worlds and the Rise of National Socialism in Germany
Management of a full‐term infant with hemolytic disease of the newborn due to an anti‐Rh17 antibody in a mother with D‐‐ phenotype

Letters and correspondence submitted for possible publication must be identified as such. Text length must not exceed 500 words and five bibliographic references. A single concise figure or table may be included if it is essential to support the communication. Letters not typed double-spaced will not be considered for publication. Letters not meeting these specifications will not be returned to authors. Letters to the Editor are utilized to communicate a single novel observation or finding. Correspondence is to be used to supplement or constructively comment on the contents of a publication in the journal and cannot exceed the restrictions for Letters to the Editor. The Editor reserves the right to shorten text, delete objectional comments, and make other changes to comply with the style of the journal. Permission for publication must be appended as a postscript. Submissions must be sent to Jay Umbreit, MD, PhD, Editor of Brief Reports/Letters to Editors, American Journal of Hematology, Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University, 1365-B Clifton Road, Suite B4100, Atlanta, GA 30322 to permit rapid consideration for publication.
Effect of Socioeconomic Status on Food Availability and Cost of the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) Dietary Pattern

The authors assessed food availability and cost of the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) dietary pattern and patients' opinion concerning diet and blood pressure by surveying grocery stores and clinic patients in low‐ and high‐socioeconomic status (SES) areas of Boston, Massachusetts. The proportion of DASH items found in stores in low‐ and high‐SES communities was not significantly different (46.5% compared with 75%; P=.2896). The cost of eating a DASH meal plan was significantly more expensive in high‐SES communities ($40.20 compared with $30.73 per week; P=.0413). The authors' results suggest that DASH diet foods are available in low‐ and high‐SES communities, but there is a strong trend toward less food availability in low‐SES communities. Eating the DASH diet, however, is more expensive in high‐SES communities. Increased information, food availability, and affordability are likely to lead to more widespread adoption of the DASH diet.
RNA-Seq Analysis of Differentiated Keratinocytes Reveals a Massive Response to Late Events during Human Papillomavirus 16 Infection, Including Loss of Epithelial Barrier Function

ABSTRACT The human papillomavirus (HPV) replication cycle is tightly linked to epithelial cell differentiation. To examine HPV-associated changes in the keratinocyte transcriptome, RNAs isolated from undifferentiated and differentiated cell populations of normal, spontaneously immortalized keratinocytes (NIKS) and NIKS stably transfected with HPV16 episomal genomes (NIKS16) were compared using next-generation sequencing (RNA-Seq). HPV16 infection altered expression of 2,862 cellular genes. Next, to elucidate the role of keratinocyte gene expression in late events during the viral life cycle, RNA-Seq was carried out on triplicate differentiated populations of NIKS (uninfected) and NIKS16 (infected). Of the top 966 genes altered (>log2 = 1.8, 3.5-fold change), 670 genes were downregulated and 296 genes were upregulated. HPV downregulated many genes involved in epithelial barrier function, which involves structural resistance to the environment and immunity to infectious agents. For example, HPV infection repressed expression of the differentiated keratinocyte-specific pattern recognition receptor TLR7, the Langerhans cell chemoattractant CCL20, and proinflammatory cytokines interleukin 1α (IL-1α) and IL-1β. However, the type I interferon regulator IRF1, kappa interferon (IFN-κ), and viral restriction factors (IFIT1, -2, -3, and -5, OASL, CD74, and RTP4) were upregulated. HPV infection abrogated gene expression associated with the physical epithelial barrier, including keratinocyte cytoskeleton, intercellular junctions, and cell adhesion. Quantitative PCR (qRT-PCR) and Western blotting confirmed changes in expression of seven of the most significantly altered mRNAs. Expression of three genes showed statistically significant changes during cervical disease progression in clinical samples. Taken together, the data indicate that HPV infection manipulates the differentiating keratinocyte transcriptome to create an environment conducive to productive viral replication and egress. IMPORTANCE HPV genome amplification and capsid formation take place in differentiated keratinocytes. The viral life cycle is intimately associated with host cell differentiation. Deep sequencing (RNA-Seq) of RNA from undifferentiated and differentiated uninfected and HPV16-positive keratinocytes showed that almost 3,000 genes were differentially expressed in keratinocytes due to HPV16 infection. Strikingly, the epithelial barrier function of differentiated keratinocytes, comprising keratinocyte immune function and cellular structure, was found to be disrupted. These data provide new insights into the virus-host interaction that is crucial for the production of infectious virus and reveal that HPV infection remodels keratinocytes for completion of the virus replication cycle.
Anticipated Changes in Household Debt and Consumption

This paper evaluates how anticipated changes in debt associated with the leveraged purchase of housing a ect consumption. I build a heterogeneous agent model in which households save in liquid assets and illiquid housing, where the latter can be used as collateral for borrowing. I show that it is able to replicate the empirical distributions of income and wealth within the US economy. In the model there is substantial heterogeneity in households' marginal propensities to consume. Households with a high probability of buying housing stock lower their consumption of non-durable goods in anticipation of being credit constrained after their purchase. This results in households with low, even negative, marginal propensities to consume. I verify the model's predictions using micro-data from the PSID to show that (i) consumption falls in anticipation of, and after, changes in the stock of housing and (ii) households who are planning on purchasing housing have negative marginal propensities to consume. Finally, I use this model to examine the general equilibrium e ects of tax credits for rst home buyers and show that they lead to decreases in aggregate consumption. JEL codes: D14 , E21, E62.
Initial Findings from the IEA International Civic and Citizenship Education Study

The International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement, known as IEA, is an independent, international consortium of national research institutions and governmental research agencies, with headquarters in Amsterdam. Its primary purpose is to conduct large-scale comparative studies of educational achievement with the aim of gaining more in-depth understanding of the effects of policies and practices within and across systems of education. Foreword The International Civic and Citizenship Education Study (ICCS) is a project of the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA), an international organization which, for over 50 years, has conducted international comparative studies on educational achievement and reported on key aspects of education systems and processes. In 1971, the IEA conducted its first study of civic and citizenship education in nine countries. Eighteen years later, in 1999, the association conducted a second such study with 28 countries. The first study showed that not all countries approached teaching civic-related values in a formal way, and it provided inconclusive data about the impact of schooling on students' civic knowledge and civic attitudes. The results of the second study, however, clarified the role of school in preparing young people for their roles as citizens. The results highlighted the rich array of experiences in schools that can be considered important in this respect, including those associated with an open climate for discussion and expression in the classroom. The second civic education study also showed differences between student outcomes that can be attributed to factors beyond school. Through its rich findings, the second IEA civic education study contributed to a deeper understanding of the role of civic and citizenship education and identified issues relevant to educational reform. The 2009 IEA study of civic and citizenship education (ICCS), conducted in 38 countries around the world, built on the previous IEA studies of civic education, but took place in a context characterized by significant societal change, including the rapid development of new communication technologies, increased movement of people between countries, and the growth of supranational organizations. The data gathered from more than 140,000 students and 62,000 teachers in over 5,300 schools during the course of the study offers information that countries and education systems worldwide can use to inform and improve policy and practice in civic and citizenship education. This report of the initial findings is the first in a series of publications presenting the study outcomes. The next report will draw …
The Regional Entrepreneurship and Development Index – Measuring regional entrepreneurship

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY From a Managed to an Entrepreneurial Economy The shift from a ‘managed’ economy to an ‘entrepreneurial’ economy is among the most important challenges developed economies have faced over the last few decades. This challenge is closely coupled with the increasing importance of non-physical capital, such as human and intellectual capital for wealth creation. The most notable signs of this shift are the following: 1. knowledge is increasingly replacing physical capital and labor as the key driving force of economic growth; 2. individuals rather than large firms are the leading factor in new knowledge creation; 3. alongside with large conglomerates, new and small firms play a dominant role in translating newly created knowledge into marketable goods and services; 4. traditional industrial policy, with antitrust laws and small business protection, has been replaced by a much broader entrepreneurship policy aiming to promote entrepreneurial innovation and facilitate high-growth potential start-ups. Entrepreneurship Policy Three distinct foci can be identified in EU entrepreneurship policy, as it has evolved over time: 1. focus on SMEs; 2. focus on innovation through SMEs; 3. focus on high-growth SMEs. These co-existing foci reflect evolution in the understanding of the varied roles that entrepreneurship can play in economic development. However, although each of these focus areas adds important elements to the European economic policy toolbox, none of them alone provides a definitive answers to the diverse and varied challenges that different European regions face, as they seek to implement policies to enhance regional dynamism and competitiveness. The most recent evolution in entrepreneurship policy – an increasing emphasis on taking a more holistic and multi-pronged view of entrepreneurship, as advocated by the ‘entrepreneurship support ecosystem’ thinking – represents yet another evolution in European policy thinking. The focus on ‘entrepreneurship ecosystems’ calls attention to entrepreneurship support policies and initiatives over the entire lifecycle of the new venture, the key insight being that entrepreneurship support should be considered in a wider regional context. Thus, this emphasis naturally shifts focus towards a regional level of analysis, consistent with the focus of this current report and its ‘Systems of Entrepreneurship’ approach. Yet, although similar on the surface, the two concepts are fundamentally different. Whereas the notion of ‘Entrepreneurship Ecosystems’ focuses on entrepreneurship support policies and initiatives from a policy perspective, the notion of ‘Systems of Entrepreneurship’ draws attention to the entrepreneurial dynamic that ultimately drives productivity growth in regions. The two approaches therefore complement one 2 another, and the REDI index should provide important guidance for the design of entrepreneurship support ecosystems.
Functional Connectivity of the Hippocampus in Temporal Lobe Epilepsy: Feasibility of a Task-Regressed Seed-Based Approach

OBJECTIVE Resting-state functional connectivity (FC) has revealed marked network dysfunction in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) compared to healthy controls. However, the nature and the location of these changes have not been fully elucidated nor confirmed by other methodologies. We assessed the presence of hippocampal FC changes in TLE based on the low frequency residuals of task-related functional magnetic resonance imaging data after the removal of task-related activation [i.e., task-regressed functional connectivity MRI (fcMRI)]. METHOD We employed a novel, task-regressed approach to quantify hippocampal FC, and compare hippocampal FC in 17 patients with unilateral TLE (9 left) with 17 healthy controls. RESULTS Our results suggest widespread FC reductions in the mesial cortex associated with the default mode network (DMN), and some local FC increases in the lateral portions of the right hemisphere. We found more pronounced FC decreases in the left hemisphere than in the right, and these FC decreases were greatest in patients with left TLE. Moreover, the FC reductions observed between the hippocampus and posterior cingulate, inferior parietal, paracentral regions are in agreement with previous resting state studies. CONCLUSIONS Consistent with the existing literature, FC reductions in TLE appear widespread with prominent reductions in the medial portion of the DMN. Our data expand the literature by demonstrating that reductions in FC may be greatest in the left hemisphere and in patients with left TLE. Overall, our findings suggest that task-regressed FC is a viable alternative to resting state and that future studies may extract similar information on network connectivity from already existing datasets.
Effect of early life stress on serotonin responses in the hippocampus of young adult rats

In this study, we investigated the effects of early life stress on several aspects of serotonin (5‐HT) transmission in hippocampus, later on in life. Three‐day‐old rats were subjected to 24‐hour maternal deprivation or control treatment. Maternal deprivation is known to activate the hypothalamo‐pituitary‐adrenal axis, resulting in increased corticosterone levels at a time‐point in life when the axis is particularly insensitive to most stressful stimuli. When these animals had matured to 3 months of age, functional responses to 5‐HT as well as 5‐HT1A‐receptor mRNA expression were examined. Also, indices for hypothalamo‐pituitary‐adrenal function were studied in the adult state, including hippocampal mRNA expression for the mineralocorticoid and the glucocorticoid receptor. Resting membrane potential of CA1 pyramidal neurons was significantly depolarized in animals earlier subjected to maternal deprivation compared to the controls. Despite this depolarized resting potential, hyperpolarizing responses induced by 5‐HT in CA1 pyramidal neurons from deprived compared to non‐deprived rats were attenuated. This attenuation in 5‐HT response was not accompanied by changes in mRNA expression of the 5‐HT1A‐receptor. Maternal deprivation was not found to change any of the neuroendocrine parameters investigated once animals had matured. We conclude that maternal deprivation can alter specific aspects of hippocampal 5‐HT transmission later on in life, possibly by post‐translational modification of the 5‐HT1A‐receptor or changes in the 5‐HT1A‐receptor signal transduction pathway. Synapse 53:11–19, 2004. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Effectiveness of Vestibular Rehabilitation Therapy for Treatment of Concussed Adolescents With Persistent Symptoms of Dizziness and Imbalance.

CONTEXT Adolescents who suffer sport concussion typically respond to a prescription of cognitive and physical rest in the acute phases of healing; however, some adolescents do not respond to rest alone. Dizziness, unsteadiness, and imbalance are impairments, which may linger longer than 30 days, leading to a diagnosis of postconcussion syndrome (PCS). Vestibular assessment and therapy may benefit adolescents suffering from these persistent symptoms. CLINICAL QUESTION Does vestibular rehabilitation therapy (VRT) rather than continued prescription of rest (cognitive and physical) reduce recovery time and persistent symptoms of dizziness, unsteadiness, and imbalance in adolescents (12-18 y) who suffer PCS following a sports-related concussion? Summary of Key Findings: All 4 studies selected included adolescents suffering from PCS, specifically continued dizziness, unsteadiness, and imbalance. VRT was an effective intervention for this population. Adolescents presenting with this cluster of symptoms may also demonstrate verbal and visual memory loss linked to changes in the vestibular system postconcussion. Improved screening tools can help better understand vestibular system changes, identify adolescents who may benefit from VRT sooner, and decrease long-term impairments. Clinical Bottom Line: Moderate evidence supports that adolescents who suffer from persistent symptoms of dizziness, unsteadiness, and imbalance following sport concussion should be evaluated more specifically and earlier for vestibular dysfunction and can benefit from participation in individualized VRT. Early evaluation and treatment may result in a reduction of time lost from sport as well as a return to their premorbid condition. For these adolescents, VRT may be more beneficial than continued physical and cognitive rest when an adolescent's symptoms last longer than 30 days. Strength of Recommendation: Grade B evidence exists to support that VRT is more effective than continued cognitive and physical rest in reducing persistent symptoms of dizziness, unsteadiness, and imbalance in adolescents who suffer PCS.