Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Balancing Selection in the Wild: Testing Population Genetics Theory of Self-Incompatibility in the Rare Species Brassica insularis

Self-incompatibility (SI) systems are widespread mechanisms that prevent self-fertilization in angiosperms. They are generally encoded by one genome region containing several multiallelic genes, usually called the S-locus. They involve a recognition step between the pollen and the pistil component and pollen is rejected when it shares alleles with the pistil. The direct consequence is that rare alleles are favored, such that the S-alleles are subject to negative frequency-dependent selection. Several theoretical articles have predicted the specific patterns of polymorphism, compared to neutral loci, expected for such genes under balancing selection. For instance, many more alleles should be maintained and populations should be less differentiated than for neutral loci. However, empirical tests of these predictions in natural populations have remained scarce. Here, we compare the genetic structure at the S-locus and microsatellite markers for five natural populations of the rare species Brassica insularis. As in other Brassica species, B. insularis has a sporophytic SI system for which molecular markers are available. Our results match well the theoretical predictions and constitute the first general comparison of S-allele and neutral polymorphism.
A short-term longitudinal study of growth of relational aggression during middle childhood: Associations with gender, friendship intimacy, and internalizing problems

Trajectories of relational aggression were examined in a large, diverse sample of fourth-grade students. Hierarchical linear modeling was used to examine relational aggression over 1 calendar year. The results indicated that relational aggression increased in a linear fashion for girls over the course of the study. In addition, increases in friend intimate exchange were associated with time-dependent increases in relational aggression among girls only. Relational aggression and internalizing “tracked” together across the course of the study. Overall, the findings suggest relational aggression becomes increasingly common among elementary school girls, and girls' close, dyadic relationships may fuel relationally aggressive behavior in some contexts. Finally, the results indicate that relational aggression trajectories are dynamically associated with maladjustment.This study was funded by grants from NIMH (MH63684) and NSF (BCS-0126521) to N. C. Crick. Preparation of this manuscript was supported by a NIMH Traineeship (MH-15755) to D. Murray-Close and J. M. Ostrov. Portions of this manuscript were presented at the 2004 Biennial Meeting of The Society for Research on Adolescence, Baltimore, MD. We thank Kathleen E. Woods for her assistance and comments on an earlier draft, Dr. Jeff Long for his statistical consultation and assistance with this study, and Peter Ralston and the entire School Buddies Project team for assistance with the collection of this data. Finally, we thank the principals, teachers, parents, and children for their participation.
Object Detection and Classification by Decision-Level Fusion for Intelligent Vehicle Systems

To understand driving environments effectively, it is important to achieve accurate detection and classification of objects detected by sensor-based intelligent vehicle systems, which are significantly important tasks. Object detection is performed for the localization of objects, whereas object classification recognizes object classes from detected object regions. For accurate object detection and classification, fusing multiple sensor information into a key component of the representation and perception processes is necessary. In this paper, we propose a new object-detection and classification method using decision-level fusion. We fuse the classification outputs from independent unary classifiers, such as 3D point clouds and image data using a convolutional neural network (CNN). The unary classifiers for the two sensors are the CNN with five layers, which use more than two pre-trained convolutional layers to consider local to global features as data representation. To represent data using convolutional layers, we apply region of interest (ROI) pooling to the outputs of each layer on the object candidate regions generated using object proposal generation to realize color flattening and semantic grouping for charge-coupled device and Light Detection And Ranging (LiDAR) sensors. We evaluate our proposed method on a KITTI benchmark dataset to detect and classify three object classes: cars, pedestrians and cyclists. The evaluation results show that the proposed method achieves better performance than the previous methods. Our proposed method extracted approximately 500 proposals on a 1226×370 image, whereas the original selective search method extracted approximately 106×n proposals. We obtained classification performance with 77.72% mean average precision over the entirety of the classes in the moderate detection level of the KITTI benchmark dataset.
Does class matter in protests? Social class, attitudes towards inequality, and political trust in European demonstrations in a time of economic crisis

In this paper, survey data from 60 demonstrations in 8 European countries is analyzed, to explore whether social class matters in political protest. Do different types of demonstrations mobilize different groups of employees/workers? And do social class matter for demonstrators’ attitudes about social inequality, welfare privatization and political trust—or do national context and/or the issue of the demonstration primarily shape these attitudes? This paper describes and analyzes the class composition of a wide range of demonstrations. Furthermore, the paper explores different conceptualizations of social class in the analysis, in order to evaluate their different merits and applicability when analyzing political protests.
Volatility Trading in Options Market: How Does It Affect Where Informed Traders Trade?

Although it is widely accepted that options implied volatility is a good estimate of market expectations, very little work has focused on the impact of volatility trading on market microstructure. The present article attempts to fill this gap. We develop a multimarket sequential trades model with asymmetric information in which directional-traders and volatility-traders interact strategically. The major finding is that volatility-traders evict directional-traders from the options market. Indeed, we provide conditions under which volatility trades have a positive impact on options bid-ask spread so that directional-traders choose the spot market. While these results do not confirm that option returns lead spot returns, they are consistent with previous empirical findings.
Biologically-implemented genetic algorithm for protein engineering

Protein engineering, developing novel proteins with a desired activity, has become increasingly important in many fields. This paper presents two studies in protein engineering: (i) a biological implementation of a genetic algorithm, with an observed in vitro evolution, and (ii) its preliminary computer simulation using a prototypical probabilistic model based on a random walk. The steady evolution of the fitness distribution of the mutant proteins that appeared in the biological experiments has provided some convincing evidence about the search behavior and the fitness landscape. The computer simulation and the simple probabilistic model have indicated their future potential for providing a practical alternative to the time-consuming manual operations in the biological experiments. Successful experimental results in the two studies have raised expectations of their further development and mutually beneficial interactions.
Quantifying the Economic Benefits of Personal Financial Planning

To estimate the monetary value of ideal financial planning advice, we address three types of benefits that planners provide: increasing wealth, preventing loss, and smoothing consumption. We discuss, then reject the possibility of using survey data to obtain valid estimates of the benefit of financial planning advice. We instead use theoretical examples based on comparisons of optimal decisions to naive alternatives. We find that the value of advice varies with a client's risk aversion and the percentage of wealth that could be gained or lost. In general, the most risk averse households should place the highest value on comprehensive financial planning advice. Financial planners can use our results to better articulate the value of advice.
Atypicality in Perceptual-Motor Functions Among Developmental Disorder

-This research paper is concerned with atypical laterality in the field of perceptualmotor skill among stutterers, reveals about the anomalous pattern of lateralisation and severity of cerebral dysfunction in this population. The number of children diagnosed with developmental disorder such as dyslexia, autism, speech and language impairment and attention deficit disorder are increasing as these disorders become better defined in terms of their behavioural and motor characteristics. The studies of brain morphometry were stimulated by the landmark study of Geschwind and Levitsky (1968), which provided evidence of asymmetry in brain structure that, correlated with the well established functional asymmetry and found dominance of the left hemisphere for language related activity. Implicit in the notion those developmental disorders (stuttering) are associated with anomalous lateralisation pattern or atypical lateralisation pattern. Atypical laterality (i.e. the lack of a clear pattern of lateralisation) has been found to be characteristics of individual with speech and language disability (S & LD). The evidence of this has been based on handedness studies which have contain little information about the ability of people with S &LD to carry out interhemispheric task reflecting bilateral transfer or interference. The present study examined this capacity among stutterers by utilising bilateral transfer and interference paradigms. Right handed stutterers (IQ-90 to 110) and controls matched for age and sex were tested for bilateral transfer of motor skills in contralateral hands with a mirror drawing task. The subjects were also tested for their ability to perform a finger tapping task while processing verbal & non-verbal stimuli. The finding indicated that stutterers are significantly deficient relative to match controls in bilateral transfer of motor skills form their non-preferred (left) hand to their proffered (right) one. The effect of interference during performance of the dual; task was significantly greater in individuals with speech and language disabilities. Stutterers were found to perform better with their nonpreferred hand than with their preferred hand. A within group comparison revealed that right handed performance was more affected by interferrence than left hand in these subjects.
Asymptotic mutual information for the binary stochastic block model

We develop an information-theoretic view of the stochastic block model, a popular statistical model for the large-scale structure of complex networks. A graph G from such a model is generated by first assigning vertex labels at random from a finite alphabet, and then connecting vertices with edge probabilities depending on the labels of the endpoints. In the case of the symmetric two-group model, we establish an explicit `single-letter' characterization of the per-vertex mutual information between the vertex labels and the graph, when the graph average degree diverges. The explicit expression of the mutual information is intimately related to estimation-theoretic quantities, and -in particular- reveals a phase transition at the critical point for community detection. Below the critical point the per-vertex mutual information is asymptotically the same as if edges were independent of the vertex labels. Correspondingly, no algorithm can estimate the partition better than random guessing. Conversely, above the threshold, the per-vertex mutual information is strictly smaller than the independent-edges upper bound. In this regime there exists a procedure that estimates the vertex labels better than random guessing.
Human alveolar epithelial type II cells in primary culture

Alveolar epithelial type II (AEII) cells are a key structure and defender in the lung but also are the targets in many lung diseases, including acute respiratory distress syndrome, ventilator‐induced lung injury, and pulmonary fibrosis. We sought to establish an optimized method for high yielding and long maintenance of characteristics of primary human AEII cells to facilitate the investigation of the mechanisms of lung diseases at the cellular and molecular levels. Adult human peripheral normal lung tissues of oncologic patients undergoing lung resection were collected. The AEII cells were isolated and identified by the expression of pro‐surfactant protein (SP)C, epithelial sodium channel (αENaC) and cytokeratin (CK)‐8, the lamellar bodies specific for AEII cells, and confirmed by the histology using electron microscopy. The phenotype of AEII cells was characterized by the expression of surfactant proteins (SP‐A, SP‐B, SP‐C, SP‐D), CK‐8, KL‐6, αENaC, and aquaporin (AQP)‐3, which was maintained over 20 days. The biological activity of the primary human AEII cells producing SP‐C, cytokines, and intercellular adhesion molecule‐1 was vigorous in response to stimulation with tumor necrosis factor‐α. We have modified previous methods and optimized a method for isolation of high purity and long maintenance of the human AEII cell phenotype in primary culture. This method provides an important tool for studies aiming at elucidating the molecular mechanisms of lung diseases exclusively in AEII cells.
Emotional Intelligence – Sales Performance Relationship: A Mediating Role of Adaptive Selling Behaviour

Abstract In this study, we examined the impact of emotional intelligence on sales performance. We posited that the impact of emotional intelligence (EI) on sales performance was mediated by adaptive selling behaviour (ASB). Data were collected from 281 sales people in the financial industries in Malaysia via the WLEIS emotional intelligence scale and ADAPTS adaptive selling behaviour scale, and were quantitatively analysed using structural equation modelling (SEM). Results were in keeping with the model. Three domains of EI were not found to impact sales performance directly but through ASB. Theoretical implications and managerial ramifications were also discussed.
Outpatients' Perspectives on Problems and Needs Related to Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting: A Qualitative Study from Somaliland

Aim. To explore female outpatients' perspectives on problems related to female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) and their views on information, care, and counseling. Setting. An FGM/C support center at a maternity clinic in Hargeisa, Somaliland. Methods. A qualitative, descriptive study, using content analysis of seven semistructured interviews with female outpatients. Results. All participants had been ignorant of the etiology of their FGM/C-related complications and hesitant to seek care. All had undergone infibulation but did not wish the same for their daughters. In recent years they had learnt through religious leaders and media campaigns that infibulation was unapproved by Islam. A less severe FGM/C type, “Sunna,” was more accepted; however, few could define what “Sunna” meant. Condemning and ridiculing attitudes against uncircumcised women prevailed in their community. Conclusions. New ideas and concepts related to FGM/C enter the common discourse in the Somali society while traditional norms and values still prevail. Religion was shown to have a strong impact on FGM/C practices and beliefs. Interventions aiming to raise awareness of health consequences of all types of FGM/C, as well as where to seek care for complications, are needed in Somaliland. Involvement of religious leaders in anti-FGM/C programs is essential.
Informed participation in a randomised controlled trial of computed tomography screening for lung cancer

The actual lung cancer (screening) knowledge, attitudes, risk perceptions, reasons to participate in or decline participation, and informed decisions of subjects who decided to or decided not to participate in the Dutch-Belgian randomised controlled trial for lung cancer screening in high-risk subjects (the NELSON trial) were evaluated. A total of 2,500 high-risk subjects were asked to complete a questionnaire 3 weeks after they had received a brochure with information about the trial. Differences in knowledge, attitude and risk perception between participants and nonparticipants were analysed with logistic regression analyses adjusted for sex and smoking status. The questionnaire response of trial participants was 80% (n = 889) whereas the response of nonparticipants was low (7%, n = 97) and selective. Participants' responses to knowledge items on lung cancer as a disease were on average more often correct (mean±sd 68±17%) than items on lung cancer screening (49±29%). Participants had adequate knowledge on lung cancer screening (51%) more often than the nonparticipants (38%; p = 0.009). Of the decisions regarding participation, 49% were uninformed, mainly due to insufficient knowledge. Most of the participants (99%) and 64% of the nonparticipants had a positive attitude towards lung cancer screening. Additional efforts are required to improve the knowledge and understanding of subjects who are in the process of decision-making regarding participation in a lung cancer screening trial.
Higher Initial DNA Damage and Persistent Cell Cycle Arrest after Carbon Ion Irradiation Compared to X-irradiation in Prostate and Colon Cancer Cells

The use of charged-particle beams, such as carbon ions, is becoming a more and more attractive treatment option for cancer therapy. Given the precise absorbed dose-localization and an increased biological effectiveness, this form of therapy is much more advantageous compared to conventional radiotherapy, and is currently being used for treatment of specific cancer types. The high ballistic accuracy of particle beams deposits the maximal dose to the tumor, while damage to the surrounding healthy tissue is limited. In order to better understand the underlying mechanisms responsible for the increased biological effectiveness, we investigated the DNA damage and repair kinetics and cell cycle progression in two p53 mutant cell lines, more specifically a prostate (PC3) and colon (Caco-2) cancer cell line, after exposure to different radiation qualities. Cells were irradiated with various absorbed doses (0, 0.5, and 2 Gy) of accelerated 13C-ions at the Grand Accélérateur National d’Ions Lourds facility (Caen, France) or with X-rays (0, 0.1, 0.5, 1, 2, and 5 Gy). Microscopic analysis of DNA double-strand breaks showed dose-dependent increases in γ-H2AX foci numbers and foci occupancy after exposure to both types of irradiation, in both cell lines. However, 24 h after exposure, residual damage was more pronounced after lower doses of carbon ion irradiation compared to X-irradiation. Flow cytometric analysis showed that carbon ion irradiation induced a permanent G2/M arrest in PC3 cells at lower doses (2 Gy) compared to X-rays (5 Gy), while in Caco-2 cells the G2/M arrest was transient after irradiation with X-rays (2 and 5 Gy) but persistent after exposure to carbon ions (2 Gy).
Capital Structure Pre-Balancing: Evidence from Convertible Bonds

A large body of the corporate finance literature is devoted to capital structure. This literature examines whether firms have a target capital structure, and whether they actively rebalance their capital structure toward a target. Since conversion of a convertible bond causes a drop in leverage, target capital structure theory suggests that the structure should be rebalanced in the future. I consistently find that following a realized conversion firms rebalance their positions in less than a year. When the stock price passes the conversion price threshold for a convertible bond, the firm expects this drop in leverage to occur in the near future. Using a regression discontinuity design around the conversion price threshold for those conversions that are decided by investors, not by the firm, my paper documents a 20% increase in leverage before an actual drop in leverage. That is to say, firms do not wait for the realization of leverage shocks but rather respond to anticipated shocks. A quantile treatment effect analysis reveals the effect to be a hump-shaped function of leverage, with a peak for firms with a conditional leverage ratio around the 70th percentile.
MAINTAINING THE STATUS QUO AND SOCIAL INEQUALITIES: IS STEREOTYPE ENDORSEMENT RELATED TO SUPPORT FOR SYSTEM JUSTIFICATION?

According to the system justification theory (SJT), stereotypes can be conceptualized as tools of system justification. Because relatively few studies have directly examined this assumption, we conducted two studies in which the relationships between stereotype endorsement of various disadvantaged groups (i.e. women, Arabs, the poor and Gypsies) and system justification ideologies were explored (N = 540). Interestingly, results revealed that stereotype endorsement and system justification ideologies were not significantly related. Only negative stereotypes and prejudices were related to support for the system, not positive stereotypes. Finally, results were not consistent with the complementary hypothesis. Using various measures, whatever their level of positive stereotype endorsement, those who hold negative attitudes were also those who justified the system.
High Environmental Ozone Levels Lead to Enhanced Allergenicity of Birch Pollen

Background Evidence is compelling for a positive correlation between climate change, urbanisation and prevalence of allergic sensitisation and diseases. The reason for this association is not clear to date. Some data point to a pro-allergenic effect of anthropogenic factors on susceptible individuals. Objectives To evaluate the impact of urbanisation and climate change on pollen allergenicity. Methods Catkins were sampled from birch trees from different sites across the greater area of Munich, pollen were isolated and an urbanisation index, NO2 and ozone exposure were determined. To estimate pollen allergenicity, allergen content and pollen-associated lipid mediators were measured in aqueous pollen extracts. Immune stimulatory and modulatory capacity of pollen was assessed by neutrophil migration assays and the potential of pollen to inhibit dendritic cell interleukin-12 response. In vivo allergenicity was assessed by skin prick tests. Results The study revealed ozone as a prominent environmental factor influencing the allergenicity of birch pollen. Enhanced allergenicity, as assessed in skin prick tests, was mirrored by enhanced allergen content. Beyond that, ozone induced changes in lipid composition and chemotactic and immune modulatory potential of the pollen. Higher ozone-exposed pollen was characterised by less immune modulatory but higher immune stimulatory potential. Conclusion It is likely that future climate change along with increasing urbanisation will lead to rising ozone concentrations in the next decades. Our study indicates that ozone is a crucial factor leading to clinically relevant enhanced allergenicity of birch pollen. Thus, with increasing temperatures and increasing ozone levels, also symptoms of pollen allergic patients may increase further.