Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Graph structure in the web --- revisited: a trick of the heavy tail

Knowledge about the general graph structure of the World Wide Web is important for understanding the social mechanisms that govern its growth, for designing ranking methods, for devising better crawling algorithms, and for creating accurate models of its structure. In this paper, we describe and analyse a large, publicly accessible crawl of the web that was gathered by the Common Crawl Foundation in 2012 and that contains over 3.5 billion web pages and 128.7 billion links. This crawl makes it possible to observe the evolution of the underlying structure of the World Wide Web within the last 10 years: we analyse and compare, among other features, degree distributions, connectivity, average distances, and the structure of weakly/strongly connected components. Our analysis shows that, as evidenced by previous research, some of the features previously observed by Broder et al. are very dependent on artefacts of the crawling process, whereas other appear to be more structural. We confirm the existence of a giant strongly connected component; we however find, as observed by other researchers, very different proportions of nodes that can reach or that can be reached from the giant component, suggesting that the "bow-tie structure" is strongly dependent on the crawling process, and to the best of our current knowledge is not a structural property of the web. More importantly, statistical testing and visual inspection of size-rank plots show that the distributions of indegree, outdegree and sizes of strongly connected components are not power laws, contrarily to what was previously reported for much smaller crawls, although they might be heavy-tailed. We also provide for the first time accurate measurement of distance-based features, using recently introduced algorithms that scale to the size of our crawl.
Phenotypic Skewing of Macrophages In Vitro by Secreted Factors from Colorectal Cancer Cells

Macrophages are cells with many important functions in both innate and adaptive immune responses and have been shown to play a complex role in tumor progression since they harbour both tumor preventing (M1 macrophages) and tumor promoting (M2 macrophages) activities. In many human cancers, infiltrating macrophages have been associated with a poor patient prognosis, and therefore suggested to be mainly of an M2 phenotype. However, we and others have previously shown that increased macrophage density in colorectal cancer (CRC) instead is correlated with an improved prognosis. It is an intriguing question if the different roles played by macrophages in various cancers could be explained by variations in the balance between M1 and M2 macrophage attributes, driven by tumor- or organ-specific factors in the tumor microenvironment of individual cancers. Here, we utilized an in vitro cell culture system of macrophage differentiation to compare differences and similarities in the phenotype (morphology, antigen-presentation, migration, endocytosis, and expression of cytokine and chemokine genes) between M1/M2 and tumor activated macrophages (TAMs), that could explain the positive role of macrophages in CRC. We found that secreted factors from CRC cells induced TAMs of a “mixed” M1/M2 phenotype, which in turn could contribute to a “good inflammatory response”. This suggests that re-education of macrophages might allow for important therapeutic advances in the treatment of human cancer.
The 'where' of sovereign power and exception : Palestinian life and refugee camps in Lebanon

This thesis focuses on the Palestinian refugees’ experience in Lebanon since 1948, to critically engage with Agamben’s theory of exception. Agamben conceives of the ‘camp’ as the space where the normal juridical order and the inhabitants’ rights are suspended, the hidden matrix of the modern where the sovereign confronts nothing but bare life. Refugees are framed as the ultimate embodiment of bare life, a life stripped of rights and protection and at the mercy of state authorities. This research critiques this understanding in three ways. Firstly, by disenfranchising the concept of sovereign power from statehood, I adopt a multiscalar approach to uncover the complex network of sovereigns and decisions impacting upon the Palestinian life. From the international level (UN and humanitarian organisations) to the regional level (Arab states and Lebanon), I discuss the roles and responsibility of multiple actors in the production of Palestinian bare life showing the global scope of sovereign power. Secondly, by disengaging the concept of power from political institutions, I include the Palestinian refugees’ agency in the chessboard of power relations. Focusing on lived experiences and critically engaging with state-centric and law-centric perspectives, the thesis uncovers the micropolitics on the ground constituted by multiple forms of resistance that refugees adopt in their ongoing struggles for survival and recognition. The recognition of this agency and political significance of refugees’ lives is paramount if a just solution to the Palestinian refugee question is to be found. Finally, this study interrogates and problematises the uncritical assimilation of refugee camps to spaces of exception. By looking at the evolution of Shatila refugee camp and its relation to the city of Beirut, I discuss the formation of a new spatial model that I call ‘campscape’. As social and spatial boundaries increasingly blur, the ‘campscape’, which includes the refugee camp and informal settlements around, is the space in which the refugee meets the other outcasts of the Lebanese political and economic system.
Endoscopic Ultrasound-Guided Fine-Needle Aspiration of the Adrenal Glands: Analysis of 21 Patients

Background/Aims Endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) cytology of adrenal masses helps in etiological diagnosis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic yield of EUS-FNA of adrenal masses in cases where other imaging methods failed and/or were not feasible. Methods Twenty-one consecutive patients with adrenal masses, in whom adrenal FNA was performed because conventional imaging modalities failed and/or were not feasible, were prospectively evaluated over a period of 3 years. Results Of the 21 patients (mean age, 56±12.2 years; male:female ratio, 2:1), 12 had pyrexia of unknown origin and the other nine underwent evaluation for metastasis. The median lesion size was 2.4×1.6 cm. Ten patients were diagnosed with tuberculosis (shown by the presence of caseating granulomas [n=10] and acid-fast bacilli [n=4]). Two patients had EUS-FNA results suggestive of histoplasmosis. The other patients had metastatic lung carcinoma (n=6), hepatocellular carcinoma (n=1), and adrenal lipoma (n=1) and adrenal myelolipoma (n=1). EUS results were not suggestive of any particular etiology. No procedure-related adverse events occurred. Conclusions EUS-FNA is a safe and effective method for evaluating adrenal masses, and it yields diagnosis in cases where tissue diagnosis is impossible or has failed using conventional imaging modalities.
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Disrupts the Perception and Embodiment of Facial Expressions

Theories of embodied cognition propose that recognizing facial expressions requires visual processing followed by simulation of the somatovisceral responses associated with the perceived expression. To test this proposal, we targeted the right occipital face area (rOFA) and the face region of right somatosensory cortex (rSC) with repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) while participants discriminated facial expressions. rTMS selectively impaired discrimination of facial expressions at both sites but had no effect on a matched face identity task. Site specificity within the rSC was demonstrated by targeting rTMS at the face and finger regions while participants performed the expression discrimination task. rTMS targeted at the face region impaired task performance relative to rTMS targeted at the finger region. To establish the temporal course of visual and somatosensory contributions to expression processing, double-pulse TMS was delivered at different times to rOFA and rSC during expression discrimination. Accuracy dropped when pulses were delivered at 60–100 ms at rOFA and at 100–140 and 130–170 ms at rSC. These sequential impairments at rOFA and rSC support embodied accounts of expression recognition as well as hierarchical models of face processing. The results also demonstrate that nonvisual cortical areas contribute during early stages of expression processing.
Visual attention during spatial language comprehension: Is a referential linking hypothesis enough?

When people listen to sentences referring to objects and events in visual context, their visual attention to objects is closely time-locked to words in the unfolding utterance. How precisely people deploy attention during situated language understanding and in verifying (spatial) utterances is, however, unclear. A ‘visual world’ hypothesis suggests that we look at what is mentioned (Tanenhaus et al., 1995) and anticipate likely referents based on linguistic cues (Altmann & Kamide, 1999). In spatial language research, in contrast, the Attention Vector Sum model (Regier & Carlson, 2001) predicts that in order to process a sentence such as “The plant is above the clock”, attention must shift from the clock to the plant (i.e., in reverse relative to order of mention). An eyetracking study examined whether gaze pattern during comprehension of spatial descriptions support the visual world or the Attention Vector Sum account. Analyses of eye movements indicate that we need both accounts to accommodate the findings.
The effect of engagement on the relationship between high-involvement work systems (HIWS) and sales employees' attitudes and performance: A mediation model for future research

Retaining talent and maximising sales performance are everyday themes in the management literature, as well as the boardroom. Achieving this objective is difficult in light of the fact that sales employees are increasingly being viewed as independent contractors. Their growing responsibilities for customer relationship management require comprehensive empowerment strategies to be implemented and a shift to regaining employee involvement within the organisation. To achieve this, the structure of sales organisations requires a transformation. This paper presents a review of the literatures on highinvolvement work systems (HIWS) and engagement. The aim is to channel HIWS into the sales context and introduce the construct of work engagement. This synergy enhances the utility of models of salesperson performance since a greater picture of involvement at work, the motivational potential of sales jobs, as well as job attitudes, turnover intentions and performance can be observed. A mediation model linking HIWS through work engagement on sales employees’ attitudes and performance is introduced as a necessary inclusion to the research agenda.
Imatinib Targeting of KIT-Mutant Oncoprotein in Melanoma

Purpose: Melanoma subtypes based on anatomic location and UV light exposure can be further classified based on genetic alterations recently identified. Mutations and gene amplification in KIT have been described in a significant percentage of mucosal and acral melanomas. We recently reported a patient with metastatic mucosal melanoma harboring a known KIT mutation treated with imatinib mesylate who experienced a major response. Biological effects of KIT inhibition in these melanomas remain poorly understood. We sought to investigate further the effects of imatinib in these melanoma subsets. Experimental Design: Mucosal melanoma cells were analyzed for KIT aberrations by genomic sequencing, quantitative PCR, and single nucleotide polymorphism analyses. Imatinib effects were assayed by viability measurements and apoptotic cytotoxicity. Tumor cell lysates were assayed by Western blots to determine effects on multiple signaling pathways after imatinib exposure. Results: Mucosal melanoma cells exhibited imatinib sensitivity correlating with KIT mutational status. Imatinib dramatically decreased proliferation and was cytotoxic to a KIT mutated and amplified cell culture. Exposure to drug affected the mitogen-activated protein kinase, phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/AKT, JAK-STAT, and antiapoptotic pathways. Conclusions: Rational targeting of KIT in melanoma offers a unique and potent clinical opportunity. In vitro analyses revealed major sensitivity to KIT kinase inhibition by imatinib, with potent induction of melanoma cell apoptosis. Biochemical studies identified changes in signaling molecules regulating proliferation and survival responses, which may serve as mediators and/or biomarkers of in vivo treatment efficacy. Pathways affected by KIT inhibition provide a model for understanding components in effective melanoma cell death and insights into targeting for resistance mechanisms.
Industry Momentum and Behavioral Limits to Arbitrage

Momentum trading based on German industries robustly generates significant profits that cannot be explained by risk-based approaches. Industry momentum is positively related to individual stock momentum. Its return pattern is consistent with underand overreaction. We propose a behavioral explanation as to why momentum profits may not be easily arbitraged away: the prospective utility of momentum strategies only becomes superior to buy & hold for horizons of 6 to 12 months and longer. The most relevant institutional investors, however, appear to be more short-term oriented. Modifications of momentum trading in order to increase utility show a strong returnutility trade-off.
Toxicological Study of Ocimum sanctum Linn Leaves: Hematological, Biochemical, and Histopathological Studies

The present study was aimed to study the acute and subacute toxicity studies with orally administered 50% ethanolic leaves extract of Ocimum sanctum Linn (OSE). In acute toxicity tests, four groups of mice (n = 6/group/sex) were orally treated with doses of 200, 600, and 2000 mg/kg, and general behavior, adverse effects, and mortality were recorded for up to 14 days. In subacute toxicity study, rats received OSE by gavage at the doses of 200, 400, and 800 mg/kg/day (n = 6/group/sex) for 28 days, and biochemical, hematological, and histopathological changes in tissues (liver, kidney, spleen, heart, and testis/ovary) were determined. OSE did not produce any hazardous symptoms or death and CNS and ANS toxicities in the acute toxicity test. Subacute treatment with OSE did not show any change in body weight, food and water consumption, and hematological and biochemical profiles. In addition, no change was observed both in macroscopic and microscopic aspects of vital organs in rats. Our result showed that Ocimum sanctum extract could be safe for human use.
Actions of Bupivacaine, a Widely Used Local Anesthetic, on NMDA Receptor Responses

NMDA receptors mediate excitatory neurotransmission in brain and spinal cord and play a pivotal role in the neurological disease state of chronic pain, which is caused by central sensitization. Bupivacaine is the indicated local anesthetic in caudal, epidural, and spinal anesthesia and is widely used clinically to manage acute and chronic pain. In addition to blocking Na+ channels, bupivacaine affects the activity of many other channels, including NMDA receptors. Importantly, bupivacaine inhibits NMDA receptor-mediated synaptic transmission in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord, an area critically involved in central sensitization. We used recombinant NMDA receptors expressed in HEK293 cells and found that increasing concentrations of bupivacaine decreased channel open probability in GluN2 subunit- and pH-independent manner by increasing the mean duration of closures and decreasing the mean duration of openings. Using kinetic modeling of one-channel currents, we attributed the observed current decrease to two main mechanisms: a voltage-dependent “foot-in-the-door” pore block and an allosteric gating effect. Further, the inhibition was state-independent because it occurred to the same degree whether the drug was applied before or after glutamate stimulation and was mediated by extracellular and intracellular inhibitory sites, via hydrophilic and hydrophobic pathways. These results predict that clinical doses of bupivacaine would decrease the peak and accelerate the decay of synaptic NMDA receptor currents during normal synaptic transmission. These quantitative predictions inform possible applications of bupivacaine as preventative and therapeutic approaches in chronic pain.
A 22-nt artificial microRNA mediates widespread RNA silencing in Arabidopsis

It is known that 22-nucleotide (nt) microRNAs (miRNAs) derived from asymmetric duplexes trigger phased small-interfering RNA (phasiRNA) production from complementary targets. Here we investigate the efficacy of 22-nt artificial miRNA (amiRNA)-mediated RNA silencing relative to conventional hairpin RNA (hpRNA) and 21-nt amiRNA-mediated RNA silencing. CHALCONE SYNTHASE (CHS) was selected as a target in Arabidopsis thaliana due to the obvious and non-lethal loss of anthocyanin accumulation upon widespread RNA silencing. Over-expression of CHS in the pap1-D background facilitated visual detection of both local and systemic RNA silencing. RNA silencing was initiated in leaf tissues from hpRNA and amiRNA plant expression vectors under the control of an Arabidopsis RuBisCo small subunit 1A promoter (SSU). In this system, hpRNA expression triggered CHS silencing in most leaf tissues but not in roots or seed coats. Similarly, 21-nt amiRNA expression from symmetric miRNA/miRNA* duplexes triggered CHS silencing in all leaf tissues but not in roots or seed coats. However, 22-nt amiRNA expression from an asymmetric duplex triggered CHS silencing in all tissues, including roots and seed coats, in the majority of plant lines. This widespread CHS silencing required RNA-DEPENDENT RNA POLYMERASE6-mediated accumulation of phasiRNAs from the endogenous CHS transcript. These results demonstrate the efficacy of asymmetric 22-nt amiRNA-directed RNA silencing and associated phasiRNA production and activity, in mediating widespread RNA silencing of an endogenous target gene. Asymmetric 22-nt amiRNA-directed RNA silencing requires little modification of existing amiRNA technology and is expected to be effective in suppressing other genes and/or members of gene families.
The Market for Evaluations

Recent developments in computer networks have driven the cost of distributing information virtually to zero, creating extraordinary opportunities for sharing product evaluations. The authors present pricing and subsidy mechanisms that operate through a computerized market and induce the efficient provision of evaluations. The mechanisms overcome three major challenges: first, evaluations, which are public goods, are likely to be underprovided; second, an inefficient ordering of evaluators may arise; and third, the optimal quantity of evaluations depends on what is learned from the initial evaluations.
Were Adolescent Sexual Offenders Children with Sexual Behavior Problems?

This article compares responses of three groups of incarcerated adolescents who admitted to sexual offending in an anonymous survey project on measures of trauma, sexual offending, the relationship between trauma and perpetration, and adjudication status. The first group admitted to sexual offending before the age of 12 only (n = 48), the second after the age of 12 only (n = 130), and the third before and after the age of 12 (n = 65). More than 46% of the sexually aggressive adolescents began their deviant behaviors before the age of 12. Level and complexity of perpetration acts were more severe for the continuous offenders than for the other groups. Victimization and perpetration were significantly correlated for all three groups. This study supports a social learning hypothesis for the development of sexual offending by adolescents. Implications for research and clinical practice are drawn.
K-Band Calibration of the Red Clump Luminosity

The average near-infrared (K-band) luminosity of 238 Hipparcos red clump giants is derived and then used to measure the distance to the Galactic center. These Hipparcos red clump giants have been previously employed as I-band standard candles. The advantage of the K-band is a decreased sensitivity to reddening and perhaps a reduced systematic dependence on metallicity. In order to investigate the latter, and also to refer our calibration to a known metallicity zero point, we restrict our sample of red clump calibrators to those with abundances derived from high-resolution spectroscopic data. The mean metallicity of the sample is [Fe/H] = -0.18 dex (σ = 0.17 dex). The data are consistent with no correlation between MK and [Fe/H] and only weakly constrain the slope of this relation. The luminosity function of the sample peaks at MK = -1.61 ± 0.03 mag. Next, we assemble published optical and near-infrared photometry for ~20 red clump giants in a Baade's window field with a mean metallicity of [Fe/H] = -0.17 ± 0.09 dex, which is nearly identical to that of the Hipparcos red clump. Assuming that the average (V-I)0 and (V-K)0 colors of these two red clumps are the same, the extinctions in the Baade's window field are found to be AV = 1.56, AI = 0.87, and AK = 0.15, in agreement with previous estimates. We derive the distance to the Galactic center: (m - M)0 = 14.58 ± 0.11 mag, or R = 8.24 ± 0.42 kpc. The uncertainty in this distance measurement is dominated by the small number of Baade's window red clump giants examined here.
Effect of Gypsum Applications on Organic Crop Production and Postharvest Quality Principal Investigators

Introduction With a 20% growth rate in 2001, organic agriculture continues to expand in the U.S. and the world (OTA, 2002). After the release of consistent federal standards for products marketed as “organic” in October 2002 (USDA/AMS, 2002), organic production and consumption was expected to increase beyond current organic sales of $10 billion in 2001 (OTA, 2002). In 1999, Iowa farmers reported 150,000 acres of organic production to the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship survey (IDALS, 2000a), although statistics for organic horticultural crops remain underreported.
Structural Estimation of Systemic Risk: Measuring Contagion in the Sub-Prime Crisis

This paper develops a measure of international systemic risk using a semi-structural approach. In particular, we work with a multi-country dynamic equilibrium setting, placing a constraint on the portfolio volatility of one of the countries. The tightening of this constraint is a channel through which shocks are propagated internationally in our model. The propagation of thisnancial constraint is what we dene as systemic risk. In this paper we offer two estimation alternatives. First, we present a semi-structural approach in which we measure the tightness of the constraint using cross-equation restrictions from the model. The second approach is to implement a full structural estimation. We compare these two estimates with simple measures of systemic risk from principal components. We apply the two methodologies to the measurement of the systemic risk during the 2007-08 sub-prime crisis.