Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Politics, Instability, and Composition of International Investment Flows

We analyze the role of political instability for the composition of foreign investment, whether it takes the form of a majority- or minority-owned investment. We focus on the instability generated by the change of the party in power rather than on the risk of change of political regime or expropriation risk associated with this change. In majority-owned establishments, a foreign investor retains the control and enjoys fewer agency problems, while for minority-owned investments or joint ventures domestic partners of a foreign investor can lobby the government for preferential arrangements, such as firm-specific tax breaks. Political instability decreases the payoff of political connections in the future and decreases the attractiveness of minority-owned investments. The implications of our model are supported by empirical tests.
From ascription to achievement : The status attainment process in Hungary from 1910 to 1991

One of the central research questions that can be addressed by the classic status attairunent model (Blau and Duncan 1967) is the shift from ascription to achievement over time. In this paper, we will explore this change for Hungary. We wi! l focus on the effects ofthe two main deterrninants of occupational position: forma! education of the respondent (achievement) and father's occupational position (ascription). We expect both the achievement and ascription effect to develop over time. This may be the consequence of historica! and politica! processes, such as the rapid development of Hungarian society in respect of modemization and industrialization this started at the beginning of this century and accelerated in the last four decades and specific events that occurred in the country during this century. Thus, we need not to have job history inforrnation from more than one or two generations to get a comprehensive view on the changes in the status attainment process in Hungary. Besides developments over historie time (that also can belabeledas inter-cohort change), we wil! also take into account the development of ascription and achievement effects over the life course or intra-cohort change (aging effect).
Support for the vascular depression hypothesis in late-life depression: results of a 2-site, prospective, antidepressant treatment trial.

CONTEXT Research on vascular depression has used 2 approaches to subtype late-life depression, based on executive dysfunction or white matter hyperintensity severity. OBJECTIVE To evaluate the relationship of neuropsychological performance and white matter hyperintensity with clinical response in late-life depression. DESIGN Two-site, prospective, nonrandomized controlled trial. SETTING Outpatient clinics at Washington University and Duke University. PARTICIPANTS A total of 217 subjects aged 60 years or older met DSM-IV criteria for major depression, scored 20 or more on the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS), and received vascular risk factor scores, neuropsychological testing, and magnetic resonance imaging; they were excluded for cognitive impairment or severe medical disorders. Fazekas rating was conducted to grade white matter hyperintensity lesions. Intervention Twelve weeks of sertraline treatment, titrated by clinical response. Main Outcome Measure Participants' MADRS scores over time. RESULTS Baseline neuropsychological factor scores correlated negatively with baseline Fazekas scores. A mixed model examined effects of predictor variables on MADRS scores over time. Baseline episodic memory (P = .002), language (P = .007), working memory (P = .01), processing speed (P < .001), executive function factor scores (P = .002), and categorical Fazekas ratings (P = .05) predicted MADRS scores, controlling for age, education, age of onset, and race. Controlling for baseline MADRS scores, these factors remained significant predictors of decrease in MADRS scores, except for working memory and Fazekas ratings. Thirty-three percent of subjects achieved remission (MADRS < or =7). Remitters differed from nonremitters in baseline cognitive processing speed, executive function, language, episodic memory, and vascular risk factor scores. CONCLUSIONS Comprehensive neuropsychological function and white matter hyperintensity severity predicted MADRS scores prospectively over a 12-week treatment course with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors in late-life depression. Baseline neuropsychological function differentiated remitters from nonremitters and predicted time to remission in a proportional hazards model. Predictor variables correlated highly with vascular risk factor severity. These data support the vascular depression hypothesis and highlight the importance of linking subtypes based on neuropsychological function and white matter integrity. TRIAL REGISTRATION clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT00045773.
Analysis of a Plant Complex Resistance Gene Locus Underlying Immune-Related Hybrid Incompatibility and Its Occurrence in Nature

Mechanisms underlying speciation in plants include detrimental (incompatible) genetic interactions between parental alleles that incur a fitness cost in hybrids. We reported on recessive hybrid incompatibility between an Arabidopsis thaliana strain from Poland, Landsberg erecta (Ler), and many Central Asian A. thaliana strains. The incompatible interaction is determined by a polymorphic cluster of Toll/interleukin-1 receptor-nucleotide binding-leucine rich repeat (TNL) RPP1 (Recognition of Peronospora parasitica1)-like genes in Ler and alleles of the receptor-like kinase Strubbelig Receptor Family 3 (SRF3) in Central Asian strains Kas-2 or Kond, causing temperature-dependent autoimmunity and loss of growth and reproductive fitness. Here, we genetically dissected the RPP1-like Ler locus to determine contributions of individual RPP1-like Ler (R1–R8) genes to the incompatibility. In a neutral background, expression of most RPP1-like Ler genes, except R3, has no effect on growth or pathogen resistance. Incompatibility involves increased R3 expression and engineered R3 overexpression in a neutral background induces dwarfism and sterility. However, no individual RPP1-like Ler gene is sufficient for incompatibility between Ler and Kas-2 or Kond, suggesting that co-action of at least two RPP1-like members underlies this epistatic interaction. We find that the RPP1-like Ler haplotype is frequent and occurs with other Ler RPP1-like alleles in a local population in Gorzów Wielkopolski (Poland). Only Gorzów individuals carrying the RPP1-like Ler haplotype are incompatible with Kas-2 and Kond, whereas other RPP1-like alleles in the population are compatible. Therefore, the RPP1-like Ler haplotype has been maintained in genetically different individuals at a single site, allowing exploration of forces shaping the evolution of RPP1-like genes at local and regional population scales.
A Case of Type 2 Youssef's Syndrome following Caesarean Section for Placenta Previa Totalis

Vesicouterine fistula is a rare type of urogenital fistulas. It is most commonly observed after cesarean section (C/S) due to iatrogenic reasons. In this article, a case of a vesicouterine fistula which developed after C/S operation is presented. This was the patient's second C/S and this time placenta previa totalis was the primary pathology. Since it is a rare complication, we found it interesting, and, in this article, this clinical problem was discussed with details about diagnosis and treatment in light of the literature.
Finite Element Exterior Calculus for Evolution Problems

Arnold, Falk, and Winther [Bull. Amer. Math. Soc. 47 (2010), 281--354] showed that mixed variational problems, and their numerical approximation by mixed methods, could be most completely understood using the ideas and tools of Hilbert complexes. This led to the development of the Finite Element Exterior Calculus (FEEC) for a large class of linear elliptic problems. More recently, Holst and Stern [Found. Comp. Math. 12:3 (2012), 263--293 and 363--387] extended the FEEC framework to semi-linear problems, and to problems containing variational crimes, allowing for the analysis and numerical approximation of linear and nonlinear geometric elliptic partial differential equations on Riemannian manifolds of arbitrary spatial dimension, generalizing surface finite element approximation theory. In this article, we develop another distinct extension to the FEEC, namely to parabolic and hyperbolic evolution systems, allowing for the treatment of geometric and other evolution problems. Our approach is to combine the recent work on the FEEC for elliptic problems with a classical approach to solving evolution problems via semi-discrete finite element methods, by viewing solutions to the evolution problem as lying in time-parameterized Hilbert spaces (or Bochner spaces). Building on classical approaches by Thomee for parabolic problems and Geveci for hyperbolic problems, we establish a priori error estimates for Galerkin FEM approximation in the natural parametrized Hilbert space norms. In particular, we recover the results of Thomee and Geveci for two-dimensional domains and lowest-order mixed methods as special cases, effectively extending their results to arbitrary spatial dimension and to an entire family of mixed methods. We also show how the Holst and Stern framework allows for extensions of these results to certain semi-linear evolution problems.
Knowledge Extraction From Trained Neural Networks

Artificial neural networks (ANN) are very efficient in solving various kinds of problems But Lack of explanation capability (Black box nature of Neural Networks) is one of the most important reasons why artificial neural networks do not get necessary interest in some parts of industry. In this work artificial neural networks first trained and then combined with decision trees in order to fetch knowledge learnt in the training process. After successful training, knowledge is extracted from these trained neural networks using decision trees in the forms of IF THEN Rules which we can easily understand as compare to direct neural network outputs. We use decision trees to train on the results set of trained neural network and compare the performance of neural networks and decision trees in knowledge extraction from neural networks. Weka machine learning simulator with version 3.7. 5 is used for research purpose. The experimental study is done on bank customers’ data which have 12 attributes and 600 instances. The results study show that although neural networks takes much time in training and testing but are more accurate in classification then decision trees.
From Embryo to Adult: Persistent Neurogenesis and Apoptotic Cell Death Shape the Lobster Deutocerebrum

Neuronal plasticity and synaptic remodeling play important roles during the development of the invertebrate nervous system. In addition, structural neuroplasticity as a result of long-term environmental changes, behavioral modifications, age, and experience have been demonstrated in the brains of sexually mature insects. In adult vertebrates, persistent neurogenesis is found in the granule cell layer of the mammalian hippocampus and the subventricular zone, as well as in the telencephalon of songbirds, indicating that persistent neurogenesis, which is presumably related to plasticity and learning, may be an integral part of the normal biology of the mature brain. In decapod crustaceans, persistent neurogenesis among olfactory projection neurons is a common principle that shapes the adult brain, indicating a remarkable degree of life-long structural plasticity. The present study closes a gap in our knowledge of this phenomenon by describing the continuous cell proliferation and gradual displacement of proliferation domains in the central olfactory pathway of the American lobsterHomarus americanus from early embryonic through larval and juvenile stages into adult life. Neurogenesis in the deutocerebrum was examined by the in vivo incorporation of bromodeoxyuridine, and development and structural maturation of the deutocerebral neuropils were studied using immunohistochemistry against Drosophila synapsin. The role of apoptotic cell death in shaping the developing deutocerebrum was studied using the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated biotinylated UTP nick end labeling method, combined with immunolabeling using an antiphospho histone H3 mitosis marker. Our results indicate that, in juvenile and adult lobsters, birth and death of olfactory interneurons occur in parallel, suggesting a turnover of these cells. When the persistent neurogenesis and concurrent death of interneurons in the central olfactory pathway of the crustacean brain are taken into account with the life-long turnover of olfactory receptor cells in crustacean antennules, a new, highly dynamic picture of olfaction in crustaceans emerges.
Adaptive Persuasive Systems: A Study of Tailored Persuasive Text Messages to Reduce Snacking

This article describes the use of personalized short text messages (SMS) to reduce snacking. First, we describe the development and validation (N = 215) of a questionnaire to measure individual susceptibility to different social influence strategies. To evaluate the external validity of this Susceptibility to Persuasion Scale (STPS) we set up a two week text-messaging intervention that used text messages implementing social influence strategies as prompts to reduce snacking behavior. In this experiment (N = 73) we show that messages that are personalized (tailored) to the individual based on their scores on the STPS, lead to a higher decrease in snacking consumption than randomized messages or messages that are not tailored (contra-tailored) to the individual. We discuss the importance of this finding for the design of persuasive systems and detail how designers can use tailoring at the level of social influence strategies to increase the effects of their persuasive technologies.
Lanthanum carbonate reduces FGF23 in chronic kidney disease Stage 3 patients.

BACKGROUND In chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients, the ability to excrete a phosphate load is impaired. Compensatory increase in parathyroid hormone (PTH) and fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23) promote phosphaturia. Serum FGF23 concentration is considered an early biomarker of excess phosphate load and high levels of FGF23 have been associated with increased mortality. In the present study, we have evaluated the changes in plasma FGF23 after treatment with the phosphate binder lanthanum carbonate in patients with CKD-3 and a normal serum phosphate concentration. METHODS Eighteen Caucasian CKD Stage 3a/3b patients with serum phosphate <4.5 mg/dL were recruited in a prospective longitudinal open-label study. Patients received a 4-week period of standardized phosphorus-restricted diet containing 0.8 g/Kg/day protein. Thereafter, the same diet was maintained and patients received lanthanum carbonate (750 mg with the three main meals) for 4 weeks. RESULTS No significant changes were observed in serum phosphate, however, lanthanum carbonate significantly decreased urinary excretion of phosphate and fractional excretion of phosphate (P < 0.004). This was accompanied by a significant decrease in carboxyterminal FGF23 (median percent change from baseline -21.8% (interquartile range -4.5, -30%), P = 0.025). No changes were observed in PTH. CONCLUSIONS In conclusion, lanthanum carbonate reduced phosphate load, as assessed by urinary phosphate excretion, and also reduced plasma FGF23 in CKD-3 patients. This occurs in the presence of unchanged normal serum phosphate levels.
Rapid, high-yield production in plants of individualized idiotype vaccines for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

BACKGROUND Animal and clinical studies with plant-produced single-chain variable fragment lymphoma vaccines have demonstrated specific immunogenicity and safety. However, the expression levels of such fragments were highly variable and required complex engineering of the linkers. Moreover, the downstream processing could not be built around standard methods like protein A affinity capture. DESIGN We report a novel vaccine manufacturing process, magnifection, devoid of the above-mentioned shortcomings and allowing consistent and efficient expression in plants of whole immunoglobulins (Igs). RESULTS Full idiotype (Id)-containing IgG molecules of 20 lymphoma patients and 2 mouse lymphoma models were expressed at levels between 0.5 and 4.8 g/kg of leaf biomass. Protein A affinity capture purification yielded antigens of pharmaceutical purity. Several patient Igs produced in plants showed specific cross-reactivity with sera derived from the same patients immunized with hybridoma-produced Id vaccine. Mice vaccinated with plant- or hybridoma-produced Igs showed comparable protection levels in tumor challenge studies. CONCLUSIONS This manufacturing process is reliable and robust, the manufacturing time from biopsy to vaccine is <12 weeks and the expression and purification of antigens require only 2 weeks. The process is also broadly applicable for manufacturing monoclonal antibodies in plants, providing 50- to 1000-fold higher yields than alternative plant expression methods.
Hubungan Tipe Kepribadian Dengan Penyesuaian Diri Mahasiswa Perantau di Universitas Tarumanagara Jakarta

This study aims to look at the relationship between personality types and self-adjustment of migrant students in Universitas Tarumanagara. Personality defined as a pattern of unique characteristics and relatively permanent traits, which are individuality and consistency in an individual’s behavior. Self-adjustment can be said as the changes which made to the environment as an effort to fit with the individual. The design of this study is quantitative, non-experimental to see whether there is a personality relationship to the adjustment of migrant psychology students at Tarumanagara University. The number of research subjects was 62 students consisting of 12 male and 50 female psychology students at Tarumanagara University who were all overseas students from various regions in Indonesia. These participants filled in the Big 5 Personality questionnaire. This reseach aimed at finding the personality tendency that supports the migrant students to get adjusted easier in the new living environment. Findings indicate that both ‘agreeableness’ and ‘conscientiousness’ aspects of the Big 5 Personality have greater contribution on individual’s self-adjustment than the other three aspects. In other words, individuals who are more ‘agreeable’ and ‘conscientious’, tend to have better ability to adjust socially and emotionally. Personality aspects play a role in the situation which shows the success of students to adjust to the environment.
The Economics of Transboundary River Management

We survey the economics of transboundary river water allocation, which emerged in the 1960s and has matured over the last decade due to increasing concerns over water scarcity and pollution. We outline the major approaches and pay specific attention to the strategic aspects of transboundary river water allocation. These strategic aspects are captured by employing game theory to assess the economics of transboundary river water allocation in a simple model of river sharing. This model allows us to show how conflict and cooperation over transboundary water resources may occur. It also allows us to pay specific attention to the efficiency, sustainability, and fairness of solutions to this model. We compare and contrast both cooperative and non-cooperative approaches and we relate their solutions to illustrative examples. Corresponding author: Erik Ansink Department of Spatial Economics, VU University Amsterdam De Boelelaan 1105, 1081 HV Amsterdam, the Netherlands Email: erik.ansink@vu.nl Tel: +31 20 598 1214 * We thank Petra Hellegers for discussions that were valuable to this chapter. † Department of Spatial Economics and IVM, VU University Amsterdam, and Tinbergen Institute. ‡ Department of Econometrics, VU University Amsterdam, and Tinbergen Institute.
Hippocampus contributes to the maintenance but not the quality of visual information over time

The hippocampus has recently been implicated in the brief representation of visual information, but its specific role is not well understood. We investigated this role using a paradigm that distinguishes quantity and quality of visual memory as described in a previous study. We found that amnesic patients with bilateral hippocampal damage (N = 5) were less likely to remember test stimuli than comparison participants despite a brief maintenance interval (900 msec). However, estimates of memory quality were similar for all groups. Our findings suggest that the hippocampus contributes to brief maintenance of visual information but does not contribute to the quality of that information.
Nuclease-Assisted Suppression of Human DNA Background in Sepsis

Sepsis is a severe medical condition characterized by a systemic inflammatory response of the body caused by pathogenic microorganisms in the bloodstream. Blood or plasma is typically used for diagnosis, both containing large amount of human DNA, greatly exceeding the DNA of microbial origin. In order to enrich bacterial DNA, we applied the C0t effect to reduce human DNA background: a model system was set up with human and Escherichia coli (E. coli) DNA to mimic the conditions of bloodstream infections; and this system was adapted to plasma and blood samples from septic patients. As a consequence of the C0t effect, abundant DNA hybridizes faster than rare DNA. Following denaturation and re-hybridization, the amount of abundant DNA can be decreased with the application of double strand specific nucleases, leaving the non-hybridized rare DNA intact. Our experiments show that human DNA concentration can be reduced approximately 100,000-fold without affecting the E. coli DNA concentration in a model system with similarly sized amplicons. With clinical samples, the human DNA background was decreased 100-fold, as bacterial genomes are approximately 1,000-fold smaller compared to the human genome. According to our results, background suppression can be a valuable tool to enrich rare DNA in clinical samples where a high amount of background DNA can be found.
In vitro evaluation of tobramycin and aztreonam versus Pseudomonas aeruginosa biofilms on cystic fibrosis-derived human airway epithelial cells.

OBJECTIVES Aztreonam for inhalation solution (AZLI) was recently approved by the FDA for treating cystic fibrosis (CF) patients infected with Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Here we investigated the effect of aztreonam alone or in combination with tobramycin on P. aeruginosa biofilms grown on CF airway epithelial cells. METHODS P. aeruginosa biofilms, produced by laboratory strains or clinical isolates, were formed on confluent CF airway cells before treatment overnight with aztreonam or tobramycin alone or in combination. Alternatively, antibiotics were added 1 h after bacterial inoculation to assess their ability to impair biofilm formation at 5 h. Bacterial cfu remaining after treatment were then determined by plate counting. RESULTS In the absence of antibiotics, all strains developed biofilms that disrupted CF airway epithelial monolayers overnight. Tobramycin reduced the cfu of all strains grown as biofilms. Aztreonam reduced the cfu of some strains by ∼1 log unit without preserving the integrity of cystic fibrosis airway cell monolayers, while decreasing the biofilms of other clinical isolates by ∼4 log units and protecting the monolayers from being compromised. The combination of aztreonam and tobramycin reduced the cfu of two strains by an additional 0.5 and 2 log units, respectively. Of all the mechanisms explored, Psl exopolysaccharide production might explain the variations in biofilm tolerance to aztreonam in some of the strains. CONCLUSIONS Effects of aztreonam on P. aeruginosa biofilms in the in vitro co-culture model are strain-dependent. The simultaneous application of aztreonam and tobramycin may be beneficial for a subset of CF patients by eliminating susceptible P. aeruginosa strains.