Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Different roles for GABAA and GABAB receptors in visual processing in the rat superior colliculus

1 The superficial grey layer of the superior colliculus (SGS) contains a high proportion of GABAergic inhibitory neurones. We have investigated the role of GABA receptors in synaptic transmission of aspects of visual activity in the SGS that may be driven by inhibitory mechanisms, such as surround inhibition and response habituation. 2 Multi‐barrel glass iontophoretic pipettes were used to record single neuronal activity in the SGS of urethane‐anaesthetized rats. Visual stimulation was provided by the display of moving bars and stationary spots of light on a monitor placed in the receptive field. 3 Both ejection of GABA and the GABAB agonist baclofen reduced responses to moving bars (interstimulus intervals ≥ 8 s). The effects of GABA were reversed by the GABAA antagonist bicuculline, and the effects of baclofen were antagonized by the GABAB antagonist CGP 35348. 4 Surround inhibition was estimated by plotting the response to flashed spots of increasing diameter. In controls, expanding the spot diameter beyond the excitatory receptive field caused a decrease in the response. This inhibitory surround was reversibly reduced by bicuculline, but CGP 35348 had no effect. 5 Response habituation is the progressive reduction in the visual response during repetitive stimulus presentation. In controls, the visual response was reduced to 44 ± 3% of its initial level when a stimulus (moving bar) was presented 5 times with an interstimulus interval of 0.5 s. During CGP 35348 ejection, response habituation was reversibly reduced. Bicuculline had no effect on response habituation. 6 The effects of bicuculline on surround inhibition in the superior colliculus are consistent with similar studies in the lateral geniculate nucleus which indicate that GABAA receptors mediate this effect. The function of GABAB receptors in the visual system is less well researched. The reduction of response habituation with CGP 35348 demonstrates that, at least in the SGS, GABAB receptors have an important role in visual transmission which is distinct from that of GABAA receptors.
Political Discussion in Italy between Mass Media and Ideology: Insights from the 2008 Election

This paper analyzes the role of political discussion during the 2008 election campaign with a special focus on how frequently Italians talk about politics, how important they consider political discussion by comparison with other channels of information, and how congruent their discussion networks are with their own political viewpoints. In particular, the paper will discuss the relationship between ideological self-placement and political discussion. Our findings point out that ideological alignments are significantly related to political discussion, and, more precisely, leftist and center-leftist leanings particularly encourage citizens to talk about politics. This can be explained by long-term structural factors, such as voters’ political socialization and a leftist voters’ greater predisposition for political participation. However, another possible line of explanation lies in the present outlook of the Italian political system. After Berlusconi took ‘the field’ and became leader of the centre-right, mass media have been increasingly perceived as biased and not trustworthy by leftist voters, who might have turned to interpersonal discussion as an alternative channel through which they can partially counterbalance a mass media landscape dominated by Berlusconi and the center-right. This may suggest that Italian center-left parties should try to advance progressive positions in those environments that emphasize political discussion either through traditional face-to-face communication or through the many interesting opportunities offered by the internet and new technologies.
Identification of functional miRNA regulatory modules and their associations via dynamic miRNA regulatory function

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs which cause target genes degradation or translational inhibition. Constructing functional miRNAs regulatory module can be a significant step towards the discovery of their regulatory roles in various development programs. In this paper, we present a Correlated Correspondence Regulatory Module model which builds on modified Correlated Topic Model (CTM). We apply the proposed method to the expression profiles of miRNAs and genes on 89 human cancer samples. The approach computationally predicts miRNA-gene interactions according to the negative or positive correlation relationship between miRNA and gene expression data and identifies functional miRNA regulatory modules from which we can infer multiple and dynamic miRNA function according to the known elements, the result shows consistency with published literature and database. Furthermore, a miRNA regulatory network is constructed in order to study the associations among various regulatory modules, we can detect evolution of miRNA function in biological process according these associations, which solve restriction of traditional methods that only focus on static miRNA function in single regulatory module. Online services can be accessed at the website (http://nclab.hit.edu.cn/CCRM).
Processing Trade, FDI and the Exports of Indigenous Firms: Firm‐Level Evidence From Technology‐Intensive Industries in China

This study examines the impact of processing trade-foreign direct investment (FDI) on the export competitiveness of indigenous firms using disaggregated firm-level production data and product-level trade data from China covering the 2000–07 period. The estimation results show that processing trade-FDI has generated significant positive information spillover effect on the export performance of indigenous firms. However, its technology spillovers effect on the development of international competitiveness in indigenous firms is limited and in fact exerts a significant depressive effect on the propensity to export in these firms. Indigenous innovation, economies of scale and productivity are found to be the main drivers of export performance in indigenous firms.
On the generation of the baseband and narrowband non-Gaussian processes

One of the widely used classifications of random processes implies their separation from the baseband and narrowband ones. Exponent and exponentially decaying cosine waves represent the most popular approximations of the observed processes' autocovariation functions (ACF). We consider the generation of such processes with any specified marginal probability density function (PDF). The approach is based on the representation of the process considered to be a stationary solution of certain stochastic differential equations (SDE) with the white Gaussian noise in the right-hand side. It removes the known Pearson restrictions on the kind of available process' PDF and, in the part related to the generation of the processes with strictly exponential ACF, is very close to that considered by Haddad (1970). Concerning the generation of the narrowband non-Gaussian processes with the exact exponential envelope of its ACF, synthesis of the corresponding SDE may be considered to be principally novel. Several examples of nonlinear dynamical systems generating baseband and narrowband stationary continuous processes with the given PDF are considered. Some aspects of the SDE numerical simulation are presented. The generation method proposed may be useful in communication and signal processing applications where a proper interference simulation appears to be really important.
A Case for Interest Rate Smoothing

The aim of this paper is to determine whether it would be desirable from the perspective of macroeconomic balance for central banks to take account of nominal exchange rate movements when framing monetary policy. The theoretical framework is a small, open DSGE economy that is closed by a Taylor rule for the monetary authority, and a determinate REE that is least-squares learnable is defined as a desirable outcome in the economy. When the policy rule contains contemporaneous data on the output gap and the CPI inflation rate, the monetary authority does not have to consider the exchange rate as long as there is sufficient inertia in policy-making. In fact, due to a parity condition on the international asset market, interest-rate smoothing and a response to changes in the nominal exchange rate are perfectly intersubstitutable in monetary policy. In other words, we give a rationale for the monetary authority to focus on the change in the nominal interest rate rather than its level in policy-making. Thus, we have a case for interest-rate smoothing. Keywords: determinacy, E-stability, foreign exchange, inertia, Taylor rule JEL classification numbers: E52, F31
Motivating Employees of the Public Sector: Does Public Service Motivation Matter?

ABSTRACT This article analyzes if, and to what extent, the public service motivation (PSM) construct has an added value to explain work motivation in the public sector. In order to address the specificity of PSM when studying work motivation, the theoretical model underlying this empirical study compares PSM with two other explanatory factors: material incentives, such as performance-related pay, and team relations and support, such as recognition by superiors. This theoretical model is then tested with data collected in a national survey of 3,754 civil servants at the Swiss municipal level. Results of a structural equations model clearly show the relevance of PSM. They also provide evidence for the importance of socio-relational motivating factors, whereas material incentives play an anecdotal role.
Finite Element Modelling of Intrusive Electrostatic Sensors for the Measurement of Pulverised Fuel Flows

Electrostatic sensors are used in the power generation industry to measure the velocity and other parameters of pulverized fuel. However, relatively little is known about the exact nature of the signal induced onto the sensor electrode, which is dependent on sensor geometry, particle size distribution, and particle velocity. This paper presents a novel approach to the study of signals induced onto intrusive electrostatic sensors, based on fitting a Lorentzian curve to the results of a finite element model of the sensor and pipeline.
Endoscopic endonasal transsphenoidal treatment for acromegaly: 2010 consensus criteria for remission and predictors of outcomes.

AIM Acromegaly is a chronic disorder characterized by enhanced growth hormone (GH) secretion and elevated insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) levels, usually caused by pituitary adenomas. In this retrospective study, we reviewed our experience with endoscopic endonasal transsphenoidal surgery (EETS) with in remission rates using the 2010 consensus criteria, predictors of remission and associated complications. MATERIAL AND METHODS The authors retrospectively analyzed data from 56 acromegalic patients who underwent pure EETS. Tumors were classified according to size and suprasellar/parasellar extension. The criteria of remission were GH levels < 1 ng/mL randomly, < 0.4 ng/mL after oral glucose tolerance test and normal IGF-I levels for age and sex within the first 3 and 6 months after surgery. RESULTS Biochemical remission was achieved in 4 of 5 microadenomas (80%) and in 33 of 51 macroadenomas (64.7%). The total remission rate was 66.1% (37 of 56 adenomas). Age, gender and suprasellar extension did not affect the remission rate. However, cavernous sinus invasion, sphenoid sinus invasion and history of prior surgery were associated with lower rates of disease control. CONCLUSION EETS represents an effective and safe option for the treatment of patients with acromegaly. High disease control rates and a small number of complications are some of the most important points related to the technique.
THE EFFECTS OF REGIONALISATION ON TRADE FLOWS

Recent research on international trade has highlighted the role of geography in influencing trade patterns. This article seeks to contextualise spatially the traditional gravity model used widely to examine patterns of international trade. It shows that since global trade is increasingly organised around regions, variations in regionalisation or geographical bias affect the levels of bilateral trade. When such biases are not taken into account, then estimation of the gravity trade model fails to discriminate between the relative spatial structures of trading regimes. The above argument is examined in the context of Asia-Pacific and Europe which are observed to have relatively different forms of regionalisation tendencies.
The influence of in vitro nitroimidazole resistance on the efficacy of nitroimidazole-containing anti-Helicobacter pylori regimens: a meta-analysis

OBJECTIVES:The aim of this study was to determine the influence of nitroimidazole resistance (NIR) on the efficacy of treatment for Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infections by meta-analysis of the world literature.METHODS:A MEDLINE search, a manual search of all major gastroenterological journals from 1993 to 1997, and abstracts of gastroenterological and H. pylori meetings from 1993 to 1997 were performed. All treatment studies using a nitroimidazole and providing data about the medication used, dose frequency, total daily dose, duration of treatment, and eradication results in relation to NIR were included. Eradication had to be assessed by two biopsy-based tests or a urea breath test ≥4 wk after treatment. Individual studies were pooled into groups according to the medication used and the duration of treatment. The pooled estimate of the odds ratio (OR) of NIR for treatment failure and its 95% confidence interval (95% CI) were calculated for each group using the logit method. To detect any possible bias, funnel plots (plots of effect estimates against sample size) were constructed.RESULTS:A total of 91 treatment arms, including a total of 4823 patients, were evaluated. The pooled ORs of NIR for treatment failure (95% CI) of protonpump inhibitors, bismuth, and quadruple regimens were 5.2 (3.8–7.1), 5.9 (4.1–8.3), and 7.0 (3.1–16.0), respectively. Eradication rates were 90% in susceptible strains but <75% in resistant strains. In susceptible strains, neither treatment duration nor the choice of the second antibiotic influenced efficacy. In resistant strains, tetracycline was more effective than amoxicillin (bismuth regimens), and the longer the duration of regimens (bismuth-amoxicillin regimens) the more effective they were. Only quadruple regimens given for ≥1 wk were effective in resistant strains.CONCLUSIONS:NIR decreases treatment efficacy. Treatment duration and choice of other drugs influence the impact of NIR on treatment efficacy. If NIR is present, a nitroimidazole-containing regimen should be avoided or a quadruple regimen should be given for >1 wk.
Lactic dehydrogenase and cytochrome b2 of baker's yeast; purification and crystallization.

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Anomalous Behavior in the Radiation Patterns

A deep physical analysis of the classical electromagnetic problem of calculating the radiation pattern of a dipole located in a dielectric medium 1 at certain distance from the interface to a different dielectric medium 2 is presented. It is shown that an anomalous behavior in the direction of the maximum of the radiation pattern appears. This singularity is physically meaningless. This is shown by applying the Bernstein's theorem and showing that it is violated.
Social Capital and Organizational Change in High‐Involvement and Traditional Work Organizations

We present new evidence indicating that changing from a traditional human resource management (HRM) environment to an innovative one entails a change not only in formal work practices, but also in the informal networks and patterns of interaction among employees. We focus on differences in the social capital of these workplaces and measure differences in the structure of interactions and information transfer among employees across a sample of manufacturing lines with a common production technology and different HRM systems. We then consider the implications of these differences and show that the change from one form of workplace practices to the other is therefore not just a matter of paying for the direct costs of a new set of HRM practices. Rather, it would involve a disruptive overhaul in the entire network of interactions among all workers at the plant.
THE RETAIL COMPONENT OF THE URBAN MODEL

Abstract The concepts developed in this paper are familiar to planners in terms of definitional and descriptive treatment of shopping centers and shopping areas of different sizes and functions. The paper gains added interest, however, from two interesting features. In the first place, the concepts of center size and function are once again related to central place theory in an economical and clear fashion. At a later point, a provocative comparison is made with more modern information theory. In the second place, the methods used to review the problem and the data, and to zero in on a working model, make use of very modern and sophisticated statistical techniques which may be considered here well displayed by example. While this model makes some use of concepts of accessibility, it may be contrasted in this respect with the companion piece of Lakshmanan and Hansen, where the classical concepts of market areas are abandoned. The author discusses many problems of model construction. He relates his work to .
Which Medical Schools Produce Rural Physicians? A 15-Year Update

Purpose Despite continued federal and state efforts to increase the number of physicians in rural areas, disparities between the supply of rural and urban physicians persist. The authors examined the training of the rural physician workforce in the United States. Method Using a national cross-sectional analysis of the 2005 American Medical Association and American Osteopathic Association Masterfile physician data, the authors examined a 10-year cohort of clinically active MD and DO physicians who graduated from medical school between 1988 and 1997. Results Eleven percent (20,037) of the physician cohort were currently practicing in a rural location in 2005. Eighteen percent (2,045) of osteopathic medical school graduates were currently practicing in a rural location. Twenty-three percent (6,282) of family physician graduates practiced in rural areas. Women continue to be less likely than men to practice in rural areas, although the gap is narrowing. Rural residency trainees were over three times more likely to practice in rural areas (RR = 3.4, P < .001). Conclusions The proportion and number of physicians entering rural practice has remained stable compared with earlier analyses. However, recent trends such as declining primary care interest are not yet reflected in these data and may portend worsening shortages of rural physicians.
China's Quest for Energy Security

China's two decades of rapid economic growth have fueled a demand for energy that has outstripped domestic sources of supply. China became a net oil importer in 1993, and the country's dependence on energy imports is expected to continue to grow over the next 20 years, when it is likely to import some 60 percent of its oil and at least 30 percent of its natural gas. China, thus, has to abandon its traditional goal of energy self-sufficiency - brought about by a fear of strategic vulnerability - and look abroad for resources. This study looks at the measures that China is taking to achieve energy security and the motivations behind those measures.
Pure Contagion and Investors Shifting Risk Appetite: Analytical Issues and Empirical Evidence

This paper discusses a "pure" form of financial contagion, unrelated to economic fundamentals - investors' shifting appetite for risk. It provides an analytical framework for identifying changes in investors' risk appetite and discusses whether it is possible to directly measure them in a way that can enable policy makers to differentiate between financial contagion and domestic fundamentals as the immediate source of a crisis. Daily measures of risk appetite are computed and their usefulness in predicting financial crises is assessed.
Net Fiscal Stimulus During the Great Recession

This paper studies the patterns of fiscal stimuli in the OECD countries propagated by the global crisis. Overall, we find that the USA net fiscal stimulus was modest relative to peers, despite it being the epicenter of the crisis, and having access to relatively cheap funding of its twin deficits. The USA is ranked at the bottom third in terms of the rate of expansion of the consolidated government consumption and investment of the 28 countries in sample. Contrary to historical experience, emerging markets had strongly countercyclical policy during the period immediately preceding the Great Recession and the Great Recession. Many developed OECD countries had procyclical fiscal policy stance in the same periods. Federal unions, emerging markets and countries with very high GDP growth during the pre-recession period saw larger net fiscal stimulus on average than their counterparts. We also find that greater net fiscal stimulus was associated with lower flow costs of general government debt in the same or subsequent period.
Subspace Detection Using a Mutual Information Measure for Hyperspectral Image Classification

Finding a subspace which consists of the most informative features for reliable hyperspectral image classification is a challenging task. Feature reduction is often achieved via feature selection and feature extraction techniques. In this letter, a hybrid approach which combines both treatments is proposed. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) is applied as a preprocessing step so that each of the new features is generated from the complete set of the original spectral bands. Feature selection is then performed effectively using a normalized Mutual Information (nMI) measure with two constraints to maximize general relevance and minimize redundancy in the selected subspace. The proposed algorithm (PCA-nMI) is tested on hyperspectral images and the experimental results show that the modifications give significant improvement in terms of classification accuracy.