Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Characterization of New Founder Alu-Mediated Rearrangements in MSH2 Gene Associated with a Lynch Syndrome Phenotype

It has been reported that large genomic deletions in the MLH1 and MSH2 genes are a frequent cause of Lynch syndrome in certain populations. Here, a cohort has been screened and two new founder rearrangements have been found in the MSH2 gene. These mutations have been characterized by break point determination, haplotype analysis, and genotype–phenotype correlation. Mutations have been identified in the MLH1, MSH2, and MSH6 genes in 303 subjects from 160 suspected Lynch syndrome unrelated families. All subjects were tested using heteroduplex analysis by capillary array electrophoresis. Multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification was used to detect rearrangements in mutation-negative index patients and confirmed by reverse transcriptase PCR. The break point of the deletions was further characterized by the array comparative genomic hybridization method. Immunohistochemical staining and microsatellite instability were studied in tumor samples. Hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer–related phenotypes were evaluated. More than 16% (24 of 160) of the families had pathogenic mutations (8 MLH1, 15 MSH2, and 1 MSH6). Twelve of these families (50%) are carriers of a novel mutation. Seven of the 15 positive MSH2 families (47%) are carriers of a rearrangement. The exon 7 deletion and exon 4 to 8 deletion of MSH2 are new founder mutations. The segregation of a common haplotype, a similar phenotype, and anticipation effects were observed in these families. These findings will greatly simplify the diagnosis, counseling, and clinical care in suspected Lynch syndrome families and not just in specific geographic areas, so wide distribution may be explained by migration patterns. Cancer Prev Res; 4(10); 1546–55. ©2011 AACR.
Centre De Referència En Economia Analítica Barcelona Economics Working Paper Series Working Paper Nº 234 Stabilization versus Insurance: Welfare Effects of Procyclical Taxation under Incomplete Markets Welfare Effects of Procyclical Taxation under Incomplete Markets Barcelona Economics Wp Nº 234

We construct and calibrate a general equilibrium business cycle model with unemployment and precautionary saving. We compute the cost of business cycles and locate the optimum in a set of simple cyclical fiscal policies. Our economy exhibits productivity shocks, giving firms an incentive to hire more when productivity is high. However, business cycles make workers' income riskier, both by increasing the unconditional probability of unusually long unemployment spells, and by making wages more variable, and therefore they decrease social welfare by around one-fourth or one-third of 1% of consumption. Optimal fiscal policy offsets the cycle, holding unemployment benefits constant but varying the tax rate procyclically to smooth hiring. By running a deficit of 4% to 5% of output in recessions, the government eliminates half the variation in the unemployment rate, most of the variation in workers' aggregate consumption, and most of the welfare cost of business cycles. 2 In so far as the absence of income-risk pooling reflects " imperfections " in capital markets, and I think it does, the cost of individual income variability measures the potential or actual gain from social insurance, not from stabilization policy. The real promise of the Krusell-Smith model and related formulations , I think, will be in the study of the relation of policies that reduce the impact of risk by reducing the variance of shocks (like aggregate stabilization policies) to those that act by real-locating risks (like social insurance policies). Robert Lucas (2003), p. 10.
Participatory Action Research (PAR) cum Action Research (AR) in Teacher Professional Development: A Literature Review.

This paper reviews Participatory Action Research as an approach to teacher professional development. It maps the origins of Participatory Action Research (PAR) and discusses the benefits and challenges that have been identified by other researchers in utilizing PAR approaches in conducting research. It draws ideas of combining the features of Action Research (AR) and Participatory Action Research (PAR) to plot research cell design or teacher network design to enhance research for action, action for research and creation of knowledge and theories while solving problems occurring in classroom settings. The discussion focuses on reflective practice and andragogy as the featured characteristics of AR and PAR. These are noted to develop quality teachers to attain quality learning and quality assurance. The review also provides probable benefits of PAR framework to Philippine education; probable challenges and issues that may arise in the implementation; and future directions of PAR implementation in the Philippines aimed to attain education quality through teacher quality.
Temporal Effects on Attributions for Academic Performances and Reflected-Glory Basking

Tittle, Charles R. and Richard J. Hill 1967 "Attitude measurement and prediction of behavior: An evaluation of conditions and measurement techniques. " Sociometry 30:199-213. Triandis, Harry C. 1964 "Exploratory factor analyses of the behavioral component of social attitudes. " Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology 68:420-30. Warner, Lyle G. and Melvin L. DeFleur 1969 "Attitude as an interactional concept: Social constraint and social distance as intervening variables between attitudes and action. " American Sociological Review 34:153-69.
Linear electrical properties of striated muscle fibres observed with intracellular electrodes

The linear electrical properties of muscle fibres have been examined using intracellular electrodes for a. c. measurements and analyzing observations on the basis of cable theory. The measurements have covered the frequency range 1 c/s to 10 kc/s. Comparison of the theory for the circular cylindrical fibre with that for the ideal, one-dimensional cable indicates that, under the conditions of the experiments, no serious error would be introduced in the analysis by the geometrical idealization. The impedance locus for frog sartorius and crayfish limb muscle fibres deviates over a wide range of frequencies from that expected for a simple model in which the current path between the inside and the outside of the fibre consists only of a resistance and a capacitance in parallel. A good fit of the experimental results on frog fibres is obtained if the inside-outside admittance is considered to contain, in addition to the parallel elements Rm = 3100 Ωcm2 and Cm = 2.6 μF/cm2, another path composed of a resistance Re = 330 Ωcm2 in series with a capacitance Ce = 4.1 μF/cm2, all referred to unit area of fibre surface. The impedance behaviour of crayfish fibres can be described by a similar model, the corresponding values being Rm = 680 Ωcm2, Cm = 3.9 μF/cm2, Re = 35 Ωcm2, Ce = 17 μF/cm2. The response of frog fibres to a step-function current (with the points of voltage recording and current application close together) has been analyzed in terms of the above two-time constant model, and it is shown that neglecting the series resistance would have an appreciable effect on the agreement between theory and experiment only at times less than the halftime of rise of the response. The elements Rm and Cm are presumed to represent properties of the surface membrane of the fibre. Re and Ce are thought to arise not at the surface, but to be indicative of a separate current path from the myoplasm through an intracellular system of channels to the exterior. In the case of crayfish fibres, it is possible that Re (when referred to unit volume) would be a measure of the resistivity of the interior of the channels, and Ce the capacitance across the walls of the channels. In the case of frog fibres, it is suggested that the elements Re, Ce arise from the properties of adjacent membranes of the triads in the sarcoplasmic reticulum . The possibility is considered that the potential difference across the capacitance Ce may control the initiation of contraction.
Ryanodine receptor–transmitter release site coupling increases quantal size in a synapse‐specific manner

The mechanisms by which presynaptic neurones differentially regulate synaptic transmission with multiple postsynaptic targets in the brain are not fully understood. Using intracellular sharp electrode and whole‐cell voltage‐clamp recordings of soma–soma synapses between identified Lymnaea neurones, we provide direct evidence that quantal size is regulated presynaptically through the coupling of multiple release sites. This coupling effectively multiplies quantal size, thereby providing significant influence over parameters of synaptic transmission that are influenced by quantal size, such as the variance in transmitter release at stationary release probabilities. Variation in the degree of coupling is dependent on the identity of the postsynaptic cell, even though the variation in quantal size is of presynaptic origin. We have therefore demonstrated the presence of a novel mechanism by which presynaptic neurones may differentially regulate quantal size at select synaptic connections, in turn providing them with a means of regulating synaptic transmission with multiple postsynaptic cells.
Adult Relationships in Multiple Contexts and Associations With Adolescent Mental Health

Purpose: Adult relationships provide critical support for adolescents because of their potential to foster positive development and provide protective influences. Few studies examine multiple ecological layers of adult relationships in connection with well-being and depression. This study examines the influence of relationships from multiple contexts for adolescents and their mental health. Method: Data from the 2011 California Healthy Kids Survey was used for this analysis; a sample of 7th-, 9th-, and 11th-grade students (N = 14,931) was drawn from 6 school districts in Southern California. Results: Regression analyses revealed that parent, teacher, and community adult support were all significantly positively associated with well-being and significantly negatively associated with depression. Discussion: Social support explained more variance in well-being than in depression, indicating that adult support may be more important for supporting well-being. This study supports the belief that individual categories and combinations of adult support are important.
The evolution of the broad-line region among SDSS quasars

Based on 5344 quasar spectra taken from the SDSS Data Release 2, the dependences of various emission-line flux ratios on redshift and quasar luminosity are investigated in the ranges $2.0 \leq z \leq 4.5$ and $-24.5 \geq M_B \geq -29.5$. We show that the emission lines in the composite spectra are fitted better with power-law profiles than with double Gaussian or modified Lorentzian profiles, and in particular we show that the power-law profiles are more appropriate to measure broad emission-line fluxes than other methods. The composite spectra show that there are statistically significant correlations between quasar luminosity and various emission-line flux ratios, such as Nv/Civ and Nv/Heii, while there are only marginal correlations between quasar redshift and emission-line flux ratios. We obtain detailed photoionization models to interpret the observed line ratios. The correlation of line ratios with luminosity is interpreted in terms of higher gas metallicity in more luminous quasars. For a given quasar luminosity, there is no metallicity evolution for the redshift range $2.0 \leq z \leq 4.5$. The typical metallicity of BLR gas clouds is estimated to be $Z \sim 5~ Z_\odot$, although the inferred metallicity depends on the assumed BLR cloud properties, such as their density distribution function and their radial distribution. The absence of a metallicity evolution up to $z \sim 4.5$ implies that the active star-formation epoch of quasar host galaxies occurred at $z \ga 7$.
Threads of Solidarity: Women in South African Industry, 1900-1980

Part I - gender industrialization: gender, community and working-class history dependency and domesticity - women's wage labour, 1900-1925. Part II - women in the new industrial unions: patterns of women's labour, 1925-1940 daughters of the depression commandos of working women a lengthening thread. Part II - a new working class and the challenge of diversity: nimble fingers and keen eyesight - women in wartime production a new working class, 1940-1960 a solidarity fragmented - garment workers in the Transvaal food and canning workers in the Cape - the structure of gender and race standing united never far from home - family, community and working women. Part IV - decentralization and the rise of independent unions: city and periphery, 1960-1980 repression and resistance.
OPTIMISTIC VALUE MODEL OF UNCERTAIN OPTIMAL CONTROL

Optimal control is an important field of study both in theory and in applications. Based on uncertainty theory, an expected value model of uncertain optimal control problem was studied by Zhu. In this paper, an optimistic value model for uncertain optimal control problem is investigated. Applying Bellman's principle of optimality, the principle of optimality for the model is presented. And then the equation of optimality is obtained for the optimistic value model of uncertain optimal control. Finally, a portfolio selection problem is solved by this equation of optimality.
The Effects of an Inference-Making Strategy Taught With and Without Goal Setting

This quasi-experimental study examined the effects of a strategy for making text-dependent inferences—with and without embedded self-regulation skills—on the reading comprehension of 24 middle-grade students with disabilities. Classes were randomly assigned to receive the inference intervention only (IO), inference + individual goal setting (IIG), or inference + group goal setting (IGG). The Kruskal–Wallis one-way analysis of variance revealed no significant differences between groups on overall reading comprehension performance, but students in the IGG group significantly outperformed the IO and IIG groups on evaluation items, χ 2 (2, N = 24) = 13.18, p = . 001. Paired samples t tests indicated all groups significantly improved their comprehension performance from pre- to posttest, IO: t(8) = 2.76, p < . 05; IIG: t(6) = 3.97, p < . 01; IGG: t(7) = 4.35, p < . 01. The IGG group wrote significantly more valid inferences in Lessons 3 to 7 than the IO or IIG groups; χ 2 (2) ranged from 7.26, p < . 05, to 16.16, p < . 001.
Discursive constructions of gender-based violence and safe sex practices among female residence students at UKZN.

Gender-based violence and the risk of HIV infection are some of the social problems facing women in South Africa. The emergence of gender-based violence as a prominent challenge facing the University of KwaZulu-Natal community led to the impetus for a qualitative study which focuses specifically on female UKZN residence students on Howard College Campus. A social constructionist approach was used to explore how female UKZN residence students understand and experience gender-based violence and safe sex practices. Unstructured interviews were conducted with twelve female residence students and interview texts were analysed using discourse analysis. The findings revealed the difficulties women experience in negotiating safe sex and how gender-based violence is facilitated through a system of discourses which reproduce patriarchal power relations. This research shines a light on the prevalence of gender-based violence in South Africa and the far reaching impact it has on the lives of women. The fear of gender-based violence is a continuous presence in the lives of these women and this research demonstrates how one does not have to be a victim of gender-based violence to experience the trauma and anxiety surrounding this violence. Hopefully this research will culminate in policy and interventions aimed at improving the lives of female students at UKZN.
Defective smooth muscle regulation in cGMP kinase I‐deficient mice

Regulation of smooth muscle contractility is essential for many important biological processes such as tissue perfusion, cardiovascular haemostasis and gastrointestinal motility. While an increase in calcium initiates smooth muscle contraction, relaxation can be induced by cGMP or cAMP. cGMP‐dependent protein kinase I (cGKI) has been suggested as a major mediator of the relaxant effects of both nucleotides. To study the biological role of cGKI and its postulated cross‐activation by cAMP, we inactivated the gene coding for cGKI in mice. Loss of cGKI abolishes nitric oxide (NO)/cGMP‐dependent relaxation of smooth muscle, resulting in severe vascular and intestinal dysfunctions. However, cGKI‐deficient smooth muscle responded normally to cAMP, indicating that cAMP and cGMP signal via independent pathways, with cGKI being the specific mediator of the NO/cGMP effects in murine smooth muscle.
A Macroeconomic Overview of the Labour Market

A macroeconomic examination of unemployment obscures much of the rich detail that underpins the labour market. Nevertheless, it enables us to analyse the broad trends that have occurred over the past twenty years on both the demand and supply sides of the labour market. In the next section we examine these trends at an aggregate level. The aggregate unemployment rate has risen as a result of a large increase in labour supply which has not been matched by an equivalent increase in labour demand (employment). Most of the rise in the aggregate unemployment rate occurred in the 1970s, associated with the increase in labour costs at that time. Since the early 1980s, the aggregate unemployment rate has fluctuated with the economic cycle around a relatively constant mean. In Section 2, we also discuss estimates of the natural rate of unemployment. Similar to the trend in the aggregate unemployment rate, the natural rate rose sharply in the mid 1970s, but has been relatively steady over the past fifteen years fluctuating between 6 and 8 per cent. The adjustment of inflation expectations has played an important role in the movement of the aggregate unemployment rate relative to the natural rate in the 1990s.
Identification of Three Distinct Receptor Binding Sites of Murine Interleukin-11*

Interleukin-11 (IL-11) is a member of the gp130 family of cytokines. These cytokines drive the assembly of multisubunit receptor complexes, all of which contain at least one molecule of the transmembrane signaling receptor gp130. A complex of IL-11 and the IL-11 receptor (IL-11R) has been shown to interact with gp130, with high affinity, and to induce gp130- dependent signaling. In this study, we have identified residues crucial for the binding of murine IL-11 (mIL-11) to both the IL-11R and gp130 by examining the activities of mIL-11 mutants in receptor binding and cell proliferation assays. The location of these residues, as predicted from structural studies and a model of IL-11, reveals that mIL-11 has three distinct receptor binding sites. These are structurally and functionally analogous to the previously defined receptor binding sites I, II, and III of interleukin-6 (IL-6). This supports the hypothesis that IL-11 signals via the formation of a hexameric receptor complex and indicates that site III is a generic feature of cytokines that signal via association with gp130.
The Emergence of Organizations and Markets

continued for almost one hundred years. The vernacular approach to risk was increasingly irrelevant when the risk lay in a whole system, which emerged first with the railroads and then big industry. The first major response to the mayhem in both systems was safety programs, ‘‘safety first,’’ but they proved ineffective. What worked was the legal system. As the number of working class jury members increased, and as the contingent fee system gave the poor greater access to the courts, the awards increased. Industry found that it paid to put up guardrails and train workers. The development of tort law reached far beyond industry, even into ‘‘risk as entertainment,’’ the amusement park. Selling risk as entertainment was certainly profitable, but disciplining the public without ruining their fun was difficult, even a contradiction. Moreover, the undisciplined could sue. So risk professionals, engineers and statisticians in this case, were brought in to minimize the dangers. But there had to be dangers, so sneaking in with them were the insurance agents to cover the inevitable suits, and we had the growth of liability insurance. The vernacular risk culture covered the house, the yard, and the nursery, emphasizing education, but mostly experience and personal responsibility; it was embraced by the safety culture movement. But safety education proved ineffective as consumer products increasingly consumed lives and limbs. The modern approach was to see technology as both the cause and the potential cure for accidents. Increasingly complex and lethal products had to be designed for safe use by careless adults and children. In 1955 an important regulatory precedent was set that further propelled the technology emphasis. Children suffocated from being locked into abandoned refrigerators that could not be opened from the inside. Despite the fact that nationwide, only 10 to 20 children suffocated each year, the danger consumed congress for weeks as manufactures and safety experts dueled. For the first time, congress mandated design changes in a consumer product for the sole purpose of protecting users from injuring themselves through misuse. The intervention affected more and more products and continues today, but the vernacular is still powerful. The public successfully resisted dead man’s switches on power mowers, though almost 80,000 people suffered amputations or severe laceration in lawnmower accidents per year at the time the proposed legislation was defeated. The unheralded social movements surrounding safety offer tasty morsels for social movement theorists. For the economic sociologist, market failures abound in the attempts to reduce risks. The empiricist will see the power of statistics throughout, starting with immunization for smallpox in colonial America. For the serious sociologists this might be small potatoes, but we don’t have to be so serious all the time; the dish is so elegantly served that this restaurant deserves a visit.
Comparison of the effects of enriched uranium and 137-cesium on the behaviour of rats after chronic exposure

Purpose: A radionuclide that accumulates in the central nervous system is likely to exert both a chemical and a radiological effect. The present study aimed at assessing the behavioral effect of two radionuclides previously shown to accumulate in the central nervous system after chronic exposure – uranium and cesium. Materials and methods: Rats were exposed for 9 months to drinking water contaminated with either enriched uranium at a dosage of 40 mg U · l−1 or 137-cesium at a dosage of 6500 Bq · l−1, which correspond to the highest concentrations measured in some wells in the south of Finland (uranium) or in the milk in Belarus in the year following the Chernobyl accident (137-cesium). Results: At this level of exposure, 137-cesium had no effect on the locomotor activity measured in an open-field, on immobility time in a forced swimming test, on spontaneous alternation in a Y-maze and on novel object exploration in an object recognition test. Enriched uranium exposure specifically reduced the spontaneous alternation measured in the Y-maze after 3 and 9 months exposure although it did not affect the other parameters. Conclusion: Enriched uranium exposure altered the spatial working memory capacities and this effect was correlated with previously described accumulation of uranium in the hippocampus which is one of the cerebral areas involved in this memory system.