Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Limbic activation during cue-induced cocaine craving.

OBJECTIVE Since signals for cocaine induce limbic brain activation in animals and cocaine craving in humans, the objective of this study was to test whether limbic activation occurs during cue-induced craving in humans. METHOD Using positron emission tomography, the researchers measured relative regional cerebral blood flow (CBF) in limbic and comparison brain regions of 14 detoxified male cocaine users and six cocaine-naive comparison subjects during exposure to both non-drug-related and cocaine-related videos and during resting baseline conditions. RESULTS During the cocaine video, the cocaine users experienced craving and showed a pattern of increases in limbic (amygdala and anterior cingulate) CBF and decreases in basal ganglia CBF relative to their responses to the non-drug video. This pattern did not occur in the cocaine-naive comparison subjects, and the two groups did not differ in their responses in the comparison regions (i.e., the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, cerebellum, thalamus, and visual cortex). CONCLUSIONS These findings indicate that limbic activation is one component of cue-induced cocaine craving. Limbic activation may be similarly involved in appetitive craving for other drugs and for natural rewards.
An empirical evaluation of the nutrient‐color paradigm for lakes

We analyzed a diverse set of 1,646 north‐temperate lakes to evaluate the nutrient‐color paradigm that integrates total phosphorus (TP) and colored dissolved organic carbon to define lake trophic status. Our objectives were to quantify the combined influence of TP and color (Col) on lake trophic status, to determine if TP and Col had similar relationships with hydrogeomorphic (HGM) variables, and to examine how TP and Col affected the balance of heterotrophic and autotrophic processes. For the latter we examined the Col to chlorophyll a ratio (Col : Chl a), an index of allochthonous contributions of carbon to pelagic consumers, and deviations of lake pCO2 from atmospheric, an index of net heterotrophy. Both Col and TP had strong effects on Chl a (positive) and Secchi transparency (negative), suggesting that ignoring Col would lead to misinterpretation of these widely used trophic status indicators. Lakes with high TP and Col tended to be shallower with large catchment to lake area ratios. Negative correlations with water retention time (WRT) were stronger for Col than for TP. Both TP and Col were related to forest and wetland land cover, although the direction of the relationships were opposite. Only 29% of the lakes had relatively high allochthony according to their Col : Chl a ratios; these were predominately high color, oligotrophic or mesotrophic lakes with short WRT. Over 90% of a subset of 682 lakes were net heterotrophic, with pCO2 exceeding atmospheric levels. The positive relationship between pCO2 and Col : Chl a suggests that only in very heterotrophic systems was the transfer of allochthonous carbon to pelagic consumers appreciable. Our results provide strong empirical support for the nutrient‐color paradigm and highlight its importance both for management applications and for expanding our understanding of how lakes are influenced by terrestrial subsidies of carbon and nutrients.
Leveling the Playing Field: Financial Regulation and Disappearing Local Bias of Institutional Investors

This study examines how changes in firms' information environment affect local agents. We show that local bias and informational advantage of institutional investors and equity analysts located around corporate headquarters decline sharply following the adoption of Regulation Fair Disclosure and Sarbanes-Oxley Act. The decline in local bias is more salient among firms whose information environment is more opaque before the new rules. At the aggregate market level, the degree of informed trading attributed to local investors also declines. Overall, the evidence is consistent with disclosure regulation affecting the informational advantage that market participants enjoy due to their proximity to firms.
A NUMERICAL STUDY OF THE EFFECTS OF LONGWAVE RADIATION AND SURFACE FRICTION ON CYCLONE DEVELOPMENT

Abstract An eight-level primitive equation model has been developed incorporating orography, large-scale release of latent heat, longwave radiation, and surface and internal friction. The clouds and moisture patterns used in the radiation calculations are predicted (i.e., change with time). Drag coefficients vary spatially. Thirty-six-hr predictions are performed over North America for an intense midlatitude winter cyclone. The inclusion of longwave radiation lowers 300-mb heights by as much as 190 m after 36 hr and significantly improves the forecasts at that level. However, there is little influence at lower levels or on predicted precipitation amounts. Less intense Highs and Lows result when surface friction is included. In the cyclone area, 1000-mb heights are raised by as much as 110 m after 36 hr. Maximum Ekman layer wind speeds are reduced from about 50 to 25 m/s. However, precipitation amounts are not significantly affected.
A Spatial-Temporal Topic Model for the Semantic Annotation of POIs in LBSNs

Semantic tags of points of interest (POIs) are a crucial prerequisite for location search, recommendation services, and data cleaning. However, most POIs in location-based social networks (LBSNs) are either tag-missing or tag-incomplete. This article aims to develop semantic annotation techniques to automatically infer tags for POIs. We first analyze two LBSN datasets and observe that there are two types of tags, category-related ones and sentimental ones, which have unique characteristics. Category-related tags are hierarchical, whereas sentimental ones are category-aware. All existing related work has adopted classification methods to predict high-level category-related tags in the hierarchy, but they cannot apply to infer either low-level category tags or sentimental ones. In light of this, we propose a latent-class probabilistic generative model, namely the spatial-temporal topic model (STM), to infer personal interests, the temporal and spatial patterns of topics/semantics embedded in users’ check-in activities, the interdependence between category-topic and sentiment-topic, and the correlation between sentimental tags and rating scores from users’ check-in and rating behaviors. Then, this learned knowledge is utilized to automatically annotate all POIs with both category-related and sentimental tags in a unified way. We conduct extensive experiments to evaluate the performance of the proposed STM on a real large-scale dataset. The experimental results show the superiority of our proposed STM, and we also observe that the real challenge of inferring category-related tags for POIs lies in the low-level ones of the hierarchy and that the challenge of predicting sentimental tags are those with neutral ratings.
The diversity and evolution of ecological and environmental citizen science

Citizen science—the involvement of volunteers in data collection, analysis and interpretation—simultaneously supports research and public engagement with science, and its profile is rapidly rising. Citizen science represents a diverse range of approaches, but until now this diversity has not been quantitatively explored. We conducted a systematic internet search and discovered 509 environmental and ecological citizen science projects. We scored each project for 32 attributes based on publicly obtainable information and used multiple factor analysis to summarise this variation to assess citizen science approaches. We found that projects varied according to their methodological approach from ‘mass participation’ (e.g. easy participation by anyone anywhere) to ‘systematic monitoring’ (e.g. trained volunteers repeatedly sampling at specific locations). They also varied in complexity from approaches that are ‘simple’ to those that are ‘elaborate’ (e.g. provide lots of support to gather rich, detailed datasets). There was a separate cluster of entirely computer-based projects but, in general, we found that the range of citizen science projects in ecology and the environment showed continuous variation and cannot be neatly categorised into distinct types of activity. While the diversity of projects begun in each time period (pre 1990, 1990–99, 2000–09 and 2010–13) has not increased, we found that projects tended to have become increasingly different from each other as time progressed (possibly due to changing opportunities, including technological innovation). Most projects were still active so consequently we found that the overall diversity of active projects (available for participation) increased as time progressed. Overall, understanding the landscape of citizen science in ecology and the environment (and its change over time) is valuable because it informs the comparative evaluation of the ‘success’ of different citizen science approaches. Comparative evaluation provides an evidence-base to inform the future development of citizen science activities.
Relationship between Awareness of Disease and Adherence to Therapeutic Regimen among Cardiac Patients

Background: Adherence to prescribed therapeutic regimen is an important element of self-care behaviors in cardiac patients. Awareness of disease may play an important role in patient adherence. Thus, this study was conducted to examine the relationship between awareness of the disease and adherence to therapeutic regimen among cardiac patients admitted to selected hospitals in Mashhad, Iran. Methods: Using a descriptive correlational design, 340 patients with heart disease were selected using convenience sampling from five hospitals in Mashhad during December 2009 to May 2010. Data were collected using three questionnaires including demographic information, awareness of disease and treatment adherence (including medication, diet and physical activity). Validity and reliability of the questionnaires were examined by content validity and test-retest, respectively. Also, inter-rater reliability was examined for two data raters. Data were analyzed by SPSS software, using Spearman and Kruskal-Wallis tests. Results: The results showed that only 15 percent of the study subjects had a good awareness of their disease. The majority of patients followed a good medication adherence (79 %), good diet adherence (60%), and weak physical activity adherence (61%). A significant correlation was found between knowledge and adherence to therapeutic regimen (P=0.001, rp=0.32). Conclusion: This study showed that awareness of disease and adherence to physical activity was low in the majority of patients. It is recommended that studies should be conducted to explore effective educational programs and strategies to improve adherence to therapeutic regimen among cardiac patients.
Butyrate Produced by Commensal Bacteria Potentiates Phorbol Esters Induced AP-1 Response in Human Intestinal Epithelial Cells

The human intestine is a balanced ecosystem well suited for bacterial survival, colonization and growth, which has evolved to be beneficial both for the host and the commensal bacteria. Here, we investigated the effect of bacterial metabolites produced by commensal bacteria on AP-1 signaling pathway, which has a plethora of effects on host physiology. Using intestinal epithelial cell lines, HT-29 and Caco-2, stably transfected with AP-1-dependent luciferase reporter gene, we tested the effect of culture supernatant from 49 commensal strains. We observed that several bacteria were able to activate the AP-1 pathway and this was correlated to the amount of short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) produced. Besides being a major source of energy for epithelial cells, SCFAs have been shown to regulate several signaling pathways in these cells. We show that propionate and butyrate are potent activators of the AP-1 pathway, butyrate being the more efficient of the two. We also observed a strong synergistic activation of AP-1 pathway when using butyrate with PMA, a PKC activator. Moreover, butyrate enhanced the PMA-induced expression of c-fos and ERK1/2 phosphorylation, but not p38 and JNK. In conclusion, we showed that SCFAs especially butyrate regulate the AP-1 signaling pathway, a feature that may contribute to the physiological impact of the gut microbiota on the host. Our results provide support for the involvement of butyrate in modulating the action of PKC in colon cancer cells.
The Mario Einaudi Center for International Studies Working Paper Series Understanding Pareto Inefficient Intrahousehold Allocations

Udry (1996) uses household survey data and finds that the allocation of resources within households is Pareto inefficient, contradicting the main assumption of most collective models of intrahousehold bargaining. He finds that among plots planted with the same crop in the same year, within a given household, those controlled by women produce lower yields than the men’s plots. This paper challenges that finding. Using an alternative nationally representative dataset, I find that only households in regions geographically proximate to those studied by Udry exhibit Pareto inefficient intrahousehold allocations, while the rest of the country reveals no evidence of Pareto inefficiencies. Households in regions experiencing negative rainfall shocks are on average less likely to exhibit Pareto inefficient intrahousehold allocations, and these negative rainfall shocks are correlated with increases in labor resources allocated to the wife’s plots, further confirming that in bad years, households try to avoid losses from Pareto inefficiency.
Conditional Market Co-Movements, Welfare, and Contagions: The Role of Time-Varying Risk Aversion

Time-varying investor risk aversion can generate significant state dependence in the correlation of international stock returns, despite the underlying endowment/dividend processes being independent and identically distributed. The welfare benefits of international diversification associated with these time-varying comovements tend to increase (rather than decrease) when the correlations of international stock returns are high or cross-market "contagions" appear most severe. In a world where risk sharing among different countries is still imperfect, our findings imply that contagionlike variations in the correlation of international stock returns can arise if the benefits of international risk sharing are to be fully exploited.
Phytochemical Composition of Cassia Alata Leaf Extract and its Effect on the Histology of the Pancreas of Diabetic wistar Rats

This study intends to validate the local use of cassia alata in the management of diabetes by quantitatively analyzing the phytochemicals present and its effect on blood sugar level and the histology of destroyed pancreatic islet cells. 50g of fresh leaves of cassia alata were used for phytochemical and nutritional analyses while the remaining leaves were dried and blended into fine powder. Bioactive substances in the herb were extracted with 80% ethanol. The herb extract was reinstituted with normal saline before administration to the rats. Twenty-four wistar rats of both sexes with average weight of 160g were used in this study. The rats were randomly divided into three parallel groups of diabetic and non-diabetic rats. The non-diabetic groups were designated AN, BN and CN while the diabetic groups were designated AD, BD and CD. Rats in groups A (AN and AD) served as control for each parallel group and received 0.4ml of normal saline. Rats in the 2 parallel groups of B(BN and BD) received singe daily doses of 500mg/kg body weight of ethanolic leaf extract of cassia alata via orogastric tube while rats in groups C (CN and CD) received subcutaneous injection of 5IU/kg body weight of human insulin daily. All the rats received water freely and normal rat feeds. The experiment lasted for twenty-eight days. The rats were sacrificed and pancreatic tissue taken for histological studies. Histological sections were stained with Haematoxylin and Eosin staining techniques. Experimental diabetes was induced using a single intraperitoneal injection of 65mg/kg body weight of streptozotocin. Results revealed the presence of varying quantities of saponins, flavonoids, tannins, oxalate and alkaloids. Blood sugar level also reduced in both the diabetic and non-diabetic groups and histology revealed regeneration of destroyed pancreatic islet cells. It can be inferred that cassia alata potentiates the regeneration of beta cells in the pancreas of diabetic rats and has hypogycaemic effect. These antidiabetic effects may have been brought about by its rich phytochemical composition.
Ponticulin is an atypical membrane protein

We have cloned and sequenced ponticulin, a 17,000-dalton integral membrane glycoprotein that binds F-actin and nucleates actin assembly. A single copy gene encodes a developmentally regulated message that is high during growth and early development, but drops precipitously during cell streaming at approximately 8 h of development. The deduced amino acid sequence predicts a protein with a cleaved NH2-terminal signal sequence and a COOH-terminal glycosyl anchor. These predictions are supported by amino acid sequencing of mature ponticulin and metabolic labeling with glycosyl anchor components. Although no alpha- helical membrane-spanning domains are apparent, several hydrophobic and/or sided beta-strands, each long enough to traverse the membrane, are predicted. Although its location on the primary sequence is unclear, an intracellular domain is indicated by the existence of a discontinuous epitope that is accessible to antibody in plasma membranes and permeabilized cells, but not in intact cells. Such a cytoplasmically oriented domain also is required for the demonstrated role of ponticulin in binding actin to the plasma membrane in vivo and in vitro (Hitt, A. L., J. H. Hartwig, and E. J. Luna. 1994. Ponticulin is the major high affinity link between the plasma membrane and the cortical actin network in Dictyostelium. J. Cell Biol. 126:1433-1444). Thus, ponticulin apparently represents a new category of integral membrane proteins that consists of proteins with both a glycosyl anchor and membrane-spanning peptide domain(s).
IT governance transparency : an empirical assessment of information disclosure on IT governance

In this chapter, I develop an IT governance disclosure framework to examine how firms communicate their IT governance activities. Using this framework for a sample of 200 commercial banking firms, my empirical assessment indicates that differences in the level of disclosure are systematically related to differences in institutional settings. I also find that firms with relatively good corporate governance practices consider IT performance measurement matters to be highly important when informing and communicating with shareholders. 2 This study is co-authored with Laury Bollen and Harold Hassink, and has been accepted for publication in Information Systems Management. 3 I thank Frank Moers, Robin Braun, Jeroen Derwall, and Michael Viehs of the ECCE of Maastricht University for providing access to the corporate governance rating database of Institutional Shareholder Services. I would also like to thank the participants of the doctoral consortium of the Pacific Asia International conference on Information Systems (PACIS) 2009.
Sodium-Glucose Linked Cotransporter-2 Inhibition Does Not Attenuate Disease Progression in the Rat Remnant Kidney Model of Chronic Kidney Disease

Pharmacological inhibition of the proximal tubular sodium-glucose linked cotransporter-2 (SGLT2) leads to glycosuria in both diabetic and non-diabetic settings. As a consequence of their ability to modulate tubuloglomerular feedback, SGLT2 inhibitors, like agents that block the renin-angiotensin system, reduce intraglomerular pressure and single nephron GFR, potentially affording renoprotection. To examine this further we administered the SGLT2 inhibitor, dapagliflozin, to 5/6 (subtotally) nephrectomised rats, a model of progressive chronic kidney disease (CKD) that like CKD in humans is characterised by single nephron hyperfiltration and intraglomerular hypertension and where angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers are demonstrably beneficial. When compared with untreated rats, both sham surgery and 5/6 nephrectomised rats that had received dapagliflozin experienced substantial glycosuria. Nephrectomised rats developed hypertension, heavy proteinuria and declining GFR that was unaffected by the administration of dapagliflozin. Similarly, SGLT2 inhibition did not attenuate the extent of glomerulosclerosis, tubulointerstitial fibrosis or overexpression of the profibrotic cytokine, transforming growth factor-ß1 mRNA in the kidneys of 5/6 nephrectomised rats. While not precluding beneficial effects in the diabetic setting, these findings indicate that SGLT2 inhibition does not have renoprotective effects in this classical model of progressive non-diabetic CKD.
Solder Joint Reliability of Pb-free SnAg-Cu Ball Grid Array ( BGA ) Components in Sn-Pb Assembly Process

For companies that choose to take the Pb-free exemption under the European Union’s RoHS Directive and continue to manufacture tin-lead (Sn-Pb) electronic products, there is a growing concern about the lack of Sn-Pb ball grid array (BGA) components. Many companies are compelled to use the Pb-free Sn-Ag-Cu (SAC) BGA components in a Sn-Pb process, for which the assembly process and solder joint reliability have not yet been fully characterized. A careful experimental investigation was undertaken to evaluate the reliability of solder joints of SAC BGA components formed using Sn-Pb solder paste. This evaluation specifically looked at the impact of package size, solder ball volume, printed circuit board (PCB) surface finish, time above liquidus and peak temperature on reliability. Four different BGA package sizes (ranging from 8 to 45 mm 2 ) were selected with ball-to-ball pitch size ranging from 0.5mm to 1.27mm. Two different PCB finishes were used: electroless nickel immersion gold (ENIG) and organic solderability preservative (OSP) on copper. Four different profiles were developed with the maximum peak temperatures of 210 o C and 215 o C and time above liquidus ranging from 60 to 120 seconds using Sn-Pb paste. One profile was generated for a lead-free control. A total of 60 boards were assembled. Some of the boards were subjected to an asassembled analysis while others were subjected to an accelerated thermal cycling (ATC) test in the temperature range of -40 o C to 125 o C for a maximum of 3500 cycles in accordance with IPC 9701A standard. Weibull plots were created and failure analysis performed. Analysis of as-assembled solder joints revealed that for a time above liquidus of 120 seconds and below, the degree of mixing between the BGA SAC ball alloy and the Sn-Pb solder paste was less than 100 percent for packages with a ball pitch of 0.8mm or greater. Depending on package size, the peak reflow temperature was observed to have a significant impact on the solder joint microstructural homogeneity. The influence of reflow process parameters on solder joint reliability was clearly manifested in the Weibull plots. This paper provides a discussion of the impact of various profiles’ characteristics on the extent of mixing between SAC and Sn-Pb solder alloys and the associated thermal cyclic fatigue performance.