Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Distribution of intramuscular fat content and marbling within the longissimus muscle of pigs

A better knowledge of intramuscular fat (IMF) content distribution would allow the identification of a predictive site on the longissimus muscle to assess the total IMF content. For this purpose, 50 commercial crossbred pigs of both genders were selected live with ultrasound equipment at the 3rd/4th last rib in order to provide backfat differences varying from 10 to 34.7 mm. Left longissimus muscles were deboned and sliced every 2 cm from the posterior (3rd last lumbar vertebra) to the anterior (5th thoracic rib) end. In all, 14 locations on the longissimus muscle were established and labeled as T5-T14 (thoracic region) and L1-L4 (lumbar region). The slices were used for subjective marbling evaluation and for intramuscular fat content (IMF) measurement. The results showed that total IMF content and marbling scores were correlated (r = 0.86) and followed a similar pattern, with highest values being obtained in the middle section of the thoracic region and in the middle-caudal section of the lumbar area. In.
Medial orbitofrontal cortex codes relative rather than absolute value of financial rewards in humans

Functional imaging studies in recent years have confirmed the involvement of orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) in human reward processing and have suggested that OFC responses are context‐dependent. A seminal electrophysiological experiment in primates taught animals to associate abstract visual stimuli with differently valuable food rewards. Subsequently, pairs of these learned abstract stimuli were presented and firing of OFC neurons to the medium‐value stimulus was measured. OFC firing was shown to depend on the relative value context. In this study, we developed a human analogue of this paradigm and scanned subjects using functional magnetic resonance imaging. The analysis compared neuronal responses to two superficially identical events, which differed only in terms of the preceding context. Medial OFC response to the same perceptual stimulus was greater when the stimulus predicted the more valuable of two rewards than when it predicted the less valuable. Additional responses were observed in other components of reward circuitry, the amygdala and ventral striatum. The central finding is consistent with the primate results and suggests that OFC neurons code relative rather than absolute reward value. Amygdala and striatal involvement in coding reward value is also consistent with recent functional imaging data. By using a simpler and less confounded paradigm than many functional imaging studies, we are able to demonstrate that relative financial reward value per se is coded in distinct subregions of an extended reward and decision‐making network.
Neural Processing of What and Who Information during Spoken Language Processing

■ Human speech is composed of two types of information, related to content (lexical information, i.e., “what” is being said, e.g., words) and to the speaker (indexical information, i.e., “who” is talking, e.g., voices). The extent to which lexical versus indexical information is represented separately or integrally in the brain is unresolved. In the current experiment, we use short-term fMRI adaptation to address this issue. Participants performed a loudness judgment task during which single or multiple sets of words/pseudowords were repeated with single (repeat) or multiple talkers (speaker-change) conditions while BOLD responses were collected. As reflected by adaptation fMRI, the left posterior middle temporal gyrus, a crucial component of the ventral auditory stream performing sound-to-meaning computations (“what” pathway), showed sensitivity to lexical as well as indexical information. Previous studies have suggested that speaker information is abstracted during this stage of auditory word processing. Here, we demonstrate that indexical information is strongly coupled with word information. These findings are consistent with a plethora of behavioral results that have demonstrated that changes to speaker-related information can influence lexical
Environmental Justice in Remediation: Tools for Community Empowerment

Exide Technologies finally closed its secondary lead-battery recycling plant on March 12, 2015. The community of primarily Hispanics around the facility had to fight many years to have the polluting facility shut down. Because government agencies, whose job is to protect citizens from polluters, were not regulating the facility properly, residents are not sure if they can trust the agencies to carry out remediation effectively and efficiently either. In this paper I explore the environmental justice issues associated with environmental remediation and what community members can do to make sure that their neighborhood is cleaned up properly. Through interviews with government agencies and environmental activists heavily involved in this case, I discovered that the main environmental justice issue in remediation is increased exposure to toxins. I argue that strong community activism and involvement are necessary for remediation to happen properly, and explore some tools that can be used in this process.
Mutations of NFKBIA, encoding IκBα, are a recurrent finding in classical Hodgkin lymphoma but are not a unifying feature of non‐EBV‐associated cases

A consistent feature of the Hodgkin and Reed‐Sternberg (HRS) cells in classical Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL) is the constitutive activation of NF‐κB transcription factors. In Epstein‐Barr virus (EBV)‐associated cases of cHL, expression of viral antigens most probably leads to NF‐κB activation but for non‐EBV‐associated cases, the mechanism is not clear. Previous small studies have demonstrated deleterious mutations of NFKBIA, the gene encoding IκBα, in HRS cells. In the present study, we aimed to establish the frequency of NFKBIA mutation in cHL by investigating a larger series of cases and to determine whether these mutations are a characteristic feature of non‐EBV‐associated cHL. Single HRS cells from 20 cases of cHL were analysed by PCRs covering all 6 exons of the gene. Clonal deleterious mutations were detected in 3 cases and in 1 case both alleles of the gene were shown to harbour mutations. NFKBIA mutations were detected only in non‐EBV‐associated cases but the majority of these cases had wild‐type NFKBIA. It remains possible that defects in genes encoding other inhibitors of NF‐κB, such as TNFAIP3 (A20) and CYLD, are involved in the latter cases, as described for one case in this series. © 2009 UICC
Direct and indirect activation of nerve cells by electrical pulses applied extracellularly.

1. The mode of activation of nerve cells by extracellular stimuli was investigated while recording from a selected cell with one electrode, and applying current pulses around this cell with another electrode. The analysis was done on motoneurones and on spinal border cells from lower lumbar segments in the cat. 2. Directly evoked action potentials were defined by their appearance in an all‐or‐none fashion with stable latencies of less than 0‐5 ms. The lowest thresholds for their generation were 0‐15‐0‐20 muA in the spinal border cells and 0‐35‐0‐40 muA in the motoneurones. In the main series on motoneurones a correlation has been established between different positions of the extracellular stimulating electrode in relation to the cells and the thresholds for the direct excitation of these cells. The position of the electrode were defined on the basis of an analysis of the IS and SD components of the action potentials recorded extracellularly around the cell when evoked by current pulses applied through the intracellular electrode; both the amplitudes of these IS and SD components and their timing with the IS and SD spikes, which were simultaneously recorded with the intracellular electrode, were then taken into account. The lowest thresholds (less than 2 muA) for the direct activation of cells were found nearest the initial segment of the axon. Their values increased to about 5 mu A at near‐soma positions and to greater than 10 muA at near‐dendrites positions about 150 mum away. 3. Transsynaptically evoked action potentials which were clearly set up by the preceding e.p.s.p.s appeared with latencies greater than 0‐7 ms. When single current pulses were used, the lowest thresholds for transsynaptic spike activation were usually greater than 5‐10 muA but they considerably decreased with repetitive stimuli. These thresholds were higher than the thresholds for the direct activation of cells within the region of the initial segment, of the same order of magnitude near the soma, and lower when the stimulating electrode was nearer the dendrites than the soma and generally at all larger distances from the cells. 4. All the observations on direct excitation of cells by extracellular stimuli (generation of the IS spike before the SD spike, lowest thresholds near the region of the initial segment of the axon, similar rates of increase in these thresholds with distance as for fibres) lead to the conclusion that the effects of the extracellular stimuli are exerted primarily via spread of current to the initial segment of the axon and its depolarization. 5. Late extracellular negativities presumably related to dendritic activation were observed in a few cells. These negativities were synchronous with late components of the intracellulary recorded action potentials.
Radiation dose reduction for augmentation mammography.

OBJECTIVE Patients who undergo cosmetic augmentation have larger and denser breasts and receive higher radiation doses during mammography than women without implants. In this study we evaluated the dose increase and techniques for dose reduction. SUBJECTS AND METHODS Mean glandular dose to the breast during screening mammography was measured for 206 women who had undergone breast augmentation. For 13 of these women, mean glandular dose from preoperative mammography also was measured. Effective tube current, peak kilovoltage, and breast thickness were measured, and mean glandular dose was calculated for 1,632 images. Two screen-film combinations and three target-filter combinations were studied. RESULTS For four-view augmentation mammography with a molybdenum-molybdenum (Mo-Mo) target-filter combination, mean glandular dose was reduced 35%, from 10.7 to 7.0 mGy, by changing the screen-film combination from 100 to 190 speed. For four-view augmentation mammography, mean glandular dose was reduced 24% by changing the target-filter combination from Mo-Mo to rhodium-rhodium (Rh-Rh) for full views of breasts containing implants. For four-view augmentation mammography, mean glandular dose was reduced 50% by changing the screen-film combination from 100 to 190 speed and changing the target-filter combination from Mo-Mo to Rh-Rh for implant-full views. CONCLUSION Mean glandular dose per breast from four-view augmentation mammography with the 100-speed screen-film and Mo-Mo target-filter combinations averaged 10.7 mGy, which is 3.1 times higher than the 3.4 mGy for conventional two-view mammography of breasts without implants. In 40 years of screening, this number represents a more than tripled lifetime attributable risk of radiation-induced breast cancer--an unacceptable level. Use of faster screen-film combinations, use of Rh-Rh target-filter combinations, and acquisition of three rather than four views are dose-reduction methods that together result in a 66% dose reduction, from 10.7 to 3.6 mGy. Mean glandular dose should be kept less than 7.0 mGy per breast for screening mammography of patients with breast implants.
Urinary Cadmium and Serum Levels of Estrogens and Androgens in Postmenopausal Japanese Women

Background: Recent laboratory studies have suggested that cadmium is an estrogenic compound and may be a potential risk factor for breast cancer. Methods: We investigated the relationship between urinary cadmium concentrations and serum concentrations of estrone, testosterone, and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate in 164 postmenopausal Japanese women. Results: There was a significant positive association between the urinary cadmium and serum testosterone levels after controlling for age and body mass index. The mean testosterone level was 28% higher in women with high urinary cadmium (≥3.00 μg/g creatinine) than in those with low urinary cadmium (<2.00 μg/g creatinine). Urinary cadmium was not significantly associated with serum estrone and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate levels. Additional adjustment for smoking, alcohol and reproductive factors including known risk factors for breast cancer did not substantially alter the results. Conclusion: Data suggested that cadmium exposure is associated with increased testosterone levels. As high testosterone levels have been associated with the risk of breast cancer, the involvement of cadmium exposure in breast cancer risk should be evaluated in future studies.
Does Public E-Procurement Deliver What It Promises? Empirical Evidence from Turkey

ABSTRACT This article empirically investigates the economic effects of public e-procurement (PEP) adoption. We use a unique data set provided by the Public Procurement Authority of Turkey that covers all government procurement auctions for the years 2004–12, 588,454 auctions. We conclude that PEP adoption had adverse effects. The number of firms submitting bids in procurement auctions is significantly lower after PEP adoption. The procurement costs are significantly higher after PEP. These results suggest that policy makers should eliminate barriers to e-procurement adoption to gather the intended results of PEP.
Teaching of occupational medicine to undergraduates in UK schools of medicine.

OBJECTIVES To assess any recent change in the commitment to teaching of occupational medicine in UK undergraduate medical curricula. DESIGN A questionnaire survey of the teaching of occupational medicine to undergraduates in all medical schools listed in the UK Universities and Colleges Admissions Service prospectus for 1999-2000 (n = 24). RESULTS Nineteen UK medical schools returned a completed questionnaire, giving a response rate of 79%. A comparison of results from this survey with previous surveys of teaching of occupational medicine to undergraduates in the UK shows that fewer schools now provide lectures, project work or ward-based tuition in the subject. Workplace visits were not undertaken by any institution. Only two of the schools setting an examination question also had a syllabus. CONCLUSION Despite the prominence given to issues related to occupational health in recent UK government policy, this study suggests a declining commitment to occupational medicine on the part of UK medical schools. Urgent action needs to be taken to address the lack of training in occupational medicine in UK medical schools.
Truth and Robustness in Cross-Country Law and Finance Regressions: A Bayesian Analysis of Empirical 'Law Matters' Thesis

This paper applies a Bayesian model averaging algorithm to systematically evaluate the â€œlaw mattersâ€ literature and finds that the positive cross-country relationship between anti-self-dealing rules and stock market development proposed by Djankov, La Porta, Lopez-de-Silanes, and Sheifer (2008, Journal of Financial Economics 88: 430-465) is fragile. In contrast, proxies for information disclosure, political power of incumbents and economic development are found to have strong predictive power for stock market outcome variables. Finally, variant sets of variables are shown to predict stock market development, which rejects the â€œone-size-fits-allâ€ specification employed in previous macro law and finance studies.
Parathyroid hormone and growth in children with chronic renal failure.

BACKGROUND In pediatric chronic renal failure (CRF) optimal parathyroid hormone (PTH) concentrations that minimize renal osteodystrophy and maximize growth are unknown. The search for optimum concentrations has been complicated as currently used "intact" PTH (iPTH) assays cross-react with long carboxyl-terminal PTH fragments (C-PTH), which antagonize the biologic actions of 1-84 PTH. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between PTH, the 1-84 PTH:C-PTH ratio and growth rate in children with CRF. METHODS A total of 162 patients, median (range) age 9.9 years (0.3 to 17.1 years), were recruited: 136 with a glomerular filtration rate (GFR) <60 mL/min/1.73 m(2)[96 managed conservatively (CRF group) and 40 transplanted patients], and 26 dialysis patients. Over a median (range) period of 1.1 years (0.5 to 1.7 years), children attended five (three to 15) clinics at which iPTH, cyclase-activating PTH (CAP-PTH), and height were measured. RESULTS Mean PTH concentrations were within the normal range for both assays for the CRF group and up to twice the upper limit of normal for the dialysis group; CAP-PTH 24.8 pg/mL and 59.9 pg/mL (normal range 5 to 39 pg/mL), iPTH 37.1 pg/mL, and 102.6 pg/mL, respectively (normal range 14 to 66 pg/mL). The patients grew normally (change in height standard deviation score per year (DeltaHtSDS) =-0.01). There was no relationship between PTH concentrations and DeltaHtSDS in any patient group. The 1-84 PTH:C-PTH ratio was lower in dialyzed patients (P= 0.003), with worsening renal function (P= 0.047) and with PTH concentrations outside the normal range (P= 0.01). There was a weak correlation between the 1-84 PTH:C-PTH ratio and the DeltaHtSDS (r= 0.2, P= 0.01). CONCLUSION Normal range PTH concentrations are appropriate, allowing normal growth in children with CRF managed conservatively. C-PTH may be of clinical significance.
Suppression of oscillatory activity in crustacean pyloric neurons: implication of GABAergic inputs

Generation of rhythmic pyloric motor output in the crustacean stomatogastric ganglion results from synaptic connections and cellular properties of a 14-cell network of pyloric neurons. These cellular properties are under the influences of modulatory inputs, which act, for the most part, in an activating mode, i.e., they enhance the bursting properties of the pyloric neurons and/or their ability to express their regenerative properties. Here we attempt to demonstrate that the pyloric motor output is also under the control of suppressive afferent inputs that are able to stop the pyloric rhythm in a long- lasting manner. Immunohistochemistry, using GABA antibodies, indicates that GABAergic-like fibers are present in both the stomatogastric ganglion and its afferent nerve. Bath-applied GABA suppresses spontaneous pyloric rhythmic activity. This is due to an inability of the pyloric pacemakers to express their bursting properties. The suppressive effect of GABA is blocked by picrotoxin and mimicked by muscimol. Isolating the pyloric neurons from all descending spiking influences with tetrodotoxin demonstrates that exogenously applied GABA acts directly on the pyloric neurons. To confirm the existence of a physiological suppressive system for the pyloric motor pattern, we show that the stimulation of an afferent nerve, known to contain GABA-like fibers, also causes the cessation of rhythmic activity and the inability of the pyloric neurons to express their bursting properties.
The Drivers of Public Sector Pension Reform Across the U.S. States

This study analyzes the diffusion of public sector pension reforms across the American states between 1999 and 2012, a policy area notable for its fiscal implications as much as its recent political polarization. Previous enactment in other, non-contiguous states was the largest and most consistent driver of reform. Otherwise, empirical findings suggest that reform antecedents varied by reform type. Existing funding levels reduced the likelihood that states would cut benefits, change pension governance, or reduce cost of living allowances, but had no effect otherwise. Evidence for partisan legislative influence is weak, although Republican control had partial, positive effects on the enactment of pension governance reforms and increases to the retirement age. Across the board, other relevant factors such as constitutional pension protections, collective bargaining rights, and union membership density had no effect. That external contagion pressures have a more robust influence than endogenous conditions raises questions about the future efficacy of pension reform.
Sensory Analysis and Willingness to Pay for Craft Cider*

Abstract We conducted a blind tasting sensory evaluation experiment and a chemical analysis of four craft hard apple ciders from the Pacific Northwest of the USA. Using the sensory and demographic data collected during the experiment, we estimated the consumer willingness-to-pay (WTP), using a contingent valuation model. Overall liking, taste, and aroma, from the sensory evaluation, as well as age of the sampler and if the sampler was a cider drinker, contributed positively to the WTP. In contrast, if the subject was a beer drinker this reduced their WTP. From the chemical analysis we found that tannin level had a positive effect on WTP, but an increased level of sweetness, as part of a ratio of specific gravity to acid, decreased consumer WTP. (JEL Classifications: C91, D12, L66, Q13)
Farmers Market Access by Snap-eligible Mothers of Young Children: Barriers and Impact on Nutrition Education Programming for Cooperative Extension

Providing improved access to farmers markets and other local food outlets for low-income audiences is an increasingly popular nutrition intervention strategy to promote consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables and address obesity. The USDA encouraged more farm to fork initiatives and efforts to connect low-income populations with fresh and healthy, local foods through farmers markets through the implementation of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Nutrition Education (SNAP-Ed) provisions of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010. The purpose of this research was to assess the perceived barriers to farmers market access and strategies for overcoming those barriers for low-income individuals and families participating in Cooperative Extension nutrition programming. Data collection procedures included a survey of SNAP-Ed and the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) program assistants, focus group discussions with SNAP-eligible individuals, and a photo elicitation study with mothers of young children. Results from these studies provide insight on how to structure program assistant trainings to encourage the inclusion of an optional farmers market orientation lesson in SNAP-Ed and EFNEP curricula; low-income individuals’ perception of healthy food, access to and perception of local foods, benefits and barriers to shopping at farmers markets, and the impact of local foods on diet quality; and how to address perceived barriers through Cooperative Extension nutrition programming for the SNAP-Ed and ENFEP target population of SNAP-eligible mothers of young children. Working with farmers markets is an opportunity to form greater synergy between the arms of Extension (Family and