Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Relative Rank and Life Satisfaction: Evidence from US Households

We use the Panel Study of Income Dynamics (PSID), a longitudinal study of a representative sample of the US population, to examine social rank effects on the relationship between life satisfaction and economic status. We examine the effects of income, home values, mortgage debts, financial assets and credit card debts. We find that the absolute level of these economic variables does not influence life satisfaction, but (except for credit card debt) by the relative ranked position of the level within a social comparison group. The results are robust to (a) a wide range of controls, (b) choice of comparison group, (c) individual fixed effects, (e) reference-group mean comparisons and (f) various competing transformations of the absolute levels of the predictor variables. We also find that the effects of relative rank are stronger when income inequality is high. We conclude that social comparison effects underpin the relationship between economic status and subjective well-being, and that concern with social status is higher when income inequality is high.
Inhibition of IκB Kinase and IκB Phosphorylation by 15-Deoxy-Δ12,14-Prostaglandin J2 in Activated Murine Macrophages

ABSTRACT Activation of the macrophage cell line RAW 264.7 with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and gamma interferon (IFN-γ) induces the expression of gene products involved in host defense, among them type 2 nitric oxide synthase. Treatment of cells with 15-deoxy-Δ12,14-prostaglandin J2(15dPGJ2) inhibited the LPS- and IFN-γ-dependent synthesis of NO, a process that was not antagonized by similar concentrations of prostaglandin J2, prostaglandin E2, or rosiglitazone, a peroxisomal proliferator-activated receptor γ ligand. Incubation of activated macrophages with 15dPGJ2 inhibited the degradation of IκBα and IκBβ and increased their levels in the nuclei. NF-κB activity, as well as the transcription of NF-κB-dependent genes, such as those encoding type 2 nitric oxide synthase and cyclooxygenase 2, was impaired under these conditions. Analysis of the steps leading to IκB phosphorylation showed an inhibition of IκB kinase by 15dPGJ2 in cells treated with LPS and IFN-γ, resulting in an impaired phosphorylation of IκBα, at least in the serine 32 residue required for targeting and degradation of this protein. Incubation of partially purified activated IκB kinase with 2 μM 15dPGJ2 reduced by 83% the phosphorylation in serine 32 of IκBα, suggesting that this prostaglandin exerts direct inhibitory effects on the activity of the IκB kinase complex. These results show rapid actions of 15dPGJ2, independent of peroxisomal proliferator receptor γ activation, in macrophages challenged with low doses of LPS and IFN-γ.
Expression of CD40/CD40L in colon cancer, and its effect on proliferation and apoptosis of SW48 colon cancer cells.

PURPOSE To study was to study the expression of CD40/CD40L in colon cancer and investigate the effects of CD40/CD40L overexpression on the proliferation and apoptosis of SW48 colon cancer cell line. METHODS Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expression of CD40 protein in colon cancer tissue samples from 70 patients, and 10 adjacent normal tissue samples. A CD40L gene-containing plasmid was transfected into SW48 colon cancer cells using lipofectamine 2000. Cell proliferation was measured by MTT assay. The expression of CD40/CD40L was measured by real-time PCR (RT-PCR). Protein expression of Bcl-2 and Bax was detected by Western blot. RESULTS Immunohistochemical analysis showed that CD40 was mainly expressed in the cell membrane and scarcely in the cytoplasm. The expression of CD40 in colorectal cancer tissue was significantly higher than in normal adjacent tissue. RT-PCR showed that CD40 was highly expressed in SW48 cells. The expression of CD40L mRNA was significantly increased in SW40 cells transfected with the CD40L gene-containing plasmid (p<0.01). MTT assay showed that the activity of CD40L transfected cells was significantly inhibited compared with control cells transfected with empty plasmid (p<0.01). Western blot analysis demonstrated significantly decreased Bcl-2 expression, and significantly increased Bax expression in cells transfected with the CD40L gene-containing plasmid compared with the control cells (p<0.01). CONCLUSION In conclusion, CD40 protein expression was significantly higher in colon cancer tissue compared with normal tissue, and the apoptosis of SW48 colon cancer cells can be induced by CD40L gene transfection.
Dendritic arbors and dendritic excrescences of abnormally positioned neurons in area CA3c of mice carrying the mutation “Hippocampal lamination defect”

BALB/cJ and BALB/cByJ mice are homozygous for the autosomal gene “hippocampal lamination defect” (provisional gene symbol: Hld) which produces an abnormality in the lamination of the pyramidal cell layer of area CA3c of the hippocampus such that early‐generated neurons are superficial and late‐generated neurons are deep. Other inbred strains of mice are wild‐type (+/+) at the Hld locus and do not have this inversion in cell position in area CA3c. The Golgi method was used to analyze the dendritic arbors of the abnormally positioned pyramidal cells and to compare the distribution of dendritic excrescences (i.e., the termination sites of the mossy fibers) in +/+ and Hld/Hld mice. It was found that in +/+ mice the late‐generated pyramidal cells (whose cell bodies are positioned just below the suprapyramidal mossy fiber layer) have one set of dendritic excrescences on their apical dendrites as they extend through the suprapyramidal mossy fiber layer and a second set on their basal dendrites as they pass through the infrapyramidal mossy fiber layer. In contrast, in Hld/Hld mice the late‐generated pyramidal cells (whose cell bodies are abnormally positioned just below the intrapyramidal mossy fiber layer) have two sets of dendritic excrescences on their apical dendrites, as they pass through the intrapyramidal and suprapyramidal mossy fiber layers, and none on their basal dendrites. In addition, in the vicinity of the apparent point of contact of the intrapyramidal mossy fibers, the apical dendrites of some of the abnormally positioned pyramidal cells have several fine‐caliber branches. These data indicate that (1) the apical dendrites of hippocampal pyramidal cells can form normally even though the cells never reach their normal position and (2) the dendritic excrescences are induced by contact from the mossy fibers. The anatomical differences produced by the Hld/Hld genotype provide some interesting clues as to the relationship between defects in neuronal migration and the subsequent establishment of axonal connections and could be the basis for some of the behavioral differences reported to exist between BALB/cJ and other inbred strains of mice.
Study of Multiphase Superconducting Wind Generators With Fractional-Slot Concentrated Windings

Superconducting (SC) generator offers a promising candidate for offshore direct-drive wind generators with power of 10 MW or higher. Since copper losses commonly dominate in the SC direct-drive wind generators with SC field windings and copper armature windings, an important way to increase the generator efficiency is to improve the armature winding design. Compared to traditional overlapping windings, fractional-slot concentrated windings (FSCW) have shorter end connection and higher slot fill factor, which has a great contribution to copper loss reduction. However, high content of magnetic motive force (MMF) harmonics is a big challenge for applying FSCW in SC generators. The asynchronous MMF harmonics may cause high eddy-current losses in the rotor assembly, resulting in efficiency reduction and more refrigeration burden. A novel multiphase FSCW with fewer MMF harmonics for SC generators is presented in this paper, followed by an MMF harmonic analysis through winding function method. Comparison with three-phase and traditional dual three-phase FSCW is performed. Characteristics of the generators are compared, in terms of back electromotive-force, electromagnetic torque, and rotor eddy-current losses by using finite element analysis. The advantages of the proposed FSCW are verified. Further, it is observed that the alternating components of the flux density at SC coil area is attenuated significantly by the proposed topology, indicating that the AC losses of the SC coils may be substantially reduced. The feasibility of applying FSCW topology in the design of SC wind generator is enhanced through the study.
Integrated Reports: Disclosure level and explanatory factors

Purpose - This paper looks into the new corporate reporting phenomenon, the so-called Integrated Reporting (IR), so as to assess the information level provided, identify trends and explore its determining factors. Design/methodology/approach - This study looks into the IR disclosure level of the annual reports published by 91 companies in the International Integrated Reporting Council (IIRC)´s pilot programme. Our empirical research focuses on four areas: the guiding principles of connectivity and materiality, as well as on two content elements: the business model and governance. Following extant research on voluntary disclosure, a disclosure index is proposed and some hypotheses are put forward on its connection with some corporate variables. Findings - Our results point out that the disclosure level of the IR´s published by IIRC´s pilot programme members reach medium levels of disclosure. According to our index, the level of disclosure is significantly associated with the specific environment of organizations (i.e., region and industry), assurance of the report and publication in the IIRC website. Originality/value - This study makes a relevant contribution as it presents an innovative IR disclosure index, and sheds some light on the disclosure practices of early adopters of integrated reporting. This evidence is valuable to understand the trends in this field and could help the IIRC or other standard setters with a view to improve sustainable development and reporting.
Cloud Storage Defense Against Advanced Persistent Threats: A Prospect Theoretic Study

Cloud storage is vulnerable to advanced persistent threats (APTs), in which an attacker launches stealthy, continuous, and targeted attacks on storage devices. In this paper, prospect theory (PT) is applied to formulate the interaction between the defender of a cloud storage system and an APT attacker who makes subjective decisions that sometimes deviate from the results of expected utility theory, which is a basis of traditional game theory. In the PT-based cloud storage defense game with pure strategy, the defender chooses a scan interval for each storage device and the subjective APT attacker chooses his or her interval of attack against each device. A mixed-strategy subjective storage defense game is also investigated, in which each subjective defender and APT attacker acts under uncertainty about the action of its opponent. The Nash equilibria (NEs) of both games are derived, showing that the subjective view of an APT attacker can improve the utility of the defender. A Q-learning-based APT defense scheme that the storage defender can apply without being aware of the APT attack model or the subjectivity model of the attacker in the dynamic APT defense game is also proposed. Simulation results show that the proposed defense scheme suppresses the attack motivation of subjective APT attackers and improves the utility of the defender, compared with the benchmark greedy defense strategy.
Twenty Shades of Italy: An Analysis of its Cultural, Natural, and Dual Tourist Attractions with Implications for Global Tourism  Marketing

ABSTRACT Natural and cultural tourism are the two main motivations for international tourists. The country of Italy is recognized for both of these dimensions. To fully understand the tourism characteristics of this geographically diverse and historically rich land, we compare 20 regions of Italy and identify major natural, cultural, and dual (both natural and cultural) tourist attractions as well as the number of tourists across these 20 regions. As far as we know, it is the first study of its kind to analyze tourism in Italy at the regional level. The findings of this research reveal four distinct clusters based on the regions resulting from “high versus low number of attractions” by “high versus low number of tourists. ” We also analyzed secondary data on region-wise tourist-nights using discriminant analysis. The results showed that the dual (both cultural and natural) attraction sites are the most important in explaining differences in tourism across the different regions of Italy. We discuss implications of the results for global tourism marketing.
Temptations Of Power Islamists And Illiberal Democracy In A New Middle East

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Evolution of the Tetrapyrrole Biosynthetic Pathway in Secondary Algae: Conservation, Redundancy and Replacement

Tetrapyrroles such as chlorophyll and heme are indispensable for life because they are involved in energy fixation and consumption, i.e. photosynthesis and oxidative phosphorylation. In eukaryotes, the tetrapyrrole biosynthetic pathway is shaped by past endosymbioses. We investigated the origins and predicted locations of the enzymes of the heme pathway in the chlorarachniophyte Bigelowiella natans, the cryptophyte Guillardia theta, the “green” dinoflagellate Lepidodinium chlorophorum, and three dinoflagellates with diatom endosymbionts (“dinotoms”): Durinskia baltica, Glenodinium foliaceum and Kryptoperidinium foliaceum. Bigelowiella natans appears to contain two separate heme pathways analogous to those found in Euglena gracilis; one is predicted to be mitochondrial-cytosolic, while the second is predicted to be plastid-located. In the remaining algae, only plastid-type tetrapyrrole synthesis is present, with a single remnant of the mitochondrial-cytosolic pathway, a ferrochelatase of G. theta putatively located in the mitochondrion. The green dinoflagellate contains a single pathway composed of mostly rhodophyte-origin enzymes, and the dinotoms hold two heme pathways of apparently plastidal origin. We suggest that heme pathway enzymes in B. natans and L. chlorophorum share a predominantly rhodophytic origin. This implies the ancient presence of a rhodophyte-derived plastid in the chlorarachniophyte alga, analogous to the green dinoflagellate, or an exceptionally massive horizontal gene transfer.
A Graphical Approach to Prove Contraction of Nonlinear Circuits and Systems

This paper derives a novel approach to prove contraction of nonlinear dynamical systems, based on the use of non-Euclidean norms and their associated matrix measures. A graphical procedure is developed to derive conditions for a system to be contracting. Such conditions can also be used to design control strategies to make a system contracting, or to design consensus and synchronization strategies for networks of nonlinear oscillators. After presenting the main steps of the approach and its proof, both for continuous-time and discrete-time systems, we illustrate the theoretical derivations on a set of representative examples.
Portal shunting and resistance to Schistosoma mansoni in 129 strain mice

Summary The integrity of the hepatic portal vasculature was examined, relative to the resistance to Schistosoma mansoni observed in 68°0 of 129/Ola mice. The passage of microspheres to the lungs, following their injection via the superior mesenteric vein, indicated the presence of shunts in the majority of both naive and infected mice. There was a negative association between shunting of microspheres to the lungs and paucity of liver worms at 28/35 days post-infection. Schistosomula accumulated in the livers of resistant mice at a slower rate than in susceptible animals, and after day 21 relocated to the lungs. Many lung schistosomula injected via the superior mesenteric passed immediately to the lungs; the shunts thus greatly reduce the probability of trapping in the liver. Some parasites migrated back from the lungs, successfully lodged in the liver and began to feed on blood. Latex infusion demonstrated the location of large intrahepatic connections between the portal and hepatic veins. We suggest that as these liver worms grow, migrating upstream into progressively larger vessels, they reach the connections, pass out of the hepatic portal system, and relocate to the lungs. The presence of the natural shunts thus accounts for the resistant status of the mice.
Mental, Physical and Social Components in Leisure Activities Equally Contribute to Decrease Dementia Risk

Background: There is accumulating evidence in the literature that leisure engagement has a beneficial effect on dementia. Most studies have grouped activities according to whether they were predominantly mental, physical or social. Since many activities contain more than one component, we aimed to verify the effect of all three major components on the dementia risk, as well as their combined effect. Methods: A mental, social and physical component score was estimated for each activity by the researchers and a sample of elderly persons. The correlation between the ratings of the authors and the means of the elderly subjects’ ratings was 0.86. The study population consisted of 776 nondemented subjects, aged 75 years and above, living in Stockholm, Sweden, who were still nondemented after 3 years and were followed for 3 more years to detect incident dementia cases. Results: Multi-adjusted relative risks (RRs) of dementia for subjects with higher mental, physical and social component score sums were 0.71 (95% CI: 0.49–1.03), 0.61 (95% CI: 0.42–0.87) and 0.68 (95% CI: 0.47–0.99), respectively. The most beneficial effect was present for subjects with high scores in all or in two of the components (RR of dementia = 0.53; 95% CI: 0.36–0.78). Conclusions: These findings suggest that a broad spectrum of activities containing more than one of the components seems to be more beneficial than to be engaged in only one type of activity.
Arctic petroleum: local CSR perceptions in the Nenets region of Russia

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to identify and discuss perceptions of petroleum-related corporate social responsibility (CSR) among local and regional authorities, local peoples (indigenous and non-indigenous) and representatives of petroleum companies working or living in the Nenets Autonomous Okrug (NAO) in the Russian Arctic. Although the CSR literature comprises a broad spectrum of approaches, an underrepresentation of perspectives from non-business stakeholders has been suggested. The paper seeks to redress this gap. Design/methodology/approach - The data are obtained through 34 in-depth, semi-structured interviews conducted and qualitatively analysed to extrapolate perceptions, views and expectations of petroleum-related CSR in NAO. By exploring needs, wants and expectations, differences are identified between short-term expectations and long-term perspectives. Findings - A central feature of the authors’ findings is the wide variation in the responses not only between community groups and sectors but also within them. The complexity identified is an argument in favour of local involvement to understand local contexts and suggests avoiding “one-size fits all” CSR approaches. Challenges and opportunities are identified for the petroleum companies in dealing with different stakeholders and diverging interests. Research limitations/implications - The importance of local context means that caution is advised when considering the transferability or generalisability of lessons, within NAO and elsewhere in and outside the Russian Arctic. Furthermore, fundamental motivations are not always transparent from interviews. Originality/value - Although a rich literature exists on CSR, this is perhaps the first study providing a cross-sectoral analysis of people’s perceptions, including those of non-business stakeholders, in this region.
Particulate contamination within fusion devices and complex (dusty) plasmas

Over the past decade, dust particulate contamination has increasingly become an area of concern within the fusion research community. In a burning plasma machine design like the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER), dust contamination presents problems for diagnostic integration and may contribute to tritium safety issues. Additionally due to ITER design, such dust contamination problems are projected to become of even greater concern due to dust/wall interactions and possible instabilities created within the plasma by such particulates. Since the dynamics of such dust can in general be explained employing a combination of the ion drag, Coulomb force, and ion pre-sheath drifts, recent research in complex (dusty) plasma physics often offers unique insights for this research area. This paper will discuss the possibility of how experimental observations of the dust and plasma parameters within a GEC rf Reference Cell might be employed to diagnose conditions within fusion reactors, hopefully providing insight into possible mechanisms for dust detection and removal.
Aging and Inhibition of a Prepotent Motor Response during an Ongoing Action

ABSTRACT Inhibitory functions are key mechanisms underlying age related decline (Park & Gutchess, 2000, in: Cognitive aging: A primer. Hove: Psychology Press), yet few studies have investigated their impact on everyday tasks involving action as well as cognition. Using an everyday-based go/no-go task we devised a motor analogy of traditional neuropsychological tests to investigate in 134 older (aged 60–88) and 133 younger adults (aged 20–59) the ability to inhibit a prepotent motor response during an ongoing action. Older adults produced more inhibition failures as expected, but more strikingly inhibitory errors were not all or none; even when the inappropriate response was successfully inhibited, difficulties controlling ongoing movements emerged from as young as people in their 40s. The ability to inhibit therefore does not ensure control of ongoing tasks, and traditional cognitive tests may be unable to detect such difficulties. Furthermore, performance did not covary with education or action speed. Implications for neuropsychological theory and assessing/enhancing functional ability are discussed.
On the Directional Accuracy of United States Housing Starts Forecasts: Evidence from Survey Data

I use data from both the Survey of Professional Forecasters and the Livingston Survey to study the directional accuracy of United States housing starts forecasts. Using elements of relative operating characteristic (ROC) analysis, I find that forecasts contain information with respect to subsequent changes in housing starts. Estimates for both surveys are significant at all forecast horizons and robust across time and across forecasters. Implications for the usage of housing starts forecasts from survey data are discussed.