Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Role of Actin-binding Protein 280 in Integrin-dependent Mechanoprotection*

To survive in a mechanically active environment, cells must adapt to variations of applied membrane tension. A collagen-coated magnetic bead model was used to apply forces directly to the actin cytoskeleton through integrin receptors. We demonstrate here that by a calcium-dependent mechanism, human fibroblasts reinforce locally their connection with extracellular adhesion sites by inducing actin assembly and by recruiting actin-binding protein 280 (ABP-280) into cortical adhesion complexes. ABP-280 was phosphorylated on serine residues as a result of force application. This phosphorylation and the force-induced actin reorganization were largely abrogated by inhibitors of protein kinase C. In a human melanoma cell line that does not express ABP-280, actin accumulation could not be induced by force, whereas in stable transfectants expressing ABP-280, force-induced actin accumulation was similar to human fibroblasts. Cortical actin assembly played a role in regulating the activity of stretch-activated, calcium-permeable channels (SAC) since sustained force application desensitized SAC to subsequent force applications, and the decrease in stretch sensitivity was reversed after treatment with cytochalasin D. ABP-280-deficient cells showed a >90% increase in cell death compared with ABP-280+ve cells after force application. We conclude that ABP-280 plays an important role in mechanoprotection by reinforcing the membrane cortex and desensitizing SACs.
The Miller Assessment for Preschoolers: clinical use with children with developmental delays.

In this pilot study, we investigated the clinical use of the Miller Assessment for Preschoolers (MAP) (Miller, 1982) with a sample of children with suspected or confirmed developmental delays. A retrospective chart audit was performed for 95 subjects, 30 girls and 65 boys, 34 to 68 months of age. Clinically related diagnoses were classified into six medical/developmental groups and a no-diagnosis group. When an analysis of variance was used to compare the six medical/developmental groups with the no-diagnosis group, some of the MAP score patterns differed significantly (p less than .01). These score patterns provide preliminary evidence for the MAP's effectiveness in screening children with developmental delays.
Tail Dependence and Systemic Risk in Operational Losses of the US Banking Industry

Using supervisory operational loss data of the US banking industry, we analyze dependence among operational losses within banks and across banks. We find evidence of relatively strong dependence among tail losses of different operational loss types within banks. Applying a copula framework, we estimate that the median correlation parameter for the key operational loss types is around 30% and exceeds 50% for some banks in our sample. Our results contrast with the previous literature that documents that correlation parameter estimates are in the range of 5–10% and typically do not exceed 20%. Further, we demonstrate significant model risk from not accounting for dependence among tail losses, resulting in material underestimation of operational risk. In addition, we investigate dependence of operational losses across banks. Using a copula framework, we estimate correlation parameters between losses of large banks in our sample to be 42% on average. This result suggests the presence of systemic risk from the simultaneous occurrence of operational tail losses in different large banks.
The Selection and Quantile Treatment Effects on the Economic Returns of Green Buildings

Abstract This paper adds a fresh perspective on the economic returns of green buildings using Singapore housing data. It estimates both the conditional and unconditional quantile treatment effects, by applying a recent econometric theory that explicitly recognizes and addresses the fundamental difference between the two types of quantile effects. The theory exploits selection on observables, which is widely accepted and commonly handled through one of two propensity score methods in the green building literature. The research finds that inverse probability weighting outperforms the other and adopts it to estimate the quantile effects, after evaluations including a comparison between the conditional and unconditional mean effects. Green buildings' premium is significant but varies notably across housing price quantiles. The treatment effect estimates for the conditional price distribution exhibit a hump shape, but the estimates for the marginal distribution display an upward trend. The conditional and unconditional quantile treatment effects both provide useful information for research, policy, and practice. The results indicate that the incentive for going green and the need for government intervention are both non-uniform.
Genetic Diversity of Campylobacter sp. Isolates from Retail Chicken Products and Humans with Gastroenteritis in Central Michigan

ABSTRACT Multilocus sequencing was used to compare Campylobacter sp. strains isolated from retail chicken products and humans with gastroenteritis in central Michigan. Sequence comparisons demonstrated overlapping diversity between chicken and human isolates. Campylobacter jejuni isolates from clinical sources had a greater diversity of flagellin alleles and a higher rate of quinolone resistance than isolates from retail chicken products.
Tax competition and agglomeration: Main effects and empirical implications

Summary This paper summarises some new aspects of tax competition that arise in the new economic geography literature. Generally, in this literature, factors influencing the strength of agglomeration forces matter for tax competition. In particular commodity trade costs are important, and have a non-monotone effect. These effects seem to be at best imperfectly accounted for in the empirical literature to date as revealed by a random pick of some recent empirical studies on tax competition.
Some computational analyses of the PBK test: effects of frequency and lexical density on spoken word recognition.

OBJECTIVE The Phonetically Balanced Kindergarten (PBK) Test (Haskins, Reference Note 2) has been used for almost 50 yr to assess spoken word recognition performance in children with hearing impairments. The test originally consisted of four lists of 50 words, but only three of the lists (lists 1, 3, and 4) were considered "equivalent" enough to be used clinically with children. Our goal was to determine if the lexical properties of the different PBK lists could explain any differences between the three "equivalent" lists and the fourth PBK list (List 2) that has not been used in clinical testing. DESIGN Word frequency and lexical neighborhood frequency and density measures were obtained from a computerized database for all of the words on the four lists from the PBK Test as well as the words from a single PB-50 (Egan, 1948) word list. RESULTS The words in the "easy" PBK list (List 2) were of higher frequency than the words in the three "equivalent" lists. Moreover, the lexical neighborhoods of the words on the "easy" list contained fewer phonetically similar words than the neighborhoods of the words on the other three "equivalent" lists. CONCLUSIONS It is important for researchers to consider word frequency and lexical neighborhood frequency and density when constructing word lists for testing speech perception. The results of this computational analysis of the PBK Test provide additional support for the proposal that spoken words are recognized "relationally" in the context of other phonetically similar words in the lexicon. Implications of using open-set word recognition tests with children with hearing impairments are discussed with regard to the specific vocabulary and information processing demands of the PBK Test.
Disruptive innovation in media industry ecosystem and need for improving managerial cognitive capabilities in polymediation era

Media industry ecosystem has undergone major transformations due to emergence of disruptive innovations. When industry ecosystem incumbents have dynamic organizational capability and make necessary strategic changes, they could exploit disruptive innovations. Managersâ€™ cognitive capabilities, dynamic organizational capabilities, and strategic changes are three variables that have key relationships; therefore, this research focuses on this relation. Since dominant logic reflects the internal relation of managersâ€™ cognitive capabilities, dynamic organizational capabilities and strategic changes, in this research the relationship between two variables of disruptive innovation (DI) and dominant logic (DI) has been evaluated. IRIB organization top managers replied to questionnaire. Both types of causal and correlation relations of two variables were evaluated by PLS technique. Research findings reveal 3 indexes and 10 attributes related to DI variable and three indicators and eight attributes related to DI. This model has good fitness and reveals the necessity of improving managersâ€™ recognition of digitalization phenomenon as disruptive innovation and undertaking new dominant logic and related strategic actions. Organizations lack the power of exploiting disruptive innovation if they donâ€™t improve managersâ€™ recognition of digitalization phenomenon, not create dynamic organizational capabilities and not welcome strategic changes.
Growing Productivity Without Growing Wages: The Micro-Level Anatomy of the Aggregate Labor Share Decline

The aggregate labor share in U.S. manufacturing declined dramatically over the last three decades: Since the mid-1980’s, the compensation for labor declined from 67% to 47% of value added which is unseen in any other sector of the U.S. economy. The labor share of the typical U.S. manufacturing plants, in contrast, rose by over 5 percentage points. We reconcile these two facts by documenting (1) an important reallocation of production towards “hyper-productive plants” and (2) a downward adjustment of the labor share of those same plants over time. These two related forces account for almost all the change in the trend of aggregate labor share in the manufacturing sector, with only a small role for exit of high-labor-share plants. Relative to their peers, plants that account for the majority of production by the late 2000's arrive at a low labor share by gradually increasing value added by a factor of three while keeping employment and compensation unchanged.
Education and race-ethnicity differences in the lifetime risk of alcohol dependence

Objectives: While lower socioeconomic status (SES) is related to higher risk for alcohol dependence, minority race-ethnicity is often associated with lower risk. This study attempts to clarify the nature and extent of social inequalities in alcohol dependence by investigating the effects of SES and race-ethnicity on the development of alcohol dependence following first alcohol use. Design: Cross-sectional analysis of data from the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (n = 43 093). Survival analysis was used to model alcohol dependence onset according to education, race-ethnicity and their interaction. Setting: United States, 2001–2. Results: Compared with non-Hispanic white people, age-adjusted and sex-adjusted risks of alcohol dependence were lower among black people (odds ratio (OR) = 0.70, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.63 to 0.78), Asians (OR = 0.65, CI = 0.49 to 0.86) and Hispanics (OR = 0.68, CI = 0.58 to 0.79) and higher among American Indians (OR = 1.37, CI = 1.09 to 1.73). Individuals without a college degree had higher risks of alcohol dependence than individuals with a college degree or more; however, the magnitude of risk varied significantly by race-ethnicity (χ2 for the interaction between education and race-ethnicity = 19.7, df = 10, p = 0.03); odds ratios for less than a college degree were 1.12, 1.46, 2.24, 2.35 and 10.99 among Hispanics, white people, black people, Asians, and American Indians, respectively. There was no association between education and alcohol dependence among Hispanics. Conclusions: Race-ethnicity differences in the magnitude of the association between education and alcohol dependence suggest that aspects of racial-ethnic group membership mitigate or exacerbate the effects of social adversity.
Changes in the ultrastructure of cytoskeleton and nuclear matrix during HaCaT keratinocyte differentiation

Abstract: The cellular scaffold that comprises nuclear matrix and cytoskeleton provides mechanical support for the cell and plays a crucial role in motility, cellular signaling, regulation of gene transcription and DNA replication. In this study we examined the structure of cytoskeleton and nuclear matrix in the keratinocyte cell line HaCaT using a recently developed technique, embedment‐free electron microscopy. With this method the three‐dimensional structure of cellular scaffold is visualized in the cells extracted from soluble proteins and the chromatin. In actively proliferating cells the cytoskeleton appeared to consist of a continuous meshwork of 10–15 nm filaments with a smaller amount of thin (5 nm) and ultrathin (1–2 nm) filaments. In contrast to what could be expected from earlier immunofluorescence and electron microscopy studies, the cytoskeleton in HaCaT keratinocytes did not consist of superposed autonomous networks of different filaments but was a highly integrated, continuous structure filling whole cytoplasmic territory. Moreover, cytoskeletons of adjacent cells were in a direct physical contact. Nuclear matrix consisted of globular ribonucleoprotein aggregates attached to the meshwork of 20–40 nm filaments. Nuclear envelope was firmly fastened to the cytoskeleton. In keratinocytes induced to differentiation by calcium switch both the cytoskeleton and nuclear matrix were drastically rearranged and comprised a monomorphic, dense and regular meshwork of 10–15 nm filaments. Our data underscore the fact that in HaCaT keratinocyte monolayer in vitro, and probably also in the epidermis in vivo, the nuclear matrices and the cytoskeletons of adjacent cells seemed to form a continuous, highly ordered structure which is rapidly rearranged during cell differentiation. This feature may be crucial for the understanding of how the signal initiated by, e.g. mechanical forces generated through the cell–cell and cell–matrix interaction is transmitted to the nucleus producing ultimately changes in the pattern of gene expression.
Epicardial fat thickness in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

BACKGROUND Epidemiologic data indicates that rheumatoid arthritis is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Epicardial adipose tissue is a novel cardio-metabolic risk factor. Our aim was to evaluate epicardial fat thickness (EFT) using echocardiography in patients with rheumatoid arthritis compared to healthy control subjects. Secondly, we investigated relationship between epicardial fat thickness and clinical and echocardiographic parameters in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. METHOD The study population included 76 consecutive patients with rheumatoid arthritis (64 female; mean age, 53 ±11 years, median disease duration, 7.8 years) and 50 healthy subjects as controls (39 female; mean age, 52 ± 6 years). All patients underwent echocardiography to assess left ventricular diastolic dysfunction, left ventricular hypertrophy and EFT. All values were compared between groups. RESULTS EFT was higher in rheumatoid arthritis patients than in healthy controls (0.66±0.20 vs. 0.54±0.18; p= 0.003). Thickness of Intra Ventricular Septum (IVS) (1.1±0.06 and 9.8±0.08; p=0.001) and posterior wall (PW) (0.98±0.05 and 0.93±0.08; p=0.015) was higher in patients with rheumatoid arthritis compared to healthy controls. Early diastolic myocardiac peak velocity or late diastolic mitral peak velocity (E/A) ratio was lower in rheumatoid arthritis patients compared to healthy patients (1.1 ±0.8 and 1.24±0.1 p=0.001) as well as, E/e' was higher in Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients than healthy patients. (E/e':8.7±1.6 and 8.0±1.4 p=0.020). In patients with rheumatoid arthritis, EFT was positively correlated with hypertension and duration of disease and E/e' (r: 0.10, p: 0.010, r: 0.306, p: 0.004 and r: 0.465 p: 0.007 respectively) and EFT was negatively correlated with E/A (r: -.262 p:0.022). CONCLUSION To our knowledge, this is the first report about epicardial adipose tissue in rheumatoid arthritis patients. Epicardial fat thickness as an indicator of cardiovascular involvement was higher in rheumatoid arthritis patients.
A human-characteristics-based novel control method for harmonic manipulation of objects with a power assist robot

In this paper, we present the design and evaluation of a novel control method for a power assist robotic system for manipulating objects with it by human subjects. We consider the manipulation of objects in harmonic motion (object is lifted up and lowered down repeatedly) as we think that this motion may be very practical and useful in object manipulation. We develop a 1 DOF power assist system. The subjects manipulate different sizes of objects with the system in harmonic motion. We analyze human characteristics such as weight perception, load force, object motions etc. We find that the load force and acceleration are excessive that reduce the performances of the system. We then optimize the perceived heaviness. We then design and implement a novel control method based on human characteristics to reduce load force and acceleration. Results show that the novel control reduces load force and acceleration, optimizes perceived heaviness and thus makes the performances (maneuverability, safety etc.) satisfactory. We also compare this novel control designed for object manipulation in harmonic motion to another novel control designed for lifting objects with power-assist in linear vertical motion. Finally, we propose to use the findings to develop control method for power assist devices for manipulating heavy objects in industries that may enhance interactions between humans and robots.
Grunwald-Winstein Analysis - Isopropyl Chloroformate Solvolysis Revisited

Specific rates of solvolysis at 25 °C for isopropyl chloroformate (1) in 24 solvents of widely varying nucleophilicity and ionizing power, plus literature values for studies in water and formic acid, are reported. Previously published solvolytic rate constants at 40.0 °C are supplemented with two additional values in the highly ionizing fluoroalcohols. These rates are now are analyzed using the one and two-term Grunwald-Winstein Equations. In the more ionizing solvents including ten fluoroalcohols negligible sensitivities towards changes in solvent nucleophilicity (l) and very low sensitivities towards changes in solvent ionizing power (m) values are obtained, evocative to those previously observed for 1-adamantyl and 2-adamantyl chloroformates 2 and 3. These observations are rationalized in terms of a dominant solvolysis-decomposition with loss of the CO2 molecule. In nine of the more nucleophilic pure alchohols and aqueous solutions an association-dissociation mechanism is believed to be operative. Deficiencies in the acid production indicate 2-33% isopropyl chloride formation, with the higher values in less nucleophilic solvents.
The Super-Lattice Castellated Field Effect Transistor (SLCFET): A novel high performance Transistor topology ideal for RF switching

NGES reports the development of a novel transistor structure based on a GaN super-lattice channel with a 3D gate, named the SLCFET (Super-Lattice Castellated Field Effect Transistor). Transistor measurements provided median values of I<sub>MAX</sub>>2.7 A/mm, V<sub>PINCH</sub> = -8V, with R<sub>ON</sub>=0.41 Ω-mm and C<sub>OFF</sub>=0.19 pF/mm, for an RF switch FOM of F<sub>CO</sub>=2.1 THz.
Maturational Regulation and Regional Induction of Cyclooxygenase-2 in Rat Brain: Implications for Alzheimer's Disease

We explored the constitutive expression, maturational regulation, and relation to kainic-acid-induced apoptosis of cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 mRNA in rat brain. In adult rats, COX-2 mRNA was expressed primarily in limbic structures. Constitutive COX-2 mRNA expression increased markedly between Postnatal Day 7 (P7) and P14, reaching adult levels by P21. Despite intense KA-induced seizures, no COX-2 mRNA induction was found before P14 in any brain region examined. During response to KA-induced seizures in adult brain, COX-2 mRNA induction paralleled temporally and overlapped anatomically the appearance of cellular morphological features of apoptosis in subsets of cells of the pyramidal neuron layer of the hippocampal formation, amygdaloid complex, and pyriform cortex. While COX-2 mRNA showed KA-induced elevation in the granule cell layer of the dentate gyrus, no detectable morphological features of apoptosis were found in this region. Finally, monotypic culture of rat corticohippocampal neurons confirmed the neuronal expression of COX-2 in vitro and revealed that COX-2 is induced during response to glutamate treatment, leading to neuron death. These studies may provide novel insights into the role of COX-2 and mechanisms of action of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in Alzheimer's disease.
War for Talents—How Perceived Organizational Innovativeness Affects Employer Attractiveness

Recruiting high potentials is the foundation for creating knowledge, innovation and competitive advantages. Unfortunately, many companies face the problem of having a hard time recruiting high potentials in a tightening labor market. To secure future innovation, growth and competitiveness companies must be attractive for potential employees. Within this respect, past research suggests that innovative companies might be at an advantage as they appear more attractive to employees in general and to those with an innovative personality in specific. Hence, HR communication might use an organization's innovativeness within employer branding to attract high potentials. However, current literature falls short to provide empirical evidence on whether and how the communication of organizational innovativeness affects employer attractiveness and especially attracts innovative employees. The results of our scenario-based experiment (n = 322) show that organizations with an innovative product portfolio and a strong innovation culture appear more attractive to potential employees. These effects turned out to be even stronger for employees which are highly innovative as they care a great deal about the organizational innovativeness of the company they work for. Thus, our findings suggest that communicating organizational innovativeness within employer branding is an effective measure not only to improve employer perceptions in general, but also to attract innovative employees.
Individual Characteristics, Behavioral Biases, and Attitudes toward Immigration: Evidence from a survey in Japan

This paper examines individual attitudes toward immigration and compares them with trade policy preferences based on a survey of over 10,000 respondents in Japan. People opposing both immigration and import liberalization are influenced by status-quo bias, while risk averters are more likely to be protectionists. Individuals with anti-immigrant sentiments tend to have pessimistic prospects of the national economy, dislike of changing of residential locations, or have no personal acquaintances with foreigners. These findings suggest that wide-ranging measures are required for expanding support for immigration. We also confirm the effects of such standard variables as education, occupation, unemployment, and gender.