Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Slow Slip Event Detection in Cascadia Using Vertical Derivatives of Horizontal Stress Rates

We present a new approach assuming elastic behavior at the Earth's surface to invert continuous GPS time series for Vertical Derivatives of Horizontal Stress rates. This approach enables detection of transient slow slip events at the Cascadia subduction zone. Vertical Derivatives of Horizontal Stress rates are the most spatially compact expression of surface deformation due to subsurface deformation sources (compared to GPS displacement/velocity fields, and strain rates), and enable identification of transient slip events and temporal evolution of locking on the interface throughout the slow slip cycle. Slow slip events (SSEs) identified by our method coincide spatially and temporally with tremor episodes, and agree well with SSEs identified by previous geodetic studies. We present daily slip models that fit the Vertical Derivatives of Horizontal Stress rates, showing phases of locking, unlocking, and SSEs on the subduction interface for the 2009–2015 period. Similar to previous studies, our results highlight along‐strike variations in SSEs and locking behavior from northern Cascadia to southern Cascadia. Between events, the SSE source zone in northern Cascadia appears to be completely locked. In contrast, we suggest that some fraction of plate motion in the SSE zone in central and southern Cascadia is accommodated by steady creep (or very small, frequent SSEs) between large SSE events. We observe rapid relocking of the interface (within weeks) following the end of most SSEs, with implications for the time scales of fault healing following deformation events. Our results present a promising approach to transient deformation detection, with a fine temporal and spatial resolution of the surface expression of deformation.
Individual Differences in the Speed of Facial Emotion Recognition Show Little Specificity but Are Strongly Related with General Mental Speed: Psychometric, Neural and Genetic Evidence

Facial identity and facial expression processing are crucial socio-emotional abilities but seem to show only limited psychometric uniqueness when the processing speed is considered in easy tasks. We applied a comprehensive measurement of processing speed and contrasted performance specificity in socio-emotional, social and non-social stimuli from an individual differences perspective. Performance in a multivariate task battery could be best modeled by a general speed factor and a first-order factor capturing some specific variance due to processing emotional facial expressions. We further tested equivalence of the relationships between speed factors and polymorphisms of dopamine and serotonin transporter genes. Results show that the speed factors are not only psychometrically equivalent but invariant in their relation with the Catechol-O-Methyl-Transferase (COMT) Val158Met polymorphism. However, the 5-HTTLPR/rs25531 serotonin polymorphism was related with the first-order factor of emotion perception speed, suggesting a specific genetic correlate of processing emotions. We further investigated the relationship between several components of event-related brain potentials with psychometric abilities, and tested emotion specific individual differences at the neurophysiological level. Results revealed swifter emotion perception abilities to go along with larger amplitudes of the P100 and the Early Posterior Negativity (EPN), when emotion processing was modeled on its own. However, after partialling out the shared variance of emotion perception speed with general processing speed-related abilities, brain-behavior relationships did not remain specific for emotion. Together, the present results suggest that speed abilities are strongly interrelated but show some specificity for emotion processing speed at the psychometric level. At both genetic and neurophysiological levels, emotion specificity depended on whether general cognition is taken into account or not. These findings keenly suggest that general speed abilities should be taken into account when the study of emotion recognition abilities is targeted in its specificity.
Synchrotron Radiation Microtomography Allows the Analysis of Three‐Dimensional Microarchitecture and Degree of Mineralization of Human Iliac Crest Biopsy Specimens: Effects of Etidronate Treatment

Quantitative microcomputed tomography using synchrotron radiation (SR μCT) was used to assess the effects of a sequential etidronate therapy on both three‐dimensional (3D) microarchitecture and degree of mineralization of bone (DMB) in postmenopausal osteoporosis. Thirty‐two iliac crest biopsy specimens were taken from 14 patients with osteoporosis (aged 64 ± 1.8 years) before (baseline) and after 1 year of etidronate treatment, and after 2 years of treatment for four of the patients. The samples were imaged at high spatial resolution (voxel size = 10 μm) using the microtomography system developed at the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF), Grenoble, France. Three‐dimensional microarchitecture parameters were calculated and compared with those obtained from conventional histomorphometry. In addition, the DMB was evaluated also in 3D. No significant statistical changes regarding bone mass and structural parameters were observed in histomorphometry or 3D analyses. The distribution of the DMB in cortical and trabecular bone showed a trend to a shift toward highest mineralization values after 1 year of etidronate treatment (3.88% and 1.24% in cortical and trabecular bone, respectively). This trend was more evident after 2 years. The study also showed that SR μCT is an accurate technique and the only one for quantifying both the mineralization and the microarchitecture of bone samples at the same time in 3D.
Essays on employment and unemployment transitions

This thesis addresses relevant questions related to labour market transitions in Spain. Using administrative records data from Spanish Social Security and applying correlated competing risks models, the impact of the current recession on unemployment and employment transitions and gender differences in labour market outcomes are studied. The Spanish labour market is characterized by high labour turnover (particularly, to other jobs in the expansion period and to unemployment in the recession), occupational segregation by gender and different returns to the characteristics by gender. During the current recession, both the unemployment duration and the inflows into unemployment have increased and the wages have declined, especially for men (reducing the gender gaps), young and older workers, immigrants and those with low level of qualification. High level of qualification, working in larger firms and high technology sector are associated with lower unemployment and better job quality. As a consequence, the Spanish labour market requires important reforms to attain the objectives of Europe 2020.
Advocacy and interest group influence in EU foreign policy

This thesis explores the advocacy strategies and influence of interest groups in EU foreign policy. It examines in particular the impact of institutional factors on the strategies and lobbying outcomes. Conceptually, it contributes to the literature on interest groups and lobbying in the EU and to the study of non-state actor participation in international organisations. Conceptualising EU foreign policy as multi-level and multi-pillar, the study inquires into the relationship between policy regime (ranging from the Community method to the intergovernmental method, as these predominate in different areas of EU external relations) and the degree and type of interest group influence. To this end the thesis compares three examples of EU foreign policy: visa liberalisation towards the Eastern neighbours; sanctions towards Belarus; and CSDP missions in Georgia and Palestine. The research reveals that interest groups engage in multi-level lobbying even in those policy areas that are ruled by the intergovernmental method. Intergovernmentalism limits formal access to policymakers, but groups and policymakers build channels for informal access. To some extent contrary to the predications of established theories, this allows interest groups to exert some degree of influence even on policy dossiers in which intergovernmental arrangements prevail. In such policy domains, groups opposing change do not always succeed, despite the veto opportunities that intergovernmentalism provides. While this is a significant finding, the thesis also notes how interest group influence is most commonly exerted upon relatively technical issues and at later stages of the policy cycle. Moreover, the study emphasises that institutional structures are not the only relevant factor in explaining group influence. Group-level characteristics, including material resources, condition groups’ ability to adapt to complex decision-making in EU foreign policy. The thesis concludes that a combination of factors is required to capture the influence of interest groups over EU foreign policy.
When the Government Went Experimental

When households make financial decisions, one may expect them to be both informative and rational – just as any other financial agent. In this paper, we question whether this hypothesis is error-free and correct by using a unique large-scale event study. Our results do not support the axioms of financial theory. However, our results are harmonious with the experimental literature, which, to be sure, suggests that agents use information inefficiently; they ignore it or misuse to the effect of bringing about suboptimal or even bad financial results. We use a unique event – an entirely new valuation mechanism that was "enforced" on the pension system and on the households – in order to study the behavior of individual investors. We find that under actual conditions – more similar to "real life" than any deliberated and designed experiment can give rise to – and while information and time are abundant, investors do not behave as if they are informed and rational. They behave in this uninformed and irrational way, nonetheless the availability of the information and the clear-cut possibility of utility-maximizing decision-making. Only when agents are provided with direct information and when the detailed consequence is analyzed for them, the households make a rational decision. We suggest that the gap between experimental conditions and actual situations may be the reason for the indecisive results appearing at the current experimental literature.
Accelerating the Development of Technology-Based New Products

The difficulties and uncertainties associated with new product development are increasing along with the pressure to develop more new products. To succeed, companies are finding that they need to develop "better" new products and they need to do so faster. Unfortunately, many companies still follow organizational arrangements and management practices that lead to slow product development. This article examines why product development delays occur, the nature of these delays, and what can be done to avoid them. The findings are based on field interviews and a mail survey of managers involved in developing new products. The study has identified four major areas that affect the performance of the new product development process: senior management support; early integration of functional expertise; availability of resources and how they are managed; and an organizational environment that supports teamwork.
Microglial dystrophy in the aged and Alzheimer's disease brain is associated with ferritin immunoreactivity

Degeneration of microglial cells may be important for understanding the pathogenesis of aging‐related neurodegeneration and neurodegenerative diseases. In this study, we analyzed the morphological characteristics of microglial cells in the nondemented and Alzheimer's disease (AD) human brain using ferritin immunohistochemistry. The central hypothesis was that expression of the iron storage protein ferritin increases the susceptibility of microglia to degeneration, particularly in the aged brain since senescent microglia might become less efficient in maintaining iron homeostasis and free iron can promote oxidative damage. In a primary set of 24 subjects (age range 34–97 years) examined, microglial cells immunoreactive for ferritin were found to constitute a subpopulation of the larger microglial pool labeled with an antibody for HLA‐DR antigens. The majority of these ferritin‐positive microglia exhibited aberrant morphological (dystrophic) changes in the aged and particularly in the AD brain. No spatial correlation was found between ferritin‐positive dystrophic microglia and senile plaques in AD tissues. Analysis of a secondary set of human postmortem brain tissues with a wide range of postmortem intervals (PMI, average 10.94 ± 5.69 h) showed that the occurrence of microglial dystrophy was independent of PMI and consequently not a product of tissue autolysis. Collectively, these results suggest that microglial involvement in iron storage and metabolism contributes to their degeneration, possibly through increased exposure of the cells to oxidative stress. We conclude that ferritin immunohistochemistry may be a useful method for detecting degenerating microglia in the human brain. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Protein Correlation Profiles Identify Lipid Droplet Proteins with High Confidence*

Lipid droplets (LDs) are important organelles in energy metabolism and lipid storage. Their cores are composed of neutral lipids that form a hydrophobic phase and are surrounded by a phospholipid monolayer that harbors specific proteins. Most well-established LD proteins perform important functions, particularly in cellular lipid metabolism. Morphological studies show LDs in close proximity to and interacting with membrane-bound cellular organelles, including the endoplasmic reticulum, mitochondria, peroxisomes, and endosomes. Because of these close associations, it is difficult to purify LDs to homogeneity. Consequently, the confident identification of bona fide LD proteins via proteomics has been challenging. Here, we report a methodology for LD protein identification based on mass spectrometry and protein correlation profiles. Using LD purification and quantitative, high-resolution mass spectrometry, we identified LD proteins by correlating their purification profiles to those of known LD proteins. Application of the protein correlation profile strategy to LDs isolated from Drosophila S2 cells led to the identification of 111 LD proteins in a cellular LD fraction in which 1481 proteins were detected. LD localization was confirmed in a subset of identified proteins via microscopy of the expressed proteins, thereby validating the approach. Among the identified LD proteins were both well-characterized LD proteins and proteins not previously known to be localized to LDs. Our method provides a high-confidence LD proteome of Drosophila cells and a novel approach that can be applied to identify LD proteins of other cell types and tissues.
Caudal-related Homeobox (Cdx) Protein-dependent Integration of Canonical Wnt Signaling on Paired-box 3 (Pax3) Neural Crest Enhancer*

Background: Cdx transcription factors are known to convey the posteriorizing signals from the canonical Wnt pathway. Results: Cdx proteins integrate canonical Wnt signals on a Pax3 neural crest enhancer. Conclusion: Cdx proteins are involved in Wnt-mediated induction of Pax3 at the neural plate border. Significance: Our data suggest that Cdx proteins are important novel players within the neural crest gene regulatory network. One of the earliest events in neural crest development takes place at the neural plate border and consists in the induction of Pax3 expression by posteriorizing Wnt·β-catenin signaling. The molecular mechanism of this regulation is not well understood, but several observations suggest a role for posteriorizing Cdx transcription factors (Cdx1/2/4) in this process. Cdx genes are known as integrators of posteriorizing signals from Wnt, retinoic acid, and FGF pathways. In this work, we report that Wnt-mediated regulation of murine Pax3 expression is indirect and involves Cdx proteins as intermediates. We show that Pax3 transcripts co-localize with Cdx proteins in the posterior neurectoderm and that neural Pax3 expression is reduced in Cdx1-null embryos. Using Wnt3a-treated P19 cells and neural crest-derived Neuro2a cells, we demonstrate that Pax3 expression is induced by the Wnt-Cdx pathway. Co-transfection analyses, electrophoretic mobility shift assays, chromatin immunoprecipitation, and transgenic studies further indicate that Cdx proteins operate via direct binding to an evolutionarily conserved neural crest enhancer of the Pax3 proximal promoter. Taken together, these results suggest a novel neural function for Cdx proteins within the gene regulatory network controlling neural crest development.
Cognitive emotion regulation in adulthood and old age: positive gaze preferences across two strategies

ABSTRACT While positive emotional functioning may be enhanced across adulthood and old age, research is mixed as to the types of regulatory strategies that are more or less beneficial for facilitating well-being. The goal of the present study was to examine how specific cognitive emotion regulation strategies assumed to rely on varying levels of effortful processing (selective attention vs. reappraisal) would impact regulatory behaviors (via eye gaze deployment) and resultant affective outcomes. Participants viewed a series of positive, negative, and neutral film clips while their eyes were tracked across three conditions: passive viewing, selective attention, and reappraisal. Results revealed that (a) both younger and older adults displayed positive fixation preferences and showed mood improvement across both regulatory conditions and (b) there was a marginal association between positive fixation and post-regulation mood. Implications for linking positivity to emotion regulation and well-being across adulthood are discussed.
DNA Damage-induced G2/M Checkpoint in SV40 Large T Antigen-immortalized Embryonic Fibroblast Cells Requires SHP-2 Tyrosine Phosphatase*

DNA damage induced by radiation or DNA-damaging agents leads to apoptosis and cell cycle arrest. However, DNA damage-triggered signal transduction involved in these cellular responses is not well understood. We previously demonstrated an important role for SHP-2, a ubiquitously expressed SH2 domain-containing tyrosine phosphatase, in the DNA damage-induced apoptotic response. Here we report a potential role for SHP-2 in a DNA damage-activated cell cycle checkpoint. Cell cycle analysis and the mitotic index assay showed that following DNA damage induced by cisplatin or γ-irradiation, the G2 (but not S) arrest response was diminished in SV40 large T antigen-immortalized embryonic fibroblast cells lacking functional SHP-2. Notably, reintroduction of wild-type SHP-2 into the mutant cells fully restored the DNA damage-induced G2 arrest response, suggesting a direct role of SHP-2 in the G2/M checkpoint. Further biochemical analysis revealed that SHP-2 constitutively associated with 14-3-3β, and that Cdc25C cytoplasmic translocation induced by DNA damage was essentially blocked in SHP-2 mutant cells. Additionally, we showed that following DNA damage, activation of p38 kinase was significantly elevated, while Erk kinase activation was decreased in mutant cells, and treatment of SHP-2 mutant cells with SB203580, a selective inhibitor for p38 kinase, partially restored the DNA damage-induced G2 arrest response. These results together provide the first evidence that SHP-2 tyrosine phosphatase enhances the DNA damage G2/M checkpoint in SV40 large T antigen immortalized murine embryonic fibroblast cells.
Perceptions and Inattention in Private Electricity Consumption

Households typically receive utility bills where all electricity use during a fixed period of time is lumped together. The lack of direct feedback in the form of marginal costs of using specific electric appliances reduces the attention people give to their energy consumption and potentially leads to biased cost perceptions and mistakes in households’ decision making. In this paper we empirically investigate whether people who are inattentive to energy-related issues have different perceptions regarding the cost of using electricity. We conclude that many households base their decisions regarding electricity use on poor knowledge about the costs involved, that cost perceptions on average tend to be upward biased, and that cost perceptions generally are higher among inattentive respondents. This result somewhat contradicts the common notion that inattention causes lower price (cost) perceptions and, subsequently, too much energy use. Finally, we also find that a substantial share of the sampled households, in particular households with poor knowledge about their energy consumption, are not willing to receive customized information on their energy use and costs. This suggests that some households do not expect to benefit from such information.
Bovine leukemia virus reduces anti‐viral cytokine activities and NK cytotoxicity by inducing TGF‐β secretion from regulatory T cells

CD4+CD25highFoxp3+ T cells suppress excess immune responses that lead to autoimmune and/or inflammatory diseases, and maintain host immune homeostasis. However, CD4+CD25highFoxp3+ T cells reportedly contribute to disease progression by over suppressing immune responses in some chronic infections. In this study, kinetic and functional analyses of CD4+CD25highFoxp3+ T cells were performed in cattle with bovine leukemia virus (BLV) infections, which have reported immunosuppressive characteristics. In initial experiments, production of the Th1 cytokines IFN‐γ and TNF‐α was reduced in BLV‐infected cattle compared with uninfected cattle, and numbers of IFN‐γ or TNF‐α producing CD4+ T cells decreased with disease progression. In contrast, IFN‐γ production by NK cells was inversely correlated with BLV proviral loads in infected cattle. Additionally, during persistent lymphocytosis disease stages, NK cytotoxicity was depressed as indicated by low expression of the cytolytic protein perforin. Concomitantly, total CD4+CD25highFoxp3+ T cell numbers and percentages of TGF‐β+ cells were increased, suggesting that TGF‐β plays a role in the functional declines of CD4+ T cells and NK cells. In further experiments, recombinant bovine TGF‐β suppressed IFN‐γ and TNF‐α production by CD4+ T cells and NK cytotoxicity in cultured cells. These data suggest that TGF‐β from CD4+CD25highFoxp3+ T cells is immunosuppressive and contributes to disease progression and the development of opportunistic infections during BLV infection.
African Americans in the U.S. Economy Since Emancipation

This paper explores the history of African Americans in the U.S. economy since emancipation. With the end of the Civil War, some four million former slaves had gained their freedom, but the freed people faced daunting economic challenges, including poverty, illiteracy, and discrimination. Despite these adverse conditions, the economic status of African Americans improved over the ensuing century, if haltingly and unevenly. Progress was driven by three major forces. First, both inside and outside the South, black educational gains narrowed the black-white skill gap. Second, black workers moved to opportunities in burgeoning urban labor markets. Third, especially during the 1960s, racial discrimination in labor and other markets declined under pressure from the civil rights movement, equal opportunity law, and diminishing racial prejudice on the part of whites. The decades since the achievements of the 1960s present a decidedly more mixed picture. Overt racial discrimination plays a less substantial role in limiting the opportunities of African Americans in the U.S. economy than it did half a century ago. On the other hand, progress toward narrowing the economic gaps between blacks and whites has stagnated. Particularly concerning has been the concentration of poverty and social dislocation in inner-city neighborhoods, exploding black male incarceration rates, and the large and persistent racial skill gap.