Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Methodological Poverty and Disciplinary Underdevelopment in IR

This issue does not offer in-depth, step-by-step instructions on how to use the methodologies and methods discussed, nor does it in any way claim to be an all-inclusive exploration of methodologies in IR. Rather, it offers a look into 10 different methods and methodologies used for conducting research in IR, from the behind-the-scenes perspectives of scholars who have actually used them in their own work. In their articles, the authors in this issue provide background information on the method or methodology in question, including its history, primary questions it has been used to answer, and any major research programs and projects associated with it. They then share frank and honest insights into their own personal histories with the methods and methodologies: how did they decide to use them, what alternatives did they consider, what kinds of training did they receive and what kinds of obstacles did they face during that training? Finally, the authors explore their application of the method or methodology with respect to their current or past research, and why they found it the most appropriate for the research question(s) being asked.
The Impact of the Anti-Corruption Campaign on the Relationship Between Political Connections and Preferential Bank Loans: The Case of China

ABSTRACT This article investigates the impact of the current anti-corruption campaign on the connection between independent directors with political background (IDPBs) and preferential bank loans of Chinese listed companies. The primary findings of this article are as follows. First, there is a significantly positive relationship between IDPBs and companies’ ratios of bank loans. Second, the connection between IDPBs and firms’ bank loan ratios is negatively affected by the anti-corruption campaign. Last, the stock price of companies with IDPBs fell surrounding the enactment of the Opinion on Further Standardizing the Party and Government Leading Cadres Working（Full Time or Part Time）in Enterprises (the Opinion).
Toll-Like Receptor 2 Polymorphisms and Nontuberculous Mycobacterial Lung Diseases

ABSTRACT To investigate the occurrence of the Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) polymorphisms in patients with pulmonary disease caused by nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM), TLR2 Arg677Trp and Arg753Gln polymorphisms were examined. TLR2 polymorphisms do not appear to be responsible for host susceptibility to NTM lung disease, at least in the Korean population.
Forgive, or Award Your Debtor? A Barrier Option Approach

Dealing with default risk on sovereign debt became an urgent matter with the Financial Crisis of 2008. Depending on both exogenous and endogenous factors, the risk of eventual default may become significant over the lifetime of a loan. Creditors are then faced with a dilemma, since they cannot force the borrowing country into bankruptcy court. Should they ease repayment by reducing the principal of the debt (“forgiveness”), or should they offer an extra award if the borrower repays in full? The latter award could come in the form of lower borrowing costs in the future. In this article, Sun and Chen propose to model the possibility of loan modification for risky sovereign debt as a kind of down-and-in put option: There is a boundary value (the “default threshold”) for the country’s perceived ability to pay, measured as the ratio of debt principal to GDP, at which the terms of the debt are revised, either to reduce the principal or to offer a repayment award. Both approaches have been tried in practice. What the authors show is that forgiveness is better for the creditors than a repayment award. The sensitivity of bond value to default boundary, forgiveness amount, and repayment award within the model are explored through simulation. The authors then conduct an empirical analysis on the bonds of 17 of the G20 countries to estimate the values of these three model parameters, and show that their model performs well in practice.
Presence of HIV-Specific CD4+ T-Cell Responses in HIV-Infected Subjects With Sustained Virologic Control After Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy

Abstract:HIV-specific CD4+ T-helper cell responses in 40 subjects with chronic infection (CI) who had virus suppression after highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) were compared with those in 34 subjects treated during primary infection (PI). A CD4+ T-cell proliferative response to HIV p24 protein was present in 50% of these subjects compared with 79% of subjects treated during PI. The existence of a proliferative response in CI subjects was associated with a higher CD4+ T-cell count at initiation of HAART, a longer duration of virus suppression, and a higher CD4+ T-cell count at the time of analysis. These results show that an HIV-specific proliferative response is preferentially observed in treated CI subjects with CD4+ T-cell counts of >200/μL. However, in treated CI subjects with a significant degree of CD4+ T-cell depletion (<200/μL), it may also be observed in 35% provided that the duration of virus suppression is long enough, which may have implications for future therapeutic strategies.
Race and Gun Violence in the United States: A Case Study of Policy Reform in Missouri

RACE AND GUN VIOLENCE IN THE UNITED STATES: A CASE STUDY OF POLICY REFORM IN MISSOURI by MORGAN C. WILLIAMS, JR. Advisor: Michael Grossman Gun violence remains an important contributor to racial differences in mortality within the United States. Despite the existence of these significant racial disparities in firearm homicide victimization, the relationship between gun control policy and racial disparities in homicide remains largely unexplored within the empirical crime literature. Previous research suggests that access to secondary firearm markets serves as a salient contributor to local gun violence with the regulation of private firearm sales falling exclusively within state-level jurisdiction. The role of state-level background check requirements for private firearm sales in reducing gun violence remains controversial in both the empirical literature and gun control policy debate. On August 28, 2007 the Missouri General Assembly repealed an 86 year-old “permit-topurchase” (PTP) law requiring that handgun purchasers possess a permit, and subsequently undergo a background check, for all sales. The vast racial disparities in firearm homicide within Missouri raises important questions concerning the disproportionate impact of the repeal on Black communities throughout the state. The crime literature offers several theoretical explanations accounting for the racial differences in gun violence with certain theories offering a valuable framework to interpret the importance of gun control policy liberalization to these disparities. This dissertation uses the Missouri permit-to-purchase law repeal as a case study in examining the differential response to gun control policy liberalization across racial groups. Using generalized synthetic control estimation, this study finds that the PTP repeal led to an increase in county-level gun ownership in addition to substantial evidence of increased firearm
An In vitro Animal Study of the Biomechanical Responses of Anulus Fibrosus With Aging

Study Design. In vitro biomechanical tests were performed on aged (group A) and young (group B) porcine intervertebral discs. Objectives. The in vitro biomechanical responses of aged and young porcine intervertebral discs were measured under designated axial compressive loads and analyzed. Summary of Background Data. From the biomechanical point of view, the major biomechanical functions of intervertebral discs are to absorb and distribute external loadings. Although the histological observation of intervertebral discs on the effect of aging and related degeneration has been extensively studied and described, the changes in those biomechanical functions attributable to aging are still left to be studied. Methods. Two groups were set for mechanical tests. Group A consisted of 24 motion segments obtained from female porcine lumbar (44.0 ± 2.8-months old). The group B consisted of 30 motion segments from female porcine lumbar (6.2 ± 1.3 months old). The specimens were chosen randomly from all levels. For the measurements of biomechanical responses, a pressure transducer was placed on anterior and posterolateral locations of anulus fibrosus. Morphological and histological observations were carried out to confirm any age-related changes in both groups. Intradiscal pressures and relaxation times were measured and calculated at points in the anulus fibrosus under designated axial compressive loads. Results. Morphological and histological difference between group A and group B were confirmed with H&E staining and other measurements. Group A showed a lower ratio of nucleus pulposus area to total disc area than did group B. There was no significant difference in the intradiscal pressure between groups as measured in the anterior zone, except at an axial load of 740 N. However, a significant pressure difference was found in the posterolateral zone when the axial load was 542 N orgreater (P < 0.05). At 740 N, the average relaxation time for group A was significantly longer than that for group B (P < 0.05). Conclusions. Differences in biomechanical responses between groups were confirmed. Group A was less flexible and slower at energy relaxation under axial loading. A larger proportion of the external load was taken by the posterolateral part of the degenerative discs. These results were consistent with clinical experiences: 1) most hernias are observed more often at the posterolateral side than other sides, and 2) the degeneration attributable to age reduces the function of absorbing and distribution of external loadings.
Does Public Sector Outsourcing Decrease Public Employment? Empirical Evidence from OECD Countries

I examine the extent to which public sector outsourcing relates to public employment in Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries. I use new panel data on public sector outsourcing. The sample includes 26 countries over the period 2009–2015. Contrary to common expectations, the results do not suggest that public sector outsourcing expenditure was negatively related to public employment in the full sample. The relation between public sector outsourcing and public employment, however, does vary across countries. If anything, the growth in public sector outsourcing in period t − 1 was positively correlated with the growth in public employment in period t. When public sector outsourcing gives rise to regrouping public employees but not reducing public employment, outsourcing may even increase inefficiencies in the public sector. (JEL codes: L33, J45, P16, C23).
Orientation and topography of RNA polymerase III in transcription complexes

A photo-cross-linking method has been used to map the subunits of Saccharomyces cerevisiae RNA polymerase (Pol) III with respect to DNA in binary (preinitiation) and ternary (RNA-elongating) transcription complexes. Transcription factor- and Pol III-containing complexes have been assembled on S. cerevisiae SUP4 tRNA(Tyr) gene probes containing the photoactive nucleotide 5-[N-(p-azidobenzoyl)-3-aminoallyl]-dUMP in different specified positions. Covalent DNA-protein linkages form upon irradiation of these complexes, and the Pol III subunits that are cross-linked to individual positions in the SUP4 tRNA gene have been identified. RNA Pol III cross-linking has been shown to require the box B downstream promoter element of the tRNA gene and the presence of transcription factor TFIIIB. Further proof of specificity has been provided by demonstrating that particular Pol III subunits move out of the range of upstream-placed photoactive nucleotides, and that others move into the range of downstream-placed photoactive nucleotides, as a consequence of initiating and elongating RNA chains. Binding and specific placement of Pol III have also been shown to require both the B' and the B" components of TFIIIB. Nine Pol III subunits are cross-linked from different positions of the SUP4 tRNA gene's nontranscribed strand. In binary transcription complexes, the two largest Pol III subunits are accessible to photo-cross-linking over the entire stretch of the DNase I footprint. The 27- and 34-kDa Pol III subunits are also relatively extended along DNA; its upstream projection makes the 34-kDa subunit a candidate for interaction with TFIIIB, while the 27-kDa subunit is accessible to photo-cross-linking from the leading edge of the Pol III binding site. Several subunits, including the 82- and 53-kDa subunits in binary transcription complexes, are relatively localized in their accessibility to cross-linking. Multiple Pol III subunits are accessible to specific cross-linking from a single photoactive nucleotide in the middle of the transcription bubble of an arrested ternary transcription complex. It is suggested that this precisely placed transcription complex comprises a dynamic ensemble of structural states rather than a single perfectly constrained entity.
Effect of setting a maximum milking time, from peak lactation, on production, milking time and udder health

Abstract AIM: To examine the effect of setting a maximum milking time, from peak lactation until drying-off, on production, duration of milking, and udder health of dairy cows. METHODS: Forty cows were assigned in twin-pairs to be either milked until cups were removed at a milk flow-rate threshold of 0.35 kg/minute (Control), or until cups were removed at a milk flow-rate threshold of 0.35 kg/minute, or maximum time, whichever came first (MaxT). The maximum time was set by determining the milking time of the 70th percentile cow when ranked from fastest to slowest, irrespective of yield. The milking routine was typical of that practised on dairy farms in New Zealand, and involved no pre-milking preparation. The study began at peak lactation (68 (SD 7) days in milk; DIM) and continued for 26 weeks. Duration of milking and milk yield were measured for each milking. Composition of milk was determined from weekly herd tests, and milk quality from fortnightly somatic cell counts (SCC). Completeness of milking and teat condition were assessed during the study. The bacterial status of quarter milk samples was determined at the beginning and end of the study, and all treated cases of clinical mastitis recorded. ANOVA was used to examine the effect of treatment group on variables of interest. RESULTS: Total milk, fat and protein yields during the study period did not differ between treatments. On average, 30.3% of the morning and 27.6% of the afternoon milkings of MaxT cows reached the maximum time at which cups were removed, and were therefore shortened. While the average milking time of the slowest-milking cow was longer for the Control compared with MaxT group in Weeks 1–18, the average milking time did not differ between treatments. There was no difference in overall SCC, and the incidence of clinical mastitis, or the percentage of infected quarters at drying-off, was similar for the MaxT and Control cows. CONCLUSION: The results show that setting a maximum milking time can reduce the milking time of slower-milking cows in a herd without compromising overall herd production and udder health. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Although the numbers of cows in the study were small there was no evidence of a major increase in SCC, or subclinical or clinical mastitis when a maximum milking time was set for slower-milking cows.
MicroRNA‐155 regulates interferon‐γ production in natural killer cells via Tim‐3 signalling in chronic hepatitis C virus infection

Host immune responses must be tightly regulated by an intricate balance between positive and negative signals while fighting pathogens; persistent pathogens may usurp these regulatory mechanisms to dampen host immunity to facilitate survival in vivo. Here we report that Tim‐3, a negative signalling molecule expressed on monocytes and T cells, is up‐regulated on natural killer (NK) cells in individuals chronically infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV). Additionally, the transcription factor T‐bet was also found to be up‐regulated and associated with Tim‐3 expression in NK cells during chronic HCV infection. MicroRNA‐155 (miR‐155), an miRNA that inhibits signalling proteins involved in immune responses, was down‐regulated in NK cells by HCV infection. This Tim‐3/T‐bet over‐expression and miR‐155 inhibition were recapitulated in vitro by incubating primary NK cells or NK92 cell line with Huh‐7 hepatocytes expressing HCV. Reconstitution of miR‐155 in NK cells from HCV‐infected patients led to a decrease in T‐bet/Tim‐3 expression and an increase in interferon‐γ production. Blocking Tim‐3 signalling also enhanced interferon‐γ production in NK cells by improving signal transducer and activator of transcription‐5 phosphorylation. These data indicate that HCV‐induced, miR‐155‐regulated Tim‐3 expression regulates NK cell function, suggesting a novel mechanism for balancing immune clearance and immune injury during chronic viral infection.
Tuberculosis in Man, Dog, and Cat

From the time that Villemin placed the study of tuberculosis on a scientific basis, dogs and cats have contributed much to our knowledge of the disease. While the pathology of tuberculosis in dogs and cats was established at an early stage, the epidemiology of their infection, particularly in relation to man, has remained the subject of speculation. Consideration of the question has been stimulated from time to time by reports of natural incidences, ranging from those of Faulenborg and Plum (1) (quoting Frohner in Berlin, of 0.04 per cent; and Eber, in Dresden, of 2.75 per cent, in the 1890's), to those of Lovell and White (2), of 4.6 per cent in dogs, and (3) 3.6 per cent in cats, in the United Kingdom. The prevalence of tuberculosis in dogs in Glasgow, Scotland, as reported by Hawthorne and associates (4), was 4.5 per cent in 175 dogs submitted for pathologic examination over a period of four months in 1955. This indicated a high general level of infection in that city, where more than 8,000 (11.5 per 1,000) new, active cases of pulmonary tuberculosis were detected among examinees older than 14 years in the Mass Miniature Radiography Campaign of March, 1957 (5).
Who Represents Our Group? The Effects of Prototype Content on Perceived Status Dispersion and Social Undermining

Group identity may be embodied in more typical or extreme member attributes. The present research suggests that individuals’ perceptions of the group identity prototype predict their beliefs about the status hierarchy and, in turn, the prevalence of social undermining behavior. Across four studies using both experimental and field data, we find that perceiving that the group prototype is focused on the ideal rather than the central tendency is associated with greater levels of perceived status dispersion and social undermining, and that perceived status dispersion mediates the relationship between members’ perception of the group prototype and social undermining behavior. We also find that social context—specifically, salient group achievement goals elicited by intergroup competition and common ingroup identity—attenuates the effect of ideal prototypes on perceived social undermining. Theoretical implications for the social identity, status, and social undermining literatures are discussed.
Epstein-Barr Virus BamHI-A Rightward Transcript-Encoded RPMS Protein Interacts with the CBF1-Associated Corepressor CIR To Negatively Regulate the Activity of EBNA2 and NotchIC

ABSTRACT The Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) BamHI-A rightward transcripts (BARTs) are expressed in all EBV-associated tumors as well as in latently infected B cells in vivo and cultured B-cell lines. One of the BART family transcripts contains an open reading frame, RPMS1, that encodes a nuclear protein termed RPMS. Reverse transcription-PCR analysis revealed that BART transcripts with the splicing pattern that generates the RPMS1 open reading frame are commonly expressed in EBV-positive lymphoblastoid cell lines and are also detected in Hodgkin's disease tissues. Experiments undertaken to determine the function of RPMS revealed that RPMS interacts with both CBF1 and components of the CBF1-associated corepressor complex. RPMS interaction with CBF1 was demonstrated in a glutathione S-transferase (GST) affinity assay and by the ability of RPMS to alter the intracellular localization of a mutant CBF1. A Gal4-RPMS fusion protein mediated transcriptional repression, suggesting an additional interaction between RPMS and corepressor proteins. GST affinity assays revealed interaction between RPMS and the corepressor Sin3A and CIR. The RPMS-CIR interaction was further substantiated in mammalian two-hybrid, coimmunoprecipitation, and colocalization experiments. RPMS has been shown to interfere with NotchIC and EBNA2 activation of CBF1-containing promoters in reporter assays. Consistent with this function, immunofluorescence assays performed on cotransfected cells showed that there was colocalization of RPMS with NotchIC and with EBNA2 in intranuclear punctate speckles. The effect of RPMS on NotchIC function was further examined in a muscle cell differentiation assay where RPMS was found to partially reverse NotchIC-mediated inhibition of differentiation. The mechanism of RPMS action was examined in cotransfection and mammalian two-hybrid assays. The results revealed that RPMS blocked relief of CBF1-mediated repression and interfered with SKIP-CIR interactions. We conclude that RPMS acts as a negative regulator of EBNA2 and Notch activity through its interactions with the CBF1-associated corepressor complex.
Physician impact on hospital admission and on mortality rates in the Medicare population.

OBJECTIVE We assess the effect of variations in the supply and specialty distribution of physicians on admission rates for ambulatory care-sensitive conditions (ACS) and for all causes, and on mortality rates among Medicare beneficiaries of various health care service areas (HCSA). DATA SOURCES For the Medicare beneficiaries, sources were the Health Care Financing Administration's 1992 enrollment and impatient (Part A) files for a 5 percent sample of that population; for the overall populations and for the medical resources of the HCSAs, the Area Resource File. STUDY DESIGN This observational, cross-sectional study employed multiple linear regression to assess the influence of population characteristics and of the supply of physicians on hospital admissions, and Poisson regression in the analysis of the factors that affect mortality. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS Physician supply levels vary nearly fourfold or more when comparing the top and bottom deciles of the HCSAs, Medicare admissions for ACS conditions vary about threefold, and admission rates for all causes and mortality rates vary about 1.5-fold. Physician supply levels and distributions have very little influence on ACS admission rates, and even less on the admissions for all causes and on mortality, except in HCSAs with very low physician supply levels (one-fourth the national average or less). However, these HCSAs account for only about 1 percent of the U.S. population. CONCLUSIONS Physician supply levels and the proportions of specialists and generalists have negligible effects on health status as measured by mortality rates and by rates of admission for all causes and for conditions presumed to be sensitive to the adequacy of ambulatory care. Reductions in admissions for such conditions are not likely to be achieved through broadening of insurance to levels that exist under Medicare, nor through increases in the supply of physicians, nor, conversely, through a reduction in any presumed oversupply of physicians.