Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Ethnic Diversity, Segregation and Ethnocentric Trust in Africa

Abstract Ethnic diversity is generally associated with less social capital and lower levels of trust. However, most empirical evidence for this relationship is focused on generalized trust, rather than more theoretically appropriate measures of group-based trust. This article evaluates the relationship between ethnic diversity – at the national, regional and local levels – and the degree to which coethnics are trusted more than non-coethnics, a value referred to here as the ‘coethnic trust premium’. Using public opinion data from sixteen African countries, this study finds that citizens of ethnically diverse states express, on average, more ethnocentric trust. However, within countries, regional ethnic diversity is associated with less ethnocentric trust. This same negative pattern between diversity and ethnocentric trust appears across districts and enumeration areas within Malawi. The article then shows, consistent with these patterns, that diversity is only detrimental to intergroup trust at the national level when ethnic groups are spatially segregated. These results highlight the importance of the spatial distribution of ethnic groups on intergroup relations, and question the utility of micro-level studies of interethnic interactions for understanding macro-level group dynamics.
Signal Relay by CC Chemokine Receptor 2 (CCR2) and Formylpeptide Receptor 2 (Fpr2) in the Recruitment of Monocyte-derived Dendritic Cells in Allergic Airway Inflammation*

Background: Chemoattractant receptor Fpr2 interacts with host-derived agonists and mediates leukocyte trafficking. Results: In the lung of allergic inflammation, chemokine receptor CCR2 elicits accumulation of monocyte-derived DC in perivascular region, but Fpr2 is critical for cell trafficking to peribronchiolar area. Conclusion: CCR2 and Fpr2 sequentially guide DC trafficking in inflamed lung. Significance: DC trafficking is controlled by multiple chemoattractant receptors, which are potential therapeutic targets. Chemoattractant receptors regulate leukocyte accumulation at sites of inflammation. In allergic airway inflammation, although a chemokine receptor CCR2 was implicated in mediating monocyte-derived dendritic cell (DC) recruitment into the lung, we previously also discovered reduced accumulation of DCs in the inflamed lung in mice deficient in formylpeptide receptor Fpr2 (Fpr2−/−). We therefore investigated the role of Fpr2 in the trafficking of monocyte-derived DCs in allergic airway inflammation in cooperation with CCR2. We report that in allergic airway inflammation, CCR2 mediated the recruitment of monocyte-derived DCs to the perivascular region, and Fpr2 was required for further migration of the cells into the bronchiolar area. We additionally found that the bronchoalveolar lavage liquid from mice with airway inflammation contained both the CCR2 ligand CCL2 and an Fpr2 agonist CRAMP. Furthermore, similar to Fpr2−/− mice, in the inflamed airway of CRAMP−/− mice, DC trafficking into the peribronchiolar areas was diminished. Our study demonstrates that the interaction of CCR2 and Fpr2 with their endogenous ligands sequentially mediates the trafficking of DCs within the inflamed lung.
Income inequality in the OECD area: On measuring its possible effects on economic growth

This thesis studies possible effects income inequality might have on economic growth and examines whether it is reasonable to measure these effects in detail with the tools provided by growth econometrics. Recently published research indicates a strong negative effect of net income inequality on growth and this thesis assesses whether these findings can be considered reliable and significant. This objective is accomplished by inspecting recent literature concerning the subject with a detailed emphasis on a particular OECD working paper stating a robust negative effect of net income inequality on growth. Said working paper, Cingano (2014), is constructed on the MRW augmented Solow model, which is introduced and assessed. Moreover, the estimation model and method as well as the data sets used in Cingano (2014) are examined in detail. Furthermore, development of income inequality in the OECD area in recent decades and theoretical channels through which income inequality might affect growth are introduced and discussed. This thesis finds that overly specific conclusions about the strength of the estimated effects should not be made based on growth regressions on the subject. This conclusion is reached because the estimates often lack sufficient data and there are problems concerning the estimation models and methods. This thesis finds considerable difficulties concerning Cingano (2014) that are also linked to other literature addressing the effects of income inequality on growth in general. Based on the findings in this thesis, it seems unreasonable to interpret the findings of the literature in such a detailed manner as they are expressed. However, this thesis does not suggest that the subject and research about it lacks importance, but suggests that the focus ought to be directed to micro-level data and channels where genuine progress could be accomplished.
Tyrosine kinase‐regulated small GTPase translocation and the activation of phospholipase D in HL60 granulocytes

We focus on the mechanisms of regulation of phospholipase D (PLD) activity. Three agonists known to stimulate PLD activity, fMet‐Leu‐Phe (fMLP), phorbol 12‐myristate 13‐acetate (PMA) and V4+‐OOH, induced a differential translocation of ADP‐ribosylation factor (ARF), RhoA, and protein kinase Cα (PKCα), all cofactors for PLD activation. Whereas fMLP recruited all three proteins to membranes, V4+‐OOH only elicited RhoA translocation and PMA induced ARF and PKCα translocation. Three tyrosine kinases inhibitors, ST‐638, methyl 2,5‐dihydroxycinnamate, and genistein reduced fMLP‐stimulated PLD activity by up to 80%. Furthermore, tyrosine kinase inhibitors reduced the fMLP‐induced increase of GTPγS‐stimulated PLD activity in membranes and recruitment of ARF, RhoA, and PKCα to the membrane fraction. The data suggest that a tyrosine phosphorylation event is located upstream of the translocation of ARF, RhoA, and PKCα in the signaling pathway leading to PLD activation by fMLP. RO 31‐8220, a specific inhibitor of PKC, reduced PMA‐induced PLD activity by 80% in intact HL60 granulocytes but enhanced fMLP‐stimulated PLD activity by 60%. Although PMA alone had no effect on RhoA recruitment to the membrane fraction, in the presence of RO 31‐8220 the levels of membrane‐bound RhoA were increased. The levels of membrane‐bound ARF and PKCα were unaffected by RO 31‐8220 during PMA stimulation. In contrast, fMLP‐induced recruitment of ARF and RhoA was insensitive to RO 31‐8220 but PKCα translocation was increased. We propose that RhoA translocation may be regulated by PKC in an ATP‐independent manner. Furthermore, increased fMLP‐induced PKCα translocation in the presence of RO 31‐8220 may partially account for the synergistic activation of PLD observed when both fMLP and RO 31‐8220 are used together in intact HL60 cells. J. Leukoc. Biol. 66: 1021–1030; 1999.
Selection and Use of Pantoea dispersa strain JFS as a Non-Pathogenic Surrogate for Salmonella Typhimurium Phage Type 42 in Flour

Selection and Use of Pantoea dispersa Strain JFS as a Non-Pathogenic Surrogate for Salmonella Typhimurium Phage Type 42 in Flour James R. Fudge Department of Nutrition, Dietetics, and Food Science, BYU Master of Science Salmonella, a common food pathogen, costs more than any other pathogen in the United States in terms of health care costs and loss of work due to the illnesses it causes. Low-moisture foods, especially flour, are susceptible to being contaminated by Salmonella. Food producers want flour to be pathogen-free but to also retain the same functionality of non-treated flour. Heat treatment is the most common method employed for lowering the concentration of pathogens in food. However, heating can result in the loss of the flour’s functionality. Pantoea dispersa strain JFS has been isolated from flour as a nonpathogenic bacterial surrogate that closely matches the D-value of Salmonella in flour. Flour samples were subjected to dry heat (70, 75, and 80°C) and heat tolerance was determined by plating out at least four different time points for each temperature. The death rate of P. dispersa strain JFS was similar to (p<0.05) Salmonella. This strain of P. dispersa was then used as a surrogate for Salmonella in a continuous and batch heat treatment processes to determine the amount of kill achieved by each. The continuous process was conducted using varying levels of four independent variables: temperature, residence time, use of steam, and manipulation of initial water content. All 15 runs resulted in a reduction of at least 1.5 logs of the surrogate, with the greatest reduction being 2.5 logs. The batch process was conducted using one independent variable, temperature. All runs for the batch process resulted in a reduction of at least 2.5 logs of the surrogate, with the greatest reduction being 4.3 logs at 170°F. Both processes could be used to reduce any Salmonella present in flour.
Dynamics by measurement: Aharonov's inverse quantum Zeno effect.

The quantum Zeno effect is known as the inhibition of a system's reversible dynamics by frequent measurements. Aharonov and Vardi [Phys. Rev. D 21, 2233 (1980)] proposed a scheme intimately related to the quantum Zeno effect. They showed that, by performing a dense sequence of measurements along a presumed path, the system is found to follow this-arbitrarily chosen-trajectory. The proof was based on the von Neumann projection hypothesis. In this paper we investigate whether this effect still holds if we model a realistic measurement process instead of the artificial instantaneous von Neumann collapse
A Full-Scale Implementation of the NAPP 1880 U.S. Census Data Set Using Dimensional Modeling and Data-Warehousing Technology

Abstract Data warehousing is a high-performance database technology for the processing of complex data cubes that can be aggregated and crosstabulated in a wide variety of ways. Individual-level U.S. 1880 census records can be analyzed using this technology to extract information not available from printed census volumes, if hierarchically structured code lists for numerical census variables can be converted into analytical dimensions that drive the crossclassification methods. Problems encountered in the construction of a full-scale warehouse, containing millions of records for Northeastern industrial states, are examined and resolved. Also, deficiencies in census-supplied information on occupations are identified, and a new occupational-coding system is implemented to facilitate remedying of these deficiencies in future, as new information from noncensus data sources becomes available.
Botulinum toxin injections to one leg alleviate freezing of gait in a patient with parkinson's disease

Freezing of gait (FOG) is a common and disabling symptom in Parkinson’s disease (1). The basic pathophysiology of FOG is poorly understood, and its response to dopaminergic treatment is complex. Freezing of gait as a symptom of a hypodopaminergic state (parkinsonism) will respond to dopaminergic stimulation, but FOG can also occur in patients treated with levodopa or dopa agonists (2,3). When it appears as a consequence of chronic dopaminergic treatment, FOG is unpredictable and highly influenced by sensory and cognitive changes, and responds poorly to available treatments. Herein, we report a unique patient with Parkinson’s disease, who had troublesome FOG and foot dystonia as side effects of long-term levodopa treatment. There was dramatic relief of FOG shortly after her right-foot dystonia was treated with injections of botulinum toxin type A (BTA).
Relationship between protamine deficiency with fertilization rate and incidence of sperm premature chromosomal condensation post‐ICSI

Summary. After aneuploidy, sperm premature chromatin condensation (PCC) is the next prevalent cause of fertilization failure. Therefore the aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of sperm protamine deficiency on sperm PCC formation post‐ICSI. Chromatin analysis was carried out on failed fertilized oocytes post‐ICSI and incidences of sperm PCC were evaluated and the results were compared with the extent of protamine deficiency assessed by chromomycin A3.
Lesion localization in aphasia with cranial computed tomography and the Boston Diagnostic Aphasia Exam

Nineteen stable left-hemisphere stroke patients with aphasia were evaluated by the Boston Diagnostic Aphasia Examination (BDAE) and the Token Test (TT), and by cranial computed tomography (CT). The types of aphasia included Broca (three patients), Wernicke (four patients), conduction (four patients), transcortical motor (four patients), and global (four patients). The lesions, as localized by CT scan, were superimposed onto five composite lesion localization maps for these five aphasia syndromes. There was good correlation between BDAE aphasia type and lesion localization. On CT scans, the locations of cortical language areas lie in a specific relationship to parts of the ventricular system.
Detection of dynamic activity patterns at a collective level from large-volume trajectory data

Recent developments in pervasive location acquisition technologies provide the technical support for massive collection of trajectory data. Activity locations identified from trajectory data can be used to evaluate space–time activity patterns. However, the studies that explore activity patterns at collective levels often fail to address the temporal aspect. The traditional spatial statistics, which are commonly used for spatial pattern analysis, are limited in describing space–time interactions. This paper proposes a method to detect the dynamics of space–time development of urban activity patterns that are embedded in large volume trajectory data. Taxi cabs’ trajectory data in the city of San Francisco were analyzed to identify activity instances, activity hot spots, and space–time dynamics of activity hot spots. The urban activity hot spots, evolving through different stages and across the city, provide a comprehensive depiction of the space–time activity patterns in the urban landscape. The dynamic patterns of the activity hot spots can be used to retrieve historical events and to predict future activity hot spots, which may be valuable for transportation and public safety management.
Political Corruption, Economic Incentive, Educational Resource Input, and the Quality of Human Capital: A Panel Analysis Over Twenty-Five Years for the Fifty U.S. States

This paper uses panel regression analysis on annual data for the fifty states for the period 1980 to 2004 to estimate the potential impact of political corruption on the quality of human capital, as measured by mean state student performance on scholastic aptitude math and verbal exams. The findings are consistent with the hypothesis that political corruption has a negative effect on the quality of human capital, and, as a result, a detrimental effect on economic growth. In addition, the results of the paper suggest that economic incentive also matters for educational performance, and that, unlike the findings of some earlier studies, input into the educational process, in terms of expenditure per pupil, has a positive effect on educational performance.
Prevalence of Demodex Mites (Acari: Demodicidae) Parasitizing Human in Babol, North of Iran

Demodex is a cigar-shaped mite which has various species that are able to cause gale or itch in animal and human. Two species living on human, Demodex folliculorum and Demodex brevis have been identified as causative agents of formation of acne. In present study, 308 participants in Babol from three different groups (students, patients and elder people of Senior Care Centers) examined from April 2011 to July 2011 for surveying prevalence of Demodecosis. Lateral of individuals' nose pressed and cleared by lactophenol. Findings indicated that 14 (04.54%) were positive including 7 females and 7 males that 21.42% belonged to age group 0-20 years, 64.28% to age group 21-40 and 14.28% to age group 41-60 years, respectively. However, further studies are required to attain comprehensive information about Demodecosis in our country and relationship between this infestation and dermal problems.
Association of Radiation Dose to the Eyes With the Risk for Cataract After Nonretinoblastoma Solid Cancers in Childhood.

IMPORTANCE Few studies have been published on the association of the radiation dose received to the eyes during radiotherapy (RT) for childhood cancer and the risk for later cataract. OBJECTIVE To investigate the risk for cataract after treatment of nonretinoblastoma solid cancer in childhood. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS The study used data from the Euro2K cohort that includes 4389 5-year survivors of solid tumors treated from January 1, 1945, to December 31, 1985; of these, 3172 patients were treated in France. A self-reported questionnaire was sent to French survivors from September 1, 2005, to December 31, 2012, when follow-up was considered completed for this study. However, 619 patients died before the beginning of the study and 128 patients treated for a retinoblastoma or who underwent enucleation were excluded. Likewise, 429 patients with unknown addresses or who did not return the consent form and 163 nonresponders did not participate. The remaining 1833 patients who completed the questionnaire underwent analysis for this study from June 1, 2014, to December 7, 2015. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Radiation doses in both eyes for individuals were estimated for all patients who had received RT. The role of the radiation dose in cataract risk was investigated using the Cox proportional hazard regression model and the excess relative or the absolute risk model. The role of ctytotoxic chemotherapy was also investigated. RESULTS The 1833 patients (961 men [52.4%]; 872 women [47.6%]; mean [SD] age, 37.0 [8.5]) who returned the questionnaire were included in the analysis. After a mean follow-up of 32 years, 33 patients with unilateral or bilateral cataract were identified, for a total of 47 cataract events. The 47 events were validated by medical record review and by contacting the patients and the corresponding medical physician or ophthalmologist to obtain copies of diagnostic examinations or surgical reports. Overall, in a multivariable Cox proportional hazard regression analysis, patients who received RT had a 4.4-fold (95% CI, 1.5- to 13.0-fold) increased risk for cataract compared with patients who did not receive RT. Exposure to radiation doses of at least 10 Gy to the eyes increased the hazard ratio 39-fold (95% CI, 12.0- to 127.9-fold), relative to no radiation exposure. Although based on few patients, a strong increase in cataract risk (hazard ratio, 26.3; 95% CI, 7.1-96.6) was observed in patients treated with melphalan hydrochloride. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE This study can inform guideline-based recommendations for long-term follow-up for cataract.
Ecological Risk Assessment for Aquatic Organisms from Over-Water Uses of Glyphosate

Although the herbicide glyphosate is most widely used in agriculture, some is used for the control of emergent aquatic weeds in ditches, wetlands, and margins of water bodies, largely as the formulation Rodeo. This article presents an ecological risk assessment (ERA) of glyphosate and some of the recommended surfactants as used in or near aquatic systems. Glyphosate does not bioaccumulate, biomagnify, or persist in a biologically available form in the environment. Its mechanism of action is specific to plants and it is relatively nontoxic to animals. As a commercial product, glyphosate may be formulated with surfactants that increased efficacy but, in some cases, are more toxic to aquatic organisms than the parent material. For this risk assessment, three model exposure scenarios--static or low-flow systems such as ponds, flowing waters such as streams, and systems subjected to tidal flows such as estuaries--were chosen and application rates from 1 to 8 kg glyphosate/ha were modeled. Additional measured exposure data from several field studies were also used. As acute exposures are most likely to occur, acute toxicity data were used as effect measures for the purposes of risk assessment. Toxicity data were obtained from the literature and characterized using probabilistic techniques. Risk assessments based on estimated and measured concentrations of glyphosate that would result from its use for the control of undesirable plants in wetlands and over-water situations showed that the risk to aquatic organisms is negligible or small at application rates less than 4 kg/ha and only slightly greater at application rates of 8 kg/ha. Less is known about the environmental fate and toxicology of the surfactants commonly used in combination with the Rodeo formulation of glyphosate. The surfactants used for this purpose were judged not to be persistent nor bioaccumulative in the environment. Distributional analysis of measured deposition concentrations of LI 700, suggest that this surfactant presents an insignificant acute risk to aquatic organisms. Assuming similar applications rates, significant ecological effects would not be expected from the use of some other surfactants such as Induce or X-77. Risks from the use of glyphosate +MON 0818 (Roundup) were slightly greater than those from glyphosate and surfactants such as LI 700; however, in over-water uses, risks were still considered small. Similar small risks were observed for measured concentrations of glyphosate in surface waters resulting from aerial application of Vision (a formulation equivalent to Roundup) to forestry areas in Canada. Concentrations measured after ground application presented a greater risk, but the data were sparse and the assessment is more uncertain.
Coping with general and disease-related stressors by patients with multiple sclerosis: relationships to psychological distress

This study examined the relationships between coping styles and psychological distress in a non-institutionalized sample of individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS). The MS sample completed a measure of psychological distress and identified coping strategies utilized for stressors that were disease-related and general in nature. They also self-reported their perceived efficacy of the coping strategies utilized for both stressors. Individuals with MS exhibited greater levels of depression and other indices of psychological distress than demographically matched controls but the patterns of coping strategies endorsed and the ratings of coping effectiveness were similar for the two groups. When coping with disease-related stressors, individuals with MS utilized coping strategies that were more emotion-focused and dependent but no less effective than when the same patients coped with general stressors. Within the MS group, high levels of psychological distress were positively correlated with the use of emotion-focused coping strategies, but were unrelated to the use of problem-focused strategies. Most individuals with MS appear to be able to modify their coping strategies to adapt to varying sorts of stressors.
Addressing racial and ethnic barriers to effective health care: the need for better data.

Racial and ethnic disparities in health outcomes and quality of care have been observed among persons with similar health insurance, within the same system of care, and within the same health plan. National efforts to eliminate these disparities are hindered by the lack of race/ethnicity data. Collection of these data by health care providers, coupled with standards for collection, use, and privacy protection, would be a first step toward eliminating disparities. Although no national consensus exists with respect to data collection, the weight of prior research, related public and private efforts, and growing diversity of the U.S. population are likely to increase demand for accurate data on race and ethnicity in health care settings.