Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Race and State in City Police Spending Growth

What has driven city police spending growth in large cities? Studies show that racial threat is an important predictor, but scholars overlook how cities can afford spending increases during hard financial times. Research suggests that federal grants through the 1994 Clinton crime bill and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security play important roles. In this article, the authors ask whether racial threat and federal aid had an interrelated role in city police spending from 1980 to 2010. Using a unique data set on 88 large cities, the authors find that Clinton crime bill grants were associated with city police spending, especially in cities with growing Black populations. The authors also find that from 2000 to 2010, overall federal aid was associated with city police spending, especially in cities with growing foreign-born populations. This study shows that the state, through relationships between federal and local government, has been a critical missing component in the process whereby racial threat shapes local police spending.
Looking for childhood-onset schizophrenia: the first 71 cases screened.

OBJECTIVE To review psychiatric referrals to a study of childhood-onset schizophrenia. METHOD Children and adolescents (N = 71) and their parents selected from a total of 260 patients referred to the National Institute of Mental Health between 1990 and 1993, with onset of psychosis at or before age 12 years, were screened in person, using the Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-Age Children-Epidemiologic Version, portions of the Diagnostic Interview for Children and Adolescents-Parent Version, and clinical interview. Best-estimate diagnoses using all sources of information were determined. Thought disorder was rated on a subset of subjects using standardized videotaped speech samples. RESULTS Interrater reliability (kappa) between two child psychiatrists for best-estimate primary diagnoses ranged from . 65 to . 81. Schizophrenia was diagnosed for 19 children who by history had had onset at or before age 12, but all were in puberty when interviewed. Affect disorders (N = 14) and Asperger's syndrome and pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified (N = 6) were also diagnosed. A large group of reliably identifiable children not completely described by any DSM-III-R category and provisionally called "multidimensionally impaired" (N = 21) with multiple language or learning disorders, mood lability, and transient psychotic symptoms was seen. CONCLUSIONS Childhood-onset schizophrenia is often misdiagnosed, perhaps is often misdiagnosed, perhaps because of the rarity of the disorder and the ambiguity in applying primary criteria. An array of developmental disturbances are seen with less pervasive childhood-onset psychotic symptoms.
Possible overestimation of shallow‐depth calcium carbonate dissolution in the ocean

We argue that diagnostics of excess dissolved calcium carbonate (TA*) above the saturation horizon cannot be unambiguously interpreted in terms of local in situ dissolution. We examine a three‐dimensional numerical model of global ocean circulation and biogeochemistry with explicit representation of the formation and dissolution of calcium carbonate. In particular, dissolution is only allowed to occur below the saturation horizon. The model qualitatively captures the observed basin‐ and global‐scale patterns of alkalinity and TA* as well as the relationship between TA* and chlorofluorocarbon age in the thermocline. The existence of TA* above the saturation horizon in the model can only be explained in terms of transport subsequent to dissolution. The model study does not rule out the possibility of shallow‐depth calcium carbonate dissolution but suggests that dissolution rates derived from tracer observations have not adequately accounted for the influence of transport.
Protein motions during catalysis by dihydrofolate reductases

Dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) maintains the intracellular pool of tetrahydrofolate through catalysis of hydrogen transfer from reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide to 7,8-dihydrofolate. We report results for pre-steady-state kinetic studies of the temperature dependence of the rates and the hydrogen/deuterium-kinetic isotope effects for the reactions catalysed by the enzymes from the mesophilic Escherichia coli and the hyperthermophilic Thermatoga maritima. We propose an evolutionary pattern in which catalysis progressed from a relatively rigid active site structure in the ancient thermophilic DHFR to a more flexible and kinetically more efficient structure in E. coli that actively promotes hydrogen transfer at physiological pH by modulating the tunnelling distance. The E. coli enzyme appeared relatively robust, in that kinetically severely compromised mutants still actively propagated the reaction. The reduced hydrogen transfer rates of the extensively studied Gly121Val mutant of DHFR from E. coli were most likely due to sterically unfavourable long-range effects from the introduction of the bulky isopropyl group.
Recent advances in hereditary spastic paraplegia

The hereditary spastic paraplegias are a group of rare disorders that are characterized by great clinical and genetic heterogeneity. There has been an exponential increase in the number of HSP loci mapped in recent years, with nine out of the 17 loci reported during the past 2 years. Eight loci have now been identified for the autosomal-dominant form, and seven of these are associated with pure HSP. Spastic paraplegia-4 remains the most frequent locus, and is usually associated with a pure phenotype. Although the corresponding spastin gene was only recently identified, over 50 mutations have been described to date, which renders molecular diagnosis difficult. Five loci are known for autosomal-recessive HSP, and four of these are associated with complex forms, all with different phenotypes. Two genes have been identified: paraplegin and sacsin. Finally, three loci have been identified in X-linked HSP, two of which are complex forms. The genes that encode L1 and PLP were the first to be identified in HSP disorders. Surprisingly, the five genes encode proteins of different families, making understanding and diagnosis of HSP even more difficult. The discovery of new genes should hopefully help to clarify the pathophysiology of these disorders.
Chemotherapy (CT) and hormonotherapy (HT) as neoadjuvant treatment in luminal breast cancer patients: results from the GEICAM/2006-03, a multicenter, randomized, phase-II study.

BACKGROUND Luminal breast cancer is a highly endocrine responsive disease. However, the therapeutic benefit of chemotherapy (CT) in this population is not fully characterized. This study investigates the value of CT and hormone therapy (HT) in luminal breast cancer patients in the neoadjuvant setting. PATIENTS AND METHODS Patients with operable breast cancer and immunophenotypically defined luminal disease (ER+/PR+/HER2-/cytokeratin 8/18+) were recruited. Patients were randomized to CT (epirubicin 90 mg/m(2) plus cyclophosphamide 600 mg/m(2) 4 cycles followed by docetaxel 100 mg/m(2 )4 cycles [EC-T]) or HT (exemestane 25 mg daily 24 weeks [combined with goserelin in premenopausal patients]). The primary end point was the clinical response measured by magnetic resonance imaging. RESULTS Ninety-five patients were randomized (47 CT, 48 HT). The clinical response rate was 66% for CT and 48% for HT (P = 0.075). We performed an unplanned analysis based on Ki67 levels (cut-off of 10%). Similar clinical response was seen between arms in patients with low Ki67 (CT: 63%, HT: 58%; P = 0.74); patients with high Ki67 had a better response with CT (67 versus 42%; P = 0.075). Grade 3/4 toxicity was more frequent with CT. CONCLUSIONS Luminal immunophenotype is not enough to identify patients who do not benefit from neoadjuvant CT. Luminal patients with low proliferation index could potentially avoid CT.
Two essential FtsH proteases control the level of the Fur repressor during iron deficiency in the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803

The cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 expresses four different FtsH protease subunits (FtsH1‐4) that assemble into specific homo‐ and heterocomplexes. The FtsH2/FtsH3 complex is involved in photoprotection but the physiological roles of the other complexes, notably the essential FtsH1/FtsH3 complex, remain unclear. Here we show that the FtsH1 and FtsH3 proteases are involved in the acclimation of cells to iron deficiency. A mutant conditionally depleted in FtsH3 was unable to induce normal expression of the IsiA chlorophyll‐protein and FutA1 iron transporter upon iron deficiency due to a block in transcription, which is regulated by the Fur transcriptional repressor. Levels of Fur declined in the WT and the FtsH2 null mutant upon iron depletion but not in the FtsH3 downregulated strain. A similar stabilizing effect on Fur was also observed in a mutant conditionally depleted in the FtsH1 subunit. Moreover, a mutant overexpressing FtsH1 showed reduced levels of Fur and enhanced accumulation of both IsiA and FutA1 even under iron sufficiency. Analysis of GFP‐tagged derivatives and biochemical fractionation supported a common location for FtsH1 and FtsH3 in the cytoplasmic membrane. Overall we propose that degradation of the Fur repressor mediated by the FtsH1/FtsH3 heterocomplex is critical for acclimation to iron depletion.
Measurement of neutrino oscillation by the K2K experiment

We present measurements of {nu}{sub {mu}} disappearance in K2K, the KEK to Kamioka long-baseline neutrino oscillation experiment. One-hundred and twelve beam-originated neutrino events are observed in the fiducial volume of Super-Kamiokande with an expectation of 158.1{sub -8.6}{sup +9.2} events without oscillation. A distortion of the energy spectrum is also seen in 58 single-ring muonlike events with reconstructed energies. The probability that the observations are explained by the expectation for no neutrino oscillation is 0.0015% (4.3{sigma}). In a two-flavor oscillation scenario, the allowed {delta}m{sup 2} region at sin{sup 2}2{theta}=1 is between 1.9 and 3.5x10{sup -3} eV{sup 2} at the 90% C.L. with a best-fit value of 2.8x10{sup -3} eV{sup 2}.
Lifestyle of students from different universities in Wroclaw, Poland.

BACKGROUND Changes in the economic and political system that took place in Poland in recent decades had a significant impact on lifestyles of different social groups, especially in youngsters as vulnerable and open to all novelty and changes. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to evaluate the healthy or non-healthy behaviours including physical activity, diet, time devoted for sleeping, leisure, stress and the use of drugs by students of four universities in Wroclaw. MATERIAL AND METHODS The study involved 604 students (305 women and 299 men) from four universities in Wroclaw: University of Wroclaw - 25.0%, Wroclaw University of Technology - 24.5%, University School of Physical Education (AWF) - 25.2% and Wroclaw Medical University - 25.3%. A questionnaire developed for this study was used. The questions were both open and closed, one or multiple answers could be matched. The questions related to: physical activity, nutrition, time devoted for sleeping, leisure, stress and stimulants. RESULTS On the basis of the results it was found that students mostly reported an average level of physical activity. The highest level of physical activity was presented by students of the University School of Physical Education and the lowest by students of the University of Wroclaw. Just one in ten students consumed meals on a regular basis, including one in five studying in the AWF. Almost half of the respondents (48.7%) spent 5-7 hours sleeping. Every tenth student slept less than five hours. Most respondents preferred passive forms of recreation, only one in three practiced sports in their spare time (usually students of the AWF). Every fourth student declared smoking, and more than 90% consumed alcohol. CONCLUSIONS Lifestyle of majority of the students surveyed did not follow the recommendations of preventive care. The need for more efficient education of students is obvious, which will lead to the future positive changes in their lifestyle, reducing the risk of lifestyle diseases.
Striosomal dysfunction affects behavioral adaptation but not impulsivity—Evidence from X‐linked dystonia‐parkinsonism

Background: Executive functions including behavioral adaptation and impulse control are commonly impaired in movement disorders caused by striatal pathology. However, as yet it is unclear what aspects of behavioral abnormalities are related to pathology in which striatal subcomponent, that is, the matrix and the striosomes. We therefore studied cognitive control in X‐linked dystonia‐parkinsonism, a model disease of striosomal degeneration, using behavioral paradigms and EEG.
Chronic High-Fat Diets Induce Oxide Injuries and Fibrogenesis of Pancreatic Cells in Rats

Objectives: The mechanism of pancreatic damages induced by chronic high-fat diets (HFDs) remains unknown. The current study was to detect the involvement of free fatty acids (FFAs) and lipid peroxidation in pancreatic injuries in rats induced by a long-term HFD. Methods: Rats of HFD groups (n = 12) were fed with an HFD for 2, 4, 6, 10, and 18 weeks, respectively. Pancreatic malondialdehyde content and the concentration of FFA were measured. Histopathologic changes were observed by Sirius red staining for fibrosis and immunostaining of the pancreatic stellate cells for desmin, &agr;-smooth muscle actin, platelet-derived growth factor receptor type &bgr;, and transforming growth factor &bgr;1. Results: Pancreatic malondialdehyde content, the number of desmin and &agr;-SMA positive cells significantly increased in all the HFD groups (P < 0.05). The levels of pancreatic FFA, platelet-derived growth factor receptor type &bgr;, and transforming growth factor &bgr;1 increased in rats of 2-, 4-, and 6-week HFD groups (P < 0.05). These enhancements were accompanied with sequential histopathology alterations that resulted from acute inflammatory response in the early stages of secondary pancreatic fibrosis. Conclusions: The results indicate that chronic HFD increased pancreatic FFA and lipid peroxidation associated with pancreatic injuries and collagen synthesis by activated pancreatic stellate cells in rats.
Reduction and Management of No-Shows by Family Medicine Residency Practice Exemplars

PURPOSE We wanted to describe the methods used by family medicine residency practices with low no-show rates (rate exemplars) and those able to keep visit rates high despite no-shows (management exemplars). METHODS Program directors of US family medicine residency programs were asked to respond to a survey questionnaire. Telephone interviews were conducted with the administrators of rate exemplars (no-show rates of 10% or less) and management exemplars (average of 8 to 10 patient visits per half-day plus high administrator satisfaction with no-show management strategies). RESULTS Directors of 14 rate and 8 management exemplars, identified from among the 141 practices (31.5%) that returned the initial survey instrument, were interviewed and subsequently resurveyed. All of the rate exemplars used multiple strategies, including patient education, patient reminders, patient sanctions, and some degree of open-access scheduling. Practices that managed no-shows well encouraged walk-ins and work-ins and overbooked resident schedules either equally or based upon individual no-show rates. Practice exemplars of both types were highly committed to addressing the no-shows problem and were diligent about following their policies and procedures regarding no-shows. CONCLUSION Some family medicine residency practices are able to achieve low no-show rates or keep them from affecting practice volume. Those that do use combinations of well-established methods.
Hepatitis A outbreak amongst intravenous amphetamine abusers in Finland.

This article describes a widespread outbreak of hepatitis A virus (HAV) infection amongst drug abusers in Finland. Although attempts to demonstrate the virus in amphetamines failed, the infection was assumed to be linked to intravenous use of the drug. The unusual mode of transmission prompted us to analyse possible atypical clinical features as well as the spread of the virus to the general population, nowadays practically without protective immunity. Serologically verified cases that occurred in Helsinki were interviewed, their hospital records were analysed and their contacts were serology tested. Amphetamine lots, as well as faecal samples from patients, were examined with RT-PCR. Detailed information was obtained from 238 subjects, among whom 131 admitted drug abuse and 67 cases were classified as secondary cases. Phylogenetic analysis of virus strains from HAV-infected cases suggested a common origin, and epidemiological observations linked it with particular lots of amphetamine. Three cases died, and 3 presented with severe clinical disease. Icterus was more common among i.v. drug abusers than others. Infection with hepatitis A virus was probably related to the faecal contamination of amphetamine associated with the transportation of the drugs in the gastrointestinal tract.
Humoral immune response to hypervariable region 1 of the putative envelope glycoprotein (gp70) of hepatitis C virus

We recently found that alterations of amino acids in hypervariable region 1 (HVR1) of the putative envelope glycoprotein (gp70) of hepatitis C virus (HCV) occurred sequentially in the chronic phase of hepatitis at intervals of several months. This finding suggests that mutations in HVR1 are involved in the mechanism of persistent chronic HCV infection involving escape from the immunosurveillance system. To explore this possibility, we examined the humoral immune response to HVR1 with our assay system, in which immunoprecipitation was carried out with sera from patients by using an HVR1 (27-amino-acid) dihydrofolate reductase fusion protein synthesized by in vitro transcription and translation. Results showed that HVR1 contains a sequence-specific immunological epitope that induces the production of antibodies restricted to the specific viral isolate. Furthermore, analysis of the kinetics of the appearance of antibodies in two patients with chronic hepatitis, with whom successive alterations of amino acids of HVR1 have been observed, showed that the titers of anti-HVR1 antibodies usually reached maximal levels several months after the isolation of HCV having the specific sequence of HVR1. This observation suggests that anti-HVR1 antibodies are involved in the genetic drift of HVR1 (minor antigenic variation) by immunoselection. However, the coexistence of HVR1 as an antigen and its specific antibody was sometimes observed. The possibility that HVR1 acts as a neutralizing epitope is discussed.
Application of hydroxypropyl[β]cyclodextrin to evaluation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon losses during sewage sludges composting

The aims of the present study were to test the application of the non-exhaustive extraction technique (NEET) with hydroxypropyl[β]cyclodextrin (HPCD) for the evaluation of the content of potentially bioavailable polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) fraction as well as the evaluation of changes in the content of this fraction during composting of municipal sewage sludges. A possibility to apply this method for the forecasting of PAH losses during composting was also studied. Four sludges (from different sewage treatment plants) with varied properties have been selected for the present experiment. The sludges were composted for 76 days. PAH content was determined as extracted with dichloromethane (exhaustive extraction technique) and potentially bioavailable PAH content by means of HPCD (non-exhaustive extraction technique) in both sewage sludges and composts obtained from them. The content of fraction extracted with HPCD ranged from 63.5 to 83.1% depending on the sludge. After composting, a significant lowering of this fraction contribution was noted for 3 sludges. However, in the composts obtained, the fraction extracted with HPCD still constituted 54.7–62.1% of the total PAH content. The composting process clearly influenced a decrease in the bioavailable fraction in the case of 3- and 5-ring PAHs. However, the 4-ring PAHs content of bioavailable fraction did not undergo any significant changes. No satisfactory results were obtained when HPCD was used as a tool to forecast PAH losses. In a number of cases only, PAH remaining after HPCD extraction achieved a value similar to that of PAH after the composting process. In the case of a number of PAH, the method with HPCD application changed the values of the bioavailable fraction.
The Sectorial Trust of Social Enterprise: Friend or Foe?

Abstract This paper examines the social capital of social enterprise and the opportunities it presents for collaboration and sustainability. Incorporating a mixed methods approach the study included a sample of 93 leaders from a cross-section of social enterprises in Australia and Scotland. The research results suggest that social enterprise leaders exhibit high levels of trust and collaborative tendencies as well as a potentially beneficial mix of strong and weak social connections. However, sectorial trust does not seem to influence the growth of social enterprises. Social enterprise leaders must develop new capabilities and strategies to access the additional benefits of social capital.
Bipolar database querying using bipolar satisfaction degrees

When expressing their information needs in a (database) query, users sometimes prefer to state what has to be rejected rather than what has to be accepted. In general, what has to be rejected is not necessarily the complement of what has to be accepted. This phenomenon is commonly known as the heterogeneous bipolar nature of expressing information needs. Satisfaction degrees in regular fuzzy querying approaches are based on the “symmetric'' assumption that the extent to which a database record, respectively, satisfies and does not satisfy a given query are complements of each other and are therefore less suited to adequately handle heterogeneous bipolarity in query specifications and query processing. In this paper, we present a bipolar query satisfaction modeling framework which is based on pairs that consist of an independent degree of satisfaction and degree of dissatisfaction. The use and advantages of the framework are illustrated in the context of fuzzy query evaluation in regular relational databases. More specifically, the evaluation of heterogeneous bipolar queries that contain both positive, negative, and bipolar criteria is studied. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.