Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A hedonic model for off-campus student housing : the value of location, location, location

THESIS: A Hedonic Model for Off-Campus Student Housing: The Value of Location, Location, Location STUDENT: Terry J. Fields DEGREE: Master of Science in Family and Consumer Sciences COLLEGE: Applied Sciences and Technology DATE: July 2011 PAGES: 53 This study presents a hedonic model for off-campus student housing, using a semi-logarithmic model, with the natural log of unit rent as the dependent variable. Implicit values for select structural and locational characteristics were estimated, with a special emphasis on the variable of proximity to campus. Variable data for off-campus student housing in six university markets was collected. The results indicate a nonlinear relationship between rent and distance from the academic center of campus. Within one mile of campus, there is a significant premium for proximity, but between one and four miles from campus, the marginal value levels off before decreasing again beyond the four mile mark. The premium for being within one mile of campus ranged from 16.3% to 17%, and the discount for being outside four miles from campus equaled 13%. Other noteworthy characteristics and coefficients include the marginal value of an additional bedroom with a positive coefficient of roughly 21% and the inclusion of internet and cable with a premium of 12.4% to 15%.
New insights into the epidemiology of childhood atopic dermatitis

There is a growing desire to explain the worldwide rise in the prevalence of atopic dermatitis (AD). Trend data on the burden of AD suggest that the picture in the developing world may soon resemble that of wealthier nations, where AD affects over 20% of children. This, combined with significant variations in prevalence within countries, emphasizes the importance of environmental factors. Many hypotheses have been explored, from the modulation of immune priming by hygiene, gut microbiota diversity, and exposure to endotoxins through farm animals to the effects of pollution, climate, and diet. The discovery of the filaggrin skin barrier gene and its importance in AD development and severity has brought the focus on gene–environment interactions and the identification of environmental factors that impact on skin barrier function. This article reviews our current understanding of the epidemiology of AD, with an emphasis on the findings reported in the international literature over the last 5 years.
Clarithromycin Is Absorbed by an Intestinal Uptake Mechanism That Is Sensitive to Major Inhibition by Rifampicin: Results of a Short-Term Drug Interaction Study in Foals

Pulmonary penetration of clarithromycin (CLR) in epithelial lining fluid (ELF) and bronchoalveolar lavage cells (BALCs) can be influenced by CYP3A4, by P-glycoprotein, and, according to our hypothesis, by a member of the organic anion-transporting protein (OATP) family, for which rifampicin (RIF) is inhibiting in single doses but inducing after long-term coadministration. To assess the partial inhibitory effect, we measured absorption and pulmonary distribution of CLR after short-term (2.5-day) coadministration of RIF, after which up-regulation is not expected. The drug interaction study was performed with five doses (12-h interval) of CLR (7.5 mg/kg) and RIF (10 mg/kg) in nine healthy foals; horse transporters are very similar in protein sequence and transcriptional regulation to the human analogs. RIF was equally distributed in ELF but reached half the plasma levels in BALCs. The deacetylated metabolite accumulated 1.4- to 6-fold in ELF and 8- to 60-fold in BALCs. CLR did not significantly influence the distribution of RIF. CLR and 14-hydroxyclarithromycin (14OH-CLR) accumulated approximately 20- to 40-fold and 1.5- to 4.5-fold in ELF and 300- to 1800-fold and 25- to 90-fold in BALCs, respectively. With RIF, plasma levels of CLR decreased by more than 70% without changes in 14OH-CLR formation, the half-lives of CLR and 14OH-CLR, and the 4β-hydroxycholesterol/cholesterol ratio (a surrogate for CYP3A4 induction). CLR was an inhibitor of OATP1B3 (IC50 = 9.50 ± 3.50 μM), OATP1B1 (IC50 = 46.0 ± 2.27 μM), OATP1A2 (IC50 = 92.6 ± 1.49 μM), and OATP2B1 (IC50 = 384 ± 5.30 μM) but was not a substrate for these transporters in transfected human embryonic kidney cells. In conclusion, despite having no significant inducing effects, RIF decreased plasma levels of CLR below the minimal inhibitory concentration required to inhibit 90% of growth of pathogenic bacteria, most likely through inhibition of an unknown intestinal uptake transporter.
High-resolution ultrasound for the study of target joints in rheumatoid arthritis.

as for young and old adults across a 2-hour period. These two combined findings suggest a high/sustained level of motivation in FM patients in this study and no response bias toward poor performance, since performance was excellent on some cognitive tasks but not on others. The data are more suggestive of frontal and/or hippocampal dys-function than they are of motivational deficits. We are actively pursuing studies to investigate neural mechanisms underlying the observed deficits.
Influence of current climate, historical climate stability and topography on species richness and endemism in Mesoamerican geophyte plants

Background A number of biotic and abiotic factors have been proposed as drivers of geographic variation in species richness. As biotic elements, inter-specific interactions are the most widely recognized. Among abiotic factors, in particular for plants, climate and topographic variables as well as their historical variation have been correlated with species richness and endemism. In this study, we determine the extent to which the species richness and endemism of monocot geophyte species in Mesoamerica is predicted by current climate, historical climate stability and topography. Methods Using approximately 2,650 occurrence points representing 507 geophyte taxa, species richness (SR) and weighted endemism (WE) were estimated at a geographic scale using grids of 0.5 × 0.5 decimal degrees resolution using Mexico as the geographic extent. SR and WE were also estimated using species distributions inferred from ecological niche modeling for species with at least five spatially unique occurrence points. Current climate, current to Last Glacial Maximum temperature, precipitation stability and topographic features were used as predictor variables on multiple spatial regression analyses (i.e., spatial autoregressive models, SAR) using the estimates of SR and WE as response variables. The standardized coefficients of the predictor variables that were significant in the regression models were utilized to understand the observed patterns of species richness and endemism. Results Our estimates of SR and WE based on direct occurrence data and distribution modeling generally yielded similar results, though estimates based on ecological niche modeling indicated broader distribution areas for SR and WE than when species richness was directly estimated using georeferenced coordinates. The SR and WE of monocot geophytes were highest along the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt, in both cases with higher levels in the central area of this mountain chain. Richness and endemism were also elevated in the southern regions of the Sierra Madre Oriental and Occidental mountain ranges, and in the Tehuacán Valley. Some areas of the Sierra Madre del Sur and Sierra Madre Oriental had high levels of WE, though they are not the areas with the highest SR. The spatial regressions suggest that SR is mostly influenced by current climate, whereas endemism is mainly affected by topography and precipitation stability. Conclusions Both methods (direct occurrence data and ecological niche modeling) used to estimate SR and WE in this study yielded similar results and detected a key area that should be considered in plant conservation strategies: the central region of the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt. Our results also corroborated that species richness is more closely correlated with current climate factors while endemism is related to differences in topography and to changes in precipitation levels compared to the LGM climatic conditions.
The Effect Of Local Muscle Endurance Training on Cardiorespiratory Capacity in Young Women

Cesar, MC, Borin, JP, Gonelli, PRG, Simões, RA, Souza, TMF, and Montebelo, MIL. The effect of local muscle endurance training on cardiorespiratory capacity in young women. J Strength Cond Res 23(6): 1637-1643, 2009-The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of local muscle endurance training on maximal oxygen uptake and ventilatory threshold in young women. Nineteen untrained women, ranging in age from 18 to 26 years, were included in the study and assigned to two groups: the control group (n = 10), and the resistance training group (n = 9). The following variables were obtained at baseline and after 12 weeks: body mass; maximal oxygen uptake, maximal heart rate, maximal oxygen pulse, oxygen uptake at the ventilatory threshold, heart rate at the ventilatory threshold, and oxygen pulse at the ventilatory threshold assessed by cardiopulmonary exercise testing on treadmill; 1-repetition maximum (RM) tests in bench press, latissimus pull down, military press, lying barbell extension, standing barbell curls, leg press, knee extension, and hamstring curl. The training group underwent resistance strength training. Loading during training followed the concept of maximum repetitions. Each session was defined as the performance of three sets of 15RM with a 60-second rest between sets and exercises. No significant changes were observed in the control group before and after 12 weeks (p > 0.05). All 1RM tests increased after training (p ≤ 0.01) in the training group, but no significant change was observed in body mass (p > 0.05). Cardiopulmonary variables showed no significant differences before and after resistance training (p > 0.05). These findings indicate that the local muscle endurance training realized produces no improvement in cardiorespiratory capacity in young women.
Differential effects of ethanol on the expression of cyclo‐oxygenase in cultured cortical astrocytes and neurons

The developing central nervous system is a primary target of ethanol toxicity. The teratogenic effect of ethanol may result from its action on prostaglandins. Prostaglandins are generated through the release of arachidonic acid (AA) by the action of cytosolic phospholipase A2 (cPLA2) on membrane‐bound phospholipids and the catalytic conversion of AA to prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) by cyclo‐oxygenase (COX). COX is expressed in two isoforms, constitutive COX1 and inducible COX2. Cultured astrocytes and neurons from immature cerebral cortex were used as in vitro models to investigate the effect of ethanol on PGE2 synthesis. In both cell types, neither the activity nor the expression of cPLA2 was affected by ethanol. PGE2 was synthesized by astrocytes and neurons. Ethanol (200–400 mg/dL for 24 h) significantly increased PGE2 production in both cell types and the ethanol‐induced increase in PGE2 accumulation in astrocytes was significantly greater than in neurons. These increases resulted from the effects of ethanol on COX. Overall COX activity was up‐regulated by ethanol in astrocytes and neurons, and indomethacin, a nonselective blocker for COX, eliminated the ethanol‐induced increases of COX activity in both cell types. Increased COX activity in astrocytes resulted from an increase in COX2 expression. NS‐398, a selective COX2 blocker, completely inhibited ethanol‐induced alterations in COX activity. In neurons, however, ethanol had a direct effect on COX activity in the absence of a change in COX expression. NS‐398 only partially blocked ethanol‐induced increases in neuronal COX activity. Thus, astrocytes are a primary target of ethanol and ethanol‐induced increases in glial PGE2 synthesis are mediated by COX, principally COX2. Ethanol toxicity may be mediated through PGE2 in immature cortical cells.
The Essentials of Employee Engagement in Organizations

This paper throws light on the importance, need and the focus of employee engagement, and the factors enhancing employee engagement level in the organizational set up. Employee Engagement is an emerging phenomenon which should be well taken care of by the managers in the present scenario of business environment. The managers have to be keen whether employees are engaged or disengaged in their work setting, since disengagement or alienation can be the central problem of workers for their lack of commitment and motivation. Meaningless work is often associated with apathy and detachment from ones works. In such conditions, individuals are thought to be estranged from their selves. Other Research using a different resource of engagement (involvement and enthusiasm) has linked it to such variables as employee turnover, customer satisfaction – loyalty, safety and to a lesser degree, productivity and profitability criteria. Engagement is linked to three essential forces in the organization - attrition, productivity & profitability. Ultimately the productivity is what is expected by the company from employees. An engaged employee carry out what is expected of him, having his focus and goal clear and brings success to the organization. Profitability is the result of actively engaged work force. What company look for are committed and sincere employees who can perform their job efficiently with all role clarity. Here this paper throws light on the essentials of employee engagement, how shared visions enhance engagement level and the steps to be taken by a firm to build engagement.
Dairy Modernization Works for Family Farms

Results are presented from a survey conducted in 2008 on small- to average-sized Wisconsin family dairy farms that had switched from milking cows in a stall barn to some type of parlor milking system. The survey was used to determine the producers' observations as to the major benefits to both themselves and the cows after modernizing their facilities. Producers were also asked to identify the educational resources they used, the most challenging aspect of the modernization process, grant and loan programs used, and impacts on labor.
Face recognition improvement using soft biometrics

In this work we are interested in soft facial biometrics, a new field that aims at strengthening the performance of primary biometric systems based on traditional ways of biological type (DNA, saliva), morphological (face, iris, fingerprint) or behavioral (signature, handwriting, voice). We propose three types of facial soft biometrics: facial measurements, skin color and hair color. The results show that the fusion of these modalities with the primary face recognition system based on wavelet characterization and SVM training has increased the recognition rate and has decreased the equal error rate.
Defending Cyber Terrorism - A Game Theoretic Modeling Approach

In this work we attempt to develop a game theoretic model that can indicate the nuances of strategic investments in the face of possible cyber terrorist attacks. First, we briefly review the literature on terrorism. Second, we identify the „cyber‟ factors in terrorism, and how this new mode of attack alters the general scenario. Then, beginning with a naive counter terrorism model, we incrementally incorporate the factors of cyber terrorism to develop our game theoretic model. Our current work is geared towards developing a model that can adequately incorporate the cyber factors of today‟s networked economy. In this report, we have also discussed some preliminary insights of (countering) cyber terrorism from the proposed model. This is a research in progress; and we have not yet analyzed the model in its entirety to realize the whole range of conceivable insights.
The thyroid and fibrinolysis.

The profound influence of thyroid dysfunction on metabolic processes is well recognized but only recently has its relation to fibrinolysis been studied. Using a whole blood clot lysis technique, Hume (1965) showed that overall blood fibrinolytic activity is diminished in hyperthyroidism and increased in hypothyroidism; it was suggested that the increased fibrinolytic activity provides a protective mechanism by which the untreated hypothyroid patient is spared the consequences of occlusive vascular disease. We have extended these findings by measuring the individual components of the fibrinolytic enzyme system in patients with hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism and by observing the changes in the levels of these components during treatment of both disorders
Area 21a of cat visual cortex strongly modulates neuronal activities in the superior colliculus

We have examined the influence of cortico‐tectal projections from one of the pattern‐processing extrastriate visual cortical areas, area 21a, on the responses to visual stimuli of single neurones in the superior colliculi of adult cats. For this purpose area 21a was briefly inactivated by cooling to 10 °C using a Peltier device. Responses to visual stimuli before and during cooling as well as after rewarming ipsilateral area 21a were compared. In addition, in a subpopulation of collicular neurones we have studied the effects of reversible inactivation of ipsilateral striate cortex (area 17, area V1). When area 21a was cooled, the temperature of area 17 was kept at 36 °C and vice versa. In the majority of cases (41/65; 63 %), irrespective of the velocity response profiles of collicular neurones, inactivation of area 21a resulted in a significant decrease in magnitude of responses of neurones in the ipsilateral colliculus and only in a small proportion of cells (2/65; 3.1 %) was there a significant increase in the magnitude of responses. Inactivation of area 21a resulted in significant changes in the magnitude of responses of collicular cells located not only in the retino‐recipient layers but also in the stratum griseum intermediale. In most cases, reversible inactivation of area 17 resulted in a greater reduction in the magnitude of responses of collicular cells than inactivation of area 21a. Reversible inactivation of area 21a also affected the direction selectivity indices and length tuning of most collicular cells tested.
Approaches to quantum cosmology.

Different proposals for the wave function of the Universe are analyzed, with an emphasis on various forms of the tunneling proposal. The issues discussed include the equivalence of the Lorentzian path integral and outgoing-wave-proposals, the definitions of the outgoing waves and of superspace boundaries, topology change, and the corresponding modification of the Wheeler-DeWitt equation. Also discussed are the generic'' boundary condition and the third quantization approach.
Influence of inter-dental tissues and root surface condition on complete root coverage following treatment of gingival recessions: a 1-year retrospective study.

AIM To explore the influence of inter-dental tissues and root surface condition on complete root coverage following surgical treatment of gingival recessions. METHODS Three hundred and eighty-six single recessions treated over 28 years were assessed. Patient-level and periodontal variables, presence/loss of inter-dental tissues, and presence/absence of non-carious cervical lesions (NCCLs) were recorded. Root coverage was assessed 1-year post-surgery. Multilevel analysis was performed to identify predictors of CRC. RESULTS Based on type of root coverage procedure four patient groups were created: free gingival graft (FGG) (n = 116), coronally advanced flap (CAF) (n = 107), CAF+connective tissue graft (CTG) (n = 131), and guided tissue regeneration (GTR) (n = 32). Percentages of complete root coverage (CRC) were 18.1% for FGG, 35.5% for CAF, 35.1% for CAF+CTG, and 18.8% for GTR. There was an OR = 0.26 (p < 0.0001) of achieving CRC in cases with loss of inter-dental tissue compared with cases with no inter-dental tissue loss. Similarly, cases with presence of NCCL showed an OR = 0.28 (p < 0.0001) of achieving CRC compared with cases without a NCCL. FGG achieved less CRC then CAF+CTG (p = 0.0012; OR = 0.32). CONCLUSIONS NCCLs, just like inter-dental tissue loss, are significant negative prognostic factors in achieving CRC following root coverage procedures.
Policies for Banking Crises: A Theoretical Framework

This Paper analyses the effects on ex ante risk-shifting incentives and ex post fiscal costs of three policies that are frequently used in dealing with banking crises, namely, forbearance from prudential regulations, extension of blanket deposit guarantees, and provision of unrestricted liquidity support. In the context of a simple model of information-based bank runs, where banks are funded with both insured and uninsured deposits, the paper shows that the expectation of implementation of any of these policies leads to a reduction in the interest rate of uninsured deposits and in the bank’s incentives to take risk, but increases the expected fiscal costs of the crises.
An examination of the first Oxford House in the UK: A preliminary investigation

An exploratory investigation was conducted to examine the implementation of the first self-run, communal-living setting based on the Oxford House model, in the UK. A cross-sectional, mixed-methods design was used to examine the Oxford House model's total abstinence approach to recovery from substance use disorders among residents (n = 7) living in the first Oxford House established in the UK. Several measures commonly used in addiction research and personal narratives were used to assess residents’ response to Oxford House living. Findings suggest that the Oxford House model is a post-treatment intervention that meets the needs of individuals seeking an abstinence-based recovery from alcohol and/or drug dependence in the UK.
Men's Anger: A Phenomenological Exploration of Its Meaning in a Middle-Class Sample of American Men

This study explored the meaning of men’s anger, using the methodology of eidetic (descriptive) phenomenology. A community sample of 19 middle-class American men, ranging in age from 20 to 50 years, participated in audiotaped interviews. Two prominent themes, right versus wrong and being controlled versus having control, were contextualized by the world in which masculinity has been socially constructed and emotion is regulated accordingly. Interwoven throughout anger narratives were descriptors of the intense physical arousal felt within the body. Time was an important contextual ground for men’s anger experience, with sharp contrasts drawn between anger then and now. Findings suggest that men’s anger is often misunderstood. Both substantive and stylistic gender differences were noted when findings of this study were compared with previous studies of women.