Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Exploring the Influence of Federal Welfare Expenditures on State-Level New Economy Development Performance: Drawing From the Diffusion of Innovation Theory

Functional theory suggests that each level of government expands in the arena in which it can best perform, reducing the price of federalism. Focusing on the functional pattern of American federalism, we suggest that increased federal welfare spending increases state government performance in the “new economy” development policy areas by helping states minimize welfare costs and divert more own-source resources into economic development. The central focus is on the direct and indirect empirical relationships between federal welfare spending and state new economy performance. The authors use an index of innovation capacity that reflects the cumulative performance of a myriad of overlapping and mutually dependent state policies intended to bring about new economy development; this index measures state new economy development performance by focusing on the observable outputs of such polices rather than the adoption, implementation, or substance of individual policy choices. Mediating variables, such as state fiscal comfort and administrative capacity, measure the indirect impact of federal welfare spending on state new economy performance. The authors find that federal welfare spending stimulates state new economy development directly, but also indirectly through its positive impact on both state fiscal comfort and administrative capacity. The findings suggest that federal intergovernmental transfers continue to be an important policy mechanism with spillover effects for state economies.
Sex-Related Effect on Gene Expression in the Mouse Meibomian Gland

Purpose: Sex-related differences have been identified in the anatomy and physiology of the meibomian gland. We hypothesize that these differences are due, at least in part, to variations in gene expression. This study's objective was to determine whether sex-related differences do exist in meibomian gland gene expression. We also sought to elucidate whether such differences, if any, might be (a) analogous to those known to occur in the lacrimal gland and (b) due to the effect of sex steroids. Methods: Meibomian glands were obtained from young adult male and female BALB/c mice (n = 7 to 15 mice per sex per experiment), pooled according to sex and processed for the isolation of RNA. Samples were evaluated for differentially expressed mRNAs by using CodeLink Bioarrays and GEM 1 and 2 gene chips. Bioarray data were analyzed with GeneSifter. Net software and also compared with microarray data in GEO and GeneSifter databases. Results: Our results demonstrate that sex has a significant influence on the expression of 164 genes in the mouse meibomian gland. These genes are involved in a broad spectrum of biological processes, molecular functions, and cellular components, including such activities as metabolism, catalysis, cell growth and maintenance, membrane architecture, nucleic acid binding, transcription, and signal transduction. In addition, the nature of the sex-related variations in meibomian gland gene expression is quite different from those in the lacrimal gland and appear to be mediated in part by the action of androgens, but not estrogens or progestins. Conclusions: These findings support our hypothesis that sex-related differences exist in gene expression of the meibomian gland.
Open source contribution as an effective software engineering class project

Software engineering courses often include a semester project designed to give students experience with real-world programming challenges and to expose them to phases of the software development cycle not covered in other classes. One means of engaging students in realistic programming challenges is to make participation in open source development a part of the semester project. This paper describes an assignment in which students contribute to an open source project. The project is designed to immerse students in the open source community and expose them to the work flow and design strategies of a large project. Students work in small groups and decide both which open source community to contribute to and which specific contributions they will make. They can choose to focus on implementation of new features over software maintenance or can focus on documentation and design over both. The assignment contains a proposal phase that allows the instructor to ensure that students are exposed to a healthy cross section of the development cycle.
Aminopeptidase M and dipeptidyl peptidase IV activity in epithelial skin tumors: a histochemical study

The activities of microsomal alanylaminopeptidase (APM EC 3.4.11.2) and of dipeptidyl dipeptidase IV (DPP IV EC 3.4.14.5) were histochemically studied in frozen sections of normal skin, seborrheic keratosis, basal cell carcinoma, solar keratosis, Bowen's disease and squamous cell carcinoma using amino acid‐ or peptide‐4‐methoxy‐2‐naphthylamides as specific chromogenic substrates. Compared to biochemical and immunohistochemical methods, the histochemical technique used in this study allows distinct localization of protease activity within the tumor tissue and the tumor‐associated stroma. Strong APM activity was detectable only in the stroma of basal cell carcinoma, a result which reflects the particular tumor‐stroma interaction of this semimalignant tumor. APM activity was not detectable in either healthy epidermis or the tumor parenchyma. Altered activity of DPP IV was found in the tumor cells as well as in the surrounding connective tissue: precancerous dermatoses and basal cell carcinomas had higher levels of DPP IV‐activity than normal skin or benign seborrheic keratosis. Poorly differentiated malignant squamous cell carcinomas, however, showed no histochemically detectable DPP IV‐activity at all. This result is in line with reports of decreased activity of this enzyme in cases of malignancy.
Phase II trial of combined irinotecan and oxaliplatin given every 3 weeks to patients with metastatic colorectal cancer

Both irinotecan and oxaliplatin are active agents in the treatment of patients with metastatic colorectal cancer, and there is a strong preclinical rationale for combining these 2 agents. Therefore, a Phase II trial was designed and conducted to determine the efficacy and tolerability of combined irinotecan and oxaliplatin given every 3 weeks to patients with metastatic colorectal cancer.
The importance of reward and recognition system in the leadership of virtual project teams: a qualitative research for the financial services sector

Abstract One “new normal” in the global business environment is the establishment of virtual teams to accomplish specific tasks. This trend makes leading project teams challenging. There was insufficient research focusing on the effect of reward and recognition systems on virtual team effectiveness in financial services sector. To fill the research gap, a qualitative research was conducted to investigate the preferred types of reward, and their effect on virtual project team effectiveness from the perspective of project team leaders in the financial services sector. The research sheds light on how to design and implement reward systems to enhance team effectiveness.
Sialoadhesin Promotes the Inflammatory Response in Experimental Autoimmune Uveoretinitis1

Macrophages are a prominent component of the effector cell compartment in a number of CD4+ T cell-mediated organ-specific autoimmune diseases. In this study, we investigated the role of the sialic acid binding Ig-like lectin sialoadhesin (Sn, Siglec-1) in a model of interphotoreceptor retinal binding protein peptide-induced experimental autoimmune uveoretinitis in mice with targeted deletion of Sn. Our data show that compared with wild-type mice, experimental autoimmune uveoretinitis is reduced in severity in the initial stages in the Sn knockout (KO) mice. In addition, there is a reduction in the proliferative capacity of T cells from the KO mice draining lymph nodes after immunization with interphotoreceptor retinal binding protein peptides, which is manifest some days before disease onset and persists for the duration of disease. Furthermore, activated T cells from the draining lymph nodes of Sn KO mice secrete lower levels of IFN-γ. The data suggest a role for Sn in “fine tuning” the immune response to autoantigens by modulating T cell priming.
Are drinking games sports? College athlete participation in drinking games and alcohol-related problems.

OBJECTIVE Studies indicate greater heavy episodic drinking and related consequences for college student-athletes compared with nonathletes. Surprisingly, little research has examined college athletes' participation in drinking games, a context associated with excessive alcohol consumption and negative alcohol-related consequences in college students. METHOD We examined how drinking game participation contributes to alcohol consumption and alcohol-related consequences among college-level intramural and intercollegiate athletes compared with nonathletes in two independent samples. Study 1 consisted of 1,395 randomly selected students (61% women) at a West Coast college campus, including 335 students who reported intramural athletic participation. Study 2 consisted of 6,055 randomly selected college students (63% women) from three college campuses, including 1,439 intramural athletes and 317 intercollegiate athletes. RESULTS Results of Study 1 indicated that intramural athletes consumed significantly more drinks per week, had significantly higher typical and peak blood alcohol concentration levels, and reported more negative consequences than nonathletes. Drinking game participation mediated the relationship between intramural athlete status and measures of consumption and consequences. Results of Study 2, including both intramural and intercollegiate athletes, were consistent with those of Study 1, revealing drinking game participation as a mediator of the relationships between athlete status and alcohol consumption and consequences. CONCLUSIONS Drinking games represent contexts for college athletes to engage in heavy episodic drinking, and participation in drinking games mediates the relationship between alcohol consumption and negative consequences in athletes. Interventions targeted at college athletes should consider the impact of drinking game participation.
The Pharmacological Effects of Lutein and Zeaxanthin on Visual Disorders and Cognition Diseases

Lutein (L) and zeaxanthin (Z) are dietary carotenoids derived from dark green leafy vegetables, orange and yellow fruits that form the macular pigment of the human eyes. It was hypothesized that they protect against visual disorders and cognition diseases, such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD), age-related cataract (ARC), cognition diseases, ischemic/hypoxia induced retinopathy, light damage of the retina, retinitis pigmentosa, retinal detachment, uveitis and diabetic retinopathy. The mechanism by which they are involved in the prevention of eye diseases may be due their physical blue light filtration properties and local antioxidant activity. In addition to their protective roles against light-induced oxidative damage, there are increasing evidences that L and Z may also improve normal ocular function by enhancing contrast sensitivity and by reducing glare disability. Surveys about L and Z supplementation have indicated that moderate intakes of L and Z are associated with decreased AMD risk and less visual impairment. Furthermore, this review discusses the appropriate consumption quantities, the consumption safety of L, side effects and future research directions.
The Activity-Dependent Regulation of Protein Kinase Stability by the Localization to P-Bodies

The eukaryotic cytoplasm contains a variety of ribonucleoprotein (RNP) granules in addition to the better-understood membrane-bound organelles. These granules form in response to specific stress conditions and contain a number of signaling molecules important for the control of cell growth and survival. However, relatively little is known about the mechanisms responsible for, and the ultimate consequences of, this protein localization. Here, we show that the Hrr25/CK1δ protein kinase is recruited to cytoplasmic processing bodies (P-bodies) in an evolutionarily conserved manner. This recruitment requires Hrr25 kinase activity and the Dcp2 decapping enzyme, a core constituent of these RNP granules. Interestingly, the data indicate that this localization sequesters active Hrr25 away from the remainder of the cytoplasm and thereby shields this enzyme from the degradation machinery during these periods of stress. Altogether, this work illustrates how the presence within an RNP granule can alter the ultimate fate of the localized protein.
Production traits of Holstein cattle: estimation of nonadditive genetic variance components and inbreeding depression.

Additive, dominance, and additive by additive components of genetic variance and inbreeding depression were estimated for production traits from a group of daughters of young sires from the Canadian Holstein population. First lactations of 92,838 cows were analyzed. Three sire and dam models (additive, additive plus dominance, additive plus dominance plus additive by additive genetic effects), all including regression of the trait on inbreeding coefficient of the cow, were used to estimate the effect of inbreeding on production traits. For all production traits, heritability in the narrow sense was overestimated with the simplest model, in which only the additive effect was fitted. Estimates of dominance variance were low for all traits, . 9 to 3%. Additive by additive components were low for milk, 2.8%, and fat yield, 2.8%, but higher for protein yield, 6.8%, and for fat, 9%, and protein percentages, 8.9%. Estimates of inbreeding depression for the five traits were similar across all models (-25, -.9, and -.8 kg; .05% and .05% per 1% increase in inbreeding for milk, fat, and protein production and fat and protein percentages, respectively). More accurate estimates of additive effects might be obtained with the inclusion of nonadditive effects for genetic evaluation. If the estimation of inbreeding depression is the only objective, simple models and small random samples of the population may be adequate.
Polarized regulatory landscape and Wnt responsiveness underlie Hox activation in embryos

Neijts et al. show that a series of enhancers, some of which are Wnt-dependent, is located within a HoxA 3′ subTAD. This subTAD forms the structural basis for multiple layers of 3′-polarized features, including DNA accessibility and enhancer activation.
Indigenous staffing in VET: Policy responses

This paper is based on a research project undertaken for NCVER (Kemmis, S., Thurling, M. Brennan Kemmis, R., Rushbrook, P. & Pickersgill, R. (2006). Indigenous Staffing in Vocational Education and Training: Policies, strategies and performance. Adelaide, SA: NCVER. www.ncver. edu.au/research/proj/nr3025.pdf retrieved 15 March 2007). This research project examined questions relating to the policies, strategies and performance of the vocational education and training (VET) sector in relation to the levels of employment of Indigenous staff in VET. It further examined the barriers and circumstances that would encourage a greater degree of Indigenous staff participation. Research methodology In the 2004 research conducted for this report, the researchers contacted 80 Indigenous staff in VET: in government and non-government agencies, across teaching and non-teaching positions, and in the administration of VET. Interviews were conducted with representatives of VET employers and with Indigenous employees themselves. Further interviews were conducted in the course of case studies completed in the Australian Capital Territory, South Australia, Tasmania and Victoria. These case studies were not presented in this report for reasons of confidentiality, as the participants involved are easily identified. However, the insights provided by these case studies form an important pool of data for this study. These qualitative studies supplemented qualitative research undertaken in 2003 by Kemmis, Atkinson, Brennan, and Atkinson (2004) for the 2002-03 mid-term review of Partners in a Learning Culture, which included consultations in New South Wales, the Northern Territory, Queensland and Western Australia. In 2004, the researchers also collected information by written survey from 102 Indigenous people nationally, of whom 99 were Indigenous employees in VET (a number equivalent to about 9% of the Indigenous staff in VET counted in Indigenous Education Strategic Initiatives Program (IESIP) statistics). The study thus adopted a multi-method approach, employing a range of qualitative and quantitative techniques. Indigenous employment in VET: The current situation The best current estimate of the number of Indigenous staff in VET is based on reports from VET organisations receiving funding from the Department of Education, Science and Training’s Indigenous Education Strategic Initiatives Program. These data are recognised as underestimating the number of Indigenous staff in VET because they do not include Indigenous employees in organisations not receiving funding from the program. Further limitations to data collection include a lack of information about Indigenous staff who do not identify as Indigenous in their employment, lack of employment records or inadequacies of employment information systems which allow Indigenous staff to be identified and counted, and difficulties in gathering more complex information about the employment status of Indigenous staff (full-time versus part-time versus casual and the full-time equivalence of these employees).
Impact of the January Effect on Return Rates in the Markets of the 2004 EU Enlargement

Abstract Purpose: The article presents the results of a study conducted for the January effect. This anomaly is best recognized in the capital markets. In this case, we find explanation of its appearance based on both fundamental analysis and heuristics used by investors. The research focuses on the markets of the European Union enlargement countries of 2004. There are three hypotheses stated in the article: Hypothesis 1: The January Effect occurs in the analyzed markets. Hypothesis 2: The January Effect weakens over time. Hypothesis 3: The January Effect weakens with the development of a market. Methodology: Three methods verified the hypotheses: tests of differences, average and median rate of return, and dynamic models paneled with the estimation of parameters and the generalized method of moments. Findings: The January Effect exists in the analyzed markets. The anomaly weakens over time but, after accession to the European Union, January return rates increase significantly. Limitation: The definite verification was difficult due to the available methods and data. Further research in this field is, therefore, needed. Originality: The originality of the paper stems from the construction of the sample – new evidence from post-communist countries – which became the European Union members in 2004. The next important issue is the period of twenty years after the economic transformation – ten before and ten after the enlargement of the EU.
Isospora suis in an Epithelial Cell Culture System – An In Vitro Model for Sexual Development in Coccidia

Coccidian parasites are of major importance in animal production, public health and food safety. The most frequently used representative in basic research on this group is Toxoplasma gondii. Although this parasite is well investigated there is no adequate in vitro model for its sexual development available and knowledge on this important life cycle phase is therefore scarce. The use of Isospora suis , a sister taxon to T. gondii and the causative agent of piglet coccidiosis, could provide a solution for this. In the present study an in vitro model for neonatal porcine coccidiosis in cells representative for the in vivo situation in the piglet gut was developed and evaluated. The parasite development was investigated by light and transmission electron microscopy and optimum culture conditions were evaluated. Intestinal porcine epithelial cells (IPEC-J2) adequately representing the natural host cells supported the development of all endogenous life cycle stages of I . suis , including gametocytes and oocysts. A concentration of 5% fetal calf serum in the culture medium led to highest gametocyte densities on day 12 post infection. Low infection doses (≤1 sporozoite for 100 host cells) were best for oocyst and gametocyte development. The presented system can also be used for immunostaining with established antibodies developed against T. gondii (in our case, anti-TgIMC3 antibodies directed against the inner membrane complex 3). The complete life cycle of I . suis in a cell line representing the natural host cell type and species provides a unique model among coccidian parasites and can be used to address a wide range of topics, especially with regard to the sexual development of coccidia.
Postdependent state in rats as a model for medication development in alcoholism

Rational development of novel therapeutic strategies for alcoholism requires understanding of its underlying neurobiology and pathophysiology. Obtaining this knowledge largely relies on animal studies. Thus, choosing the appropriate animal model is one of the most critical steps in pre‐clinical medication development. Among the range of animal models that have been used to investigate excessive alcohol consumption in rodents, the postdependent model stands out. It was specifically developed to test the role of negative affect as a key driving force in a perpetuating addiction cycle for alcoholism. Here, we will describe our approach to make rats dependent via chronic intermittent exposure to alcohol, discuss the validity of this model, and compare it with other commonly used animal models of alcoholism. We will summarize evidence that postdependent rats fulfill several criteria of a ‘Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders IV/V‐like’ diagnostic system. Importantly, these animals show long‐lasting excessive consumption of and increased motivation for alcohol, and evidence for loss of control over alcohol intake. Our conclusion that postdependent rats are an excellent model for medication development for alcoholism is underscored by a summary of more than two dozen pharmacological tests aimed at reversing these abnormal alcohol responses. We will end with open questions on the use of this model. In the tradition of the Sanchis‐Segura and Spanagel review, we provide comic strips that illustrate the postdependent procedure and relevant phenotypes in this review.
Spermiophagy in the Male Reproductive Tract of Some Passerine Birds

In order to elucidate the locus and means of spermiophagy in passerine birds, we examined histologically the entire male reproductive tract of sexually mature birds of three passerine species with different forms of sperm competition, namely, the alpine accentor (Prunella collaris), the redflanked bush robin (Tarsiger cyanurus), and the Bengalese finch (Lonchura striata var. domestica). Spermiophagy occurred consistently and frequently in the epithelial layer of the seminal glomera and ejaculatory duct in each species, which were regularly identified by non-ciliated epithelial cells. The epithelial spermiophagy was occasional or infrequent in other portions of the seminal tract, and spermiophagy by macrophages was uncommon throughout the tract. Quantitative data in the seminal glomera and ejaculatory duct gave no clear answer concerning a possible relationship between the epithelial spermiophagy and different levels of sperm competition among these passerine species. In conclusion, the epithelial lining of the terminal region of the seminal tract is the main site for spermiophagy in the male reproductive tract of these passerine species, which activity serves to maintain the quality of semen by eliminating infertile spermatozoa as well as sperm remaining at the end of the breeding season.