Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Locally Optimal Place-Based Policies: Evidence from Opportunity Zones

The extent to which public policy can encourage new investment into areas that need it, and how those policies should be targeted, remain open questions. This paper evaluates the impact of Opportunity Zones on new residential and commercial development, and quantifies how policymakers could have achieved a more efficient response through alternative designations of the investment tax credit. Using a novel dataset on the location and timing of new development projects in large U.S. cities, I find that receiving the tax credit increases new development in census tracts by 2.9pp (20.5%). I also find positive spillovers on nearby development. Both effects are larger in neighborhoods with more available land to develop, more elastic housing supply, and lower home values. Through a model of new development that accounts for locationheterogeneities, dynamics, localized spillovers, and the equilibrium behavior of developers, I find that the policy as implemented had city-wide impacts on new development on the order of 2.7%. However, optimally chosen Opportunity Zones would have substantially increased the investment response. The results suggest that there is substantial scope for equity and efficiency improvements in how the program was implemented. First version: April 2021. I thank Cecile Gaubert, Marco Gonzalez-Navarro, Jonathan Hall, Patrick Kennedy, Amir Kermani, Patrick Kline, Samuel Leone, Timothy McQuade, Enrico Moretti, Cristóbal Otero, Tatiana Reyes, Daniel Sturm, Damián Vergara, Felipe Vial, Chris Walters, Danny Yagan, Ian Zapolsky, and seminar participants at UC Berkeley and Haas School of Business for helpful discussions. The paper benefited from conference attendee comments at the OSU PhD Conference on Real Estate and Housing, UEA Summer School, and the 2022 UEA meetings. This work was supported by a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship, the UC Berkeley Opportunity Lab, and the Fisher Center for Real Estate and Urban Economics. Deparment of Economics, UC Berkeley. E-mail: wheeler@berkeley.edu.
The Actor–Partner Interdependence Model for Longitudinal Dyadic Data: An Implementation in the SEM Framework

In dyadic research, the actor–partner interdependence model (APIM) is widely used to model the effect of a predictor measured across dyad members on one’s own and one’s partner outcome. When such dyadic data are measured repeatedly over time, both the non-independence within couples and the non-independence over time need to be accounted for. In this paper, we present a longitudinal extension of the APIM, the L-APIM, that allows for both stable and time-varying sources of non-independence. Its implementation is readily available in multilevel software, such as proc mixed in SAS, but is lacking in the structural equation modeling (SEM) framework. We tackle the computational challenges associated with its SEM-implementation and propose a user-friendly free application for the L-APIM, which can be found at http://fgisteli.shinyapps. io/Shiny_LDD. As an illustration, we explore the actor and partner effects of positive relationship feelings on next day’s intimacy using 3-week diary data of 66 heterosexual couples.
Allelic strengths of encephalopathy-associated UBA5 variants correlate between in vivo and in vitro assays

Protein UFMylation downstream of the E1 enzyme UBA5 plays essential roles in development and ER stress. Variants in the UBA5 gene are associated with developmental and epileptic encephalopathy 44 (DEE44), an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by early-onset encephalopathy, movement abnormalities, global developmental delay, intellectual disability, and seizures. DEE44 is caused by at least twelve different missense variants described as loss of function (LoF), but the relationships between genotypes and molecular or clinical phenotypes remains to be established. We developed a humanized UBA5 fly model and biochemical activity assays in order to describe in vivo and in vitro genotype-phenotype relationships across the UBA5 allelic series. In vivo, we observed a broad spectrum of phenotypes in viability, developmental timing, lifespan, locomotor activity, and bang sensitivity. A range of functional effects was also observed in vitro across comprehensive biochemical assays for protein stability, ATP binding, UFM1 activation, and UFM1 transthiolation. Importantly, there is a strong correlation between in vivo and in vitro phenotypes, establishing a classification of LoF variants into mild, intermediate, and severe allelic strengths. By systemically evaluating UBA5 variants across in vivo and in vitro platforms, this study provides a foundation for more basic and translational UBA5 research, as well as a basis for evaluating current and future individuals afflicted with this rare disease.
The Welfare Impact of Dollar Stores*

November 1, 2022 Click here for the latest version Abstract Dollar stores are small-box discount stores that offer a broad range of products at low prices with a limited selection within each product category. Major dollar store chains in the U.S. have experienced exponential growth in the past two decades, outgrowing Walmart and McDonald’s in terms of store locations. In this paper, I discuss three potential channels through which dollar stores can affect consumer welfare: (1) dollar stores charge lower prices for the same products than their competitors and offer a higher share of private-brand products, which generate disproportionate sales; (2) dollar store entry leads to exits of grocery stores and changes the local market structure; and (3) low-income households are more exposed to dollar store entry than high-income households. I propose a nested-CES demand model to quantify the welfare impact of dollar store entry through these channels for households of different income groups. I find that between 2006 and 2019, on average, dollar store entry improved household welfare, albeit with large heterogeneity within and across household income groups. The variation in the welfare impact of dollar store entry across households is driven by differences in households’ preferences (across income groups), their baseline retail conditions, and the number of dollar store entries. A decomposition of household welfare change due to dollar store entry reveals the different channels sustaining the welfare gains of lowvs. high-income households. Low-income households benefit from both the change in retail variety and product characteristics at dollar stores, whereas the welfare gain enjoyed by high-income households comes entirely from their value for product characteristics at dollar stores. Furthermore, this paper highlights the declining appeal of dollar stores as they continue to enter local markets and corroborates the need for existing placed-based dispersal policies for dollar stores.
Striped bass population genetic structure and bait panel development for mixed stock analysis

STRIPED BASS POPULATION GENETIC STRUCTURE AND BAIT PANEL DEVELOPMENT FOR MIXED STOCK ANALYSIS by Kristopher J. Wojtusik University of New Hampshire, September, 2021 The delineation of genetic stock structure and population connectivity are key components in the effective management of exploited fishes, and in preserving the biocomplexity of populations which is critical for maintaining a species resilience to environmental and anthropogenic pressures. The information gained from identifying the genetic structure among populations is important for ensuring that the spatial scale of management makes biological sense, for identifying genetically compatible individuals to be used in stocking and supplementation efforts, and for use in population assignment methods. This body of research focuses on delineating the genetic stock structure of Striped Bass (Morone saxatilis) and building a genetic panel capable of assigning unknown individuals to a population of origin, in order to provide a highly accurate tool for fisheries management. In Chapter 1 I determine the population genetic structure among nine spawning locations of striped bass in the US and Canada and evaluate the power of my genetic data to assign individuals to their spawning river of origin. In Chapter 2, I build and validate a sequence capture panel to be used for conducting mixed stock analyses on striped bass.
dust model simulationsusing WRF-Chem

Land-atmosphere interactions govern the process of dust emission and transport. An accurate depiction of these physical processes within numerical weather prediction (NWP) models allows for the better estimation of :::: better :::::::::: estimating the spatial and temporal distribution of dust burden as well as :: the :::: dust :::::: burden :::: and the characterisation of source and recipient areas. In the presented study, : the ECMWF-IFS (European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecast Integrated Forecast5 ing System) outputs : , : produced with and without ::: the assimilation of Aeolus quality-assured Rayleigh-clear and Mie-cloudy Horizontal Line of Sight (HLOS) wind profilesare used :::: wind :::::::: profiles, ::: are :::: used :: as ::::::::::::: initial/boundary ::::::::: conditions :: in :::: the ::::::: Weather ::::::: Research :::: and :::::::::: Forecasting :::::: model ::::::: coupled :::: with ::::::::: Chemistry :::::::::::: (WRF-Chem) : to simulate two-month long periods in :: the : spring and autumn of 2020, focusing on a case study in October. Experiments are :::: The :::::::::: experiments ::::: have :::: been : performed over the broader Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East (EMME) region that is frequently subjected to dust transport, as it en10 compasses some of the most active erodible dust sources. Aerosol and dust related ::::::::: dust-related : model outputs (extinction coefficient, optical depth and concentrations) are qualitatively and quantitatively evaluated against ground-based :::::: ground:::: and ::::::::::: satellite-based ::::::::::: observations. :::::::::::: Ground-based : columnar and vertically resolved aerosol optical properties acquired by :: are :::::::: acquired :::::: through : AERONET sun photometers , ::: and PollyXT lidar, as well as :::: while near-surface concentrations available through EMEP. Furthermore, satellite-derived observation datasets have been used in the assessment, including LIVAS and MIDAS, that 15 provide :: are ::::: taken ::::: from :::::: EMEP. :::::::::::::: Satellite-derived : vertical dust and columnar aerosol optical properties :: are :::::::: acquired ::::::: through :::::: LIVAS ::: and ::::::: MIDAS, respectively. Overall, in cases of either high or low aerosol loadings, the model predictive skill is improved when the WRF simulations are initialized with IFS meteorological fields in which ::::::::: WRF-Chem :::::::::: simulations ::: are ::::::::: initialised :::: with ::: the ::::::::::::: meteorological ::::: fields
Credit Constraints and Firms’ Decisions: Evidence from the COVID-19 Outbreak

This paper takes advantage of unique survey data on Italian firms to investigate the role played by credit constraints in the transmission of the shocks generated by the COVID-19 outbreak. These data, collected just before and just after the onset of the pandemic, allow us to study how revisions of firms’ expectations and plans are shaped by a survey-based measure of credit constraints that uses information about the outcome of past loan applications. Our results show that the lack of access to credit strongly amplifies the negative effects on planned factor demand and expected sales of the pandemic shock. Moreover, credit-constrained firms, in their search for liquidity, plan to charge significantly higher prices relative to their unconstrained counterparts. JEL Codes: E2, E3, E44
C. Simon Fan, The Socioeconomics of Nationalism in China: Historical and Contemporary Perspectives

As reported in previous literature, nationalism was aggressive and one of the main causes of war since the 1990s (Chafetz 1996; Comaroff & Stern 1995; Gagnon, 1994; Van Evera, 1994). There was no exception for the discussion of Chinese nationalism. Some scholars found that China had been aggressive simply because of Chinese nationalism (Bernstein & Munro, 1997; Huntington & Jervis, 1997). This idea was challenged by many Chinese scholars (Zhao, 2000; Zhao, 2013; Zheng, 1999; Zhou, 2021) who argued that the West misinterpreted the nature and intention of Chinese nationalism.
Accumulating Sedentary Time and Physical Activity from Childhood to Adolescence and Cardiac Function in Adolescence

Background: Little is known about the associations of a sedentary lifestyle from childhood with cardiac work and function during adolescence. We studied if cumulative sedentary time and physical activity from childhood to adolescence are associated with cardiac work and function in adolescence. Methods: A total of 153 adolescents aged 15 years at the time of assessment of cardiac work and function participated. We assessed sedentary time and physical activity using a combined movement and heart rate sensor in childhood and adolescence (baseline, 2- and 8-year follow-ups) and cardiac work and function using impedance cardiography in adolescence (8-year follow-up). Results: Cumulative sedentary time from baseline over the follow-up was directly (standardised regression coefficient {beta}=0.245 to 0.246, 95% confidence intervals, CI=0.092 to 0.400) and moderate to vigorous physical activity ({beta}=-0.355 to -0.323, 95% CI=-0.579 to -0.119), and vigorous physical activity ({beta}=-0.305 to -0.295, 95% CI=-0.524 to -0.083) from baseline over the follow-up was inversely associated with cardiac work at 8-year follow-up. Cumulative vigorous physical activity from baseline to 2- and 8-year follow-up was inversely associated with cardiac work index at 8-year follow-up ({beta}=-0.225 to -0.218, 95% CI=-0.450 to 0.000). However, adiposity and other cardiometabolic risk factors partially explained these associations. Conclusions: Higher levels of sedentary time and lower levels of moderate and/or vigorous-intensity physical activity during childhood were associated with higher cardiac work in adolescence. These findings highlight the importance of obesity prevention and weight management and promotion physically active lifestyle since childhood to prevent abnormalities in cardiac function later in life.
The shared genetic risk architecture of neurological and psychiatric disorders: a genome-wide analysis

Neurological and psychiatric disorders are considered to reflect distinct underlying pathogenic entities. However, the extent to which they share genetic influences remains unclear. Here, we performed a comprehensive analysis of GWAS data, involving nearly 1 million cases across ten neurological diseases and ten psychiatric disorders, to compare their common genetic risk and biological underpinnings. Using complementary statistical tools, we demonstrate extensive genetic overlap across the disorders, with varying degrees of genetic correlations. In particular, migraine, essential tremor, stroke and multiple sclerosis were genetically correlated with several psychiatric disorders. Biological interrogation indicated heterogenous biological processes associated with neurological diseases, while psychiatric disorders consistently implicated neuronal biology. Altogether, the study demonstrates that neurological and psychiatric disorders are not genetically disparate, but share key etiological aspects, which have important implications for disease classification, clinical practice, and genomic precision medicine.
3-D imaging using row-column-addressed 2-D arrays with a diverging lens: Phantom study

A double-curved diverging lens over a flat row-column-addressed (RCA) 2-D array can extend its inherent rectilinear 3-D imaging field-of-view (FOV) to a curvilinear volume region, which is necessary for applications such as abdominal and cardiac imaging. A concave lens with radius of 12.7 mm was manufactured using RTV664 silicone. The diverging properties of the lens were evaluated based on measurements on several phantoms. The measured 6 dB FOV in contact with a material similar to human soft tissue was less than 15% different from the theoretical predictions, i.e., a curvilinear FOV of 32°×32°. A synthetic aperture imaging sequence with single element transmissions was designed for imaging down to 14 cm at a volume rate of 88 Hz. The performance was evaluated in terms of signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), FOV, and full-width-at-half-maximum (FWHM). The penetration depth in a tissue mimicking phantom with 0.5 dB/(cm MHz) attenuation was 13 cm. The results of this study confirm that the proposed lens approach is an effective method for increasing the FOV, when imaging with RCA 2-D arrays.
National Trends in Suicides and Male Twin Live Births in the US, 2003 to 2019: An Updated Test of Collective Optimism and Selection in Utero

Abstract Prior research based on Swedish data suggests that collective optimism, as measured by monthly incidence of suicides, correlates inversely with selection in utero against male twins in a population. We test this finding in the US, which reports the highest suicide rate of all high-income countries, and examine whether monthly changes in overall suicides precede changes in the ratio of male twin to male singleton live births. Consistent with prior work, we also examine as a key independent variable, suicides among women aged 15−49 years. We retrieved monthly data on suicides and the ratio of male twin to singleton live births from CDC WONDER, 2003 to 2019, and applied Box-Jenkins iterative time-series routines to detect and remove autocorrelation from both series. Results indicate that a 1% increase in monthly change in overall suicides precedes a 0.005 unit decline in male twin live births ratio 6 months later (coefficient = −.005, p value = .004). Results remain robust to use of suicides among reproductive-aged women as the independent variable (coefficient = −.0012, p value = .014). Our study lends external validity to prior research and supports the notion that a decline in collective optimism corresponds with greater selection in utero.
Fluoroscopy-Guided Lumbar Spinal Nerve Stimulation to Treat Chronic Scrotal Pain

Chronic scrotal pain (CSP) is a challenging problem for both pain physicians and urologists. Depending on the cause, treatment options may include pharmacological management, spermatic cord blocks, microsurgical denervation of the spermatic cord, botulinum toxin injections, and ultrasound-guided peripheral nerve stimulation (PNS) of ilioinguinal and iliohypogastric nerves. We describe a new target for the treatment of CSP by PNS of the L2 spinal nerve and a novel technical approach of using fluoroscopic guidance to stimulate lumbar spinal nerves, which can potentially be used for different indications.
Bubble dynamics and speed of jets for needle-free injections produced by thermocavitation

Abstract. Significance The number of injections administered has increased dramatically worldwide due to vaccination campaigns following the COVID-19 pandemic, creating a problem of disposing of syringes and needles. Accidental needle sticks occur among medical and cleaning staff, exposing them to highly contagious diseases, such as hepatitis and human immunodeficiency virus. In addition, needle phobia may prevent adequate treatment. To overcome these problems, we propose a needle-free injector based on thermocavitation. Aim Experimentally study the dynamics of vapor bubbles produced by thermocavitation inside a fully buried 3D fused silica chamber and the resulting high-speed jets emerging through a small nozzle made at the top of it. The injected volume can range from ∼0.1 to 2 μL per shot. We also demonstrate that these jets have the ability to penetrate agar skin phantoms and ex-vivo porcine skin. Approach Through the use of a high-speed camera, the dynamics of liquid jets ejected from a microfluidic device were studied. Thermocavitation bubbles are generated by a continuous wave laser (1064 nm). The 3D chamber was fabricated by ultra-short pulse laser-assisted chemical etching. Penetration tests are conducted using agar gels (1%, 1.25%, 1.5%, 1.75%, and 2% concentrations) and porcine tissue as a model for human skin. Result High-speed camera video analysis showed that the average maximum bubble wall speed is about 10 to 25 m/s for almost any combination of pump laser parameters; however, a clever design of the chamber and nozzle enables one to obtain jets with an average speed of ∼70 m / s. The expelled volume per shot (0.1 to 2 μl) can be controlled by the pump laser intensity. Our injector can deliver up to 20 shots before chamber refill. Penetration of jets into agar of different concentrations and ex-vivo porcine skin is demonstrated. Conclusions The needle-free injectors based on thermocavitation may hold promise for commercial development, due to their cost and compactness.
Neonatal emollient therapy and massage practices in Africa: a scoping review

Abstract There have been few reports from Africa on the use and health effects of emollient therapy for newborn infants. We aimed to describe neonatal skin care practices in Africa, and to illuminate opportunities to introduce evidence-based interventions to improve these practices. We conducted a scoping review of the quantitative and qualitative published peer-reviewed and grey literature in English on emollient use in Africa. Outcomes of interest included neonatal skin care practices, with a focus on the application of oils and other products to infant skin, including in association with bathing and massage. We screened 5257 articles and summarised findings from 23 studies—13 qualitative, nine quantitative and one mixed methods—that met our study criteria. Seven studies reported the use of emollients for perceived benefits, including thermal care, treatment for illness, promotion of growth and development, infection reduction, skin condition improvement, spirituality and lubrication to aid massage. Four studies reported the quantitative health impact of skin care product applications, including improvements in skin condition, neurodevelopment and bone growth, as well as a reduction in nosocomial infections. This review highlights opportunities for skin care intervention and future research on neonatal skin care practices in Africa.
Elliptic-cylindrical Analytical Flux Rope Model for Magnetic Clouds

In this paper, we present the elliptic-cylindrical analytical flux rope model, which constitutes the first level of complexity above that of a circular-cylindrical geometry. The framework of this series of models was established by Nieves-Chinchilla et al. with the circular-cylindrical analytical flux rope model. The model describes the magnetic flux rope topology with distorted cross section as a possible consequence of the flux rope interaction with the solar wind. In this model, for the first time, a flux rope is completely described by a nonorthogonal geometry. The Maxwell equations can be consistently solved using tensorial analysis, and relevant physical quantities can be derived, such as magnetic fluxes, number of turns, or Lorentz force distribution. The model is generalized in terms of the radial dependence of the poloidal and axial current density components. The circular-cylindrical reconstruction technique has been adapted to the new geometry for a specific case of the model and tested against an interplanetary coronal mass ejection observed by the Wind spacecraft on 2005 June 12. In this specific case, from the comparative analysis between the circular-cylindrical and elliptic-cylindrical models, the inclusion of the cross-section distortion in the 3D reconstruction results in significant changes in the derived axis orientation, size, central magnetic field, magnetic fluxes, and force-freeness. The case studied in this paper exemplifies the use of the model and reconstruction technique developed. Furthermore, the novel mathematical formulation to model flux ropes in heliophysics paves the way to the inclusion of more complex magnetic field configurations.