Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effects of pollution materials on the AC flashover performance of suspension insulators

The type of pollution materials may influence the flashover performance of an insulator. In this paper the pollution flashover performance of a 7-unit insulator string, consisting of typical discs, is determined by laboratory tests while varying the weight percentage of soluble (NaCl and CaSO<sub>4</sub>) or non-soluble (SiO<sub>2</sub>, Al<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> and Fe<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub>) materials. When studying the effect of pollution materials on flashover performance, the influence of volume conductivity and equivalent salt deposit density (ESDD) under different weight percentages of soluble materials is firstly investigated, and then the underlying factor, the thermal ionization of pollution materials, is considered. Finally, the measurement results of leakage current under different pollution materials are presented. The research results indicate that the effect by weight of CaSO<sub>4</sub> is not as severe as that of NaCl, and the reason is not just its effect on the layer conductivity and ESDD, but its effect on the thermal ionization during the arc propagation process may also be one of the key factors. The fact that a small amount of Al<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> and Fe<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> causes the flashover voltage to decrease by 20%, may result from the lower ionization potentials and the higher leakage currents caused by non-soluble materials containing Al<sub>2</sub>O<sup>3</sup> and Fe<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub>.
The Relationship between Diet Quality and Basal Metabolic Rate in Endotherms: Insights from Intraspecific Analysis

In this article, we review intraspecific studies of basal metabolic rate (BMR) that address the correlation between diet quality and BMR. The “food‐habit hypothesis” stands as one of the most striking and often‐mentioned interspecific patterns to emerge from studies of endothermic energetics. Our main emphasis is the explicit empirical comparison of predictions derived from interspecific studies with data gathered from within‐species studies in order to explore the mechanisms and functional significance of the putative adaptive responses encapsulated by the food‐habit hypothesis. We suggest that, in addition to concentrating on the relationship among diet quality, internal morphology, and BMR, new studies should also attempt to unravel alternative mechanisms that shape the interaction between diet and BMR, such as enzymatic plasticity, and the use of energy‐saving mechanisms, such as torpor. Another avenue for future study is the measurement of the effects of diet quality on other components of the energy budget, such as maximum thermogenic and sustainable metabolic rates. It is possible that the effects of diet quality operate on such components rather than directly on BMR, which might then push or pull along changes in these traits. Results from intraspecific studies suggest that the factors responsible for the association between diet and BMR at an ecological timescale might not be the same as those that promoted the evolution of this correlation. Further analyses should consider how much of a role the proximate and ultimate processes have played in the evolution of BMR.
Loyal soldiers or seasoned leaders? The selection of committee chairs in the European Parliament

ABSTRACT Although European Parliament committee chairs play a salient role in the legislative process of the EU, we know virtually nothing about their selection and whether policy specialization and the individual attributes of the MEPs matter in the process. This paper draws on a unique longitudinal dataset that includes all full committee members, information on their past committee experience and office in the first seven terms of the EP and data on their parties. Despite the complex proportionality rules that govern the selection of committee chairs in the EP and the interdependence between their distribution and the allocation of other legislative offices, I find that chair seniority shapes the nomination of committee chairs. On the contrary, there is no evidence that European Party Groups use chair selection to reward their most loyal members, while EPG leaders did become chairs more often than regular members in the early terms.
Nonsurgical Treatment Choices by Individuals with Lumbar Intervertebral Disc Herniation in the United States: Associations with Long-term Outcomes

Objectives The objectives of this study were to (1) evaluate differences between patients with lumbar intervertebral disc herniation who received physical therapy (PT) and those who did not; (2) identify factors associated with receiving PT; and (3) examine the influence of PT on clinical outcomes over the course of 1 yr. Design An observational cohort study using data from the Spine Patient Outcomes Research Trial was conducted. This study included 363 patients with intervertebral disc herniation who received nonsurgical management within 6 wks of enrollment. Baseline characteristics were compared between patients who received PT and those who did not. Multivariate logistic regression examined factors predictive of patients receiving PT. Mixed effects models were used to compare primary outcomes (Short-Form Survey 36 bodily pain and physical function and modified Oswestry Index) at 3 and 6 mos and 1 yr after enrollment. Results Forty percent of the nonsurgical cohort received PT. Higher disability scores, neurological deficit, and patient preference predicted PT use. Compared with other nonsurgical management strategies, standard care PT was not associated with a significant difference in pain, disability, or surgery over 1 yr. Conclusions Many patients with intervertebral disc herniation seek secondary care for persisting symptoms and pursue nonsurgical management. The best management strategy is unclear and further research is needed to examine appropriate sequencing and selection of treatment.
Fluid Institutions: Commons in Transition in the Periurban Interface

Abstract Amidst growing concern about the decline of the commons, this case underscores the importance of understanding how the commons are refashioned and remade to address emerging challenges in periurban spaces. This article describes how institutions surrounding the use of common property resources get transformed and evolve in periurban contexts. What were once johads – common property village ponds – undergo a change in their usage from storing rainwater to storing waste water of the city for irrigation. This emerges as a collective response to the uncertainty attached to the availability of waste water. New institutions evolve with regard to contributions to waste water infrastructure, as well as the appropriation of waste water. Further research should document the changing use of village commons and the emergence of new institutions governing them.
[Histological and morphological studies on leaves of Curcuma in China].

OBJECTIVE To provide some new evidences for the classification and identification of medicinal materials of Curcuma. METHOD The optical microscope and electronic microsccopic scaning were used to characterize the leaves of Curcuma. RESULT AND CONCLUSION There were no obvious histological and morphological differences among the leaves of Curcuma. But the differences in the hair distribution, stoma density and size , shape and size of epidermic cells could be considered to be the main features for the microscopic identification of leaves of Curcuma.
Two three-dimensional networks in the binary molecular adducts 4-methylimidazolium hydrogen terephthalate and bis(4-methylimidazolium) terephthalate.

Both the 1:1 and 2:1 molecular adducts of 4-methylimidazole (4-MeIm) and terephthalic acid (H2TPA) are organic salts, viz. C4H7N2+. C8H5O4-, (I), and 2C4H7N2+. C8H4O4(2-), (II), respectively. The component ions in (I) are linked by N-H.O and O-H.O hydrogen bonds into continuous two-dimensional layers built from R6(4)(32) hydrogen-bond motifs running parallel to the (100) plane. These adjacent two-dimensional layers are in turn linked by a combination of C-H.O, C-H.pi and pi-pi interactions into a three-dimensional network. In the crystal structure of (II), with the anion located on an inversion centre, only N-H.O hydrogen bonds result in two-dimensional layers built from R8(8)(42) hydrogen-bond motifs running parallel to the (102) plane. Being similar to those in (I), these layers are also linked by means of C-H.O, C-H.pi and pi-pi interactions, forming a three-dimensional network. This study indicates that, on occasion, a change of the reactant concentration can exert a pivotal influence on the construction of supramolecular structures based on hydrogen bonds.
Persistence and spread of Candida albicans after intragastric inoculation of infant mice

Infant mice have been shown previously to be a useful model for the study of gastrointestinal (GI) and systemic candidosis. In this study, the virulence of four strains of Candida albicans was compared in intragastrically inoculated infants and in adult mice inoculated intravenously. The four strains differed in their ability to kill both infant and adult mice. A smaller inoculum was required to kill adult mice inoculated intravenously. Neonates could not be inoculated intravenously. The ability of the strains to spread systemically from and to persist for long periods of time in the digestive tract was also examined in intragastrically inoculated infants. The yeast cells spread to liver, lungs, kidneys, and spleen within 30 min postinoculation. Yeast were not detectable in the lungs or in blood from the pleural cavity up to 15 min post-inoculation, thus making it unlikely that systemic spread resulted from faulty inoculation or from aspiration. The region where C. albicans crossed the GI tract of infant mice was visualized histologically in the upper third of the small intestine. The four strains varied in their ability to persist for long periods in the GI tract, in the rate at which they appeared systemically, and in ability to kill infant mice. Three of the four strains colonized the gut for up to 10 weeks postinoculation without use of any compromising agents.
Experience of stress in childhood negatively correlates with plasma oxytocin concentration in adult men

Early life experience is known to affect responses to stress in adulthood. Adverse experience in childhood and/or adolescence sensitises to life events that precipitate depression in later life. Published evidence suggests a relationship between depression and oxytocin (OT), but the extent to which early life experience influences OT disposition in adulthood deserves further exploration. This study hypothesised that early life stress (ELS) has a long-term negative effect on OT system activity. The study was performed on 90 male volunteers (18–56 years; mean ± standard deviation = 27.7 ± 7.09 years). Several questionnaires were used to assess: health, early life stressful experiences in childhood (ELS-C, up to 12 years) and early life stressful adolescence (13–18 years), recent stressful life events, depressive symptoms, state–trait anxiety and social desirability. Plasma OT concentration was estimated by means of a competitive enzyme immunoassay. Lower OT concentrations were significantly associated with higher levels of ELS-C (p < 0.01), and with depressive symptoms and trait anxiety (both p < 0.05). The interaction between ELS-C and trait anxiety was significant (p < 0.05), indicating that the link between ELS-C and plasma OT concentration is moderated by trait anxiety. These results contribute to the evidence that early life adverse experience is negatively associated with OT system activity in adulthood, and offer further insight into mediator and moderator effects on this link.
Positive association of the AMPA receptor subunit GluR4 gene (GRIA4) haplotype with schizophrenia: Linkage disequilibrium mapping using SNPs evenly distributed across the gene region

The glutamatergic dysfunction hypothesis suggests that genes involved in the glutamate neurotransmitter system are candidates for schizophrenia‐susceptibility genes. We have been conducting systematic studies of the association between glutamate receptors and schizophrenia. We report on a positive association of some haplotypes of the AMPA receptor subunit GluR4 gene (GRIA4) with schizophrenia. We genotyped 100 Japanese schizophrenics and 100 controls for six single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers distributed at intervals of about 50 kb in the GRIA4 region, and estimated the degree of linkage disequilibrium (LD) between the SNPs. We constructed haplotypes of the SNPs in LD using the EM algorithm to test their association with schizophrenia. Significant associations were detected for the combination of SNP4‐5 (χ2 = 12.54, df = 3, P = 0.0057, P = 0.029 with Bonferroni correction) and for the combination of SNP3‐4‐5 (χ2 = 18.9, df = 7, P = 0.0085, P = 0.043 with Bonferroni correction). These results suggest that at least one susceptibility locus for schizophrenia is located within or very close to the GRIA4 region in Japanese. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Kap121p-Mediated Nuclear Import Is Required for Mating and Cellular Differentiation in Yeast

ABSTRACT To further our understanding of how the nucleocytoplasmic transport machinery interfaces with its cargoes and how this affects cellular physiology, we investigated the molecular mechanisms of phenotypes associated with mutations in karyopherin Kap121p. Two previously unreported phenotypes of kap121 cells were observed: defects in mating and in the transition from the normal yeast form to the pseudohyphal, invasive form. In parallel, we searched for Kap121p cargoes by using Kap121p as a probe in overlay assays of yeast nuclear proteins. One of the major interacting proteins identified by this procedure was Ste12p, a transcription factor central to both the mating response and the pseudohyphal transition. We therefore investigated whether defects in these differentiation processes were due to an inability to import Ste12p. Both immunopurification and in vitro binding studies demonstrated that Ste12p interacted specifically with Kap121p in a Ran-GTP-sensitive manner and that Ste12p was mislocalized to the cytoplasm by inactivation of Kap121p in a temperature-sensitive mutant. The Kap121p-specific nuclear localization signal (NLS) of Ste12p was determined to reside within a C-terminal region of Ste12p. Furthermore, by overexpression of STE12 or expression of a STE12-cNLS fusion in kap121 cells, the invasive-growth defect and the mating defect were both suppressed. Together these data demonstrate that Ste12p is imported into nuclei by Kap121p and that mating and differentiation defects associated with kap121 mutants are primarily attributable to the mislocalization of Ste12p.
Analysis of the PI-3-Kinase-PTEN-AKT Pathway in Human Lymphoma and Leukemia Using a Cell Line Microarray

Tissue microarray technology facilitates rapid assessment of expression of molecular markers by enabling the simultaneous analysis of hundreds of tissue specimens. We have applied this technology to establish a microarray composed of cell pellets derived from 40 human lymphoma/leukemia-derived cell lines harboring a variety of molecular abnormalities. The application of cell line microarrays to the assessment of biologic marker evaluation was validated by studying the immunohistochemical expression of PTEN and phosphorylated AKT, two mediators of the phosphatidylinositol (PI)-3-kinase pathway. In addition to the high throughout analysis of protein expression in lymphoma/leukemia cells, this methodology also enables the evaluation of subcellular localization of protein expression. Cytoplasmic PTEN expression was observed in the majority of cell lines (87%), whereas a minor subset demonstrated nuclear expression. Phosphorylated AKT was also expressed predominantly within the cytoplasm in 65% of cell lines, whereas nuclear expression was seen in a minority. An inverse relationship between PTEN and phosphorylated AKT was observed in 63% of cell lines. No cell lines showed absence of PTEN expression, whereas 50% of cell lines showed low PTEN expression. Our data support the integrity of the PI-3-kinase-PTEN-AKT pathway in a majority of cell lines derived from hematologic malignancies and clearly demonstrates the utility of microarray technology in the in situ assessment of expression of molecular markers in tumor-derived cell lines.
The Six-Year Hangover: An Assessment of the Effectiveness of Unconventional Monetary Policy in Dealing with Debt Overhang within the U.S. Economy

ii Chapter 1: IntroductionA Brief Overview of the Financial Crisis . 1 1.1 The Federal Reserve Unconventional Actions . 5 1.2 The Aftermath of Debt . 6 Chapter 2: Literature Review . 9 2.1 Conventional Monetary Policy . 9 2.2 Unconventional Monetary Policy Fundamentals . 11 2.3 The Ties Unconventional Monetary Policy and Debt Overhang . 20 Chapter 3: Analytical Framework . 27 3.1 Wealth Effects . 27 3.2 Unconventional Monetary Policy . 34 3.3 Fiscal Policy . 40 Chapter 4: Empirical Results . 46 4.1 Graphical Analysis . 46 4.2 Interest Rate Channel . 54 4.2 Credit Channel . 57 4.3 Interpretation . 63 Chapter 5: Conclusion . 67 References . 69 Appendices . 73
The role of crossover operator in bayesian network structure learning performance: a comprehensive comparative study and new insights

Bayesian Network (BN) structure learning is a complex search problem, generally characterized by multimodality and epistasis. Genetic Algorithms (GAs) have been extensively used to pursue the BN structure learning task. This paper presents a new approach which incorporates the structural properties of the problem into GA mechanisms. The proposed approach uses a new recombination operator named Parent Set crossover, capable of reducing the disruptive action of the recombination process and enhancing its exploitative power. The new operator has been compared with a comprehensive set of other crossover operators as part of two genetic strategies: a canonical GA and a GA with an adaptive mutation scheme. All examined crossover operators were applied on both canonical and adaptive GAs and then compared in terms of various performance metrics. The experiments involve performance measures at the end of evolution as well as their convergence behavior across generations. The performance of the proposed method was also compared with the state-of-the-art non-evolutionary BN structure learning algorithms. Results show that the proposed recombination method enhances the algorithmic efficiency over a variety of test cases of different size.
The Missing Profitability Premium in China's A-Shares: Explanations Based on Profitability Predictability and Market Frictions

We find profitability measures fail to explain future stock returns of China’s A-shares. In addition, although profitability growth significantly and positively correlates with the cumulative stock return in the following year, profitability measures do not predict profitability growth, suggesting the lack of profitability sustainability helps explain the missing profitability premium. Furthermore, we also find that firms with higher profitability have lower stock price delay, are more liquid, and attract more investor attention. Because we find that investors require a premium for holding stocks with higher market frictions and that profitability measures significantly and negatively predict the component of future stock returns explained by market frictions, our results suggest that the required premium for holding stocks with market frictions may conceal the potential profitability premium. Overall, our results suggest both the unsustainable profitability and lower price delay premium of firms with higher profitability are responsible for the missing profitability premium for China’s A-shares. The policy implications of the findings are discussed.
Temperature Variability Differs in Urban Agroecosystems across Two Metropolitan Regions

Climatically similar regions may experience different temperature extremes and weather patterns that warrant global comparisons of local microclimates. Urban agroecosystems are interesting sites to examine the multidimensional impacts of climate changes because they rely heavily on human intervention to maintain crop production under different and changing climate conditions. Here, we used urban community gardens across the California Central Coast metropolitan region, USA, and the Melbourne metropolitan region, Australia, to investigate how habitat-scale temperatures differ across climatically similar regions, and how people may be adapting their gardening behaviors to not only regional temperatures, but also to the local weather patterns around them. We show that, while annual means are very similar, there are strong interregional differences in temperature variability likely due to differences in the scale and scope of the temperature measurements, and regional topography. However, the plants growing within these systems are largely the same. The similarities may be due to gardeners’ capacities to adapt their gardening behaviors to reduce the adverse effects of local temperature variability on the productivity of their plot. Thus, gardens can serve as sites where people build their knowledge of local weather patterns and adaptive capacity to climate change and urban heat. Climate-focused studies in urban landscapes should consider how habitat-scale temperature variability is a background for interesting and meaningful social-ecological interactions.
Adenosine inhibitory effect on enhanced growth of aortic smooth muscle cells from streptozotocin‐induced diabetic rats

1 There is evidence to suggest that adenosine may regulate arterial smooth muscle cell (SMC) growth and proliferation, which is a key event in atherogenesis. This regulation may be mediated via adenylate cyclase. As diabetes is a known risk factor for atherosclerosis, we investigated the growth of aortic SMC from diabetic rats in primary culture and their sensitivity to adenosine and to adenylate cyclase activity. 2 Diabetes was induced with streptozotocin (STZ, 66 mg kg−1, i.p.) Aortic SMC primary cultures were prepared from STZ‐diabetic and age‐matched rats 5 weeks after the STZ injection. 3 SMC from STZ‐diabetic rats grew faster and reached greater densities at confluence than those from non‐diabetic animals. 4 Adenosine inhibited growth in both control and diabetic SMC. However, cells from STZ‐diabetic rats were apparently more sensitive to adenosine. 5 Direct activation of adenylate cyclase by forskolin induced a dose‐dependent growth inhibition, similar in both groups of cells. 6 Cholera toxin, an activator of stimulatory GTP‐binding protein (Gs), induced a similar growth inhibitory response in non‐diabetic and diabetic SMC. Pertussis toxin (PTX), an inactivator of inhibitory GTP‐binding protein (Gi), did not itself affect SMC growth. However, PTX increased dose‐dependently the growth inhibition induced by adenosine in SMC from non‐diabetic rats but not in SMC from diabetic rats. 7 These findings suggest a functional abnormality in Gi activity in SMC from diabetic rats, that would explain the increased sensitivity to the nucleoside. This impaired inhibitory pathway may reflect changes in the growth regulation of SMC in experimental diabetic states.