Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Short-Run Impact of Import Bans on Poverty: The Case of Nigeria (2008–2012)

The Nigerian government uses food import prohibition as part of policies that seeks to protect existing domestic producers and reduce the country's dependence on imports. This paper argues that such policies have negative effects on net consumers of such products due to higher prices. With 70 percent of poor households' budget spent on food, and about 13 percent of the total budget devoted to products subject to import bans, poor households are vulnerable to such trade policies. Prices of some import prohibited food products are found to be higher than what they would be in the absence of such bans. The elimination of import bans is estimated to reduce national poverty rates by as much as 2.6 percentage points.
Prostate cancer cells tolerate a narrow range of androgen receptor expression and activity

The precise role of androgen receptor (AR) in the normal development of prostate and the progression of prostate cancer (CaP) remains controversial. While AR expression and activity is associated with growth arrest and differentiation of normal prostate cells, it is maintained in CaP cells that are characterized by continued proliferation. Our objective was to determine the importance of AR signaling for survival and growth of CaP cells, particularly those with a hormone‐refractory phenotype.
Corporate Lobbying, CEO Political Ideology and Firm Performance

In this paper, we investigate the influence of CEO political orientation on corporate lobbying efforts. Specifically, we study whether CEO political ideology, in terms of manager-level campaign donations, determines the choice and amount of firm lobbying involvement and the impact of lobbying on firm value. We find a generous engagement in lobbying efforts by firms with Republican leaning-managers, which lobby a larger number of bills and have higher lobbying expenditures. However, the cost of lobbying offsets the benefit for firms with Republican CEOs. We report higher agency costs of free cash flow, lower Tobin's Q, and smaller increases in buy and hold abnormal returns following lobbying activities for firms with Republican managers, compared to Democratic and Apolitical rivals. Overall, our results suggest that the effects of lobbying on firm performance vary across firms with different managerial political orientations.
Serum insulin, obesity, and the incidence of type 2 diabetes in black and white adults: the atherosclerosis risk in communities study: 1987-1998.

OBJECTIVE In this study, we tested the hypothesis that fasting serum insulin is higher in nonobese black adults than in white adults and that high fasting insulin predicts type 2 diabetes equally well in both groups. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS At the baseline examination (1987-1989) of the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study, fasting insulin and BMI were measured in 13,416 black and white men and women without diabetes. Participants were examined at years 3, 6, and 9 for incident diabetes based on fasting glucose and American Diabetes Association criteria. RESULTS Fasting insulin was 19.7 pmol/l higher among nonobese (BMI <30 kg/m(2)) black women compared with white women (race and obesity interaction term, P < 0.01). There were no differences among men. Among nonobese women, the relative risk for developing diabetes was similar between racial groups: 1.4 (95% CI 1.2-1.5) and 1.3 (1.2-1.4) per 60 pmol/l increase in insulin (P < 0.01) for black and white women, respectively (interaction term, P = 0.6). Findings were similar among men. Adjusting for established risk factors did not attenuate this association. CONCLUSIONS Nonobese black women have higher fasting insulin levels than nonobese white women, and fasting insulin is an equally strong predictor of diabetes in both groups. These results suggest one mechanism to explain the excess incidence of diabetes in nonobese black women but do not explain the excess among black men. Future research should evaluate additional factors: genetic, environmental, or the combination of both, which might explain higher fasting insulin among black women when compared with white women.
Mutational analysis of dendritic Ca2+ kinetics in rodent Purkinje cells: role of parvalbumin and calbindin D28k

The mechanisms governing the kinetics of climbing fibre‐mediated Ca2+ transients in spiny dendrites of cerebellar Purkinje cells (PCs) were quantified with high‐resolution confocal Ca2+ imaging. Ca2+ dynamics in parvalbumin (PV−/−) and parvalbumin/calbindin D28k null‐mutant (PV/CB−/−) mice were compared with responses in wild‐type (WT) animals. In the WT, Ca2+ transients in dendritic shafts were characterised by double exponential decay kinetics that were not due to buffered Ca2+ diffusion or saturation of the indicator dye. Ca2+ transients in PV−/− PCs reached the same peak amplitude as in the WT but the biphasic nature of the decay was less pronounced, an effect that could be attributed to PV's slow binding kinetics. In contrast, peak amplitudes in PV/CB−/− PCs were about two times higher than in the WT and the decay became nearly monophasic. Numerical simulations indicate that the residual deviation from a single exponential decay in PV/CB−/− is due to saturation of the Ca2+ indicator dye. Furthermore, the simulations imply that the effect of uncharacterised endogenous Ca2+ binding proteins is negligible, that buffered diffusion and dye saturation significantly affects spineous Ca2+ transients but not those in the dendritic shafts, and that neither CB nor PV undergoes saturation in spines or dendrites during climbing fibre‐evoked Ca2+ transients. Calbindin's medium‐affinity binding sites are fast enough to reduce the peak amplitude of the Ca2+ signal. However, similar to PV, delayed binding by CB leads to biphasic Ca2+ decay kinetics. Our results suggest that the distinct kinetics of PV and CB underlie the biphasic kinetics of synaptically evoked Ca2+ transients in dendritic shafts of PCs.
Differential expression of the CCK‐A and CCK‐B/gastrin receptor genes in human cancers of the esophagus, stomach and colon

The expression of cholecystokinin (CCK) and gastrin (G) receptors in human gastrointestinal cancers remains poorly documented and is still of a controversial nature. We have measured the levels of mRNA for CCK‐A and CCK‐B/gastrin receptors using quantitative reverse transcription‐polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR) in primary digestive cancers and hepatic metastases. CCK‐A‐receptor mRNA was detected in 5 out of 8 esophageal cancers (0.1–1 fg/μg), in 5 out of 8 gastric cancers (0.05–4.2 fg/μg) and in 5 out of 12 colon cancers (0.1–1 fg/μg RNA). CCK‐B/gastrin mRNA was not detected in esophageal cancers but was detected in 7 out of 8 gastric cancers (0.05–5.2 fg/μg), and in only 2 out of 12 colon adenocarcinomas (0.05–1 fg/μg RNA). The expression of the CCK‐A receptor in esophageal, gastric and colon cancers and of the CCK‐B/gastrin receptor in the majority of gastric adenocarcinomas screened may be an important indicator of the influence of CCK and gastrin of local or systemic origin on the growth of these cancers. Int. J. Cancer 72:931–936, 1997. © 1997 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Molecular and Computational Studies on Apoptotic Pathway Regulator, Bcl-2 Gene from Breast Cancer Cell Line MCF-7

Cancer is a dreadful disease constituting abnormal growth and proliferation of malignant cells in the body. Next to lung cancer, breast cancer is the most common form of cancer affecting women. The apoptotic pathway regulators, B cell lymphoma family of protein, play a key role in various malignancies defining cancer and their constitutive expression plays an integral role in breast cancer chemotherapy. The research work discusses the identification and molecular cloning of a B cell lymphoma like gene from human breast cancer cell line. The open reading frame of the gene consisted of 965 nucleotides, encoding a protein of 380 amino acids with a predicted molecular weight of 42.5 kilodalton. The predicted physiochemical properties of the gene were as follows: Isoelectric point - 9.49, molecular formula - C1893H3004N534O548S16, total number of negatively charged residues, (Aspartate+Glutamate) - 26, total number of positively charged residues, (Arginine+Lysine)-39, instability index-42.08 (unstable protein) and grand average of hydropathicity is -0.202. Additionally, phobius prediction suggested non-cytoplasmic localization of the putative protein. The presence of secondary structure in the protein was determined by Memsat program. A 3 dimensional protein homology model was generated using threading based method of protein modeling for structural and functional annotation of the putative protein. Future prospects accounts for the biochemical characterization of the enzyme including in vitro assays on breast cancer cell line would establish the functional characteristics of the protein and its physiological mechanisms in breast cancer development and its therapeutic-target role in future.
On autonomous driving: Why holistic and feature matching must be used in localization?

This paper highlights the importance of incorporating holistic and feature based localization systems in autonomous driving. The intensity based localization system is represented by calculating the matching score between LIDAR and map images whereas the feature based system is integrated by extracting the lateral edges with respect to the vehicle heading angle. An edge matching technique is then applied to estimate the lateral position based on the common features between the map and LIDAR images. The experimental results have verified that the estimation of the lateral and longitudinal poses has become more robust by combining the image and edge matching results against the changes of weather and environmental conditions.
Effect of High Aerobic Intensity Interval Treadmill Walking in People With Chronic Stroke: A Pilot Study With One Year Follow-Up

Abstract Objective: To determine the physiological and functional responses from high aerobic intensity treadmill walking in 4 x 4-minute intervals in people with chronic stroke and to evaluate the feasibility of this mode of training. Method: This was a baseline control trial with 1 year follow-up in an outpatient rehabilitation setting at a university hospital. Eight people with chronic stroke participated in and completed the study. Their mean age was 48.9 (± 10.6) years. We tested uphill treadmill walking in 4 x 4-minute work periods at an intensity between 85% and 95% of peak heart rate from initial maximal treadmill testing. There were 3-minute active breaks between the intervals. The main outcome measures were peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak) and walking economy (Cw). Overall compliance and adverse events determine the feasibility. Results: VO2peak increased from 2.32 (± 0.44) to 2.60 (± 0.55) L • min–1 post training (P = .003). Walking economy (Cw) improved from 1.12 (± 0.15) to 1.04 (± 0.18) L • min–1 (P = .043). At 1 year follow-up, VO2peak was 2.59 (±0.58) L • min –1 and was not significantly different from posttraining measurement (P = 1.00). Cw was 1.19 (± 0.15) L • min–1 at 1 year follow-up and thus was worse than post training (P = .023). Functional improvements were found in the 6-minute walk test (6MWT) (P = .020), 10-meter walk test (10MWT) (P = .032), and Timed Up and Go test (TUG) (P = .002) at post tests. Conclusions: High aerobic intensity interval treadmill walking significantly increased VO2peak and improved Cw in these subjects. The training was feasible and may have important implications for cardiovascular health and future rehabilitation programs in this population.
Fine elasticity imaging utilizing the iterative RF-echo phase matching method

To non-invasively quantify elasticity of soft tissue, we previously developed the iterative two-dimensional (2-D) rf-echo phase matching method for accurately measuring a 2-D displacement vector field generated in vivo in soft tissue during acquisition of two successive rf-echo data frames. We also developed a stable method for uniquely reconstructing a shear modulus distribution using strains derived from the measurement data. However, as in our measurement method a displacement is determined by using the phase characteristics of the finite local echo data as the index to iteratively search for the corresponding local data, change of the local phase characteristics due to tissue deformation deteriorates the accuracy of the determination. Thus, we improve the previous method such that, in principle, the displacement can be determined using an infinitesimal phase characteristics. That is, we incorporate an effective mechanism into the previous iterative phase matching scheme: the local size is made suitably smaller during the iterative phase matching. The demonstrated ability of measurement and reconstruction in simulation, and experiments on in vitro in pork rib and in vivo in breast tissue, shows this refinement allows not only better spatial resolution of the shear modulus image but also improved accuracy, and indicates that the improved method has a high potential to be applied for various soft tissues.
Mycophenolate mofetil slows progression in anti-thy1-induced chronic renal fibrosis but is not additive to a high dose of enalapril.

Tubulointerstitial inflammation and fibrosis are hallmarks of chronic progressive renal diseases. To characterize the functional interaction between cell infiltration and matrix expansion, this study compared the immunosuppressant mycophenolate mofetil (MMF), intended as primarily anti-inflammatory intervention, the angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor enalapril, intended as primarily an anti-fibrotic drug, and a combination of both as anticipated anti-inflammatory/anti-fibrotic intervention. The model used was anti-thy1-induced chronic-progressive glomerulosclerosis (cGS) in the rat, where a brief anti-thy1-induced glomerular injury progresses spontaneously toward tubulointerstitial fibrosis and renal insufficiency. cGS was induced by injection of anti-thy1 antibody into uninephrectomized Wistar rats. One week after disease induction, animals were randomly assigned to the following groups: cGS, cGS plus MMF (20 mg.kg body wt(-1). day(-1)), cGS plus high-dose enalapril (12 mg.kg body wt(-1). day(-1)), and cGS plus both. At week 16 after disease induction, MMF or enalapril alone reduced signs of chronic renal disease significantly and similarly compared with the untreated cGS group. Variables measured included proteinuria, blood pressure, tubulointerstitial and glomerular matrix accumulation, expression of transforming growth factor-beta(1), fibronectin, and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1, infiltration of lymphocytes and macrophages, plasma creatinine and urea levels, and glomerular filtration rate. Combined MMF and enalapril treatment was not superior to single therapy. In conclusion, MMF slows the progression of chronic renal fibrosis and renal insufficiency as effectively as high-dose enalapril in the anti-thy1-induced chronic-progressive glomerulosclerosis model. The dual anti-inflammatory/anti-fibrotic intervention does not yield additive renoprotective effects, indicating that MMF and enalapril interfere with similar or very closely related pathways involved in progression of renal disease.
Barriers to women's employment and the extent of gender inequality in the labour market in Turkey

This thesis investigates gender inequalities in employment outcomes in Turkey in the context of low employment rates of women, occupational gender segregation and gender wage differentials. The first empirical chapter of the thesis sheds light on the role of traditional or conservative social norms and culture on women’s employment in Turkey based on the data for the years 1998 and 2008. It provides evidence that traditional and conservative values, increasingly, reduce women’s likelihood of waged employment and they are also associated with an increased probability of women being in the informal segment of the labour market, either as unpaid family workers or informal waged workers. The second substantive chapter of the thesis points to the extent of occupational gender segregation in Turkey. It shows that women are more likely to be employed in lower-paid jobs and in lower ranked occupations, whereas men remain at an advantaged position both in terms of pay levels or the positions of the occupations they hold in the social hierarchy. The final empirical analysis of the thesis investigates the gender wage gap in Turkey and its evolution between 2002 and 2012. The results present a positive selection into employment for women, indicating that a small portion of women who are in waged work are actually those who have higher productivity levels than average. The thesis, therefore, argues that the relatively low gender wage gap figures for Turkey can be misleading and should be interpreted cautiously. Moreover, although women appear to earn more than men after the 40th quantile, they are still at a disadvantaged position as the labour market does not reward them to the same extent as men. The unfavourable situation of women with high earnings potential is found to be more pronounced in 2012.
A study of carpooling behaviour using a stated preference web survey in selected cities of India

ABSTRACT This paper analyses how people perceive the idea of carpooling and evaluate preferences while making a decision to join a carpool. Analysing data from a web-based stated preference survey in India reveals that cognitive attitudes play a significant role in evaluating the perceived advantages and disadvantages of carpooling whereas intentions to carpool are associated with perceived negative evaluations. A factor analysis identifies two latent attitudinal factors: a ‘time–convenience’ factor that discourages carpooling and a ‘private–public cost’ factor that encourages carpooling. The study analyses the influential attributes – extra travel time, walking time to reach meeting point, waiting time at pickup point and cost savings – as explanatory variables for the utility of carpooling. Cost savings prove to be the most significant attribute when combined with other attributes, followed by extra travel time. The study provides the implications to policy-makers of designing promotional tools to improve the propensity of carpooling among single occupant vehicle drivers.
Novasky: Enhancing the Contribution of P2P Networks to Cost Reduction in VoD Applications

Video-on-Demand~(VoD) services are attractive but also expensive even after the participation of P2P networks. To achieve cost reduction, this paper proposes two mechanisms to enhance the contribution of P2P networks, i.e., storage compression and micropayment. The former greatly magnifies the storage capacity of peer nodes, while the latter establishes an effective user incentive for VoD services. These two mechanisms have been implemented in a large scale P2P based VoD system called Novasky, with extensive trace measurements revealing the promising results of both mechanisms.
The Role of Extracellular Conductivity Profiles in Compartmental Models for Neurons: Particulars for Layer 5 Pyramidal Cells

With the rapid increase in the number of technologies aimed at observing electric activity inside the brain, scientists have felt the urge to create proper links between intracellular- and extracellular-based experimental approaches. Biophysical models at both physical scales have been formalized under assumptions that impede the creation of such links. In this work, we address this issue by proposing a multicompartment model that allows the introduction of complex extracellular and intracellular resistivity profiles. This model accounts for the geometrical and electrotonic properties of any type of neuron through the combination of four devices: the integrator, the propagator, the 3D connector, and the collector. In particular, we applied this framework to model the tufted pyramidal cells of layer 5 (PCL5) in the neocortex. Our model was able to reproduce the decay and delay curves of backpropagating action potentials (APs) in this type of cell with better agreement with experimental data. We used the voltage drops of the extracellular resistances at each compartment to approximate the local field potentials generated by a PCL5 located in close proximity to linear microelectrode arrays. Based on the voltage drops produced by backpropagating APs, we were able to estimate the current multipolar moments generated by a PCL5. By adding external current sources in parallel to the extracellular resistances, we were able to create a sensitivity profile of PCL5 to electric current injections from nearby microelectrodes. In our model for PCL5, the kinetics and spatial profile of each ionic current were determined based on a literature survey, and the geometrical properties of these cells were evaluated experimentally. We concluded that the inclusion of the extracellular space in the compartmental models of neurons as an extra electrotonic medium is crucial for the accurate simulation of both the propagation of the electric potentials along the neuronal dendrites and the neuronal reactivity to an electrical stimulation using external microelectrodes.
Deregulation of cyclin D2 by juxtaposition with T‐cell receptor alpha/delta locus in t(12;14)(p13;q11)‐positive childhood T‐cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia

Abstract: Objectives: The t(12;14)(p13;q11) – a recurrent translocation in childhood T‐cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T‐ALL) – has very recently been molecularly characterized in one case, which displayed overexpression of the cyclin D2 gene (CCND2). Patients and methods: We have characterized two pediatric t(12;14)‐positive T‐ALLs using fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), cDNA microarray, and real‐time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Results: FISH revealed breakpoints (BPs) in the T‐cell receptor alpha/delta locus (14q11) and in the vicinity of the CCND2 gene at 12p13. To investigate the expression of genes in 12p13, cDNA microarray analysis was performed. Expression data for eight genes, including CCND2, surrounding the 12p BP were compared with those in other T‐ALLs. The t(12;14)‐positive T‐ALL displayed an increased expression of CCND2 compared to the controls, whereas the expression of the other genes was similar in all T‐ALLs. Expression of CCND2 and two additional genes (PARP11 and FGF23), close to the 12p BP, was investigated with real‐time PCR of the two t(12;14)‐positive cases and four controls. Neither PARP11 nor FGF23 displayed expression differences among the T‐ALLs, whereas CCND2 was clearly overexpressed in both t(12;14)‐positive cases as compared to the mean expression level in the controls. Conclusion: We have confirmed, in two additional cases, that the recurrent T‐ALL‐associated t(12;14) results in overexpression of cyclin D2. The t(12;14) is the first neoplasia‐associated translocation shown to result in overexpression of cyclin D2. Furthermore, it is the first example of a T‐cell neoplasm with a targeted deregulation of a member of a cyclin‐encoding gene family.