Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Look Back in Anger?

In the spring of 2006, an unprecedented mobilization of undocumented immigrants and their advocates sent shockwaves across the U.S. political landscape. Whether the demonstrations did more to advance the interests of undocumented residents and other immigrants or to harden nativist sentiments remains an open question. Examining data culled from a three-county exit poll of more than 4,300 voters in three urbanized western counties, we employ multivariate analysis to examine how the immigration rallies impacted voters' perceptions of Mexican immigrants. Our results indicate that the demonstrators failed to win the hearts and minds of American voters, most of whom reported that the rallies tended to negatively impact their perceptions of Mexican immigrants. The depth of this negative reaction varied across the sociopolitical contexts represented by the three counties as well as voters' individual attributes including party identification, ethnicity, nativity, and other characteristics.
Farmland Prices: Is This Time Different?

The historical behavior of farmland prices, rental rates, and rates of return are examined by treating farmland as an asset with an infinitely long life. It is found that high (low) farmland prices relative to rents have historically preceded extended periods of low (high) net rates of return, rather than greater (smaller) growth in rents. Our analysis shows that this attribute is shared with stocks and housing, and the financial literature provides ample evidence that other assets feature it as well. The long-run relationship linking farmland prices, rents, and rates of return is analyzed. Based on this relationship, we conclude that recent trends are unlikely to be sustainable. The study explores the expected paths that farmland prices and rates of return might follow if they were to eventually conform to the average values observed in the historical sample, and concludes with a discussion of the policy implications. Recommendations for policy makers include close monitoring of farmland lending practices and institutions to allow early identification of potential problems, and identifying in advance appropriate interventions in case recent farmland market trends were to suddenly change.
Technology Transfer by Multinational Firms: The Resource Cost of Transferring Technological Know-How

AbstractThe following sections are included:IntroductionTechnology Transfer and the Production of KnowledgeThe SampleDefinition of Technology Transfer CostsTransfer Costs: Data and HypothesesThe Level of Transfer CostsTechnology/Transferor CharacteristicsTransferee and Host Country CharacteristicsDeterminants of the Cost of International Technology Transfer: Tests and ResultsThe ModelStatistical Tests: Phase IStatistical Tests: Phase IIDefferences between International and Domestic Technology TransferConclusionReferences
Mind the gap! European integration between level and scope

Abstract Explaining the ‘task expansion’ of the European Community has been at the heart of neofunctionalism. While previous studies have focused on the transfer of competencies from the national to the European level, this paper also looks at the procedures according to which policy decisions are taken at the European level (scope). Distinguishing between scope and level reveals an interesting puzzle. It is common wisdom that the integration of external and internal security has seriously lagged behind. Since the Maastricht Treaty we have witnessed a significant task expansion of the EU into these two last bastions of national sovereignty. But while the achieved level of integration is rather similar, the scope of integration differs significantly. Justice and home affairs have subsequently been brought under the supranational framework of the first pillar. Common foreign and security policy and European defence policy, by contrast, are still firmly confined to the realm of intergovernmentalism. This disparity between level and scope of European integration poses a serious theoretical challenge–not only to neofunctionalism.
Subtle Structural Differences Trigger Inhibitory Activity of Propafenone Analogues at the Two Polyspecific ABC Transporters: P‐Glycoprotein (P‐gp) and Breast Cancer Resistance Protein (BCRP)

The transmembrane ABC transporters P‐glycoprotein (P‐gp) and breast cancer resistance protein (BCRP) are widely recognized for their role in cancer multidrug resistance and absorption and distribution of compounds. Furthermore, they are linked to drug–drug interactions and toxicity. Nevertheless, due to their polyspecificity, a molecular understanding of the ligand‐transporter interaction, which allows designing of both selective and dual inhibitors, is still in its infancy. This study comprises a combined approach of synthesis, in silico prediction, and in vitro testing to identify molecular features triggering transporter selectivity. Synthesis and testing of a series of 15 propafenone analogues with varied rigidity and basicity of substituents provide first trends for selective and dual inhibitors. Results indicate that both the flexibility of the substituent at the nitrogen atom, as well as the basicity of the nitrogen atom, trigger transporter selectivity. Furthermore, inhibitory activity of compounds at P‐gp seems to be much more influenced by logP than those at BCRP. Exploiting these differences further should thus allow designing specific inhibitors for these two polyspecific ABC‐transporters.
Substance Abuse Treatment with Rural Adolescents: Issues and Outcomes

Abstract This study compared the characteristics and treatment outcomes of rural adolescents with urban adolescents in substance abuse treatment programs in CSAT's Strengthening Communities for Youth (SCY) initiative. Using data from ten SCY programs nationally, the authors classified adolescents as rural or urban using Rural-Urban Commuting Area (RUCA) codes. We then evaluated changes in substance use frequency and substance-related problems at three, six, and 12 months after baseline assessments for the two sites that treated rural (n = 59) and urban (n = 345) youth in outpatient settings. Data were analyzed using a two-part mixed effects model for zero-saturated dependent variables. At treatment intake, rural youth exhibited greater problem severity on a number of substance abuse and mental health indices. From intake to the 12-month follow-up point, the percentages of both urban and rural youth who reported abstinence increased significantly. Both rural and urban youth also reported fewer problems due to substance use over time, but differences between groups were not consistent. Overall, treatment appears equally effective for both rural and urban adolescents. As few rural youth obtained treatment, we encourage funding agencies and treatment providers to consider innovative ways for providing services in rural areas and addressing gaps in primary prevention, early identification, and continuing care.
Opening the Capital Account of Transition Economies: How Much and How Fast

In the late eighties, many developing countries followed the example of the most advanced countries and opened their capital account (K.A.) in an attempt to reap new gains from increased integration with the world economy. By 2000, after the wave of financial and currency crises that hurt the global economy in the last decade, enthusiasm about K.A. liberalization has much faded. Firstly, the relationship between development and capital account liberalization did not come out to be as solid as initially expected; secondly, greater capital mobility has brought about increased global financial instability. New thinking in international economics calls for proper sequencing in opening the K.A. : liberalization should proceed in step with progress in macroeconomic stability, structural reform and creation of a sound internal financial system. In this paper, we analyze to what extent and at what pace should transition economies carry out the K.A. liberalization process.
Migration and regional convergence: An empirical investigation for Turkey*

Abstract The standard growth model predicts that allowing labour mobility across regions would increase the speed of convergence in per capita income levels and that migration has a negative causal impact on regional growth rates. Although the empirical literature has uncovered some evidence for the former implication, the latter has not been verified empirically. This paper provides empirical evidence for the negative causal impact of migration on provincial growth rates in a developing country with a high level of internal migration characterized by unskilled labour exiting rural areas for urban centres. We utilize an instrumental variables estimation method with an instrument unique to the country examined, controlling for provincial fixed effects. Resumen El modelo de crecimiento estandar predice que el permitir la movilidad laboral entre regiones aumentara la rapidez en alcanzar una convergencia en los niveles de ingresos per capita y que la migracion tiene un impacto causal negativo en las tasas de crecimiento regionales. Aunque la literatura empirica ha descubierto alguna prueba de la primera implicacion, la ultima no ha sido verificada empiricamente. Este articulo proporciona pruebas empiricas del impacto causal negativo de la migracion en las tasas de crecimiento provinciales en un pais en desarrollo con una elevada migracion interna caracterizada por mano de obra no cualificada desplazandose de las areas rurales a los centros urbanos. Utilizamos un metodo de estimacion de variables instrumentales con un instrumento unico para el pais examinado, al tiempo que controlamos los efectos fijos provinciales.
Intra-industry specialization in a multi-country and multi-industry framework

This paper tests alternative hypotheses as to the factors determining the extent of intraindustry trade. The explanatory power of the regressions for the entire group of countries exporting manufactured goods, as well as for trade among the developed countries, is relatively high and prac tically all the hypotheses concerning the impact of industry and coun try characteristics on intraindustry trade are supported by the empir ical results. Lower coefficients of determination have been obtained for trade between developed and developing countries and for trade am ong developing countries, but the estimates generally support the hyp otheses put forward in the paper in these cases also. Copyright 1987 by Royal Economic Society.
Strategic Interaction Among Local Governments in Japan: An Application to Cultural Expenditure

In the context of limited local government resources, cultural expenditures are often targeted for reduction. In Japan in particular, with its aging population, cultural expenditures have low priority. This paper examines whether or not local governments strategically influence each other with respect to cultural spending, using data from Japanese local governments. By estimating the reaction functions for local cultural expenditures, we find that there exists free‐rider behaviour between local cultural expenditures that produce beneficial spillover effects. We also find a larger free‐rider incentive the shorter the distance between neighbouring regions, the shorter the travel time between neighbouring regions, and the larger the neighbouring region's population. Furthermore, our results reveal that the provision of cultural services through intergovernmental strategic behaviours is more elastic with respect to the relative change of the distance or the travel time among neighbouring regions than to that of the population size among neighbouring regions.
Athens’ Olympic Games 2004 impact on sponsors’ stock returns

The sponsorship of major sporting events involves an ongoing commitment by business partners (sponsors) who need to evaluate the returns of their investments. This article addresses this evaluation by employing event study analysis and bootstrapping in order to assess the market value of business sponsorship of the Olympic Games 2004. The events tested are the announcement of the Athens 2004 Olympic Games sponsorships and the opening ceremony. The empirical results indicate the marginal positive impact that sponsorship announcements cause in international and national sponsors’ stock returns. Sponsorship announcements are more influential for small size firms’ stock returns since they react more positive compared to larger ones.
A slowly developing dysfunction of dopaminergic nigrostriatal neurons induced by long‐term paraquat administration in rats: an animal model of preclinical stages of Parkinson's disease?

The aim of the present study was to examine the influence of the long‐term paraquat administration on the dopaminergic nigrostriatal system in rats. Paraquat was injected at a dose of 10 mg/kg i.p. for 4–24 weeks. We found that this pesticide reduced the number of tyrosine hydroxylase‐immunoreactive neurons of the substantia nigra; after the 4‐week treatment the reduction (17%, nonsignificant) was confined to the rostrocentral region of this structure but, after 24 weeks, had spread along its whole length and was ≈ 37%. Moreover, it induced a biphasic effect on dopaminergic transmission. First, levels of dopamine, its metabolites and turnover were elevated (4–8 weeks) in the caudate–putamen, then all these parameters returned to control values (12 weeks) and dropped by 25–30% after 24 weeks. The binding of [3H]GBR 12,935 to dopamine transporter in the caudate–putamen was decreased after 4–8 weeks, then returned to control values after 12 weeks but was again decreased after 24 weeks. Twenty‐four‐week paraquat administration also decreased the level of tyrosine hydroxylase (Western blot) in the caudate–putamen. In addition, paraquat activated serotonin and noradrenaline transmission during the first 12 weeks of treatment but no decreases in levels of these neurotransmitters were observed after 24 weeks. The above results seem to suggest that long‐term paraquat administration produces a slowly progressing degeneration of nigrostriatal neurons, leading to delayed deficits in dopaminergic transmission, which may resemble early, presymptomatic, stages of Parkinson's disease.
Abnormal Patterns of Lipoprotein Lipase Release into the Plasma in GPIHBP1-deficient Mice*

GPIHBP1-deficient mice (Gpihbp1–/–) exhibit severe chylomicronemia. GPIHBP1 is located within capillaries of muscle and adipose tissue, and expression of GPIHBP1 in Chinese hamster ovary cells confers upon those cells the ability to bind lipoprotein lipase (LPL). However, there has been absolutely no evidence that GPIHBP1 actually interacts with LPL in vivo. Heparin is known to release LPL from its in vivo binding sites, allowing it to enter the plasma. After an injection of heparin, we reasoned that LPL bound to GPIHBP1 in capillaries would be released very quickly, and we hypothesized that the kinetics of LPL entry into the plasma would differ in Gpihbp1–/– and control mice. Indeed, plasma LPL levels peaked very rapidly (within 1 min) after heparin in control mice. In contrast, plasma LPL levels in Gpihbp1–/– mice were much lower 1 min after heparin and increased slowly over 15 min. In keeping with that result, plasma triglycerides fell sharply within 10 min after heparin in wild-type mice, but were negligibly altered in the first 15 min after heparin in Gpihbp1–/– mice. Also, an injection of Intralipid released LPL into the plasma of wild-type mice but was ineffective in releasing LPL in Gpihbp1–/– mice. The observed differences in LPL release cannot be ascribed to different tissue stores of LPL, as LPL mass levels in tissues were similar in Gpihbp1–/– and control mice. The differences in LPL release after intravenous heparin and Intralipid strongly suggest that GPIHBP1 represents an important binding site for LPL in vivo.
AN IDENTIFICATION OF THE CAPACITY FOR INSTITUTION BUILDING WITHIN THE CIVIL SOCIETY SECTOR

by CAROL JOAN BYG HEIFNER This study identifies the capacity for institution building for civil society development in Romania. A secondary analysis of raw interview data obtained in June, 1996, as part of The Listening and Learning in Romania Project of the Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, is utilized for the study. The identification of the capacity for institution building is based on the two concepts of growth and maintenance, drawn from General Systems Theory, and the two concepts of prevailing codes and linkage points, drawn from institution building theory. This exploratory, qualitative, analysis identifies a primary Capacity for Growth for institution building of moderate to vigorous strength. The specific areas in which a Capacity for Growth is identified
Relationship Between Activated Astrocytes and Hypoxic Cerebral Tissue in a Rat Model of Cerebral Ischemia/Reperfusion

Following cerebral infarction, hypoxic tissues remains in the ischemic cortex for long periods of time. Glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) is a specific marker of astrocytes, which is thought to be essential for neuronal survival. We aimed to clarify the relationship between hypoxic tissue and astrocytes following cerebral infarction. Rats with middle cerebral artery occlusion were randomly divided into a 1.5-hour ischemia-reperfusion(1.5-hour IR) group and a permanent ischemia (PI) group. Hypoxic tissue and GFAP fluorescence intensity in the ischemic cortex were observed postoperatively on days 1, 3, 7, and 14. Results showed that hypoxic tissue was present from day 1 to 14 in the 1.5-hour IR group and on days 1 and 3 in the PI group. The GFAP fluorescence intensity in the 1.5-hour IR group was stronger than that in the PI group at the same time point of observation. Over time, GFAP expression increased and peaked at 7 days in each group, followed by a decrease in signal. In hypoxic tissue, the GFAP fluorescence intensity was stronger than that in the surrounding tissue at all observation time points. These data indicate that astrocytes were strongly activated in hypoxic tissue induced by temporary ischemia followed by reperfusion. The activation of astrocytes may partially contribute to the survival and repair of hypoxic tissue following brain ischemia.
Do Fewer People Mean Fewer Cars? – Population Decline and Car Ownership in Germany

Drawing on household data from Germany, this study econometrically analyzes the determinants of automobile ownership, focusing specifically on the extent to which decreases in family size translate into changes in the number of cars at the national level. Beyond modeling several variables over which policy makers have direct leverage, including the proximity of public transit, fuel prices and land use density, the analysis uses the estimated coefficients from a multinomial logit model to simulate car ownership rates under alternative scenarios pertaining to demographic change and other socio-economic variables. Our baseline scenario predicts continued increases in the number of cars despite decreases in population, a trend that is attributed to continued increases in household income.
Progression of nephropathy in type 2 diabetic patients.

BACKGROUND Nephropathy in type 2 diabetes is the single most common cause of end-stage renal disease (ESRD), but the decline in kidney function varies considerably between individuals, and determinants of renal function loss, early in the course of renal disease, have not been clearly identified. METHODS In a prospective observational study, we followed 227 (60 female) Caucasian type 2 diabetic patients with nephropathy for 6.5 (range 3 to 17) years from a baseline glomerular filtration rate (GFR) of 83 (SD30) mL/min/1.73m(2) with 7 (range 3 to 22) measurements of GFR ((51)Cr-EDTA) per patient. We evaluated determinants of (1) rate of decline in GFR, (2) risk of doubling in serum creatinine or ESRD, and (3) mortality using potential risk factors at baseline and during follow-up. RESULTS The mean (SD) rate of decline in GFR was 5.2 (4.1) mL/min/year. In multivariate regression analysis, higher baseline albuminuria, systolic blood pressure (SBP), hemoglobin A1c, GFR, age, and degree of diabetic retinopathy were significantly associated with increased rate of decline in GFR (R(2) (adj) 0.24). During follow-up, elevated mean albuminuria, SBP, hemoglobin A1c, and lower hemoglobin, heavy smoking, and presence of diabetic retinopathy were significantly associated with increased decline in GFR (R(2) (adj) 0.26). During follow-up, 63 patients had a doubling in serum creatinine or developed ESRD, and 79 patients died, primarily due to cardiovascular disease. In Cox regression analysis, higher baseline albuminuria, hemoglobin A1c, and SBP, together with lower GFR and hemoglobin, were significantly associated with shorter time to doubling of serum creatinine or ESRD. Higher baseline albuminuria, hemoglobin A1c, SBP, and age were significantly associated with increased mortality. CONCLUSION Our long-term prospective study of type 2 diabetic patients with nephropathy has revealed several modifiable risk factors of enhanced progression in kidney disease and increased mortality.
Undocumented migration to the United States : IRCA and the experience of the 1980s

The authors rely on several different data sources to tackle the problem of estimating whether IRCA has had an impact on illegal immigration to the United States, and employ a variety of approaches to tease out information on trends. Some present results based on data collected in Mexico, the single most important source country--important as a supplement to get a complete picture of changing patterns of illegal immigration.
Cortical salience network activation precedes the development of delusion severity

Background Delusion is the most characteristic symptom of psychosis. While researchers suggested an association between changes of the cortical salience network (CSN) and delusion, whether these CSN findings are a cause or a consequence of delusion remains unknown. Method To assess the effect of CSN functioning to forthcoming changes in delusion scores, we measured brain activation with 3-T functional magnetic resonance imaging in two independent samples of first-episode psychosis patients (total of 27 patients and 23 healthy controls). During scanning, the patients evaluated statements about whether an individual's psychosis-related experiences should be described as a mental illness, and control statements that were also evaluated by healthy controls. Symptoms were assessed at the baseline and at 2 months follow-up with Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale. Results Both tasks activated the CSN in comparison with rest. Activation of CSN (‘illness evaluation v. control task’ contrast) in patients positively correlated with worsening of or less improvement in delusions at the 2-month follow-up assessment. This finding was independent of delusion and clinical insight scores at the baseline evaluation. Conclusions Our findings link symptom-evaluation-related CSN functioning to severity of delusion and, importantly, add a new layer of evidence for the contribution of CSN functioning to the longitudinal course of delusions.