Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Differences Between African-American and European-American Women in the Association of Childhood Sexual Abuse With Initiation of Marijuana Use and Progression to Problem Use.

OBJECTIVE Childhood sexual abuse (CSA) is associated with elevated risk of early marijuana use and cannabis use disorder (CUD). Both the prevalence of CSA and the course of marijuana use differ between African Americans and European Americans. The current study aimed to determine whether these differences manifest in racial/ ethnic distinctions in the association of CSA with early and problem use of marijuana. METHOD Data were derived from female participants in a female twin study and a high-risk family study of substance use (n = 4,193, 21% African-American). Cox proportional hazard regression analyses using CSA to predict initiation of marijuana use and progression to CUD symptom(s) were conducted separately by race/ethnicity. Sibling status on the marijuana outcome was used to adjust for familial influences. RESULTS CSA was associated with both stages of marijuana use in African-American and European-American women. The association was consistent over the risk period (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.57, 95% confidence interval [CI] [1.37, 1.79] for initiation; HR = 1.51, 95% CI [1.21, 1.88] for CUD symptom onset) in European-American women. In African-American women, the HRs for initiation were 2.52 (95% CI [1.52, 4.18]) before age 15, 1.82 (95% CI [1.36, 2.44]) at ages 15-17, and nonsignificant after age 17. In the CUD symptom model, CSA predicted onset only at age 21 and older (HR = 2.17, 95% CI [1.31, 3.59]). CONCLUSIONS The association of CSA with initiation of marijuana use and progression to problem use is stable over time in European-American women, but in African-American women, it varies by developmental period. Findings suggest the importance of considering race/ethnicity in prevention efforts with this high-risk population.
House Prices and School Choice: Evidence from Chicago's Magnet Schools’ Proximity Lottery

Studies of open school policies predict house prices to rise in areas that gain access to high‐quality schools. However, excess demand may limit access to high‐quality schools. We take advantage of changes in Chicago's schools’ admissions policies to test whether a higher probability of admission to magnet schools for students living within 1.5 miles leads to higher house prices. Results indicate that the 1997 and 2009 reforms increased house prices for homes within the 1.5 mile radius by about 4% and 12.6%, respectively. The higher probability of admission for black students after a consent decree was vacated in 2009 led to a significant increase in prices in predominantly African‐American areas on the south side.
Biphenyl-Metabolizing Bacteria in the Rhizosphere of Horseradish and Bulk Soil Contaminated by Polychlorinated Biphenyls as Revealed by Stable Isotope Probing

ABSTRACT DNA-based stable isotope probing in combination with terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism was used in order to identify members of the microbial community that metabolize biphenyl in the rhizosphere of horseradish (Armoracia rusticana) cultivated in soil contaminated with polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) compared to members of the microbial community in initial, uncultivated bulk soil. On the basis of early and recurrent detection of their 16S rRNA genes in clone libraries constructed from [13C]DNA, Hydrogenophaga spp. appeared to dominate biphenyl catabolism in the horseradish rhizosphere soil, whereas Paenibacillus spp. were the predominant biphenyl-utilizing bacteria in the initial bulk soil. Other bacteria found to derive carbon from biphenyl in this nutrient-amended microcosm-based study belonged mostly to the class Betaproteobacteria and were identified as Achromobacter spp. , Variovorax spp. , Methylovorus spp. , or Methylophilus spp. Some bacteria that were unclassified at the genus level were also detected, and these bacteria may be members of undescribed genera. The deduced amino acid sequences of the biphenyl dioxygenase α subunits (BphA) from bacteria that incorporated [13C]into DNA in 3-day incubations of the soils with [13C]biphenyl are almost identical to that of Pseudomonas alcaligenes B-357. This suggests that the spectrum of the PCB congeners that can be degraded by these enzymes may be similar to that of strain B-357. These results demonstrate that altering the soil environment can result in the participation of different bacteria in the metabolism of biphenyl.
Up-regulation of components of the renin-angiotensin system in the bile duct-ligated rat liver.

BACKGROUND & AIMS Angiotensin II (ANG II) has profibrotic actions in the heart and kidney, whereas blockade of the renin angiotensin system (RAS) attenuates injury. This study examines whether the RAS is present in the liver and examines its regulation in the bile duct-ligation model of hepatic fibrogenesis. METHODS Sham-operated and bile duct-ligated (BDL) Sprague-Dawley rats were studied. Gene and protein expression of hepatic renin, angiotensinogen, angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE), and the angiotensin receptors AT1 and AT2 were assessed using real-time reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction, in vitro autoradiography, and immunohistochemistry. RESULTS Angiotensinogen and renin messenger RNA were detected in sham liver but were not increased following BDL. Angiotensinogen protein was widely distributed in hepatocytes in both normal and injured livers, but in BDL livers, it was also expressed within areas of active fibrogenesis. Both ACE and AT1 receptor genes were up-regulated following BDL. The low level of ACE activity in sham animals was significantly increased in areas of active fibrogenesis in BDL livers. The AT1 receptor was present in both normal and diseased liver parenchyma, with increased AT1 receptor binding seen in fibrotic areas in the diseased liver. The AT2 receptor gene was not detected in normal or diseased liver. CONCLUSIONS Key elements of the RAS are present in normal liver tissue, and there is major up-regulation of the system in the bile duct-ligated liver. These findings are in keeping with recent experimental studies that have demonstrated antifibrotic effects of RAS blockade in the bile duct-ligated liver.
Genomic Similarity and Kernel Methods I: Advancements by Building on Mathematical and Statistical Foundations

Measures of genomic similarity are the basis of many statistical analytic methods. We review the mathematical and statistical basis of similarity methods, particularly based on kernel methods. A kernel function converts information for a pair of subjects to a quantitative value representing either similarity (larger values meaning more similar) or distance (smaller values meaning more similar), with the requirement that it must create a positive semidefinite matrix when applied to all pairs of subjects. This review emphasizes the wide range of statistical methods and software that can be used when similarity is based on kernel methods, such as nonparametric regression, linear mixed models and generalized linear mixed models, hierarchical models, score statistics, and support vector machines. The mathematical rigor for these methods is summarized, as is the mathematical framework for making kernels. This review provides a framework to move from intuitive and heuristic approaches to define genomic similarities to more rigorous methods that can take advantage of powerful statistical modeling and existing software. A companion paper reviews novel approaches to creating kernels that might be useful for genomic analyses, providing insights with examples [1].
Rapid generation of a mouse model for Middle East respiratory syndrome

Significance The Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS)-coronavirus, a newly identified pathogen, causes severe pneumonia in humans, with a mortality of nearly 44%. Human-to-human spread has been demonstrated, raising the possibility that the infection could become pandemic. Mice and other small laboratory animals are not susceptible to infection. Here, we describe the development of a small-animal model for MERS, in which we use an adenovirus expressing the human host-cell receptor to sensitize mice for infection. We show that these mice are useful for determining immune responses and for evaluation of an anti-MERS vaccine and an antiviral therapy. This approach will be generally useful for the rapid (2–3 wk) development of relevant mouse and other animal models for emerging viral infections. In this era of continued emergence of zoonotic virus infections, the rapid development of rodent models represents a critical barrier to public health preparedness, including the testing of antivirus therapy and vaccines. The Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) was recently identified as the causative agent of a severe pneumonia. Given the ability of coronavirus to rapidly adapt to new hosts, a major public health concern is that MERS-CoV will further adapt to replication in humans, triggering a pandemic. No small-animal model for this infection is currently available, but studies suggest that virus entry factors can confer virus susceptibility. Here, we show that mice were sensitized to MERS-CoV infection by prior transduction with adenoviral vectors expressing the human host-cell receptor dipeptidyl peptidase 4. Mice developed a pneumonia characterized by extensive inflammatory-cell infiltration with virus clearance occurring 6–8 d after infection. Clinical disease and histopathological changes were more severe in the absence of type-I IFN signaling whereas the T-cell response was required for virus clearance. Using these mice, we demonstrated the efficacy of a therapeutic intervention (poly I:C) and a potential vaccine [Venezuelan equine encephalitis replicon particles expressing MERS-CoV spike protein]. We also found little protective cross-reactivity between MERS-CoV and the severe acute respiratory syndrome-CoV. Our results demonstrate that this system will be useful for MERS-CoV studies and for the rapid development of relevant animal models for emerging respiratory viral infections.
Bank Lending in the Knowledge Economy

We study the composition of bank loan portfolios during the transition of the real sector to a knowledge economy where firms increasingly use intangible capital. Exploiting heterogeneity in bank exposure to the compositional shift from tangible to intangible capital, we show that exposed banks curtail commercial lending and reallocate lending to other assets, such as mortgages. We estimate that the substantial growth in intangible capital since the mid-1980s explains around 30% of the secular decline in the share of commercial lending in banks’ loan portfolios. We provide suggestive evidence that this reallocation increased the riskiness of banks’ mortgage lending.
Cone arrestin confers cone vision of high temporal resolution in zebrafish larvae

Vision of high temporal resolution depends on careful regulation of photoresponse kinetics, beginning with the lifetime of activated photopigment. The activity of rhodopsin is quenched by high‐affinity binding of arrestin to photoexcited phosphorylated photopigment, which effectively terminates the visual transduction cascade. This regulation mechanism is well established for rod photoreceptors, yet its role for cone vision is still controversial. In this study we therefore analyzed arrestin function in the cone‐dominated vision of larval zebrafish. For both rod (arrS ) and cone (arr3 ) arrestin we isolated two paralogs, each expressed in the respective subset of photoreceptors. Labeling with paralog‐specific antibodies revealed subfunctionalized expression of Arr3a in M‐ and L‐cones, and Arr3b in S‐ and UV‐cones. The inactivation of arr3a by morpholino knockdown technology resulted in a severe delay in photoresponse recovery which, under bright light conditions, was rate‐limiting. Comparison to opsin phosphorylation‐deficient animals confirmed the role of cone arrestin in late cone response recovery. Arr3a activity partially overlapped with the function of the cone‐specific kinase Grk7a involved in initial response recovery. Behavioral measurements further revealed Arr3a deficiency to be sufficient to reduce temporal contrast sensitivity, providing evidence for the importance of arrestin in cone vision of high temporal resolution.
Sediment: Curse or Blessing for Tonle Sap Lake?

Abstract It has been claimed that Tonle Sap Lake is rapidly filling with sediment as a result of increasing sediment yields from the catchment. Infilling of the lake basin would have serious implications for the magnitude of flooding in central Cambodia and the Mekong Delta region and threaten the lake's unique ecosystem. In this article, we synthesize the results of radiocarbon dating of sediment cores and hydrodynamic modeling results to provide an empirically based assessment of this issue. We find that current sedimentation rates within the lake basin proper are low and have been for several millennia. However, sedimentation at the lake margin and in its floodplain is relatively high, which presents a range of issues for riparian communities.
Prospective documentation of sedative, analgesic, and neuromuscular blocking agent use in infants and children in the intensive care unit: A multicenter perspective

Objective To describe the use of neuromuscular blocking agents (NMBA) in critically ill children. Design Prospective cohort study. Setting Two pediatric intensive care units (ICUs). Patients All children who received NMBA in the ICUs during the study year. Interventions None Measurements Data on use of NMBA agents and concurrent use of narcotic and sedative agents were collected. Demographic and outcome information was also obtained. Main Results NMBAs were used for either short-term (<6 hrs) or long-term neuromuscular blockade in 6%–9% of patient ICU days and for long-term blockade in 14%–16% of ventilatory support days. The overall mortality rate among ICU patients who received NMBA was 18%. Choice of agent varied between ICUs; however, succinyl choline was used in only 1% of cases for short-term neuromuscular blockade. The most frequent indication for long-term NMBA use was facilitation of mechanical ventilatory support (49%). Among these children, 46% received high frequency oscillatory ventilation. Long-term neuromuscular blockade was most frequently monitored by clinical examination rather than peripheral nerve stimulation. Paralysis for >6 hrs after discontinuation of NMBA was significantly more common when the agent was administered as an infusion instead of as bolus doses. Myopathy after long-term use of NMBA was seen in only 1 patient (0.4%). Doses (mg/kg) of NMBA did not significantly vary by patient age, but they did increase over time. Conclusions Use of NMBA is more common in critically ill children than in reported studies of critically ill adults. Use of NMBA in critically ill children is associated with high severity of illness and mortality rates. Choice of NMBA and method of administration varies among providers. Concurrent use of narcotic and sedative agents with NMBA is frequent, but medication choice also varies among medical providers.
Human Resource-based Competitive Advantage: The Case of Motivational Rents

This paper proposes a theory of whether, and under what circumstances, human resource practices aimed at creating high levels of aggregate employee motivation can be a source of sustainable competitive advantage. Drawing on the received literature in social psychology, it develops a three-dimensional conceptual framework of antecedents and consequences of employee motivation in an organizational setting. It determines that human resource practices that generate and capture superior levels of motivation rents can also generate sustainable competitive advantage, despite competitive pressures, when they are sufficiently tacit, causally ambiguity, and context specific.
Psychiatric and substance use disorders in South Florida: racial/ethnic and gender contrasts in a young adult cohort.

BACKGROUND Prevalence rates of psychiatric and substance use disorders among young adults in South Florida are presented. Unique aspects of the study include the large sample size, its ethnic diversity, and the fact that a substantial proportion of Hispanic participants were foreign born. METHODS This study builds on a previous cohort study of students who entered middle school in 1990. A random subsample of this representative cohort (N = 1803) was interviewed between 1998 and 2000 when most were between 19 and 21 years of age. Disorders were assessed through computer-assisted personal interviews utilizing the DSM-IV version of the Michigan Composite International Diagnostic Interview. RESULTS More than 60% of the sample met lifetime criteria for 1 or more study disorders, and 38% did so within the preceding year. Childhood conduct and major depressive and alcohol abuse disorders were the most prevalent. Although rates of affective and anxiety disorders in females were double that in males, this gender difference disappeared when attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, conduct disorders, and antisocial personality disorders were also considered (46.6% vs 45.7% for females vs males, respectively). Substantially lower rates were observed among African Americans for depressive disorders and substance abuse and dependence. Among Hispanics, rates tend to be lower among the foreign-born in comparison with their US-born counterparts, particularly for the substance disorders. CONCLUSIONS The documented presence of psychiatric and substance disorders in middle and high school populations emphasizes the importance of prevention efforts in school settings. Research on the origins of ethnic and nativity differences is called for.
A compact, multidimensional spectrofluorometer exploiting supercontinuum generation

We report a novel, compact and automated multidimensional spectrofluorometer that exploits a fibre‐laser‐pumped ultrafast supercontinuum source to provide resolution with respect to intensity, excitation and emission wavelength, decay time and polarisation. This instrument has been applied to study the photophysics of the phase‐sensitive membrane probe di‐4‐ANEPPDHQ and to characterise protein‐protein interactions via Förster resonance energy transfer. It can be applied to in situ measurements via a fibre‐optic probe in medical and other contexts and is demonstrated here to provide a comprehensive characterisation of tissue autofluorescence. (© 2008 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Protective role of Trigonella foenum graceum extract against oxidative stress in hyperglycemic rats.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES "In all things of nature there is something of the marvelous". In the present study the anti-hyperglycemic and anti-oxidative potential of aqueous extract of Trigonella foenum graceum (TFG), a traditional medicinal herb was assessed in liver and WBC of alloxan induced diabetic rats. Free radicals can cause oxidative damage, which is balanced by the antioxidants. This has been implicated in aging, and diseases such as diabetes and other chronic conditions. MATERIAL AND METHODS TFG extract was administered orally [500 (LM) and 1000 mg/kg body weight (HM)] for six weeks. The effect of TFG on blood glucose were studied and the levels of lipid peroxidation [MDA (Malondialdehyde)] and antioxidant enzymes [SOD (Superoxide dismutase), GPx (Reduced Glutathione peroxidase)] were estimated and compared with standard drugs glibenclamide and insulin. RESULTS Treatment with TFG, insulin and glibenclamide resulted in significantly reduced blood glucose in LM (8.71%) and HM (3.87%) in comparison with normal controls. There was a significant decrease in lipid peroxidation in liver and white blood cells (WBC) in both low and high doses [liver LM (49%), HM (57.25%)], [WBC LM (54.28%), HM (62.5%)] and increase in antioxidant enzymes SOD [liver LM (33.59%), HM (58.7%)] [WBC LM (44.9%)] HM (58.7%) and GPx [Liver LM (58.55%), HM (40.20%)], [WBC LM (55.46%), HM (56.4%)] when compared to diabetic controls. DISCUSSION Potency of TFG in restoring several parameters to normal values is comparable to glibenclamide, though not as efficient as insulin, an indication of its antihyperglycemic and antioxidant effect.
Binding of ZO-1 to α5β1 integrins regulates the mechanical properties of α5β1–fibronectin links

Interaction between tight junction protein ZO-1 and integrin α5β1 reduces the resistance to force of α5β1–fibronectin bonds while simultaneously increasing their affinity. This effect is specific to subconfluent cells in which ZO-1 is displaced from its normal localization in cell–cell junctions.
Abscisic Acid as Pathogen Effector and Immune Regulator

Abscisic acid (ABA) is a sesquiterpene signaling molecule produced in all kingdoms of life. To date, the best known functions of ABA are derived from its role as a major phytohormone in plant abiotic stress resistance. Different organisms have developed different biosynthesis and signal transduction pathways related to ABA. Despite this, there are also intriguing common themes where ABA often suppresses host immune responses and is utilized by pathogens as an effector molecule. ABA also seems to play an important role in compatible mutualistic interactions such as mycorrhiza and rhizosphere bacteria with plants, and possibly also the animal gut microbiome. The frequent use of ABA in inter-species communication could be a possible reason for the wide distribution and re-invention of ABA as a signaling molecule in different organisms. In humans and animal models, it has been shown that ABA treatment or nutrient-derived ABA is beneficial in inflammatory diseases like colitis and type 2 diabetes, which confer potential to ABA as an interesting nutraceutical or pharmacognostic drug. The anti-inflammatory activity, cellular metabolic reprogramming, and other beneficial physiological and psychological effects of ABA treatment in humans and animal models has sparked an interest in this molecule and its signaling pathway as a novel pharmacological target. In contrast to plants, however, very little is known about the ABA biosynthesis and signaling in other organisms. Genes, tools and knowledge about ABA from plant sciences and studies of phytopathogenic fungi might benefit biomedical studies on the physiological role of endogenously generated ABA in humans.
The winner-loser anomaly: recent evidence from Greece

ABSTRACT This article finds evidence of significant reversals in returns over the medium term in Greek stocks. In contrast with previous research, return reversals are more pronounced for past winners, suggesting that the market overreacts to a greater extent to good news. These contrarian returns are particularly elevated when portfolios are formed using quartiles and during tranquil and bull markets. The optimum contrarian strategy involves skipping the first 6 months of the holding period and implementing the contrarian strategy for a period of 18 months, as returns exhibit continuation followed by reversal. The profitability of the contrarian investment strategy is robust to adjustments for risk and seasonalities. It is the tranquil times and not the crisis/volatile times that generates a significant and profitable contrarian strategy. The recent credit crisis and resulting stock market falls, resulted in extreme movements in some Greek stocks and testing of the contrarian strategy problematic, especially when portfolios are decile ordered. Our findings also highlight the importance of survivorship bias and also suggest that contrarian strategies that just use market beta may be ill-equipped to take into consider extreme market movements, illiquidity and short-sales constraints.