Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Value of Connections: Evidence from the Italian�?American Mafia

Using declassified Federal Bureau of Narcotics records on 800 US Mafia mem- bers active in the 1950s and 1960s, and on their connections within the organized crime network, I estimate network effects on gangsters’ economic status. Lacking information on criminal proceeds, I measure economic status exploiting detailed information about their place of residence. Housing values are reconstructed using current deflated transactions recorded on Zillow.com. I deal with the potential reverse causality between the economic status and the gangster’s position in the network exploiting exogenous exposure to potential pre-immigration connections. In the absence of pre-immigration data I use the informational content of surnames, called isonomy, to measure the place of origin. The instrument is valid as long as conditional on the characteristics of the gang- sters (including the region of birth and a rich set of controls about the gangsters’ legal and illegal activities) such exposure influences the gangsters’ importance in- side the network (called centrality) but not the preference for specific housing needs. A standard deviation increase in closeness centrality increases economic status by between one forth (OLS) and one standard deviation (2SLS).
Partial Parallel Interference Cancellation Based on Hebb Learning Rule *

* This work is supported by SXSF Grant #20041044. Abstract In CDMA systems multi-access interference (MAI) is a very important component resulting in poor reception performance, however parallel interference cancellation (PIC) can solve this problem to some extent. But in PIC process error cancellation of interference resulting from error decision at the former stage will influence the veracity of decision at this stage. Considering this we proposed a partial parallel interference cancellation (PPIC) multiuser detector based on Hebb learning rule which cancels interference partly by adjusting interference cancellation factors (ICF). Simulations in both DS-CDMA and MC-CDMA systems show that the proposed Hebb-PPIC detector has strong anti-MAI ability and its performance of bit error rate (BER) is improved on the basis of conventional PIC in both conditions of ideal power control and “near-far” scenario.
A NSGA-II-based Approach for Web Service Resource Allocation On Cloud

Web service and Cloud computing have significantly reformed the software industry. The need for web service allocation in the cloud environment is increasing dramatically. In order to reduce the cost for service providers as well as improve the utilization of cloud resource for cloud provider, this paper formulates the web service resource allocation in cloud environment problem as a two-level of multi-objective bin packing problem. It proposes a NSGA-II-based algorithm with specific design genetic operators to solve it. The results are compared with two variances of the algorithm. The results show the proposed algorithm can provide reasonably good results with low violation rate.
Periacetabular Osteotomy Through a Modified Ollier Transtrochanteric Approach for Treatment of Painful Dysplastic Hips

Background: Elimination of abnormally high joint-loading resulting in excessive contact stresses may prevent or reduce the onset of osteoarthrosis in a dysplastic hip. A number of periacetabular osteotomies have been shown to be effective in restoring normal hip-joint mechanics. We treat acetabular dysplasia with a periacetabular osteotomy performed through a modified Ollier transtrochanteric approach. In this report, we describe the operative technique and the clinical and radiographic results.Methods: Thirty-six patients (thirty-eight hips) in whom a painful dysplastic hip had been treated with a periacetabular osteotomy between March 1991 and June 1999 were included in the study. There were thirty-five female patients and one male patient with a mean age (and standard deviation) at the operation of 29.42 ± 9.1 years. The technique utilizes a u-shaped skin incision, and a routine osteotomy of the greater trochanter with distal transfer if needed, and allows excellent visualization enabling the surgeon to perform the periacetabular osteotomy without penetrating the joint.Results: At a mean of five years and six months postoperatively, the mean modified Harris hip score had improved from 59.1 ± 15.8 points preoperatively to 87.97 ± 14.3 points. Radiographically, the degree of osteoarthrosis had decreased in eleven hips, remained unchanged in twenty-four, and worsened in three. The mean anterior center-edge angle had increased from 22.0° ± 12.9° to 36.1° ± 12.3°, the mean lateral center-edge angle had increased from -2.7° ± 14.4° to 26.6° ± 14.1°, the mean acetabular index angle had improved from 23.4° ± 6.6° to 12.7° ± 4.6°, and the mean acetabular head index had increased from 48.2% ± 12.7% to 73.1% ± 16.0%. The Shenton line was restored in eleven hips. Thirty patients (thirty-two hips; 84%) had a satisfactory result. A poor preoperative functional score was associated with an unsatisfactory outcome (p = 0.00191). Complications included prolonged limping (eleven hips); numbness in the distribution of the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve (four); osteonecrosis of the rotated acetabular fragment (two); and acetabulofemoral impingement, heterotopic ossification, and a defect on the rotated ilium (one hip each). Conclusions: Painful dysplastic hips should be treated before function becomes seriously impaired. We believe that periacetabular osteotomy through a modified Ollier approach, which allows osseous cuts to be made under direct vision, can be learned readily. It provides improved femoral head coverage and relief of symptoms in most painful dysplastic hips in adolescents and young adults.
Delivery of Constitutively Active Mutant MKK6(E) With TAT-OSBP Induces Apoptosis in Human Ovarian Carcinoma HO8910 Cells

Abstract Biologically active peptides and proteins are novel agents that show promise in the development of anticancer drugs. Their relatively low cell permeability and poor tumor selectivity, however, impede their widespread applicability. In this study, we evaluated the tumor selectivity, cellular internalization, and biological activity of a cell-permeable ovarian cancer cell–specific therapeutic protein consisting of TAT-OSBP and constitutively active MKK6(E), an upstream kinase of the p38 signaling pathway that mediates cellular apoptosis. OSBP, a 7-amino-acid peptide with high affinity for human ovarian cancer HO8910 cells, was conjugated to the cell-penetrating peptide (TAT) to form a tumor-selective peptide (TAT-OSBP), which was further conjugated with EGFP or MKK6(E). Flow cytometry and fluorescent microscopy were performed to evaluate the tumor-targeted penetration of TAT-OSBP-EGFP. The inhibitory effects of TAT-OSBP-MKK6(E) were determined by cell proliferation and apoptosis assays. The internalization efficiency of TAT-OSBP-EGFP was significantly higher than that of TAT-EGFP. TAT-OSBP-EGFP selectively penetrated HO8910 cells. TAT-OSBP-MKK6(E) fusion protein inhibited cancer cell growth to varying degrees, with the highest level of inhibition in HO8910 cells. Moreover, TAT-OSBP-MKK6(E) significantly induced apoptosis of HO8910 cells. However, there was no significant difference in apoptosis in the normal ovarian epithelial cells treated with either TAT-OSBP-MKK6(E) or TAT-MKK6(E). Our results demonstrate that TAT-OSBP-MKK6(E) is a novel artificially designed molecule, which induces apoptosis and selectively targets human ovarian carcinoma HO8910 cells. Our study provides novel insights that may aid in the development of a new generation of anticancer drugs.
Eukaryotic 5S rRNA biogenesis

The ribosome is a large complex containing both protein and RNA which must be assembled in a precise manner to allow proper functioning in the critical role of protein synthesis. 5S rRNA is the smallest of the RNA components of the ribosome, and although it has been studied for decades, we still do not have a clear understanding of its function within the complex ribosome machine. It is the only RNA species that binds ribosomal proteins prior to its assembly into the ribosome. Its transport into the nucleolus requires this interaction. Here we present an overview of some of the key findings concerning the structure and function of 5S rRNA and how its association with specific proteins impacts its localization and function. WIREs RNA 2011 2 523–533 DOI: 10.1002/wrna.74
PATTERNS OF MORPHOSPACE OCCUPATION IN RECENT CYPRIDOIDEA (CRUSTACEA, OSTRACODA)

Se exploran los patrones de disparidad morfologica en diferentes niveles taxonomicos dentro de la superfamilia de ostracodos Cypridoidea Baird, 1845. Se han obtenido de la literatura los contornos de las valvas de 171 especies pertenecientes a cuatro familias, quince subfamilias y cuarenta generos, y su forma ha sido analizada mediante el uso del analisis eliptico de Fourier. Una vez que los contornos han sido caracterizados numericamente, se procede a construir el morfoespacio empirico de la superfamilia. La posicion de las especies en dicho morfoespacio permite el calculo y la comparacion de la disparidad morfologica entre diferentes grupos, asi como de su contribucion relativa (disparidad parcial) a la variacion morfologica total. Los Candonidae son el grupo con la mayor diversidad morfologica, que supone mas del 50% de la disparidad total en la superfamilia. Los generos Mixtacandona y Cypria, con sus formas extremas, son los principales responsables de esta circunstancia. Sin embargo, por comparacion con los Cyprididae, la diversidad taxonomica de los candonidos es baja y sugiere que la disparidad morfologica es mas el reflejo de procesos ecologicos (p. ej., adaptacion a ambientes extremos) que de bifurcacion filogenetica.
How IT Supports Knowledge Discovery and Learning Processes on the Web

This conceptual paper examines how IT can support individuals, and in turn their organizations, in learning about and knowing their external environment on the Web. Specifically, a theoretical framework is developed to identify the sets of tool characteristics, collectively referred to as levels, which are proposed to support different modes of learning and learning processes. In addition, extensions to the 41 organizational learning process model (Crossan et al., 1999) are proposed, specific to searching and learning on the Web: 1) adding a fifth process - information foraging and search term development, and 2) adding a fourth level to the learning process - machine-level. Understanding which types of tools are useful in different learning contexts has implications for learning effectiveness and may help firms understand how to 'manage' their learning (Zack, 2005).
Treatment of chronic radiation ulcers with recombinant platelet‐derived growth factor and a hydrophilic copolymer membrane

We report on a 59‐year‐old woman suffering from cutaneous T‐cell lymphoma of the mycosis fungoides type, who developed chronic ulcerating radiation dermatitis after total body electron beam irradiation with a cumulative dose of 36 Gy. The painful and easily bleeding ulcers could be markedly improved using a combined approach with topical platelet‐derived growth factor gel and hydrophilic copolymer membranes.
Short Hypocotyl in White Light1 Interacts with Elongated Hypocotyl5 (HY5) and Constitutive Photomorphogenic1 (COP1) and Promotes COP1-Mediated Degradation of HY5 during Arabidopsis Seedling Development1[OPEN]

A unique regulator of proteasome-mediated degradation of photomorphogenesis-promoting factors affects Arabidopsis seedling development. Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) Short Hypocotyl in White Light1 (SHW1) encodes a Ser-Arg-Asp-rich protein that acts as a negative regulator of photomorphogenesis. SHW1 and Constitutive Photomorphogenic1 (COP1) genetically interact in an additive manner to suppress photomorphogenesis. Elongated Hypocotyl5 (HY5) is a photomorphogenesis promoting a basic leucine zipper transcription factor that is degraded by COP1 ubiquitin ligase in the darkness. Here, we report the functional interrelation of SHW1 with COP1 and HY5 in Arabidopsis seedling development. The in vitro and in vivo molecular interaction studies show that SHW1 physically interacts with both COP1 and HY5. The genetic studies reveal that SHW1 and HY5 work in an antagonistic manner to regulate photomorphogenic growth. Additional mutation of SHW1 in hy5 mutant background is able to suppress the gravitropic root growth defect of hy5 mutants. This study further reveals that the altered abscisic acid responsiveness of hy5 mutants is modulated by additional loss of SHW1 function. Furthermore, this study shows that SHW1 promotes COP1-mediated degradation of HY5 through enhanced ubiquitylation in the darkness. Collectively, this study highlights a mechanistic view on coordinated regulation of SHW1, COP1, and HY5 in Arabidopsis seedling development.
DNA Hybridization Test: Rapid Diagnostic Tool for Excluding Bacterial Vaginosis in Pregnant Women with Symptoms Suggestive of Infection

ABSTRACT This prospective comparative study evaluated a DNA hybridization test (Affirm VPIII) as an alternative to Gram stain for the diagnosis of bacterial vaginosis. We examined vaginal smears from 1,725 pregnant women between the 12th and 36th weeks of gestation with clinical signs of vaginal infection. The DNA hybridization test compared well with Gram stain and can be used as a rapid diagnostic tool to exclude bacterial vaginosis.
A Multiagent Coordination Approach to Robust Consensus Clustering

In many distributed modeling, control or information processing applications, clustering patterns that share certain similarities is the critical first step. However, many traditional clustering algorithms require centralized processing, reliable data collection and the availability of all the raw data in one place at one time. None of these requirement can be met in many complex real world problems. In this paper, we present an agent-based method for combining multiple base clusterings into a single unified "consensus" clustering that is robust against many types of failures and does not require spatial/temporal synchronization. In this approach, agents process clusterings coming from separate sources and pool them to produce a unified consensus. The first contribution of this work is to provide an adaptive method by which the agents update their selections to maximize an objective function based on the quality of the consensus clustering. The second contribution of this work is in providing intermediate agent-specific objective functions that significantly improve the quality of the consensus clustering process. Our results show that this agent-based method achieves comparable or better performance than traditional non-agent consensus clustering methods in fault-free conditions, and remains effective under a wide range of failure scenarios that paralyze the traditional methods.
Incorporation of Radiolabeled Lysophosphatidyl Choline into Canine Purkinje Fibers and Ventricular Muscle: Electrophysiological, Biochemical, and Autoradiographic Correlations

Lysophosphoglycerides including lysophosphatidyl choline (LPC), accumulate in ischemic myocardium, and in comparable concentrations induce electrophysiological alterations in vitro analogous to those seen in ischemic myocardium in vivo. The present study was performed to assess the amount of 14C-LPC incorporated into isolated tissue required to induce electrophysiological effects, to localize the sites of incorporation by electron microscopic autoradiography, and to assess the association between electrophysiological recovery and metabolism of incorporated LPC. “C-LPC (200 /J.M)” induced marked electrophysiological effects in Purkinje fibers when only 2.3% of cellular phospholipid was supplanted by exogenous LPC. Electrophysiological depression correlated with incorporation of LPC, and electrophysiological recovery correlated with metabolism of LPC to free fatty acid and phosphatidyl choline. Incubation of ventricular muscle strips with 14C-LPC (100;UM) resulted in incorporation of 0.42 nmol/mg protein of exogenous LPC at pH 7.4. Incorporation was similar at pH = 6.7 (0.36 nmol/mg protein), although electrophysiological derangements were markedly enhanced. Electron microscopic autoradiography showed that incorporated LPC was localized primarily to the sarcolemmal membrane. These findings indicate that incorporation of as little LPC as 1% of cellular phospholipid induces marked electrophysiological changes, that LPC rather than its major metabolites, fatty acid and phosphatidyl choline, are responsible for the electrophysiological alterations, and that reduction in pH enhances the membrane effects of LPC without increasing incorporation.
PIK3CA Mutations in Mucinous Cystic Neoplasms of the Pancreas

Objectives Mucinous cystic neoplasms (MCNs) are rare, potentially curable, mucin-producing neoplasms of the pancreas. We have previously reported PIK3CA (phosphoinositide-3-kinase catalytic subunit, p110&agr;) mutations in intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms, another mucin-producing neoplasm of the pancreas. In this study, we analyzed the presence of PIK3CA and AKT1/PKB (V-akt murine thymoma viral oncogene homolog 1) hot-spot mutations in MCN specimens. Methods Using the genomic DNA sequencing of tumor tissues isolated by laser capture microdissection, we evaluated 15 well-characterized MCNs for the E542K, E545K (exon 9), and H1047R (exon 20) hot-spot mutations in the PIK3CA gene and the E17K mutation in the AKT1 gene. Results A hot-spot mutation (E545K) of the PIK3CA gene was detected in 1 of the 15 MCNs and further confirmed by a mutant-enriched method. Interestingly, this mutation was found to be present only in the high-grade but not in low-grade dysplastic epithelium obtained from this neoplasm and coexisted with a KRASG12D mutation. No mutations were identified in the AKT1 gene. Conclusions Our data, when combined with previous reports on intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms, indicate that oncogenic activation of the PI3K pathway involving PIK3CA gene mutations can contribute to the progression of mucin-producing neoplasms but not pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia. PIK3CA status could be useful for understanding their progression to malignancy.
[Construction of a prokaryotic expression vector of human tau multi-epitope peptide and immunogenicity of the expressed product].

OBJECTIVE To construct a prokaryotic expression vector of human tau multiepitope peptide for examining the immunogenicity of a TauP1/P2 DNA vaccine in mice using the expressed product. METHODS The coding sequence of Tau multiepitope peptide gene was amplified from the plasmid pVAX1-Tau by PCR and inserted into the prokaryotic expression vector pGEX-4T-2 to construct the recombinant plasmid pGEX-4T-2-TauP1/P2. The positive recombinants were transformed into E.coli BL21 cells, and the expression of fusion protein GST-TauP1/P2 was induced by IPTG and identified by SDS-PAGE. Mice was immunized with TauP1/P2 DNA vaccine and the production of the specific antibodies was detected by Dot-blot analysis using the purified fusion protein. RESULTS A gene fragment 300 bp in length was amplified. Enzyme digestion and DNA sequencing verified correct construction of the prokaryotic expression plasmid pGEX-4T-2-TauP1/P2. The expression of target fusion protein GST-TauP1/P2 was detected by SDS-PAGE. Specific antibodies against TauP1/P2 were detected in the serum of mice immunized with the DNA vaccine using GST-TauP1/P2 fusion protein. CONCLUSION The constructed prokaryotic expression plasmid of human Tau multiepitope peptide is capable of expressing the target fusion protein, which specifically recognizes the specific antibodies against TauP1/P2 in mice immunized with TauP1/P2 DNA vaccine.
Predicting Kinetic Electron Emission in Molecular Dynamics Simulations of Sputtering

We present a molecular dynamics (MD) based computer simulation model for particle bombardment of metal surfaces. In addition to the description of the atomic collision cascade initiated by the particle impact, our model incorporates the electronic degree of freedom of the target and therefore is capable of simultaneously predicting secondary ion formation in sputtering as well as ion-bombardment-induced kinetic electron emission (KEE). Hence, our simulation concept may be regarded as an approach to close the gap between classical MD simulations usually excluding electronic effects and ab initio many-body quantum mechanics breaking down for system sizes needed to describe atomic collision cascades. In this study, we apply our model to the keV self-bombardment of a (111)-oriented silver surface in order to predict kinetic electron emission yields.
Consent, Coercion, and Compassion: Emerging Legal Responses to the Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Minors

Within 48 hours of running away or being thrown out, a child on the streets will typically be approached for sex in exchange for money or lured into a situation leading to exploitation. There are competing theories about the prosecution of youth for prostitution who are subject to commercial sexual exploitation, or domestic minor sex trafficking, in the United States. Recent developments in juvenile courts and legislatures endeavor to create appropriate responses to eliminate contradiction in the laws. Some states recognize that statutory rape and federal trafficking laws conflict with the prosecution of children for their own exploitation, but most do not. This leaves large numbers of minors charged as criminals and with little access to appropriate medical and psychological care. Related gender and adolescent capacity issues are implicated in this lack of coherence in the law and underlie the current failures. The issue is best understood in light of recent changes in judicial and legislative discourse. Recent developments in courts and legislatures have taken a new direction to harmonize laws dictating the legal status of these children as survivors in need of treatment instead of as offenders. The Illinois model recently decriminalized children under age 18 who are prostituted, ensuring that they are not treated as criminals under any circumstances. While other state statutory frameworks exist, without clear language, statutes intended to assist children risk being undermined. Legislation that addresses prostitution of youth must be carefully constructed and contain funding provisions in order to have the necessary intended effects. It should focus on comprehensive services with a critical eye on the important distinctions between diversion measures that allow for continued prosecution versus decriminalization. These new judicial and legislative developments provide a model and framework by which states can create effective and consistent responses to the commercial sexual exploitation of minors instead of criminalizing them.