Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Association analysis of polymorphisms of the NTRK2 and BDNF genes with bipolar affective disorder in a Polish sample

Summary Aims. Neurodevelopmental abnormality has been implicated in the pathogenesis of bipolar disorder. The neu- rotrophin BDNF regulates not only cell survival, proliferation and synaptic growth in the developing CNS, but also plays a crucial role in activity-dependent neuroplasticity. Substantial evidence has pointed to the role of the BDNF in the pathophysiology of mood disorders and in the mechanism of action of therapeutic agents. Conse- quently, BDNF and its receptor, encoded by the NTRK2 gene, constitute good candidates for molecular genet- ic studies in bipolar affective disorder (BPD). Methods. In the present study we selected four single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the BDNF and three SNPs of the NTRK2 genes. The case-controlled analyses were performed on patients with bipolar disorders (n=455, control n=589) and in the subgroups of patients, formed by using the following criteria: the clinical type of BPD (BPD type I & II), gender, age of onset, family history of (BPD) and a history of suicidal attempts. Results. The haplotype GC (rs988748/rs203024) of the BDNF gene was significantly more frequent in pa- tients with BPD then in controls (p=0.006). Also haplotype CA (rs 1187326/rs1187327) of the NTRK2 gene was significantly more frequent in patients than in the control group (p=0.046). Case-control analysis of sin- gle markers after adjusting the significance level for multiple tests did not show any significant differences. Conclusions. These data suggest that polymorphisms of BDNF and NTRK2 genes may be involved in the aetiology of bipolar disorder in the Polish population.
Unifying Consensus and Atomic Commitment for Effective Cloud Data Management

Data storage in the Cloud needs to be scalable and fault-tolerant. Atomic commitment protocols such as Two Phase Commit (2PC) provide ACID guarantees for transactional access to sharded data and help in achieving scalability. Whereas consensus protocols such as Paxos consistently replicate data across different servers and provide fault tolerance. Cloud based datacenters today typically treat the problems of scalability and fault-tolerance disjointedly. In this work, we propose a unification of these two different paradigms into one framework called Consensus and Commitment (C&C) framework. The C&C framework can model existing and well known data management protocols as well as propose new ones. We demonstrate the advantages of the C&C framework by developing a new atomic commitment protocol, Paxos Atomic Commit (PAC), which integrates commitment with recovery in a Paxos-like manner. We also instantiate commit protocols from the C&C framework catered to different Cloud data management techniques. In particular, we propose a novel protocol, Generalized PAC (G-PAC) that integrates atomic commitment and fault tolerance in a cloud paradigm involving both sharding and replication of data. We compare the performance of G-PAC with a Spanner-like protocol, where 2PC is used at the logical data level and Paxos is used for consistent replication of logical data. The experimental results highlight the benefits of combining consensus along with commitment into a single integrated protocol.
The Effects of China's Tariff Reductions on EU Agricultural Exports

China's accession to the WTO means significant increases in export opportunities for China's trading partners. This study attempts to identify and measure quantitatively the effects of changing economic environment and trade policies on China's agricultural imports from the European Union (EU). The approach is to estimate demand functions for China's agri-food imports from the EU using semi-annual data from 1980 to 2000. The demand functions are used to measure the impacts of relative-price and trade policy changes on EU agricultural exports to China. The results suggest that in China, there is a relatively strong demand response for agrifood imports to changes in income and prices. Furthermore, the results indicate that relative-price variations affect significantly the export market shares of the EU. Trade liberalisation in the form of tariff reductions is found to be relatively significant in changing the quantity of agri-food imports demand from China.
Character sums and difference sets.

This paper concerns difference sets in finite groups. The approach is as follows: if D is a difference set in a group G, and χ any character of G, χ(D) — Σχ>x(ί7) is an algebraic integer of absolute value V~n in the field of mth roots of 1, where m is the order of χ. Known facts about such integers and the relations which the χ(D) must satisfy (as χ varies) may yield information about D by the Fourier inversion formula. In particular, if χ(D) is necessarily divisible by a relatively large integer, the number of elements g of D for which χ(g) takes on any given value must be large; this yields some nonexistence theorems. Another theorem, which does not depend on a magnitude argument, states that if n and v are both even and α, the power of 2 in v, is at least half of that in n, then G cannot have a character of order 2, and thus G cannot be cyclic. A difference set with v = An gives rise to an Ήadamard matrix; it has been conjectured that no such cyclic sets exist with v > 4. This is proved for n even by the above theorem, and is proved for various odd n by the theorems which depend on magnitude arguments. In the last section, two classes of abelian, but not cyclic, difference sets with v = in are exhibited.
Effects of Cultural Diversity on Economic Performance in Russian Regions

Cultural diversity in modern Russian society is determined, first, by the composition of the ethnic and cultural space, sometimes historically rooted in the distant past, and, second, by migration. Given the spatial characteristics of Russia, cultural diversity of cities and regions is driven not only by international, but also by internal migration. When studying the topic of cultural diversity, economic researchers are primarily interested in assessing its effects on economic performance. Over the past decades, the topic has been explored by a wide range of researchers. Is a culturally diversified community more successful than a homogenous one? is one of the major questions addressed in such research. Conclusions from theoretical models offered by M. Berliant and M. Fujita with respect to the impact of cultural diversity on economic growth and its role in the creation of new knowledge suggest that productivity of knowledge creation in a region with a homogeneous culture is lower than where cultures are diverse and RD Bellini et al. 2009] that reflect differences between regions in human capital, the share of agricultural employment in total employment in the region, population density and market potential of the region.
Rational Addiction, Cointegration and Tobacco and Alcohol Demand

In this paper we embed the Almost Ideal Demand System within a dynamic disequilibrium model, and derive a set of interrelated Euler equations which characterizes optimal consumption allocations under adjustment costs. It is argued that when applied to alcohol and tobacco expenditure, the proposed specification features the rational addiction hypothesis, as both forward-looking rational behaviour and habit formation are explicitly accounted for. The suggested estimation approach controls for potential nonstationarity in the underlying time-series. Results relative to UK tobacco and alcohol demand support the adopted specifications and highlight the degree of complementarity between addictive goods.
Induced mutations in the Green and Gene Revolutions

As in genomic research in animals, chemical and physical mutagenesis has become widely used in plants to close the gap between the available mutant resources and the full range of phenotypes that are essential to exploit the function of all genes of investigated species. Among various approaches, mutational analysis of plant traits appears to be one of the simplest routes linking the function with the sequence of a gene. Mutation techniques have been used for many years in basic plant research. Induced mutations in Arabidopsis, pea, tobacco, tomato, barley, maize and rice made possible the identification of many genes involved in metabolic pathways responsible for plant development and growth, response to growth regulators as well as various biotic and abiotic stresses. Mutational analysis of root architecture and function gives new hope for the next significant increase in crop productivity. This work should be accelerated through implementation of microarrays and other high-throughput methods such as TILLING which already have become widely adopted to identify and characterize mutated genes. However, such research will need large repositories of mutated germplasm, which seem to be the necessary component of gene mining using both forward and reverse genetics approaches. Mutation-assisted improvement of crops, especially local varieties, has been continued and has become currently strengthened by the application of other methods such as doubled haploids and molecular markers. Dwarfness or semi-dwarfness of crop plants, as a result of the Green Revolution, has been long recognized as an indispensable attribute of intensive agriculture. Farmers were probably the first “breeders” who recognized the value of a shorter stem. The shorter barley variety ‘Valticky’ originating from the local landrace of ‘Hanchen’ type, replaced the taller variety ‘Proskovcuv hanacky’ at the beginning of the twentieth century in Moravia. Although the first semi-dwarfs cultivated on a large scale were mainly fruit trees such as peach or apple, the concept of using the dwarf plant character to convert cultivars to high-yielding types has become widely recognized after the breeding success achieved with short, lodging-resistant cereals.
Transport anisotropy in Ge quantum wells in the absence of quantum oscillations

A recent study of a high-mobility two-dimensional hole gas in a strained Ge quantum well revealed strong transport anisotropy in the quantum Hall regime when the magnetic field was tilted away from the sample normal [Q. Shi, M. A. Zudov, C. Morrison, and M. Myronov, Phys. Rev. B 91, 201301(R) (2015)]. In the present study we demonstrate that the anisotropy persists to such high temperatures and filling factors that quantum oscillations are no longer observed. This finding rules out the formation of a stripe phase as a possible origin for the observed anisotropy. However, we also show that the observed anisotropy is not consistent with other known anisotropies, such as those arising from finite-thickness effects or surface roughness.
Family functioning and disability: a study on Italian parents with disabled children

The family of disabled persons often goes through periods of instability and mismatch; the birth of disabled children may affect communication, problem solving, satisfaction and general family functioning. The present study aims to explore the perception that both parents of disabled children have of their family functioning, measuring: the dynamics of the familiar functioning; the perception that the parental couple has about parenting and family functioning; the similarities between fathers and mothers in the perception of these dimensions. The research involved 50 parent couples (age: M=50.84; S.D=7.23), who have 100 disabled children. They completed: Family Assessment Device (Epstein, Baldwin, & Bishop, 1983) to assess specific aspects of family functioning, such as problem solving, communication, roles, affective response and involvement, behavioral control and general functioning; Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Scales (Olson, 2011), to measure family adaptability and cohesion. The parents of disabled daughters showed significantly higher on following scales: cohesion, communication and satisfaction. In contrast, the parents who have male sons showed high scores in the scale of flexibility. Parents of children with autism reported higher scores than the parents of children with pervasive developmental disorders in the following scales: cohesion, communication and satisfaction. The results suggest that family functioning when there is a disabled child might be affected by child’s gender and disability. Among the research limits there are the lack of a representative sample and the absence of a longitudinal study. In future studies, it is expected an evaluation of triadic family functioning to examine intergenerational differences in perception of family dynamics.
A regional WIL model: sharing a new approach

As work-integrated learning (WIL) becomes embedded in the higher education sector, it presents an unprecedented opportunity for practitioners to learn from one another. The challenges of implementing a WIL program are widely known among the WIL community. These challenges often relate to the flexibility and diversity afforded models both within and between institutions. Many institutions have begun internally sharing practices; however, missing in the literature is circulation of this information to facilitate learning across domains. This paper is positioned in the nexus of WIL cross-institutional dissemination. It is hoped that this paper will achieve two aims, the dissemination and application of an Australian regional WIL model. First, a regional Internship Program is detailed through the key areas of purpose, pedagogy, processes, design and assessments. Second, application of the model is offered through an empirical examination of students’ reflections. (Asia-Pacific Journal of Cooperative Education, 2011, 12(3), 163-174)
CYCLICALLY ADJUSTED BALANCE OF LATVIA'S GENERAL GOVERNMENT CONSOLIDATED BUDGET

This study estimates cyclically adjusted balances of Latvia's general government consolidated budget using methodologies of the ESCB and OECD and assesses the consistency of the implemented fiscal policy with the EU fiscal policy framework. During the period of rapid economic growth the Latvian government pursued fiscal expansion instead of ensuring budgetary consolidation in cyclically adjusted terms. Fiscal policy of the Latvian government has been inconsistent with the requirements of the Stability and Growth Pact and has exerted an additional pressure on consumer prices and the current account.
The Multi-dimensional Customer Behavior Analysis Based on Biayes and Fisher Classification Algorithm

The biayes classification algorithm was based on the mutual independence between one class and another class, and the reality of multidimensional existence dependency relationship with the customer class. So this paper first used the Fisher method to classify the class, then used the bias classification algorithm for customer segmentation, identified potential customers, and effectively reduced marketing costs. Finally, multigroup data were used to test by matlab. Compared to the bias algorithm, the results show that hybrid algorithm was an effective method.
DEM-CFD Modeling of Proppant Pillar Deformation and Stability during the Fracturing Fluid Flowback

In this study, proppant pillar deformation and stability during the fracturing fluid flowback of channel fracturing was simulated with DEM-CFD- (discrete element method-computational fluid dynamics-) coupling method. Fibers were modeled by implementing the bonded particle model for contacts between particles. In the hydraulic fracture-closing period, the height of the proppant pillar decreases gradually and the diameter increases as the closing stress increases. In the fracturing fluid flowback period, proppant particles could be driven away from the pillar by the fluid flow and cause the instability of the proppant pillar. The proppant flowback could occur easily with large proppant pillar height or a large fluid pressure gradient. Both the pillar height and the pillar diameter to spacing ratio are key parameters for the design of channel fracturing. Increasing the fiber-bonding strength could enhance the stability of the proppant pillar.
Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae Induces Grap, Gadd45β, and secreted phosphoprotein 1 Gene Expression as Part of the Inflammatory Response in RAW264.7 Cells

Genes related to Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae -induced inflammation were identified using the gene-fishing technology, an improved method for identifying differentially expressed genes (DEGs) using an annealing control primer (ACP) system in RAW264.7 cells. After treatment with M. hyopneumo-niae , 16 DEGs were expressed in RAW264.7 cells using a pre-screening system. Among these 16 DEGs, 11 DEGs (DEGs 1, 4, 5–10, 12-15) were selected and sequenced directly, revealing that DEG12 (Grap), DEG14 (Gadd45), and DEG15 ( secreted phosphoprotein 1 ) were related to inflammatory cytokines. This is the first report that intact M. hyopneumoniae induces the expression of Grap, Gadd 45β, and secreted phosphoprotein 1 in RAW264.7 cells. Subsequently, these genes may be targets for screening novel inhibitors of the mycoplasmal inflammatory response.
Benthic macroinvertebrate community structure and seasonal variation in a neotropical stream in the State of Alagoas, Brazil

This paper presents a study on the macrobenthic community in the Salvia stream, a headwater stream that runs through a conserved Atlantic forest fragment in the state of Alagoas, Brazil, and identifies the environmental factors that most influence the community structure. Ten sampling sites were chosen, conducting each collection during the rainy season of 2010 and the dry season of 2011. At each site the macroinvertebrates were collected using a D net (0.250 mm mesh). Water samples were collected and taken to the laboratory to analyze Dissolved Oxygen, Conductivity, pH and Alkalinity. Water temperature, surface current speed and depth were measured at the site. Canonical Correspondence was used to analyze the effect of environmental factors on the macroinvertebrate community. All the environmental factors measured showed significant variation between seasons, showing the seasonality effects on the stream environment. Eighteen taxa were identified, with predominance of Palaemonidae (Decapoda) and Chironomidae (Diptera), respectively, during the rainy and dry season. The results showed that the macroinvertebrates were more correlated to pH, Alkalinity and Dissolved Oxygen, indicating that this ecosystem variation is mainly based on the organic matter decomposition process.
Modeling potential geographical distribution of the wild nests of Melipona capixaba Moure & Camargo, 1994 (Hymenoptera, Apidae): conserving isolated populations in mountain habitats

Mountain endemic species are usually related to a restricted set of ecological conditions, presenting a fragmented range interspersed by lowland that may prevent its dispersion and favors isolation and speciation. Here we investigate the pattern of distribution of Melipona capixaba, an endemic bee species of mountain areas of central Atlantic forest by means of species distribution modeling procedures. We aimed to describe the potential distribution of this species considering broad climatic variables and evaluate the possible non-equilibrium of its range using models that simulate restricted dispersion by inclusion of spatial variables. The models indicate that the known occurrence points are located in a small fraction of its potential distribution, which is fragmented in different mountain ridges. Models without spatial variables predicted a larger range and an overlap with the distribution of a closely related species, M. scutellaris. Ensemble models also indicate areas to future search for new population of this species, as well as important areas for its conservation.
Dynamic Analysis of Squeeze Piezo Printhead Using Reduced Frequency Model

The dynamic characteristics of squeeze piezo printhead are studied using reduced frequency model for inks with different viscosity. While piezo inkjet mainly applies in paper printing and graphic output, many new applications have emerged in the last few years. These new applications involve inks with high viscosity. Ink viscosity is a key material parameter in printhead design. In order to take viscous damping into account, reduced frequency model is applied to model the printhead fluid cavity. Squeeze piezo printhead models with different inks (viscosity range from 20 cps to 110 cps) are built using software ANSYS15.0. Meniscus velocity and pressure at the nozzle entrance excited by frequency from 10 KHz to 200 KHz are calculated. Meantime, the velocity and pressure distribution around the first resonant frequency (which is 21250 Hz in the paper) are also calculated. The results reveal that both meniscus velocity and pressure decrease with increasing viscosity. It is notable that ink viscosity affects the printhead dynamic response significantly near resonant frequency. When the exciting frequency is far from resonant frequency, the influence of viscosity is small. The reduced frequency model is a powerful tool for the design optimization of the piezo printhead.
Consumer awareness of sponsorship - a FMCG context

Investigation of marketing expenditure during the late 90s and early 00s shows an increase in the use of sponsorship by both large and small companies. Despite its widespread use, sponsorship leveraged packaging (SLP) has received little research attention. As a result, there is little understanding of what to expect when SLP is used and how to maximise its impact on consumers. This paper reports findings relating to consumer awareness of SLP, part of a larger study. Findings indicate that sponsorship leveraging on FMCG packaging significantly impacts consumer response to sponsorship, however prior awareness of the sponsorship appears to have little impact. The understanding provided in this paper has strategic relevance for brand managers in guiding sponsorship and package design decisions.
Who is this Donald? How social categorization affects aggression-priming effects

When investigating the effects of aggression on person perception, many studies have relied on the famous ‘Donald’ paradigm (e.g., Srull & Wyer, 1979). Little attention has been paid, however, to the role that is played by the social identity of Donald (the target of perception) in such effects. Three studies with Dutch participants, consistently reveal that judgments of an ingroup (Dutch) target are less prone to be affected by aggression priming than judgments of an outgroup (Moroccan, Surinamese, German) target, and that this effect is moderated by the extent to which the target's group is associated with aggressiveness. Importantly, the studies show that such association can be created not only via well-established stereotypes (e.g., ‘Moroccans are aggressive’), but also via subtle contextual priming. When priming activates an association between ingroup and aggressiveness (‘The Dutch are aggressive’), the subsequent evaluation of the ingroup targets can also be influenced negatively. The present research thus demonstrates that social categorizations and the contextual associations attached to them delineate an important boundary condition for aggression priming effects. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.