Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Age-Related Difference in Size of Brain Regions for Song Learning in Adult Male Dark-Eyed Juncos (Junco hyemalis)

In seasonally breeding adult male songbirds, the volumes of several song control regions (SCRs) change seasonally in parallel with plasma testosterone (T) levels and decrease following gonadectomy. Testosterone treatment to castrates prevents this decrease, indicating T dependency. During the breeding season, second-year (SY: birds entering their first breeding season) free-ranging male Dark-eyed Juncos (Junco hyemalis) have smaller testes than older (after second-year, ASY: birds entering at least their second breeding season) birds. SY males also have lower plasma T concentrations than ASY males at the beginning of the breeding season. We investigated differences in song structure of the two age groups and the relationship between age differences in gonadal function and SCR sizes. The average number of syllables per song, syllable duration, trill rate, song duration, and variability in song duration were age-independent. Two brain regions that are thought to be involved primarily in song learning and perception were 13 and 18% larger, respectively, in SY than in ASY males, the opposite of what would be expected based solely on reproductive measures (testis mass and cloacal protuberance width). In contrast, the volumes of two regions that directly control song expression did not differ with age. The lack of age-related size differences in regions that are required for song production may indicate that male juncos of all ages have similar brain space requirements for motor production. Where there were size differences, they were restricted to regions primarily controlling vocal behavior acquisition/perception, suggesting that first time breeders need more brain space than experienced breeders to acquire crystallized song and/or acoustically perceive aspects of their environment.
Electrical motor with bulk Y-Ba-Cu-O pellets

The interaction between a magnetic field and a superconducting (SC) bulk sample produces not only levitation forces but also transverse ones. They may be used in an electromagnetic coupling device to transmit a torque or in an electrical motor to produce a torque. The authors have designed and built a disk type motor (vertical axial gap) with a static three-phase armature resistive winding and a rotating part composed of eight YBaCuO pellets immersed in a liquid nitrogen vessel. The SC samples are melt textured using the top seed melt texturing method. The armature winding is fed by a power converter. Then the supplied frequency and the speed of rotation are variable. The motor was tested in different conditions and operated without magnetizing the SC samples. It works in a way as a variable reluctance motor even if the hysteresis behaviour of the SC pellets complicates the operation. Other experiments were carried out magnetizing the SC samples before their use as an inductor. The operation is close then to a permanent magnet motor. The experimental set up and the different tests are reported.
Perceived Discrimination among Latino Immigrants in New Destinations

This article draws on original survey data to assess the prevalence of perceived discrimination among Latin American immigrants to Durham, North Carolina, a “new immigrant destination” in the Southeastern United States. Even though discrimination has a wide-ranging impact on social groups, from blocked opportunities, to adverse health outcomes, to highlighting and reifying intergroup boundaries, research among immigrant Latinos is rare, especially in new destinations. Our theoretical framework and empirical analysis expand social constructivist approaches that view ethnic discrimination as emerging from processes of competition and incorporation. We broaden prior discussions by investigating the specific social forces that give rise to perceived discrimination. In particular, we examine the extent to which perceptions of unequal treatment vary by gender, elaborating on the situational conditions that differentiate discrimination experiences for men and women. We also incorporate dimensions unique to the contemporary Latino immigrant experience, such as legal status, family migration dynamics, and transnationalism.
The use of dashboards in performance management : evidence from sales managers

The purpose of this paper is to identify and empirically examine the key features, purposes, uses, and benefits of performance dashboards. We find that only about a quarter of the sales managers surveyed1 in Finland used a dashboard, which was lower than previously reported. Dashboards were used for four distinct purposes: (i) monitoring, (ii) problem solving, (iii) rationalizing, and (iv) communication and consistency. There was a high correlation between the different uses of dashboards and user productivity indicating that dashboards were perceived as effective tools in performance management, not just for monitoring one‟s own performance but for other purposes including communication. The quality of the data in dashboards did not seem to be a concern (except for completeness) but it was a critical driver regarding its use. This is the first empirical study on performance dashboards in terms of adoption rates, key features, and benefits. The study highlights the research potential and benefits of dashboards, which could be valuable for future researchers and practitioners.
Modulation of the Immune Response to Respiratory Viruses by Vitamin D

Background: Vitamin D deficiency has been shown to be independently associated with increased risk of viral acute respiratory infection (ARI) in a number of observational studies, and meta-analysis of clinical trials of vitamin D supplementation for prevention of ARI has demonstrated protective effects. Several cellular studies have investigated the effects of vitamin D metabolites on immune responses to respiratory viruses, but syntheses of these reports are lacking. Scope: In this article, we review the literature reporting results of in vitro experiments investigating immunomodulatory actions of vitamin D metabolites in human respiratory epithelial cells infected with respiratory viruses. Key findings: Vitamin D metabolites do not consistently influence replication or clearance of rhinovirus, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) or influenza A virus in human respiratory epithelial cell culture, although they do modulate expression and secretion of type 1 interferon, chemokines including CXCL8 and CXCL10 and pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as TNF and IL-6. Future research: More studies are needed to clarify the effects of vitamin D metabolites on respiratory virus-induced expression of cell surface markers mediating viral entry and bacterial adhesion to respiratory epithelial cells.
The role of governments in legislative agenda setting

1. Governments and Legislative Agenda Setting: An Introduction George Tsebelis and Bjorn Erik Rasch 2. Germany: Limited Government Agenda Control and Strong Minority Rights Christoph Honnige and Ulrich Sieberer 3. France: Systematic Institutional Advantage of Government Sylvain Brouard 4. Italy: Government Alternation and Legislative Agenda Setting Francesco Zucchini 5. United Kingdom: Extreme Dominance by the Executive. Most of the Time Mads Qvortrup 6. Hungary: Changing Government Advantages-Challenging a Dominant Executive Gabriella Ilonszki and Krisztina Jager 7. Netherlands: Legislative Agenda Setting and the Politics of Strategic Lock-Ins Arco Timmermans 8. Switzerland: Agenda-Setting Power of Government in a Separation-of-Powers Framework Daniel Schwarz, Andre Bachtiger and Georg Lutz 9. Greece: Government as the Dominant Player Aris Alexopoulos 10 Spain: Majoritarian Choices, Disciplined Party Government and Compliant Legislature Natalia Ajenjo and Ignatio Molina 11. Portugal: Active and Influential Parliament Eugenia da Conceicao-Heldt 12. Russia: The Executive in a Leading Role Iulia Shevchenko and Grigorii Golosov 13. Agenda Control and Veto Rights to Opposition Parties Robert Klemmensen 14. Norway: Institutionally Weak Governments and Parliamentary Voting on Bills Bjorn Erik Rasch 15. Japan: Decades of Partisan Advantages Impending Cabinet's Agenda Setting Power Silke Riemann 16.Conclusion Bjorn Erik Rasch and George Tsebelis
Interstitial cells: involvement in rhythmicity and neural control of gut smooth muscle

Many smooth muscles display spontaneous electrical and mechanical activity, which persists in the absence of any stimulation. In the past this has been attributed largely to the properties of the smooth muscle cells. Now it appears that in several organs, particularly in the gastrointestinal tract, activity in smooth muscles arises from a separate group of cells, known as interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC), which are distributed amongst the smooth muscle cells. Thus in the gastrointestinal tract, a network of interstitial cells, usually located near the myenteric plexus, generates pacemaker potentials that are conducted passively into the adjacent muscle layers where they produce rhythmical membrane potential changes. The mechanical activity of most smooth muscle cells, can be altered by autonomic, or enteric, nerves innervating them. Previously it was thought that neuroeffector transmission occurred simply because neurally released transmitters acted on smooth muscle cells. However, in several, but not all, regions of the gastrointestinal tract, it appears that nerve terminals, rather than communicating directly with smooth muscle cells, preferentially form synapses with ICC and these relay information to neighbouring smooth muscle cells. Thus a set of ICC, which are distributed amongst the smooth muscle cells of the gut, are the targets of transmitters released by intrinsic enteric excitatory and inhibitory nerve terminals: in some regions of the gastrointestinal tract, the same set of ICC also augment the waves of depolarisation generated by pacemaker ICC. Similarly in the urethra, ICC, distributed amongst the smooth muscle cells, generate rhythmic activity and also appear to be the targets of autonomic nerve terminals.
Aneurysm Study of Pipeline in an Observational Registry (ASPIRe).

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE Few prospective studies exist evaluating the safety and efficacy of the Pipeline Embolization Device (PED) in the treatment of intracranial aneurysms. The Aneurysm Study of Pipeline In an observational Registry (ASPIRe) study prospectively analyzed rates of complete aneurysm occlusion and neurologic adverse events following PED treatment of intracranial aneurysms. MATERIALS AND METHODS We performed a multicenter study prospectively evaluating patients with unruptured intracranial aneurysms treated with PED. Primary outcomes included (1) spontaneous rupture of the Pipeline-treated aneurysm; (2) spontaneous nonaneurysmal intracranial hemorrhage (ICH); (3) acute ischemic stroke; (4) parent artery stenosis, and (5) permanent cranial neuropathy. Secondary endpoints were (1) treatment success and (2) morbidity and mortality at the 6-month follow-up. Vascular imaging was evaluated at an independent core laboratory. RESULTS One hundred and ninety-one patients with 207 treated aneurysms were included in this registry. The mean aneurysm size was 14.5 ± 6.9 mm, and the median imaging follow-up was 7.8 months. Twenty-four aneurysms (11.6%) were small, 162 (78.3%) were large and 21 (10.1%) were giant. The median clinical follow-up time was 6.2 months. The neurological morbidity rate was 6.8% (13/191), and the neurological mortality rate was 1.6% (3/191). The combined neurological morbidity/mortality rate was 6.8% (13/191). The most common adverse events were ischemic stroke (4.7%, 9/191) and spontaneous ICH (3.7%, 7/191). The complete occlusion rate at the last follow-up was 74.8% (77/103). CONCLUSIONS Our prospective postmarket study confirms that PED treatment of aneurysms in a heterogeneous patient population is safe with low rates of neurological morbidity and mortality. Patients with angiographic follow-up had complete occlusion rates of 75% at 8 months.
Mapping forest parameters using decision trees and multitemporal Landsat ETM+ data

Forest parameters are mapped using decision trees and Landsat ETM+ data. Reference data consist of forest stand registrations. The mapped parameters are tree species, age groups, wood volume per hectare and productivity classes. Accuracy assessment is carried out using national forest inventory data. The study area for the project is Ostfold County in South Norway.
Mutual Guarantee Associations for Small and Micro‐Entrepreneurs: Lessons Learned from Europe and Africa

Mutual guarantee associations (MGAs) can be a viable solution to the problem of access to credit from banks for those small entrepreneurs who cannot offer sufficient collateral, in particular for artisans. After providing a general description of an MGA, the most successful model in Europe, both in number and in volume of guarantees, is considered and its factors of success are analysed. Findings from Europe as well as from some developing countries are presented. Some applications of the MGA scheme in a few African countries are described and potential ways to improve the current situation of those MGAs are highlighted. An MGA is an association comprised of entrepreneurs who join together to create an organization which establishes a dialogue with banks. The association plays the role of an intermediary between artisans and banks: small- and micro- enterprises (SMEs) join the association to obtain credit from banks and the association negotiates with banks to secure loans for its members. Successful MGAs strengthen private initiatives and SMEs, which is widely regarded as a key ingredient to development and poverty-alleviation in most countries. They may become strong entities which can deal with banks on an equal level, helping SMEs gain access to credit that is normally unavailable.
A comprehensible guide to a new unifier for CIC including universe polymorphism and overloading*

Abstract Unification is a core component of every proof assistant or programming language featuring dependent types. In many cases, it must deal with higher order problems up to conversion. Since unification in such conditions is undecidable, unification algorithms may include several heuristics to solve common problems. However, when the stack of heuristics grows large, the result and complexity of the algorithm can become unpredictable. Our contributions are twofold: (1) We present a full description of a new unification algorithm for the Calculus of Inductive Constructions (the base logic of COQ), building it up from a basic calculus to the full Calculus of Inductive Constructions as it is implemented in COQ, including universe polymorphism, canonical structures (the overloading mechanism baked into COQ's unification), and a small set of useful heuristics. (2) We implemented our algorithm, and tested it on several libraries, providing evidence that the selected set of heuristics suffices for large developments.
High School Preparation and Early Labor Force Experience

The relationship between high school training and work experience on the one hand and early labor force experience on the other are analyzed in the paper. In addition, the extent and nature of the persistence of early labor force experience is evaluated. The study is based on data for male youths from the National Longitudinal Study of the High School Class of 1972. While there appears to be no relationship between job-related training in high school and post-graduation weeks worked or wage rates, there is a strong relationship between hours worked while in high school and both weeks worked and wage rates in the first four years after graduation. High school class rank and test scores also are positively related to early weeks worked and wage rates in the labor force. It is also found that after controlling for individual specific characteristics of youth, there is little relationship between weeks worked in the first year after high school graduation and weeks worked four years later. And there is almost no relationship between initial wage rates and wage rates four years later, other than those attributable to measured and unmeasured individual specific characteristics. There is little persistence of early experience that cannot be attributed to heterogeneity among youth. There is, however, an effect of early work experience on later wage rates, although it is of modest magnitude in this sample of high school graduates.
Sequential Extraction of Fuzzy Regression Models: Least Squares and Least absolute Deviations

Fuzzy c-regression models are known to be useful in real applications, but there are two drawbacks: strong dependency on the predefined number of clusters and sensitiveness against outliers or noises. To avoid these drawbacks, we propose sequential fuzzy regression models based on least absolute deviations which we call SFCRMLAD. This algorithm sequentially extracts one cluster at a time using a method of noise-detection, enabling the automatic determination of clusters and having robustness to noises. We compare this method with the ordinary fuzzy c-regression models based on least squares, fuzzy c-regression models based on least absolute deviations, and moreover sequential fuzzy regression models based on least squares. For this purpose we use a two-dimensional illustrative example whereby characteristics of the four methods are made clear. Moreover a simpler and more efficient algorithm of SFCRMLAD can be used for scalar input and output variables, while a general algorithm of SFCRMLAD uses linear programming solutions for multivariable input. By using the above example, we compare efficiency of different algorithms.
Phasing into Retirement

To help workers navigate the transition from work to retirement more effectively, employers have been launching phased retirement programs, which allow older employees to work part-time and receive full retirement benefits. This paper examines the experience of the phased retirement system for tenured faculty in the University of North Carolina system over the years 1996–98. After phased retirement was introduced, there was a sizable increase in the overall separation rate in the system. The key finding from an empirical analysis of the retirement decision as a function of pension incentives, employee performance, demographics, and campus characteristics is that the odds of entering phased retirement were strongly and inversely related to employee performance, as measured by recent pay increases.
A Note on a Unified Approach to the Frontier Production Function Models With Correlated Non-Normal Error Components: The Case of Cross Section Data

This paper reviews the Stochastic Frontier Production Function (SFPF) Models with error components, termed as technical inefficiency error and noise variable in a cross section framework. It tries to unify all such models incorporating (i) truncation or non-normality of the technical inefficiency error term and (ii) correlation between the two error components. Allocative inefficiency error terms are also introduced and are assumed to be correlated among themselves. JEL Classification: C10
Measurement of losses in five piezoelectric ceramics between 2 and 50 MHz

Approximate formulas including losses to predict the electrical impedance of a thin unloaded piezoelectric plate around antiresonant frequencies of the thickness modes have been derived. To do so, a total loss factor is defined that includes both mechanical and electrical losses. Complex electrical impedance measurements on a lead metaniobate and four PZT-type materials between 2 and 50 MHz have been performed. The total loss factors were deduced from both the peak real impedance and from the -6 dB bandwidth of the real impedance peak. Results for fundamental and harmonic thickness modes on thin plates are discussed and the five materials are compared. It is found that for these piezoceramics the total loss factor is well approximated by a linear function of frequency. Finally, a frequency-dependent loss factor is included in the KLM equivalent circuit and it is shown that the theoretical impedance curves obtained with this model are in good agreement with measurements. <<ETX>>
Single-molecule measurements of synthesis by DNA polymerase with base-pair resolution

The catalytic mechanism of DNA polymerases involves multiple steps that precede and follow the transfer of a nucleotide to the 3′-hydroxyl of the growing DNA chain. Here we report a single-molecule approach to monitor the movement of E. coli DNA polymerase I (Klenow fragment) on a DNA template during DNA synthesis with single base-pair resolution. As each nucleotide is incorporated, the single-molecule Förster resonance energy transfer intensity drops in discrete steps to values consistent with single-nucleotide incorporations. Purines and pyrimidines are incorporated with comparable rates. A mismatched primer/template junction exhibits dynamics consistent with the primer moving into the exonuclease domain, which was used to determine the fraction of primer-termini bound to the exonuclease and polymerase sites. Most interestingly, we observe a structural change after the incorporation of a correctly paired nucleotide, consistent with transient movement of the polymerase past the preinsertion site or a conformational change in the polymerase. This may represent a previously unobserved step in the mechanism of DNA synthesis that could be part of the proofreading process.
Investigating the Facebook Applications and Their Impact on Customer Loyalty in the Turkish Mobile Telecommunication Industry

The competition in the mobile telecommunication industry has intensified with the removal of obstacles tonumber portability among mobile service providers (GSM operators). Thus, the operators in the industry furtherincrease their investments in loyalty programs and seek to effectively reach both current and potential customersby participating in social media tools which are intensely used by those customers. One of the social media toolsmostly used by today's customers is Facebook. Firms can create contents that contain various messages anddevelop various applications (apps) via Facebook. The aim of this study is to investigate the applicationsdeveloped by the firms of the mobile telecommunication industry via their Facebook pages and to test the effectof these applications on customer loyalty. In this regard, a survey based empirical research was conducted on thesubscribers of GSM operators in Turkey who followed the official Facebook pages of these operators. Thefindings indicated that Facebook applications of mobile service providers had a significant influence oncustomer loyalty. The study also revealed that the most exploratory dimensions of Facebook applications werecustomer relations applications and informative applications.
The Mexican Oil Boom: 1977-1985

The Mexican oil boom was characterized by a period of high investment, followed by capital flight. The private sector and households responded to the 1977-1981 windfall by attaining high savings rates. On the other hand, the Mexican government, the proprietor of the state oil company and the principal beneficiary of the oil boom, used windfall revenues to finance unsustainable spending and even engage in dissaving. These policies produced macroeconomic dislocations that made Mexico highly vulnerable to the inevitable external shocks.