Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
In vivo and in vitro changes in neurochemical parameters related to mercury concentrations from specific brain regions of polar bears (Ursus maritimus)

Mercury (Hg) has been detected in polar bear brain tissue, but its biological effects are not well known. Relationships between Hg concentrations and neurochemical enzyme activities and receptor binding were assessed in the cerebellum, frontal lobes, and occipital lobes of 24 polar bears collected from Nunavik (Northern Quebec), Canada. The concentration–response relationship was further studied with in vitro experiments using pooled brain homogenate of 12 randomly chosen bears. In environmentally exposed brain samples, there was no correlative relationship between Hg concentration and cholinesterase (ChE) activity or muscarinic acetylcholine receptor (mAChR) binding in any of the 3 brain regions. Monoamine oxidase (MAO) activity in the occipital lobe showed a negative correlative relationship with total Hg concentration. In vitro experiments, however, demonstrated that Hg (mercuric chloride and methylmercury chloride) can inhibit ChE and MAO activities and muscarinic mAChR binding. These results show that Hg can alter neurobiochemical parameters but the current environmental Hg exposure level does have an effect on the neurochemistry of polar bears from northern Canada. Environ Toxicol Chem 2014;33:2463–2471. © 2014 SETAC
Increased milk production versus reproductive and energy status of high producing dairy cows.

Two groups of 10 Holstein cows were chosen by pairs from a 20-yr genetic selection project that used either breed average or breed high sires chosen only for Predicted Differences in milk production. Milk production (305-d mature equivalent) was 10,814 kg and 6912 kg for the high and average groups of cows. Days to first visual estrus and number of ovulations before first visual estrus were greater for the high versus the average group (66 vs. 43 d and 1.6 vs. .7 ovulations). No differences were significant between groups for the interval from parturition to uterine involution or for days to first ovulation. Energy balance was less for the high group during wk 1, 2, 10, and 11. Plasma glucose concentration was lowest during wk 2 for both groups, and nonesterified fatty acids and beta-hydroxybutyrate were greatest for both groups during wk 1 and 2. Liver glycogen content was lower at d 15 postpartum for the high group, and liver triglyceride content was greater on d 30 for the high group. The data for reproductive functions support the concept that high milk production is antagonistic to expression of estrous behavior but not to reactivation of ovarian function.
Dark-Square-Pulse Generation in a Ring Cavity With a Tellurite Single-Mode Fiber

We demonstrate the generation of dark square pulses in a ring cavity with a 207-m long tellurite single-mode fiber. The duration of the pulse is tuned by adjusting the linear phase delay bias in the cavity. We obtain the dark-square pulse with a maximum full width at half maximum of 112 ns. The dark pulse is formed by the combined actions of the bright-square-pulse generation, birefringence, and polarizing effect in the cavity. The tellurite fiber can simultaneously provide the high nonlinearity, high birefringence, and large normal dispersion, which dominate the formation of a dark pulse in the cavity.
Arrestin-Rhodopsin Binding Stoichiometry in Isolated Rod Outer Segment Membranes Depends on the Percentage of Activated Receptors*♦

In the rod cell of the retina, arrestin is responsible for blocking signaling of the G-protein-coupled receptor rhodopsin. The general visual signal transduction model implies that arrestin must be able to interact with a single light-activated, phosphorylated rhodopsin molecule (Rho*P), as would be generated at physiologically relevant low light levels. However, the elongated bi-lobed structure of arrestin suggests that it might be able to accommodate two rhodopsin molecules. In this study, we directly addressed the question of binding stoichiometry by quantifying arrestin binding to Rho*P in isolated rod outer segment membranes. We manipulated the “photoactivation density,” i.e. the percentage of active receptors in the membrane, with the use of a light flash or by partially regenerating membranes containing phosphorylated opsin with 11-cis-retinal. Curiously, we found that the apparent arrestin-Rho*P binding stoichiometry was linearly dependent on the photoactivation density, with one-to-one binding at low photoactivation density and one-to-two binding at high photoactivation density. We also observed that, irrespective of the photoactivation density, a single arrestin molecule was able to stabilize the active metarhodopsin II conformation of only a single Rho*P. We hypothesize that, although arrestin requires at least a single Rho*P to bind the membrane, a single arrestin can actually interact with a pair of receptors. The ability of arrestin to interact with heterogeneous receptor pairs composed of two different photo-intermediate states would be well suited to the rod cell, which functions at low light intensity but is routinely exposed to several orders of magnitude more light.
Cooperative activation of transcription by bovine papillomavirus type 1 E2 can occur over a large distance

The viral transcriptional factors encoded by the E2 open reading frame bind to the specific DNA sequence elements ACCGNNNNCGGT, allowing activation or repression of transcription. We have analyzed bovine papillomavirus type 1 E2 transactivation using recombinant genes containing E2-binding sites inserted at either 3' or 5' positions relative to the heterologous transcriptional initiation site of the herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase gene. In these hybrid plasmids, strong transactivation required the presence of a minimum of two E2-binding sites in close proximity to the promoter or five binding sites at a distance. The presence of a single E2-binding motif 5', close to the initiation site, increased the efficiency of E2 transactivation from a distance in a more-than-additive manner. Since each E2-binding site bound a dimer of the E2 protein, these experiments suggest that transactivation by E2 requires the interaction between several E2 dimers with other essential transcription factors. This interaction may be facilitated by DNA looping, which would bring E2 molecules close to the promoter.
Do households use remittances to smooth consumption

This paper explores the migration-development link by asking whether remittances are used to smooth consumption in rural Mexico. We construct a panel from rural household surveys collected by the Mexican government as part of its conditional cash transfer program, Oportunidades. The sample is restricted to those households that have a migrant in any of the survey years (1997-2000), leaving approximately 32 thousand household-years for our analysis. As there is considerable variation in whether the housholds receive remittances given migration, we estimate a sample selection logit and calculate the inverse mills ratio for the probability that a household receives remittances in each survey year. We then use an instrumental variables approach to es.
Nd:YAG and Er:YAG wavelengths used as a therapeutic tool in periodontal disease

Laser treatment is expected to serve as an alternative or adjunctive to conventional mechanical periodontal treatment. Currently there are different types of lasers available, which possess characteristics suitable for dental treatment, due to its dual ability to ablate soft and hard tissues with minimal damage. In addition, their bactericidal effect with elimination of lipopolysaccharide, ability to remove bacterial plaque and calculus, irradiation effect limited to an ultra-thin layer of tissue, faster bone and soft tissue repair, make laser to be a promising tool for periodontal treatment, including scaling and root surface debridement. Hereof arise that laser therapy, or laser-assisted periodontal therapy, may be promising new approaches in periodontics. The application of Nd:YAG wavelength has been recommended for bacterial elimination, as well as for soft tissue debridement within periodontal pockets as an adjunct in nonsurgical pocket therapy, in combination with mechanical instrumentation. The Er:YAG laser hold the most promise and might be a potential approach to provide comprehensive treatment for both soft and hard tissues within periodontal pockets. The Er:YAG laser has also been shown to be effective for a broad range of biological responses that are suitable for treating a variety of periodontal conditions, such as ablation, microbial inhibition and destruction, cell stimulation, as well as modulation of metabolic activity As understanding of the nature of laser light develops, lasers will be used more effectively in the treatment of periodontal diseases. Laser systems, applying the ablation effect of light energy, which is completely different from conventional mechanical debridement, may emerge as a new technical modality for nonsurgical periodontal therapy in the near future.
A Survey of Users of Corporate Planning Models

Why are over 2,000 corporations either using, developing, or planning to develop some form of corporate simulation model? What types of companies are using corporate planning models? How are they being used? Which resources are required? These are among the questions which were raised in a recent survey of 346 companies whose results are summarized in this paper. The paper also examines the costs and benefits to be derived from using corporate simulation models. Finally, drawing on the survey results, the authors speculate on future developments in the field of corporate modeling.
INFLATION DYNAMICS ON THE OVERALL STOCK MARKET PERFORMANCE: The Case of Nairobi Securities Exchange in Kenya.

This study investigated the impact of inflation, Central Depository System (CDS) and other macroeconomic variables (including deposit rate, gross domestic product terms of trade and the net effective exchange rate) on the Nairobi stock market performance using quarterly data from the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) and the Nairobi Stock Exchange (NSE) for the period December 1998 to June 2010. Unit root test based on the formal ADF test procedure reveals that the set of variables is a I(1) process while the Johansen-Juselius VAR based cointegration test procedure reveals more than 4 cointegrating relationships. Consequently, an error correction model was estimated revealing that 27 percent of the departure from equilibrium is cleared quarterly. The cointegrating model indeed shows that there is a negative relationship between inflation and stock market performance in Kenya. In addition the CDS is shown to have a positive and significant impact on the stock market performance.
House price diffusion and inter‐regional and cross‐border house price dynamics

This paper examines house price diffusion with the Republic of Ireland and between the Republic and Northern Ireland. The results show that a large degree of diffusion takes place, particularly from Dublin to the other regions, in a manner that is similar and consistent with the UK ripple effect. The results would also support previous evidence that the boom in the Irish housing market in the late 1990s was more evident and led by movements in the Dublin market. Evidence of the importance of contiguous and non‐contiguous areas is also evident beyond the Dublin effect. The results would also appear to support the view that the Northern Irish market is more linked with the housing market in the Republic than with the rest of the UK.
An Almost Practical Step Toward Sustainability

You may be relieved to know that this talk will not be a harangue about the intrinsic incompatibility of economic growth and concern for the natural environment. Nor will it be a plea for the strict conservation of nonrenewable resources, even if that were to mean dramatic reductions in production and consumption. On the other hand, neither will you hear mindless wish fulfillment about how ingenuity and enterprise can be counted on to save us from the consequences of consuming too much and preserving too little, as they have always done in the past. Actually, the argument I want to make seems to be particularly appropriate on the occasion of the fortieth anniversary of Resources for the Future; it is precisely about resources for the future. And it is even more appropriate for a research organization: I hope to show how some fairly interesting pure economic theory can offer a hint though only a hint about a possible improvement in the way we talk about and think about our economy in relation to its endowment of natural resources. The theoretical insight that I will present suggests a potentially important line of empirical research and a possible guideline for long-term economic policy. Then I will make a naive leap and suggest that, if we talked about the economy in a more sensible and accurate way, we might actually be better able to conduct a rational policy in practice with respect to natural and environmental resources. That is probably foolishness, but I hope you will find it a disarming sort of foolishness.
Predicting Individual Analyst Earnings Forecasts

In this study I propose and test a model that predicts individual analyst forecasts of corporate earnings per share (EPS) using the change in the mean consensus forecast of other analysts since the date of the analyst's current outstanding forecast; the deviation of the analyst's current forecast from the consensus forecast; and cumulative stock returns since the date of the analyst's current forecast. I find that these three variables explain about 38% of the variability in analyst forecast revisions. While there is evidence of a relation between changes in earnings expectations and price changes, virtually all of the explanatory power of my model arises from other analyst forecasts. Section 2 describes the data bases used and the sample selection process. Section 3 presents the model and method for predicting individual analyst forecasts. Section 4 reports the bias and accuracy of the predicted forecasts. Conclusions are in section 5.
Spatial Mobility, Tenure Mobility, and Emerging Social Divisions in the UK Housing Market

The aim in this paper is to contribute to current debates on emerging social divisions in the British housing market. Debates on the residualisation of council housing, differentiation within homeownership, and housing tenure polarisation are discussed. A particular concern is the development of a more processual account of the shaping of housing histories of different groups at different points in the income and social structure and the linking of debates within housing to broader accounts of the changing structure of British society.
Selection Correction and Sensitivity Analysis for Ordered Treatment Effect on Count Response

In estimating the effect of an ordered treatment τ on a count response y with an observational data where τ is self-selected (not randomized), observed variables x and unobserved variables e can be unbalanced across the control group (τ = 0) and the treatment groups (τ = 1, …, J). While the imbalance in x causes ‘overt bias’ which can be removed by controlling for x, the imbalance in e causes ‘covert (hidden or selection) bias’ which cannot be easily removed. This paper makes three contributions. First, a proper counter-factual causal framework for ordered treatment effect on count response is set up. Second, with no plausible instrument available for τ, a selection correction approach is proposed for the hidden bias. Third, a nonparametric sensitivity analysis is proposed where the treatment effect is nonparametrically estimated under no hidden bias first, and then a sensitivity analysis is conducted to see how sensitive the nonparametric estimate is to the assumption of no hidden bias. The analytic framework is applied to data from the Health and Retirement Study: the treatment is ordered exercise levels in five categories and the response is doctor office visits per year. The selection correction approach yields very large effects, which are however ruled out by the nonparametric sensitivity analysis. This finding suggests a good deal of caution in using selection correction approaches. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Connections between the deutocerebrum and the protocerebrum, and neuroanatomy of several classes of deutocerebral projection neurons in the brain of male Periplaneta americana

The topography and neuroanatomy of fibers connecting the deutocerebrum to the protocerebrum in the brain of the American cockroach Periplaneta americana were investigated by staining single or multiple deutocerebral neurons with cobalt, Lucifer Yellow, or biocytin. Five tracts are distinguished on the basis of their routes from origins in the antennal lobe to the protocerebral neuropil: the inner antenno‐cerebral tract (IACT); antenno‐cerebral tracts II, III, and IV (ACT II, III, IV), and the outer antenno‐cereral tract (OACT). These tracts are largely composed of the axons of four classes of deutocerebral projection neurons, which have been identified morphologically; the neuronal arborizations in the glomeruli of the antennal lobe and in the protocerebral projection regions have been examined. Projection neurons with processes in the inner antenno‐cerebral tract and in the antenno‐cerebral tract II each innervate a single glomerulus in the antennal lobe, and both types have terminals in the calyces of the mushroom bodies and in the lateral lobe of the protocerebrum. The axons of pheromone‐sensitive projection neurons with dendritic trees in the male‐specific macroglomerulus seem to run exclusively in the inner antenno‐cerebral tract. Subgroups of these pheromone sensitive neurons differ in relative sensitivity to the two female attractant components as well as in the arborization pattern of their dendrites in the macroglomerulus. The projection neurons of two other classes each innervate many glomeruli in the antennal lobe, those of one class sending their axons into the protocerebrum in the antenno‐cerebral tract IV and the other, in the outer antenno‐cerebral tract. The neurons of antenno‐cerebral tract IV innervate not only the mushroom body calyces and the lateral lobe but also neuropil regions not previously described in the cockroach. Neurons with axons in the outer antenno‐cerebral tract have no terminals in the calyces but innervate the lateral lobe and the neuropil surrounding the tract.
Quantifying the Waddington landscape and biological paths for development and differentiation

We developed a theoretical framework to prove the existence and quantify the Waddington landscape as well as chreode-biological paths for development and differentiation. The cells can have states with the higher probability ones giving the different cell types. Different cell types correspond to different basins of attractions of the probability landscape. We study how the cells develop from undifferentiated cells to differentiated cells from landscape perspectives. We quantified the Waddington landscape through construction of underlying probability landscape for cell development. We show the developmental process proceeds as moving from undifferentiated to the differentiated basins of attractions. The barrier height of the basins of attractions correlates with the escape time that determines the stability of cell types. We show that the developmental process can be quantitatively described and uncovered by the biological paths on the quantified Waddington landscape from undifferentiated to the differentiated cells. We found the dynamics of the developmental process is controlled by a combination of the gradient and curl force on the landscape. The biological paths often do not follow the steepest descent path on the landscape. The landscape framework also quantifies the possibility of reverse differentiation process such as cell reprogramming from differentiated cells back to the original stem cell. We show that the biological path of reverse differentiation is irreversible and different from the one for differentiation process. We found that the developmental process described by the underlying landscape and the associated biological paths is relatively stable and robust against the influences of environmental perturbations.
Early Achievement Impacts of The Harlem Success Academy Charter School in New York City

Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania conducted two external analyses of the performance of Harlem Success Academy Charter School (HSA) 2008-9 3 graders on the New York State Test in English language arts (ELA) and mathematics. The first analysis was based on a comparison of the performance of 2006-7 first graders (who became the 2008-9 3 graders) who were chosen through a random selection lottery process to attend HSA, and remained in HSA through the 3 grade, relative to those who were not admitted by lottery to attend HSA and remained in New York City public schools. The second analysis compared the same HSA 3 graders to 3 graders in geographically proximate and demographically comparable New York City public schools. Student results were compared separately for ELA and mathematics using ordinary least squares regression and controlling for student gender, age, and special education status. The results indicated that HSA 3 graders performed statistically significantly better than did either the randomized comparison group or the students in the demographically similar schools. More specifically, attendance at HSA was associated with 34-59 additional scale score points (depending on test subject) for non-special education students, after adjusting for differences in student demographic characteristics. Described another way, these results represent between 13-19 percent higher test performance associated with attending Harlem Success Academy.
Malpractice Experience and the Incidence of Cesarean Delivery: A Physician-Level Longitudinal Analysis

This study examines the influence of malpractice claims on the practice behavior of a panel of obstetricians in Florida during the period 1992–1995 to determine whether physicians respond to malpractice events by performing more cesareans, consistent with the notion that cesarean sections are employed as “defensive medicine. ” Findings indicate that clinical events resulting in claims that lead to substantial indemnity payments have a significant, modest effect on physician practice behavior: physicians experiencing those claims increase their risk-adjusted cesarean rates by about one percentage point. Malpractice experience does not appear to affect patient mix, but claims with large payouts may affect patient volume.