Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Genetically correlated effects of selective breeding for high and low methamphetamine consumption

Improved prevention and treatment of drug addiction will require deeper understanding of genetic factors contributing to susceptibility to excessive drug use. Intravenous operant self‐administration methods have greatly advanced understanding of behavioral traits related to addiction. However, these methods are not suitable for large‐scale genetic experiments in mice. Selective breeding of mice can aggregate ‘addiction alleles' in a model that has the potential to identify coordinated effects of multiple genes. We produced mouse lines that orally self‐administer high (MAHDR) or low (MALDR) amounts of methamphetamine, representing the first demonstration of selective breeding for self‐administration of any psychostimulant drug. Conditioned place preference and taste aversion results indicate that MAHDR mice are relatively more sensitive to the rewarding effects and less sensitive to the aversive effects of methamphetamine, compared to MALDR mice. These results validate the oral route of self‐administration for investigation of the motivational effects of methamphetamine and provide a viable alternative to intravenous self‐administration procedures. Gene expression results for a subset of genes relevant to addiction‐related processes suggest differential regulation by methamphetamine of apoptosis and immune pathways in the nucleus accumbens of MAHDR and MALDR mice. In each line, methamphetamine reduced an allostatic state by bringing gene expression back toward ‘normal’ levels. Genes differentially expressed in the drug‐naï ve state, including Slc6a4 (serotonin transporter), Htr3a (serotonin receptor 3A), Rela [nuclear factor κB (NFκB)] and Fos (cFos), represent candidates whose expression levels may predict methamphetamine consumption and susceptibility to methamphetamine reward and aversion.
Reproduction of porcine proliferative enteropathy with pure cultures of ileal symbiont intracellularis

Porcine proliferative enteropathy is consistently associated with the presence of intracellular curved bacteria in epithelial cells in affected portions of intestine. Two strains of these intracellular bacteria were cultured in a cell culture system with rat enterocytes (IEC-18) and passaged several times and used as oral inocula for 14 gnotobiotic and 8 conventional pigs. DNA and immunological studies had identified these bacteria as belonging to a new taxon, Ileal symbiont (IS) intracellularis. Conventional pigs dosed with approximately 3.7 x 10(6) of these organisms passaged six times in cell culture developed severe lesions of proliferative enteropathy in the ileum. Other conventional pigs dosed with a lower titer or with organisms passaged 13 times developed moderate and minor lesions, respectively. All gnotobiotic pigs dosed with organisms failed to develop lesions. Control pigs, eight conventional and two gnotobiotic, dosed with diluent, uninfected cell material or left undosed failed to develop lesions also. Reisolation of IS intracellularis and demonstration of the organism in mucosal and fecal samples only occurred in conventional pigs dosed with organisms. Gnotobiotic pigs lacking a normal intestinal flora have not been shown to be colonized by the organism. Seroconversion to IS intracellularis or mucosal infiltration by inflammatory cells was not observed in experimentally affected pigs, confirming the weak immune response characteristic of the natural disease. These results support the identification of IS intracellularis as an etiological agent of proliferative enteropathy in pigs.
Does distance matter for determining regional income in the European Union? An approach through the market potential concept

This paper focuses on the relationship between market potential and income for the European Union (EU) regions over the period 1982–1999. It is proved that closeness to large consumer markets or in other words, market potential, is an important explanatory variable for regional income in the early 1980s, but it has decreased its significance in determining EU regions income in the 1990s. Thus dynamic income regions have also emerged in the EU periphery, and need not necessarily be close to rich regions.
Approaches of Portuguese companies for relating customer satisfaction with business results

Many advances, theoretical developments and discussions can be found in recent literature regarding important concepts such as customer value, loyalty and satisfaction, on one hand, and on ways of setting goals and measuring business results, on the other hand. The main goal of this study was to analyse and integrate the above concepts from a practical point of view in order to get a better understanding about them, their mutual relationships and how they are applied in Portugal. To achieve such a goal, visits and interviews based upon a written survey (combining closed and openended questions) were carried out on site at the companies selected for the final evaluation phase in the 1994 edition of the Portuguese Quality Award (PEX). Then, we concentrated on one particular company (PEX winner) where additional visits, contacts and data collection steps took place. The results obtained show that there is quite a large gap between available models and current company practices in this field, although enterprises believe that more sound and structured approaches may indeed be tested and applied in the future. Therefore, it seems to be the case that there is a favourable environment for acceptance and applications of the European Customer Satisfaction Index or similar frameworks.
Risk Attitudes (Actitudes Hacia El Riesgo)

This is a course material from the book Managerial Decision Making Under Risk and Uncertainty. The book is originally in Spanish and is untitled as Decisiones empresariales bajo riesgo e incertidumbre. The level of the book is basic. We use very few mathematics and it is expected to be used by managers. In this fifth chapter we deal with the attitudes toward risk. We present the classical cardinal utility theory and illustrate the three well know cases of attitudes toward risk: averse toward risk, indifferent toward risk and propense toward risk. We also present the concept of certainty equivalent. We mention the limitations of the cardinal utility theory. We include a short reference to the prospect theory by Kahneman and Tversky. We illustrate the concept of risk aversion with a real life lottery example.
The Trader Interaction Effect on the Impact of Overconfidence on Trading Performance

This article extends previous research on how overconfidence affects trading performance in two ways. First, we examine whether the degree of impact is different between an electronic trading market (as in a stock market) and an open outcry environment (as in a futures market). Second, we examine the impact of overconfidence from the perspective of miscalibration, market confidence, the better than average effect, and risk attitudes. The significant findings (5%) indicate that higher overconfidence leads to poorer trading performance generally. However, the degree of impact is higher in an open outcry environment, where there are visual, verbal, and emotional interactions between traders, than in an electronic trading environment, where a trader operates primarily in an isolated setting. Likewise, the traders who choose to trade in an open outcry environment are generally more overconfident than those who trade in a more isolated setting. The contribution of our study is therefore to highlight the importance of interactions between traders in the studies of overconfidence on trading performance. Our findings are based on the trading performance of a sample of 159 tertiary students in a simulated trading environment over six weeks.
The Market Valuation of Earnings and Real Growth

ince John Burr Williams [1938] wrote “let us define the investment value of a stock as the present worth of all the dividends to be paid upon it,” investment analysts have searched for new models to estimate values for common stocks. This list of models is long, and while each has its own special twist or turn, for the most part they all base value in one way or another on the present value of expected future earnings, dividends, or cash flows. Back in 1961, Miller and Modigliani demonstrated theoretically that all models, regardless of whether they discount expected earnings, dividends, cash flows, or investment opportunities, are essentially equivalent. In practice, however, a security analyst may have reasons for preferring one model over another. The dividend-based models have theoretical appeal and are a primary valuation tool for analysts. Although a number of studies have shown the usefulness of dwidend discount models, their major drawback is that they require an estimate of future dividends (see Sorensen and Wilhamson [1985] and Rozeff [1990]). While estimating future dividends by projecting past growth rates is feasible for stocks with a hstory of stable dividends and growth, estimation becomes increasingly difficult for companies with varying growth rates or irregular dividend payouts. In such cases, earnings-based valuation approaches may be more useful. Some analysts even feel that earnings growth is more important than dividend growth (Raghavan [1993]). In this article, we derive an earnings-based valuation model, develop a method for estimating the growth rate in the model, and apply the model to current earnings on the Standard & Poor’s 500 index to estimate its value. We show that the real growth rate of an index representing the entire stock market (such as the S&P 500) is closely related to real economic growth. Finally, we demonstrate that the earnings valuation model compares favorably to the dividend discount model in its ability to value the S&P 500. Because the model should not be limited to valuing a market index such as the S&P 500, analysts should also be able to use the model with earnings of an individual firm to estimate the value of the firm’s stock.
Effect of shipping and chromium supplementation on performance, immune response, and disease resistance of steers.

Forty-eight Angus crossbred steers (263 +/- 2 kg initial BW) were blocked by weight and randomly assigned within weight group to treatment. Treatments consisted of control or . 4 mg of supplemental Cr as Cr-nicotinic acid complex/kg of DM. Steers were fed diets containing 90% corn silage (DM basis) and 10% of a soybean meal-mineral-vitamin supplement. After 56 d on the dietary treatment, half of the steers in each treatment were transported 343 km and unloaded in an unfamiliar location. The next day, d 58, shipped steers were returned to the feedlot (50 km). On d 58 after shipped steers were returned to the feedlot, all steers were inoculated with infectious bovine rhinotracheitis virus (IBRV) intranasally. Average daily gain from d 0 to 80 was increased (P < .10) by supplemental Cr. There was a shipping x time interaction for serum cortisol concentrations. Shipping increased (P < .02) serum cortisol on d 58, but 7 d after transport there were no effects of shipping on serum cortisol. Transportation increased (P < .05) the ratio of neutrophils to lymphocytes. Supplemental Cr did not affect rectal temperature after the IBRV challenge or the antibody response to IBRV or porcine red blood cells. Immunoglobulin G antibody response to porcine red blood cells was decreased (P < .09) by shipping. Supplemental Cr as Cr-nicotinic acid improved ADG of growing steers, regardless of whether they had been stressed by shipping. Supplemental Cr did not affect any of the immune responses that were measured.
Towards Algorithmic Typing for DOT

The Dependent Object Types (DOT) calculus formalizes key features of Scala. The D<: calculus is the core of DOT. To date, presentations of D<: have used declarative typing and subtyping rules, as opposed to algorithmic. Unfortunately, algorithmic typing for full D<: is known to be an undecidable problem. We explore the design space for a restricted version of D<: that has decidable typechecking. Even in this simplified D<:, algorithmic typing and subtyping are tricky, due to the “bad bounds" problem. The Scala compiler bypasses bad bounds at the cost of a loss in expressiveness in its type system. Based on the approach taken in the Scala compiler, we present the Step Typing and Step Subtyping relations for D<:. We prove these relations sound and decidable. They are not complete with respect to the original D<: rules.
The ovarian insulin-like growth factor system.

The growth and development of the ovarian follicle entails a co-ordinated process of cell replication and differentiation during which the number of granulosa cells lining the follicle may increase dramatically and daughter cells emerge with a different complement of hormone receptors and steroidogenic enzymes. During the reproductive life of mammals these events are clearly entrained to the pituitary signals of the reproductive cycle. However, few follicles exposed to these signals reach the stage of ovulation. These physiological facts required ovarian physiologists to invoke autocrine or paracrine mechanisms long before these terms were developed and popularized. The definition of these mechanisms has emerged as one of the dominant topics in ovarian research in the past decade. Numerous putative intraovarian regulators have been identified by these efforts. Among these, the ovarian growth factors have probably received the most attention. Peptide growth factors of several classes, e.g. insulin-like growth factors (IGFs), the epidermal growth factor (EGF)/transforming growth factor (TGF)-a family, TGF-13, fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) and the cytokines, interleukin-1 and tumour necrosis factor, have been found in the ovary and shown to be active on ovarian cells (reviewed by Hammond et al., 1988b; Adashi, 1989). Amongst the several classes of growth factors, data on the IGFs are the most comprehensive. In addition, the IGFs are the main focus of our own research efforts. Accordingly, we will concentrate on this system and on our own data in this review.
An Exploration of Cross-Cultural Destination Image Assessment

The propensity of destinations to use the same visuals to lure tourists to their destinations, and the variety of cultures represented by target market countries, heightens the issue of meaning plurality in destination image perception. This article proffers multidimensional scaling analyses as a technique for examining cross-cultural image perception and provides an example to illustrate how the number and interpretation of image dimensions may differ between two cultures.
Obstructive sleep apnoea and the risk of type 2 diabetes: A meta‐analysis of prospective cohort studies

Background and objective: There has been increasing recognition that obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is associated with incident type 2 diabetes. The aim of this study was to assess the association between the severity of OSA and the risk of type 2 diabetes by performing a meta‐analysis of all available prospective cohort studies.
‘Types’ of private family firms: an exploratory conceptual and empirical analysis

Family firms that can leverage entrepreneurial experience and knowledge can shape local economic development. Practitioners concerned with fostering enterprise sustainability need to be aware that family firms cite contrasting goals, resource profiles and requirements. Family firms are not a homogeneous entity. The ‘targeting’ of support to ‘types’ of family firms could enable practitioners to satisfy their wealth creation and social inclusion objectives. To stimulate increased critical reflection, insights from agency and stewardship theories were drawn upon to illustrate six conceptualized ‘types’ of private firms based on company ownership and management structures as well as company objectives. Cross-sectional survey evidence was gathered from key informants in family firms in the UK. An agglomerative hierarchical QUICK CLUSTER analysis identified seven empirical ‘types’ of family firms. Four out of the six conceptualized ‘types’ were validated by the exploratory empirical taxonomy. Implications for policy-makers and practitioners as well as researchers are discussed.
The Use of Data Mining Techniques in Crime Trend Analysis and Offender Profiling

The aim of this project is to ascertain whether the data in existing Police recording systems can be used by existing mature data mining techniques in an efficient manner to achieve results that are more accurate than those achieved by Police specialists when analysing crime. The Police Service has no formalised methodology of recording and analysing crime data and it is incumbent on each Force to train and develop appropriate personnel to provide operational analysis. Police data is inconsistent and, frequently, incomplete making the task of formal analysis far more difficult and current analytical practices are semi-manual and time consuming producing results of limited accuracy. These analytical processes would benefit from using data mining techniques within a structured approach as discussed within this thesis. The usage of supervised and unsupervised learning techniques within a structured methodology to mining Police data is evaluated. The research demonstrates that data mining techniques can be successfully used in operational policing. High volume crimes such as burglary that have been committed by one or more known offenders can be classified and the model used to attribute currently undetected crimes to one or more of those known offenders. Burglary crimes that previously had no overt relationship and the identity of the offender is unknown can be clustered with the ability to suggest one or more offenders who may be responsible for committing the crime. The same techniques used in analysing high volume crime can be used to link low volume major crimes such as serious sexual assaults. The recognised benefits include an improvement in the accuracy of results over current semi-manual processes and a reduction in the time taken to achieve those results.
Beyond Science Literacy: Science and the Public.

The late 20th century and beginning of 21st century have witnessed unprecedented rapid economic development due to advances in technology and globalization. In response to this development, a renewed call for science literacy has become louder in the USA and many other countries. Common to all science education reforms around the world is emphasis on achieving science literacy by all children before high school graduation. This paper first reviews definitions of science literacy in the literature; it then examines the status of science literacy in the USA and other countries. Following the above, this paper then presents a new notion of science literacy as life-long participation in science – science and the public. This new notion expands science literacy to recognize it as both extrinsic and intrinsic, and as a state and a life-long process, which expands science literacy from school science to ongoing participation in science activities in society by citizens of all ages. This paper finally discusses two necessary approaches to achieving the expanded science literacy that include bridging formal and informal science education, and training science and the public educators through graduate programs on science and the public.
Imports versus Domestic Production: A Demand System Analysis of the U.S. Red Wine Market

This research estimates price and expenditure elasticities of U.S. red wine imports from five countries--Italy, France, Spain, Australia, and Chile--which are compared to elasticities of domestically produced red wine using the first-difference version of the almost ideal demand system (AIDS). Expenditure elasticity results indicate that if U.S. total expenditures on red wine increase, domestic producers would gain most. Empirical results for conditional own-price elasticities of demand indicate that U.S. and Chilean red wines are elastic while U.S. demand for red wines from other countries are highly inelastic. Due to the magnitude of consumption of U.S. domestic red wines relative to imports, an increase in the price of U.S. wine results in a decline in quantity demanded that is six times larger than that for French and Italian red wines and over 20 times larger than that of other import countries. Results suggest that U.S. red-wine producers could increase their total revenue by decreasing prices, while Italian and French producers can increase total revenues by increasing prices.
Illegal Migration from Mexico to the United States: A Longitudinal Analysis

Migration is one of the most significant of all human behaviors, and a wide range of variables has been spanned in the search for possible determinants of the redistribution of population. It has been suggested, for example, that demographic,' political,2 and psychologicalfactors exert a significant causal influence. However, regardless of what other variables may be operating, migratory streams generally seem to flow from a place of origin where economic opportunities are restricted to destinations where economic opportunities are comparatively great. ' In the present research, the economic dimension will constitute the basis for an investigation of an intriguing case of international migration-the movement of illegal migrants from Mexico to the United States. " The research is longitudinal, encompassing the period 1946 through 1965. Specifically, an effort is made to account for changes in migration rates" in terms of changes in certain predictor variables. To illustrate, the
Neutrophils Ameliorate Lung Injury and the Development of Severe Disease during Influenza Infection1

The clinical response to influenza infection ranges from mild disease to severe pneumonia and it remains unclear whether the inflammatory response to infection is protective or pathogenic. We have defined a novel role for neutrophils in ameliorating lung injury during influenza infection, thereby limiting development of severe disease. Infection of neutrophil-depleted mice with influenza virus HKx31 (H3N2) led to rapid weight loss, pneumonia, and death. Neutropenia was associated with enhanced virus replication in the respiratory tract; however, viral titers were declining at the time of death, leading us to investigate other factors contributing to mortality. In addition to thymic atrophy, lymphopenia, and viremic spread, depletion of neutrophils led to exacerbated pulmonary inflammation, edema, and respiratory dysfunction. Thus, while it is well established that neutrophils contribute to lung injury in a range of pathological conditions, reduced numbers or impaired neutrophil function can facilitate progression of mild influenza to severe clinical disease.