Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Policy Brief: Building Practical and Academic Skills in International Relations and Political Science

The policy brief is an innovative and underutilised form of teaching, learning and assessment which provides undergraduate students with practical skills that translate directly into the workplace. This alternative to standard essays also challenges students to expand their research, writing and presentation skills. Further pedagogical advantages include assisting students in building personal development portfolios, improving internship programmes and making it difficult to plagiarise. International relations and political science curricula in the UK would benefit from the wider use of this tool.
Lithium carbonate and coenzyme Q10 reduce cell death in a cell model of Machado-Joseph disease

Machado-Joseph disease (MJD) or spinocerebellar ataxia type 3 (SCA3) is an autosomal dominant neurodegenerative disorder caused by expansion of the polyglutamine domain of the ataxin-3 (ATX3) protein. MJD/SCA3 is the most frequent autosomal dominant ataxia in many countries. The mechanism underlying MJD/SCA3 is thought to be mainly related to protein misfolding and aggregation leading to neuronal dysfunction followed by cell death. Currently, there are no effective treatments for patients with MJD/SCA3. Here, we report on the potential use of lithium carbonate and coenzyme Q10 to reduce cell death caused by the expanded ATX3 in cell culture. Cell viability and apoptosis were evaluated by MTT assay and by flow cytometry after staining with annexin V-FITC/propidium iodide. Treatment with lithium carbonate and coenzyme Q10 led to a significant increase in viability of cells expressing expanded ATX3 (Q84). In addition, we found that the increase in cell viability resulted from a significant reduction in the proportion of apoptotic cells. Furthermore, there was a significant change in the expanded ATX3 monomer/aggregate ratio after lithium carbonate and coenzyme Q10 treatment, with an increase in the monomer fraction and decrease in aggregates. The safety and tolerance of both drugs are well established; thus, our results indicate that lithium carbonate and coenzyme Q10 are good candidates for further in vivo therapeutic trials.
Local and global inferential relations: Response to Over (2009)

Over the last 15 years or so, the psychology of reasoning has been in transition-from an emphasis on how far people are aware of, and can reason about, deductive relations between beliefs, to an emphasis on how far people are aware of, and can reason about, probabilistic relations between degrees of belief. One strand of this work is described in our book Bayesian Rationality (Oaksford & Chater, 2007); in his insightful and valuable review David Over (2009) has woven this strand into a broader intellectual context, and raised a number of important specific issues that arise in our approach. Over raises two broad classes of issue-concerning the relationship between logic and probability, and treatment of non-monotonic inference-to which we respond in turn. In both cases we believe Over's observations provide both an important stimulus for us to clarify and develop our ideas, and, more broadly, identify areas of key important for the future theoretical developments in the psychology of reasoning.
E-Negotiations: Creating a Framework for Online Commercial Negotiations

E-Commerce, or purchasing goods or services electronically over the Internet, is having a huge impact on traditional modes of commerce. This essay provides an overview of some of the negotiation models (auctions, state-your-price buying, and person-to-computer haggling) that are being used by four firms that are leading the E-Commerce revolution. The author also considers: characteristics of consumers who are engaging in e-negotiation; matching e-negotiation models to context; the possibility of integrative negotiation in such transactions; the role of power in e-negotiation; and suggestions for business managers as they implement e-negotiation forums.
Accounting for the “Second Assault”: Legal Organizations’ Framing of Rape Victims

What organizational and community conditions influence legal officials to treat rape victims “unresponsively”? Our analysis is guided by Goffman's theory of organizational frameworks and frames of activity and March and Olsen's institutional theory of organizations. Using data from 130 organizations in Florida that process rape cases, we compare six types of organizations (including hospital emergency rooms and rape crisis centers) on eight criteria and review their frameworks and frames of activity relative to unresponsiveness. We use the issue of victim legitimacy to illustrate the utility of our model. Our results show that well-meaning staff in legal organizations are oriented to routinely treat victims unresponsively. Their organizations routinely orient them to be concerned with, for example, public approval, the avoidance of losing, and expediency more than with victims' needs. In our conclusion, we identify ways legal officials and rape crisis centers can promote responsive treatment of victims. We also call for research on legal organizations that are responsive to victims and for a nationwide discourse on the “politics of rape victims' needs” as a means of addressing the gender inequality issues that underlie rape crimes and laws and orient legal officials to treat victims unresponsively.
Policy transfer: coming of age and learning from the experience

Policy transfer research has been something of a growth industry, reflected in the fact that Google Scholar identifies 17 articles on the subject with more than 100 citations. Of course, as an earlier issue of Policy Studies indicated, the concept and its use have not gone unquestioned. However, the contributors to this volume, for the most part, argue that the study of policy transfer has matured significantly over the last two decades. In order to substantiate this point, we engage here with the article by McCann and Ward which begins this volume. It is an excellent and important example of such a critique, but, in our view, they are a trifle unfair about what they see as the ‘mainstream’, political science approach to the study of policy transfer. As such, we briefly outline McCann and Ward's critique, before considering the later articles in this collection which indicate how these critiques have been, and are being, addressed in the mainstream policy transfer literature. Subsequently, we briefly consider the ontological and epistemological positions which underpin the differences between the approaches of McCann and Ward and the mainstream literature.
Minority Football Coaches' Diminished Careers: Why is the "Pipeline" Clogged?

Objectives Research on minority representation and career trajectories in higher education represents a substantial body of evidence in the field; however, the empirical evidence fails to address a crucial area: intercollegiate athletics. This study aims to address the gap in the empirical work and study the career trajectories and representation of African-Americans and Latinos in NCAA FBS football coaching positions. Methods A pipeline argument is often utilized to explain the underrepresentation of minorities in certain careers and industries. This pipeline argument is erroneous in this instance because of the number of minority players in college football that make up the “future coach career pool. ” We develop a position hierarchy in which previous assistant coaching positions are seen as stepping stones to an ultimate head coaching position. Results We find that white and minorities coaches have different career trajectories and position hierarchies that ultimately lead to the underrepresentation of minorities at the head coaching ranks. Conclusions Evidence suggests sharp differences in the likelihood of certain player positions and, in turn (and likely related), certain coaching positions to achieving head coach. The career utility hierarchy developed here seems to have some validity and, most important for present purposes, shows some considerable difference in the career stepping stones of, respectively, whites and minorities.
Inability of mice with a defect in B-lymphocyte maturation to respond to phosphorycholine on immunogenic carriers

Mice with the CBA/N defect are unresponsive to the hapten phosphorylcholine (PC) even when presented on a variety of immunogenic carriers. Since these mice have the variable region gene for PC, their inability to respond may reflect deletion or suppression of the line of B lymphocytes which is responsible for the anti-PC response.
Love and Death in Germany: The Marital Biography and Its Effect on Mortality.

Most studies dealing with the impact of marriage on mortality treat being married as a once-and-for-all status. However, multiple life changes in marital status characterize the modern life course. The purpose of this paper is to analyze how the timing of these changes affect mortality in Germany. Longitudinal data show that the positive effects of getting married accumulate over long periods of time, while the negative effect of divorce and widowhood attenuates after some time. We also find that the effect of any marital status wears out with an individual’s age and differs between cohorts, which is partly due to selectivity. Both temporal mechanism and selection processes demonstrate the plasticity of the marital biography and its variable effect on mortality.
Good for science, but which implications for business? An analysis of the managerial implications in high-impact B2B marketing articles published between 2003 and 2012

Purpose – This article aims to analyze a set of features in the managerial implications of the most-cited business-to-business (B2B) marketing articles which are related to their managerial relevance. The purpose is to further identify which are the most recurrent features of managerial implications, as well as the connections between such features. Finally, the articles aim to verify if these features of managerial implications vary depending on the scientific impact of the article. Design/methodology/approach – The 60 most-cited articles were selected from both generalist and specialized academic journals and a content analysis was conducted. Then the article assesses the formal features (e.g. dedicated space), the language (e.g. consulting or normative), the translation of scientific results (e.g. message efficacy) and such other features as time orientation, specificity and abstraction of the managerial implications in these high-impact articles. The article also analyses patterns and associations bet.
A Phenomenological Study on Lived Experience of Suffering in Suicide Attempters.

Purpose The purpose of the study was to understand essential meanings of suffering experienced by suicide attempters. Methods Data were collected in 2009 through individual narrative interviews from 7 suicide attempters. Texts from literary works and movies containing suicide were also included as data. Data were analyzed using the hermeneutic phenomenology of van Manen. Results Thirteen themes were identified in four dimensions. In the dimension of 'lived body', 'unbearably sweet temptation to death', 'body surrendered by emotional damage', 'chaos in life and death', 'squashed body by the heavy weight of life', and 'loss of meaning in life' were identified. 'The black hole, one is not able to get out' represents the experience in the dimension of 'lived space', 'The moment on the edge of a profound abyss' and 'the worst present and hopeless future' represent 'lived time'. In the dimension of 'lived human relation', 'I who am alone in the world', 'fear of being abandoned', 'unbreakable relationship trap', 'I who am not recognized' and 'guilty feeling' were included. Conclusion Results of the study should be helpful in developing personalized suicide prevention programs by showing the various types of suffering deeply ingrained into the personal history of suicide attempters.
Chronic Unpredictable Stress Decreases Expression of Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) in Mouse Ovaries: Relationship to Oocytes Developmental Potential

Background Brain-derived neurotropic factor (BDNF) was originally described in the nervous system but has been shown to be expressed in ovary tissues recently, acting as a paracrine/autocrine regulator required for developments of follicles and oocytes. Although it is generally accepted that chronic stress impairs female reproduction and decreases the expression of BDNF in limbic structures of central nervous system, which contributes to mood disorder. However, it is not known whether chronic stress affects oocytes developments, nor whether it affects expression of BDNF in ovary. Methods Mice were randomly assigned into control group, stressed group, BDNF-treated group and BDNF-treated stressed group. The chronic unpredictable mild stress model was used to produce psychosocial stress in mice, and the model was verified by open field test and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activity. The methods of immunohistochemistry and western blotting were used to detect BDNF protein level and distribution. The number of retrieved oocytes, oocyte maturation, embryo cleavage and the rates of blastocyst formation after parthenogenetic activation were evaluated. Results Chronic unpredictable stress decreased the BDNF expression in antral follicles, but didn’t affect the BDNF expression in primordial, primary and secondary follicles. Chronic unpredictable stress also decreased the number of retrieved oocytes and the rate of blastocyst formation, which was rescued by exogenous BDNF treatment. Conclusion BDNF in mouse ovaries may be related to the decreased number of retrieved oocytes and impaired oocytes developmental potential induced by chronic unpredictable stress.
VECTOR L2-GAIN AND A SMALL GAIN THEOREM FOR SWITCHED SYSTEMS

Abstract A concept of vector L 2 -gain is presented for switched systems. Each subsystem is allowed to have individual input-output L 2 -gain during any time interval when the subsystem is activated. Stability is derived from this vector L 2 -gain for certain classes of control including output feedback. A small gain theorem for switched systems with vector L 2 -gain is established which provides a tool for analyzing the behavior of feedback interconnected switched systems. The small gain condition is given in terms of the L 2 -gains of the coupled activated subsystems.
Belimumab for the management of systemic lupus erythematosus

Introduction: In 2011, Belimumab, a fully humanized monoclonal antibody against B lymphocyte stimulator, became the first biological agent to be licensed by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Medicines Evaluation Agency (EMEA) for the use in auto-antibody positive adult Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE). Areas covered: An overview of the clinical trial data, review of the medical and scientific literature following a MEDLINE search forms the basis of this expert opinion on biological therapy review. The Belimumab International SLE Study Phase III randomized placebo-controlled trials, BLISS-52 and BLISS-76, met the primary endpoint based on the SLE responder index (SRI) at week 52. The trials reported that belimumab 10 mg/kg infusions with standard therapy significantly reduced SLE disease activity compared with placebo with standard therapy. Expert opinion: The clinical efficacy, safety and tolerability of belimumab indicates a potential role for this drug in achieving disease control, reducing severity of recurrent flares, reducing morbidity and in the long-term achieving a positive long-term impact on quality of life. Belimumab is now being introduced in clinical practice and over the next 5 years data on its use outside the clinical trials will determine its place in SLE management.
White cells protect donor blood against bacterial contamination

The possible beneficial role of white cells (WBCs) in donor blood has been investigated with respect to their capacity to remove bacteria. Preparations of buffy coat and whole blood, containing as well as reduced of WBCs, were inoculated with Staphylococcus epidermidis, S. aureus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Propionibacterium species. Upon storage at room temperature, the presence of WBCs resulted in a reduction of the bacterial content. Units inoculated with S. epidermidis and E. coli were completely cleared of bacteria within 5 to 24 hours. On the other hand, S. aureus, after an initial reduction in number, started to multiply. In WBC‐reduced units, the initial bacterial content remained unchanged for 5 hours, but the bacteria then exhibited vigorous growth within 48 hours in buffy coat and slower growth in whole blood. Propionibacterium sp. did not grow with or without WBCs. P. aeruginosa did not grow in buffy coat but showed a growth pattern similar to that of S. aureus in whole blood. The presence of WBCs in the donor blood during the first hours after collection thus seems to rid the blood of at least some species of bacteria. These results indicate that it would be favorable not to perform WBC reduction during blood collection and that several hours of contact can be needed to obtain sterility.
The Intellectually Disabled Offender: Methodological Problems in Identification

Background Reliable evidence concerning the prevalence of intellectually disabled offenders that would inform the clinician's approach to the assessment and management of risk is in short supply. This paper aims to assist the clinician in interpreting the available evidence. Methods A literature search was conducted for all years up to January 2003. Each study was first examined for the methods employed to define and measure intellectual disability. Then, the effect of this on prevalence estimates was considered. Results A wide range of methods has been used to ascertain the presence of intellectual disability – administrative definitions, psychiatric diagnosis, educational background, self-report and direct measurement of IQ and adaptive behaviour. Conclusions Most studies reviewed used less than adequate ascertainment methods. Reliable answers to two key questions – which offenders have intellectual disabilities and which people with intellectual disabilities offend – therefore remain elusive.
Advancing electric vehicle range displays for enhanced user experience: the relevance of trust and adaptability

Advancing range-information user interfaces towards enhanced usability is a continuous task in electric vehicle development. The objective of the present research was (1) to examine experienced trustworthiness of a typical range-information user interface, (2) to test a newly constructed trustworthiness scale, (3) to examine the relationship of experienced trustworthiness to individual usable range (i.e., comfortable range), and (4) to identify possibilities for further improvement of range-information user interfaces. Data from N = 74 participants of a large-scale electric vehicle field trial were analyzed. Results show that experienced trustworthiness of the range estimation system is related to a higher comfortable range. Moreover, users developed several suggestions on how to further improve the user interface. The results imply that perceived trustworthiness should be considered as a benchmark for evaluating range-information user interfaces and that users should have flexible options to adjust the parameters of the range estimation system.
Neuropeptide cotransmitters released from an identified cholinergic motor neuron modulate neuromuscular efficacy in Aplysia

Intrinsic buccal muscle 5 (I5) in Aplysia is innervated by 2 motor neurons (termed B15 and B16). In addition to the classical transmitter ACh, B15 also contains the 2 neuropeptides SCPA and SCPB. In a previous study, we demonstrated that the SCPs were released from the terminals of B15 in the I5 muscle and that this release was sufficient to raise cAMP levels in I5 muscle fibers. Significant peptide release occurred only when B15 was stimulated at high frequency or at lower frequencies with a relatively long burst duration (Whim and Lloyd, 1989). In the present article, we examine the possibility that the SCPs released from B15 modulate I5 muscle contractions produced by stimulation of the second motor neuron, B16. Application of exogenous SCPs to I5 muscles increased the amplitude and relaxation rate of B16-evoked contractions. Stimulation of B15 using paradigms that have been shown previously to cause release of the SCPs resulted in a long-lasting increase in the amplitude and relaxation rate of muscle contractions evoked by B16. This modulation is unlikely to be due to the B15-induced muscle contractions themselves, because modulation of B16-evoked contraction amplitude and relaxation rate was observed when the contractions were blocked transiently by a cholinergic antagonist during B15 stimulation. Conversely, stimulation of B15 at frequencies that produce no measurable release of the SCPs did not elicit significant modulation of B16-evoked contractions. The minimum B15 stimulation frequency required to elevate muscle cAMP levels or to modulate B16-evoked contractions was found to be within the physiological range at which B15 fires during feeding. Therefore, the mechanism underlying the modulation of B16-evoked contractions by B15 is likely to involve the release of the SCPs from B15 terminals in the I5 muscle. With respect to behavior, this modulation of muscle contractions would be most likely to occur during food-induced arousal when both motor neurons fire at high frequency with brief interburst intervals.
Audio‐visual interactions and soundscape preferences

Abstract The analysis of preferences for combinations of four sounds and eight visual landscapes revealed that the sound and not the visual component dominated the patterns of preference. This is attributed to the more varied nature of the sounds in comparison with the relatively homogenous quality of the visual scenes shown. The affective role of sound in combination with the visual setting deserves more attention and this traditional ingredient of landscaping deserves to be revived.