Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Pitching Biomechanics as a Pitcher Approaches Muscular Fatigue during a Simulated Baseball Game

Background The effects of approaching muscular fatigue on pitching biomechanics are currently unknown. As a pitcher fatigues, pitching mechanics may change, leading to a decrease in performance and an increased risk of injury. Hypothesis As a pitcher approaches muscular fatigue, select pitching biomechanical variables will be significantly different than they were before muscular fatigue. Study Design Controlled laboratory study. Methods Ten collegiate baseball pitchers threw 15 pitches per inning for 7 to 9 innings off an indoor throwing mound during a simulated baseball game. A pitching session ended when each pitcher felt he could no longer continue owing to a subjective perception of muscular fatigue. A 6-camera 3D automatic digitizing system collected 200-Hz video data. Twenty kinematic and 11 kinetic variables were calculated throughout 4 phases of the pitch. A repeated-measure analysis of variance (P < .01) was used to compare biomechanical variables between innings. Results Compared with the initial 2 innings, as a pitcher approached muscular fatigue during the final 2 innings he was able to pitch, there was a significant decrease in ball velocity, and the trunk was significantly closer to a vertical position. There were no other significant differences in kinematics or kinetics variables. Conclusion The relatively few differences observed imply that pitching biomechanics remained remarkably similar between collegiate starting pitchers who threw between 105 and 135 pitches for 7 to 9 innings and approached muscular fatigue. Clinical Relevance This study did not support the idea that there is an increase in shoulder and elbow forces and torques as muscular fatigue is approached. It is possible that if a pitcher remained in a fatigued state for a longer period of time, additional changes in pitching mechanics may occur and the risk of injury may increase.
Centrally Administered Nociceptin/Orphanin FQ (N/OFQ) Evokes Bradycardia, Hypotension, and Diuresis in Mice via Activation of Central N/OFQ Peptide Receptors

The present studies examined the cardiovascular and renal responses produced by activation of central nociceptin/orphanin FQ (N/OFQ) peptide (NOP) receptors in conscious mice. To assess this, we examined changes in heart rate (HR), mean arterial pressure (MAP), urine output (V), urinary sodium excretion (UNaV), and free water clearance (CH2O) produced by acute i.c. v. injection of N/OFQ (0.03, 0.3, 1, or 3 nmol) or isotonic saline vehicle (2 μl) in conscious telemetered ICR-CD1 mice. After i.c. v. injection, N/OFQ, but not vehicle, dose dependently decreased HR and MAP and increased V. At 3 nmol, N/OFQ reduced HR [control (C), 672 ± 23 beats/min; 20 min, 411 ± 30 beats/min] and MAP (C, 108 ± 4 mm Hg; 20 min, 62 ± 6 mm Hg). In the same telemetered mice, i.c. v. N/OFQ significantly elevated V (0.65 ± 0.03 cc/2 h) compared with levels for the vehicle-treated group (0.15 ± 0.09 cc/2 h). Central N/OFQ/vehicle did not alter UNaV or CH2O. In separate studies, 2-h i.c. v. pretreatment with the NOP receptor antagonist UFP-101 ([Nphe1,Arg14,Lys15]N/OFQ-NH2) (10 or 30 nmol) markedly, but transiently, reduced HR but not MAP, V, UNaV, or CH2O. After 2-h UFP-101 (10 or 30 nmol) pretreatment, subsequent i.c. v. injection of N/OFQ (1 or 3 nmol) failed to alter cardiovascular or renal function. In contrast, in separate mice, 2-h pretreatment with N/OFQ (1 or 3 nmol) or vehicle failed to prevent the cardiodepressor and diuretic responses to a subsequent i.c. v. injection of the same dose of N/OFQ. Together, these findings demonstrate that in conscious mice, the central administration of N/OFQ evokes marked bradycardia, hypotension, and diuresis by selective activation of central NOP receptors.
Risk and Protective Factors for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Prolonged Grief, and Depression in Survivors of the Violent Death of a Loved One

The violent death of a loved one leaves survivors at increased risk for a host of negative outcomes, including posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, and intense or prolonged grief. In the wake of increased interest in the phenomenology and course of these responses, there has been a corresponding interest in identifying specific predictors of psychological outcomes among survivors. However, most reviewers have focused primarily on predictors located within the individual survivor, such as coping style and trauma history. Externally located variables are equally important in identifying individuals at risk but have been relatively neglected in the literature. We review the three best-studied external predictor variables: cause of death, relationship of the mourner to the deceased, and social support. For each of these variables, we critically examine studies investigating its relationship to outcomes of violent death survivorship, offer conclusions based on available data, and suggest future directions for research.
Examining Entrepreneurial Cognition: An Occupational Analysis of Balanced Linear and Nonlinear Thinking and Entrepreneurship Success

This empirical study advances entrepreneurial cognition research by examining whether entrepreneurs possess a high nonlinear (e.g., intuitive, creative, emotional) thinking style, as some studies and a common stereotype of entrepreneurs would suggest, or whether they possess a more versatile balance in both nonlinear and linear (e.g., analytic, rational, logical) thinking styles. As predicted, 39 entrepreneurs demonstrated greater balance in linear and nonlinear thinking styles than their professional actor (n = 33), accountant (n = 31), and frontline manager (n = 77) counterparts, though they did not significantly differ in thinking style balance from senior executives (n = 39). Unexpectedly, educational background was associated with thinking style balance, suggesting that years of formal education may contribute to one's versatility in utilizing both linear and nonlinear thinking styles. For the entrepreneur sample, linear and nonlinear thinking styles balance predicted years in current business after controlling for industry, number of employees, and demographic variables. Implications for future entrepreneurial cognition research and entrepreneurship education are discussed.
Inclusive Schools Movement and the Radicalization of Special Education Reform

This article examines the inclusive schools movement and compares it to that of the REI. After contrasting the movements' respective advocates, goals, tactics, and understanding of and links to general education, we argue that the field's rhetoric has become increasingly strident and its perspective increasingly insular and disassociated from general education's concerns. We offer a pessimistic prediction about the current movement's success in forging a productive alliance with general education.
Management of the patient with failed hypospadias surgery presenting in adulthood

The management of patients who have had complications of primary surgery for the resolution of a hypospadiac deformity remains a therapeutic challenge. Adults with complications following childhood hypospadias repairs are undoubtedly a difficult population to treat, as there is usually a cosmetic deformity, lower urinary tract symptoms, and resulting psychosexual consequences. A surgeon’s experience has been and still remains an important factor in determining subsequent surgical outcomes, particularly with more severe or complex cases. The purpose of this review is to evaluate the complications of hypospadias repair that present in adults and review published experience in treating them.
Cervical arthroplasty after previous surgery: results of treating 24 discs in 15 patients.

OBJECT The potential role of cervical arthroplasty in patients who have undergone previous cervical surgery is unknown. The authors performed a prospective study involving nonrandomized clinical and radiological assessment in patients who had undergone either previous posterior cervical foraminotomy or anterior interbody fusion and who suffered new or persistent arm/neck symptoms related to neural compression. METHODS During a 30-month period, 15 patients who had previously undergone cervical spinal surgery underwent cervical arthroplasty that involved placement of the Bryan disc for neck or arm symptoms related to cervical disc disease. A total of 24 devices were implanted. Six of the 15 patients had undergone a previous posterior foraminotomy, and in nine cases an anterior interbody fusion had been perfomed at some stage prior to surgery. Clinical and radiological evaluations were performed preoperatively and after surgery to assess outcomes. A total of 24 arthroplasties were performed encompassing between one and three levels. There were no major perioperative complications or immediate device-related failures. Two patients were lost to follow up. The follow-up period ranged from 12 to 43 months (mean 24.2 +/- 10.5 months). Good results were obtained in all cases as reflected by an increase in the visual analog scale score of 6.4 in terms of neck/arm pain (p < 0.05). There was no difference in Oswestry Disability Index scores for neck pain (p > 0.05) and no patient required surgery at the same level. In one patient hypermobility developed with internal subluxation of the device, which suggested a compromise adjacent to a two-level fusion at 21 months. The segment was hypermobile preoperatively. The patient has experienced recurrent neck pain but otherwise remains clinically well and has not required revision surgery to date. CONCLUSIONS Insertion of the Bryan artificial cervical disc in patients who have previously undergone cervical fusion or posterior foraminotomy, in general, appears to be safe. It provided encouraging early clinical results, although patients with preoperative hypermobility should be treated with caution. Issues such as accelerated device-related wear and the use of arthroplasty after aggressive facetectomy resection will need further study; however, in carefully selected patients who have undergone previous surgery cervical arthroplasty may provide an additional tool in the management of cervical disc disease.
Coercive Measures in Forensic Settings: Findings from the Literature

The use of coercive measures, namely restraint, seclusion and involuntary medication, remain controversial methods of practice within forensic psychiatry. Ethical and moral debates surrounding the use of coercive measures are compounded by the need to balance care, safety, and security. Despite such tensions, limited research has been conducted in this area. This paper examines the prevalence of coercive measures and factors associated with their use specifically within forensic psychiatry. A systematic review was conducted and fifteen empirical studies were identified, each examining the use of coercive measures in forensic inpatient psychiatry, reported in papers published between January 1980 and January 2012. Findings suggest that patients who are younger or newly admitted tend to be secluded most often. Findings relating to gender, ethnicity and patient diagnoses, however, are equivocal. Patients tend to perceive experiences of coercive measures negatively. Staff perceptions however, appear to be determined by their role in governing or practicing coercive interventions. Findings are discussed in light of variations in hospital settings, policies and sociocultural traditions. While the uses of coercive measures appear to be influenced by a combination of all patient, staff, and environmental factors, further research is required to explore each of these aspects in greater detail.
Cooperative Equilibrium: A solution predicting cooperative play

Nash equilibrium (NE) assumes that players always make a best response. However, this is not always true; sometimes people cooperate even it is not a best response to do so. For example, in the Prisoner's Dilemma, people often cooperate. Are there rules underlying cooperative behavior? In an effort to answer this question, we propose a new equilibrium concept: perfect cooperative equilibrium (PCE), and two related variants: max-PCE and cooperative equilibrium. PCE may help explain players' behavior in games where cooperation is observed in practice. A player's payoff in a PCE is at least as high as in any NE. However, a PCE does not always exist. We thus consider {\alpha}-PCE, where {\alpha} takes into account the degree of cooperation; a PCE is a 0-PCE. Every game has a Pareto-optimal max-PCE (M-PCE); that is, an {\alpha}-PCE for a maximum {\alpha}. We show that M-PCE does well at predicting behavior in quite a few games of interest. We also consider cooperative equilibrium (CE), another generalization of PCE that takes punishment into account. Interestingly, all Pareto-optimal M-PCE are CE. We prove that, in 2-player games, a PCE (if it exists), a M-PCE, and a CE can all be found in polynomial time using bilinear programming. This is a contrast to Nash equilibrium, which is PPAD complete even in 2-player games [Chen, Deng, and Teng 2009]. We compare M-PCE to the coco value [Kalai and Kalai 2009], another solution concept that tries to capture cooperation, both axiomatically and in terms of an algebraic characterization, and show that the two are closely related, despite their very different definitions.
Phenotypic and Transcriptional Characterization of the Meningococcal PhoPQ System, a Magnesium-Sensing Two-Component Regulatory System That Controls Genes Involved in Remodeling the Meningococcal Cell Surface

ABSTRACT We previously identified and characterized a two-component regulatory system in the meningococcus with homology to the phoP-phoQ system in salmonella and showed that allele replacement of the NMB0595 regulator gene led to loss of virulence, sensitivity to antimicrobial peptides, perturbed protein expression, and magnesium-sensitive growth. On the basis of these findings we proposed that the system should be designated the meningococcal PhoPQ system. Here we further characterized the NMB0595 mutant and demonstrated that it had increased membrane permeability and was unable to form colonies on solid media with low magnesium concentrations, features that are consistent with disruption of PhoPQ-mediated modifications to the lipooligosaccharide structure. We examined the transcriptional profiles of wild-type and NMB0595 mutant strains and found that magnesium-regulated changes in gene expression are completely abrogated in the mutant, indicating that, similar to the salmonella PhoPQ system, the meningococcal PhoPQ system is regulated by magnesium. Transcriptional profiling of the mutant indicated that, also similar to the salmonella PhoPQ system, the meningococcal system is involved in control of virulence and remodeling of the bacterial cell surface in response to the host environment. The results are consistent with the hypothesis that the PhoP homologue plays a role in the meningococcus similar to the role played by PhoP in salmonella. Elucidating the role that the PhoPQ system and PhoPQ-regulated genes play in the response of the meningococcus to the host environment may provide new insights into the pathogenic process.
Erythrocyte sedimentation rate as a marker for coronary heart disease

Background Patients with angina pectoris or myocardial infarction frequently present without evidence of cardiac-specific heart enzymes by laboratory analysis or specific pathologic electro-cardiogram findings. The current study analyzed the efficacy of the erythrocyte sedimentation rate as an additional potential indicator for coronary heart disease, the aim being to enable quicker identification of patients with angina pectoris or myocardial infarction so that they can be more rapidly treated. Methods Patients with angina pectoris or myocardial infarction who had undergone a heart catheter examination were included in the study. The diagnosis of acute coronary heart disease was made by the physician who performed coronary angiography. Patients without coronary heart disease were used as a control group. The erythrocyte sedimentation rate was measured in all patients. Patients with angina pectoris or myocardial infarction and an inflammatory or tumor disease were excluded. Results The erythrocyte sedimentation rate was prolonged in 79 (58.09%) of 136 patients; 69 (50.74%) patients (95% confidence interval ±8.4%, 42.34%–59.14%) had coronary heart disease and a prolonged erythrocyte sedimentation rate. The erythrocyte sedimentation rate was prolonged in ten (7.35%) patients (95% confidence interval ±4.39%, 2.96%–11.74%) without coronary heart disease by coronary angiography. The specificity of the erythrocyte sedimentation rate for coronary heart disease was 70.59% and the sensitivity was 67.65%. Conclusion Erythrocyte sedimentation rate may be a useful additional diagnostic criterion for coronary heart disease.
Technology uptake in Chinese EFL classes

This article presents findings from what we believe to be the first large-scale study of its kind on the use of ICT (information and communications technology) in English language classes in China. Participants are 400 EFL (English as a foreign language) teachers from different types of schools in Beijing. The purpose of the study was to examine these EFL teachers’ computer use and factors affecting the use of computers as an aid to teaching. Questionnaires and follow-up focus group interviews were employed to address the following research questions: What is the current ICT environment in Chinese secondary schools? What are EFL teachers’ ICT skills and what training is provided? How are computers used at present in EFL classes? What factors influence EFL teachers to use computers in their teaching? Findings support the idea that most schools provide a satisfactory learning setting with computers and most teachers in the study had adequate technical computer skills. However, computer use is mainly limited to PowerPoint presentations of pictures, grammar and sentence structures. Positive factors affecting computer integration include the popularity of ICT as a support for learning, the desire to change current teaching methods and the benefits to both teachers and learners, while negative factors include a lack of time, inadequate professional support, poor training and the need for a more integrated approach to ICT integration. The implications are that ICT is recognized as necessary and of benefit to language learners, and that teachers need additional training in two areas: to help teachers attain a higher standard of computer knowledge and skills, and to help teachers to better understand CALL (Computer Assisted Language Learning) pedagogy and to integrate ICT into their teaching. We suggest that this kind of support could be provided through professional development activities that are specific to the EFL learning context.
Support for social norms programming to reduce alcohol consumption in pregnant women

This investigation examined the difference between the amount of alcohol consumed by pregnant Montana women (actual norms) and the amount they perceived was consumed by other Montana women of their same age (peer norms). On the basis of a stratified cluster sampling, 712 women completed a survey based on social norms theory. Results revealed that prior to the pregnancy women perceived that other women of their same age normally drank more than four times as much alcohol as they actually consumed. However, during their pregnancy women perceived that other women of their same age normally drank over 102 times as much alcohol as they actually consumed. Similar patterns were seen for the more than usual consumption. The results of the investigation showed a consistent and dramatic pattern of overestimation of peer alcohol use norms compared to actual norms. These findings support the application of intervention strategies designed to correct misperceptions of drinking norms in pregnant women as a way to reduce actual drinking rates.
Biased Assimilation, Attitude Polarization, and Affect in Reactions to Stereotype-Relevant Scientific Information

Two studies examined (a) whether biased assimilation and attitude polarization occur in the processing of stereotype-relevant scientific information and (b) the role of affect in these processes. In Study 1, individuals high or low in prejudice toward homosexuals read two fictitious studies, one confirming and one disconfirming the stereotype of homosexuality. Study 2 replicated Study 1 using a sample including individuals with moderate attitudes about homosexuality. Evidence of biased assimilation was found. Participants perceived research consistent with their attitude about homosexuality as more convincing than research inconsistent with their attitude. Evidence of attitude polarization was also found but was restricted to measures of perceived attitude change. Finally, participants reported more negative affective reactions after attitude-inconsistent than attitude-consistent information, and evidence was found that these affective reactions mediated biased processing. Implications of the results for biased assimilation, attitude polarization, and the resiliency of prejudicial attitudes are discussed.
Religious Heterogamy, Religiosity, and Marital Happiness: The Case of Catholics.

This study assesses the relationship between religious heterogamy and the marital happiness of Catholics, employing data from NORC General Social Surveys. A logistic regression analysis with interaction terms enables us to ascertain (a) whether any observed effect of heterogamy is attributable to correlated differences in religiosity; and (b) whether religiosity and heterogamy interact in affecting marital happiness. The findings show that heterogamy is not related to marital happiness for Catholics, either at the bivariate level or when religiosity and other variables are controlled. Religiosity, however, does have a positive effect on marital happiness, but only among homogamous Catholics.
THE COSMIC MICROWAVE BACKGROUND RADIATION

These lectures will attempt to convey the excitement and promise in studies of the microwave radiation left over from the early universe. They are aimed at an audience of experimental high energy physicists. The first lecture will concentrate on how the radiation is characterized, how it and its anisotropies are generated, and the physics that it reveals. The second lecture will concentrate on the techniques that are used in experiments, addressing the question of how such small signals can be detected so precisely in a regime of extremely low signal-to-noise. The third and final lecture will present the main thrusts in this field as foreseen for the coming decade. ∗Supported by the NSF
Conflict Resolution and Peer Mediation Programs in Elementary and Secondary Schools: A Review of the Research

Concern about violence in schools has been increasing, and, correspondingly, conflict resolution and peer mediation training programs have been proliferating. These programs have been developed by researchers in the field of conflict resolution, advocates of nonviolence, anti-nuclear-war activists, and members of the legal profession. It is unknown, however, whether the programs are needed and whether or not they are effective. While there are numerous methodological and conceptual problems with the research on conflict resolution and peer mediation programs, the current evidence indicates that (a) conflicts among students do occur frequently in schools (although the conflicts rarely result in serious injury); (b) untrained students by and large use conflict strategies that create destructive outcomes by ignoring the importance of their ongoing relationships; (c) conflict resolution and peer mediation programs do seem to be effective in teaching students integrative negotiation and mediation procedures; (d) after training, students tend to use these conflict strategies, which generally leads to constructive outcomes; and (e) students’ success in resolving their conflicts constructively tends to result in reducing the numbers of student-student conflicts referred to teachers and administrators, which, in turn, tends to reduce suspensions.