Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A delay-dependent stability criterion of neutral systems and its application to a partial element equivalent circuit model

The real circuit model, such as a partial element equivalent circuit (PEEC), can be represented as a delay differential equation (DDE) of neutral type. The study of asymptotic stability of this kind of systems is of much importance due to the fragility of DDE solvers. Based on a descriptor system approach, new delay-dependent stability results are derived by introducing some free weighting matrices. As an application of the results, the delay-dependent stability problem of a PEEC model is investigated. The comparison of the results with the existing ones is finally given by using the PEEC model and another numerical example.
Post-Conditioning Devaluation of an Instrumental Reinforcer has no Effect on Extinction Performance

The extent to which a representation of the reinforcer controls an instrumental response can be assessed by studying the effect of post-conditioning changes in the reinforcer value. In the first experiment rats were trained to press a lever for sucrose pellets on a variable-interval (VI) schedule. The sucrose was subsequently devalued by pairing with Lithium Chloride (LiCl). This had no effect on lever pressing in extinction, although it profoundly reduced reacquisition responding and consumption. In Experiment II rats were trained to shuttle between the two distinctive chambers of a choice-box, in which lever pressing was reinforced in one chamber by sucrose and in the other chamber by food pellets programmed on independent VI schedules. A LiCl-induced taste-aversion was conditioned to the sucrose, and although this markedly affected reacquisition, extinction responding in the sucrose chamber and chamber preference were unaffected. These results indicate that instrumental performance can be independent of the current value of the reinforcer, and are discussed with reference to stimulus-response theory and second-order Pavlovian conditioning.
La utilización de las nuevas tecnologías de la información y la comunicación en psicología clínica

The use of new technologies has experienced an important increment in the last years. The purpose of promoting the development and the use of these systems in different areas is to provide benefits to the population in any life area. Specifically, in Psychology these information and communication technologies (ICT) have been applied in different fields (experimental psychology, education psychology, social psychology, psychological assessment and clinical psychology). The present work describes some of these ICT technologies used by our research group which are reaching a high applicability in Clinical Psychology. These techniques are Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality and Internet-based Telepsychology. In addition, this work stands out the advantages of these systems in comparison to traditional therapy and some of the existing limitations. Finally, future perspectives in Clinical Psychology with these novelty systems and its utility are described.
Body water homeostasis: clinical disorders of urinary dilution and concentration.

The discovery of the aquaporin-1 (AQP1) water channel by Agre and colleagues ([1][1],[2][2]), which led to the Nobel Prize in 2003, has revolutionized the understanding of body fluid water regulation by the kidney. Moreover, the identification of other water channels in the kidney, namely AQP2, 3,
The Impact of Parent–Child Attachment on Aggression, Social Stress and Self-Esteem

This study examined the impact of the quality of parent–child attachment on aggression, social stress, and self-esteem in a clinical sample of 91 boys with disruptive behaviour disorders ranging from 8 to 12 years of age. These boys were included in the study if they were found to exhibit various aggressive and antisocial behaviours such as getting into fights, telling lies and teasing others. Consistent with our hypothesis, multiple regression analyses found that the quality of parent–child attachment significantly predicted parent-rated aggression, social stress and self-esteem. Higher quality of parent–child attachment was associated with lower levels of parent-rated aggression, lower levels of social stress and higher levels of self esteem. Correlational analyses concurred with main findings. The results emphasized the importance of parent–child attachment on boys' behavioural and emotional outcomes. Implications for counsellors and mental health practitioners are also discussed.
Vicarious posttraumatic growth: A systematic literature review

Twenty-eight articles are included in this review, which provides the first comprehensive review of the vicarious posttraumatic growth (VPTG) literature. Five domains are presented. First, assessment methods of VPTG are reviewed; seventeen studies assessed VPTG using a measure designed for use with direct trauma survivors, three used a non-validated measure, and the remaining eight used an open-ended question. Second, the level of similarity between reports of direct and vicarious posttraumatic growth is examined. VPTG was found to be highly similar to direct posttraumatic growth; however, subtle differences between the two were also identified along with manifestations of growth unique to VPTG. Third, a range of psychological, cognitive, behavioural, interpersonal, and external factors that have been implicated to facilitate VPTG are presented. Fourth, research exploring the relationship between VPTG and secondary traumatic stress is examined. Three possible explanations are presented: a positive linear association, no association, and a more complex curvilinear relationship. Finally, limitations to the current body of knowledge and areas for future research are explored.
Effect of theophylline on airway responses to inhaled platelet-activating factor in man.

It has been suggested that theophylline may possess anti-inflammatory actions which underlie its antiasthma properties. We examined whether theophylline could inhibit the bronchoconstriction and the bronchial hyperresponsiveness induced by inhaled platelet-activating factor (PAF) in eight nonasthmatic subjects in a double-blind, cross-over study. After oral theophylline (6 mg.kg-1), plasma theophylline at 1 h was 10.4 +/- 1.8 mg.ml-1 (mean +/- SEM) compared to 0.39 +/- 0.19 mg.ml-1 on the placebo day (p less than 0.005). PAF, inhaled in five successive doses every 15 min, caused a 56 +/- 11% fall in Vp30 (flow at 30% of vital capacity from a partial expiratory manoeuvre) after the first dose at 5 min, and diminishing responses with successive doses. Theophylline had no significant effect on PAF-induced bronchoconstriction. PAF caused a significant decrease in PC40 (the concentration of methacholine needed to cause 40% fall in baseline Vp30) from a baseline of 12.8 mg.ml-1 (geometric standard error of mean (GSEM) 1.98) to 7.9 (1.79) mg.ml-1 on day 3 and 6.9 (1.74) on day 7 (p less than 0.02). There was no significant difference when mean PC40 values on corresponding days after PAF were compared between placebo and theophylline treatment periods. Our results suggest that theophylline has negligible influence on the airway effects of PAF.
The Tyranny of the P-value: Effect Size Matters

Istatistiksel onemlilik mutlaka klinik onemlilik anlamina gelmez. P-degerinin 0.05′ten az olmasi sonucun onemli olacagini garanti etmez. Kliniksel iliskinin degerlendirebilmesi icin etki buyuklugu .
What is Java binary compatibility?

Separate compilation allows the decomposition of programs into units that may be compiled separately, and linked into an executable. Traditionally, separate compilation was equivalent to the compilation of all units together, and modification and re-compilation of one unit required re-compilation of all importing units.Java suggests a more flexible framework, in which the linker checks the integrity of the binaries to be combined. Certain source code modifications, such as addition of methods to classes, are defined as binary compatible. The language description guarantees that binaries of types (i.e. classes or interfaces) modified in binary compatible ways may be re-compiled and linked with the binaries of types that imported and were compiled using the earlier versions of the modified types.However, this is not always the case: some of the changes considered by Java as binary compatible do not guarantee successful linking and execution. In this paper we study the concepts around binary compatibility. We suggest a formalization of the requirement of safe linking and execution without re-compilation, investigate alternatives, demonstrate several of its properties, and propose a more restricted definition of binary compatible changes. Finally, we prove for a substantial subset of Java, that this restricted definition guarantees error-free linking and execution.
Variation in career and workplace attitudes by generation, gender, and culture differences in career perceptions in the United States and China

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to compare and understand how age, gender and culture affect individual career and work-related attitudes in Chinese and American samples. Design/methodology/approach – Online and printed questionnaires were administered to employees and managers in China, whereas in the USA, faculty, staff and students at a Midwestern university responded to an online survey. Snowball sampling technique was used to collect data. Independent sample t-tests were conducted to test the hypothesis. Findings – The study showed different work values and attitudes in the workplace between Chinese and the US samples, and indicated the specifics influences that national culture has on them. Culture affects generational changes; generational differences in the US sample are bigger than in Chinese sample; work values differ across generations and cultures; traditional gender role differences persist more strongly across generations in Chinese sample than in the US sample. Research limitations/i.
The impact of estradiol on bone mineral density is modulated by the specific estrogen receptor-alpha cofactor retinoblastoma-interacting zinc finger protein-1 insertion/deletion polymorphism.

CONTEXT Estrogens regulate bone mass by binding to the estrogen receptor (ER)-alpha as well as ER-beta. The specific ERalpha cofactor retinoblastoma-interacting zinc finger protein (RIZ)-1 enhances ERalpha function in the presence of estrogen. OBJECTIVE The objective of the study was to determine whether a RIZ P704 insertion (+)/deletion (-) (indel) polymorphism modulates the impact of estradiol on bone mineral density (BMD) and study the association between the polymorphism and BMD in elderly subjects. DESIGN This was a population-based, prospective, and cross-sectional study, the Swedish MrOS Study, and the Malmö OPRA Study, respectively. SETTING The study was conducted at three academic medical centers: Sahlgrenska Academy in Gothenburg, Malmö University Hospital, and Uppsala University Hospital. PARTICIPANTS In total, 4058 men and women, aged 69-81 yr, were randomly selected from population registries. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES BMD (grams per square centimeter) was measured at femoral neck, trochanter, lumbar spine, and total body. RESULTS The RIZ P704(+/+) genotype was associated with low BMD in both women (femoral neck, P < 0.001; trochanter, P < 0.01; lumbar spine, P < 0.05; total body, P < 0.01) and men (lumbar spine, P < 0.05). However, the association between the polymorphism and BMD was dependent on estradiol status. The positive correlation between serum estradiol and BMD was significantly modulated by the genotype with a stronger correlation in the P704(+/+) group than the P704(-/-) group (r = 0.19 vs. r = 0.08, P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS These large-scale studies of elderly men and women indicate that the ERalpha cofactor RIZ gene has a prominent effect on BMD, and the P704 genotype modulates the impact of estradiol on BMD. Further studies are required to determine whether this polymorphism modulates the estrogenic response to estradiol treatment.
Teaching Critical Thinking: Focusing on Metacognitive Skills and Problem Solving

To become a better critical thinker, one not only must develop expert thinking skills but also become an expert at choosing the best skills for the particular situation. These two components of critical thinking can be described as maximizing the efficiency and accuracy of one's cognitive and metacognitive skills for successful actions. The development of students' cognitive and metacognitive skills was the approach taken to teach a required critical-thinking course. Students assessed different aspects of their own thinking and problem-solving skills before and after a module on problem solving and decision making. Comparisons between above-average and below-average students indicated that students learn to choose general approaches to their problems and learn more specific strategies for successfully resolving their problems. Factor analyses of the students' self-assessments and changes in factor structures indicated that students improved their critical-thinking skills and were aware of their improvements.
Getting your wires crossed: Evidence for fast processing of L1 idioms in an L2*

Monolingual speakers show priming for idiomatic sequences (e.g. a pain in the neck) relative to matched controls (e.g. a pain in the foot); single word translation equivalents show cross-language activation (e.g. dog–chien) for bilinguals. If the lexicon is heteromorphic (Wray, 2002), larger units may show cross-language priming in the same way as single words. We used the initial words of English idioms (e.g. to spill the. . . beans) and transliterated Chinese idioms (e.g. draw a snake and add. . . feet) as primes for the final words in a lexical decision task with high proficiency Chinese–English bilinguals and English monolinguals. Bilinguals responded to targets significantly faster when they completed a Chinese idiom (e.g. feet) than when they were presented with a matched control word (e.g. hair). The results are discussed in terms of conceptual activation and lexical translation processes, and are also incorporated into a dual route model of formulaic and novel language processing.
Therapeutic targets and potential of the novel brain‐ permeable multifunctional iron chelator–monoamine oxidase inhibitor drug, M‐30, for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease 1

Novel therapeutic approaches for the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders comprise drug candidates designed specifically to act on multiple CNS targets. We have synthesized a multifunctional non‐toxic, brain permeable iron chelator drug, M‐30, possessing propargyl monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitory neuroprotective and iron‐chelating moieties, from our prototype iron chelator VK‐28. In the present study M‐30 was shown to possess a wide range of pharmacological activities, including pro‐survival neurorescue effects, induction of neuronal differentiation and regulation of amyloid precursor protein (APP) and β‐amyloid (Aβ) levels. M‐30 was found to decrease apoptosis of SH‐SY5Y neuroblastoma cells in a neurorescue, serum deprivation model, via reduction of the pro‐apoptotic proteins Bad and Bax, and inhibition of the apoptosis‐associated phosphorylated H2A.X protein (Ser 139) and caspase 3 activation. In addition, M‐30 induced the outgrowth of neurites, triggered cell cycle arrest in G0/G1 phase and enhanced the expression of growth associated protein‐43. Furthermore, M‐30 markedly reduced the levels of cellular APP and β‐C‐terminal fragment (β‐CTF) and the levels of the amyloidogenic Aβ peptide in the medium of SH‐SY5Y cells and Chinese hamster ovary cells stably transfected with the APP ‘Swedish’ mutation. Levels of the non‐amyloidogenic soluble APPα and α‐CTF in the medium and cell lysate respectively were coordinately increased. These properties, together with its brain selective MAO inhibitory and propargylamine‐ dependent neuroprotective effects, suggest that M‐30 might serve as an ideal drug for neurodegenerative disorders, such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases, in which oxidative stress and iron dysregulation have been implicated.
Outcomes After Patellar Realignment Surgery for Recurrent Patellar Instability Dislocations: A Minimum 3-year Follow-up Study of Children and Adolescents

Background The purpose of this study was to report early outcomes after patellar realignment surgery (PRS) was performed for patellar instability in children and adolescents. Methods The study cohort consisted of 23 patients (27 knees) who had PRS between March 1, 2000 and July 30, 2004, by a single surgeon, with a minimum 3-year follow-up and validated outcome measures. Preoperative diagnoses were dislocations in 22 knees and subluxations in 5 knees. The mean age was 14 years and 1 month. Results Postoperatively, 2 knees had possible recurrent dislocation/subluxation episodes; neither required surgery. Persistent patellofemoral mechanical symptoms have been reported in 10 knees. At a mean follow-up of 5 years and 1 month, the mean Lysholm score was 69.3 and the mean International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) score was 65.6. The mean Tegner activity level was 5.4. Patients reported improvement in knee function and pain in 26 of 28 knees (93%). Significant group differences were identified for age at surgery, preoperative diagnosis, and length of preoperative knee symptoms. The group with scores ≥70 were younger (13.1 vs. 14.9 y), were all patellar dislocators (vs. 66% in the <70 group), and with shorter length of symptoms (13 mo vs. 24 mo). In the ≥70 groups the Tegner activity levels were higher at 6.8 versus the <70 group at 4.3. Conclusions At a mean of 5 years after PRS, 93% of patients reported persistent improvement in knee function and pain, and recurrent patellar dislocation/subluxation episodes were infrequent (7%). Despite the low rate of postoperative patellar instability the patients' subjective opinion of knee function was less than expected (mean IKDC 65.5). Further investigation is warranted to identify causes for this suboptimal outcome at a mean of 5 years postoperatively. Clinical Relevance These data reinforce the recurring theme documented in other areas of orthopaedics of a disconnection between the “surgical” success (93% improved) and patient's subjective outcome (mean IKDC of 65.6). Level of Evidence Level III.
Influence of exposure parameters on the detection of simulated root fractures in the presence of various intracanal materials

AIM To investigate how the exposure parameters used when producing CBCT scans affect diagnostic accuracy when detecting simulated vertical root fractures and how various filling materials affect image quality. METHODOLOGY A total of 160 extracted single-rooted human teeth were divided into four groups based on the materials within the root canals: unrestored, gutta-percha, metallic post and fibreglass post. Half of the sample of each group was selected for the induction of vertical root fractures. Each tooth was placed in an empty socket of a dry skull which was scanned on a CBCT unit (9000 3D scanner; Kodak Dental Systems, Carestream Health, Rochester, NY, USA) using the following exposure parameters: 74 kV/12 mA; 74 kV/10 mA; 74 kV/8 mA; 74 kV/6.3 mA; 70 kV/12 mA; 70 kV/10 mA; 70 kV/8 mA; 70 kV/6.3 mA. Two observers assessed all images using a 5-point confidence scale for fracture detection and a 4-point score for the presence of artefacts. Sensitivity, specificity, accuracy and area under ROC curve were compared by two-way anova and Tukey's test. Artefact formation was evaluated by descriptive statistics. RESULTS There were no significant differences in the sensitivity (P = 0.370), specificity (P = 0.660), accuracy (P = 0.084) and area under the ROC curve (P = 0.674) values amongst the various exposure parameters within the same group. There were some significant differences when the groups were compared for each intracanal material. The sensitivity and accuracy of the group containing metallic posts were significantly lower than the unrestored and fibreglass post groups (P ≤ 0.017). CONCLUSION The variations in exposure parameters did not interfere with the diagnosis of vertical root fractures, independent of the root canal restorative status. Metallic posts were associated with greater artefact formation and compromised the diagnostic performance. It is possible to decrease the kVp/mA settings to reduce the probability of biological effects due to radiation, without losing diagnostic accuracy.
Increased suicidal activity following major trauma: A population-based study

BACKGROUND Nonfatal injuries are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality. In 2008, 14,065 patients with major trauma were hospitalized across Canada. With individuals surviving trauma, the psychosocial sequelae of severe physical injury have become an important area of research. No previous studies have used a population-based sample to estimate the incidence of suicidality (suicide or suicide attempt) following physical injury. This study aimed to assess the odds ratio (OR) of suicidality among adults with major trauma compared with a matched cohort. METHODS This retrospective study included persons older than 18 years who experienced an unintentional major traumatic injury (Injury Severity Score [ISS] > 12) at a regional academic trauma center between April 1, 2001, and March 31, 2011. Individuals who had no suicide attempts in the previous 5 years were identified from the trauma registry. These individuals were matched with data from provincial administrative databases. A cohort matched in terms of age, sex, and date of indexed injury was created from the general population with five controls for each trauma case, and the rate of suicidality was compared between groups. RESULTS A total of 2,198 adults with major were matched to 10,990 individuals. Suicidality was increased in the trauma cohort (OR, 4.31). This increase persisted even if adjusted for anxiety/mood disorders and substance abuse (adjusted OR1, 3.65) as well as residence, physical comorbidities, income quintile and those factors in adjusted OR1 (adjusted OR2, 3.30). All ORs were significant with p < 0.05 CONCLUSION Individuals who experience major traumatic injuries are at a greater risk for postinjury suicidality compared with those in a matched cohort. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Epidemiologic study, level IV
Background, Personality, Job Characteristics, and Satisfaction with Work in a National Sample

The impact on job satisfaction of job attributes, biographic characteristics, and personality is examined. Data from a 1977 national survey of 3288 adult Canadians revealed that personality and job characteristics have strong, independent associations with a multidimensional job satisfaction index. Personal alienation and internal-external control had sizable correlations with the index when job characteristics and personal background were controlled. All variables considered together account for 30% of the variance in job satisfaction. The reciprocal nature of cause and effect in the association between personality and job satisfaction is discussed in light of other recent analyses of panel data on response to work.
Equidad Educativa y Teorías de la Justicia

Este artículo analiza, en primer lugar, las políticas de igualdad en educación. En segundo, las teorías de la justicia y equidad, especialmente el planteamiento de John Rawls, como la teoría más relevante en los últimos treinta años, complementada con las teorías de Michael Walzer y Amartya Sen. Finalmente aborda, desde una perspectiva interna a la propia escolaridad, cómo se plantea y se vive la justicia en las prácticas educativas, particularmente la tensión entre igualdad y mérito.