Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Preclinical Pharmacology of AZD2327: A Highly Selective Agonist of the δ-Opioid Receptor

In the present article, we summarize the preclinical pharmacology of 4-{(R)-(3-aminophenyl)[4-(4-fluorobenzyl)-piperazin-1-yl]methyl}-N,N-diethylbenzamide (AZD2327), a highly potent and selective agonist of the δ-opioid receptor. AZD2327 binds with sub-nanomolar affinity to the human opioid receptor (Ki = 0.49 and 0.75 nM at the C27 and F27 isoforms, respectively) and is highly selective (>1000-fold) over the human μ- and κ-opioid receptor subtypes as well as >130 other receptors and channels. In functional assays, AZD2327 shows full agonism at human δ-opioid receptors ([35S]GTPγ EC50 = 24 and 9.2 nM at C27 and F27 isoforms, respectively) and also at the rat and mouse δ-opioid receptors. AZD2327 is active in a wide range of models predictive of anxiolytic activity, including a modified Geller-Seifter conflict test and social interaction test, as well as in antidepressant models, including learned helplessness. In animals implanted with microdialysis probes and then given an acute stressor by pairing electric shock delivery with a flashing light, there is an increase in norepinephrine release into the prefrontal cortex associated with this acute anxiety state. Both the benzodiazepine anxiolytic standard diazepam and AZD2327 blocked this norepinephrine release equally well, and there was no evidence of tolerance to these effects of AZD2327. Overall, these data support the role of the δ-opioid receptor in the regulation of mood, and data suggest that AZD2327 may possess unique antidepressant and anxiolytic activities that could make a novel contribution to the pharmacotherapy of psychiatric disorders.
Understanding the Transfer of Values-Based Youth Sport Program Goals From a Bioecological Perspective

The recent increase of after-school programming for underserved youth has included research on values-based physical activity programs. Discovering how these programs work and learning the extent of their short- and long-term impact appear to be the centerpieces of many of these studies. One model that has received considerable attention is Hellison's Teaching Personal and Social Responsibility (TPSR), the ultimate aim of which is to transfer responsibility goals to other contexts. The purpose of this article is to provide a framework to understand the transfer of values-based youth program goals by applying a bioecological theory of human development (Bronfenbrenner, 1995). First, we review this theory by focusing on the four components of the Process-Person-Context-Time model. Second, we present a review of TPSR program evaluation studies based on the bioecological model of value-transfer in youth sport programs. Finally, we provide implications for future program development and research.
The Effects of Graduated Compression Sleeves on Muscle Performance: A Randomised Controlled Trial

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of graduated compression sleeves on muscle performance during high-intensity exercise. Twenty-four resistance trained men were randomly assigned to one of two groups: compression sleeve (GCS, n=11) or placebo sleeve (GPS, n=13). Participants performed 4 sets of 10 unilateral maximal eccentric/concentric elbow flexion repetitions on an isokinetic dynamometer at 120°s−1 with 1 min of inter-set rest. Average torque, work and power were measured during concentric and eccentric actions. ANOVA revealed no significant interactions or main effects for group for any variable. However, values decreased significantly across sets for average torque (1st = 46.55 ± 11.11 Nm to 4th = 36.75 ± 8.78 Nm), average work (1st = 78.83 ± 18.49 J to 4th = 53.26 ± 10.04 J) and average power (1st = 52.3 ± 12.03 W to 4th = 32.59 ± 8.82 W). Therefore, the use of a graduated compression sleeve appears not enhance isokinetic elbow flexion muscle performance.
The role of social cues in the deployment of spatial attention: head-body relationships automatically activate directional spatial codes in a Simon task

The role of body orientation in the orienting and allocation of social attention was examined using an adapted Simon paradigm. Participants categorized the facial expression of forward facing, computer-generated human figures by pressing one of two response keys, each located left or right of the observers' body midline, while the orientation of the stimulus figure's body (trunk, arms, and legs), which was the task-irrelevant feature of interest, was manipulated (oriented toward the left or right visual hemifield) with respect to the spatial location of the required response. We found that when the orientation of the body was compatible with the required response location, responses were slower relative to when body orientation was incompatible with the response location. In line with a model put forward by Hietanen (1999), this reverse compatibility effect suggests that body orientation is automatically processed into a directional spatial code, but that this code is based on an integration of head and body orientation within an allocentric-based frame of reference. Moreover, we argue that this code may be derived from the motion information implied in the image of a figure when head and body orientation are incongruent. Our results have implications for understanding the nature of the information that affects the allocation of attention for social orienting.
Credit Spreads and the Severity of Financial Crises

We study the behavior of credit spreads and their link to economic growth during financial crises. We have three main findings. First, credit spreads accurately forecast the depth of the financial crisis in terms of GDP losses and thus the aftermath of a financial crisis is predictable based on the initial increase in spreads. Moreover much of this forecasting power comes from forecasting the worst quartile of GDP outcomes. That is, high spreads indicate a much higher probability of a bad tail event. Second, credit spreads the year before a crisis are largely uninformative about future GDP, suggesting that crises are largely a surprise. Third, while financial crises feature “slow recoveries” in terms of GDP and economic growth, credit spreads revert to pre-crisis levels more quickly, suggesting a separate role for financial and real factors in explaining the evolution of the macroeconomy in the aftermath of a financial crisis. ∗Stanford Graduate School of Business and Yale School of Management.
Secondary student perspectives on musical and educational outcomes from participation in band festivals

While it seems many music educators share an enthusiasm for music festivals, others do not. Discrepancies seem to be rooted in the perceived educational outcomes in terms of musical knowledge gained, motivation, competition, psychological impact and social considerations. Advocates believe competitive festivals provide a ‘superlative’ motivational factor and elevate performance quality beyond what could otherwise be achieved. Students and directors are motivated by ratings, by the outstanding performances of their peers and by the constructive criticism of expert adjudicators. As a result, students practice more, they work together with elevated enthusiasm and they are more likely to work on minute music details. Whereas most of the existing literature focuses on teacher perspectives, we examine the issues solely from a student perspective. We administered a survey composed of 55 five point, Likert scale items to 528 students of diverse multicultural backgrounds to examine the educational and musical benefits, and detriments, that evolve from participation in a band festival and events leading up to the festival as well as social benefits, or detriments, associated with band festival participation. Adding credence to existing research, there is very strong student support in favour of band festivals. We learned that student attitudes on how they perform are likely dependent on their personal beliefs, as well as feedback they receive from their directors, adjudicators and other members of the audience (i.e. students, parents). In accordance with previous research, students enjoy receiving adjudicator comments. Students value band for more than festival participation and recognise the rich, diverse learning experiences that festivals offer. Moreover, students consider band festivals as a positive educational experience, and overall, the social nature of band festivals has a positive impact on adolescents. Festivals are exceptionally motivating to students, as they appreciate the competitive aspects of music festivals in terms of competition as being a motivational factor when practicing and performing. Participation in music festivals has a positive emotional impact on students, in that they develop a sense of pride and accomplishment after a good performance.
Dopamine reward prediction error signal codes the temporal evaluation of a perceptual decision report

Significance How do animals learn to take correct actions based on uncertain observations? Although dopamine neurons can guide learning in conditioning experiments, their role in decision-making tasks is poorly understood. How can they code reward prediction errors and simultaneously exhibit decision-making processes and beliefs about the state of the environment? Using modeling work and analysis of data recorded from monkeys detecting weak stimuli delivered at uncertain times, we propose some answers to these questions. Specifically, we explain how the certainty about the presence of a stimulus is communicated to midbrain dopamine neurons through transient cortical events and why that certainty becomes visible in their response to a relevant task event. Learning to associate unambiguous sensory cues with rewarded choices is known to be mediated by dopamine (DA) neurons. However, little is known about how these neurons behave when choices rely on uncertain reward-predicting stimuli. To study this issue we reanalyzed DA recordings from monkeys engaged in the detection of weak tactile stimuli delivered at random times and formulated a reinforcement learning model based on belief states. Specifically, we investigated how the firing activity of DA neurons should behave if they were coding the error in the prediction of the total future reward when animals made decisions relying on uncertain sensory and temporal information. Our results show that the same signal that codes for reward prediction errors also codes the animal’s certainty about the presence of the stimulus and the temporal expectation of sensory cues.
Homeschooling Education

In a comprehensive study of two-hundred fifty homeschooling families in urban, rural and suburban areas of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the researcher examined all aspects of the instruction, materials and curricula employed by the families in a ten-year longitudinal study from 1998 through 2008. The researcher conducted interviews and gathered questionnaire data from: 1) all of the families in the sample in 1998, and 2) those families still residing within the same designated district in 2008. Significant changes occurred in the demographical data and the families’ instructional programs. Within the methods/materials/curriculum data, increases occurred in the: 1) use of prepared curricula (religious and non-religious), 2) the acquisition of more textbooks from local school districts, 3) use of the public library, 4) technology applications, 5) consultation with instructional specialists/teachers, and 6) greater networking with other homeschooling families. In their pooling of resources, sharing of expertise, and communicating with other homeschooling families, the homeschoolers had upgraded and diversified their choices of pedagogy and their modalities for delivering instruction.
Gender differences in teacher‐student interactions in science classrooms

Thirty physical science and 30 chemistry classes, which contained a total of 1332 students, were observed using the Brophy-Good Teacher-Child Dyadic Interaction System. Classroom interactions were examined for gender differences that may contribute to the underrepresentation of women in physics and engineering courses and subsequent careers. The Brophy-Good coding process allows for examination of patterns of interactions for individuals and groups of pupils. An analysis of variance of the data yielded a significant main effect for teacher praise, call outs, procedural questions, and behavioral warnings based on the sex of the student and a significant teacher-sex main effect for direct questions. Significant two-way interactions were found for the behavioral warning variable for teacher sex and subject by student sex. Female teachers warned male students significantly more than female students. Male teachers warned both genders with similar frequency. Male students also received significantly more behavioral warnings in physical science classes than female students. In chemistry classes, both male and female students received approximately the same number of behavioral warnings.
Problem-solving deficits in brain-injured patients: A therapeutic approach

Abstract We developed a specific problem-solving training (PST) and tested it in a small group study. The primary objective of the PST was to provide patients with techniques enabling them to reduce the complexity of a multistage problem by breaking it down to more manageable portions. Thirty-seven “poor” problem solvers were alternately allocated (i.e. in the sequence of their admission) to either a 6-week, 25-session PST (n = 20) or to a memory training (MT; n = 17) of comparable intensity and duration. Treatment effects were evaluated using standard German intelligence tests, the tower-of-Hanoi puzzle, a specifically designed planning test, and a rating of nine aspects of everyday problem-solving behaviour. Data revealed significant prepost effects of the PST in the planning test scores, in all behavioural ratings, and in some intelligence subtests. In comparison, the same tests indicated only minor improvement of the MT.
Prevalence of metabolic syndrome and its relationship to weight in the Thai population.

BACKGROUND Although the prevalence of the metabolic syndrome (MetS) has been well-documented in Western Caucasian populations, there are few studies in non-Caucasian populations. The objectives of the present study were to estimate the prevalence of MetS and to find an optimal BMI cut-off value for defining obesity in the Thai population. MATERIAL AND METHOD A sample of 307 men and 295 healthy women aged between 20 and 90 years (average age of 45 years) who came for a health check-up clinic in Khon Kaen, a northeast province of Thailand, were studied. The present study was conducted between 2003 and 2004. The modified ATP III criteria were used to estimate the age-and-sex specific prevalence of MetS, in which a BMI of > or = 27 kg/m(2) for men and 25 kg/m(2) for women were used in place of waist circumference. In the Thai population, these BMI cut-offs were equivalent to a percent body fat of 25% and 35% in men and women respectively. RESULTS The overall prevalence of MetS was 15%, with no significant differences between men (15.3%) and women (14.6%). In men, the prevalence increased from 9.5% among the 20-39 age group to 24.7% among the 50+ age groups. In women, the respective prevalence was 7% and 29.5%. When BMI was removed from the classification ofMetS, the overall prevalence of "MetS-without-BMI" (still defined by the presence of at least 3 abnormalities) in both men and women was 7.8%. However the prevalence of MetS-without-BMI increased with higher BMI levels: among those with BMI < 25, the prevalence was 4.6% in men and 5.0% in women; among those with BMI > or = 25, the prevalence was 13% in men and 16% in women. CONCLUSION The prevalence of MetS in this semi-rural Thai population was 15%, which is as common as in Caucasian populations. In the Thai population, obesity was a major component of MetS.
The kinematics of feeding and drinking in palaeognathous birds in relation to cranial morphology

SUMMARY Cranial kinesis is an important feature in avian feeding behaviour and involves the transmission of quadrate movement to the upper bill by the Pterygoid–Palatinum Complex (PPC). The PPC in Palaeognathae is remarkably different from that found in Neognathae. In this study we analyse whether the special morphology of the PPC is an adaptation to the feeding behaviour of the Palaeognathae. Behavioural analyses of the rhea Rhea americana showed that the feeding behaviour of the rhea is typical `Catch and Throw' behaviour, independent of the size of the food item. Drinking is achieved by a scooping movement followed by a low-amplitude tip-up phase. During feeding rhynchokinetic movements of the upper bill were observed. However, cranial kinesis was limited and may differ from rhynchokinesis in neognathes as a clear bending zone seemed absent. Since the movement patterns are considered very similar to the basic feeding behaviour in neognathous birds it is concluded that the specific morphology of the PPC is not the result of specific functional demands from palaeognathous feeding behaviour.
Factors Affecting Entry into Psychological Traps

Two experiments were conducted to evaluate the effects of two variables on psychological entrapment. Experiment 1 was an incrementing counter paradigm in which subjects could quit at any time. Subjects paid for each tick of their counter hoping that cash might eventually be awarded—either because a computer-generated number was reached or because a presumed adversary chose to quit first. At each of a series of decision points, subjects were to indicate their wish to continue, either by signalling the experimenter or doing nothing. In Experiment 2, subjects solved a crossword puzzle in the presumed presence of a person with whom they were either independent or in competition. Subjects were either stopped periodically and asked if they wished to continue or were not interrupted. In Experiment 1 it was found that entrapment was greater under Social than Nonsocial conditions; in both experiments this difference was more striking for men than women. In addition, in Experiment 2 but not in Experiment 1, entrapment was greater under Passive than Active conditions. Reasons for the similarity and divergence of results across the two studies are discussed and related to prior research.
An Architecture to Record Traces in Instrumented Collaborative Learning Environments

Supporting observation activity in a digital workspace environment is an idea that holds promise for improving groupware activity. In this paper, we focus on non-constraint equipped collective learning situations, that is to say without a given structure to the working process. We present a meta-model and an architecture of an observation station, to collect activity traces and to analyse them at different levels of abstraction. System traces, such as logs, are generally inadequate to identify pedagogical activities. Therefore, we have been working on a more accurate technique for observation instrumentation. Our initial experience has shown that this technique can significantly improve event trace processing for final user-oriented analysis.
The significance of the male display during male-male interactions in guppies (Poecilia reticulata)

Guppies, Poecilia reticulata, are a model species for studies of female preference based on male courtship displays; however, males also display to each other in an aggressive context, and little attention has been paid to the role of male-male displays. The display involves a male positioning his body in front or to the side of another male, arching his body, and quivering with his dorsal fin splayed. To understand what behaviors elicit a male display, we assigned individual males a dominance status. We then examined the relationship between dominance status and the number of displays delivered and received. By knowing the status of a displaying individual, we can better understand whether the display is given more often by dominant or subordinate individuals. Our results showed no significant correlation between dominance status and display rate; however, we found a significant relationship between the number of displays received and the number of displays delivered. Additionally, we found that a display is most often followed by aggression (nips and chases) by the other male rather than aggression by the focal male. Our results suggest that the display is a subtle form of aggression that escalates agonistic interactions. It also may serve to convey information about male quality (e.g. by displaying color patterns) and aggressive intent.
A Cybernetic Approach to Early Education

Studies investigated the long term achievement of Get-Set children, Philadelphia Head Start, who participated in SCILS, the Self-Controlled Interactive Learning Systems program at the Drexel Early Childhood Center, and who were later enrolled in eighteen Philadelphia public and parochial schools. The original purpose for the program was to find ways of creating an environment to enhance learning, creativity, and exploration. It was assumed that if the above occurred it would be reflected in standardized testing regardless of subject matter. Its premise is that learning involves both the acquisition of skills, training, and the formation of new concepts, going beyond the “given,” education. The proper use of instructional technology is to enable the learner—the child—to acquire skills which can be utilized in new concept formation. The teacher's role then shifts from concentration on training to involvement in education. However, if instructional technology is to be effective in helping students acquire mastery it should incorporate: 1) choice, 2) control by the student, 3) instantaneous dynamic feedback to the student which allows for self-control, self-organization, self-regulation, and self-correction, and 4) enhancement of adapting behavior. Fifty-seven Head Start children who were enrolled in the Drexel Early Childhood Center for an average of 2.54 years were the subject of these studies. Fifty-three of the subjects were followed through the sixth grade, fourteen through the ninth and a small group (all those who could be found) were followed into the tenth and eleventh grades. SCILS children are at or above grade level in reading and reading comprehension with thirty hours of instructional time. Outcomes compared with other Early Intervention Programs, in the United States, since the 1960s, show that with SCILS the Head Start children's achievement reaches the level of average middle-class children.