Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Cooperation, networks and emotions: Three essays in behavioral economics

This thesis contains three essays that study how people behave in a social context. The first two essays are on cooperation and networks. Chapter 2 investigates a mechanism to facilitate public good provision in networks. It relies on the idea that people compete for attractive network positions (or status) and that they do so by creating public goods. Chapter 3 studies how power asymmetries affect cooperation in groups. Two types of power are studied: power from being central in a network and power from having the authority to distribute the group surplus. The third essay, chapter 4, studies a possible explanation why people experience social emotions such as anger towards others.
Exercise training modulates the hepatic renin–angiotensin system in fructose‐fed rats

What is the central question of this study? What are the effects of exercise training on the hepatic renin–angiotensin system and their contribution to damage resulting from fructose overload in rats? What is the main finding and its importance? Exercise training attenuated the deleterious actions of the angiotensin‐converting enzyme/angiotensin II/angiotensin II type 1 receptor axis and increased expression of the counter‐regulatory (angiotensin‐converting enzyme 2/angiotensin (1–7)/Mas receptor) axis in the liver. Therefore, our study provides evidence that exercise training modulates the hepatic renin–angiotensin system, which contributes to reducing the progression of metabolic dysfunction and non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease in fructose‐fed rats.
The Importance of Source and Credibility Perception in Times of Crisis: Crisis Communication in a Socially Mediated Era

Social media are invaluable sources of information during organizational crises. Although recent research confirms this fundamental role in crisis communication, this article is aimed at deepening the understanding about the role of the source of information in this socially mediated era by comparing the organization and the employee as communicators. As social media lack traditional gatekeeping processes, dynamics of both source and content credibility are assessed. The findings, based on an experimental design, advocate that judgments of organizational reputation are not only dependent on the crisis-response strategy, but also depend on the source and perceptions of source and content credibility.
Evolution of an ancient protein function involved in organized multicellularity in animals

To form and maintain organized tissues, multicellular organisms orient their mitotic spindles relative to neighboring cells. A molecular complex scaffolded by the GK protein-interaction domain (GKPID) mediates spindle orientation in diverse animal taxa by linking microtubule motor proteins to a marker protein on the cell cortex localized by external cues. Here we illuminate how this complex evolved and commandeered control of spindle orientation from a more ancient mechanism. The complex was assembled through a series of molecular exploitation events, one of which – the evolution of GKPID’s capacity to bind the cortical marker protein – can be recapitulated by reintroducing a single historical substitution into the reconstructed ancestral GKPID. This change revealed and repurposed an ancient molecular surface that previously had a radically different function. We show how the physical simplicity of this binding interface enabled the evolution of a new protein function now essential to the biological complexity of many animals. DOI: http://dx.doi. org/10.7554/eLife.10147. 001
Epidemiology of feline infectious peritonitis among cats examined at veterinary medical teaching hospitals.

OBJECTIVE To determine proportions of cats in which feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) was diagnosed on an annual, monthly, and regional basis and identify unique characteristics of cats with FIP. DESIGN Case-control study. SAMPLE POPULATION Records of all feline accessions to veterinary medical teaching hospitals (VMTH) recorded in the Veterinary Medical Data Base between January 1986 and December 1995 and of all feline accessions for necropsy or histologic examination at 4 veterinary diagnostic laboratories. PROCEDURE Proportions of total and new feline accessions for which a diagnosis of FIP was recorded were calculated. To identify characteristics of cats with FIP, cats with FIP were compared with the next cat examined at the same institution (control cats). RESULTS Approximately 1 of every 200 new feline and 1 of every 300 total feline accessions at VMTH in North America and approximately 1 of every 100 accessions at the diagnostic laboratories represented cats with FIP. Cats with FIP were significantly more likely to be young, purebred, and sexually intact males and significantly less likely to be spayed females and discharged alive than were control cats. The proportion of new accessions for which a diagnosis of FIP was recorded did not vary significantly among years, months, or regions of the country. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Results indicated that FIP continues to be a clinically important disease in North America and that sexually intact male cats may be at increased risk, and spayed females at reduced risk, for FIP. The high prevalence of FIP and lack of effective treatment emphasizes the importance of preventive programs, especially in catteries.
The Social Media Factor In The Development And Promotion Of Religious Tourism

Tourism and religion have been in co-operation with each other due to the"Hajj pilgrimage" throughout history. The concept of religious tourism of today is based on this co-operation. All sectors of tourism, including religious tourism, need publicity first and then to market their destinations and the travel programs for survival. The emerging "social media networks " that appeared after the developments in Internet technology are thought to be useful tools in both fields. Scientific researches have discovered a strong relationship between the use of social media and consumers' purchasing decisions or renunciation. This relationship can be used as an efficient support in promoting and marketing of destinations and tour programs in religious tourism industry. According to reseachers, people, who share their past travel experiences with friends and relatives on the social media, can be effective on the travel plans of others, from choosing destinations to hotels and restaurants. Social media is seen as a great tool of promotion and marketing for all kinds of businesses but like any other tools, social media have useful and harmful aspects. If they are used cleverly, social media can carry businesses to distant horizons beyond their imaginations but improper use of social media can do more harm than good. There is no study which examines the role of social media in promoting and development of religious tourism. The purpose of this study is to research the importance of the role that social media can play in the development and promotion of religious tourism and produce solutions to probable problems that may arise.
Three types of cooling superfluid neutron stars: Theory and observations

Cooling of neutron stars (NSs) with the cores composed of neutrons, protons, and electrons is simulated assuming 1 S 0 pairing of neutrons in the NS crust, and also 1 S 0 pairing of protons and weak 3 P 2 pairing of neutrons in the NS core, and using realistic density profiles of the superfluid critical temperatures $T_{\rm c}(\rho)$. The theoretical cooling models of isolated middle-aged NSs can be divided into three main types. (I) Low-mass , slowly cooling NSs where the direct Urca process of neutrino emission is either forbidden or almost fully suppressed by the proton superfluidity. (II) Medium-mass NSs which show moderate cooling via the direct Urca process suppressed by the proton superfluidity. (III) Massive NSs which show fast cooling via the direct Urca process weakly suppressed by superfluidity. Confronting the theory with observations we treat RX J0822–43, PSR 1055–52 and RX J1856–3754 as slowly cooling NSs. To explain these sufficiently warm sources we need a density profile $T_{\rm c}(\rho)$ in the crust with a rather high and flat maximum and sharp wings. We treat 1E 1207–52, RX J0002+62, PSR 0656+14, Vela, and Geminga as moderately cooling NSs. We can determine their masses for a given model of proton superfluidity, $T_{\rm cp}(\rho)$, and the equation of state in the NS core. No rapidly cooling NS has been observed so far.
Diversity and dynamics of patient cost-sharing for physicians' and hospital services in the 27 European Union countries.

BACKGROUND During the past decades, many governments have introduced patient cost-sharing in their public health-care system. This trend in health-care reforms affected the European Union (EU) member states as well. This article presents a review of patient cost-sharing for health-care services in the 27 EU countries, and discusses directions for their improvement. METHODS Data are collected based on a review of international data bases, national laws and regulations, as well as scientific and policy reports. The analysis presents a combination of qualitative and quantitative research techniques. RESULTS Patient cost-sharing arrangements in the EU have been changing considerably over the past two decades (mostly being extended) and are quite diverse at present. There is a relation between patient cost-sharing arrangements and some characteristics of the health-care system in a country. In a few EU countries, a mix of formal and informal charges exists, which creates a double financial burden for health-care consumers. CONCLUSIONS The adequacy of patient cost-sharing arrangements in EU countries needs to be reconsidered. Most importantly, it is essential to deal with informal patient payments (where applicable) and to assure adequate exemption mechanisms to diminish the adverse equity effects of patient cost-sharing. A close communication with the public is needed to clarify the objectives and content of a patient payment policy in a country.
Interpretation of upper-storey canopy area in subtropical broadleaved forests in Okinawa Island using laser scanning data

Conventional forest inventory practice took huge of effort, and is time- and cost- consuming. With the aid of remote sensing technology by light detection and ranging (LiDAR), those unbearable factors could be minimized. LiDAR is able to capture forest characteristic information and is well known for estimating forest structure accurately in many studies. Forest monitoring related to forest resource inventory (FRI) becomes more effective by utilizing LiDAR data and it is tremendously useful, especially to distinguish information on density, growth and distribution of trees in a selected area. In this study, LiDAR data was utilized aimed to delineate crown cover and estimate upper-storey canopy area in Yambaru Forest using object-based segmentation and classification techniques. Agreement between field survey and LiDAR data analysis showed that only 33.7% of upper- storey canopy area was successfully delineated. The low accuracy level of canopy detection in Yambaru Forest area was expected mainly due to tree structure, density and topographic condition.
Late Phonological Processes in the Acquisition of Spanish

This paper reports on a study which examines sound features and production errors at the phonological level by children acquiring Spanish. The aim is to determine the type of difficulties that remain in child language beyond age three. It will also provide normative data about phonological and lexical development in Spanish which may have valuable applications for the evaluation of language, particularly in the field of speech disorders. The regularity of children’s phonological errors can be interpreted as the result of phonological processes. We take the term from Stampe (1969), and we use for the analysis the basic set of processes from Ingram (1976), as adapted to Spanish by Bosch (1983), and Diez-Itza (1995). Phonological processes merely express here the systematicity in a child’s substitution or error patterns, as a broad interpretation of the term allows (Vihman, 1996). Our main goals are: (a) To assess whether regularities in children's phonological errors can be systematically described as the result of a predetermined set of phonological processes. (b) To analyse developmental variation of phonological processes in relation to age and sex. Individual differences will also be considered. (c) To analyse the possible relation between productive vocabulary (tokens) and the incidence of phonological processes. (d) To determine the relative incidence of the different processes at the ages under study. More specifically, the following questions will be addressed: 1. Are there important differences in the distribution of processes as a function of age? ; 2. Which are the processes that characterise each age level? ; 3. Which are the most frequent processes at each age level?
Q Fever: Current State of Knowledge and Perspectives of Research of a Neglected Zoonosis

Q fever is an ubiquitous zoonosis caused by an resistant intracellular bacterium, Coxiella burnetii. In certain areas, Q fever can be a severe public health problem, and awareness of the disease must be promoted worldwide. Nevertheless, knowledge of Coxiella burnetii remains limited to this day. Its resistant (intracellular and environmental) and infectious properties have been poorly investigated. Further understanding of the interactions between the infected host and the bacteria is necessary. Domestic ruminants are considered as the main reservoir of bacteria. Infected animals shed highly infectious organisms in milk, feces, urine, vaginal mucus, and, very importantly, birth products. Inhalation is the main route of infection. Frequently asymptomatic in humans and animals, Q fever can cause acute or chronic infections. Financial consequences of infection can be dramatic at herd level. Vaccination with inactive whole-cell bacteria has been performed and proved effective in humans and animals. However, inactive whole-cell vaccines present several defects. Recombinant vaccines have been developed in experimental conditions and have great potential for the future. Q fever is a challenging disease for scientists as significant further investigations are necessary. Great research opportunities are available to reach a better understanding and thus a better prevention and control of the infection.
Effects of thyroid hormones on the antioxidative status in the uterus of young adult rats

Thyroid hormones and oxidative stress play significant roles in the normal functioning of the female reproductive system. Nitric oxide (NO), a free radical synthesized by nitric oxide synthases (NOS), participates in the regulation of thyroid function and is also a good biomarker for assessment of the oxidative stress status. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate effects of thyroid hormones on uterine antioxidative status in young adult rats. Thirty immature female Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into three groups: control, hypothyroid (hypo-T) and hyperthyroid (hyper-T). The results showed the body weights decreased significantly in both the hypo-T and hyper-T groups and that uterine weights were decreased significantly in the hypo-T group. The serum concentrations of total triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4), as well as estradiol (E2), were significantly decreased in the hypo-T group, but increased in the hyper-T group. The progesterone (P4) concentrations in the hypo- and hyperthyroid rats markedly decreased. Immunohistochemistry results provided evidence that thyroid hormone nuclear receptor α/β (TRα/β) and three NOS isoforms were located in different cell types of rat uteri. The NO content and total NOS and inducible NOS (iNOS) activities were markedly diminished in the hypo-T group but increased in the hyper-T group. Moreover, the activities of both glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and catalase (CAT) exhibited significant decreases and increases in the hypo-T and hyper-T groups, respectively. The malondialdehyde (MDA) contents in both the hypo-T and hyper-T groups showed a significant increase. Total superoxide dismutase (T-SOD) activity in the hypo- and hyper-T rats markedly decreased. In conclusion, these results indicated that thyroid hormones have an important influence on the modulation of uterine antioxidative status.
Effect of Angiotensin II Type 2 Receptor-Interacting Protein on Adipose Tissue Function via Modulation of Macrophage Polarization

We demonstrated that angiotensin II type 2 (AT2) receptor-interacting protein (ATIP) 1 ameliorates inflammation-mediated vascular remodeling independent of the AT2 receptor, leading us to explore the possibility of whether ATIP1 could exert anti-inflammatory effects and play a role in other pathophysiological conditions. We examined the possible anti-inflammatory effects of ATIP1 in adipose tissue associated with amelioration of insulin resistance. In mice fed a high-cholesterol diet, adipose tissue macrophage (ATM) infiltration and M1-to-M2 ratio were decreased in ATIP1 transgenic mice (ATIP1-Tg) compared with wild-type mice (WT), with decreased expression of inflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor-α and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 in white adipose tissue (WAT), but an increase in interleukin-10, an anti-inflammatory cytokine. Moreover, 2-[3H]deoxy-d-glucose (2-[3H]DG) uptake was significantly increased in ATIP1-Tg compared with WT. Next, we examined the roles of ATIP1 in BM-derived hematopoietic cells, employing chimeric mice produced by BM transplantation into irradiated type 2 diabetic mice with obesity, KKAy, as recipients. ATM infiltration and M1-to-M2 ratio were decreased in ATIP1 chimera (ATIP1-tg as BM donor), with improvement of insulin-mediated 2-[3H]DG uptake and amelioration of inflammation in WAT. Moreover, serum adiponectin concentration in ATIP1 chimera was significantly higher than that in WT chimera (WT as BM donor) and KKAy chimera (KKAy as BM donor). These results indicate that ATIP1 could exert anti-inflammatory effects in adipose tissue via macrophage polarization associated with improvement of insulin resistance, and ATIP1 in hematopoietic cells may contribute to these beneficial effects on adipose tissue functions in type 2 diabetes.
Original Research The Effect of Body Mass Index on Fluoroscopic Time and Radiation Dose During Sacroiliac Joint Injections

Background: Sacroiliac joint (SIJ) injections are commonly performed under fluoroscopic guidance. Radiation exposure to patients and providers has not been comprehensively studied, particularly the effect of body mass index (BMI). Objective: To identify whether patients with a larger BMI require longer fluoroscopy time or a larger radiation dose during performance of an SIJ injection. Design: Retrospective study of an academic institution database. Setting: Academic outpatient musculoskeletal clinic. Patients: All patients who underwent SIJ injections during a 10-year period. Main Outcome Measurements: Machine-reported fluoroscopic time and machine-reported radiation dose. A Bonferroni correction was implemented with P � . 01 as statistically significant. Results: A total of 453 SIJ injections were performed in 359 patients. No statistically significant differences in fluoroscopy time were found between patients with BMI scores identified as normal, overweight, and obese (P ¼ .054). However, the radiation doses were significantly greater for patients with higher BMI scores (c 2 [2, n ¼ 441] ¼ 62.4, P < .001); the median (interquartile range) doses were 1210 (839), 1671 (1240), and 2090 (2170) mGy-cm for normal weight, overweight, and obese patients, respectively. Although longer needles were used more often in obese patients (c 2 [2, n ¼ 452] ¼ 31.5, P <.001), fluoroscopy time was not associated with needle length (P ¼ .162). No relationships were identified between fluoroscopy time and first-time (as opposed to repeat) injection (P ¼ .123), trainee involvement (c 2 [1, n ¼ 698] ¼ 3.9, P ¼ .049), or age (P ¼ .337). Conclusions: Patients with an elevated BMI score who are undergoing SIJ injection receive an increased radiation dose despite equivalent fluoroscopic time. This finding suggests that the increased dose is likely due to x-ray output from the fluoroscope traversing a greater tissue mass, as opposed to the physician requiring more fluoroscopic images for proper needle placement. Fortunately, the increased radiation dose delivered to patients with a larger BMI score likely has negligible effects.
Of Caring Practices in the Public Communication of Science: Seeing through Trans Women Scientists’ Experiences

In this essay, I question what happens to our understanding of the public communication of science when it is embodied by scientists who subvert traditional gender roles. I argue that communicative practices directed toward wider publics have traditionally been framed by certain feminized values of care, which subordinates these practices to androcentric ideals of expert knowledge production. Drawing on contemporary feminist critiques of science, I analyze examples of a Colombian trans woman scientist’s practices of knowledge communication via online platforms. This analysis allows me to propose that other forms of public communication of science are possible. In particular, I suggest that these practices can be framed by an ethos of care through which science and scientists become with publics in more accountable and situated ways.
A Modal Characterization of Defeasible Deontic Conditionals and Conditional Goals

We explore the notions of permission and obligation and their role in knowledge representation, especially as guides to action for planning systems. We first present a simple conditional deontic logic (or more accurately a preference logic) of the type common in the literature and demonstrate its equivalence to a number of modal and conditional systems for default reasoning. We show how the techniques of conditional default reasoning can be used to derive factual preferences from conditional preferences. We extend the system to account for the effect of beliefs on an agent’s obligations, including beliefs held by default. This leads us to the notion of a conditional goal, goals toward which an agent should strive according to its belief state. We then extend the system (somewhat naively) to model the ability of an agent to perform actions. Even with this simple account, we are able to show that the deontic slogan "make the best of a bad situation" gives rise to several interpretations or strategies for determining goals (and actions). We show that an agent can improve its decisions and focus its goals by making observations, or increasing its knowledge of the world. Finally, we discuss how this model might be extended and used in the planning process, especially to represent planning under uncertainty in a qualitative manner.