Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The difficulty of removing the prejudice

Critically discussing the causal social ontologies presented by Dave Elder-Vass and John Searle, the article argues that these views implausibly identify the causal ontological source of human sociality in collectively known, recognized and accepted statuses, criteria, norms and the like. This is implausible, for it ignores human sociality as occurring in temporally and spatially dispersed on-going processes of human interaction of differently placed, often unequal, and thus epistemically differently equipped actors in division of labour. Human scientific concepts are best seen as picking out (aspects of) such complex and heterogeneous processes, not what the participating actors allegedly collectively know, accept or recognize about them. The article observes that similar appeals to collective recognition are also common in Wittgensteinian literature that, however, have claimed to reject the causal ontological view. It is argued that the ultimate value in rejecting the causal ontological view, and the accompanying idea of collective recognition, resides in that we thereby avoid epistemically homogenizing and over-intellectualizing the diverse mass of dispersed, often unequal, but interacting actors.
Light-Evoked Lateral GABAergic Inhibition at Single Bipolar Cell Synaptic Terminals Is Driven by Distinct Retinal Microcircuits

Inhibitory amacrine cells (ACs) filter visual signals crossing the retina by modulating the excitatory, glutamatergic output of bipolar cells (BCs) on multiple temporal and spatial scales. Reciprocal feedback from ACs provides focal inhibition that is temporally locked to the activity of presynaptic BC activity, whereas lateral feedback originates from ACs excited by distant BCs. These distinct feedback mechanisms permit temporal and spatial computation at BC terminals. Here, we used a unique preparation to study light-evoked IPSCs recorded from axotomized terminals of ON-type mixed rod/cone BCs (Mb) in goldfish retinal slices. In this preparation, light-evoked IPSCs could only reach axotomized BC terminals via the lateral feedback pathway, allowing us to study lateral feedback in the absence of overlapping reciprocal feedback components. We found that light evokes ON and OFF lateral IPSCs (L-IPSCs) in Mb terminals having different temporal patterns and conveyed via distinct retinal pathways. The relative contribution of rods versus cones to ON and OFF L-IPSCs was light intensity dependent. ACs presynaptic to Mb BC terminals received inputs via AMPA/KA- and NMDA-type receptors in both the ON and OFF pathways, and used TTX-sensitive sodium channels to boost signal transfer along their processes. ON and OFF L-IPSCs, like reciprocal feedback IPSCs, were mediated by both GABAA and GABAC receptors. However, our results suggest that lateral and reciprocal feedback do not cross-depress each other, and are therefore mediated by distinct populations of ACs. These findings demonstrate that retinal inhibitory circuits are highly specialized to modulate BC output at different light intensities.
Borderlands

I explore the troubled relationship between anthropology and conservative Christianity, represented here by Prosperity-oriented Pentecostalism. My interest is not only in the complex boundaries erected between social scientific and religious practice, but also in the ways both involve the construction of ethical orientations to the world that are chronically constituted by the deployment of boundaries that play on movements between the foregrounding and backgrounding of ethical standpoints. One implication of my argument is that we need to consider more carefully the temporality of ethical framing of action. Another is that anthropology must acknowledge the fragmented, even ironic and playful, aspects of Pentecostal practice.
The Two Psychologies of Conflict Resolution: Differing Antecedents of Pre-Experience Choices and Post-Experience Evaluations

The literature on the `myth of self-interest' model of perceived human motivation suggests that people believe that both they and others are more motivated by self-interest than is actually the case. Four studies are reported which test one implication of the myth of self-interest: the psychology of pre-experience preferences and post-experience evaluations will differ. We hypothesize that people arrive at pre-experience preferences for decision-making procedures based upon the belief that they want to maximize their self-interest. Further, they will define their self-interest in material terms. Consequently, they choose procedures that they believe promise them the best material outcomes. However, post-experience evaluations are based upon a different factor - the quality of the treatment received during the course of the procedure. The results of all four studies support the suggestion that the psychology of preference and of evaluation differ as predicted. The findings suggest that preference and choice should be viewed as reflecting different psychological processes.
Clustering to minimize the sum of cluster diameters

We study the problem of clustering points in a metric space so as to minimize the sum of cluster diameters. Significantly improving on previous results, we present a primal-dual based constant factor approximation algorithm for this problem. We present a simple greedy algorithm that achieves a logarithmic approximation which also applies when the distance function is asymmetric. The previous best known result obtained a logarithmic approximation with a constant factor blowup in the number of clusters. We also obtain an incremental clustering algorithm that maintains a solution whose cost is at most a constant factor times that of optimal with a constant factor blowup in the number of clusters.
Reading Schwab’s the ‘Practical’ as an invitation to a curriculum enquiry

In this retrospective essay reviewing the implications of Joseph Schwab’s essay, ‘The practical: A language for education’ (2013 [1970]), 40 + years after its first publication, I identify two ‘practicals’. The first is a comprehensive ‘Practical 1.1’ embracing ends, subject matter, problem source and methods. This ‘practical’ has radical implications for curriculum studies, and for educational theory and research more generally. However, these implications have not been recognized. On the other hand, Schwab’s deliberation-centred interpretation of the ‘practical’, the ‘Practical 1.2’, has been widely discussed but has not captured the field of curriculum studies because it fails to map onto the structures of most school systems.
Nonlinear observer design using Lyapunov functions and SOS techniques

In this paper an observer for a polynomial nonlinear (nonautonomous) system constrained to a bounded subset of the state space is considered. The presented approach allows the construction of a locally asymptotically stable observer, which is guaranteed to be stable for any possible state within the limits. It is based on a theorem of Jacobi and Prestel. The problem is rewritten as an optimization problem using sum of squares (SOS) polynomials. The coefficients of these polynomials are interpreted as decision variables which form the basis of a convex optimization problem with linear matrix inequalities (LMIs). It can be easily implemented and solved with available software. The applicability of our approach is shown for an example.
Itinerant Teachers of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing and Their Students in Australia: some state comparisons

To survey the work of itinerant teachers of the deaf and hard of hearing in Australia a mail survey of most of those teachers in four Australian states was conducted. The survey sought information about the professional and personal demographics and work characteristics of the teachers and their roles in working with integrated deaf and hard of hearing students. Teachers also reported on the characteristics and level of inclusion of a “sample student” randomly chosen from their caseloads. Information about the distribution of these students' characteristics and the types of services delivered in each state indicated that there were few differences among the states. It was found that Australian itinerant teachers generally reported that they were satisfied with their work and the placement of deaf and hard of hearing students in regular classes. The teachers generally used a “pull-out/ direct tutorial” mode of working rather than one of “consultation only” with regular teachers and reported that schools and teachers were generally cooperative and understanding of the needs of deaf and hard of hearing students. The students in most cases were well integrated socially and academically in their regular classes.
Insulin Pump for Type 2 Diabetes

Progressive hyperglycemia in type 2 diabetes results from a progressive β-cell failure together with a state of insulin resistance (1). Insulin deficiency worsens with the natural progression of type 2 diabetes, explaining the escape from oral antihyperglycemic agents and the need for exogenous insulin therapy (2). The use of external pumps in patients with type 2 diabetes is a recent practice compared with that in type 1 diabetes, and its use is still debated. In only a few countries, such as in France and Israel, continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion (CSII) using an external pump is an alternative in type 2 diabetes that the health authorities have allowed for reimbursement. The rationale for using pump therapy was first suggested by its use in case reports of type 2 diabetes with extreme insulin resistance and poor glycemic control (3–6). In such patients, insulin was administered transiently by intravenous insulin infusion allowing lower mean glucose level despite a 40% reduction of insulin requirements. The sequential use of 4-week intravenous insulin infusion followed by 1-year CSII in a group of patients with type 2 diabetes patients poorly controlled despite very high insulin requirements allowed a dramatic reduction of HbA1c (−3%, −9 mmol/mol), while insulin requirements were reduced by one-third. Such beneficial effects of CSII were attributed to increased insulin sensitivity assessed by the hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp study (7). These observations raised the question as to whether insulin continuous administration by a pump device gives an advantage compared with the conventional approach of insulin intensification by multiple daily injections (MDIs). The evidence base is still under debate and will be discussed in this review. ### Is CSII effective for the intensification of insulin therapy in type 2 diabetes? Very few randomized controlled studies have looked at the comparative effectiveness of CSII versus MDI (8–11) (Table 1). Two parallel-group studies performed over 6 and 12 …
Children's reports of emotionally laden events: adapting the interview to the child

This study examined the influence of expressive vocabulary and temperament on children's verbal reports about emotionally laden events in different interview conditions. In one of three conditions, 58 children aged between 5 and 7 years were interviewed about a time they had felt happy and a time they had felt scared. The interview conditions were: drawing, in which they were asked to draw and tell; re-enactment, in which they were asked to re-enact and tell; and verbal, in which they were simply asked to tell. The principal finding was that, whereas for children in the verbal interview condition expressive vocabulary was associated with the amount of information reported and for children in the re-enactment condition, temperament had a moderate association with the amount reported, for children in the drawing interview condition, neither temperament nor expressive language was associated with the amount of information reported. Children in the drawing condition reported more information than those in the other two interview conditions. The possible mechanisms underlying these findings and their implications for interviewing children in clinical contexts are discussed. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The 220‐age equation does not predict maximum heart rate in children and adolescents

Our primary purpose was to provide maximum heart rate (HRmax) values for ambulatory children with cerebral palsy (CP). The secondary purpose was to determine the effects of age, sex, ambulatory ability, height, and weight on HRmax. In 362 ambulatory children and adolescents with CP (213 males and 149 females; age range 6–19y; 195 spastic unilateral, 162 spastic bilateral, and five ataxic CP), HRmax was measured during a 10‐m (Gross Motor Function Classification System [GMFCS] levels I and II) or 7.5 m (GMFCS level III) shuttle run test. The mean HRmax was 194 (SD 9.9) beats per minute (bpm), with a 95% prediction interval between 174 and 214 bpm. No associations were found in HRmax related to age, sex, ambulatory ability, height, and weight. Since the HRmax did not vary with age, equations such as 220‐age are not appropriate. When direct evaluation of HRmax with exercise testing is not feasible, we suggest the mean value of 194 bpm be considered as an estimate of HRmax at the individual level.
Text in a Texture of Television: children's homework experience

Abstract A survey answered by 842 respondents representing British children aged from 7 to 15 measured their amounts of television viewing, listening to music, serious reading and outdoor games playing, and their attitudes to leisure activities, such as television viewing. Children said whether they did school homework and if so, with or without the television switched on, and if so, whether they regarded it as a help or not. About a quarter of those aged 10 and over said they did work along with television, accepting its presence, and another one in six did so, actually welcoming it. Attitude measures showed clearly different stereotypes of the heavy viewer, reader and music listener. This children's sample had a broadly positive image of a heavy television viewer of their own age. A process of rationalisation is detectable in which those who reported heavy viewing themselves, were more likely to do homework with the television on, to say it helped them and that it was linked with good achievement at sch.
Dependence of asbestos- and mineral dust-induced transformation of mammalian cells in culture on fiber dimension.

The abilities of chrysotile and crocidolite asbestos, glass fibers of differing dimensions, and nonfibrous mineral particulates to induce morphological transformation of Syrian hamster embryo cells in culture were compared. Chrysotile and crocidolite asbestos induced morphologically transformed colonies which were indistinguishable from transformed colonies observed following treatment with known chemical carcinogens. A linear, dose-dependent increase in the frequency of transformed colonies was observed. The slope of the dose-response curve on a log-log scale was approximately 1, which is consistent with a one-hit mechanism for their induction. The transforming potency of chrysotile asbestos was decreased by milling of the fibers but not by extraction with an organic solvent. Chrysotile asbestos was nearly twice as potent in inducing morphological transformation as crocidolite asbestos. Glass fibers were also very active in this assay. Thin glass fibers with an average diameter of 0.1 to 0.2 micrometer were as active as asbestos. In contrast, two nonfibrous particulates, alpha-quartz and Min-U-Sil, were inactive over the same concentration range used for the fibrous dusts; however, both were active at higher doses. The effect of varying fiber dimension on induction of morphological transformation was examined with glass fibers. When compared on a per-weight basis, thick glass fibers [average diameter, 0.8 plus/minus 0.06 micrometer (S.E.)] were 20-fold less potent than thin fibers [average diameter, 0.13 plus/minus 0.005 micrometer] in inducing cell transformation. When the average fiber length of thin glass fibers was reduced from 9.5 to 1.7 micrometer by milling the fibers in a mortar and pestle, a 10-fold decrease in transforming activity resulted. When the average fiber length was reduced to 0.95 micrometer, transforming ability was totally absent. The cytotoxic potencies of the various mineral dusts correlated with their transforming potencies. The varying abilities of the mineral dusts to induce cell transformation in vitro are similar to their abilities to induce mesotheliomas in vivo. Thus, this system provides a unique model for studying the mechanism of mineral fiber tumorigenesis and for comparing the relative risks of mineral dusts.
Schistosoma japonicum-infected mice show reduced hepatic fibrosis and eosinophilia and selective inhibition of interleukin-5 secretion by CD4+ cells after treatment with anti-interleukin-2 antibodies

Schistosoma japonicum-infected mice were injected with antibodies to interleukin-2 (IL-2) and/or IL-2 receptor to clarify the role of IL-2 on the granulomatous reaction around schistosome eggs in the liver. Granulomas were of normal or slightly increased size in animals subjected to IL-2 blockade, but hepatic fibrosis was markedly decreased in treated animals 10 weeks after infection. Anti-IL-2 treatment significantly decreased the in vitro secretion of IL-5 by antigen-stimulated spleen cells, and peripheral eosinophilia and tissue eosinophilia were diminished. Secretion of IL-2, IL-4, and gamma interferon was unaffected. Our results indicate that IL-2 is not an essential determinant of granuloma size in S. japonicum-infected mice but that, as in Schistosoma mansoni infection, the development of hepatic fibrosis is critically dependent on IL-2 levels and granuloma size and hepatic fibrosis are differentially regulated.
Clinical significance of nontuberculous mycobacteria isolated from respiratory specimens in Korea.

STUDY OBJECTIVES Precise epidemiologic data regarding nontuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) lung infection in many Asian countries have been relatively unavailable. In order to determine the clinical significance of NTM isolated from respiratory specimens, we reviewed medical records from all patients from whom NTM isolates were recovered within a 2-year period. MATERIALS AND METHODS We identified all NTM isolates from respiratory specimens at the Samsung Medical Center (Seoul, South Korea) obtained from January 2002 to December 2003. We then reviewed the clinical and radiologic characteristics of the patients from whom NTM was isolated. Patients were classified as having either definite, probable, or unlikely NTM lung disease, as defined by the guidelines of both the American Thoracic Society and the British Thoracic Society. RESULTS During the study period, 1,548 NTM isolates were recovered from 794 patients. Of these 794 patients, 131 patients (17%) were determined to have definite NTM lung disease, and 64 patients (8%) were designated as probable disease candidates. The most commonly involved organisms in the definite and probable NTM lung disease cases were Mycobacterium avium complex (n = 94, 48%) and Mycobacterium abscessus (n = 64, 33%). In 195 patients with NTM lung disease, 82 patients (42%) manifested the upper lobe cavitary form, 101 patients (52%) exhibited the nodular bronchiectatic form, and 12 patients (6%) exhibited the unclassifiable form. CONCLUSIONS About one fourth of the patients in whom NTM was isolated from respiratory specimens were found to have clinically significant NTM lung infections. The spectrum of organisms responsible for the NTM lung disease in these Korean patients differed from those reported in other regions of the world. However, the estimates of clinical significance in this study may be underestimates due to the retrospective analysis. Some of the patients might have "true" NTM lung disease that could be diagnosed with continued evaluation and follow-up.
Central Role for Dermal Fibroblasts in Skin Model Protection against Candida albicans

The fungal pathogen Candida albicans colonizes basically all human epithelial surfaces, including the skin. Under certain conditions, such as immunosuppression, invasion of the epithelia occurs. Not much is known about defense mechanisms against C. albicans in subepithelial layers such as the dermis. Using immune cell-supplemented 3D skin models we defined a new role for fibroblasts in the dermis and identified a minimal set of cell types for skin protection against C. albicans invasion. Dual RNA sequencing of individual host cell populations and C. albicans revealed that dermal invasion is directly impeded by dermal fibroblasts. They are able to integrate signals from the pathogen and CD4+ T cells and shift toward an antimicrobial phenotype with broad specificity that is dependent on Toll-like receptor 2 and interleukin 1β. These results highlight a central function of dermal fibroblasts for skin protection, opening new possibilities for treatment of infectious diseases.
The U.S. Olympic Committee experience with exercise-induced bronchospasm, 1984.

Exercise-induced bronchospasm is a medical deterrent to an athlete's natural ability to perform. The U.S. Olympic Committee has met the challenge of recognizing and dealing with this common yet unappreciated medical complication aggravated by athletic exertion. Prior to the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games the U.S. Olympic Committee developed a screening program to identify members of its Olympic team who suffered from asthma or exercise-induced bronchospasm. The screening identified 67 of 597 Olympic athletes with asthma or exercise-induced bronchospasm. Coordination of medical care by contact between members of the American Academy of Allergy and Immunology, the U.S. Olympic Committee Chief Medical Officer, the athlete's personal physician, and the athlete was done. Medications approved for use in these conditions by the International Olympic Committee Medical Commission policies were prescribed. Forty-one medals were won by this group of handicapped athletes. Their example will raise the hopes and aspirations of countless young allergic and asthmatic children who dream of the thrills and health benefits of physical performance at almost any level of competition.