Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Adiponectin: An Attractive Marker for Metabolic Disorders in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a chronic inflammatory lung disease which may be complicated by development of co-morbidities including metabolic disorders. Metabolic disorders commonly associated with this disease contribute to lung function impairment and mortality. Systemic inflammation appears to be a major factor linking COPD to metabolic alterations. Adipose tissue seems to interfere with systemic inflammation in COPD patients by producing a large number of proteins, known as “adipokines”, involved in various processes such as metabolism, immunity and inflammation. There is evidence that adiponectin is an important modulator of inflammatory processes implicated in airway pathophysiology. Increased serum levels of adiponectin and expression of its receptors on lung tissues of COPD patients have recently highlighted the importance of the adiponectin pathway in this disease. Further, in vitro studies have demonstrated an anti-inflammatory activity for this adipokine at the level of lung epithelium. This review focuses on mechanisms by which adiponectin is implicated in linking COPD with metabolic disorders.
A Six Year Longitudinal Study of Graduate Expectations: The Implications for Company Recruitment and Selection Strategies

All job extrants formulate a set of expectations about what a new job will be like. A least in part, these expectations are shaped by their experience of the organization's selection process. What impact do these early impressions have upon subsequent job attitudes and behaviour? This article reports the findings of a longitudinal study of UK graduates from a few weeks prior to organizational entry to five or six years after commencing employment. Both the level of pre‐entry expectations and the congruency of these expectations with work experience are found to correlate with subsequent job satisfaction and organizational commitment. More support is found for the congruent expectations hypotheses, and the implications of this for company selection and socialization strategies are discussed.
Environmental conditions and entrepreneurial activity: a regional comparison in Spain

Purpose – The main objective of this paper is to analyse the influence of environmental factors on entrepreneurship at the Spanish regional level, using institutional economics as the theoretical framework for the research. Additionally, this work aims to emphasize how environmental conditions have different effects according to the gender of entrepreneurs. Design/methodology/approach – Regional panel data (19 Spanish regions and the 2006-2009 period) from the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM), specifically from the Spanish National Expert Survey (NES) for environmental conditions and the GEM Adult Population Survey (APS) for entrepreneurial activity were analysed within a fixed effects model with panel corrected standard errors. Findings – The main findings of the study indicate that both informal (cultural and social norms, perception of opportunities to start-up and entrepreneur social image) and formal factors (intellectual property rights) influence entrepreneurship, but the informal are more determinant than the formal. Concerning the gender issues, informal and formal institutions are also determinant, but female entrepreneurship is significantly associated with the women's support to start-up, whereas primary and higher education are associated only with male entrepreneurial activity. Research limitations/implications – The results of the research should be interpreted carefully, because the availability of data constrained the analysis to a time period that is not reflective of the economic cycle; on the contrary, the data correspond to a period of recession, and thus the results cannot be generalized. Also, the study could extend the analysed period and compare the obtained results with international data, considering the global number of participant countries in the GEM Project. Originality/value – The study provides a methodology to analyse the environmental factors for new firm creation at a regional level, combining GEM data and institutional economics.
A well‐being manifesto for a flourishing society

Although economic output has nearly doubled in the last 30 years, life satisfaction levels in the UK and other developed countries have remained resolutely flat, with evidence that depression and anxiety are increasing, notably among young people. While governments in the developed world focus on economic development as the key route to well‐being, a growing body of research suggests that, once basic needs have been met, this approach is flawed. This well‐being manifesto for a flourishing society, produced by the think tank new economics foundation (nef), proposes eight alternative priorities for government action to promote well‐being. While the focus is on UK policy and the examples are largely drawn from the UK, the key themes of the manifesto will apply to many developed country contexts.
Binding of Toxoplasma gondii Glycosylphosphatidylinositols to Galectin-3 Is Required for Their Recognition by Macrophages*

We showed that the production of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) α by macrophages in response to Toxoplasma gondii glycosylphosphatidylinositols (GPIs) requires the expression of both Toll-like receptors TLR2 and TLR4, but not of their co-receptor CD14. Galectin-3 is a β-galactoside-binding protein with immune-regulatory effects, which associates with TLR2. We demonstrate here by using the surface plasmon resonance method that the GPIs of T. gondii bind to human galectin-3 with strong affinity and in a dose-dependent manner. The use of a synthetic glycan and of the lipid moiety cleaved from the GPIs shows that both parts are involved in the interaction with galectin-3. GPIs of T. gondii also bind to galectin-1 but with a lower affinity and only through the lipid moiety. At the cellular level, the production of TNF-α induced by T. gondii GPIs in macrophages depends on the expression of galectin-3 but not of galectin-1. This study is the first identification of a galectin-3 ligand of T. gondii origin, and galectin-3 might be a co-receptor presenting the GPIs to the TLRs on macrophages.
Positive pacing in elite IRONMAN triathletes.

Pacing is known to influence athletic performance. For the Ironman triathlon program, a positive pacing strategy, i.e., the continuous decrease of speed over time was recommended. By analyzing split times, we assessed the pacing strategies of the top 100 finishers of the cycling part of 13 Ironman races and of the running part of 11 Ironman races taking place in 2014. Furthermore, sex-associated differences in performance and pacing strategies were calculated. We analyzed 7,687 cycling and 11,894 running split times of 1,392 triathletes (1,263 men, 129 women). Changes in speed were assessed using mixed-effects regression analyses. A continuous decrease in speed was observed during cycling in 10/13 races, and during running in 11/11 races. In 6/13 races, women decreased their speed during cycling significantly more than men. The running part showed no significant difference of changes in speed between the sexes. In summary, in the Ironman races evaluated, a positive pacing strategy was adopted in most races. Women were slower than men in 6/13 cycling races, but there was no difference between men and women in the run splits. Women used the same pacing strategy as men.
Serological and Molecular Detection of Senecavirus A Associated with an Outbreak of Swine Idiopathic Vesicular Disease and Neonatal Mortality

ABSTRACT We performed a longitudinal field study in a swine breeding herd that presented with an outbreak of vesicular disease (VD) that was associated with an increase in neonatal mortality. Initially, a USDA Foreign Animal Disease (FAD) investigation confirmed the presence of Senecavirus A (SVA) and ruled out the presence of exotic agents that produce vesicular lesions, e.g., foot-and-mouth disease virus and others. Subsequently, serum samples, tonsil swabs, and feces were collected from sows (n = 22) and their piglets (n = 33) beginning 1 week after the onset of the clinical outbreak and weekly for 6 weeks. The presence of SVA RNA was evaluated in all specimens collected by reverse transcriptase quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) targeting a conserved region of the 5′ untranslated region (5′-UTR). The serological response (IgG) to SVA was evaluated by the weekly testing of sow and piglet serum samples on a SVA VP1 recombinant protein (rVP1) indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The rVP1 ELISA detected seroconversion against SVA in clinically affected and non-clinically affected sows at early stages of the outbreak as well as maternal SVA antibodies in offspring. Overall, the absence of vesicles (gross lesions) in SVA-infected animals and the variability of RT-qPCR results among specimen type demonstrated that a diagnostic algorithm based on the combination of clinical observations, RT-qPCR in multiple diagnostic specimens, and serology are essential to ensure an accurate diagnosis of SVA.
Acquired Hemophilia A: A Frequently Overlooked Autoimmune Hemorrhagic Disorder

Acquired hemophilia A (AHA) is a rare hemorrhagic disease in which autoantibodies against coagulation factor VIII- (FVIII-) neutralizing antibodies (inhibitors) impair the intrinsic coagulation system. As the inhibitors developed in AHA are autoantibodies, the disease may have an autoimmune cause and is often associated with autoimmune disease. Although acute hemorrhage associated with AHA may be fatal and is costly to treat, AHA is often unrecognized or misdiagnosed. AHA should thus be considered in the differential diagnosis particularly in postpartum women and the elderly with bleeding tendency or prolonged activated partial thromboplastin time. Cross-mixing tests and measurement of FVIII-binding antibodies are useful to confirm AHA diagnosis. For treatment of acute hemorrhage, hemostatic therapy with bypassing agents should be provided. Unlike in congenital hemophilia A with inhibitors, in which immune tolerance induction therapy using repetitive infusions of high-dose FVIII concentrates is effective for inhibitor eradication, immune tolerance induction therapy has shown poor efficacy in treating AHA. Immunosuppressive treatment should thus be initiated to eradicate inhibitors as soon as the diagnosis of AHA is confirmed.
The Achievement Motives Scale (AMS): theoretical basis and results from a first try‐out of a Czech form

Abstract The achievement motive concept refers to a relatively stable personality characteristic in terms of a capacity to anticipate affects in achievement situations. The motive to achieve success (M s ) refers to the individual's capacity to anticipate positive affects, and the motive to avoid failure (M f ) refers to a capacity to anticipate negative affects in achievement situations. Based, among other things, on the conceptualizations of motives, a measurement was constructed to tap the two aspects (M s and M f ) of motivation. Over the years the scale has been translated to several languages and used in a number of studies. The Czech version of the scale is an adapted translation of the English one, and was administered to 179 pupils in the sixth grade in 1989. Further, the subjects were retested after an interval of 12 weeks. The analyses indicate that the psychometric properties of the Czech version of AMS are promising.
Psychological Adjustment of Adoptees: A Meta-Analysis

Conducted a meta-analysis of 66 published studies that compared the psychological adjustment of adoptees and nonadoptees. The mean within-study effect size was . 72, indicating that adoptees had significantly higher levels of maladjustment. This was largely due to studies that found that adoptees are significantly overrepresented in clinic populations (mean effect size = 1.38). In addition, adoptees were found to have higher levels of externalizing disorders and academic problems than nonadoptees. Effect sizes tended to be larger for adolescents than for children and adults. These results are consistent with the conclusions of previous qualitative reviews of the research on the psychological adjustment of adoptees. The relationship of effect size to both methodological and subject variables is discussed, and suggestions for future research are provided.
The effect of advance ratio on the aerodynamics of revolving wings

SUMMARY Recent studies have demonstrated that a quasi-steady model closely matches the instantaneous force produced by an insect wing during hovering flight. It is not clear, however, if such methods extend to forward flight. In this study we use a dynamically scaled robotic model of the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster to investigate the forces produced by a wing revolving at constant angular velocity while simultaneously translating at velocities appropriate for forward flight. Because the forward and angular velocities were constant wing inertia was negligible, and the measured forces can be attributed to fluid dynamic phenomena. The combined forward and revolving motions of the wing produce a time-dependent free-stream velocity profile, which suggests that added mass forces make a contribution to the measured forces. We find that the forces due added mass make a small, but measurable, component of the total force and are in excellent agreement with theoretical values. Lift and drag coefficients are calculated from the force traces after subtracting the contributions due to added mass. The lift and drag coefficients, for fixed angle of attack, are not constant for non-zero advance ratios, but rather vary in magnitude throughout the stroke. This observation implies that modifications of the quasi-steady model are required in order to predict accurately the instantaneous forces produced during forward flight. We show that the dependence of the lift and drag coefficients upon advance ratio and stroke position can be characterized effectively in terms of the tip velocity ratio – the ratio of the chordwise components of flow velocity at the wing tip due to translation and revolution. On this basis we develop a modified quasi-steady model that can account for the varying magnitudes of the lift and drag coefficients. Our model may also resolve discrepancies in past measurements of wing performance based on translational and revolving motion.
Critiquing Articles Cited in the Introductory Textbook: A Writing Assignment

In a writing assignment for the introductory psychology course, students find and read an empirical article cited in their textbook They summarize and critique the article, relate it to course material, and compare it with their textbook's presentation of the research. Students report that the assignment helps them learn about psychological research and specific course topics, encourages critical thinking, and is interesting. The instructor gains detailed information about studies described in the textbook, including any discrepancies between the textbook and the primary source, and gets to read a diverse collection of empirical articles.
The Making of the New Environmental Consciousness: A Comparative Study of the Environmental Movements in Sweden, Denmark, and the Netherlands

Environmental issues throughout the world are increasingly becoming a permanent feature in political and everyday life. This series looks at the social and political aspects of the environmental crisis. International and multi-disciplinary in scope, the series aims to provide scholarly and up-to-date studies of some of the key issues facing environmental movements both in the past and in the present. This book is a systematic comparative analysis of environmentalism in Sweden, Denmark and the Netherlands over the last 30 years, showing how each country has developed its own "shade" of green. The authors pinpoint four stages which the three countries share, and describe the political and cultural forces which have pushed environmentalism in different directions. They argue that Denmark's vital "grass roots" environmental movement, successful in stopping nuclear energy, has links with the 19th century co-operative movement; that a long tradition of pragmatism in Holland has resulted in a broad and pluralistic collection of environmental groups; and that, because environmental issues have been actively embraced by the established political culture, Sweden now boasts the second largest parliamentary green party in Europe.
Shear bond strength with increasing light-guide distance from dentin.

BACKGROUND In Class II composite restorations, the adhesive covering the gingival floor of the deep cavity preparation is 2 to 8 mm from the light guide and may not be adequately cured with a typical 10-second curing time. PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to evaluate the dentin bond strengths of resin composite when the curing light guide (quartz-tungsten-halogen light) was placed at various distances and to investigate the relationships between radiant exposure, degree of conversion, and shear bond strength. MATERIALS AND METHODS Single Bond (3M ESPE, St. Paul, MN, USA) was placed onto the dentin following the manufacturer's directions. Four groups of 10 teeth were cured for 20 seconds through a 0, 2.3, 4.6, or 6.9 mm spacer. Two other groups of 10 teeth were cured through a 4.6 mm spacer for 40 seconds and 60 seconds, respectively. Z100 resin composite (3M ESPE) was placed over the cured adhesive and polymerized at the same distance as the adhesive. After 24 hours of storage in water, the shear bond strengths were tested. The irradiance through each spacer was measured using a digital radiometer. The degree of conversion of the adhesive was determined by near infrared spectroscopy. The data were analyzed using analysis of variance and Tukey-B post hoc tests. RESULTS Dentin shear bond strengths decreased significantly with increasing distance, but they increased significantly when the curing time increased from 20 to 40 or 60 seconds. There is a linear correlation between shear bond strength, degree of conversion, and logarithm (radiant exposure). CONCLUSION Increasing curing time can compensate for the decreased bond strength owing to a decreased irradiance associated with increased curing distance. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE Under the conditions of this study, when curing the adhesives in deep proximal boxes with a quartz-tungsten-halogen light, the curing time should be increased to 40 to 60 seconds to ensure optimal polymerization.
Social Disparities in Nitrate-Contaminated Drinking Water in California’s San Joaquin Valley

Background: Research on drinking water in the United States has rarely examined disproportionate exposures to contaminants faced by low-income and minority communities. This study analyzes the relationship between nitrate concentrations in community water systems (CWSs) and the racial/ethnic and socioeconomic characteristics of customers. Objectives: We hypothesized that CWSs in California’s San Joaquin Valley that serve a higher proportion of minority or residents of lower socioeconomic status have higher nitrate levels and that these disparities are greater among smaller drinking water systems. Methods: We used water quality monitoring data sets (1999–2001) to estimate nitrate levels in CWSs, and source location and census block group data to estimate customer demographics. Our linear regression model included 327 CWSs and reported robust standard errors clustered at the CWS level. Our adjusted model controlled for demographics and water system characteristics and stratified by CWS size. Results: Percent Latino was associated with a 0.04-mg nitrate-ion (NO3)/L increase in a CWS’s estimated NO3 concentration [95% confidence interval (CI), –0.08 to 0.16], and rate of home ownership was associated with a 0.16-mg NO3/L decrease (95% CI, –0.32 to 0.002). Among smaller systems, the percentage of Latinos and of homeownership was associated with an estimated increase of 0.44 mg NO3/L (95% CI, 0.03–0.84) and a decrease of 0.15 mg NO3/L (95% CI, –0.64 to 0.33), respectively. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that in smaller water systems, CWSs serving larger percentages of Latinos and renters receive drinking water with higher nitrate levels. This suggests an environmental inequity in drinking water quality.
Comparing Is Believing: A Selective Accessibility Model of Judgmental Anchoring

Judgmental anchoring constitutes an ubiquitous and robust phenomenon. Nevertheless, its underlying mechanisms remain somewhat mysterious. We discuss four accounts that attempt to explain anchoring effects: insufficient adjustment, conversational inferences and numeric priming seem to be insufficient to understand the phenomenon. As an alternative, we propose a Selective Accessibility model. Drawing on the notions of hypothesis-consistent testing and semantic priming, the model assumes that anchoring effects are mediated by the selectively increased accessibility of anchor-consistent knowledge. Tests of the model's basic assumptions are reported and its implications are discussed.
Effects of feedback on self-efficacy, performance, and choice in an athletic task.

Abstract The purpose of the study was to examine the impact of feedback on self-efficacy, performance, and task choice, and the mediating effects of self-efficacy in the feedback-performance and task choice relationships. Participants were 69 Spanish students, 46 males and 23 females, between 18 and 24 years. The experimental paradigm consisted of three sessions. In the first, participants performed on the hurdles. In the second, manipulated feedback referring to the previous performance was provided. Participants then estimated their self-efficacy for a second task which they later performed. In the third session, participants were presented with three tasks involving clearing hurdles of progressive difficulty. They were then asked to elect and perform whichever task they felt capable of completing. Three different models were advanced for the relationships between feedback, self-efficacy, performance, and task choice. Structural equation modeling (SEM) confirmed a model where performance feedback was si.
Dopamine, Time, and Impulsivity in Humans

Disordered dopamine neurotransmission is implicated in mediating impulsiveness across a range of behaviors and disorders including addiction, compulsive gambling, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and dopamine dysregulation syndrome. Whereas existing theories of dopamine function highlight mechanisms based on aberrant reward learning or behavioral disinhibition, they do not offer an adequate account of the pathological hypersensitivity to temporal delay that forms a crucial behavioral phenotype seen in these disorders. Here we provide evidence that a role for dopamine in controlling the relationship between the timing of future rewards and their subjective value can bridge this explanatory gap. Using an intertemporal choice task, we demonstrate that pharmacologically enhancing dopamine activity increases impulsivity by enhancing the diminutive influence of increasing delay on reward value (temporal discounting) and its corresponding neural representation in the striatum. This leads to a state of excessive discounting of temporally distant, relative to sooner, rewards. Thus our findings reveal a novel mechanism by which dopamine influences human decision-making that can account for behavioral aberrations associated with a hyperfunctioning dopamine system.