Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Psychometric properties of the Polish version of the Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire-Short Form

The study was aimed at validating the Polish version of the Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire-Short Form (TEIQue-SF). Our findings confirm the reliability and validity of the scale. With respect to reliability, internal consistency coefficients of the TEIQue-SF were comparable to those obtained using the original English version. The evidence of the validity of the TEIQue-SF came from the pattern of relations with the other self-report measure of EI, personality measures, as well as affective and social correlates. We demonstrated that the TEIQue-SF score correlated positively with scores on the Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire (INTE) (Jaworowska & Matczak, 2001). The TEIQueSF score correlated negatively with Neuroticism and positively with Extraversion, Openness, Agreeableness, and Conscientiousness. In addition, scores on the TEIQue-SF were related to dispositional affect, i.e., correlated positively with positive affectivity and negatively with negative affectivity. The TEIQue-SF score correlated positively with social competencies as measured with the Social Competencies Questionnaire (Matczak, 2001). We also found that trait EI, as measured with the TEIQue-SF, was positively related to the richness of one’s supportive social network and this relationship remained statistically significant even after controlling for Big Five variance. We also demonstrated that scoring on the TEIQue-SF was positively related to satisfaction with life and negatively related to perceived stress and these relationships remained significant, even after controlling for positive and negative affectivity. Taken together, these findings suggest that the Polish version of the TEIQue-SF is a reliable and valid measure that inherits the network of associations both from the original version of the TEIQue-SF and the full form of the Polish TEIQue (Wytykowska & Petrides, 2007).
The role of GABAB receptors in temporal lobe epilepsy

Temporal lobe epilepsy is the most common partial epilepsy syndrome seen in adult humans. The hippocampus is a key structure in the evolution of temporal lobe seizures. The axons of the dentate granule cells, the mossy fibres, constitute a major hippocampal excitatory input. Inhibitory phenomena at mossy fibre synapses may therefore prevent seizure propagation through the hippocampus. One such inhibitory phenomenon is heterosynaptic depression. In this thesis I studied the role of GABAB receptors in temporal lobe epilepsy. In particular I studied changes in GABAB receptor-mediated heterosynaptic depression at the mossy fibre synapse following status epilepticus. I have shown that status epilepticus, triggered by either perforant path stimulation or pilocarpine administration, was followed 24 hours later by a loss of GABAB receptor-mediated heterosynaptic depression among populations of mossy fibres. This was accompanied by a decrease in the sensitivity of mossy fibre transmission to the exogenous GABAB receptor agonist baclofen. Autoradiography revealed a reduction in GABAB receptor binding in stratum lucidum after status epilepticus. I then addressed the question: what is the source of the GABA that mediates heterosynaptic depression I have also shown that the GABAB receptor agonist baclofen has antiepileptic properties. In addition, GABAB receptors do not appear to be involved in the function of the antiepileptic drug tiagabine. Failure of GABAB receptor-mediated modulation of mossy fibre transmission may contribute to the development of spontaneous seizures after status epilepticus. The GABAB receptor may be useful as a target for antiepileptic drugs.
Ultraviolet Radiation, Vitamin D and Risk of Prostate Cancer and Other Diseases

Abstract Most common diseases appear to result from complex, poorly understood interactions between genetic and environmental factors. Relatively few factors have been unequivocally linked with disease risk or outcome. Evidence from various studies using different experimental approaches has been interpreted as showing that, apart from its harmful effects on the pathogenesis of the common skin cancers, ultraviolet radiation (UVR) may exert a beneficial effect on development of various internal cancers and other pathologies. This concept is supported by parallel studies showing that hypovitaminosis D is linked with increased risk of various diseases including insulin resistance and multiple sclerosis. These findings suggest that, first, host factors such as skin pigmentation that affect UVR-induced synthesis of vitamin D and, second, polymorphism in genes that mediate the effectiveness of vitamin D action are susceptibility candidates for a variety of diseases. Collectively, these data suggest the hypothesis that, via effects on vitamin D synthesis, UVR exposure has beneficial effects on susceptibility and outcome to a variety of complex diseases. We describe evidence from studies in various diseases, but mainly from prostate cancer patients, that supports this hypothesis, but we emphasize that, although supportive data are available, the concept is unproven. Indeed, other explanations are possible. However, given the potentially important public health implications of the hypothesis and the potential for the development of novel therapeutic modalities, we believe the concept is worthy of further investigation.
Cleavage of SNAP-25 by botulinum toxin type A requires receptor-mediated endocytosis, pH-dependent translocation, and zinc.

Previously we reported that SNAP-25, synaptobrevin II, and syntaxin I, the intracellular substrates of botulinum toxin originally identified in nontarget tissues, were present in a recognized mammalian target tissue, the mouse hemidiaphragm. Furthermore, we reported that SNAP-25, syntaxin I, and synaptobrevin II were cleaved by incubation of the intact hemidiaphragm in botulinum serotypes A, C, and D, respectively. The objective of the current study was to use the mouse phrenic nerve-hemidiaphragm preparation and botulinum serotype A to investigate 1) the relationship of substrate cleavage to toxin-induced paralysis, and 2) the relevance of substrate cleavage to the mechanism of toxin action. Immunoblot examination of tissues paralyzed by botulinum toxin type A (10(-8) M) revealed < or =10% loss of SNAP-25 immunoreactivity at 1 h postparalysis, and > or =75% loss at 5 h postparalysis. Triticum vulgaris lectin, an agent that competitively antagonizes toxin binding, antagonized toxin-induced paralysis as well as SNAP-25 cleavage. Methylamine hydrochloride, an agent that prevents pH-dependent translocation, also antagonized toxin-induced paralysis and SNAP-25 cleavage. Furthermore, zinc chelation antagonized toxin-induced paralysis and SNAP-25 cleavage. These results demonstrate that cleavage of SNAP-25 by botulinum serotype A fulfills the requirements of the multistep model of botulinum toxin action that includes receptor-mediated endocytosis, pH-dependent translocation, and zinc-dependent proteolysis. Furthermore, the minimal amount of SNAP-25 cleavage at 1 h postparalysis suggests that inactivation of only a small but functionally important pool of SNAP-25 is necessary for paralysis.
Interleukin 10 but not interleukin 4 is a natural suppressant of cutaneous inflammatory responses

We have examined the role of endogenously produced interleukin (IL) 4 and IL-10 in the regulation of inflammatory and immune reactions in the skin. In these experiments, irritant and contact hypersensitivity (CH) responses were elicited in mice with targeted disruptions of the IL-4 (IL-4T) or IL-10 (IL-10T) gene. Our study showed that IL-4T and wild- type (wt) mice exhibited equivalent responses to the irritant croton oil. In contrast, the response of IL-10T mice challenged with croton oil was abnormally increased. When IL-10T mice were exposed to a higher dose of irritant, irreversible tissue damage occurred. By comparison, any treatment of wt mice with croton oil resulted in far less tissue damage and resolution of inflammation. Neutralizing antibody studies demonstrated that the necrosis that occurred in IL-10T mice was due to the overproduction of tumor necrosis factor. The anti-tumor necrosis factor antibody treatment of IL-10T mice did not significantly reduce the edema or the influx of inflammatory cells, suggesting that these changes were due to the uncontrolled production of other proinflammatory cytokines. T cell-dependent immune responses were also evaluated using the contact sensitizer oxazolone. The response of IL-4T mice did not differ from wt mice. In contrast, IL-10T mice mounted an exaggerated CH response, increased in both magnitude and duration as compared with wt mice. Based on these studies, we have concluded that IL-10, but not IL-4, is a natural suppressant of irritant responses and of CH, and it limits immunopathologic damage in the skin.
Kingdon Reconsidered: Ideas, Interests and Institutions in Comparative Policy Analysis

ABSTRACT Initially published in 1984, John W. Kingdon’s Agendas, Alternatives, and Public Policies has long been classic reading in policy studies. This paper systematically explores its contribution to the analysis of the role of ideas in comparative policy analysis, which has dramatically expanded over the last two decades. Looking at this book about agenda-setting as well as two more recent, and much less cited, chapters by Kingdon, the article explores his perspective on ideas as they relate to the problem, the policy, and the political streams, before addressing crucial issues, such as the role of institutions and the relationship between ideas and interests, that remain central to the current debates within the ever-expanding ideational policy literature. As the article shows, Kingdon’s work, including its flaws, makes a powerful and most relevant contribution to the ideational approach to public policy, which is why this article ends with a synthetic agenda for future comparative research on the role of ideas in policy development.
The application of differential outcomes to a cocaine—saline discrimination procedure

This study examined the effects of differential outcomes on the speed of acquisition of a cocaine vs saline discrimination. Two groups of male Sprague-Dawley rats were trained to discriminate 8.0 mg/kg cocaine from saline. The experimental group was exposed to differential outcomes, where correct responses following the different injections (discriminative stimuli) were correlated with a particular outcome (either sweetened condensed milk or tap water). The control group received either sweetened condensed milk or tap water at random following cocaine and saline injections. Acquisition of schedule control and three progressively difficult testing criteria were examined. The differential outcomes group came under schedule control and reached the three progressively difficult testing criteria in significantly fewer sessions than the control group. To determine whether differential outcomes during training influenced the generalization to other doses of cocaine, substitution tests were administered with several other doses of cocaine (0.0–10.0 mg/kg) to both groups. Similar cocaine dose-response functions were observed with the differential outcome group and the control group and there was not a statistically significant effect of differential outcomes on the cocaine generalization curve.
Interest networks : understanding the influence of interesting people in an organization

This thesis applies network theory to firms, their employees, and various aspects of the employees to understand diversity within an industry at both the firm-level and employee-level. We hypothesize that the interest diversity of a firm’s employees can influence that firm’s economic performance and growth. Using the LinkedIn API, we are able to collect ∼600 employees (past and present) for 43 companies using a keyword search. This data is used to create a visualization of people’s interests, an “Interest Space”, which is a network graph of how interests are categorized and linked to each other. By analyzing the data from firms associated with the Media Lab, we begin to understand how individual interests affect success among a small network of companies. We research this through case studies of a few companies by analyzing their financial data and interests of their employees. Thesis Advisor: Andrew B. Lippman Title: Senior Research Scientist of Media Arts and Sciences, Program in Media Arts and Sciences
A review of anti-IgE monoclonal antibody (omalizumab) as add on therapy for severe allergic (IgE-mediated) asthma

Bronchial asthma is recognized as a highly prevalent health problem in the developed and developing world with significant social and economic consequences. Increased asthma severity is not only associated with enhanced recurrent hospitalization and mortality but also with higher social costs. The pathogenetic background of allergic-atopic bronchial asthma is characterized by airway inflammation with infiltration of several cells (mast cells, basophils, eosinophils, monocytes, and T-helper (Th)2 lymphocytes). However, in atopic asthma the trigger factors for acute attacks and chronic worsening of bronchial inflammation are aeroallergens released by pollens, dermatophagoides, and pets, which are able to induce an immune response by interaction with IgE antibodies. Currently anti-inflammatory treatments are effective for most asthma patients, but there are asthmatic subjects whose disease is not completely controlled by inhaled or systemic corticosteroids and who account for a significant portion of the healthcare costs of asthma. A novel therapeutic approach to asthma and other allergic respiratory diseases involves interference in the action of IgE, and this antibody has been viewed as a target for novel immunological drug development in asthma. Omalizumab is a humanized recombinant monoclonal anti-IgE antibody approved for treatment of moderate to severe IgE-mediated (allergic) asthma. This non-anaphylactogenic anti-IgE antibody inhibits IgE functions, blocking free serum IgE and inhibiting their binding to cellular receptors. By reducing serum IgE levels and IgE receptor expression on inflammatory cells in the context of allergic cascade, omalizumab represents a new class of mast cells stabilizing drugs; it is a novel approach to the treatment of atopic asthma. Omalizumab therapy is well tolerated and significantly improves symptoms and disease control, reducing asthma exacerbations and the need to use high dosage of inhaled corticosteroids. Moreover, omalizumab improves quality of life of patients with severe persistent allergic asthma which is inadequately controlled by currently available asthma medications. In conclusion omalizumab may fulfil an important need in patients with moderate to severe asthma.
Using Dynamically Promoted Experts for Music Recommendation

Recommender systems have become an invaluable asset to online services with the ever-growing number of items and users. Most systems focused on recommendation accuracy, predicting likable items for each user. Such methods tend to generate popular and safe recommendations, but fail to introduce users to potentially risky, yet novel items that could help in increasing the variety of items consumed by the users. This is known as popularity bias, which is predominant in methods that adopt collaborative filtering. Recently, however, recommenders have started to improve their methods to generate lists that encompass diverse items that are both accurate and novel through specific novelty-driven algorithms or hybrid recommender systems. In this paper, we propose a recommender system that uses the concepts of Experts to find both novel and relevant recommendations. By analyzing the ratings of the users, the algorithm promotes special Experts from the user population to create novel recommendations for a target user. Thus, different users are promoted dynamically to Experts depending on who the recommendations are for. The system used data collected from Last.fm and was evaluated with several metrics. Results show that the proposed system outperforms matrix factorization methods in finding novel items and performs on par in finding simultaneously novel and relevant items. This system can also provide a means to popularity bias while preserving the advantages of collaborative filtering.
A Critical Role for the Hippocampus and Perirhinal Cortex in Perceptual Learning of Scenes and Faces: Complementary Findings from Amnesia and fMRI

It is debated whether subregions within the medial temporal lobe (MTL), in particular the hippocampus (HC) and perirhinal cortex (PrC), play domain-sensitive roles in learning. In the present study, two patients with differing degrees of MTL damage were first exposed to pairs of highly similar scenes, faces, and dot patterns and then asked to make repeated same/different decisions to preexposed and nonexposed (novel) pairs from the three categories (Experiment 1). We measured whether patients would show a benefit of prior exposure (preexposed > nonexposed) and whether repetition of nonexposed (and preexposed) pairs at test would benefit discrimination accuracy. Although selective HC damage impaired learning of scenes, but not faces and dot patterns, broader MTL damage involving the HC and PrC compromised discrimination learning of scenes and faces but left dot pattern learning unaffected. In Experiment 2, a similar task was run in healthy young participants in the MRI scanner. Functional region-of-interest analyses revealed that posterior HC and posterior parahippocampal gyrus showed greater activity during scene pattern learning, but not face and dot pattern learning, whereas PrC, anterior HC, and posterior fusiform gyrus were recruited during discrimination learning for faces, but not scenes and dot pattern learning. Critically, activity in posterior HC and PrC, but not the other functional region-of-interest analyses, was modulated by accuracy (correct > incorrect within a preferred category). Therefore, both approaches revealed a key role for the HC and PrC in discrimination learning, which is consistent with representational accounts in which subregions in these MTL structures store complex spatial and object representations, respectively.
Endogenous Presidentialism

We develop a model to understand the incidence of presidential and parliamentary institutions. Our analysis is predicated on two ideas: first, that minorities are relatively powerful in a parliamentary system compared to a presidential system, and second, that presidents have more power with respect to their own coalition than prime ministers do. These assumptions imply that while presidentialism has separation of powers, it does not necessarily have more checks and balances than parliamentarism. We show that presidentialism implies greater rent extraction and lower provision of public goods than parliamentarism. Moreover, political leaders who prefer presidentialism may be supported by their own coalition if they fear losing agenda setting power to another group. We argue that the model is consistent with a great deal of qualitative information about presidentialism in Africa and Latin America.
Teachers as Leaders: The Impact of Adler-Dreikurs Classroom Management Techniques on Students’ Perceptions of the Classroom Environment and on Academic Achievement

In response to growing interest in universal school-based interventions, we taught Adlerian-Dreikursian classroom management techniques to teachers and investigated how these techniques impacted both the students’ perception of the classroom environment and the students’ grades. A quasi-experimental design with pretest and posttest control groups was employed. The sample consisted of 30 Iranian elementary school female teachers and 745 students (407 girls, 338 boys) aged 7 to 12 years. The 30 teachers were randomly assigned to experimental and control groups. The teachers in the experimental group received Adlerian-Dreikursian classroom management training in 10 two-hour sessions. Students were assessed using the My Classroom Scale (Burnett, 2002). Analyses revealed that students’ perceptions of “satisfaction with the classroom environment” and “relationships with teacher,” as well as their academic achievements, were enhanced in the experimental group for all grade levels. We show that Adlerian-Dreikursian classroom methods can improve classroom effectiveness by increasing students’ satisfaction and academic achievement.
Highly Efficient In Vitro Site-Specific Recombination System Based on Streptomyces Phage φBT1 Integrase

ABSTRACT The Streptomyces phage φBT1 encodes a site-specific integrase of the large serine recombinase subfamily. In this report, the enzymatic activity of the φBT1 integrase was characterized in vitro. We showed that this integrase has efficient integration activity with substrate DNAs containing attB and attP sites, independent of DNA supercoiling or cofactors. Both intra- and intermolecular recombinations proceed with rapid kinetics. The recombination is highly specific, and no reactions are observed between pairs of sites including attB and attL, attB and attR, attP and attL, or attP and attR or between two identical att sequences; however, a low but significant frequency of excision recombination between attL and attR is observed in the presence of the φBT1 integrase alone. In addition, for efficient integration, the minimal sizes of attB and attP are 36 bp and 48 bp, respectively. This site-specific recombination system is efficient and simple to use; thus, it could have applications for the manipulation of DNA in vitro.
An approach to the analysis and detection of crosstalk faults in digital VLSI circuits

The continuous reduction of the device size in integrated circuits and the increase in the switching rate cause parasitic capacitances between conducting layers to become dominant and cause logic errors in the circuits. Therefore, capacitive couplings can be considered as potential logic faults. Classical fault models do not cover this class of faults. This paper presents a logic level characterization and fault model for crosstalk faults. The authors also show how a fault list of such faults can be generated from the layout data, and give an automatic test pattern generation procedure for them. >