Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Modelling competence motives and physical exercise intentions: The role of individual, social and environmental characteristics

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships between individual differences(self-efficacy and body image), social factors (family support) and environmental characteristics (local authorities support), and competence motives and subsequent physical exercise intentions. Participants were 1084 students (551 males, 553 females) aged between 13 and 19 (M = 15.7, SD = 1.6) from three different Secondary Schools. Structural Equation Modelling analyses confirmed the hypothesized model: family support, local authorities support, self-efficacy and body image significantly predicted competence motives, which were in turn positively associated with physical activity intentions. Furthermore, mediation analyses revealed that competence motives fully mediated the relationship between local authorities support and self-efficacy, on one hand, and exercise intentions, on the other, and partially mediated the link between family support and intentions. These findings suggest the importance of assessing the unique contributions of psychosocial variables in affecting the motivational determinants of physical activity intentions.
Local variation in helminth burdens of bank voles (Clethrionomys glareolus) from ecologically similar sites: temporal stability and relationships with hormone concentrations and social behaviour

Abstract Populations of bank voles (Clethrionomys glareolus) in a fragmented forest habitat in north-east Poland showed local differences in helminth infection intensity, morphometric measures and organ weights that were consistent with differences at the same locations two years previously. Although overall intensities of infection were lower than previously, and there were some differences in the relative intensities of individual helminth species, site differences remained significant and were consistent across replicated subsites. In keeping with site differences in helminth infection and adrenal gland weight and asymmetry, voles at site 1 (high intensity infection) had higher circulating concentrations of corticosterone than those at site 2 (low intensity infection). Since males were sampled outside the breeding season, and thus non-scrotal, testosterone levels were low and did not differ between sites. As previously, voles at site 1 also showed greater hind foot asymmetry. Dyadic interactions between males from the same and different sites in the laboratory showed that males from site 1 were significantly less aggressive, especially when confronted with intruder males from site 2. There was no relationship between aggressiveness and intensity of infection overall or at site 1, but a significant negative relationship emerged at site 2. Aggression thus appeared to be downregulated at the higher intensity site independently of individual levels of infection. Terminal corticosterone concentrations were greater at site 1 and lower among residents that initiated more aggression. While corticosterone concentrations rose over the period of testing, they did not correlate with the amount of aggression initiated or received.
Dose of Phenobarbital and Age of Treatment at Early Life are Two Key Factors for the Persistent Induction of Cytochrome P450 Enzymes in Adult Mouse Liver

Drug treatment of neonates and infants and its long-term consequences on drug responses have emerged in recent years as a major challenge for health care professionals. In the current study, we use phenobarbital as a model drug and mouse as an in vivo model to demonstrate that the dose of phenobarbital and age of treatment are two key factors for the persistent induction of gene expression and consequential increases of enzyme activities of Cyp2b, Cyp2c, and Cyp3a in adult livers. We show that phenobarbital treatment at early life of day 5 after birth with a low dose (<100 mg/kg) does not change expression and enzyme activities of Cyp2b, Cyp2c, and Cyp3a in adult mouse liver, whereas phenobarbital treatment with a high dose (>200 mg/kg) significantly increases expression and enzyme activities of these P450s in adult liver. We also demonstrate that phenobarbital treatment before day 10 after birth, but not at later ages, significantly increases mRNAs, proteins, and enzyme activities of the tested P450s. Such persistent induction of P450 gene expression and enzyme activities in adult livers by phenobarbital treatment only occurs within a sensitive age window early in life. The persistent induction in gene expression and enzyme activities is higher in female mice than in male mice for Cyp2b10 but not for Cyp2c29 and Cyp3a11. These results will stimulate studies to evaluate the long-term impacts of drug treatment with different doses at neonatal and infant ages on drug metabolism, therapeutic efficacy, and drug-induced toxicity throughout the rest of life.
WARM SPITZER PHOTOMETRY OF THE TRANSITING EXOPLANETS CoRoT-1 AND CoRoT-2 AT SECONDARY ECLIPSE

We measure secondary eclipses of the hot giant exoplanets CoRoT-1 at 3.6 and 4.5 μm, and CoRoT-2 at 3.6 μm, both using Warm Spitzer. We find that the Warm Spitzer mission is working very well for exoplanet science. For consistency of our analysis we also re-analyze archival cryogenic Spitzer data for secondary eclipses of CoRoT-2 at 4.5 and 8 μm. We compare the total data for both planets, including optical eclipse measurements by the CoRoT mission, and ground-based eclipse measurements at 2 μm, to existing models. Both planets exhibit stronger eclipses at 4.5 than at 3.6 μm, which is often indicative of an atmospheric temperature inversion. The spectrum of CoRoT-1 is best reproduced by a 2460 K blackbody, due either to a high altitude layer that strongly absorbs stellar irradiance, or an isothermal region in the planetary atmosphere. The spectrum of CoRoT-2 is unusual because the 8 μm contrast is anomalously low. Non-inverted atmospheres could potentially produce the CoRoT-2 spectrum if the planet exhibits line emission from CO at 4.5 μm, caused by tidal-induced mass loss. However, the viability of that hypothesis is questionable because the emitting region cannot be more than about 30% larger than the planet's transit radius, based on the ingress and egress times at eclipse. An alternative possibility to account for the spectrum of CoRoT-2 is an additional opacity source that acts strongly at wavelengths less than 5 μm, heating the upper atmosphere while allowing the deeper atmosphere seen at 8 μm to remain cooler. We obtain a similar result as Gillon et al. for the phase of the secondary eclipse of CoRoT-2, implying an eccentric orbit with e cos(ω) = −0.0030 ± 0.0004.
Ventralis Intermedius plus Ventralis Oralis Anterior and Posterior Deep Brain Stimulation for Posttraumatic Holmes Tremor: Two Leads May Be Better than One: Technical Note

OBJECTIVE AND IMPORTANCE: To describe the effects of ventralis oralis anterior (VOA) and posterior (VOP), as well as ventralis intermedius (VIM), deep brain stimulation (two ipsilateral thalamic leads implanted) on posttraumatic Holmes tremor. Results of both thalamic lesioning and thalamic deep brain stimulation for Holmes tremor and tremors due to posttraumatic lesions in the region of the midbrain have been disappointing. In 2001, the use of two electrodes implanted in parallel for severe essential tremor was reported. We propose the use of a similar technique for posttraumatic Holmes tremor. One rationalization for the placement of two leads was to affect both the cerebellar receiving area (VIM) and the pallidal receiving area (VOA/VOP). A second rationalization was that the placement of a second electrode may affect somatotopy, and may, therefore, be beneficial for the treatment of more difficult to control tremor subtypes. CLINICAL PRESENTATION: A 24-year-old man with intractable posttraumatic Holmes tremor presented for consideration of a surgical intervention. INTERVENTION: A high-resolution, volumetric magnetic resonance imaging scan was obtained 1 day before the procedure. Microelectrode recording was used in addition to stereotactic computed tomography, image fusion, and stereotactic targeting to map the locations of the VIM, VOP, and VOA nuclei of the thalamus. A deep brain stimulation electrode was then implanted on the border between the left VIM and VOP thalamic nuclei, and a second ipsilateral deep brain stimulation lead was placed on the VOA and VOP border, 2 mm anterior to the first. Fourteen videotaped tremor rating scales were evaluated by two blinded reviewers. CONCLUSION: The patient experienced tremor rebound with VIM-VOP monotherapy. However, when the second lead (VOA/VOP) was activated, he experienced sustained improvement in tremor and tremor disability at a 12-month follow-up examination. This case elucidates a potential new approach for the treatment of patients with posttraumatic Holmes tremor. Additional study and longer follow-up periods will be needed to further evaluate this promising therapy.
Calm1 signaling pathway is essential for the migration of mouse precerebellar neurons

The calcium ion regulates many aspects of neuronal migration, which is an indispensable process in the development of the nervous system. Calmodulin (CaM) is a multifunctional calcium ion sensor that transduces much of the signal. To better understand the role of Ca2+-CaM in neuronal migration, we investigated mouse precerebellar neurons (PCNs), which undergo stereotyped, long-distance migration to reach their final position in the developing hindbrain. In mammals, CaM is encoded by three non-allelic CaM (Calm) genes (Calm1, Calm2 and Calm3), which produce an identical protein with no amino acid substitutions. We found that these CaM genes are expressed in migrating PCNs. When the expression of CaM from this multigene family was inhibited by RNAi-mediated acute knockdown, inhibition of Calm1 but not the other two genes caused defective PCN migration. Many PCNs treated with Calm1 shRNA failed to complete their circumferential tangential migration and thus failed to reach their prospective target position. Those that did reach the target position failed to invade the depth of the hindbrain through the required radial migration. Overall, our results suggest the participation of CaM in both the tangential and radial migration of PCNs. Summary: Disrupting the calcium sensor calmodulin 1 in mouse precerebellar neurons impairs both radial and tangential migration of these cells, while Calm2 or 3 depletion has no effect.
CCR2 and CCR6, but Not Endothelial Selectins, Mediate the Accumulation of Immature Dendritic Cells within the Lungs of Mice in Response to Particulate Antigen12

Dendritic cells (DC) migrate from sites of inflammation to lymph nodes to initiate primary immune responses, but the molecular mechanisms by which DC are replenished in the lungs during ongoing pulmonary inflammation are unknown. To address this question, we analyzed the secondary pulmonary immune response of Ag-primed mice to intratracheal challenge with the particulate T cell-dependent Ag sheep erythrocytes (SRBC). We studied wild-type C57BL/6 mice and syngeneic gene-targeted mice lacking either both endothelial selectins (CD62E and CD62P), or the chemokine receptors CCR2 or CCR6. DC, defined as non-autofluorescent, MHC class II+CD11cmod cells, were detected in blood, enzyme-digested minced lung, and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid using flow cytometry and immunohistology. Compared with control mice, Ag challenge increased the frequency and absolute numbers of DC, peaking at day 1 in peripheral blood (6.5-fold increase in frequency), day 3 in lung mince (20-fold increase in total DC), and day 4 in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (55-fold increase in total DC). Most lung DC expressed CD11c, CD11b, and low levels of MHC class II, CD40, CD80, and CD86, consistent with an immature myeloid phenotype. DC accumulation depended in part upon CCR2 and CCR6, but not endothelial selectins. Thus, during lung inflammation, immature myeloid DC from the bloodstream replace emigrating immature DC and transiently increase total intrapulmonary APC numbers. Early DC recruitment depends in part on CCR2 to traverse vascular endothelium, plus CCR6 to traverse alveolar epithelium. The recruitment of circulating immature DC represents a potential therapeutic step at which to modulate immunological lung diseases.
Quantitative volatile metabolite profiling of common indoor fungi: relevancy for indoor air analysis

Microorganisms such as bacteria and molds produce an enormous variety of volatile metabolites. To determine whether typical microbial volatile metabolites can be used as indicator compounds for the detection of hidden mold in indoor environments, we examined 14 typical indoor fungal strains for their growth rates and their capability to produce volatile organic compounds (VOC) on standard clinical media and on agar medium made from building materials. Air samples from Headspace Chambers (HSC) were adsorbed daily on Tenax TA tubes and analyzed by thermal desorption gas chromatography and mass spectrometry. In parallel, metabolic activity was measured by determining oxygen demand, the microbial biomass was assessed by dry weighing. Profiling of the volatile metabolites showed that VOC production depended greatly on fungal strain, culture medium, biological activity, and time. The laboratory‐derived maximum emission rates were extrapolated to approximate indoor air concentrations in a hypothetical mold‐infested room. The extrapolated indoor air data suggest that most of the microbial‐produced VOC concentrations were below the analytical detection limit for conventional indoor air analysis. Additionally, conducted indoor air analysis in mold homes confirmed these findings for the most part. The present findings raise doubts about the utility of indicator VOC for the detection of hidden mold growth in indoor environments. (© 2009 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Hepatitis B surface antigen particles of subtypes adw and adr, and compound subtype (adwr) in symptom‐free carriers in Japan

Of sera from 1,878 Japanese blood donors who carried hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), 420 were subtyped as adw(22.4%) and 1,443 as adr(76.8%); only 15 (0.8%) contained HBsAg of subtype aywor ayr. Sera with HBsAg/adrhad higher HBsAg titres than those with HBsAg/adw (geometric mean of haemagglutination titre: 10.1 ± 2.4 vs. 9.7 ± 2.4, p <0.01), and a higher prevalence of hepatitis B e antigen (24% vs. 13%, p <0.001). Carriers of HBsAg/awr progressively predominated over those of HBsAg/adwwith increasing age. Of sera from 1,863 carriers of HBsAg/adwor HBsAg/adr, 182 (9.8%) contained HBsAg particles with both subtypic determinants in the wir allele. The presence of wand rdeterminants on the same particles was ascertained by sandwiching them between monoclonal antibody with the specificity for w and that with the specificity for r. HBsAg particles of compound subtype (adwr)were found more often in sera with hepatitis B e antigen than those without it (145/403 [36.0%] vs. 37/1,460 [2.5%], p <0.001). Sera with HBsAg/adwrparticles had HBsAg titres higher than those without them (12.4 ± 1.9 vs. 9.7 ± 2.3, p <0.001). HBsAg/adwrparticles arise from phenotypic mixing of the S‐gene product of wild‐type virus and that of mutants with point mutations for subtypic changes. The results obtained indicated that HBV strains of subtype adrhave a higher replicative activity than those of adw, and suggested that mutations in the S gene for subtypic changes would be associated with an active replication of hepatitis B virus. © 1992 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
POLLEN‐OVULE RATIOS AND HERMAPHRODITE SEXUAL ALLOCATION STRATEGIES

MILLOT, N. 1955. Sensitivity to light and the reactions to changes in light intensity of the echinoid Diadema antillarum Philippi. Philos. Trans. R. Soc. B ser. 238:187-220. MOORE, J. A. 1957. An embryologist's view of the species concept, p, 325-338. In E. Mayr (ed.), The Species Problem. American Association for the Advancement of Science, Washington. MORTENSEN, TH. 1940. A Monograph ofthe Echinoidea, Vol. III,. Aulodonta. C. A. Reitzel, Copenhagen. MULLER, H. J. 1942. Isolating mechanisms, evolution and temperature. Biological Symposia 6:71-125.
Empirical Estimates of Effect of Price Limits on Limit-Hitting Days

In this study, we demonstrate how price limits can affect a return series on limit-hitting days. Our identification of two effects - a ceiling effect and a cooling or heating effect (C-H effect) is based on a resampling method suggested by Wei and Chiang (1999). We estimate the C-H effect by assuming that the return series will have a mixture normal density instead of a simple normal density. We apply our model to five randomly selected Taiwanese stocks as well as all the stocks that are continuously traded in our sample. The simple normal density is soundedly rejected and it would generally lead one to conclude that price limits can "cool off" stock prices. On the other hand, if normal mixture density is used, one would generally conclude that price limits will have no effect on the variance of stock returns.
A comparative study of survival models for breast cancer prognostication based on microarray data: does a single gene beat them all?

Motivation: Survival prediction of breast cancer (BC) patients independently of treatment, also known as prognostication, is a complex task since clinically similar breast tumors, in addition to be molecularly heterogeneous, may exhibit different clinical outcomes. In recent years, the analysis of gene expression profiles by means of sophisticated data mining tools emerged as a promising technology to bring additional insights into BC biology and to improve the quality of prognostication. The aim of this work is to assess quantitatively the accuracy of prediction obtained with state-of-the-art data analysis techniques for BC microarray data through an independent and thorough framework. Results: Due to the large number of variables, the reduced amount of samples and the high degree of noise, complex prediction methods are highly exposed to performance degradation despite the use of cross-validation techniques. Our analysis shows that the most complex methods are not significantly better than the simplest one, a univariate model relying on a single proliferation gene. This result suggests that proliferation might be the most relevant biological process for BC prognostication and that the loss of interpretability deriving from the use of overcomplex methods may be not sufficiently counterbalanced by an improvement of the quality of prediction. Availability: The comparison study is implemented in an R package called survcomp and is available from http://www.ulb.ac.be/di/map/bhaibeka/software/survcomp/. Contact: bhaibeka@ulb.ac.be Supplementary information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Clinical Teaching Improves with Resident Evaluation and Feedback

Background:The literature is mixed on whether evaluation and feedback to clinical teachers improves clinical teaching. This study sought to determine whether resident-provided numerical evaluation and written feedback to clinical teachers improved clinical teaching scores. Methods:Anesthesia residents anonymously provided numerical scores and narrative comments to faculty members who provided clinical teaching. Residents returned 19,306 evaluations between December 2000 and May 2006. Faculty members received a quantitative summary report and all narrative comments every 6 months. Residents also filled out annual residency program evaluations in which they listed the best and worst teachers in the department. Results:The average teaching score for the entire faculty rose over time and reached a plateau with a time constant of approximately 1 yr. At first, individual faculty members had average teaching scores that were numerically diverse. Over time, the average scores became more homogeneous. Faculty members ranked highest by teaching scores were also most frequently named as the best teachers. Faculty members ranked lowest by teaching scores were most frequently named as the worst teachers. Analysis of ranks, differential improvement in scores, and a decrease in score diversity effectively ruled out simple score inflation as the cause for increased scores. An increase in teaching scores was most likely due to improved teaching. Conclusions:A combination of evaluation and feedback, including comments on areas for improvement, was related to a substantial improvement in teaching scores. Clinical teachers are able to improve by using feedback from residents.
Vacuoles release sucrose via tonoplast-localised SUC4-type transporters.

Arabidopsis thaliana has seven genes for functionally active sucrose transporters. Together with sucrose transporters from other dicot and monocot plants, these proteins form four separate phylogenetic groups. Group-IV includes the Arabidopsis protein SUC4 (synonym SUT4) and related proteins from monocots and dicots. These Group-IV sucrose transporters were reported to be either tonoplast- or plasma membrane-localised, and in heterologous expression systems were shown to act as sucrose/H(+) symporters. Here, we present comparative analyses of the subcellular localisation of the Arabidopsis SUC4 protein and of several other Group-IV sucrose transporters, studies on tissue specificity of the Arabidopsis SUC4 promoter, phenotypic characterisations of Atsuc4.1 mutants and AtSUC4 overexpressing (AtSUC4-OX) plants, and functional comparisons of Atsuc4.1 and AtSUC4-OX vacuoles. Our data show that SUC4-type sucrose transporters from different plant families (Brassicaceae, Cucurbitaceae and Solanaceae) localise exclusively to the tonoplast, demonstrating that vacuolar sucrose transport is a common theme of all SUC4-type proteins. AtSUC4 expression is confined to the stele of Arabidopsis roots, developing anthers and meristematic tissues in all aerial parts. Analyses of the carbohydrate content of WT and mutant seedlings revealed reduced sucrose content in AtSUC4-OX seedlings. This is in line with patch-clamp analyses of AtSUC4-OX vacuoles that characterise AtSUC4 as a sucrose/H(+) symporter directly in the tonoplast membrane.
STAKCERT Framework in Eradicating Worms Attack

A worm attack is one of the most eye-catching and challenging issues in the cyber world. New and different types of worm attacks are being introduced day by day. Different names have been given to these worms as they evolve such as the ‘superworm’ and researchers all over the world are trying to find the best remedy to counter such attacks. Loss of money, productivity and reputation are amongst some of the well know implication from these types of attacks. Motivated by the consequences caused by the worm attacks, a new framework called STAKCERT is being proposed. STAKCERT stands for Starter Kit Computer Emergency Response Team. This framework is a novel framework for effective detection, analysis and worm isolation inspired by apoptosis. Apoptosis is also known as cell programmed death; borrowed from the biology term. The STAKCERT framework consists of two stages. The first stage involves the detection and analysis of the worm attack, followed by isolation as the second stage. The uniqueness of this framework is based on the integration of worm, incident response and apoptosis.