Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Counterfactual thinking and the perception of criminal behaviour

The present research investigated the effects of counterfactual thinking on the interpretation of criminal behaviour. It was predicted that the availability of counterfactual alternatives for a crime would affect a range of incident-related judgements. The results of two studies strongly supported this prediction. When counterfactual alternatives to an outcome were readily available, subjects: (i) punished the perpetrators more severely; (ii) considered the incident to be more serious; and (iii) felt greater sympathy toward the victims. In addition, the results confirmed earlier research in this domain and demonstrated that counterfactual effects on judgemental processes are mediated by sublects' affective reaction towards events
Evaluation of the Cytotoxicity of Structurally Correlated p-Menthane Derivatives

Compounds isolated from essential oils play an important role in the prevention and treatment of cancer. Monoterpenes are natural products, and the principal constituents of many essential oils. The aim of this study was to investigate the cytotoxic potential of p-menthane derivatives. Additionally, analogues of perillyl alcohol, a monoterpene with known anticancer activity, were evaluated to identify the molecular characteristics which contribute to their cytotoxicity, which was tested against OVCAR-8, HCT-116, and SF-295 human tumor cell lines, using the MTT assay. The results of this study showed that (−)-perillaldehyde 8,9-epoxide exhibited the highest percentage inhibition of cell proliferation (GI = 96.32%–99.89%). Perillyl alcohol exhibited high cytotoxic activity (90.92%–95.82%), while (+)-limonene 1,2-epoxide (GI = 58.48%–93.10%), (−)-perillaldehyde (GI = 59.28%–83.03%), and (−)-8-hydroxycarvotanacetone (GI = 61.59%–94.01%) showed intermediate activity. All of the compounds tested were less cytotoxic than perillyl alcohol, except (−)-perillaldehyde 8,9-epoxide (IC50 = 1.75–1.03 µL/mg). In general, replacement of C-C double bonds by epoxide groups in addition to the aldehyde group increases cytotoxicity. Furthermore, stereochemistry seems to play an important role in cytotoxicity. We have demonstrated the cytotoxic influence of chemical substituents on the p-menthane structure, and analogues of perillyl alcohol.
Problem-Based Learning: Modifying the Medical School Model for Teaching High School Economics

Abstract Many students enroll in high school economics thinking they will face a semester of dry, uninspiring information about vague principles that fall under the rubric of “the dismal science. ” As late as 1960, “economics in the (high) schools simply was not accepted by college and university economists as a respectable area of professional concern. ” Instruction in the course, if such a course existed, was “descriptive, dry and rarely included economic analysis. ” The profession took note and, thirty years later, claimed dramatic improvements. More high school students took economics, and the high school course contained more analytic rigor and less description and often covered basic economic concepts. Furthermore, high school teachers were better prepared as a result of taking credit course work and attending non-credit programs in economics (Walstad 1992).
Problems in Reconstructing the Organizational Chart of the Essenes

Attempts at reconstructing the nature and organizational structure of the Essene movement have largely been based on the manuscripts of the Damascus Document and the Rule of the Community . This article calls attention to a number of additional fragmentary documents from Cave 4, and examines the challenges they pose and how they relate to various theories regarding the nature of the communities behind them. A fundamental question is to what extent the so-called rule texts reflect actual historical circumstances, and this question is intrinsically linked to the question of the function of the texts in the communities that used them. A study of the organizational terms used in the documents reveals that these terms were used in a variety of ways, and while some terms may reflect actual historical circumstances, others probably did not. This result has implications for the feasibility of using these texts for historical reconstruction.
Roles of Calcium/Calmodulin-Dependent Kinase II in Long-Term Memory Formation in Crickets

Ca2+/calmodulin (CaM)-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) is a key molecule in many systems of learning and memory in vertebrates, but roles of CaMKII in invertebrates have not been characterized in detail. We have suggested that serial activation of NO/cGMP signaling, cyclic nucleotide-gated channel, Ca2+/CaM and cAMP signaling participates in long-term memory (LTM) formation in olfactory conditioning in crickets, and here we show participation of CaMKII in LTM formation and propose its site of action in the biochemical cascades. Crickets subjected to 3-trial conditioning to associate an odor with reward exhibited memory that lasts for a few days, which is characterized as protein synthesis-dependent LTM. In contrast, animals subjected to 1-trial conditioning exhibited memory that lasts for only several hours (mid-term memory, MTM). Injection of a CaMKII inhibitor prior to 3-trial conditioning impaired 1-day memory retention but not 1-hour memory retention, suggesting that CaMKII participates in LTM formation but not in MTM formation. Animals injected with a cGMP analogue, calcium ionophore or cAMP analogue prior to 1-trial conditioning exhibited 1-day retention, and co-injection of a CaMKII inhibitor impaired induction of LTM by the cGMP analogue or that by the calcium ionophore but not that by the cAMP analogue, suggesting that CaMKII is downstream of cGMP production and Ca2+ influx and upstream of cAMP production in biochemical cascades for LTM formation. Animals injected with an adenylyl cyclase (AC) activator prior to 1-trial conditioning exhibited 1-day retention. Interestingly, a CaMKII inhibitor impaired LTM induction by the AC activator, although AC is expected to be a downstream target of CaMKII. The results suggest that CaMKII interacts with AC to facilitate cAMP production for LTM formation. We propose that CaMKII serves as a key molecule for interplay between Ca2+ signaling and cAMP signaling for LTM formation, a new role of CaMKII in learning and memory.
The effectiveness of external quality audits: a study of Australian universities

External quality audits have been introduced in many countries as part of higher education reforms. This article is based on research on 30 Australian universities to assess the extent to which audits by the Australian Universities Quality Agency (AUQA) have improved quality assurance in the core and support areas of the universities. The article analyses the views of 120 respondents including senior members of the universities and some AUQA auditors and evaluates university satisfaction with the external quality audit process. The study finds that the audit process used by AUQA in Australia is satisfactory due to its enhancement-led reviews. The findings indicate that external quality audits alone cannot be credited for improving quality assurance in universities. A combination of external quality audits together with the internal and external operating environment has significantly contributed to improving quality assurance in universities. While external audits have led to an improvement in systems and processes in Australian universities, this study finds that they have not improved education outcomes and the student experience.
Differing Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress Response to Excess Lipogenesis versus Lipid Oversupply in Relation to Hepatic Steatosis and Insulin Resistance

Mitochondrial dysfunction and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress have been implicated in hepatic steatosis and insulin resistance. The present study investigated their roles in the development of hepatic steatosis and insulin resistance during de novo lipogenesis (DNL) compared to extrahepatic lipid oversupply. Male C57BL/6J mice were fed either a high fructose (HFru) or high fat (HFat) diet to induce DNL or lipid oversupply in/to the liver. Both HFru and HFat feeding increased hepatic triglyceride within 3 days (by 3.5 and 2.4 fold) and the steatosis remained persistent from 1 week onwards (p<0.01 vs Con). Glucose intolerance (iAUC increased by ∼60%) and blunted insulin-stimulated hepatic Akt and GSK3β phosphorylation (∼40–60%) were found in both feeding conditions (p<0.01 vs Con, assessed after 1 week). No impairment of mitochondrial function was found (oxidation capacity, expression of PGC1α, CPT1, respiratory complexes, enzymatic activity of citrate synthase & β-HAD). As expected, DNL was increased (∼60%) in HFru-fed mice and decreased (32%) in HFat-fed mice (all p<0.05). Interestingly, associated with the upregulated lipogenic enzymes (ACC, FAS and SCD1), two (PERK/eIF2α and IRE1/XBP1) of three ER stress pathways were significantly activated in HFru-fed mice. However, no significant ER stress was observed in HFat-fed mice during the development of hepatic steatosis. Our findings indicate that HFru and HFat diets can result in hepatic steatosis and insulin resistance without obvious mitochondrial defects via different lipid metabolic pathways. The fact that ER stress is apparent only with HFru feeding suggests that ER stress is involved in DNL per se rather than resulting from hepatic steatosis or insulin resistance.
The influence of active participation and organisation in environmental protection activities on the environmental behaviour of pupils: study of a teaching technique

Until now, many efforts in the area of environmental education, intended to instill consciously responsible behaviour into the general public in Germany, have failed. Several of the available intervention studies aimed at improving environmental behaviour of pupils with classroom tuition were able to show positive results, but there were often shortcomings in the design of these studies. First, this article presents some of these and deduces improvements and extensions for the design of the following intervention study. The described study investigated whether the active involvement and organisation in environmental activities influences the environmental behaviour of pupils. Active participation and organisation means a protection activity, designed and carried out by pupils, with help from their teacher. The results of this quantitative investigation show that the method of participation and organisation is successful and very promising. Improvements in reported and observed actual behaviour can be proved after the intervention. However, the changes are bound to the behaviour that was thematised in the teaching. The environmental perception of the pupils did not improve. Gender and the environmental perception of the pupils had no effect on the changes.
Habit Does Not a Nun Make? Religious Dress in the Everyday Lives of Polish Catholic Nuns

This article explores the role of the religious habit in the lives of Catholic sisters in Poland. It is based on research data from qualitative interviews carried out by the author in five Polish convents. The argument focuses on the indeterminacy of the message which the habit sends to the lay audience. It considers the significance of the habit through a Durkheimian lens. The nuns’ accounts of their encounters with the lay public are used to illuminate the precarious position of the Catholic Church in twenty-first century Poland. The article concludes that the habit acts as a ‘barometer’ for attitudes towards institutionalised religion in Polish society.
Effect of Diffusion on Discoloration of Congo Red by Alginate Entrapped Turnip (Brassica rapa) Peroxidase

Enzymatic discoloration of the diazo dye, Congo red (CR), by immobilized plant peroxidase from turnip “Brassica rapa” is investigated. Partially purified turnip peroxidase (TP) was immobilized by entrapment in spherical particles of calcium alginate and was assayed for the discoloration of aqueous CR solution. Experimental data revealed that pH, reaction time, temperature, colorant, and H2O2 concentration play a significant role in dye degradation. Maximum CR removal was found at pH 2.0, constant temperature of 40°C in the presence of 10 mM H2O2, and 180 mg/L of CR. More than 94% of CR was removed by alginate immobilized TP after 1 h of incubation in a batch process under optimal conditions. About 74% removal efficiency was retained after four recycles. Diffusional limitations in alginate beads such as effectiveness factor η, Thiele modulus Φ, and effective diffusion coefficients (D e) of Congo red were predicted assuming a first-order biodegradation kinetic. Results showed that intraparticle diffusion resistance has a significant effect on the CR biodegradation rate.
Brassica biotechnology: Progress in cellular and molecular biology

SummaryConsiderable progress has been accomplished in the cellular and molecular biology of Brassica species in the past few years. Plant regeneration has been increasingly optimized via organogenesis and somatic embryogenesis using various explants; with tissue culture improvements focusing on factors such as age of the explant, genotype, and media additives. The production of haploids and doubled haploids using microspores has accelerated the production of homozygous lines in the Brassica species. Somatic cell fusion has facilitated the development of interspecific and intergeneric hybrids in the sexually incompatible species of Brassica. Crop improvement using somaclonal variation has also been achieved. The use of molecular markers in marker-assisted selection and breeding, transformation technology for the introduction of desirable traits, and a comparative analysis of these as well as their future prospects are important parts of the current research that is reviewed.
Genetic and environmental contributions to alcohol dependence risk in a national twin sample: consistency of findings in women and men

Background. Genetic influences on alcoholism risk are well-documented in men, but uncertain in women. We tested for gender differences in genetic influences on, and risk-factors for, DSM-III-R alcohol dependence (AD). Method. Diagnostic follow-up interviews were conducted in 1992–3 by telephone with twins from an Australian twin panel first surveyed in 1980–82 (N=5889 respondents). Data were analysed using logistic regression models. Results. Significantly higher twin pair concordances were observed in MZ compared to DZ same-sex twin pairs in women and men, even when data were weighted to adjust for over-representation of well-educated respondents, and for selective attrition. AD risk was increased in younger birth cohorts, in Catholic males or women reporting no religious affiliation, in those reporting a history of conduct disorder or major depression and in those with high Neuroticism, Social Non-conformity, Toughmindedness, Novelty-Seeking or (in women only) Extraversion scores; and decreased in ‘Other Protestants’, weekly church attenders, and university-educated males. Controlling for these variables, however, did not remove the significant association with having an alcoholic MZ co-twin, implying that much of the genetic influence on AD risk remained unexplained. No significant gender difference in the genetic variance in AD was found (64% heritability, 95% confidence interval 32–73%). Conclusions. Genetic risk-factors play as important a role in determining AD risk in women as in men. With the exception of certain sociocultural variables such as religious affiliation, the same personality, sociodemographic and axis I correlates of alcoholism risk are observed in women and men.
Would rethinking learning disabilities benefit Kuwait?

Learning disabilities education in Kuwait grew from Kuwaiti’s wholesale importation of the Western, medical model of disability – a model basically incompatible with Kuwaiti culture. Conflicting factors include its problematic normal/abnormal binary, its assumption that the ‘deficit’ is located in the student and the segregation of students by label. As proponents of disability studies we investigate whether, and if so how, Arab educators at Kuwait’s only learning disabilities school talk about this incompatibility. Through focus group and individual, in‐depth conversational interviews we found that they acknowledged this tension, but that they dealt with it in more complex ways than we had anticipated: by compartmentalizing, accepting the imported model as the only alternative to overcrowded public education and subjugating their experiential awareness to that of the Western scientific model.
The use of innovation awards in the public sector: Individual and organizational perspectives

Abstract This paper examines innovation awards in the public sector from both the perspective of the individual and the organization. Using the individual perspective, we look at two types of motivations (intrinsic and extrinsic) and their link to innovation. We agree with the literature which suggests that intrinsic motivations are positively related to innovation. We also examine the relationship between extrinsic motivations and innovation, finding mixed evidence of a positive relationship, and little evidence that extrinsic motivation is negatively related to innovation. From the organizational perspective, we identify differences between the public and private sectors in providing incentives to innovate. We examine the use of innovation awards as an incentive to innovate, finding both positive and negative consequences.
Developing criteria for knowing and learning at work: towards context‐based assessment

Traditional assessment is based on perceiving and measuring knowledge possession and practical performance. This kind of assessment provides limited information about the capability of the learner to develop as a professional and to learn at work. In a typical skill test situation the teachers estimate how well the students know knowledge content and the work supervisors appraise how they perform in practice. However, reflective and social knowing are weakly assessed because of the problems with tacit and potential knowledge. Context‐based assessment requires that situational and contextual factors of knowing, and the social, reflective, cognitive processes of learning are considered carefully. The article reports a construction of a set of assessment criteria and piloting it in a field of vocational education. Carefully defined observation units and optimal compiled criteria are the key factors for understanding and improving the assessment practices.
Dynamic Contrast Enhanced MRI of the Prostate: Comparison of Gadobutrol and Gd-DTPA

Abstract Purpose: To evaluate the enhancement profile of the macrocyclic contrast medium (CM) gadobutrol in comparison to linear CM Gd-DTPA in DCE-MRI of the prostate. Materials and Methods: In total 53 patients with prostata cancer (PCa) were included, who received a radical prostatectomy after multiparametric MRI of the prostate including DCE-MRI. Using circular regions of interests normal peripheral zone (PZ) and PCa foci > 5 mm in diameter (42 and 34 foci in Gd-DTPA and gadobutrol group, respectively) were analysed in DCE-MRI. Enhancement curves (Type I, II and III) and pharmacokinetic parameters were analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively and compared using mixed linear models (two sided p-values < 0.05 were regarded significant). Results: There was no significant difference in frequencies of curve types I, II or III in the normal PZ (p = 0.63) or in PCa foci (p = 0.75). PCa with a Gleason score ≥ 7 had in comparison to Gleason ≤ 6 significantly more often a Wash-Out-curve (Type III) with both CM (p = 0.02). The relative peak enhancement was in the PZ (Gd-DTPA 1.4 a. u. [1.20; 1.59], gadobutrol 1.58 a. u. [1.37; 1.78]) and in PCa foci (Gd-DTPA 1.56 a. u. [1.41; 1.71], gadobutrol 1.76 a. u. [1.59; 1.94]) significantly higher with gadobutrol (p = 0.04). The pharmacokinetic parameters Ktrans und kep were higher in PCa foci than in PZ (p < 0.0001 and p = 0.002, respectively) without significant difference of the parameter values between both CM (p = 0.65). Conlusion: This study is the first systematic comparison of gadobutrol and Gd-DTPA in DCE-MRI of the prostate. The relative peak enhancement is higher using gadobutrol compared to Gd-DTPA in DCE-MRI. There was no statistically significant difference in curve types or the pharmacokinetic parameters in PCa or normal PZ between both CM. Key Points: Gadobutrol yields a higher and faster peak enhancement in prostate cancer and in the normal peripheral zone compared to Gd-DTPA. There was no statistically significant difference observed in curve type frequencies and pharmacokinetic parameters between both CM. Gadobutrol as Gd-DTPA appear to be suitable for DCE-MRI of the prostate for prostate cancer detection. Citation Format: Durmus T, Vollnberg B, Schwenke C et al. Dynamic Contrast Enhanced MRI of the Prostate: Comparison of Gadobutrol and Gd-DTPA. Fortschr Röntgenstr 2013; 862 – 868
Comparison of Total Solar Irradiance with NASA/National Solar Observatory Spectromagnetograph Data in Solar Cycles 22 and 23

NASA/National Solar Observatory Spectromagnetograph (SPM) data are compared with spacecraft measurements of total solar irradiance (TSI) variations for 8 yr beginning with the declining phase of solar cycle 22 and extending into the maximum of cycle 23. Previously reported conclusions based on a similar comparison for a shorter time period appear to be robust: three factors (sunspots, strong unipolar regions, and strong mixed-polarity regions) describe most of the variation in the SPM record, but only the first two are associated with TSI. Additionally, the residuals of a linear multiple regression of TSI against SPM observations over the entire 8 yr period show an unexplained, increasing, linear time variation with a rate of about 0.05 W m-2 yr-1. Separate regressions for the periods before and after 1996 January 1 show no unexplained trends but differ substantially in regression parameters. This behavior may reflect a solar source of TSI variations beyond sunspots or uncompensated nonsolar effects in one or both of the TSI and SPM data sets.
Validating Measures of Leader Authenticity

Using a student sample in a lab setting, we examined the relationships between explicit and implicit self-esteem and two measures of leader authenticity: self-reported authentic leadership as measured by the Authentic Leadership Questionnaire (ALQ) and perceived leader authenticity as reflected in leadership speeches. In addition, we explored the influence of situational cues for an internal versus external focus on measures of leadership authenticity. Explicit and implicit self-esteem related to authentic leadership in predicted directions, but not perceived leader authenticity. ALQ scores were also positively related to perceived leader authenticity and were significantly affected by the situational cues. Results provide support for the construct validity of the ALQ, while also showing that ALQ scores can be influenced by situational cues promoting an internal versus external focus.