Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
DISSONANCE PROCESSES AS SELF-AFFIRMATION

Can an experience that simply affirms a valued aspect of the self eliminate dissonance and its accompanying cognitive changes? Three experiments used the conventional forced-compliance procedure to test this question. In the first experiment, some subjects were allowed to affirm an important, self-relevant value (by completing a self-relevant value scale) immediately after having written unrelated dissonant essays and prior to recording their attitudes on the postmeasure. Other subjects underwent an identical procedure but were selected so that the value affirmed by the scale was not part of their self-concept. The value scale eliminated dissonance-reducing attitude change among subjects for whom it was self-relevant but not among subjects for whom it was not self-relevant. This occurred even though the value scale could not resolve or reduce the objective importance of the dissonance-provoking inconsistency. Study 2 showed that the self-affirmation effect was strong enough to prevent the reinstatement of dissonance. Study 3, testing generalizability, replicated the effect by using a different attitude issue, a different value for affirmation, and a different measure of dissonance reduction. These results imply that a need for psychological consistency is not a part of dissonance motivation and that salient, self-affirming cognitions may help objectify our reactions to self-threatening information.
Distribution of Neural Tube Defects as a Function of Maternal Weight:No Apparent Correlation

Objectives: Maternal nutritional deficiency is an important predisposing factor to congenital neural tube defects (NTDs). It was hypothesized that obese women may have an increased risk for NTDs. The aim of the present study was to address this question in a large cohort. Methods: A total of 72,915 consecutive cases of biochemical screening that had documented maternal weights and pregnancy outcomes were identified from the Quest Diagnostic Laboratories database. Patients were divided into five ranges of maternal weights, and the incidence of NTDs was calculated for each group. Based on the different definitions of maternal overweight, the data were also analyzed based on 2 groups only, obese and nonobese, using three cutoff points. Results: Seventy-nine pregnancies were complicated by NTDs (incidence of 1.08 per 1,000 pregnancies). Differences between maternal weights ranges were not found to be statistically significant (χ2 = 5.997, p = 0.19, power = 0.99). Differences between obese and nonobese mothers were not found to be statistically significant for all three analyses as well. Conclusions: Our present results do not support an association between maternal obesity and NTDs.
Trm112 Is Required for Bud23-Mediated Methylation of the 18S rRNA at Position G1575

ABSTRACT Posttranscriptional and posttranslational modification of macromolecules is known to fine-tune their functions. Trm112 is unique, acting as an activator of both tRNA and protein methyltransferases. Here we report that in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Trm112 is required for efficient ribosome synthesis and progression through mitosis. Trm112 copurifies with pre-rRNAs and with multiple ribosome synthesis trans-acting factors, including the 18S rRNA methyltransferase Bud23. Consistent with the known mechanisms of activation of methyltransferases by Trm112, we found that Trm112 interacts directly with Bud23 in vitro and that it is required for its stability in vivo. Consequently, trm112Δ cells are deficient for Bud23-mediated 18S rRNA methylation at position G1575 and for small ribosome subunit formation. Bud23 failure to bind nascent preribosomes activates a nucleolar surveillance pathway involving the TRAMP complexes, leading to preribosome degradation. Trm112 is thus active in rRNA, tRNA, and translation factor modification, ideally placing it at the interface between ribosome synthesis and function.
Urban Community Study by Preservice Teachers

This study determined urban community perspectives on quality education and constructed advice for beginning classroom teachers. Participant observers were 26 graduate teacher candidates. First, "expert groups " of students with the same study (e.g., churches, youth gang task force, Urban League, neighborhood arts council, teen pregnancy program, family adoption) presented findings. Next, jigsaw teams composed of experts from different study groups (faced two questions from the urban community: "What is good education? " and "What does the community expect teachers to do in classrooms? " Significant themes and examples were extracted and organized. Chief among these were (a) identification of value of community study, (b) differences between community members who are well served by schools and those who are not, (c) expectations of community for urban educators, and (d) student teacher views changed as a result of study. Observers found two distinct populations with considerably different views. Some are well served by schools; others are not.
Exposure of Procoagulant Phospholipids on the Surface of Platelets in Patients Undergoing Cardiopulmonary bypass Using Non-Coated and Heparin-Coated Extracorporeal Circuits

Cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) is associated with a generalized hemostatic defect, in which platelet dysfunction seems to play a central role. The present study was designed to elucidate whether the potential procoagulant activity of platelets, detected as annexin V binding, was altered during coronary bypass surgery, using non-coated and heparin-coated extracorporeal circuits. Thirty patients undergoing elective coronary artery bypass grafting were prospectively randomized using either a standard untreated extracorporeal circuit (n = 15) or a heparin-treated extracorporeal circuit (n=15). Besides measurement of the procoagulant phospholipid activity, the mediastinal blood loss after surgery, and the blood transfusion requirements were also monitored. CPB induced a decrease in the percentage of activated platelets in whole blood, manifest directly after start of CPB, which was significantly attenuated using a non-treated system. Postoperatively, the percentage of activated platelets recovered in both systems, reaching a point of significance 24 hours after the operation, compared to the values 2 hours after the operation. The differences among the groups for mediastinal blood loss during the first 2 and 24 postoperative hours coincided with the differences in procoagulant phospholipid activity. Furthermore, there was no statistical difference among the groups for blood transfusion requirements. The platelets in both groups showed a significantly lower ability to generate ionomycin-induced procoagulant activity after blood-material interaction when compared to the baseline values. These observations are compatible with the notion that during CPB, irrespective of the heparin coating, platelets become modestly activated.
Protection of a Single Dose West Nile Virus Recombinant Subviral Particle Vaccine against Lineage 1 or 2 Strains and Analysis of the Cross-Reactivity with Usutu Virus

West Nile virus (WNV) is a neurovirulent mosquito-borne flavivirus. High WNV virulence was mainly associated with lineage 1 strains, but recent outbreaks have unveiled circulation of highly virulent lineage 2 strains. Co-expression of flavivirus prM and E glycoproteins drives the assembly of recombinant subviral particles (RSPs) that share antigenic features with virions. Mouse immunization with lineage 1 WNV RSPs induced a potent humoral response against WNV with production of neutralizing antibodies. A single inoculation of RSPs formulated with Al(OH)3 as adjuvant protected mice against a lethal challenge with WNV strains from lineage 1 or 2. The cross-reactivity of the response elicited by these RSPs was analyzed against the related flavivirus Usutu virus (USUV), which shares multiple ecological and antigenic features with WNV. Immunization with WNV-RSPs increased specific, although low, antibody titers found upon subsequent USUV infection.
The Economic Payoff of Name Americanization

We provide the first evidence of the magnitude and consequences of the Americanization of migrants’ names in the early twentieth century. We construct a longitudinal data set of naturalization records, tracking migrants and their naming choices over time. We consistently find that migrants who Americanized their names experienced larger occupational upgrading than those who did not. Name Americanization embodies an intention to assimilate among low-skilled migrants and reveals the existence of preferences for American names within the labor market. We conclude that the trade-off between individual identity and labor market success was present then as it is today.
Neuron-specific enolase and S-100B are associated with neurologic outcome after pediatric cardiac arrest*

Objective: To characterize the pattern of serum biochemical markers of central nervous system injury (neuron-specific enolase [NSE], S-100B, plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 [PAI-1]) after pediatric cardiac arrest and determine whether there is an association between biomarker concentrations and neurologic outcome. Design: Prospective, observational study. Setting: Urban, tertiary care children's hospital. Patients: Cardiac arrest survivors, n = 35. Interventions: Serial blood sampling, pediatric cerebral performance category, and standardized neurologic examination. Measurements and Main Results: Serial serum NSE and S-100B concentrations over 96 hrs and PAI-1 at 24 hrs were measured in children (age <18 yrs) who had return of spontaneous circulation following cardiac arrest. Neurologic outcome was prospectively categorized as poor if the change in pre- to postarrest pediatric cerebral performance category was ≥2. Biomarker concentrations were compared between outcome groups and between survival groups using longitudinal analysis correcting for multiple comparisons. Median levels (25th, 75th percentiles) are reported. Receiver operating characteristic analyses were performed at all time points. Biomarker concentrations showed statistically significant differences. Of the 35 patients, neurologic outcomes were poor in 19, with 15 deaths. Median NSE concentrations differed by outcome when measured at ≥48 hrs, and by survival at ≥24 hrs. S-100B concentrations were not significantly associated with neurologic outcome. S-100B levels were associated with survival outcome at ≥48 hrs. PAI-1 levels were not significantly associated with either neurologic or survival outcomes. Conclusions: The timing, intensity, and duration of serum NSE and S-100B biomarker concentration patterns are associated with neurologic and survival outcomes following pediatric cardiac arrest. Serum NSE concentrations at ≥48 hrs are associated with neurologic outcome, whereas serum S-100B levels at ≥48 hrs are associated with survival. Prospective analysis of these markers may help to predict outcomes and guide postresuscitative therapies.
Cyclone Deaths in Bangladesh, May 1985: Who Was At Risk

SUMMARY In May 1985, a cyclone from the Bay of Bengal struck the coastal islands of Bangladesh. In spite of early detection of atmospheric turbulance and the history of severe cyclones in the area, an estimated 11,000 people lost their lives. In a natural experiment, cyclone death rates from the two severely affected islands, Urir Char and Sandwip, were analyzed to determine the risk factors of cyclone-associated mortality. In Urir Char, in which no cyclone shelters existed, the study group lost 40 percent of the family members in contrast to 3.4 percent from Sandwip, where at least eight cyclone shelters existed. Individuals who did not seek shelter were at the highest risk. Barriers in seeking safety were physical as well as behavioral. Easy access to shelters was a significant factor in reducing the risk. Deaths could have been averted through improved timing and method of advance warning.
Wfs1-deficient mice display altered function of serotonergic system and increased behavioral response to antidepressants

It has been shown that mutations in the WFS1 gene make humans more susceptible to mood disorders. Besides that, mood disorders are associated with alterations in the activity of serotonergic and noradrenergic systems. Therefore, in this study, the effects of imipramine, an inhibitor of serotonin (5-HT) and noradrenaline (NA) reuptake, and paroxetine, a selective inhibitor of 5-HT reuptake, were studied in tests of behavioral despair. The tail suspension test (TST) and forced swimming test (FST) were performed in Wfs1-deficient mice. Simultaneously, gene expression and monoamine metabolism studies were conducted to evaluate changes in 5-HT- and NA-ergic systems of Wfs1-deficient mice. The basal immobility time of Wfs1-deficient mice in TST and FST did not differ from that of their wild-type littermates. However, a significant reduction of immobility time in response to lower doses of imipramine and paroxetine was observed in homozygous Wfs1-deficient mice, but not in their wild-type littermates. In gene expression studies, the levels of 5-HT transporter (SERT) were significantly reduced in the pons of homozygous animals. Monoamine metabolism was assayed separately in the dorsal and ventral striatum of naive mice and mice exposed for 30 min to brightly lit motility boxes. We found that this aversive challenge caused a significant increase in the levels of 5-HT and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA), a metabolite of 5-HT, in the ventral and dorsal striatum of wild-type mice, but not in their homozygous littermates. Taken together, the blunted 5-HT metabolism and reduced levels of SERT are a likely reason for the elevated sensitivity of these mice to the action of imipramine and paroxetine. These changes in the pharmacological and neurochemical phenotype of Wfs1-deficient mice may help to explain the increased susceptibility of Wolfram syndrome patients to depressive states.
Insulin Sensitivity in Multiple Pathways Is Differently Affected During Zidovudine/Lamivudine-Containing Compared With NRTI-Sparing Combination Antiretroviral Therapy

Objective:The extent and manner by which HIV nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors contribute to insulin resistance is unclear. We evaluated the effect of zidovudine/lamivudine (ZDV/3TC) on glucose metabolism. Methods:combination antiretroviral therapy-naive men were randomized to lopinavir/ritonavir (LPV/r, 400/100 mg twice a day) + ZDV/3TC or LPV/r (533/133 mg twice a day) + nevirapine (NVP). Computerized tomography, dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry scans, and hyperinsulinemic euglycemic clamps using stable isotopes were performed before and after 3, 12, and 24 months of combination antiretroviral therapy. Results:Insulin-stimulated peripheral glucose disposal decreased by 25% after 3 months in patients on zidovudine/lamivudine/lopinavir/ritonavir (ZDV/3TC/LPV/r) (P < 0.001) and this decreased rate persisted thereafter, followed by a transient decrease in insulin-mediated inhibition of lipolysis. In the nevirapine/lopinavir/ritonavir (NVP/LPV/r) group, hepatic insulin sensitivity had improved compared with baseline after 24 months. After the initial 3 months, limb fat decreased in the ZDV/3TC/LPV/r arm up to 24 months [−849 ± 345 g (P = 0.017)], and visceral adipose tissue increased over 2 years [+36.2 ± 13.3 cm2 (P = 0.009)]. In the NVP/LPV/r group, a generalized increase in fat mass was observed. Conclusions:Treatment with ZDV/3TC/LPV/r versus NVP/LPV/r differentially affects glucose and lipid metabolism. The ZDV/3TC/LPV/r regimen induced peripheral insulin resistance, a transient increase in basal lipolysis and a transient decrease in insulin-mediated inhibition of lipolysis, whereas hepatic insulin sensitivity improved with the NVP/LPV/r regimen.
What judges know about eyewitness testimony: A comparison of Norwegian and US judges

Abstract We surveyed 157 Norwegian judges about their knowledge and beliefs about eyewitness testimony, and compared their answers to a prior survey of 160 US judges. Although the Norwegian judges were somewhat more knowledgeable than the US judges, both groups had limited knowledge of eyewitness testimony. The Norwegian judges, like the US judges, frequently differed from eyewitness experts in their responses to such important issues as whether eyewitness confidence is related to identification accuracy at trial and what is the best method for conducting identification procedures. As was true for the US judges, more knowledgeable Norwegian judges had many of the beliefs that may be necessary for reducing and mitigating the effects of eyewitness error. The results suggest that increasing judges’ knowledge of eyewitness testimony may be an important component of the solution to eyewitness error.
Reported and observed controlling feeding practices predict child eating behavior after 12 months.

BACKGROUND Controlling feeding practices are linked to children's self-regulatory eating practices and weight status. Maternal reports of controlling feeding practices are not always significantly related to independently rated mealtime observations. However, prior studies only assessed 1 mealtime observation, which may not be representative of typical mealtime settings or routines. OBJECTIVES The first aim was to examine associations between reported and observed maternal pressure to eat and restriction feeding practices at baseline (T1) and after ∼ 12 mo (T2). The second aim was to evaluate relations between maternal and child factors [e.g., concern about child weight, child temperament, child body mass index (BMI)-for-age z scores (BMIz)] at T1 and reported and observed maternal pressure to eat and restriction feeding practices (T1 and T2). The third aim was to assess prospective associations between maternal feeding practices (T1) and child eating behaviors (T2) and child BMIz (T2). METHODS A sample of 79 mother-child dyads in Victoria, Australia, participated in 2 lunchtime home observations (T1 and T2). BMI measures were collected during the visits. Child temperament, child eating behaviors, maternal parenting styles, and maternal feeding practices were evaluated at T1 and T2 via questionnaires. Associations were assessed with Pearson's correlation coefficients, paired t tests, and hierarchical regressions. RESULTS Reported restriction (T1) was inversely associated with observed restriction at T1 (r = -0.24, P < 0.05). Reported pressure to eat (T2) was associated with observed pressure to eat (T2) (r = 0.48, P < 0.01) but only for mothers of girls. Maternal weight concern was associated with reported restriction at T1 (r = 0.29, P < 0.01) and T2 (r = 0.36, P < 0.01), whereas observed restriction (T1) was prospectively associated child BMI at T2 (β = -0.18, P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS Maternal reports may not always reflect feeding practices performed during mealtimes; it is possible some mothers may not be aware of their practices or observations may not capture covert controlling strategies.
Course of Symptoms and Health-Related Quality of Life during Specialized Pre-Dialysis Care

Background Concerns are present on the limited value of renal function alone in defining the optimal moment to start dialysis. Disease-related symptoms and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) may have additional clinical value in defining this moment, but little is known about how these parameters change during pre-dialysis care. The aims of our study were to describe the course of symptoms and HRQOL during pre-dialysis care and to investigate their association with poor health outcomes. Methods In the prospective PREPARE-2 cohort, incident patients starting specialized pre-dialysis care were included when referred to one of the 25 participating Dutch outpatient clinics (2004–2011). In the present analysis, 436 patients with data available on symptoms and HRQOL were included. Clinical data, symptoms (revised illness perception questionnaire), and HRQOL (short form-36 questionnaire; physical and mental summary score) were collected every 6-month interval. A time-dependent Cox proportional hazard model was used to associate symptoms and HRQOL with the combined poor health outcome (i.e. starting dialysis, receiving a kidney transplant, and death). Results All symptoms increased, especially fatigue and loss of strength, and both the physical and mental summary score decreased over time, with the most pronounced change during the last 6–12 months of follow-up. Furthermore, each additional symptom (adjusted HR 1.04 (95% CI, 1.00–1.09)) and each 3-point lower physical and mental summary score (adjusted HR 1.04 (1.02–1.06) and 1.04 (1.02–1.06) respectively) were associated with a higher risk of reaching the combined poor health outcome within the subsequent 6 months. Conclusions The number of symptoms increased and both the physical and mental HRQOL score decreased during pre-dialysis care and these changes were associated with starting dialysis, receiving a kidney transplant, and death. These results may indicate that symptoms and HRQOL are good markers for the medical condition and disease stage of pre-dialysis patients.
Election campaigning Japanese style

Running for public office in postwar Japan requires the endorsement of a political party and a sophisticated system of organizational support. In this volume, Gerald L. Curtis provides a detailed case study of the campaign of Sato Bunsei, who in 1967 ran for the Lower House of Japan's parliament as a nonincumbent candidate of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party. Sato's district consisted of a modern urban center and a tradition-bound rural hinterland and featured a dynamic dialectic between old and new patterns of electioneering, which led Sat? to innovate new strategies and techniques. Since its publication in 1971, sociologists and anthropologists as well as political scientists have considered Curtis's microanalysis of Japan's political system to be a vital historical document, offering insights into Japanese social behavior and political organization that are still relevant. The Japanese edition of Curtis's pioneering study, Daigishi No Tanjo, a best-seller, is valued today as a classic and read and cited by journalists, politicians, and scholars alike. This edition features a new introduction in which the author reflects on the reception of his book and on the changes in Japan's election process since its publication.
An Economic Explication of the Prohibition of Gharar in Classical Islamic Jurisprudence

The forbidden bay[ al-gharar can best be translated as “trading in risk”. Any trade would involve some degree of trading in risk. Jurists disagree over whether a specific contract is forbidden or not based on their varying assessments of whether the amount of risk is substantial or small. Moreover, the prohibition can be waived in cases where clear economic benefit can only be served by a contract that includes substantial trading in risk. We show that “trading in risk” is generally inefficient relative to other forms of risk sharing. Hence, if a contract can increase economic efficiency through some form of risk transfer, the prohibition of trading in risk should be applicable. Cases where such a prohibition is moot because the risk-trading instrument is not used, do not affect this general conclusion. In cases where trading in risk is inherent in the contract, but where the contract is important to meet economic needs (e.g. salam), the analysis is still useful in two regards: (i) we can consider whether or not there is a risk sharing mechanism which can reduce part of the inherent trading in risk, and (ii) we should consider such alternatives if secondary tools for managing the resulting risk are sought.