Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Linear and Non-Linear Kinetics in the Synthesis and Degradation of Acrylamide in Foods and Model Systems

Isothermal acrylamide formation in foods and asparagine-glucose model systems has ubiquitous features. On a time scale of about 60 min, at temperatures in the approximate range of 120−160°C, the acrylamide concentration-time curve has a characteristic sigmoid shape whose asymptotic level and steepness increases with temperature while the time that corresponds to the inflection point decreases. In the approximate range of 160−200°C, the curve has a clear peak, whose onset, height, width and degree of asymmetry depend on the system's composition and temperature. The synthesis-degradation of acrylamide in model systems has been recently described by traditional kinetic models. They account for the intermediate stages of the process and the fate of reactants involved at different levels of scrutiny. The resulting models have 2–6 rate constants, accounting for both the generation and elimination of the acrylamide. Their temperature dependence has been assumed to obey the Arrhenius equation, i.e., each step in the reaction was considered as having a fixed energy of activation. A proposed alternative is constructing the concentration curve by superimposing a Fermian decay term on a logistic growth function. The resulting model, which is not unique, has five parameters: a hypothetical uninterrupted generation-level, two steepness parameters; of the concentration climbs and fall and two time characteristics; of the acrylamide synthesis and elimination. According to this model, peak concentration is observed only when the two time constants are comparable. The peak's shape and height are determined by the gap between the two time constants and the relative magnitudes of the two “rate” parameters. The concept can be extended to create models of non-isothermal acrylamide formation. The basic assumption, which is yet to be verified experimentally, is that the momentary rate of the acrylamide synthesis or degradation is the isothermal rate at the momentary temperature, at a time that corresponds to its momentary concentration. The theoretical capabilities of a model of this kind are demonstrated with computer simulations. If the described model is correct, then by controlling temperature history, it is possible to reduce the acrylamide while still accomplishing much of the desirable effects of a heat process.
Intergenerational Social Mobility in European OECD Countries

This paper breaks new ground by providing comparable estimates of intergenerational wage and education persistence across 14 European OECD countries based on a new micro data from Eurostat. A further novelty is that it examines the potential role of public policies and labour and product market institutions in explaining observed differences in intergenerational wage mobility across countries. The empirical estimates show that intergenerational wage persistence is relatively high in southern European countries, as well as in the United Kingdom. Likewise, intergenerational persistence in education is relatively high both in southern European countries and in Luxembourg and Ireland. By contrast, both persistence in wages and education tends to be lower in Nordic countries. In addition, empirical results show that education is one important driver of intergenerational wage persistence across European countries. There is a positive crosscountry correlation between intergenerational wage mobility and redistributive policies, as well as a positive correlation between wage-setting institutions that compress the wage distribution and mobility.
Common mental disorders : a bio-social model

Acknowledgements. Foreword. 1: Models for mental disorder. 2: The five levels. 3: Filters on the pathway to care. 4: Common mental disorders as categories. 5: A dimensional model for neurosis. 6: Vulnerability and resiliance. 7: Destabilisation. 8: Restitution. 9: Mind and body. 10. Public health implications.
Students’ Learning Strategies for Developing Speaking Ability

This study was done to study the learning strategies used by both low and high performance speaking students in developing their speaking skills as well as the differences between the learning strategies used by both groups of learners. The reason for conducting this research was the fact that the competency of many students in speaking English was still considered unsatisfactory in Banda Aceh. We postulated that one aspect involved in the process of developing speaking skills was the learning strategies used by the learners. In this study, the data was collected through field research by means of documents, questionnaires, and interviews. The result of this study indicated that high performance speaking students had better balance in using all kinds of learning strategies (memory, cognitive, compensatory, metacognitive, affective, and social) for enhancing their speaking skills; the same could not be found with low performance speaking students. Besides, the high performance students employed more learning strategies consciously and appropriately compared to the low performance students. Based on the research results, it is suggested that students should be trained to be more aware of their own speaking learning strategies. They should use appropriate language learning strategies more consciously, purposefully, and frequently to be more successful in developing their speaking skills.
Comparison of light transmittance in different thicknesses of zirconia under various light curing units

PURPOSE The objective of this study was to compare the light transmittance of zirconia in different thicknesses using various light curing units. MATERIALS AND METHODS A total of 21 disc-shaped zirconia specimens (5 mm in diameter) in different thicknesses (0.3, 0.5 and 0.8 mm) were prepared. The light transmittance of the specimens under three different light-curing units (quartz tungsten halogen, light-emitting diodes and plasma arc) was compared by using a hand-held radiometer. Statistical significance was determined using two-way ANOVA (α=.05). RESULTS ANOVA revealed that thickness of zirconia and light curing unit had significant effects on light transmittance (P<.001). CONCLUSION Greater thickness of zirconia results in lower light transmittance. Light-emitting diodes light-curing units might be considered as effective as Plasma arc light-curing units or more effective than Quartz-tungsten-halogen light-curing units for polymerization of the resin-based materials.
Long-Term Survival and Low Effective Cumulative Radioiodine Doses to Achieve Remission in Patients With 131Iodine-Avid Lung Metastasis From Differentiated Thyroid Cancer

Objective To evaluate long-term survival and response to RAI treatment in patients with differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) and 131Iodine-avid metastatic lung disease. Patients and Methods A retrospective review of 639 DTC patients followed-up at the Hospital de Clínicas, Buenos Aires, Argentina, showed that 42 (6%) patients had lung metastasis, and 24 patients were included for analysis. Results Seventeen were women, and 7 were men (F:M = 2.4:1). Eighteen patients (75%) had PTC, and 6 (25%) had FTC. The median age at diagnosis was older than 45 years in 50%, and the median follow-up was 13 years. Good response to treatment (GRT: no evidence of disease or biochemical persistence without structural correlate) was observed in 46% of patients (all with diffuse postdose radioiodine uptake and no structural images higher than 1 cm in diameter); and 21% patients died from disseminated lung metastasis. Overall survival at 5 and 10 years was 100% and 88.4%, respectively. The Cox proportional hazard ratio showed that extrathyroidal invasion, positive uptake of 18-FDG, and metachronous diagnosis of the lung metastasis were variables that significantly predicted death. Those patients who had a GRT did with a mean effective cumulative RAI dose of 457.3 ± 29.7 mCi 131I (range, 300–600 mCi 131I). Conclusions Lung metastasis showed a slow progression with a high long-term overall survival. The presence of synchronous lung metastasis, the absence of nodules larger than 1 cm, and the lack of uptake of 18FDG were predictive factors for an early response to treatment with RAI cumulative doses lower than 600 mCi 131I.
OPTICAL COHERENCE TOMOGRAPHY ANGIOGRAPHY IN PATIENTS WITH RETINITIS PIGMENTOSA.

PURPOSE To evaluate the correlation between the flow density measured by optical coherence tomography angiography and functional parameters in patients with retinitis pigmentosa. METHODS Twenty eyes of 20 patients with retinitis pigmentosa and 21 eyes of 21 healthy subjects were prospectively included in this study. Optical coherence tomography angiography was performed using RTVue XR Avanti with AngioVue (Optovue Inc). The macula was imaged with a 6 × 6-mm scan, whereas for the optic nerve head a 4.5 × 4.5-mm scan was taken. Visual acuity, visual field parameters (mean deviation and visual field index), full-field electroretinography, and multifocal electroretinography were tested for correlation with flow density data. RESULTS The flow density (whole en face) in the superficial/deep retinal OCT angiograms and in the optical coherence tomography angiography of the optic nerve head was significantly lower in the retinitis pigmentosa group when compared with the control group (P < 0.001). The flow density in the superficial retinal OCT angiogram (fovea) correlated significantly with the visual acuity (rSpearman = -0.77, P < 0.001) and the visual field parameters (visual field index: rSpearman = 0.56, P = 0.01; mean deviation: rSpearman = 0.54, P = 0.01). CONCLUSION Patients with retinitis pigmentosa show a decreased macular and optic nerve head perfusion compared with healthy subjects. The flow density measured using optical coherence tomography angiography correlated with subjective and objective functional parameters.
The Political Economy of Government Responsiveness: Theory and Evidence from India

The determinants of government responsiveness to its citizens is a key issue in political economy. Here we develop a model based on the solution of political agency problems. Having a more informed and politically active electorate strengthens incentives for governments to be responsive. This suggests that there is a role both for democratic institutions and the mass media in ensuring that the preferences of citizens are reflected in policy. The ideas behind the model are tested on panel data from India. We show that public food distribution and calamity relief expenditure are greater, controlling for shocks, where governments face greater electoral accountability and where newspaper circulation is highest.
21 AN IMPROVED PREDICTION OF DCT-BASED IMAGE FILTERS EFFICIENCY USING REGRESSION ANALYSIS

Efficiency of DCT-based filters for a wide-class of images is investigated. The study is carried out f r additive white Gaussian noise (AWGN) case with several intensity levels. Local DC T-based filter is used as basic denoising technique . Nonlocal BM3D filter known as the state-of-the-art technique for AWGN re moval is also exploited. A precise prediction metho d of denoising efficiency for several quality metrics i proposed. It is shown that statistics of DCT coe ffici nts provides useful information. Regression m odels for analyzed filters and metrics are presented. The obt ained dependence approximations of quality metrics on DCT statistics have high goodness of fit. One-parameter and multi-parameter fitting cases are considered. The most valuable DCT statistics are found.
Equivalent Air Spring Suspension Model for Quarter-Passive Model of Passenger Vehicles

This paper investigates the GENSIS air spring suspension system equivalence to a passive suspension system. The SIMULINK simulation together with the OptiY optimization is used to obtain the air spring suspension model equivalent to passive suspension system, where the car body response difference from both systems with the same road profile inputs is used as the objective function for optimization (OptiY program). The parameters of air spring system such as initial pressure, volume of bag, length of surge pipe, diameter of surge pipe, and volume of reservoir are obtained from optimization. The simulation results show that the air spring suspension equivalent system can produce responses very close to the passive suspension system.
Premature aging‐like phenotype in fibroblast growth factor 23 null mice is a vitamin D‐mediated process

Fibroblast growth factor 23 null mice (Fgf‐23−/−) have a short lifespan and show numerous biochemical and morphological features consistent with premature aging‐like phenotypes, including kyphosis, severe muscle wasting, hypogonadism, osteopenia, emphysema, uncoordinated movement, T cell dysregulation, and atrophy of the intestinal villi, skin, thymus, and spleen. Furthermore, increased vitamin D activities in homozygous mutants are associated with severe atherosclerosis and widespread soft tissue calcifications; ablation of vitamin D activity from Fgf‐23−/− mice, by genetically deleting the 1α(OH)ase gene, eliminates atherosclerosis and ectopic calcifications and significantly rescues premature aging‐like features of Fgf‐23−/− mice, resulting in prolonged survival of Fgf‐23−/−/1α(OH)ase−/− double mutants. Our results indicate a novel role of Fgf‐23 in developing premature aging‐like features through regulating vitamin D homeostasis. Finally, our data support a new model of interactions among Fgf‐23, vitamin D, and klotho, a gene described as being associated with premature aging process.
Retrograde Endocannabinoid Signaling in a Postsynaptic Neuron/Synaptic Bouton Preparation from Basolateral Amygdala

Retrograde synaptic signaling by endogenous cannabinoids (endocannabinoids) is a recently discovered form of neuromodulation in the brain. In the basolateral amygdala (BLA), endocannabinoid signaling has been implicated in learning and memory, specifically in extinction of aversive memories. To examine retrograde endocannabinoid signaling in this brain region, BLA neurons were freshly isolated using an enzyme-free procedure. These isolated neurons retain attached functional excitatory and inhibitory synaptic boutons. Spontaneous GABAergic IPSCs (sIPSCs) were isolated from these freshly isolated neurons and a 4 s step of depolarization from -60 to 0 mV produced suppression of sIPSC frequency and amplitude. A similar depolarization-induced suppression of inhibition (DSI) was observed in neurons in BLA slices. DSI in the single-cell preparation was abolished by the CB1 receptor antagonist N-(piperidin-1-yl)-5-(4-iodophenyl)-1-(2,4-dichlorophenyl)-4-methyl-1H-pyrazole-3-carboxamide, and DSI duration was shortened in the presence of 2-methyl-6-(phenylethynyl) pyridine, an mGluR5 (metabotropic glutamate receptor 5) antagonist. The initial decrease in sIPSCs induced by the DSI procedure was greatly attenuated in recordings with 20 mm BAPTA containing postsynaptic internal solution, but a delayed-onset decrease was observed under this recording condition. A CB1 agonist decreased sIPSC frequency and amplitude, whereas CB1 antagonists increased these responses. The antagonist-induced increase was abolished in 20 mm BAPTA-filled cells. These data provide solid evidence for retrograde endocannabinoid signaling in the BLA and also indicate that this retrograde signaling requires only a postsynaptic neuron and attached synaptic boutons.
Personal values and prosocial behaviour in strategic interactions: Distinguishing value‐expressive from value‐ambivalent behaviours

Relying on the framework provided by Schwartz's theory of personal values, we investigated whether values can help explain prosocial behaviour. We first distinguished value-expressive behaviours from value-ambivalent behaviours. The former are compatible with primarily one value or with congruent values, the latter with mutually conflicting values. In Study 1, an analysis over all 41 (39 unpublished) samples in which we measured personal values and prosocial behaviour in monetarily incentivized strategic interactions (N = 1289; data collected between 2007 and 2010 in China, Finland, Germany, Israel, and the West Bank) supported our idea that personal values, universalism in particular, predict value-expressive (prisoner's dilemma cooperation and trust game back-transfers) but not value-ambivalent behaviours (trust game transfers and ultimatum game proposals and responses). Study 2 (N = 56) focused on dictator game behaviours, which we expected and found to be strongly value-expressive. The findings contribute to the ongoing discussion on whether and under which circumstances values shape behaviour. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Culture and educational administration: A case of finding out what you don’t know you don’t know

Outlines the rationale for exploring the role of culture in the practice of educational administration. Examines how culture fits into a broad theoretical framework for studying administrative behaviour in education. In doing so, distinguishes between the use of the societal culture construct as an exogenous and an endogenous variable. Argues that there is much conceptual leverage to be gained from employing culture as a variable in such a theoretical framework. Suggests a revisiting of the framework for studying educational administration developed by Getzels et al. almost 30 years ago. Finally, looks at the transmission of a knowledge base through training. Explores the implications that a cultural perspective has on the interpretation and use of knowledge as well as on its communication through preparation programmes. Contends that the cultural lens illuminates the limitations of the current knowledge base and supports the importance of this line of research in the future.
Barroom Aggression in Hoboken, New Jersey: Don't Blame the Bouncers!

Relying on a structured observation guide listing a large number of variables shown to be good predictors of aggression in bars by past researchers, trained observers spent a total of 444 hours collecting data in 25 licensed drinking establishments in Hoboken, New Jersey. Observations took place at two separate time periods, 7:30pm-10:30pm and 11:00pm-2:00am, on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights. Logistic regression analyses revealed the absence of bouncers and doormen as the strongest predictor of aggression in Hoboken barrooms. This is a particularly important finding considering the frequency with which bouncers and doormen are vilified in the available research on barroom aggression. Several practical prevention strategies aimed at reducing aggression in bars are proposed.
The explicit solutions of linear left-invariant second order stochastic evolution equations on the 2D-Euclidean motion group

We provide the solutions of linear, left-invariant, 2nd-order stochastic evolution equations on the 2D-Euclidean motion group. These solutions are given by group-convolution with the corresponding Green’s functions that we derive in explicit form in Fourier space. A particular case coincides with the hitherto unsolved forward Kolmogorov equation of the so-called direction process, the exact solution of which is required in the field of image analysis for modeling the propagation of lines and contours. By approximating the left-invariant base elements of the generators by left-invariant generators of a Heisenberg-type group, we derive simple, analytic approximations of the Green’s functions. We provide the explicit connection and a comparison between these approximations and the exact solutions. Finally, we explain the connection between the exact solutions and previous numerical implementations, which we generalize to cope with all linear, left-invariant, 2nd-order stochastic evolution equations.
Post-translational Proteolytic Processing of the Calcium-independent Receptor of α-Latrotoxin (CIRL), a Natural Chimera of the Cell Adhesion Protein and the G Protein-coupled Receptor

The calcium-independent receptor of α-latrotoxin (CIRL), a neuronal cell surface receptor implicated in the regulation of exocytosis, is a natural chimera of the cell adhesion protein and the G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR). In contrast with canonic GPCRs, CIRL consists of two heterologous non-covalently bound subunits, p120 and p85, due to endogenous proteolytic processing of the receptor precursor in the endoplasmic reticulum. Extracellularly oriented p120 contains hydrophilic cell adhesion domains, whereas p85 resembles a generic GPCR. We determined that the site of the CIRL cleavage is located within a juxtamembrane Cys- and Trp-rich domain of the N-terminal extracellular region of CIRL. Mutations in this domain make CIRL resistant to the cleavage and impair its trafficking. Therefore, we have named it GPS for G protein-coupled receptor proteolysis site. The GPS motif is found in homologous adhesion GPCRs and thus defines a novel receptor family. We postulate that the proteolytic processing and two-subunit structure is a common characteristic feature in the family of GPS-containing adhesion GPCRs.
Controlling "What You\'re Supposed to Do in College": An Examination of Social Control and Differential Association on Binge Drinking Behaviors

This study examined the influence of social control and differential association on an individual’s alcohol consumption. It was hypothesized that the four bonds of social control: attachment, involvement, commitment, and belief will decrease the likelihood of engaging in excessive drinking behaviors (Hirschi 1969). Hawdon’s (1996) revised version of involvement that accounts for differences in the visibility of activities will be used instead of the traditional idea of involvement. This study compared the drinking behavior of college and non-college students. It was also hypothesized that having peer groups that engage in excessive drinking behaviors will influence the amount of alcohol that an individuals consume, because they are attempting to remain a part of that peer group (Sutherland 1947). This study used the Add Health data set to tests these hypotheses. 1 This research uses data from Add Health, a program project directed by Kathleen Mullan Harris and designed by J. Richard Udry, Peter S. Bearman, and Kathleen Mullan Harris at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and funded by grant P01-HD31921 from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, with cooperative funding from 23 other federal agencies and foundations. Special acknowledgment is due Ronald R. Rindfuss and Barbara Entwisle for assistance in the original design. Information on how to obtain the Add Health data files is available on the Add Health website (http://www.cpc.unc.edu/addhealth). No direct support was received from grant P01-HD31921 for this analysis.
Localized Cdc42 Activation, Detected Using a Novel Assay, Mediates Microtubule Organizing Center Positioning in Endothelial Cells in Response to Fluid Shear Stress*

Fluid flow regulates morphology, physiology, and pathophysiology of vascular endothelial cells (reviewed in Ref. 1). The small GTPase Cdc42 mediates polarity in several systems including migrating cells and early embryos, which involve reorientation of the microtubule organizing center (MTOC) and Golgi apparatus toward the direction of movement. Here, we show that Cdc42 is activated by fluid shear stress and that activation is a consequence of integrins binding to extracellular matrix. A novel fluorescence energy transfer assay to visualize Cdc42 activation in single cells shows that Cdc42 activity is polarized in the direction of flow. Localized activation of Cdc42 as well as the activity of Par6 and protein kinase Cζ direct the reorientation of the MTOC to a position on the downstream side of the nucleus relative to the direction of flow. Thus, shear-stimulated integrin dynamics induce polarized Cdc42 activity, which induces MTOC localization through the Par6-protein kinase Cζ complex.