Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Creating Exercise Habits Using Incentives: The Trade-off Between Flexibility and Routinization

Habits involve regular, cue-triggered routines. In a field experiment, we tested whether incentivizing exercise routines-paying participants each time they visit the gym within a planned, daily two-hour window-leads to more persistent exercise than offering flexible incentives-paying participants each day they visit the gym, regardless of timing. Routine incentives generated fewer gym visits than flexible incentives, both during our intervention and after incentives were removed. Even among sub-groups that were experimentally induced to exercise at similar rates during our intervention, recipients of routine incentives exhibited a larger decrease in exercise after the intervention than recipients of flexible incentives.
Catechol-O-methyltransferase and Parkinson's disease.

OMD inhibits L-DOPA utilization in rat corpus striatum. This effect is probably mediated through competition with L-DOPA for brain uptake mechanism. Such competition may explain the inhibition exerted by OMD on L-DOPA-induced rotation in rats with unilateral destruction of the nigrostriatal pathway. U-0521, a potent COMT inhibitor, was shown, after i.p. injection, to effectively block the accumulation of OMD in the plasma and to enhance L-DOPA metabolism in rat brain. This drug, however, was not active when given orally to rats and to a single patient with Parkinson's disease. It is suggested that the combined use of L-DOPA plus an orally active COMT inhibitor may be useful in future treatment of Parkinson's disease.
2 Mandatory IFRS and properties of analysts ’ forecasts : How much does enforcement matter ?

250 words) We examine (1) whether analysts’ forecast accuracy and the extent to which they disagree have declined since the mandatory adoption of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) in the European Union (EU) in 2005, and (2) whether differences between countries in their enforcement of accounting standards are a contributing factor. Based on a sample of 40,123 firm-month observations from 13 European countries during 2002-2007, we find analysts’ forecast errors and dispersion are indeed significantly smaller in the post-IFRS period, implying an increase in overall quality of financial reporting following widespread mandatory adoption of IFRS. We show enforcement proxies that focus on accounting enforcement (we use a selfconstructed proxy that distinguishes between countries based on legal aspects, statutory audit and independent oversight of financial reporting) and public and private enforcement in securities markets (La Porta et al. 2006) are more closely associated with properties of analysts’ forecasts than more general regulation proxies such as Kaufmann et al. (2007). The accounting enforcement proxies are statistically significant variables in our models, indicating analysts’ forecasts are more accurate and less disperse when enforcement is more developed. However, overall we find that enforcement proxies do not strongly influence the size of the forecast error or the extent to which analysts disagree, suggesting that country institutional differences may be less important than is commonly believed.
Synthesis, Cytotoxic and Antimalarial Activities of Benzoyl Thiosemicarbazone Analogs of Isoquinoline and Related Compounds

Thiosemicarbazone analogs of papaveraldine and related compounds 1–6 were synthesized and evaluated for cytotoxic and antimalarial activities. The cytotoxic activity was tested against HuCCA-1, HepG2, A549 and MOLT-3 human cancer cell lines. Thiosemicarbazones 1–5 displayed cytotoxicity toward all the tested cell lines, while compounds 2–5 selectively showed potent activity against the MOLT-3 cell lines. Significantly, N(4)-phenyl-2-benzoylpyridine thiosemicarbazone 4 exhibited the most potent activity against HuCCA-1, HepG2, A549 and MOLT-3 cell lines with IC50 values of 0.03, 4.75, 0.04 and 0.004 µg/mL, respectively. In addition, 2-benzoylpyridine thio-semicarbazones 3 and 4 showed antimalarial activity against Plasmodium falciparum with IC50 of 10-7 to < 10-6 M. The study demonstrates the quite promising activity of analog 4 as a lead molecule for further development.
The Corail Stem as a Reverse Hybrid – Survivorship and X-Ray Analysis at 10 Years

Background The use of a cemented cup together with an uncemented stem in total hip arthroplasty (THA) has become popular in Norway and Sweden during the last decade. The results of this prosthetic concept, reverse hybrid THA have been sparsely described. We report our experience of reverse hybrid THA, using the Elite plus polyethylene cemented cup together with the Corail fully hydroxyapatite-coated uncemented stem and a 28-mm alumina ceramic head. Patients and methods 132 consecutive reverse hybrid hip arthroplasties were performed from January 2000 to December 2003 in 126 patients with a mean age of 54.3 years (28-65). All patients were routinely reviewed at 3 months, 1, 5, 7 and 10 years postoperatively. At each follow-up patients were seen either by a consultant orthopaedic surgeon or a senior trainee. Anteroposterior pelvic and lateral x-rays of the hip were taken at each visit. To estimate the survival of the THAs we used the Kaplan-Meier method with 95% confidence interval (CI). Logistic regression analysis was performed to determine which factors affected the presence of radiolucency around the femoral stem. Results The mean follow-up was 11.1 years (9.0-14.2). 1 patient was lost to follow-up, and 7 patients were deceased at the time of 10-year follow up. At 10 years 7 patients have had further surgery. 5 for infection, 1 periprosthetic femoral fracture and 1 heterotopic bone formation. All stems were classified as well fixed. 2 cups were defined as loose at 10 years. 1 patient is scheduled for revision the other refused revision. The clinical outcome and radiological findings were assessed in 123 hips. The mean Harris Hip Score was 94 (35-100) at 10 years and the mean WOMAC score was 89 (30.2-100). Conclusions We report good results with respect to clinical outcome and survival of the reverse hybrid concept in patients younger than 65. A successful outcome depends on meticulous preoperative planning, use of modern cementing techniques in the acetabulum and experience in implanting an uncemented stem.
Hospitalisation for depressive disorder following unemployment—differentials by gender and immigrant status: a population-based cohort study in Sweden

Background The association between unemployment and poor mental health in general is explained by both causation and selection. The aim was to study whether experiencing unemployment was a risk factor for hospitalisation for depressive disorder specifically, and whether gender and immigrant status modified the hypothesised risk. Methods A register-based prospective cohort study, 2000–2006, of persons aged 18–64 with a strong connection to the Swedish labour market. Outcome: hospital admission for a depressive episode; F32 in International Classification of Diseases, 10th revision. Exposure: employment status. Explanatory variables: gender and immigrant status. Confounders: age group, education and marital status. Cox regression models were used to estimate HRs with 95% CIs. Results The cohort comprised 3 284 896 adults, 47.5% women. An excess relative risk for hospitalisation was found among those who became unemployed (HR=1.94, 95% CI 1.85 to 2.03). Foreign-born women who experienced unemployment had the highest relative risk (HR=3.47 95% CI 3.02 to 3.98). Conclusions Among persons with a strong connection to the labour market experiencing unemployment, is a risk factor for hospitalisation for depressive disorders. Unemployed foreign-born women had the highest relative risk compared with all Swedish born, all foreign-born men and to employed foreign-born women.
Adenosine is a selective pulmonary vasodilator in cardiac surgical patients.

OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to examine and compare the systemic and pulmonary hemodynamic effects of a central venous infusion of adenosine in cardiac surgical patients. DESIGN Prospective; each subject served as his/her own control. SETTING University Hospital and Veteran's Affairs Medical Center. PATIENTS Ten cardiac surgical patients (age 56 +/- 6 years) were studied in the operating room under general anesthesia after weaning from cardiopulmonary bypass. Pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR), systemic vascular resistance (SVR), mean pulmonary arterial pressure (MPAP), and mean systemic arterial pressure (MAP) were determined before, during, and after central venous infusion of adenosine (50 micrograms/kg/min) for 15 min. Statistical analysis was by analysis of variance; significance was accepted at p < 0.05. RESULTS Adenosine produced selective vasodilation of the pulmonary vascular bed: both PVR and MPAP were significantly reduced during adenosine infusion without changes in either SVR or MAP. PVR and MPAP returned to preinfusion levels after cessation of the infusion. Adenosine effectively reduced PVR and pulmonary arterial pressure without decreasing SVR or systemic arterial pressure. CONCLUSIONS Adenosine may be used clinically as a selective pulmonary vasodilator to optimize pulmonary hemodynamics without adverse systemic hemodynamic effects in cardiac surgical patients. It may be particularly valuable in patients with right heart dysfunction by selectively lowering right ventricular afterload.
Topical Administration of Somatostatin Prevents Retinal Neurodegeneration in Experimental Diabetes

Retinal neurodegeneration is an early event in the pathogenesis of diabetic retinopathy (DR). Somatostatin (SST) is an endogenous neuroprotective peptide that is downregulated in the diabetic eye. The aim of the study was to test the usefulness of topical administration of SST in preventing retinal neurodegeneration. For this purpose, rats with streptozotocin-induced diabetes mellitus (STZ-DM) were treated with either SST eye drops or vehicle for 15 days. Nondiabetic rats treated with vehicle served as a control group. Functional abnormalities were assessed by electroretinography (ERG), and neurodegeneration was assessed by measuring glial activation and the apoptotic rate. In addition, proapoptotic (FasL, Bid, and activation of caspase-8 and caspase-3) and survival signaling pathways (BclxL) were examined. Intraretinal concentrations of glutamate and its main transporter glutamate/aspartate transporter (GLAST) were also determined. Treatment with SST eye drops prevented ERG abnormalities, glial activation, apoptosis, and the misbalance between proapoptotic and survival signaling detected in STZ-DM rats. In addition, SST eye drops inhibited glutamate accumulation in the retina and GLAST downregulation induced by diabetes mellitus. We conclude that topical administration of SST has a potent effect in preventing retinal neurodegeneration induced by diabetes mellitus. In addition, our findings open up a new preventive pharmacological strategy targeted to early stages of DR.
The Educational Benefits of Sustaining Cross-Racial Interaction among Undergraduates

This study examined whether students who either had higher levels of cross-racial interaction during college or had same institution peers with higher average levels tend to report significantly larger developmental gains than their counterparts report. Unlike previous quantitative studies that tested cross-racial interaction using single-level linear models, this study more accurately modeled the structure of multilevel data by applying Hierarchical Linear Modeling (HLM). The general pattern of findings suggests that higher individual levels of cross-racial interaction have positive effects on students' openness to diversity, cognitive development, and self-confidence. The results also show that even though a student's own level of cross-racial interaction is a more direct and powerful way to realize developmental gains, just being in an environment where other students are interacting frequently also contributes to students' self-reported development.
Bone Morphogenetic Protein-2 Facilitates Expression of Chondrogenic, not Osteogenic, Phenotype of Human Intervertebral Disc Cells

Study Design. In vitro experiment using bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2) and human intervertebral disc (IVD) cells. Objectives. To demonstrate the effect of BMP-2 on mRNAs expression (collagen type I, collagen type II, aggrecan, and osteocalcin), proteoglycan synthesis, expression of alkaline phosphatase, bone nodule formation in human IVD cells. Summary of Background Data. BMP-2 was widely known as a powerful agent for osteoinduction and a crucial growth factor for early chondrogenesis and maintenance of cartilaginous phenotype. BMP-2 proved to be effective in stimulating proteoglycan synthesis in articular chondrocytes and IVD cells. Nevertheless, the effect of BMP-2 on IVD cells, whether chondrogenic or osteogenic, was not thoroughly elucidated in transcriptional level and histochemical stains. Materials and Methods. Human IVDs were harvested and enzymatically digested. Then IVD cells were cultured three-dimensionally in alginate beads. Osteoblasts were cultured from cancellous bone of ilium for histochemical stains. Recombinant human BMP-2 (rhBMP-2) was produced by Chinese hamster ovary cells after transduction of BMP-2 cDNA, then concentrated and purified. Then IVD cell cultures were exposed to various concentrations of rhBMP-2. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction for mRNA expression of aggrecan, collagen type I, collagen type II, and osteocalcin was performed. Newly synthesized proteoglycan was measured by 35S-sulfate incorporation on Sephadex G-25 M in PD 10 columns. As a histochemical examination, alkaline phosphatase and Alizarin red-S stains were used to detect osteogenic marker and bone nodule formation, respectively. Results. In the rhBMP-2 treated cultures, there was increased newly synthesized proteoglycan (67% in 300 ng/mL and 200% in 1,500 ng/mL of rhBMP-2) and up-regulated expression of aggrecan, collagen type I, and collagen type II mRNA over untreated control. However, rhBMP-2 did not up-regulate expression of osteocalcin mRNA in the given dose and culture period. IVD cell cultures with rhBMP-2 showed no evidence of bone formation in histochemical stains, i.e., alkaline phosphatase and Alizarin red-S, while osteoblast culture exhibited strong positive stains. Conclusions. The rhBMP-2 clearly up-regulated mRNA expression of chondrogenic components and also stimulated proteoglycan synthesis without expression of osteogenic phenotype. Taken together, this study raise the possibility of rhBMP-2 can be anabolic agent for regenerating matrix of intervertebral disc.
TREATMENT AND REMOVAL STRATEGIES FOR ESTROGENS FROM WASTEWATER

Abstract Natural and synthetic steroidal estrogens (estrone, 17β‐estradiol and 17α‐ethinylestradiol) are endocrine disrupters, that are discharged consistently from the sewage treatment works into surface waters, thereby causing endocrine disrupting effects to aquatic organisms at trace concentrations (nanogram per litre). Several years of research have been focused on their fate, behaviour and removal in the environment but primarily in the sewage treatment works which acts as a sink for these compounds. This review attempts to summarize the factors involved in the removal of these chemicals from the sewage treatment works. Biological processes, and to a limited extent physio‐chemical properties, play a vital role in the endocrinal deactivation of these compounds. The efficiency of these processes is highly dependent on operating parameters (such as sludge retention time, redox potential, etc) that govern the secondary treatment process of a functional sewage treatment works. Although advanced treatment technologies are available, cost and operational considerations do not make them a sustainable solution.
A Pair-wise Key Establishment for Wireless Sensor Networks

Random key pre-distribution scheme is a flexible key management scheme for wireless sensor networks. Recently, numerous related studies have been proposed. However, most of them have weaknesses. First of all, sensors require large storage to store keys in order to maintain high connectivity. Secondly, impact caused by compromised sensors cannot be completely eliminated. In this paper, a novel pair-wise key establishment scheme based on the combination is proposed. Impact of key exposure from compromised sensors can be ignored since the pair-wise key for each pair of sensors is unique. Most significantly, we achieve the merit of fully connectivity without increasing storage requirement of sensors.
Functional Implications of Species Differences in the Size and Morphology of the Isthmo Optic Nucleus (ION) in Birds

In birds, there is a retinofugal projection from the brain to the retina originating from the isthmo optic nucleus (ION) in the midbrain. Despite a large number of anatomical, physiological and histochemical studies, the function of this retinofugal system remains unclear. Several functions have been proposed including: gaze stabilization, pecking behavior, dark adaptation, shifting attention, and detection of aerial predators. This nucleus varies in size and organization among some species, but the relative size and morphology of the ION has not been systematically studied. Here, we present a comparison of the relative size and morphology of the ION in 81 species of birds, representing 17 different orders. Our results show that several orders of birds, besides those previously reported, have a large, well-organized ION, including: hummingbirds, woodpeckers, coots and allies, and kingfishers. At the other end of the spectrum, parrots, herons, waterfowl, owls and diurnal raptors have relatively small ION volumes. ION also appears to be absent or unrecognizable is several taxa, including one of the basal avian groups, the tinamous, which suggests that the ION may have evolved only in the more modern group of birds, Neognathae. Finally, we demonstrate that evolutionary changes in the relative size and the cytoarchitectonic organization of ION have occurred largely independent of phylogeny. The large relative size of the ION in orders with very different lifestyles and feeding behaviors suggest there is no clear association with pecking behavior or predator detection. Instead, our results suggest that the ION is more complex and enlarged in birds that have eyes that are emmetropic in some parts of the visual field and myopic in others. We therefore posit that the ION is involved in switching attention between two parts of the retina i.e. from an emmetropic to a myopic part of the retina.
X-rays and metformin cause increased urinary excretion of cell-free nuclear and mitochondrial DNA in aged rats

Activation of cell death in mammals can be assessed by an increase of an amount of cell-free DNA (cf-DNA) in urine or plasma. We investigated the excretion of cf nuclear DNA (nDNA) and cf mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) in the urine of rats 3 and 24 months in age after X-irradiation and metformin administration. Analyses showed that prior to treatment, the amount of cf-nDNA was 40% higher and cf-mtDNA was 50% higher in the urine of aged rats compared to that of young animals. At 12 h after irradiation, the content of cf-nDNA and cf-mtDNA in the urine of young rats was increased by 200% and 460%, respectively, relative to the control, whereas in the urine of aged rats, it was 250% and 720% higher. After 6 h following metformin administration, the amount of cf-nDNA and cf-mtDNA in the urine of young rats was elevated by 25% and 55% and by 50% and 160% in the urine of aged rats. Thus, these preliminary data suggest that X-rays and metformin cause a significant increase of cf-DNA in the urine of older rats caused by the active cell death in tissues. These results also suggest that metformin possibly initiates the death of the cells containing structural and functional abnormalities.
Estimating the rate of oxygen consumption during submersion from the heart rate of diving animals.

How animals manage their oxygen stores during diving and other breath-hold activities has been a topic of debate among physiologists for decades. Specifically, while the behavior of free-ranging diving animals suggests that metabolism during submersion must be primarily aerobic in nature, no studies have been able to determine their rate of oxygen consumption during submersion (Vo(2)d) and hence prove that this is the case. In the present study, we combine two previously used techniques and develop a new model to estimate Vo(2)d accurately and plausibly in a free-ranging animal and apply it to data for macaroni penguins (Eudyptes chrysolophus) as an example. For macaroni penguins at least, Vo(2)d can be predicted by measuring heart rate during the dive cycle and the subsequent surface interval duration. Including maximum depth of the dive improves the accuracy of these predictions. This suggests that energetically demanding locomotion events within the dive combine with the differing buoyancy and locomotion costs associated with traveling to depth to influence its cost in terms of oxygen use. This will in turn effect the duration of the dive and the duration of the subsequent recovery period. In the present study, Vo(2)d ranged from 4 to 28 ml.min(-1). kg(-1), indicating that, at least as far as aerobic metabolism was concerned, macaroni penguins were often hypometabolic, with rates of oxygen consumption usually below that for this species resting in water (25.6 ml.min(-1). kg(-1)) and occasionally lower than that while resting in air (10.3 ml.min(-1). kg(-1)).
Hybrid Plasmonic Slot Waveguides With Sidewall Slope

We investigate the effect of sidewall slope in hybrid plasmonic slot waveguides on the characteristics of its guided sub- wavelength hybrid modes at the telecommunication wavelength of 1.55 μ. m. The rectangular cross-section of the waveguide turns to a trapezoidal-shape with the increase of the sidewall slope angle and mode attenuation increases gradually. We showed strong mode attenuation for a waveguide with a triangular cross-section. The guided mode properties are improved by increasing the width of low refractive index dielectric slots. These investigations are in a good agreement with the experimental results drawn from a previous study and can be exploited for elucidating the characteristics of the complementary metal oxide semiconductor- compatible hybrid plasmonic slot waveguides.
The effect of positive and negative work‐family interaction on exhaustion: Does work social support make a difference?

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to develop and test a conceptual model, which investigates the effects of work‐family conflict, family‐work conflict, work‐family facilitation, and family‐work facilitation simultaneously on exhaustion. This study also aims to examine work social support as a moderator in the relationship between two directions of conflict and facilitation and exhaustion.Design/methodology/approach – Data for this study were collected from a judgmental sample of full‐time frontline employees of the four‐ and five‐star hotels of Albania. Respondents self‐administered the questionnaires. A total number of 107 questionnaires were retrieved.Findings – The results of the hierarchical multiple regression analysis demonstrate that both work‐family conflict and family‐work conflict amplify exhaustion. The results also indicate that work social support buffers the relationship between work‐family conflict and exhaustion and strengthens the negative relationship between work‐family facilitatio.