Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Overweight Stereotype Threat Negatively Impacts the Learning of a Balance Task

Several studies have demonstrated the detrimental effects of stereotype threat on the performance of academic and motor skills, while little attention has been given to the effects of stereotypical conditions on motor learning. The objective of the current study was to investigate the effects of overweight stereotype threat on women learning a balance task. Participants practiced 10 trials of a dynamic balance task and their learning was observed in a retention test one day later. Before practice, the stereotype threat (ST) group received instructions introducing the task as influenced by individual differences, whereby overweight people usually present worse outcomes. For the reduced stereotype threat group (RST), instructions informed them that the task was not influenced by individual differences. Participants also filled out a questionnaire measuring intrinsic motivation. The results showed that performance and learning, as well as perceived competence, were enhanced for participants of the RST group .
Predictive Optimal Switching Sequence Direct Power Control for Grid-Connected Power Converters

Grid-connected power converters play a key role in several applications such as the integration of renewable energy sources and motor drives. For this reason, the development of high performance control strategies for this particular class of power converters has increasingly attracted the interest of both academic and industry researchers. This paper presents the predictive optimal switching sequence (OSS) direct power control (DPC) (OSS-DPC) algorithm for grid-connected converters. The OSS-DPC method belongs to the predictive-DPC family and provides the desired power references by calculating globally OSSs. To address computational and implementation issues, an efficient control algorithm, named reduced OSS-DPC, is introduced. The implementation of the proposed control strategy in a standard DSP is evaluated on a two-level power converter prototype working as a STATCOM. Experimental results show the algorithm's potential to provide high performance during both transient and steady states.
The Second Kringle Domain of Prothrombin Promotes Factor Va- mediated Prothrombin Activation by Prothrombinase (*)

The incorporation of factor Xa into the prothrombinase complex, factor Xa-factor Va-phospholipid-Ca(II), results in an approximately 105-fold higher rate of substrate activation than that of the enzyme alone. To examine the role of the prothrombin kringle domains in the interaction with prothrombinase we have employed site-directed mutagenesis to produce prothrombin species that lack either the first kringle domain, PT/ΔK1, or the second kringle domain, PT/ΔK2. Previously, we have shown that these proteins are fully carboxylated and that they bind to phospholipid vesicles. In this investigation we demonstrate that cleavage at Arg271-Thr272 and Arg320-Ile321 peptide bonds occurs upon activation with prothrombinase to yield normal thrombin from both PT/ΔK1 and PT/ΔK2. In the absence of factor Va, the Km(app) for the activation of PT/ΔK1, PT/ΔK2, or plasma-derived prothrombin by factor Xa-phospholipid-Ca(II) are equivalent. The Km(app) for the activation of PT/ΔK2 by prothrombinase is approximately 4-5-fold higher than that obtained for plasma-derived prothrombin or PT/ΔK1. These data demonstrate that the prothrombin kringle domains do not contribute significantly to the binding affinity of the substrate-enzyme interaction. In the absence of factor Va, equivalent kcat values were obtained for all of the prothrombin species when they were activated by factor Xa-Ca(II)-phospholipid. In contrast, a 7-fold lower kcat value was obtained for the activation of PT/ΔK2 by prothrombinase as compared with that obtained for plasma prothrombin or PT/ΔK1. Collectively, these data suggest that determinants within the second prothrombin kringle domain interact with factor Va to elicit a significant acceleration in the catalytic rate of substrate turnover. Indeed, in contrast to plasma-derived prothrombin, no direct binding of PT/ΔK2 to factor Va to form the PT/ΔK2factor Va complex could be demonstrated by 90° light scattering.
Fifty Shades of Complexity

Abstract The purpose of this paper is to provide a conceptual argument for why leisure researchers, and feminist leisure scholars in particular, should examine how a technology enhanced form of leisure, namely reading sexually explicit material, can liberate or constrain women's sexuality (Sonnet, 1999). To achieve this goal, we examined the popular Fifty Shades of Grey series, which is largely consumed by women, utilizing various technologies. Situating our analysis within the broader literature on leisure and technology and feminism and sexuality, we argue that understanding women's consumption of erotic and pornographic materials during their leisure has complex and important implications for women's sexuality and subsequent well-being. In so doing, we point to a number of areas for future research that will help complicate this understudied area of leisure research (Freysinger et al., 2013).
Tamoxifen Blocks Estrogen-Induced B Cell Maturation but Not Survival1

Estrogen treatment has been shown not only to exacerbate disease activity and accelerate death in spontaneous murine models of lupus but also to induce a lupus-like phenotype in nonspontaneously autoimmune mice. In mice transgenic for the H chain of an anti-DNA Ab, estrogen rescues naive autoreactive B cells that normally are deleted and causes them to mature to a marginal zone phenotype. Estrogen further leads to the activation of this population causing an elevation of serum anti-DNA Ab titers and renal disease. This study was designed to evaluate the therapeutic potential of tamoxifen, a selective estrogen receptor modulator, on estrogen-induced lupus. Mice treated with both estradiol and tamoxifen showed no elevation in anti-DNA Ab titers and consequently no glomerular IgG. The DNA-reactive B cell population that is rescued by estrogen was present in an anergic state in mice treated with both estradiol and tamoxifen. Estradiol enhances transitional B cell resistance to apoptosis and expands the population of marginal zone B cells; tamoxifen did not impede the enhanced resistance to apoptosis, but prevented the development of autoreactive cells as marginal zone B cells. Thus, estrogen-induced autoimmunity proceeds through two distinct molecular pathways, one affecting survival and the other maturation. Activation, but not survival, of autoreactive B cells can be abrogated by tamoxifen. Drugs that modulate even some of the effects of estrogen may be beneficial in patients with lupus. Eventually, understanding the pathways involved in survival and activation of autoreactive B cells will permit the development of therapeutics that target all relevant pathways.
A phosphoinositide-binding cluster in cavin1 acts as a molecular sensor for cavin1 degradation

Cavin1 degradation is primarily mediated by the ubiquitin proteasome system. The phosphoinositide-binding region in cavin1 acts as a molecular switch for cavin1 degradation upon release of cavins in cytosol. This mechanism may help to maintain low levels of free cytosolic cavins at steady state.
Rumor Has It: Sensationalism in Financial Media

The media has an incentive to publish sensational news. We study how this incentive affects the accuracy of media coverage in the context of merger rumors. Using a novel dataset, we find that accuracy is predicted by a journalist's experience, specialized education, and industry expertise. Conversely, less accurate stories use ambiguous language and feature well-known firms with broad readership appeal. Investors do not fully account for the predictive power of these characteristics, leading to an initial target price overreaction and a subsequent reversal, consistent with limited attention. Overall, we provide novel evidence on the determinants of media accuracy and its effect on asset prices.
Support Recovery With Orthogonal Matching Pursuit in the Presence of Noise

Support recovery of sparse signals from compressed linear measurements is a fundamental problem in compressed sensing (CS). In this article, we study the orthogonal matching pursuit (OMP) algorithm for the recovery of support under noise. We consider two signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) settings: 1) the SNR depends on the sparsity level K of input signals, and 2) the SNR is an absolute constant independent of K. For the first setting, we establish necessary and sufficient conditions for the exact support recovery with OMP, expressed as lower bounds on the SNR. Our results indicate that in order to ensure the exact support recovery of all K-sparse signals with the OMP algorithm, the SNR must at least scale linearly with the sparsity level K. In the second setting, since the necessary condition on the SNR is not fulfilled, the exact support recovery with OMP is impossible. However, our analysis shows that recovery with an arbitrarily small but constant fraction of errors is possible with the OMP algorithm. This result may be useful for some practical applications where obtaining some large fraction of support positions is adequate.
Strategies for teacher motivation

many teachers of a foreign language (Fl) may face struggles particular to their situations working abroad and become demotivated in their careers. Without easy access to support services, they may be susceptible to emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and a sense of low personal accomplishment. This paper outlines processes by which teachers can regain and maintain their motivation by practical steps founded on three principles—managing emotions, joining communities, and boosting efficacy. Fl teachers can generate agentive thinking and pathway thinking for their own remotivation, promoting proactive step-taking toward preferred futures for their students, colleagues, and themselves.
The δ2 glutamate receptor gates long-term depression by coordinating interactions between two AMPA receptor phosphorylation sites

Significance Long-term depression (LTD) commonly affects learning and memory in various brain regions. Although LTD in the cerebellum absolutely requires δ2 glutamate receptors, its underlying mechanisms remain elusive. LTD is caused by endocytosis of AMPA receptors, which is triggered by activity-induced serine phosphorylation of the GluA2 subunit. Our work showed that this serine phosphorylation required prior dephosphorylation of the nearby tyrosine residue. By interaction with a tyrosine phosphatase, δ2 glutamate receptors regulated tyrosine dephosphorylation status of GluA2 to gate inducibility of LTD. These findings will provide better understanding of general mechanisms regulating AMPA receptor endocytosis during synaptic plasticity. Long-term depression (LTD) commonly affects learning and memory in various brain regions. Although cerebellar LTD absolutely requires the δ2 glutamate receptor (GluD2) that is expressed in Purkinje cells, LTD in other brain regions does not; why and how cerebellar LTD is regulated by GluD2 remains unelucidated. Here, we show that the activity-dependent phosphorylation of serine 880 (S880) in GluA2 AMPA receptor subunit, which is an essential step for AMPA receptor endocytosis during LTD induction, was impaired in GluD2-null cerebellum. In contrast, the basal phosphorylation levels of tyrosine 876 (Y876) in GluA2 were increased in GluD2-null cerebellum. An in vitro phosphorylation assay revealed that Y876 phosphorylation inhibited subsequent S880 phosphorylation. Conversely, Y876 dephosphorylation was sufficient to restore S880 phosphorylation and LTD induction in GluD2-null Purkinje cells. Furthermore, megakaryocyte protein tyrosine phosphatase (PTPMEG), which binds to the C terminus of GluD2, directly dephosphorylated Y876. These data indicate that GluD2 gates LTD by coordinating interactions between the two phosphorylation sites of the GluA2.
Auxiliary liver transplantation: Regeneration of the native liver and outcome in 30 patients with fulminant hepatic failure–a multicenter European study

Auxiliary liver transplantation (LT) is a special procedure of LT which could be proposed to patients with fulminant hepatic failure (FHF) and has for aim that complete regeneration of the native liver (NL) left in place will allow the graft recipient to resume normal liver function after allograft withdrawal.
[First experiences with intravenous port systems authorized for high pressure injection of contrast agent in multiphasic computed tomography].

PURPOSE The aim of this prospective study was to examine two port systems for intravenous chemotherapy, authorized for high pressure injection, with respect to implantation, complications, implementation, and patency. MATERIALS AND METHODS 40 high pressure port systems of the two available models (20 x Power Port [Bard], 20 x T-Port-Contrast [PFM]) and 20 standard port systems (X-Port [BARD]) as the control group were implanted. Both high pressure systems are authorized for injection with a maximum pressure of 300 PSI. The patient population was comprised of patients with different malignomas and liver metastases. At regular intervals following the protocol of the chemotherapy, multiphasic CT for tumor staging was carried out. RESULTS The intravenous port systems were implanted without complications under sonographic guidance with transjugular access. The mean implantation time was 30 min (range: 22 - 40 min). After a median follow-up time of 6 months, the port patency was 100%. No port infections and no complications during high pressure injection of contrast agent occurred during this period. The level of contrast measured in the aorta was equivalent to the level of contrast in the vessels when contrast agent is administered over a large peripheral intravenous access. CONCLUSION The intravenous high pressure port systems are equivalent to standard systems with regard to implantation and implementation. Intravenous chemotherapy can be performed as usual. The advantage is the possibility of multiphasic CT with authorized flow rates of up to 5 ml/sec.
Modeling Influence of Action on Spatial Attention in Interactive Visual Environments

A large number of studies have been reported on top-down influences of visual attention. However, less progress have been made in understanding and modeling its mechanisms. In this paper, we propose an approach for learning spatial attention taking into account influences of physical actions on top-down attention. For this purpose, we focus on interactive visual environments (video games) which are modest real-world simulations, where a player has to attend to certain dimensions of visual stimuli and perform actions to achieve a goal. The basic idea is to learn a mapping from current mental state of the game player, represented by past actions and observations, to its gaze fixation. A data-driven approach is followed where we train a model from the data of some players and test it over a new subject. In particular, two contributions this paper makes are 1) employing multi-modal information including mean eye position, gist of a scene, physical actions, bottom-up saliency, and tagged events for state representation; 2) analysis of different ways of combining bottom-up and top-down influences. Comparing with other top-down task-driven models and bottom-up spatio-temporal models, our approach shows higher NSS scores in predicting eye positions. A. Borji · D. N. Sihite · L. Itti Department of Computer Science, University of Southern California Hedco Neuroscience Building, 3641 Watt Way, Los Angeles, CA 90089-2520, USA A. Borji E-mail: borji@usc.edu D. N. Sihite E-mail: sihite@usc.edu L. Itti Neuroscience Graduate Program and Department of Psychology, University of Southern California E-mail: itti@usc.edu
To be or to have: what types of objects comprise invidious comparison? / Ser o tener: ¿qué se comprende antes en la comparación envidiosa?

Abstract Envy is a negative and self-conscious emotion that emerges from social comparison. Children compare their possessions and skills with others to construct the Self. The aim of this study is to explore what type of objects — tangible and intangible — are more salient in invidious comparison in order to evaluate the intensity of envy and differences found according to age. Participants included children between the ages of three and nine years (N = 236), who were asked to score how an envious character in a story felt upon witnessing the misfortune of the envied person. In one case, the envied object was tangible (i.e., a scooter), in the other, it was intangible (i.e., being chosen due to possessing greater skill). The results indicated that envy is more intense for all of the age groups in the situations related to possessing greater skill rather than those related to possessing material objects. The younger children (3–6 years) showed more intense malicious envy than the older children. We then discuss the results regarding the role of intangible and tangible possessions in invidious comparison during childhood development.
Growth of Children with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus

Objective: To retrospectively evaluate the effect of type 1 diabetes on growth. Methods: Patients with Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) followed for at least one year after diagnosis, and without coexisting disorder that could affect growth, were included in this retrospective analysis. Height and body mass index (BMI) values were recorded. According to the data obtained at the end of each year of disease, the patients were divided into two groups: Group 1 (patients whose height standard deviation score (SDS) did not change or showed improvement) and Group 2 (patients whose height SDS showed a decline). The two groups were compared with respect to clinical and laboratory variables. Results: Among the 248 patients followed, 101 (M/F:55/46) fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Overall, the mean height SDS of the patients did not change significantly during the follow−up period. BMI SDS showed no change during the course of the disease, except for a significant rise observed at the end of the first year compared to the value at diagnosis. Height SDS of the patients in Group 1 was higher compared to those in Group 2 from the 2nd year of disease onwards (2nd year, p=0.03; 3rd year, p=0.02; 4th year, p=0.01; 5th year, p=0.03). The ratio of patients presenting with diabetic ketoacidosis at onset was significantly higher in Group 1 at the 4th year of diagnosis (p=0.03). Additionally, the mean HbA1c level showed a modest negative correlation with Δ height SDS at the 3rd year of diagnosis (r=−0.3, p=0.03). Conclusions: No significant deteriorative effect of T1DM on auxological parameters was observed at short term. Some clinical and laboratory variables related with metabolic control were found to correlate with growth. Conflict of interest:None declared.
Youth Consumers and the Fast-food Market

Abstract This paper provides a frame for thinking about youths' public consumption of fast foods. It draws attention to the significance of the social encounters that surround food by giving greater analytical focus to the late sociologist, Erving Goffman's conception of “the situation” than is typically given in research on youth food consumption. Focusing on the role of the situation in structuring the experience of youths' consumption of fast food directs attention to the significance of the body as symbolic resource, the collective mood, emotional energy, affective gains, and the socio-spatial context to young people's participation in fast-food settings as consumers. A shift away from the individual youth food consumer as unit of analysis to a focus on situations provides greater analytical purchase in trying to work through the complicated relationship between youth agency and the consumer markets' influence over youth, as it plays out around and through food.
A PVT-insensitive time-to-digital converter using fractional difference Vernier delay lines

We propose a high-resolution 8-bit time-to-digital converter that uses two-level fractional difference conversion to reduce area and power consumption. Two delay-locked loops stabilize the propagation delay in the upper and lower buffer chains of the Vernier delay line that is used to make the measurement. In a transistor-level simulation using 0.35um technology, this architecture achieves a resolution of 24ps with a 22ps single-shot accuracy. The maximum sampling rate exceeds 5MS/s and the total power consumption is 8.81mW.
A two-stage approach to domain adaptation for statistical classifiers

In this paper, we consider the problem of adapting statistical classifiers trained from some source domains where labeled examples are available to a target domain where no labeled example is available. One characteristic of such a domain adaptation problem is that the examples in the source domains and the target domain are known to follow different distributions. Thus a regular classification method would tend to overfit the source domains. We present a two-stage approach to domain adaptation, where at the first <generalization stage, we look for a set of features generalizable across domains, and at the second adaptation stage, we pick up useful features specific to the target domain. Observing that the exact objective function is hard to optimize, we then propose a number of heuristics to approximately achieve the goal of generalization and adaptation. Our experiments on gene name recognition using a real data set show the effectiveness of our general framework and the heuristics.
Behavioral and Histopathological Assessment of Adult Ischemic Rat Brains after Intracerebral Transplantation of NSI-566RSC Cell Lines

Stroke is a major cause of death and disability, with very limited treatment option. Cell-based therapies have emerged as potential treatments for stroke. Indeed, studies have shown that transplantation of neural stem cells (NSCs) exerts functional benefits in stroke models. However, graft survival and integration with the host remain pressing concerns with cell-based treatments. The current study set out to investigate those very issues using a human NSC line, NSI-566RSC, in a rat model of ischemic stroke induced by transient occlusion of the middle cerebral artery. Seven days after stroke surgery, those animals that showed significant motor and neurological impairments were randomly assigned to receive NSI-566RSC intracerebral transplants at two sites within the striatum at three different doses: group A (0 cells/µl), group B (5,000 cells/µl), group C (10,000 cells/µl), and group D (20,000 cells/µl). Weekly behavioral tests, starting at seven days and continued up to 8 weeks after transplantation, revealed dose-dependent recovery from both motor and neurological deficits in transplanted stroke animals. Eight weeks after cell transplantation, immunohistochemical investigations via hematoxylin and eosin staining revealed infarct size was similar across all groups. To identify the cell graft, and estimate volume, immunohistochemistry was performed using two human-specific antibodies: one to detect all human nuclei (HuNu), and another to detect human neuron-specific enolase (hNSE). Surviving cell grafts were confirmed in 10/10 animals of group B, 9/10 group C, and 9/10 in group D. hNSE and HuNu staining revealed similar graft volume estimates in transplanted stroke animals. hNSE-immunoreactive fibers were also present within the corpus callosum, coursing in parallel with host tracts, suggesting a propensity to follow established neuroanatomical features. Despite absence of reduction in infarct volume, NSI-566RSC transplantation produced behavioral improvements possibly via robust engraftment and neuronal differentiation, supporting the use of this NSC line for stroke therapy.