Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Long-term effects of an acute and systemic administration of LPS on adult neurogenesis and spatial memory

The cognitive reserve is the capacity of the brain to maintain normal performance while exposed to insults or ageing. Increasing evidences point to a role for the interaction between inflammatory conditions and cognitive reserve status during Alzheimer's disease (AD) progression. The production of new neurons along adult life can be considered as one of the components of the cognitive reserve. Interestingly, adult neurogenesis is decreased in mouse models of AD and following inflammatory processes. The aim of this work is to reveal the long-term impact of a systemic inflammatory event on memory and adult neurogenesis in wild type (WT) and triple transgenic mouse model of AD (3xTg-AD). Four month-old mice were intraperitoneally injected once with saline or lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and their performance on spatial memory analyzed with the Morris water maze (MWM) test 7 weeks later. Our data showed that a single intraperitoneal injection with LPS has a long-term impact in the production of hippocampal neurons. Consistently, LPS-treated WT mice showed less doublecortin-positive neurons, less synaptic contacts in newborn neurons, and decreased dendritic volume and complexity. These surprising observations were accompanied with memory deficits. 3xTg-AD mice showed a decrease in new neurons in the dentate gyrus compatible with, although exacerbated, the pattern observed in WT LPS-treated mice. In 3xTg-AD mice, LPS injection did not significantly affected the production of new neurons but reduced their number of synaptic puncta and impaired memory performance, when compared to the observations made in saline-treated 3xTg-AD mice. These data indicate that LPS treatment induces a long-term impairment on hippocampal neurogenesis and memory. Our results show that acute neuroinflammatory events influence the production of new hippocampal neurons, affecting the cognitive reserve and leading to the development of memory deficits associated to AD pathology.
Enterprise Culture and Education

PROFESSOR ALLAN A. GIBB IS chairman of the Small Business Centre, Durham University Business School, England. The overall objective of this paper is to produce a clearer understanding of the meaning and process of enterprise education, in particular as it has been developed as a distinctive model within the education system in the United Kingdom. It seeks to remove the confusions relating to the links of enterprise education with small business and entrepreneurship education and training, with personal transferable skills and with the political ideology surrounding certain notions of the enterprise culture. It defines enterprise education as concerned with encouraging certain enterprising behaviours; skills and attributes associated with self-reliance and through this process also providing students with greater insight into subjects studied. The links with small business are explored through the development of a model which demnonstrates how the basic organisational essences of the small firm task structures and learning modles within the business stimulate enterprising behaviour. It then demonstrates how these components are embodied in a model of enterprise education which can be applied to any subject context in education. The relationship of enterprise education to broader educational goals is explored. The links with the so-called enterprise culture are examined and thereafter a nuumber of challenges — to industry and education management, and to small business and entrepreneurship education and training — are discussed. The paper concludes by reference to a number of steps that need to be taken to place, more accurately, the enterprise concept within the education system.
Experimental evidence of the roles of music choice, social context, and listener personality in emotional reactions to music

Music may arouse intense emotions in listeners, but little is known about the circumstances that contribute to such reactions. Here we report a listening experiment that investigated the roles of selected musical, situational, and individual factors in emotional reactions to music. In a 2 × 2 factorial design, we manipulated music choice (self-chosen vs. randomly sampled) and social context (alone vs. with a close friend or partner). Fifty university students (20–43 years old) rated their emotional responses to the music in terms of overall emotion intensity and 15 emotions. We also measured personality traits (NEO-PI-R) and psychophysiological responses (skin conductance, heart rate). Consistent with predictions based on previous field studies, listeners reported more intense emotions (1) to self-chosen music than to randomly selected music and (2) when listening with a close friend or partner than when listening alone. Moreover, listeners scoring high on the trait Openness to experience experienced more intense emotions than listeners scoring low. All three factors correlated positively with the experience of positive emotions such as happiness and pleasure.
Asian Secondary School Students' Help-Seeking Behaviour and Preferences for Counsellor Characteristics

This study examines general help-seeking behaviours and preferences for the counsellor, characteristics of gender and ethnicity specifically, in a sample of 448 secondary school students in Singapore. The relationship between the age of the student and his/her preference for the gender and ethnicity of a counsellor was also examined. Findings indicated significant differences in preferences for the gender of the counsellor, with most females preferring a same sex counsellor and most males preferring an opposite sex counsellor. Male and female students did not differ in responses regarding preference for ethnicity of counsellor. The findings also indicated a developmental shift in perspective regarding preference for gender and for ethnicity of counsellor. Neither gender nor ethnicity of counsellor mattered to the oldest group of students. In comparison, the younger students either reported a distinct preference for gender and ethnicity of counsellor or stated they were unsure of their response. Findings from the present study that are helpful to counsellors working with an Asian secondary school population will be discussed in the light of previous research.
The Impact of Advertising Creativity on the Hierarchy of Effects

This study examines how advertising creativity affects consumer processing and response. First, traditional hierarchy-of-effects (HOE) models are reviewed and then augmented with new developments in advertising and persuasion research to identify five major stages: brand awareness, brand learning, accepting/rejecting ad claims, brand liking, and brand intentions. Theoretical links are identified that predict ad creativity will impact 13 key variables in all five HOE stages. An experiment is conducted that manipulates the two major determinants of ad creativity: divergence and relevance. Results confirm the expected divergence-by-relevance interaction effect for 12 of the 13 variables demonstrating the potency of creative ads (and the ineffectiveness of ads with low creativity). In addition, a test is conducted using structural equations modeling (SEM) to see whether all the effects of ad creativity are mediated through each successive HOE stage. Results show that the HOE's assumptions hold up reasonably well, although divergence is powerful enough to exert direct (unmediated) effects on brand awareness and brand liking.
Relative Contributions of Geographic, Socioeconomic, and Lifestyle Factors to Quality of Life, Frailty, and Mortality in Elderly

Background To date, few studies address disparities in older populations specifically using frailty as one of the health outcomes and examining the relative contributions of individual and environmental factors to health outcomes. Methodology/Principal Findings Using a data set from a health survey of 4,000 people aged 65 years and over living in all regions of Hong Kong, we examined regional variations in self-rated health, frailty, and four-year mortality, and analyzed the relative contributions of lifestyle, socioeconomic status, and geographical location of residence to these outcomes using path analysis. We hypothesize that lifestyle, socioeconomic status, and regional characteristics directly and indirectly through interactions contribute to self-rated physical and psychological health, frailty, and four-year mortality. District variations directly affect self-rated physical health, and also exert an effect through socioeconomic position as well as lifestyle factors. Socioeconomic position in turn directly affects self-rated physical health, as well as indirectly through lifestyle factors. A similar pattern of interaction is observed for self-rated mental health, frailty, and mortality, although there are differences in different lifestyle factors and district associations. Lifestyle factors also directly affect physical and mental components of health, frailty, and mortality. The magnitude of direct district effect is comparable to those of lifestyle and socioeconomic position. Conclusions/Significance We conclude that district variations in health outcomes exist in the Hong Kong elderly population, and these variations result directly from district factors, and are also indirectly mediated through socioeconomic position as well as lifestyle. Provision and accessibility to health services are unlikely to play a significant role. Future studies on these district factors would be important in reducing health disparities in the older population.
Self-Efficacy and Intrinsic Motivation Guiding Environmental Behavior

The authors examine whether self-efficacy relates to the environmentally responsible behavior of recycling and whether intrinsic motivation serves to mediate the relationship between self-efficacy and recycling. The authors measure those constructs, along with extrinsic motivation and the self- regulatory behaviors of satisfaction with and intentions toward recycling. Residents (n = 1,501) of 55 localities in Cordoba Spain are interviewed at home. Results show that all variables are positively related to self-reported recycling, except that extrinsic motivation is negatively related to recycling. As the authors hypothesize, the relationship between self-efficacy and recycling diminishes when intrinsic motivation is added to the model, which suggests that intrinsic motivation accounts for some of the relationship between self-efficacy and recycling. With the use of structural equation modelling, all variables, except extrinsic motivation, provide a good model fit; explained variance in reported in-home recycling is also substantial (adjusted R2 = .45). The meditational analysis provides insight regarding the dynamics of motivation; the model suggests that self-efficacy relates to recycling directly, by giving rise to intrinsic motivation, which in turn relates to recycling.
Body Segment Sequencing and Timing in Golf

Hitting great golf shots requires, in coaching terms, exquisite “timing” Despite this criterion, few people have tried to quantify this phenomenon and distinguish between well-timed (WT) and mistimed (MT) shots. The purpose of this paper was to present a way of describing the timing in the golf downswing and investigate whether biomechanical variables could be used to evaluate the sequencing of movement during the swing. Three-dimensional kinematics for a five segment model of the body and shot distance and lateral error were collected as highly skilled players hit approximately 20 driver shots. Players rated each shot as being WT or MT. A method of describing sequencing was presented and average values for the body segment speeds were presented. Comparisons of the timing lags (i.e., the times between peak angular speeds of contiguous body segments) showed no significant differences between the WT and MT shots. It seems as though golfers are much more sensitive to the “centredness” of contact than they are to subtle differences in the timing of peak body segment speeds.
Long term modeling of phase trajectories within the speech sinusoidal model framework

Abstract In this paper, the problem of modeling the trajectory of the phase of speech signal is addressed within the context of the sinusoidal model of speech. A global or long-term model of the trajectory of the phase of the partials is proposed for each entire voiced section of speech, contrary to standard models, which are defined on a frame-by-frame basis. The complete analysis-modeling-synthesis process is presented. We compare two basic long-term models, namely a polynomial and a DCT-based model, with classical (frame-by-frame) interpolation schemes, given that the analysis process is the same in all cases. Promising results are given and the interest of the presented models for speech coding and speech watermarking applications is discussed. 1. Introduction Sinusoidal modeling of audio signals has been extensively studied since the eighties and successfully applied to a wide range of applications, such as coding or time- and frequency-stretching [1-5]. The signal is modeled as the sum of a small number
Involvement of the Mitochondrial Protein Translocator Component Tim50 in Growth, Cell Proliferation and the Modulation of Respiration in Drosophila

Allelic mutants exhibiting growth defects in Drosophila were isolated. Molecular cloning identified the responsible gene as a budding yeast Tim50 ortholog, and thus it was named tiny tim 50 (ttm50). The weak allele (ttm50Gp99) produced small flies due to reduced cell size and number, and growth terminated at the larval stage in the strong alleles (ttm50IE1 and ttm50IE2). Twin-spot analysis showed fewer cells in ttm50Gp99 clones, whereas ttm50IE1 clones did not proliferate, suggesting that the gene has an essential cellular function. Tim50 is known to maintain mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) while facilitating inner-membrane protein transport. We found that tagged Ttm50 also localized to mitochondria and that mitochondrial morphology and MMP were affected in mutants, indicating that mitochondrial dysfunction causes the developmental phenotype. Conversely, ttm50 overexpression increased MMP and apoptosis. Co-expression of p35 suppressed this apoptosis, resulting in cell overproliferation. Interestingly, ttm50 transcription was tissue specific, corresponding to elevated MMP in the larval midgut, which was decreased in the mutant. The correlation of ttm50 expression levels with differences in MMP match its proposed role in mitochondrial permeability barrier maintenance. Thus a mitochondrial protein translocase component can play active roles in regulating metabolic levels, possibly for modulation of physiological function or growth in development.
Comparison of duodenitis/proximal jejunitis and small intestinal obstruction in horses: 68 cases (1977-1985).

Sixty-eight horses with colic caused by small intestinal disease were allotted into 2 groups of 34 on the basis of recorded findings during exploratory celiotomy, necropsy, or response to medical treatment alone. Signalment, history, physical examination findings, and laboratory findings were compared between the group of horses with small intestinal obstruction and the group with duodenitis/proximal jejunitis. A significantly greater proportion of horses with duodenitis/proximal jejunitis were older than 2 years old (P less than 0.05). Differences in sex or breed distribution, or in seasonality of the 2 disease syndromes were not observed. Horses with duodenitis/proximal jejunitis had significantly greater signs of depression than those with small intestinal obstruction (P less than 0.01), and horses with small intestinal obstruction had significantly greater signs of abdominal pain (P less than 0.05). The mean heart and respiratory rates were significantly lower (P less than 0.01) and the volume of nasogastric reflux was significantly greater (P less than 0.05) in the group of horses with duodenitis/proximal jejunitis. Sections of small intestine that were palpable per rectum were less distended and there were more auscultable borborygmi in horses with duodenitis/proximal jejunitis, compared with those with small intestinal obstruction (P less than 0.05 and P less than 0.01). The group of horses with duodenitis/proximal jejunitis had lower mean plasma potassium and higher mean plasma bicarbonate concentrations (P less than 0.05) than the group with small intestinal obstruction. The mean nucleated cell count and total protein concentration of peritoneal fluid specimens were significantly less in the group with duodenitis/proximal jejunitis (P less than 0.01); however, these values were greater than normal. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Political Issues and Trust in Government: 1964–1970

National survey data demonstrate that support of the federal government decreased substantially between 1964 and 1970. Policy preference, a lack of perceived difference between the parties, and policy dissatisfaction were hypothesized as correlates of trust and alternative explanations of this decrease. Analysis revealed that the increased distrust in government, or cynicism, was associated with reactions to the issues of racial integration and U.S. involvement in the Vietnam war. A curvilinear relationship was found between policy preference on these and other contemporary social issues and political cynicism. The minority favoring centrist policies was more likely to trust the government than the large proportion who preferred noncentrist policy alternatives. This complex relationship between trust and policy preference is explained by dissatisfaction with the policies of both political parties. The dissatisfied noncentrists formed highly polarized and distinct types: “cynics of the left,” who preferred policies providing social change, and “cynics of the right,” who favored policies of social control.
Reducing Stress in Mental Health Practitioners - Becoming Change Agents in Practice Through Action Research

The social phenomenon of stress and workplace burnout has spanned over five decades. Despite a plethora of literature that exists, there still remain problematic issues that neither scientific investigation or government legislation has been able to resolve. The literature examined throughout this chapter reflects this 50-year period. It demonstrates that studies into this phenomenon have attempted to define stress, identify causal factors of workplace stress, workplace burnout and environmental congruence; and discusses strategies (focused on both the individual and organizational levels) that have been implemented to effect beneficial outcomes for individuals affected by any one of these.
Correction to Looman and Marshall 2005

In an article published in August 2005, Looman and Marshall described a comparison of a group of sexual offenders’ responses to two stimulus sets (Barbaree, Marshall, & Lanthier, 1979; Quinsey, Chaplin, & Varney, 1981) designed to assess responding to rape. Following publication of this article, I was contacted by Martin Lalumière, who pointed out to me various errors—both editorial and in some of the statistics reported in that document. The purpose of this note is to correct those errors. First and simplest, on page 373, Looman and Marshall (2005) indicated that the proportional deviance index was calculated by “dividing the average arousal to consensual depictions by the average arousal to rape depictions. ” However, the reverse is true. That is, arousal to rape stimuli was divided by the arousal to consensual stimuli. A second error in Looman and Marshall (2005) occurs in Table 3, in which the values for the Barbaree and Quinsey differential indices
Four-year results of a prospective-controlled clinical study evaluating healing of intra-bony defects following treatment with an enamel matrix protein derivative alone or combined with a bioactive glass.

AIM To evaluate the 4-year results following regenerative periodontal surgery at intra-bony defects with either a combination of an enamel matrix protein derivative (EMD) and a bioactive glass (BG) or with EMD alone. METHODS Twenty-five patients with one deep intra-bony defect each were randomly treated with either an EMD+BG (test) or with EMD alone (control). Measurements were recorded at baseline, at 1 and at 4 years following therapy. The primary outcome variable was the clinical attachment level (CAL). RESULTS The test group demonstrated a mean CAL change from 10.3+/-1.6 to 6.7+/-1.2 mm (p<0.001) and to 6.9+/-1.0 mm (p<0.001) at 1 and 4 years, respectively. No statistically significant differences were found between the 1- and 4-year results. The control group showed a mean CAL change from 10.4+/-1.6 to 6.7+/-1.1 mm (p<0.001) at 1 year and 7.0+/-0.9 mm (p<0.001) at 4 years. The CAL change between 1 and 4 years did not present statistically significant differences. In each of the two groups, four defects have lost 1 mm of the CAL gained at 1 year. A CAL gain of 1 mm compared with the 1-year results was measured in only one defect of the test group. Compared with baseline, a CAL gain of >/=3 mm was found at 4 years in 10 defects in both groups. Between the treatment groups, no statistically significant differences in any of the investigated parameters were observed at 1 and at 4 years. CONCLUSIONS Within their limits, the present results indicate that the clinical improvements obtained with both regenerative modalities can be maintained over a period of 4 years.
Transcription Blockage Leads to New Beginnings

Environmental agents are constantly challenging cells by damaging DNA, leading to the blockage of transcription elongation. How do cells deal with transcription-blockage and how is transcription restarted after the blocking lesions are removed? Here we review the processes responsible for the removal of transcription-blocking lesions, as well as mechanisms of transcription restart. We also discuss recent data suggesting that blocked RNA polymerases may not resume transcription from the site of the lesion following its removal but, rather, are forced to start over from the beginning of genes.