Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Memorial performance in anxiety and depression, an investigation using the process dissociation procedure

Both depression and anxiety appear to affect aspects of cognitive processing. The process dissociation procedure (PDP; Jacoby, 199 1 ) was used to assess automatic and cons~iouslycontrolled memory biases in anxiety and depression. Memory for six word categories was examined: high p s i tive afTec t, high negative affect, physical threat, negative selfreferent, categorized neutral, and uncategorized neutral words. Study 1 examined differences in memorial performance of students with high and low anxiety sensitivity. The only memory difference between the groups was an unexpected higher conscious recollection for categorized neutral words in the high anxiety sensitive group. Study 2 compared the performance of students with high versus low scores on the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). Students who scored high on the BDI showed a higher conscious recollection of high positive affect words in addition to a higher conscious recoIlection of all word categories overall when compared to those with low BDI scores. Study 3 examined memorial performance of patients with major depressive disorder with (SAD) and without (MDD) a seasonal pattern. When compared to a group of healthy controls, the depressed patients demonstrated a significantly lower conscious recollection of words overall. In addition. the MDD patients demonstrated significantly lower automatic memory overall when compared to SAD patients. Study 4 compared the performance of a subgroup of MDD patients who had been treated with an antidepressant for six weeks to healthy controls who were tested again after the same time period. The patients who responded to treatment did not differ from the controls in their conscious or automatic memory for the words, nor on any of the ques tiomaire measures. Finally. differences in memorial performance between the male and female participants were examined. The female students with high BDI scores consciously remembered more negative and fewer positive words than the high BDI male students. In contrast, female SAD patients showed a trend for higher automatic memory of positive words compared to male SAD patients. Implications of these results are discussed in relation to several theories of anxiety and depression as well as more general issues related to the study of cognitive processes in mood disorders.
Role of patient characteristics for fast-track hip and knee arthroplasty.

BACKGROUND Patient age and comorbidity have been found to increase the length of hospital stay (LOS), readmissions, and mortality after surgery, including in elective primary total hip arthroplasty (THA) and total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Whether the same applies in fast-track THA and TKA with early mobilization and an LOS aim of 2-4 days remains unanswered. METHOD A prospective study on patient characteristics and comorbidity in consecutive unselected patients undergoing fast-track THA and TKA was cross-referenced with the Danish National Health Registry and medical charts allowing complete 90 days follow-up. RESULTS A total of 3112 THA/TKAs were performed in 3020 patients. The mean age was 67 (range 18-97) years. The median LOS was 3 (inter-quartile range: 1) and the mean 3.0 days (range 1-34), with 91% having LOS ≤4 days. Age 76-80 [odds ratio (OR): 1.57; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.99-2.47], 81-85 (OR: 2.40; 1.45-4.00), and >85 yr (OR: 4.10; 2.15-7.82), preoperative cardiopulmonary disease (CPD) (OR: 1.40; 1.03-1.91), preoperative use of a mobility aid (OR: 1.95; 1.46-2.54), and living conditions (OR: 1.92; 1.44-2.54) were related to LOS >4 days. However, more than 75% of those aged over 80 yr or with these conditions had an LOS ≤4 days. Mortality and readmission rate were 0.22% and 6.6%, respectively, at 30 days and 0.42% and 9.3% at 90 days. Readmissions were similarly related to older age, CPD, and use of mobility aids. CONCLUSIONS Fast-track THA and TKA with LOS of ≤4 days and discharge to home is feasible and safe, including in elderly patients with comorbidities.
Role of Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein-3 in 1, 25-Dihydroxyvitamin-D3-Induced Breast Cancer Cell Apoptosis

Insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) is implicated in breast cancer development and 1, 25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1, 25-D3) has been shown to attenuate prosurvival effects of IGF-I on breast cancer cells. In this study the role of IGF binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3) in 1, 25-D3-induced apoptosis was investigated using parental MCF-7 breast cancer cells and MCF-7/VDR cells, which are resistant to the growth inhibitory effects of 1, 25-D3. Treatment with 1, 25-D3 increased IGFBP-3 mRNA expression in both cell lines but increases in intracellular IGFBP-3 protein and its secretion were observed only in MCF-7. 1, 25-D3-induced apoptosis was not associated with activation of any caspase but PARP-1 cleavage was detected in parental cells. IGFBP-3 treatment alone produced cleavage of caspases 7, 8, and 9 and PARP-1 in MCF-7 cells. IGFBP-3 failed to activate caspases in MCF-7/VDR cells; however PARP-1 cleavage was detected. 1, 25-D3 treatment inhibited IGF-I/Akt survival signalling in MCF-7 but not in MCF-7/VDR cells. In contrast, IGFBP-3 treatment was effective in inhibiting IGF-I/Akt pathways in both breast cancer lines. These results suggest a role for IGFBP-3 in 1, 25-D3 apoptotic signalling and that impaired secretion of IGFBP-3 may be involved in acquired resistance to vitamin D in breast cancer.
The CHRNA3 rs578776 Variant is Associated with an Intrinsic Reward Sensitivity Deficit in Smokers

A compromised brain reward system has been postulated as a key feature of drug dependence. We examined whether several polymorphisms of genes found to regulate nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) and dopamine expression were related to an intrinsic reward sensitivity (IRS) deficit we previously identified among a subgroup of smokers using event-related potentials (ERPs). We examined genetic polymorphisms within the CHRNA5-A3-B4 gene cluster (CHRNA3 rs578776, CHRNA5 rs16969968, LOC123688 rs8034191, and CHRNA3 rs1051730), the ANKK1 gene (rs1800497), and the D2 dopamine receptor gene (DRD2 rs1079597, DRD2 rs1799732) from 104 smokers of European ancestry in a smoking cessation trial. Prior to treatment, we recorded ERPs evoked by emotional (both pleasant and unpleasant), neutral, and cigarette-related pictures. Smokers were assigned to two groups (IRS+/IRS−) based on the amplitude of the late positive potential (LPP) component to the pictures, a neural marker of motivational salience. Smokers (n = 42) with blunted brain responses to intrinsically rewarding (pleasant) pictures and enhanced responses to cigarette pictures were assigned to the IRS− group, while smokers (n = 62) with the opposite pattern of LPP responding were assigned to the IRS+ group. Carriers of the protective minor T allele (T/T, C/T) of the CHRNA3 rs578776 were less likely to be members of the IRS− group than those homozygous for the at-risk C allele (C/C). The CHRNA3 rs578776 polymorphism did not differ on questionnaires of nicotine dependence, depressed mood, or trait affective disposition and did not predict abstinence at 6 months after the quit date. These results suggest that polymorphisms of genes influencing nAChR expression are related to an endophenotype of reward sensitivity in smokers.
Embedded Type-2 FLC for the Speed Control of Marine and Traction Diesel Engines

Marine and Traction propulsion systems operate in highly dynamic and uncertain control environments. The current speed controllers for marine/traction propulsion systems are based on PID and type-1 Fuzzy Logic Controllers (FLCs) which cannot fully handle the uncertainties associated with such dynamic environments. A type-2 FLC can handle such uncertainties to produce a better performance. However, type-2 FLCs have a computational overhead associated with the iterative type-reduction process which can reduce the FLC realtime performance as embedded controllers generally have limited computational and memory capabilities. In this paper, we will introduce a real-time type-2 FLC that is suited for embedded controllers operating in marine/traction propulsion system. We have conducted numerous experiments where the embedded type-2 FLCs displayed a robust response, dealing with the uncertainties in real-time, outperforming PID and type-1 FLCs, whilst using smaller rule bases.
Understanding Pitch Perception as a Hierarchical Process with Top-Down Modulation

Pitch is one of the most important features of natural sounds, underlying the perception of melody in music and prosody in speech. However, the temporal dynamics of pitch processing are still poorly understood. Previous studies suggest that the auditory system uses a wide range of time scales to integrate pitch-related information and that the effective integration time is both task- and stimulus-dependent. None of the existing models of pitch processing can account for such task- and stimulus-dependent variations in processing time scales. This study presents an idealized neurocomputational model, which provides a unified account of the multiple time scales observed in pitch perception. The model is evaluated using a range of perceptual studies, which have not previously been accounted for by a single model, and new results from a neurophysiological experiment. In contrast to other approaches, the current model contains a hierarchy of integration stages and uses feedback to adapt the effective time scales of processing at each stage in response to changes in the input stimulus. The model has features in common with a hierarchical generative process and suggests a key role for efferent connections from central to sub-cortical areas in controlling the temporal dynamics of pitch processing.
An Empirically Derived Index of High School Academic Rigor

We derived an index of high school academic rigor by optimizing the prediction of firstyear college GPA based on high school courses taken, grades, and indicators of advanced coursework. Using a large data set (n~108,000) and nominal parameterization of high school course outcomes, the high school academic rigor (HSAR) index capitalizes on differential contributions across courses and nonlinear relationships between course grades and first-year college GPA (FYGPA). Test scores from 8th grade were incorporated in the model to isolate the effect of HSAR. High school courses with the largest contributions to FYGPA were English 11, English 10, Chemistry, and Algebra 2. Participation in AP, accelerated, or honors courses increased HSAR. The correlation of the HSAR index and FYGPA was 0.50 and 0.49 in two cross-validation samples. While the HSAR index was the strongest predictor of FYGPA, it only led to a modest improvement in overall prediction when combined with high school GPA (HSGPA) and ACT Composite score. The predictive strength of the HSAR index was consistent across different types of high schools and colleges, and subgroup differences in the HSAR index were smaller than subgroup differences in ACT Composite score. Implications for high school counselors, researchers, and postsecondary student service personnel are discussed.
Connecting Dense Gas Tracers of Star Formation in our Galaxy to High-z Star Formation

Observations have revealed prodigious amounts of star formation in starburst galaxies as traced by dust and molecular emission, even at large redshifts. Recent work shows that for both nearby spiral galaxies and distant starbursts, the global star formation rate, as indicated by the infrared luminosity, has a tight and almost linear correlation with the amount of dense gas as traced by the luminosity of HCN. Our surveys of Galactic dense cores in HCN 1-0 emission show that this correlation continues to a much smaller scale, with nearly the same ratio of infrared luminosity to HCN luminosity found over 7-8 orders of magnitude in LIR, with a lower cutoff around 104.5 L☉ of infrared luminosity. The linear correlation suggests that we may understand distant star formation in terms of the known properties of local star-forming regions. Both the correlation and the luminosity cutoff can be explained if the basic unit of star formation in galaxies is a dense core, similar to those studied in our Galaxy.
An exploration of global employability skills: a systematic research review

The purpose of this paper is to explore and categorise, through a systematic research review, the key employability skills identified by researchers across the globe. This paper also aims to identify any similarities and differences present in employability skills demand of different sectors of industry or parts of the world. For the purpose of this study, 43 studies conducted across 17 countries were included and a systematic research review protocol was applied to develop categories. A vote-counting technique was used for the purpose of data analysis. The results revealed a set of employability skills commonly reported worldwide as important by all studies included in the review. These skills were further re-grouped under ten different skill sets. The findings of this study point to several implications for educators, employers, graduates and policy makers.
Language users as creatures of habit: A corpus-based analysis of persistence in spoken English

Abstract For different reasons, speakers re-use recently used or heard linguistic options whenever they can, a tendency which is referred to as ‘persistence’ in the present paper. The phenomenon has been largely neglected in extant corpus-based, variationist research, and no standard methodology for dealing with the phenomenon is available. By analyzing three well-known alternations (analytic vs. synthetic comparatives, particle placement, and future marker choice) in several spoken corpora of English, this paper demonstrates that factoring in persistence increases the researcher’s ability to account for linguistic variation. It is also shown that persistence itself is subject to several determinants, such as textual distance between two successive choice contexts in discourse, or turn-taking. In conclusion, I argue that persistence is a factor which deserves empirical attention, and that its existence has consequences for both linguistic theory and practice.
Assessment of the Relationship between Diabetic Retinopathy and Nailfold Capillaries in Type 2 Diabetics with a Noninvasive Method: Nailfold Videocapillaroscopy

Background and Objectives. Nailfold capillaroscopy is an easy and noninvasive technique used to investigate dermal microvasculature. Traditional investigations of vascularity do not detect changes until they are well-established in type 2 diabetics. The objective of the current study was to evaluate nailfold capillaries in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients and to determine the association of retinopathy with changes in the nailfold capillaries. Materials and Methods. Capillaroscopic findings by nailfold capillaroscopy and fundoscopic examinations were assessed in 216 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and 101 healthy controls included in this prospective study. Results. Retinopathy was detected in 43.05% of diabetic patients (n = 93). Capillaroscopic findings including tortuosity (p < 0.001), bushy capillary (p < 0.001), neoformation (p < 0.001), bizarre capillary (p < 0.001), microhemorrhage (p = 0.001), capillary ectasia (p = 0.002), and aneurysm (p = 0.004) were significantly higher in diabetic group than control group. In logistic regression analysis, only tortuosity was shown significant (OR, 2.16; p = 0.036). There was also a significant relation between diabetes duration and most of the capillaroscopic findings. Conclusion. Capillaroscopic changes were found to be correlated with diabetic retinopathy, in particular with longer disease duration in our study. Capillaroscopic imaging could be a useful new technique for assessment of diabetic microvascular changes.
Chandra Observations of the Recurrent Nova IM Normae

The recurrent nova IM Nor was observed twice in X-rays with the Chandra ACIS-S, 1 and 6 months after the optical outburst. It was not detected in the first observation, with an upper limit on the X-ray luminosity in the 0.2-10 keV range LX < 4.8 × 1030(d kpc-1)2 ergs s-1 (where d is the distance to the nova). Five months later, a hard X-ray source with LX = × 1032(d kpc)2 ergs s-1 was detected. The X-ray spectrum appears to be thermal, but we cannot rule out additional components due to unresolved emission lines. A blackbody component is likely to contribute to the observed spectrum, but it has bolometric luminosity Lbol = 2.5 × 1033(d kpc-1)2 ergs s-1; therefore, it is not sufficiently luminous to be caused by a central white dwarf that is still burning hydrogen on the surface. An optical spectrum, taken 5 months postoutburst, indicates no intrinsic reddening of the ejecta. Therefore, we conclude that the shell had already become optically thin to supersoft X-rays, but nuclear burning had turned off or was in the process of turning off at this time. We discuss why this implies that recurrent novae, even the rare ones with long optical decays like IM Nor, indicating a large envelope mass, are not statistically significant as Type Ia supernova candidates.
Public Expenditure and Economic Growth: A Disaggregated Analysis for Developing Countries

In this paper, we examine the growth effects of government expenditure for a panel of 30 developing countries over the 1970s and 1980s, with a particular focus on disaggregated government expenditures. Our methodology improves on previous research on this topic by explicitly recognizing the role of the government budget constraint and the possible biases arising from omitted variables. Our primary results are twofold. First, the share of government capital expenditure in GDP is positively and significantly correlated with economic growth, but current expenditure is insignificant. Second, at the disaggregated level, government investment in education and total expenditures in education are the only outlays that are significantly associated with growth once the budget constraint and omitted variables are taken into consideration.
Disruption of Toxoplasma gondii Parasitophorous Vacuoles by the Mouse p47-Resistance GTPases

The p47 GTPases are essential for interferon-γ-induced cell-autonomous immunity against the protozoan parasite, Toxoplasma gondii, in mice, but the mechanism of resistance is poorly understood. We show that the p47 GTPases, including IIGP1, accumulate at vacuoles containing T. gondii. The accumulation is GTP-dependent and requires live parasites. Vacuolar IIGP1 accumulations undergo a maturation-like process accompanied by vesiculation of the parasitophorous vacuole membrane. This culminates in disruption of the parasitophorous vacuole and finally of the parasite itself. Over-expression of IIGP1 leads to accelerated vacuolar disruption whereas a dominant negative form of IIGP1 interferes with interferon-γ-mediated killing of intracellular parasites. Targeted deletion of the IIGP1 gene results in partial loss of the IFN-γ-mediated T. gondii growth restriction in mouse astrocytes.
Exhibit Designs for Girls' Engagement (
 EDGE
 )

Introduction Informal science centers are an important resource in the effort to increase STEM interest and engagement (Falk and Dierking 2010, National Research Council 2009, National Science Boar d 2008, Salmi 2001, 2002). By offering hands-on interactivity and playful exploration, studies show museums can foster scientific thinking and engagement— key aspects of participation in science (Hamilton et al. 1995, Humphrey and Gutwill 2005, National Research Council 2009, Randol 2005). Others have found that people with sci ence careers often credit their initial interest in STEM to memorable museum visits (Cosmos Corporation 1998, McCreedy and Dierking 2013, Salmi 2002).
Comparing Legislators and Legislatures: The Dynamics of Legislative Gridlock Reconsidered

Although political methodologists are well aware of measurement issues and the problems that can be created, such concerns are not always front and center when we are doing substantive research. Here, we show how choices in measuring legislative preferences have influenced our understanding of what determines legislative outputs. Specifically, we replicate and extend Binder's highly influential analysis (Binder, Sarah A. 1999. The dynamics of legislative gridlock, 1947–96. American Political Science Review 93:519–33; see also Binder, Sarah A. 2003. Stalemate: Causes and consequences of legislative gridlock. Washington, DC: Brookings Institution) of legislative gridlock, which emphasizes how partisan, electoral, and institutional characteristics generate major legislative initiatives. Binder purports to show that examining the proportion, rather than the absolute number, of key policy proposals passed leads to the inference that these features, rather than divided government, are crucial for explaining gridlock. However, we demonstrate that this finding is undermined by flaws in preference measurement. Binder's results are a function of using W-NOMINATE scores never designed for comparing Senate to House members or for analyzing multiple Congresses jointly. When preferences are more appropriately measured with common space scores (Poole, Keith T. 1998. Recovering a basic space from a set of issue scales. American Journal of Political Science 42:964–93), there is no evidence that the factors that she highlights matter.
Dancing, Google and fish sauce: Vietnamese students coping with Australian universities

ABSTRACT This study examines the language, academic, and socio-cultural concerns of 24 Vietnamese international students (PhD, master’s and undergraduate) studying in universities in Sydney, Australia. Alongside the obvious linguistic concerns, the salient issues that emerge from this study draw attention to the struggles these students face to adapt to different educational norms, and particularly the varied expectations of supervisors, the different coping strategies these students use to overcome linguistic and other concerns, and the broader socio-cultural domains that support their studies. This study contributes to an understanding of Vietnamese international students, a growing cohort in Australia and elsewhere. Its findings provide insights that shift the focus away from the “difficulties” faced by international students and the institutional responses (or lack thereof), towards understanding their agentive modes of accommodation in the context of their degree programmes and their other lived experiences which include foods and ways of living.