Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
What do we expect of others

We report experimental data on expectations about generosity in a dictator game in which dictators first divide the pie and then make a guess about the donation of other dictators. In our experiment, recipients have to guess the donation that they are going to receive from their own dictator as well as the donation of other dictator, whose choice does not affect their own payoffs. Our findings indicate that property rights are important to explain guesses, as dictators predict a smaller donation from other dictators than recipients do. We also observe that the involvement in the game is crucial as recipients expect other dictators to be more generous than their own dictator. When we compare guesses with actual donations, we see that dictators' guesses are positively correlated with their own transfer and that recipients overestimate the kindness of other dictators, as they expect them to be more kind than what they actually are.
The association between substance use and common mental disorders in young adults: results from the South African Stress and Health (SASH) Survey

Introduction Although substance use is commonly associated with mental disorders, limited data on this association are available from low and middle income countries such as South Africa. The aims of the study were i) to determine patterns of substance use in young adults, ii) to identify trends of common psychiatric disorders in relation to use of specific substances, and iii) to determine whether specific psychiatric disorders were associated with use of specific substances in the South African population. Methods Data were drawn from the South African Stress and Health (SASH) study, a nationally-representative, cross-sectional survey of South African households that forms part of a World Health Organisation (WHO) World Mental Health (WMH) initiative to standardise information on the global burden of mental illness and its correlates. Data from a subset (n = 1766; aged 18 to 30 years) of the SASH sample of 4351 individuals were analysed. The Composite International Diagnostic Interview Version 3 (CIDI 3.0) was used to elicit basic demographic details and information regarding mental illness and substance use. Multiple regression analyses, adjusted for age and gender, were used to identify associations between mental disorders and substance use. Results Significant associations were found between substance use and mood and anxiety disorders, with a particularly strong relationship between cannabis use and mental disorder. Conclusion The results are consistent with those from previous studies, and reinforce the argument that comorbid substance use and mental disorders constitute a major public health burden.
A Transposon Screen Identifies Genetic Determinants of Vibrio cholerae Resistance to High-Molecular-Weight Antibiotics

ABSTRACT Gram-negative bacteria are notoriously resistant to a variety of high-molecular-weight antibiotics due to the limited permeability of their outer membrane (OM). The basis of OM barrier function and the genetic factors required for its maintenance remain incompletely understood. Here, we employed transposon insertion sequencing to identify genes required for Vibrio cholerae resistance to vancomycin and bacitracin, antibiotics that are thought to be too large to efficiently penetrate the OM. The screen yielded several genes whose protein products are predicted to participate in processes important for OM barrier functions and for biofilm formation. In addition, we identified a novel factor, designated vigA (for vancomycin inhibits growth), that has not previously been characterized or linked to outer membrane function. The vigA open reading frame (ORF) codes for an inner membrane protein, and in its absence, cells became highly sensitive to glycopeptide antibiotics (vancomycin and ramoplanin) and bacitracin but not to other large antibiotics or detergents. In contrast to wild-type (WT) cells, the vigA mutant was stained with fluorescent vancomycin. These observations suggest that VigA specifically prevents the periplasmic accumulation of certain large antibiotics without exerting a general role in the maintenance of OM integrity. We also observed marked interspecies variability in the susceptibilities of Gram-negative pathogens to glycopeptides and bacitracin. Collectively, our findings suggest that the OM barrier is not absolute but rather depends on specific OM-antibiotic interactions.
Measuring Computed Tomography Scanner Variability of Radiomics Features

ObjectivesThe purpose of this study was to determine the significance of interscanner variability in CT image radiomics studies. Materials and MethodsWe compared the radiomics features calculated for non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) tumors from 20 patients with those calculated for 17 scans of a specially designed radiomics phantom. The phantom comprised 10 cartridges, each filled with different materials to produce a wide range of radiomics feature values. The scans were acquired using General Electric, Philips, Siemens, and Toshiba scanners from 4 medical centers using their routine thoracic imaging protocol. The radiomics feature studied included the mean and standard deviations of the CT numbers as well as textures derived from the neighborhood gray-tone difference matrix. To quantify the significance of the interscanner variability, we introduced the metric feature noise. To look for patterns in the scans, we performed hierarchical clustering for each cartridge. ResultsThe mean CT numbers for the 17 CT scans of the phantom cartridges spanned from −864 to 652 Hounsfield units compared with a span of −186 to 35 Hounsfield units for the CT scans of the NSCLC tumors, showing that the phantom's dynamic range includes that of the tumors. The interscanner variability of the feature values depended on both the cartridge material and the feature, and the variability was large relative to the interpatient variability in the NSCLC tumors for some features. The feature interscanner noise was greatest for busyness and least for texture strength. Hierarchical clustering produced different clusters of the phantom scans for each cartridge, although there was some consistent clustering by scanner manufacturer. ConclusionsThe variability in the values of radiomics features calculated on CT images from different CT scanners can be comparable to the variability in these features found in CT images of NSCLC tumors. These interscanner differences should be considered, and their effects should be minimized in future radiomics studies.
The utilization of e‐government services: citizen trust, innovation and acceptance factors *

Abstract. Electronic government, or e‐government, increases the convenience and accessibility of government services and information to citizens. Despite the benefits of e‐government – increased government accountability to citizens, greater public access to information and a more efficient, cost‐effective government – the success and acceptance of e‐government initiatives, such as online voting and licence renewal, are contingent upon citizens’ willingness to adopt this innovation. In order to develop ‘citizen‐centred’ e‐government services that provide participants with accessible, relevant information and quality services that are more expedient than traditional ‘brick and mortar’ transactions, government agencies must first understand the factors that influence citizen adoption of this innovation. This study integrates constructs from the Technology Acceptance Model, Diffusions of Innovation theory and web trust models to form a parsimonious yet comprehensive model of factors that influence citizen adoption of e‐government initiatives. The study was conducted by surveying a broad diversity of citizens at a community event. The findings indicate that perceived ease of use, compatibility and trustworthiness are significant predictors of citizens’ intention to use an e‐government service. Implications of this study for research and practice are presented.
IGF feedback effects on growth hormone secretion in ewes: evidence for action at the pituitary but not the hypothalamic level.

The putative negative feedback effects of IGF-I and IGF-II on GH secretion were tested by intracerebroventricular (icv) and intrapituitary administration to sheep. Over two consecutive days, serial jugular blood samples were taken at 10 min intervals for 6 h from ewes (n = 3/group) fitted with indwelling stainless steel cannulae into the lateral or third cerebral ventricles. The sheep were injected (icv) with either vehicle or purified ovine IGF-I (2, 4 or 8 micrograms). IGF-I injection had no effect on plasma GH secretion. Serial blood samples were taken from a second group of nine ewes in which ovine or recombinant human (rh) IGF-I was infused (2.5 micrograms/h for 2 h) into the third ventricle; once again, IGF-I failed to affect the episodic pattern of GH secretion. Three ewes fitted with indwelling stainless steel cannulae placed in the anterior pituitary gland were consecutively infused with either ovine or rhIGF-I (2.5 micrograms/h for 2 h) or vehicle. Plasma GH concentrations were suppressed in 3/3 sheep from 1-1.5 h after the commencement of infusion and GH levels remained low for the remainder of the sampling period. In another group of five ewes synergistic effects of IGF-I and IGF-II on GH secretion were tested by icv infusion of rhIGF-I, rhIGF-II, or rhIGF-I+rhIGF-II (5 micrograms/h for 2 h) or vehicle (sterile 10 mM HCl/saline). Each sheep received each treatment in a randomised design. Infusion (icv) of IGF-I and IGF-II alone or in combination failed to alter GH secretion. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Global patterns of stream detritivore distribution: implications for biodiversity loss in changing climates

Aim: We tested the hypothesis that shredder detritivores, a key trophic guild in stream ecosystems, are more diverse at higher latitudes, which has important ecological implications in the face of potential biodiversity losses that are expected as a result of climate change. We also explored the dependence of local shredder diversity on the regional species pool across latitudes, and examined the influence of environmental factors on shredder diversity. Location: World-wide (156 sites from 17 regions located in all inhabited continents at latitudes ranging from 67° N to 41° S). Methods: We used linear regression to examine the latitudinal variation in shredder diversity at different spatial scales: alpha (α), gamma (γ) and beta (β) diversity. We also explored the effect of γ-diversity on α-diversity across latitudes with regression analysis, and the possible influence of local environmental factors on shredder diversity with simple correlations. Results: Alpha diversity increased with latitude, while γ- and β-diversity showed no clear latitudinal pattern. Temperate sites showed a linear relationship between γ- and α-diversity; in contrast, tropical sites showed evidence of local species saturation, which may explain why the latitudinal gradient in α-diversity is not accompanied by a gradient in γ-diversity. Alpha diversity was related to several local habitat characteristics, but γ- and β-diversity were not related to any of the environmental factors measured. Main conclusions: Our results indicate that global patterns of shredder diversity are complex and depend on spatial scale. However, we can draw several conclusions that have important ecological implications. Alpha diversity is limited at tropical sites by local factors, implying a higher risk of loss of key species or the whole shredder guild (the latter implying the loss of trophic diversity). Even if regional species pools are not particularly species poor in the tropics, colonization from adjacent sites may be limited. Moreover, many shredder species belong to cool-adapted taxa that may be close to their thermal maxima in the tropics, which makes them more vulnerable to climate warming. Our results suggest that tropical streams require specific scientific attention and conservation efforts to prevent loss of shredder biodiversity and serious alteration of ecosystem processes.
Vibrating materialities: mobility-body-technology relations

This paper contributes to debates that consider the corporeal experience of mobilities. Drawing on some experiences of railway travel in Britain, it explores the experience of movement through the event of vibration. Vibration opens up ways of thinking about the uncertain and provisional connections between bodies, their travelling environments and the experience of movement that do not rely on dualistic or causal renderings of materiality. As such, this paper explores the generative possibilities that vibration opens up by considering how vibration change the shape of body–technology assemblages; challenge us to think about different assemblages in terms of their capacity for absorption, diffusion and transmission; and generate particular collectives. The paper concludes by considering how these vibrations sit within contemporary sensory economies of smoothness and turbulence.
Genetic basis of cytokinin and auxin functions during root nodule development

The phytohormones cytokinin and auxin are essential for the control of diverse aspects of cell proliferation and differentiation processes in plants. Although both phytohormones have been suggested to play key roles in the regulation of root nodule development, only recently, significant progress has been made in the elucidation of the molecular genetic basis of cytokinin action in the model leguminous species, Lotus japonicus and Medicago truncatula. Identification and functional analyses of the putative cytokinin receptors LOTUS HISTIDINE KINASE 1 and M. truncatula CYTOKININ RESPONSE 1 have brought a greater understanding of how activation of cytokinin signaling is crucial to the initiation of nodule primordia. Recent studies have also started to shed light on the roles of auxin in the regulation of nodule development. Here, we review the history and recent progress of research into the roles of cytokinin and auxin, and their possible interactions, in nodule development.
The Irritation Scale as an Instrument to Measure Stress among University Students

Abstract The objective of this study was to verify the factor validity and structure of the “Irritation Scale” in a sample of 578 Spanish university students. At the same time, the study aimed to verify the criterion-related validity of the scale, analyzing the results obtained through correlation with other variables, such as general self-efficacy, self-regulation, depression, and certain personality dimensions. The results obtained through the Exploratory Structural Equation Modeling approach (ESEM) using Mplus confirmed the presence of two factors in the Irritation Scale, as observed in other international studies within a workplace setting. The significant correlations obtained between the Irritation Scale and the variables considered in the study confirmed the construct validity and verified that irritation is significantly and positively associated with depression and academic burnout, and is negatively associated with general self-efficacy and self-regulation.
Long-lasting effect of a single botulinum toxin injection in the treatment of oropharyngeal dysphagia secondary to upper esophageal sphincter dysfunction: A pilot study

Objective. To evaluate the efficacy of botulinum toxin (BTX-A) injection in the cricopharyngeus muscle in patients with neurological dysphagia caused by alteration in the upper esophageal sphincter (UES) opening and with preserved pharyngeal contraction. Material and methods. A prospective pilot study was undertaken in 10 patients (7 brain lesions and 3 cervical spinal cord injuries), with a minimum time-lapse of 6 months from neurological lesion to BTX-A injection. Dysfunction of the UES opening and the presence of pharyngeal contraction were diagnosed by videofluoroscopy (VDF) and esophageal manometry (EM). The BTX-A (100 U) injection was guided by endoscopy. Clinical, VDF, and EM follow-ups were carried out at 3 weeks, 3 and 6 months, and at 1 year post-injection. Results. Prior to treatment, 6 patients were fed by nasogastric tube. VDF showed impairment of the UES opening, residue in pyriform sinuses, and aspiration in all cases. During follow-up, there was a decrease in the number of patients that had aspiration: 3 patients at one year. During swallowing, EM showed a mean UES relaxation of 90% (range: 74.5–100%), residual pressure 3.2 mmHg (range: 0–13 mmHg) and pharyngeal amplitude 52 mmHg (range: 25–80 mmHg). At follow-up, a significant improvement in UES relaxation (98% (89–100%)) and pharyngeal contraction (97 mmHg (35–165 mmHg)) was observed. At 3 months, 6 patients were eating exclusively by mouth. Conclusions. One single injection of BTX-A in the UES has long-lasting effectiveness in patients with neurological dysphagia caused by alteration in the UES opening and with pharyngeal contraction. Nevertheless, a randomized control trial should be done to confirm these results and rule out the effect of potential spontaneous improvement of neurological injury.
Particle Tracing in σ-Transformed Grids using Tetrahedral 6-Decomposition

Particle tracing in curvilinear grids often employs decomposition of hexahedral cells into 5 tetrahedra. This method has shortcomings when applied to σ-transformed grids, a grid type having strongly sheared cells, commonly used in hydrodynamic simulations. This paper describes an improved decomposition method into 6 tetrahedra. It is shown that this method is robust in σ-transformed grids, however large the shearing. Results are presented of applying the technique to a real world simulation. Comparisons are made between the accuracy and speed of the 6-decomposition and the 6-decomposition methods.
Tracking death dealing by Fas and TRAIL in lymphatic neoplastic disorders: pathways, targets, and therapeutic tools

In the past decade, it was concluded from a number of investigations that death domain‐containing members of the tumor necrosis factor‐receptor (TNF‐R) family and their ligands such as Fas/FasL and TNF‐related apoptosis‐inducing ligand (TRAIL)‐R/TRAIL are essential for maintaining an intact immune system for surveillance against infection and cancer development and that nondeath domain‐containing members such as CD30 or CD40 are involved in the fine tuning of this system during the selection process of the lymphaticsystem. In line with this conclusion are the observations that alterations in structure, function, and regulation of these molecules contribute to autoimmunity and cancer development of the lymphoid system. Besides controlling size and function of the lymphoid cell pool, Fas/FasL and TRAIL‐R/TRAIL regulate myelopoiesis and the dendritic cell functions, and severe alterations of these lineages during the outgrowth and expansion of the lymphoid tumors have been reported. It is the aim of this review to summarize what is currently known about the complex role of these two death receptor/ligand systems in normal, disturbed, and neoplastic hemato‐/lymphopoiesis and to point out how such knowledge can be used in developing novel, therapeutic options and the problems that will have to be faced along the way.
Antidepressants substantially affect basic REM sleep characteristics in narcolepsy-cataplexy patients.

OBJECTIVES Antidepressants substantially affect REM sleep characteristics and trigger manifestations of REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD) in the general, non-narcoleptic, population. Antidepressants are also frequently administrated in an attempt to suppress cataplexy. We investigated the role of antidepressants in the development of RBD in narcolepsy with cataplexy (NC) patients. PATIENTS/METHODS Seventy-five patients diagnosed with NC were assessed by a structured interview (focused on RBD manifestations and the use of antidepressants) and night video-polysomnography followed by the multiple sleep latency test. RESULTS Of all 75 NC patients (36 male, 39 female; mean age 46.1±18.5 years), 34 cases had a history of antidepressant use (45.3%; 18 male, 16 female). In this antidepressant-positive group, 13 patients suffered from RBD (38.2%). Among antidepressant-naïve patients, only 5 subjects (12.2%) were diagnosed with RBD. Polysomnographic data showed significantly increased REM latency (p<0.01) and reduced percentage of REM sleep (p<0.01) in the antidepressant-positive group, as well as more periodic limb movements during sleep (p=0.01). CONCLUSIONS NC patients with a history of antidepressant use showed a three-fold higher occurrence of RBD in comparison to antidepressant-naïve patients.
Vagus somatosensory-evoked potentials are prolonged in patients with multiple sclerosis with brainstem involvement

Vagus somatosensory-evoked potentials (VSEP) were proposed as a neurophysiological indicator of brainstem dysfunction based on prolonged latencies found in Alzheimer’s dementia and Parkinson’s disease. We now aimed at a further confirmation of this view independent from neurodegenerative diseases and hypothesized that VSEP in multiple sclerosis with brainstem affection show prolonged latencies, too. In 15 patients with multiple sclerosis according to McDonald and 15 healthy controls after stimulation of the auricular branch of the vagus nerve at the tragus (electrical square impulses, impulse width 0.1 ms, interstimulus interval 2 s, intensity 8 mA), evoked potentials were recorded from electrode positions C3–F3, C4–F4, Fz–F3 and Fz–F4. Analysis of variance showed a significant main effect of the factor diagnosis on latency P1 (F 1,24=7.067, P=0.001), no significant effect for latencies N1 and P2 nor for the amplitudes. A subgroup of patients with signs of brainstem affection showed a trend for longer P1 latencies (F 1,11=5916, P=0.033) as compared with the group without. We take this result as further hint for VSEP to be generated at brainstem level which needs confirmation in larger-scale studies and other brainstem-affecting diseases. The method could be suitable for the demonstration of the involvement of differential brainstem nuclei in various neurodegenerative diseases.
Genetic Polymorphisms in Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor δ Associated With Obesity

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) are nuclear receptors regulating the expression of genes involved in lipid and glucose metabolism. Three different PPARs, PPAR-α, -γ, and -δ, have been characterized, and they are distinguished from each other by tissue distribution and cell activation. All PPARs are, to different extents, activated by fatty acids and derivatives. Recently, it has been shown that PPAR-δ serves as a widespread regulator of fat burning, suggesting that it might be a potential target in the treatment of obesity and type 2 diabetes. In an effort to identify polymorphic markers in potential candidate genes for type 2 diabetes, we have sequenced PPAR-δ, including −1,500 bp of the 5′ flanking region. Nine polymorphisms were identified in PPAR-δ: four in the intron, one in the 5′ untranslated region (UTR), and four in the 3′ UTR. Among identified polymorphisms, five common sites, including c. −13454G>T, c. −87T>C, c.2022+12G>A, c.2629T>C, and c.2806C>G, were genotyped in subjects with type 2 diabetes and normal control subjects ( n = 702). The genetic associations with the risk of type 2 diabetes and metabolic phenotype were analyzed. No significant associations with the risk of type 2 diabetes were detected. However, several positive associations of PPAR-δ polymorphisms with fasting plasma glucose and BMI were detected in nondiabetic control subjects. The genetic information about PPAR-δ from this study would be useful for further genetic study of obesity, diabetes, and other metabolic diseases.