Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A Communicative Act Library in the context of Artificial Institutions

In this paper we propose a model of agents’ institutional reality that makes us able to define the semantics of a set of communicative acts suitable for agent communication. Taking inspiration from Searle’s studies on the construction of social reality, we introduce our notion of Artificial Institution consisting of: an ontology of the concepts defined by the institution, a set of authorizations for the performance of actions on institutional reality, a set of conventions for the performance of such actions, and a set of norms. In particular we define the Basic Institution that introduces all the basic concepts necessary to define communicative acts in terms of their effects on commitments, and a Communicative Act Library whose syntax is compatible with the one proposed for FIPA-ACL. Finally we introduce and discusse our proposal for the formalization of norms.
Fronto-parietal overactivation in patients with essential tremor during Stroop task

Neuropsychological dysfunctions have been consistently reported in essential tremor but the underlying neurobiological mechanisms are unknown. We explored potential abnormalities in the neural network involved in cognitive functions in patients with essential tremor by using functional magnetic resonance imaging. The functional response of 12 patients with essential tremor and 12 matched controls was studied while performing a functional magnetic resonance imaging Stroop task aimed to assess attentional control and evaluating executive functions. Despite similar performances during this task, patients with essential tremor showed greater magnitude of brain response in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and in the inferior parietal cortex with respect to controls. Our study shows that patients with essential tremor require additional cognitive effort to achieve comparable performance levels on test of attentional control.
Character Displacement and the Origins of Diversity

In The Origin of Species, Darwin proposed his principle of divergence of character (a process now termed “character displacement”) to explain how new species arise and why they differ from each other phenotypically. Darwin maintained that the origin of species and the evolution of differences between them is ultimately caused by divergent selection acting to minimize competitive interactions between initially similar individuals, populations, and species. Here, we examine the empirical support for the various claims that constitute Darwin’s principle, specifically that (1) competition promotes divergent trait evolution, (2) the strength of competitively mediated divergent selection increases with increasing phenotypic similarity between competitors, (3) divergence can occur within species, and (4) competitively mediated divergence can trigger speciation. We also explore aspects that Darwin failed to consider. In particular, we describe how (1) divergence can arise from selection acting to lessen reproductive interactions, (2) divergence is fueled by the intersection of character displacement and sexual selection, and (3) phenotypic plasticity may play a key role in promoting character displacement. Generally, character displacement is well supported empirically, and it remains a vital explanation for how new species arise and diversify.
Are beginning teachers with a second degree at a higher risk of early career burnout

This study investigated the impact that holding a second university degree has on levels of burnout that is reported by beginning teachers during their first year of employment. This research formed part of an ongoing investigation that aims to identify important elements relating to teacher well-being during the transition from university to a teaching career. One hundred and twenty three teachers responded to a mail survey six weeks after they commenced full-time teaching (T1) and again six months later (T2). On both occasions the survey included the Educators Survey version of the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI: Maslach, Jackson, & Leiter, 1996). Forty five percent of respondents indicated that they held a second university degree in addition to their Bachelor of Education qualification when they registered as a teacher.
3 CERN-TH / 2002-264 , SLAC-PUB-9604 Present Status of Inclusive Rare B Decays

We give a status report on inclusive rare B decays, highlighting recent developments and open problems. We focus on the decay modes B → Xs,dγ, B → Xsll and B → Xsνν̄ and on their role in the search for new physics. Most of the inclusive rare B decays are important modes of flavour physics due to the small hadronic uncertainties. They can be regarded as laboratories to search for new physics. We collect the experimental data already available from CLEO and the B factories BABAR and BELLE. We review the NLL and NNLL QCD calculations of the inclusive decay rates that were recently completed, and discuss future prospects, especially the issue of the charm mass scheme ambiguity. Finally, we analyse the phenomenological impact of these decay modes, in particular on the CKM phenomenology and on the indirect search for supersymmetry. We also briefly discuss direct CP violation in inclusive rare B decays, as well as the rare kaon decays K+ → π+νν̄ and KL → π0νν̄, which offer complementary theoretically clean information. Invited Contribution to Reviews of Modern Physics
Clustering of Dark Matter Halos on the Light Cone: Scale, Time, and Mass Dependence of the Halo Biasing in the Hubble Volume Simulations

We develop a phenomenological model to predict the clustering of dark matter halos on the light cone by combining several existing theoretical models. Assuming that the velocity field of halos on large scales is approximated by linear theory, we propose an empirical prescription of a scale, mass, and time dependence of halo biasing. We test our model against the Hubble volume N-body simulation and examine its validity and limitations. We find a good agreement in two-point correlation functions of dark matter halos between the phenomenological model predictions and measurements from the simulation for R > 5 h-1 Mpc in both the real and redshift spaces. Although calibrated on the mass scale of groups and clusters and for redshifts of up to z ~ 2, the model is quite general and can be applied to a wider range of astrophysical objects, such as galaxies and quasars, if the relation between dark halos and visible objects is specified.
AM966, an Antagonist of Lysophosphatidic Acid Receptor 1, Increases Lung Microvascular Endothelial Permeability through Activation of Rho Signaling Pathway and Phosphorylation of VE-Cadherin

Maintenance of pulmonary endothelial barrier integrity is important for reducing severity of lung injury. Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) regulates cell motility, cytoskeletal rearrangement, and cell growth. Knockdown of LPA receptor 1 (LPA1) has been shown to mitigate lung injury and pulmonary fibrosis. AM966, an LPA1 antagonist exhibiting an antifibrotic property, has been considered to be a future antifibrotic medicine. Here, we report an unexpected effect of AM966, which increases lung endothelial barrier permeability. An electric cell-substrate sensing (ECIS) system was used to measure permeability in human lung microvascular endothelial cells (HLMVECs). AM966 decreased the transendothelial electrical resistance (TEER) value immediately in a dose-dependent manner. VE-cadherin and f-actin double immunostaining reveals that AM966 increases stress fibers and gap formation between endothelial cells. AM966 induced phosphorylation of myosin light chain (MLC) through activation of RhoA/Rho kinase pathway. Unlike LPA treatment, AM966 had no effect on phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinases (Erk). Further, in LPA1 silencing cells, we observed that AM966-increased lung endothelial permeability as well as phosphorylation of VE-cadherin and focal adhesion kinase (FAK) were attenuated. This study reveals that AM966 induces lung endothelial barrier dysfunction, which is regulated by LPA1-mediated activation of RhoA/MLC and phosphorylation of VE-cadherin.
Race and reflexivity

Abstract It is widely recognized that our understanding of the racial order will remain forever unsatisfactory so long as we fail to turn our analytic gaze back upon ourselves, the analysts of racial domination, and inquire critically into the hidden presuppositions that shape our thought. However, for reflexivity to be employed widely in the interest of scientific truth, analysts must acknowledge that reflexive thinking entails much more than observing how one's social position (racial identity or class background, for example) affects one's scientific analyses. In this paper, we deepen the meaning of scholarly reflexivity, discussing how it can be directed at three levels of hidden presuppositions: the social, the disciplinary, and the scholastic.
‘The family that feared tomorrow’: British nuclear culture and individual experience in the late 1950s

Abstract Journalistic representations of a suicide pact in 1957 encapsulated wider popular assumptions on, and anxieties over, nuclear technology. Through an exploration of British nuclear culture in the late 1950s, this article suggests that knowledge of nuclear danger disrupted broader conceptions of self, nationhood and existence in British life. Building on Hecht's use of the term ‘nuclearity’, the article offers an alternative definition of the term whereby nuclearity is understood to mean the collection of assumptions held by individual citizens on the dangers of nuclear technology: assumptions that were rooted firmly in context and which circulated in, and were shaped by, national discourse. The article will argue that nuclearity was an active component in the formation of British identity by the late 1950s. The article is intended as a starting point for extended reflections on the ways in which nuclearity can add to our understanding of individual experience, nuclear anxiety and Cold War culture in post-war Britain.
Identity and Adolescent Adjustment

This article is the report of an investigation of relations among identity coherence/identity confusion, the ego strength of competence, antisocial behavior, academic competence, and perceptions of school environment in a sample of 574 adolescents. The primary results of this cross-sectional study suggest significant associations between identity-related constructs and indicators of adolescent adjustment. Study implications are discussed in terms of identity-related interventions.
Thiazolidinedione use and bone loss in older diabetic adults.

CONTEXT Activation of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma by thiazolidinediones (TZDs) results in lower bone mass in mice. OBJECTIVE The objective of the study was to determine whether TZD use is associated with changes in bone mineral density (BMD) in older adults with type 2 diabetes. DESIGN We analyzed 4-yr follow-up data from the Health, Aging, and Body Composition observational study. SETTING The study was conducted in a general community. PATIENTS White and black, physically able men and women, aged 70-79 yr at baseline with diabetes defined by self-report, use of hypoglycemic medication, elevated fasting glucose (>/=126 mg/dl), or elevated 2-h glucose tolerance test (>/=200 mg/dl) participated in the study. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Whole-body, lumbar spine (derived from whole body), and hip BMD were measured by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry at 2-yr intervals. RESULTS Of 666 diabetic participants, 69 reported TZD use at an annual visit, including troglitazone (n = 22), pioglitazone (n = 30), and/or rosiglitazone (n = 31). Those with TZD use had higher baseline hemoglobin A(1c) and less weight loss over 4 yr but similar baseline BMD and weight than others with diabetes. In repeated-measures models adjusted for potential confounders associated with TZD use and BMD, each year of TZD use was associated with greater bone loss at the whole body [additional loss of -0.61% per year; 95% confidence interval (CI) -1.02, -0.21% per year], lumbar spine (-1.23% per year; 95% CI -2.06, -0.40% per year), and trochanter (-0.65% per year; 95% CI -1.18, -0.12% per year) in women, but not men, with diabetes. CONCLUSION These observational results suggest that TZDs may cause bone loss in older women. These results need to be tested in a randomized trial.
Effect of employee background on perceived organizational justice: managerial implications

The study examines the effect employee background (gender, education level and affiliation to the government) on organizational justice perceptions using the three-factor model (distributive, procedural and interactional justice). Selected demographic and attitudinal data were collected from a sample of 313 employees representing 10 public organizations. The findings of this study show that gender had a significant effect on distributive and interactional justice but not procedural justice; education level had a significant effect on distributive and procedural justice but not interactional justice; and affiliation to the government had a significant effect on all the three dimensions of justice. Managerial implications of these findings and future research directions are also discussed. Points for practitioners Gaining a better insight into the effects of demographic factors (gender, education level and affiliation to the government) on the three dimensions of organizational justice indicates to policymakers and public managers where improvements can be made, and helps them to develop strategies and policies that could improve the perceived justice. Another important implication of this study for countries emerging from a civil war, liberation struggle or other similar conflict (for example, South Sudan, Libya, Afghanistan) is regarding converting former fighters into civil servants and their management afterwards. It is crucial to provide them employment opportunities in a civil service provided that they are placed based on the principle of the right persons on the right positions and then treat them as equal as their counterparts: non-ex-fighter civil servants. They only need to be given some (special) kind of training (at the beginning) that expedites their socialization and integration into the main stream way of thinking and doing things.
A New Drosophila POU Gene, pdm3, Acts in Odor Receptor Expression and Axon Targeting of Olfactory Neurons

Olfaction depends on the differential activation of olfactory receptor neurons (ORNs) and on the proper transmission of their activities to the brain. ORNs select individual receptors to express, and they send axons to particular targets in the brain. Little is known about the molecular mechanisms underlying either process. We have identified a new Drosophila POU gene, pdm3, that is expressed in ORNs. Genetic analysis shows that pdm3 is required for odor response in one class of ORNs. We find that pdm3 acts in odor receptor expression in this class, and that the odor response can be rescued by the receptor. Another POU gene, acj6, is required for receptor expression in the same class, and we find a genetic interaction between the two POU genes. The results support a role for a POU gene code in receptor gene choice. pdm3 is also expressed in other ORN classes in which it is not required for receptor expression. For two of these classes, pdm3 is required for normal axon targeting. Thus, this mutational analysis, the first for a POU class VI gene, demonstrates a role for pdm3 in both of the processes that define the functional organization of ORNs in the olfactory system.
Cost‐effectiveness of high‐dose chemotherapy in first‐line treatment of advanced multiple myeloma

The cost‐effectiveness of high‐dose chemotherapy in multiple myeloma was considered as part of a UK National Health Service Executive regional evidence‐based appraisal process. The use of high‐dose chemotherapy supported by autologous stem cell transplantation in patients under 65 years of age was shown to provide a marginal benefit of 0·7 life‐years over conventional chemotherapy. This corresponded to an incremental cost ‘per life‐year gained’ figure of approximately £15 000, based upon initial treatment costs and trial‐period data only. The use of high‐dose chemotherapy in the first‐line treatment of advanced multiple myeloma improves event‐free and overall survival and appears to be a cost‐effective treatment option.
Proficient and Less Proficient Comprehenders' Strategy use for Different Top-Level Structures

This study examined proficient and less proficient high school comprehenders' use of strategies as they read three passages with different top-level structures: collection, causation, and comparison. Subjects were 24 tenth and eleventh graders who were divided into proficient and less proficient comprehenders based on results of standardized comprehension tests: proficient comprehenders scored above the 70th percentile; less proficient comprehenders below the 50th percentile. Content area passages were used with the proficient comprehenders and were revised for the less proficient comprehenders so that the passages would be the same relative difficulty for both groups. Results indicate that both groups of readers used similar strategies: rereading, previous knowledge, inference, reading subsequent text, utilizing author's structure, relating to the main idea, and focusing on key vocabulary. Use of inferences was more valuable than other strategies on the collection passage, and use of author's structure was more valuable on the causation passage than on the other passages for the proficient comprehenders. Proficient comprehenders differed from less proficient comprehenders in their greater use of previous knowledge on the collection passage and their greater use of vocabulary strategies on the causation and comparison passages. Implications for instruction are addressed.
Interpreting the South African election of June 1999

Abstract After briefly reviewing the campaign and results of the South African election of 2 June 1999, this article outlines the dominant view that the election is best interpreted in terms of a pre‐specified conception of racial and ethnic identity (particularly with regard to party campaigning and voting behaviour). The article contests this racialized reading of the election, and through emphasizing the importance of economic and class considerations, argues that there is a need for a more complex and critically informed interpretation.
Fetal tissue engineering: in utero tracheal augmentation in an ovine model.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE This study was aimed at comparing fetal tissue engineering with autologous free grafting in an ovine model of in utero tracheal repair. METHODS Chondrocytes were isolated from both elastic and hyaline cartilage specimens harvested from fetal lambs and expanded in vitro. Cells were seeded dynamically onto biodegradable scaffolds, which then were maintained in a rotating bioreactor for 6 to 8 weeks. Constructs subsequently were implanted into fetal tracheas (n = 15), in a heterologous fashion (group I). In group II, fetuses (n = 5) received autologous free grafts of elastic cartilage harvested from the ear as tracheal implants. In vivo specimens were harvested for histologic analysis at different time-points postimplantation. RESULTS In the 12 of 15 surviving fetuses of group I, all constructs were found to resemble normal hyaline cartilage, engraft well despite their heterologous origin, and display time-dependent epithelialization derived from the native trachea. All autologous free grafts were engrafted and epithelialized at birth, retaining histologic characteristics of elastic cartilage, but were more deformed than engineered constructs. Of the lambs allowed to reach term, 5 of 5 in the engineered group and 4 of 5 in the free graft group could breathe spontaneously. CONCLUSIONS (1) Tissue-engineered cartilage, as well as autologous free grafts, can be implanted successfully into the fetal trachea, resulting in engraftment and function. (2) Engineered cartilage provides enhanced structural support after implantation into the fetal trachea when compared with free grafts. Prenatal tracheoplasty may prove useful for the treatment of severe congenital tracheal malformations.
Development of number concepts: Ordering and correspondence operations and the role of length cues.

The development of ordering and correspondence operations, under varying degrees of the presence of length cues to number, was studied in 91 preschool children, aged 3.5 to 5.0 years. Ordering operations, as measured by a relative magnitude task, preceded the development of correspondenc e concepts. Many-to-one correspondence did not clearly develop before one-to-one correspondence. When length was positively correlated with number, performance improved on tasks involving judgments of comparative size, but did not improve where judgments of equality were required. When length and number cues were negatively correlated, performance was significantly retarded. The findings were interpreted in terms of the young child's difficulty in separating and coordinating the dimensions of length and number.
Association statistics under the PPL framework

In this paper, we extend the PPL framework to the analysis of case‐control (CC) data and introduce three new linkage disequilibrium (LD) statistics. These statistics measure the evidence for or against LD, rather than testing the null hypothesis of no LD, and they therefore avoid the need for multiple testing corrections. They are suitable not only for CC designs but also can be used in application to family data, ranging from trios to complex pedigrees, all under the same statistical framework, allowing for the seamless analysis of disparate data structures. They also provide other core advantages of the PPL framework, including the use of sequential updating to accumulate LD evidence across potentially heterogeneous sets or subsets of data; parameterization in terms of a very general trait likelihood, which simultaneously considers dominant, recessive, and additive models; and a straightforward mechanism for modeling two‐locus epistasis. Finally, by implementing the new statistics within the PPL framework, we have a ready mechanism for incorporating linkage information, obtained from distinct data, into LD analyses in the form of a prior distribution. Here we examine the performance of the proposed LD statistics using simulated data, as well as assessing the effects of key modeling violations on this performance. Genet. Epidemiol. 34:835‐845, 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Acting at Work

Façades of conformity (FOC) is a theoretical concept coined to describe employees who act as if they embrace an organization's values when they really don't in order to survive and/or succeed within that organization. This exploratory study combines value theory and the sociology of the professions to explore manifestations of FOC among professionals (university faculty members). Respondents' experiences of “acting at work” reveal the presence, absence, and dynamic nature of FOC. Response patterns allow us to confirm, disconfirm, and extend Hewlin's (2003) theory by identifying two types of FOC, four issues respondents typically “façade” about, behaviors enacted during the use of FOC, and the perceived risks associated with not using FOC at work. These results have significant implications for the scholarly and managerial practice of assessing value congruence between individuals and organizations.