Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Cognitive processes underlying human mate choice: The relationship between self-perception and mate preference in Western society

This study tested two hypotheses concerning the cognitive processes underlying human mate choice in Western society: (i) mate preference is conditional in that the selectivity of individuals' mate preference is based on their perception of themselves as long-term partners, and (ii) the decision rule governing such conditional mate preference is based on translating perception of oneself on a given attribute into a comparable selectivity of preference for the same attribute in a mate. Both hypotheses were supported. A two-part questionnaire was completed by 978 heterosexual residents of Ithaca, New York, aged 18–24; they first rated the importance they placed on 10 attributes in a long-term partner and then rated their perception of themselves on those same attributes. Both women and men who rated themselves highly were significantly more selective in their mate preference. When the 10 attributes were grouped into four evolutionarily relevant categories (indicative of wealth and status, family commitment, physical appearance, and sexual fidelity), the greatest amount of variation in the selectivity of mate preference in each category was explained by self-perception in the same category of attributes. We conclude that, in Western society, humans use neither an “opposites-attract” nor a “reproductive-potentials-attract” decision rule in their choice of long-term partners but rather a “likes-attract” rule based on a preference for partners who are similar to themselves across a number of characteristics.
THE CONCEPTUALISATION OF EMOTION QUALIA: SEMANTIC CLUSTERING OF EMOTIONAL TWEETS

A plethora of words are used to describe the spectrum of human emotions, but how many distinct emotions exist, and how do they interact? Over the past few decades, several theories of emotion have been proposed, each founded upon a set of basic emotions, and each supported by an extensive variety of research including studies in facial expression, ethology, neurology and physiology. Here we propose a theory that people transmit their understanding of emotions through the language they use that surrounds mentioned emotion keywords. Using a labelled corpus of over 21,000 tweets, six of the basic emotion sets proposed in existing literature were analysed using Latent Semantic Clustering (LSC) to propose the distinctiveness of the semantic meaning attached to the emotional label. We hypothesise that the more distinct language is used to express a certain emotion, then the more distinct the perception (including proprioception) of that emotion is, and thus more basic. This allows us to select the dimensions best representing the entire spectrum of emotion. We find that Ekman’s set, arguably the most frequently used for classifying emotions, is the most semantically distinct. Next, taking all analysed (that is, previously proposed) emotion terms into account, we determine the optimal semantically irreducible basic emotion set using an iterative LSC algorithm. Our newly-derived set (Accepting, Ashamed, Contempt, Interested, Joyful, Pleased, Sleepy, Stressed) generates a 6.1% increase in distinctiveness over Ekman’s set (Angry, Disgusted, Joyful, Sad, Scared).
Naturalistic follow-up of co-morbid substance use in schizophrenia: the West London first-episode study

Background The impact of co-morbid substance use in first-episode schizophrenia has not been fully explored. Method This naturalistic follow-up of a cohort of 152 people with first-episode schizophrenia examined substance use and clinical outcome in terms of symptoms and social and neuropsychological function. Results Data were collected on 85 (56%) of the patient cohort after a median period of 14 months. Over the follow-up period, the proportion of smokers rose from 60% at baseline to 64%. While 30% reported lifetime problem drinking of alcohol at baseline, only 15% had problem drinking at follow-up. Furthermore, while at baseline 63% reported lifetime cannabis use and 32% were currently using the drug, by the follow-up assessment the latter figure had fallen to 18.5%. At follow-up, persistent substance users had significantly more severe positive and depressive symptoms and greater overall severity of illness. A report of no lifetime substance use at baseline was associated with greater improvement in spatial working memory (SWM) at follow-up. Conclusions Past substance use may impede recovery of SWM performance in people with schizophrenia in the year or so following first presentation to psychiatric services. The prevalence of substance use other than tobacco tends to diminish over this period, in the absence of specific interventions. Persistent substance use in first-episode schizophrenia is associated with more severe positive and depressive symptoms but not negative symptoms, and should be a target for specific treatment intervention.
Using Syndromic Surveillance to Investigate Tattoo-Related Skin Infections in New York City

In response to two isolated cases of Mycobacterium chelonae infections in tattoo recipients where tap water was used to dilute ink, the New York City (NYC) Department of Health and Mental Hygiene conducted an investigation using Emergency Department (ED) syndromic surveillance to assess whether an outbreak was occuring. ED visits with chief complaints containing the key word “tattoo” from November 1, 2012 to March 18, 2013 were selected for study. NYC laboratories were also contacted and asked to report skin or soft tissue cultures in tattoo recipients that were positive for non-tuberculosis mycobacterial infection (NTM). Thirty-one TREDV were identified and 14 (45%) were interviewed to determine if a NTM was the cause for the visit. One ED visit met the case definition and was referred to a dermatologist. This individual was negative for NTM. No tattoo-associated NTM cases were reported by NYC laboratories. ED syndromic surveillance was utilized to investigate a non-reportable condition for which no other data source existed. The results were reassuring that an outbreak of NTM in tattoo recipients was not occurring. In response to concerns about potential NTM infections, the department sent a letter to all licensed tattoo artists advising them not to dilute tattoo ink with tap water.
Dynamic Changes in Macrophage Activation and Proliferation during the Development and Resolution of Intestinal Inflammation

Macrophages (Mφs) accumulate at sites of inflammation, and, because they can assume several functionally distinct states of activation, they can either drive or restrain inflammatory responses. Once believed to depend on the recruitment of blood monocytes, it is now clear that the accumulation of Mφs in some tissues can result from the proliferation of resident Mφs in situ. However, little is known about the proliferation and activation state of Mφ subsets in the gut during the development and resolution of intestinal inflammation. We show that inflammatory Mφs accumulate in the large intestine of mice during the local inflammatory response to infection with the gastrointestinal nematode parasite Trichuris muris. Classically activated Mφs predominate initially (as the inflammation develops) and then, following worm expulsion (as the inflammation resolves), both the resident and inflammatory populations of Mφs become alternatively activated. A small but significant increase in the proliferation of inflammatory Mφs is seen but only during the resolution phase of the inflammatory response following both worm expulsion and the peak in Mφ accumulation. In contrast to recent studies in the pleural and peritoneal cavities, the proliferation of resident and alternatively activated Mφs does not increase during the inflammatory response. Furthermore, in CCR2−/− mice, monocyte recruitment to the gut is impeded, and the accumulation of alternatively activated Mφs is greatly reduced. In conclusion, the recruitment of blood monocytes is the principle mechanism of Mφ accumulation in the large intestine. This study provides a novel insight into the phenotype and behavior of intestinal Mφ during infection-driven inflammation.
Optical spectroscopy of (candidate) ultracompact X-ray binaries: constraints on the composition of the donor stars

We present optical spectroscopy of several (candidate) ultracompact X-ray binaries (UCXBs) obtained with the European Southern Observatory Very Large Telescope and Gemini-North telescopes. In only one of five observed UCXB candidates did we find evidence for H in its spectrum (4U 1556−60). For XB 1905+00 the optical counterpart is not detected. For the known UCXBs 4U 1626−67 and XB 1916−05 we find spectra consistent with a C/O and a He/N accretion disc, respectively, the latter is the first optical spectrum of a He-rich donor in an UCXB. Interestingly, the C/O spectrum of 4U 1626−67 shows both similarities as well as marked differences from the optical C/O spectrum of 4U 0614+09. We obtained phase-resolved spectroscopy of 4U 0614+09 and the 44-min transient XTE J0929−314. In neither object were we able to detect clear orbital periodicities, highlighting the difficulties of period determinations in UCXBs. We reanalysed the spectra of XTE J0929−314 that were taken close to the peak of its 2003 X-ray outburst and do not confirm the detection of Hα emission as was claimed in the literature. The peak spectra do show strong C or N emission around 4640 A, as has also been detected in other UCXBs. We discuss the implications of our findings for our understanding of the formation of UCXBs and the Galactic population of UCXBs. At the moment all studied systems are consistent with having white dwarf donors, the majority being C/O rich.
Firestorm: a brainstorming application for collaborative group work at tabletops

The tabletop computer interface has the potential to support idea generation by a group using the brainstorming technique. This paper describes the design and implementation of a table-top brainstorming system. To gain insights into its effectiveness, we conducted a user study which compared our system against a more conventional approach. We analysed the processes and results with the goal of gaining an understanding of the ways a tabletop brainstorming system can support the phases of this activity. We found that our tabletop interface facilitated the creation of more ideas and participants tended to create more categories. We observed that the tabletop provides a useful record of the group processes and this is valuable for reviewing how well a group followed recommended brainstorming processes. Our contributions are a new table-top brainstorming system and insights into the nature of the benefits a tabletop affords for brainstorming and for capturing the processes employed by a group.
Performance Assessment of Two Whole-Lake Acoustic Positional Telemetry Systems - Is Reality Mining of Free-Ranging Aquatic Animals Technologically Possible?

Acoustic positional telemetry systems (APTs) represent a novel approach to study the behaviour of free ranging aquatic animals in the wild at unprecedented detail. System manufactures promise remarkably high temporal and spatial resolution. However, the performance of APTs has rarely been rigorously tested at the level of entire ecosystems. Moreover, the effect of habitat structure on system performance has only been poorly documented. Two APTs were deployed to cover two small lakes and a series of standardized stationary tests were conducted to assess system performance. Furthermore, a number of tow tests were conducted to simulate moving fish. Based on these data, we quantified system performance in terms of data yield, accuracy and precision as a function of structural complexity in relation to vegetation. Mean data yield of the two systems was 40 % (Lake1) and 60 % (Lake2). Average system accuracy (acc) and precision (prec) were Lake1: acc = 3.1 m, prec = 1.1 m; Lake2: acc = 1.0 m, prec = 0.2 m. System performance was negatively affected by structural complexity, i.e., open water habitats yielded far better performance than structurally complex vegetated habitats. Post-processing greatly improved data quality, and sub-meter accuracy and precision were, on average, regularly achieved in Lake2 but remained the exception in the larger and structurally more complex Lake1. Moving transmitters were tracked well by both systems. Whereas overestimation of moved distance is inevitable for stationary transmitters due to accumulation of small tracking errors, moving transmitters can result in both over- and underestimation of distances depending on circumstances. Both deployed APTs were capable of providing high resolution positional data at the scale of entire lakes and are suitable systems to mine the reality of free ranging fish in their natural environment. This opens important opportunities to advance several fields of study such as movement ecology and animal social networks in the wild. It is recommended that thorough performance tests are conducted in any study utilizing APTs. The APTs tested here appear best suited for studies in structurally simple ecosystems or for studying pelagic species. In such situations, the data quality provided by the APTs is exceptionally high.
A Prospective Surveillance Study of Candidaemia: Epidemiology, Risk Factors, Antifungal Treatment and Outcome in Hospitalized Patients

This study provide an up-to-date overview of the epidemiology and risk factors for Candida bloodstream infection in Scotland in 2012/2013, and the antifungal susceptibility of isolates from blood cultures from 11 National Health Service boards within Scotland. Candida isolates were identified by chromogenic agar and confirmed by MALDI–TOF methods. Survival and associated risk factors for patients stratified as albicans and non-albicans cases were assessed. Information on the spectrum of antifungals used was collected and summarized. The isolates sensitivity to different antifungals was tested by broth microdilution method and interpreted according to CLSI/EUCAST guidelines. Forty one percent of candidaemia cases were associated with Candida albicans, followed by C. glabrata (35%), C. parapsilosis (11.5%), and remainder with other Candida spp. C. albicans and C. glabrata infections were associated with 20.9 and 16.3% mortality, respectively. Survival of patients with C. albicans was significantly lower compared to non-C. albicans and catheter line removal in C. albicans patients significantly increases the survival days. Predisposing factors such as total parenteral nutrition, and number of days on mechanical ventilation or in intensive care, were significantly associated with C. albicans infections. Fluconazole was used extensively (64.5%) for treating candidaemia cases followed by echinocandins (33.8%). Based on CLSI breakpoints, MIC test found no resistance to any antifungals tested except 5.26% fluconazole resistance among C. glabrata isolates. Moreover, by comparing to EUCAST breakpoints we found 3.95% of C. glabrata isolates were resistant to anidulafungin. We have observed a shift in Candida spp. with an increasing isolation of C. glabrata. Delay and choice of antifungal treatment are associated with poor clinical outcomes.
The Determinants of Intra…rm Trade in Export Processing: Theory and Evidence from China

This paper investigates the determinants of integration versus outsourcing by exploiting the co-existence of two regulatory trade regimes for export-processing in China. Under the import-and-assembly regime, Chinese plants have control rights and ownership over the imported materials. Under the pure-assembly regime, ownership over the materials shipped to China remains with the foreign client. To guide the empirical analysis, we extend the model by Antras and Helpman (2004) to include component search in processing trade. The model predicts that ownership and control rights over components should be allocated to the party whose investments are relatively more important for production. As such, headquarter intensity and the prevalence of intra…rm trade are positively correlated across sectors under import-and-assembly; the relationship is ambiguous under pure-assembly. Using detailed product-level export data for China, we examine the theoretical predictions and …nd that under import-and-assembly, the share of intra…rm exports is increasing in the intensity of headquarter inputs across sectors, and is decreasing in the contractibility of inputs. These results support existing theories on the determinants of intra…rm trade. However, under pure-assembly, we …nd little support for existing theories on intra…rm trade that focus on the contract incompleteness and the relative importance of relationship-speci…c investments. Larger industry productivity dispersion is associated with a larger share of intra…rm exports under pure-assembly but not under import-and-assembly. These results are consistent with our model predictions.
EcoSky: Reducing vehicular environmental impact through eco-routing

Reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from transportation attracts increasing interest from governments, fleet managers, and individual drivers. Eco-routing, which enables drivers to use eco-friendly routes, is a simple and effective approach to reducing emissions from transportation. We present EcoSky, a system that annotates edges of a road network with time dependent and uncertain eco-weights using GPS data and that supports different types of eco-routing. Basic eco-routing returns the most eco-friendly routes; skyline eco-routing takes into account not only fuel consumption but also travel time and distance when computing eco-routes; and personalized eco-routing considers each driver's past behavior and accordingly suggests different routes to different drivers.
Identification of Novel Therapeutic Targets in Microdissected Clear Cell Ovarian Cancers

Clear cell ovarian cancer is an epithelial ovarian cancer histotype that is less responsive to chemotherapy and carries poorer prognosis than serous and endometrioid histotypes. Despite this, patients with these tumors are treated in a similar fashion as all other ovarian cancers. Previous genomic analysis has suggested that clear cell cancers represent a unique tumor subtype. Here we generated the first whole genomic expression profiling using epithelial component of clear cell ovarian cancers and normal ovarian surface specimens isolated by laser capture microdissection. All the arrays were analyzed using BRB ArrayTools and PathwayStudio software to identify the signaling pathways. Identified pathways validated using serous, clear cell cancer cell lines and RNAi technology. In vivo validations carried out using an orthotopic mouse model and liposomal encapsulated siRNA. Patient-derived clear cell and serous ovarian tumors were grafted under the renal capsule of NOD-SCID mice to evaluate the therapeutic potential of the identified pathway. We identified major activated pathways in clear cells involving in hypoxic cell growth, angiogenesis, and glucose metabolism not seen in other histotypes. Knockdown of key genes in these pathways sensitized clear cell ovarian cancer cell lines to hypoxia/glucose deprivation. In vivo experiments using patient derived tumors demonstrate that clear cell tumors are exquisitely sensitive to antiangiogenesis therapy (i.e. sunitinib) compared with serous tumors. We generated a histotype specific, gene signature associated with clear cell ovarian cancer which identifies important activated pathways critical for their clinicopathologic characteristics. These results provide a rational basis for a radically different treatment for ovarian clear cell patients.
Genes, Phenes and the Baldwin Effect: Learning and Evolution in a Simulated Population

Genes, Phenes and the Baldwin Effect: Learning and Evolution in a Simulated PopulationbyRobert M. French and Adam MessingerWillamette University, Salem, OR 97301(french@willamette.edu and amessing@willamette.edu)IntroductionThe view that evolution is influenced by acquired behaviors and traits is regardedby many as being uncomfortably close to the discredited Lamarckian contention thatevolution consists of the inheritance of acquired behaviors and traits. It is perhaps for thisreason more than any other that the evolutionary mechanism first proposed first by J.Mark Baldwin and Lloyd Morgan in 1896 [Baldwin, 1896; Morgan, 1896] is still veiledin controversy. This mechanism, known today simply as the Baldwin Effect, states thatlearned behavior and characteristics at the level of individuals can significantly affectevolution at the level of the species. Schull [1990] sums up the process as one in which"individual developmental responses will necessarily lead to directed and non-randomevolutionary change. " And while many evolutionary biologists accept the Baldwin Effectas a significant force in evolutionary change, the theory also has many detractors. Forexample, in a recent article, Piattelli-Palmarini [1990] writes, "One would have hopedthat, in 1990, all talk of the Baldwin effect . would have been mercifully forgotten. "Parisi, Nolfi, and Cecconi [1990] give three further reasons that evolutionarybiologists tend to dismiss the Baldwin Effect. The orthodoxy of evolutionary biologists,they claim, is strongly reductionist, “which implies that the causes and basic mechanismsof evolution are only to be found at the level of genetics. ” As a consequence, behaviorand learning, both being highly holistic processes, have been largely ignored inattempting to understand evolutionary processes. Another reason for the lack of attention,according to these authors, is that evolutionary biologists feel “behavior and learning arethe province not of biology but of psychology and ethology. ” And finally, until recently,there have been very few empirical studies of the Baldwin Effect in either real orsimulated populations. In this paper, clear evidence is presented that the Baldwin Effect can indeedsignificantly alter the course of Darwinian evolution at the level of the genotype. In otherwords, we show that plasticity at the phenotypic level can and does produce directedchanges at the genotypic level. In addition, the amount of plasticity and the amount ofbenefit of the learned behavior are also demonstrated to be crucial to the size of theeffect: either too little or too much and the effect disappears or is significantly reduced.Finally, we demonstrate certain conditions under which the Baldwin Effect is morepowerful in sexually reproducing populations than in asexually reproducing ones. Thisresearch confirms and extends earlier experimental work done by Hinton & Nowlan[1987], Belew [1990], Parisi, Nolfi, & Cecconi [1992], and Fontanari & Meir [1990],among others.