Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Gaming in a Social World: Examining the Relationship between Social Competence and Online Video Game Involvement

The proliferation of affordable and accessible Internet connectivity has changed the way video games are played by allowing individuals to connect worldwide in shared gaming spaces. These highly social environments allow players to connect, interact with, and learn from each other. However, there is a growing concern that these social environments also have the potential to displace real-world connections and interactions, contributing to a variety of losses in ‘offline’ sociability (Chiu, Lee, & Huang, 2004; Cole & Griffiths, 2007; Kim, Namkoong, Ku, & Kim, 2008; Peters & Malesky, 2008; Shen & Williams, 2010). While the association between online video game play and social incompetence remains widespread, so much so that it has evolved into a core component of the cultural perceptions of those who participate within online games (Kowert, Griffiths, & Oldmeadow, 2012; Kowert & Oldmeadow, 2012), empirical evidence illustrating this relationship has been conflicting and the potential mechanisms underlying these associations remain unclear. The work contained within this thesis aims to clarify the veracity of previously drawn conclusions, and evaluate social differences amongst adult video game players to uncover if, and how, online video game involvement supports, or undermines, the development and maintenance of traditional social skills. To this end, three, large-scale survey studies were conducted. While the results indicated that more involved online players display some variation in social outcomes as compared to other game playing groups, a general lack of unique or magnified relationships between Involvement and social outcomes within online players largely discredits the contention that increased online video game involvement inevitably coincides with severe social consequences. However, the emergence of inverse, linear relationships between video game involvement, the importance and likelihood of achieving offline social goals, and social expressivity, and a positive linear relationship with emotional sensitivity, both off- and online, does suggest that video game play may be a socially displacing activity and that users of this medium could be experiencing some social changes due to use. Taken together, it can be concluded that there are consistent links between video game involvement and social skills, which are likely attributable to social displacement effects. However, these relationships are not unique to, or substantially magnified within, online communities.
This Reprint May Differ from the Original in Pagination and Typographic Detail. Graphogame a Catalyst for Multi-level Promotion of Literacy in Diverse Contexts Graphogame – a Catalyst for Multi-level Promotion of Literacy in Diverse Contexts

All material supplied via JYX is protected by copyright and other intellectual property rights, and duplication or sale of all or part of any of the repository collections is not permitted, except that material may be duplicated by you for your research use or educational purposes in electronic or print form. You must obtain permission for any other use. Electronic or print copies may not be offered, whether for sale or otherwise to anyone who is not an authorised user. (2015). GraphoGame a catalyst for multi-level promotion of literacy in diverse contexts. Serpell R and Lyytinen H (2015) GraphoGame – a catalyst for multi-level promotion of literacy in diverse contexts. GraphoGame (GG) is originally a technology-based intervention method for supporting children with reading difficulties. It is now known that children who face problems in reading acquisition have difficulties in learning to differentiate and manipulate speech sounds and consequently, in connecting these sounds to corresponding letters. GG was developed to provide intensive training in matching speech sounds and larger units of speech to their written counterparts. GG has been shown to benefit children with reading difficulties and the game is now available for all Finnish school children for literacy support. Presently millions of children in Africa fail to learn to read despite years of primary school education. As many African languages have transparent writing systems similar in structure to Finnish, it was hypothesized that GG-based training of letter-sound correspondences could also be effective in supporting children's learning in African countries. In this article we will describe how GG has been developed from a Finnish dyslexia prevention game to an intervention method that can be used not only to improve children's reading performance but also to raise teachers' and parents' awareness of the development of reading skill and effective reading instruction methods. We will also provide an overview of the GG activities in Zambia, Kenya, Tanzania, and Namibia, and the potential to promote education for all with a combination of scientific research and mobile learning.
Risk assessment and shared care planning in out-patient forensic psychiatry: cluster randomised controlled trial

Background Forensic psychiatry aims to reduce recidivism and makes use of risk assessment tools to achieve this goal. Various studies have reported on the predictive qualities of these instruments, but it remains unclear whether their use is associated with actual prevention of recidivism in clinical care. Aims To test whether an intervention combining risk assessment and shared care planning is associated with a reduction in violent and criminal behaviour. Method A cluster randomised controlled trial (Netherlands Trial Register number NTR1042) was conducted in three outpatient forensic psychiatric clinics. The intervention comprised risk assessment with the Short Term Assessment of Risk and Treatability (START) and a shared care planning protocol formulated according to shared decision-making principles. The control group received usual care. The outcome consisted of the proportion of clients with violent or criminal incidents at follow-up. Results In total 58 case managers and 632 of their clients were included, in the intervention group (n=310), 65% received the intervention at least once. Findings showed a general treatment effect (22% of clients with an incident at baseline v. 15% at follow-up, P<0.01) but no significant difference between the two treatment conditions (odds ratio (OR)=1.46, 95% CI 0.89-2.44, P = 0.15). Conclusions Although risk assessment is common practice in forensic psychiatry, our results indicate that the primary goal of preventing recidivism was not reached through risk assessment embedded in shared decision-making.
Effects of chronic administration of neuroleptic and anticholinergic agents on densities of D2 dopamine and muscarinic cholinergic receptors in rat striatum.

It has been suggested that the development of tardive dyskinesia (TD), a serious and sometimes permanent movement disorder that may follow the use of neuroleptic drugs, is due to an increase in the density of or to a functional supersensitivity of D2 dopamine receptors in the striatum. The atypical neuroleptic clozapine (CLZ) is thought not to cause either acute extrapyramidal syndromes or TD because of its intrinsic anticholinergic activity. This hypothesis was examined using an increase in the density of striatal D2 dopamine receptors after chronic neuroleptic treatment in rats as a model of the changes underlying TD. Rats were treated for 14 days with saline; the neuroleptics CLZ, thioridazine or fluphenazine decanoate (FD); the anticholinergic drugs atropine or trihexyphenidyl or with FD together with atropine or trihexyphenidyl. Specific binding of [3H]spiroperidol to striatal D2 receptors was increased by 26 to 31% (P less than .05) in the groups treated with FD alone or in conjunction with any of the anticholinergic agents. There was no significant increase in the density of D2 receptors after administration of CLZ or thioridazine. The results are consistent with the hypothesis that an increase in the density of D2 receptors is associated with the development of TD. Because coadministration of anticholinergic drugs with FD does not attenuate the effects of the latter drug on striatal D2 receptors, it is likely that other properties of CLZ are responsible for its reduced propensity to produce alterations in D2 receptors and/or TD.
Coronectomy of a lower third molar in combination with vital pulp therapy

Coronectomy is a procedure that intentionally spares the vital root after removal of the crown of the lower third molar to avoid damage to the inferior alveolar nerve. Vital pulp therapy is one option for managing exposed pulp tissue to reduce the risk of pulpal inflammation or necrosis. Among various dental materials, mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) has been successfully used for vital pulp therapy. Thus, this case report discusses a coronectomy procedure in combination with vital pulp therapy using MTA. This case also attempts to highlight the formation of tertiary dentin, evidence of successful vital pulp therapy.
Roles of the Gac-Rsm pathway in the regulation of phenazine biosynthesis in Pseudomonas chlororaphis 30-84

The GacS/GacA two‐component regulatory system activates the production of secondary metabolites including phenazines crucial for biological control activity in Pseudomonas chlororaphis 30‐84. To better understand the role of the Gac system on phenazine regulation, transcriptomic analyses were conducted by comparing the wild‐type strain to a gacA mutant. RNA‐seq analysis identified 771 genes under GacA control, including many novel genes. Consistent with previous findings, phenazine biosynthetic genes were significantly downregulated in a gacA mutant. The transcript abundances of phenazine regulatory genes such as phzI, phzR, iopA, iopB, rpoS, and pip also were reduced. Moreover, the transcript abundance of three noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) including rsmX, rsmY, and rsmZ was significantly decreased by gacA mutation consistent with the presence of consensus GacA‐binding sites associated with their promoters. Our results also demonstrated that constitutive expression of rsmZ from a non‐gac regulated promoter resulted in complete restoration of N‐acyl‐homoserine lactone (AHL) and phenazine production as well as the expression of other gac‐dependent secondary metabolites in gac mutants. The role of RsmA and RsmE in phenazine production also was investigated. Overexpression of rsmE, but not rsmA, resulted in decreased AHL and phenazine production in P. chlororaphis, and only a mutation in rsmE bypassed the requirement for GacA in phenazine gene expression. In contrast, constitutive expression of the phzI/phzR quorum sensing system did not rescue phenazine production in the gacA mutant, indicating the direct posttranscriptional control by Gac on the phenazine biosynthetic genes. On the basis of these results, we propose a model to illustrate the hierarchic role of phenazine regulators modulated by Gac in the control of phenazine production. The transcriptomic analysis also was used to identify additional genes regulated by GacA that may contribute to the biological control capability of strain 30‐84.
Reliability and validity of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form for older adults in Vietnam.

ISSUES ADDRESSED The International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) was developed as a global standard questionnaire to monitor physical activity across diverse populations. In Vietnam, the IPAQ-Short Form (SF) has only been tested for reliability and validity among adolescents. The present study determined test-retest reliability and criterion validity of the IPAQ-SF for older Vietnamese adults aged 60-75 years. METHODS In all, 197 participants were recruited from the community. Subjects were requested to wear a pedometer, record daily steps and list all physical activities in a log-book for 7 consecutive days. Those who completed the requirements were interviewed using the IPAQ-SF (IPAQ1). A repeated interview was arranged 3 days later (IPAQ2). RESULTS The final sample consisted of 150 participants (75 men, 75 women) with mean (± s.d.) age of 66.8±5.1 years. The intraclass correlation coefficients between IPAQ1 and IPAQ2 exceeded 0.80 for all physical activity domains and sitting, indicating good reliability. However, fair to weak validity was evident between IPAQ1 measures and activity log and pedometer readings, with Spearman correlations of 0.46 and 0.20, respectively. CONCLUSIONS The Vietnamese translated version of IPAQ-SF appears to be a reliable and reasonably valid instrument to assess and monitor habitual physical activity for older adults in Vietnam. SO WHAT? The IPAQ-SF could provide useful physical activity data to evaluate the effectiveness of health promotion intervention programs and for international comparison purposes.
Down-Regulation of the CSLF 6 Gene Results in Decreased ( 1 , 3 ; 1 , 4 )-bD-Glucan in Endosperm of Wheat 1 [ C ] [ W ]

Rothamsted Research, Harpenden, Hertfordshire AL5 2JQ, United Kingdom (C.N., J.F., H.D.J., C.S., T.K.P., M.D.W., R.A.C.M., P.R.S.); School of Biological Sciences, University of Reading, Whiteknights, Reading, Berkshire RG6 6AH, United Kingdom (J.D.); Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, SE–750 07 Uppsala, Sweden (A.A.M.A., P.A.); and INRA, UR 1268 Biopolymères, Interactions et Assemblages, 44316 Nantes cedex 03, France (F.G., L.S.)
A new computational approach to stability analysis and synthesis of linguistic fuzzy control system

In this paper, stability analysis and synthesis of the type-II (Singleton-type) linguistic fuzzy control system are addressed. First, stability theorems are given for both continuous-time case and discrete-time case and they are recast in the formulation of bilinear matrix inequalities (BMIs). Continuous and discrete iterative linear matrix inequality methods are presented to obtain the feasible solution for the stability conditions represented as the BMI. The interesting feature of this paper is that the suggested method can be applied not only to the stability analysis but also to the controller synthesis. When it is applied to the synthesis of the type-II fuzzy logic controller, the resulting one can theoretically guarantee the stability of the closed-loop system. Finally, the effectiveness of the suggested method is illustrated via computer simulation.
University Students and the Internet: Information Seeking Study

This study explored university students' information needs and seeking behaviors on the Internet. A Web-based survey was administrated one time. Two hundred responses were received from the target sample within the two weeks period of the study. Data were analyzed with descriptive statistics, factor analysis, and graphical representation. The study explored various issues related to the usability, preferences, and activities of the Internet, such as searching tools, e-mail, search engines, and preferred primary sources of everyday-life information needs. The study explored the perceptions of the students toward the Internet and the traditional library. Kuhlthau's model of the information-seeking process, which includes six stages and affective components, was utilized and modified in the construction of the Web survey. A study by Presno (1998), which includes the four types of Internet anxiety, was utilized in the construction of the Web survey. With regard to the six stages of Kuhlthau model, the majority of the respondents experienced stage 5, which was about information gathering; stage 3 had the next highest number of respondents. Very few respondents experienced stages 1 and 2. There was a systematic pattern in which, the earlier the stages the respondents were in, the more negative adjectives they selected, and vice versa. The feeling adjectives section showed a difference in the behavior between males and females. The results indicated that most students had Internet time delay anxiety. In general, the study found that students have a great interest in the Internet and consider it an important source of information for their personal, educational, and communication activities.
A role for mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway in non alcoholic steatohepatitis related-cirrhosis.

UNLABELLED Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) encompasses the whole spectrum of steatosis, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), and NASH-related cirrhosis (NASH/Cir). Although molecular advances have been made in this field, the pathogenesis of NAFLD is not completely understood. The gene expression profiling associated to NASH/Cir was assessed, in an attempt to better characterize the pathways involved in its etiopathogenesis. METHODS In the first step, we used cDNA microarray to evaluate the gene expression profiles in normal liver (n=3) and NASH/Cir samples (n=3) by GeneSifter analysis to identify differentially expressed genes and biological pathways. Second, tissue microarray was used to determine immunohistochemical expression of phosphorylated mTOR and 4E-BP1 in 11 normal liver samples, 10 NASH/Cir samples and in 37 samples of cirrhosis of other etiologies to further explore the involvement of the mTOR pathway evidenced by the gene expression analysis. RESULTS 138 and 106 genes were, respectively, up and down regulated in NASH/Cir in comparison to normal liver. Among the 9 pathways identified as significantly modulated in NASH/Cir, the participation of the mTOR pathway was confirmed, since expression of cytoplasmic and membrane phospho-mTOR were higher in NASH/Cir in comparison to cirrhosis of other etiologies and to normal liver. CONCLUSIONS Recent findings have suggested a role for the cellular "nutrient sensor" mTOR in NAFLD and the present study corroborates the participation of this pathway in NASH/Cir. Phospho-mTOR evaluation might be of clinical utility as a potential marker for identification of NASH/Cir in cases mistakenly considered as cryptogenic cirrhosis owing to paucity of clinical data.
Phenotypic characterisation and ZEB1 mutational analysis in posterior polymorphous corneal dystrophy in a New Zealand population

Purpose Posterior Polymorphous Dystrophy (PPCD) is a genetically heterogeneous corneal dystrophy, with linkage to three different chromosomal loci, with several genes in these loci being implicated. The role of both VSX1 and COL8A2 in PPCD remains controversial but recent work suggests that mutations in the transcription factor gene ZEB1/TCF8 account for disease in up to 30% of subjects, with a significant association with connective tissue abnormalities. This study aimed to determine the phenotype and contribution of ZEB1 mutations in a New Zealand PPCD population Methods Following informed consent, 11 probands with PPCD underwent extensive clinical characterization; including a questionnaire to determine birth history, general health, and the incidence of connective tissue abnormalities, slit lamp examination, photography and in vivo confocal microscopy. Family members were recruited where available. Biological specimens underwent mutational analysis of all nine coding exons of ZEB1. Results ZEB1 mutational analysis identified one mutation in the 11 probands (9.1%), a novel mutation in the initiating methionine of exon 1, c.1A→G that results in the protein change p.Met1Val, with resultant aberrant initiation of translation. This mutation segregated with disease in the family, and was not present in 100 control chromosomes. No other ZEB1 mutations were observed in this cohort. Conclusion Recent studies suggest that ZEB1 mutations may account for PPCD in 18 to 30% of cases, with the majority of the mutations in exons 5 and 7. Clinical and molecular analyses in this New Zealand cohort show a much lower incidence of ZEB1 sequence change, confirming the genetic heterogeneity of PPCD. We also report identification of a novel mutation in the initiating methionine that removes the Kozak sequence, thereby altering the site of initiation translation.
In men, peripheral estradiol levels directly reflect the action of estrogens at the hypothalamo-pituitary level to inhibit gonadotropin secretion.

CONTEXT Estradiol inhibits gonadotropin release in men by an action at the hypothalamus and pituitary. Because of the tissue-specific regulation of aromatase, peripheral estradiol levels may not reflect brain estradiol concentrations. OBJECTIVE We evaluated whether local aromatization of testosterone in the hypothalamus or pituitary is important for gonadotropin release and to what extent circulating estrogens affect gonadotropin levels and peripheral testosterone levels. DESIGN, SUBJECTS, AND INTERVENTIONS: We suppressed aromatase activity in 10 young healthy men with letrozole 2.5 mg once daily, restored plasma estradiol levels with estradiol patches (100 microg/d for the first week, 50 microg/d the second week, 25 microg/d the third week, and no estradiol patch the fourth week) and measured plasma testosterone, estradiol, LH, FSH, and SHBG levels. RESULTS The mean estradiol and testosterone levels during the study ranged between 68.6 +/- 38.3 and 12.6 +/- 7.21 pg/ml for estradiol and 179 +/- 91 and 955 +/- 292 ng/dl (mean +/- sd) for testosterone. Levels of testosterone, LH, and FSH were inversely related to peripheral estradiol levels. During letrozole use, the mean plasma estradiol level needed to restore testosterone, LH, and FSH levels to baseline levels was not significantly different from the baseline mean estradiol level. CONCLUSIONS Local aromatization of testosterone in the hypothalamo-pituitary compartment is not a prerequisite for expression of the inhibitory action of estrogens on gonadotropin secretion in men. Peripheral estradiol levels directly reflect the inhibitory tone exerted by estrogens on gonadotropin release and are a major determinant of peripheral testosterone, LH, and FSH levels.
Plasma Shh Levels Reduced in Pancreatic Cancer Patients

Objectives Normally, sonic hedgehog (Shh) is expressed in the pancreas during fetal development and transiently after tissue injury. Although pancreatic cancers express Shh, it is not known if the protein is secreted into the blood and whether its plasma levels change with pancreatic transformation. The goal of this study was to develop an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay to detect human Shh in blood and determine its levels in subjects with and without pancreatic cancer. Methods A human Shh enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was developed, and plasma Shh levels were measured in blood samples from healthy subjects and patients with pancreatitis or pancreatic cancer. The biological activity of plasma Shh was tested using NIH-3T3 cells. Results The mean levels of Shh in human blood were lower in patients with pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer than in healthy subjects. Hematopoietic cells did not express Shh, suggesting that Shh is secreted into the bloodstream. Plasma fractions enriched with Shh did not induce Gli-1 messenger RNA, suggesting that the protein was not biologically active. Conclusions Shh is secreted from tissues and organs into the circulation, but its activity is blocked by plasma proteins. Reduced plasma levels were found in pancreatic cancer patients, but alone were not sufficient to predict pancreatic cancer. Abbreviations Shh - sonic hedgehog Ihh - Indian hedgehog Ptch-1 - Patched-1 Gli-1 - glioma-associated oncogene homolog 1 ELISA - enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay FPLC - fast protein liquid chromatography