Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
To Live Among Like-Minded Others

Does it matter if your personality fits in with the personalities of the people where you live? The present study explored the links between person-city personality fit and self-esteem. Using data from 543,934 residents of 860 U.S. cities, we examined the extent to which the fit between individuals’ Big Five personality traits and the Big Five traits of the city where they live (i.e., the prevalent traits of the city’s inhabitants) predicts individuals’ self-esteem. To provide a benchmark for these effects, we also estimated the degree to which the fit between person and city religiosity predicts individuals’ self-esteem. The results provided a nuanced picture of the effects of person-city personality fit on self-esteem: We found significant but small effects of fit on self-esteem only for openness, agreeableness, and conscientiousness, rather than effects for all Big Five traits. Similar results and effect sizes were observed for religiosity. We conclude with a discussion of the relevance and limitations of this study.
Prevalence of elevated pulmonary arterial pressures measured by echocardiography in a multicenter study of patients with systemic sclerosis.

OBJECTIVE To estimate the prevalence of elevated pulmonary arterial pressures (PAP) as a correlate for pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) in rheumatology centers in Canada. METHODS During the one-year study period (June 2002-May 2003), charts of patients with SSc were reviewed to determine demographics, SSc characteristics, percentage of patients with a PAH diagnosis, and the site criteria for such diagnosis. Subjects with no PAH that had symptoms of dyspnea and/or fatigue were invited to undergo Doppler echocardiography to estimate their systolic PAP (sPAP). RESULTS A total of 539 patients with SSc (age 56 yrs +/- 13 SD, 84% female, 41% with diffuse SSc, 58% limited SSc, SSc disease duration 9 yrs +/- 7 SD) at 8 rheumatology centers were reviewed. Twenty-three percent of patients were diagnosed with elevated sPAP based on the site diagnosis criteria (i.e., > 30 mm Hg or > 35 mm Hg). From the non-PAH, not recently screened patients that had symptoms of dyspnea or fatigue, a total of 89 patients underwent a Doppler echocardiograph; 40% had sPAP > 35 mm Hg. CONCLUSION Elevated PAP are common in both limited and diffuse SSc disease, occurring in 21% of limited and 26% of diffuse SSc patients. During the screening most patients had mild PAP elevations that would require further assessments such as right heart catheterization to diagnose PAH where appropriate. A high index of suspicion is important and routine echocardiography in symptomatic patients may allow earlier diagnosis of PAH and intervention. The proportion of SSc patients with mild to moderate elevations of PAP who will develop significant PAH is unknown and longterm studies are needed to address the natural progression.
Equine grass sickness in Scotland: a case-control study of signalment- and meteorology-related risk factors.

REASONS FOR PERFORMING STUDY Equine grass sickness (EGS) remains a frequently fatal disease of equids in Britain. Since previous investigations of signalment- and meteorology-related risk factors for EGS have yielded some conflicting data, further investigation is warranted. OBJECTIVES To identify signalment- and meteorology-related risk factors for EGS in Scotland. STUDY DESIGN Retrospective time-matched case-control study. METHODS This study was undertaken using data for 455 EGS cases and 910 time-matched controls that were referred to the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, and average UK Meteorological Office weather station meteorological values from the month of admission of the animal, from the 3, 6 and 12 months prior to admission, and for the entire 1990-2006 period. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION Signalment-related risk factors associated with an increased risk of EGS were native Scottish pure breeds compared with crossbreeds (odds ratio [OR] = 3.56, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.43-5.43) and animals living on premises located further north within the study region (OR = 1.08, 95% CI 1.06-1.10). There was a decreased risk of EGS in animals aged 11-20 years compared with animals 2-10 years (OR = 0.32, 95% CI 0.22-0.45), non-native Scottish pure breeds compared with crossbreeds (OR = 0.71, 95% CI 0.54-0.94), and stallions compared with mares (OR = 0.43, 95% CI 0.22-0.86). Meteorology-related risk factors associated with an increased risk of EGS were (if Ordnance Survey northing is excluded) more sun hours (OR>1.43) and more frost days (OR>1.13), while there was a decreased risk of EGS with higher average maximum temperature (OR<0.83). POTENTIAL RELEVANCE The signalment-related risk factors will help owners identify high-risk animals, thereby allowing them to prioritise management strategies. The identification of meteorological risk factors may assist studies on the aetiology of EGS.
Out of the Closet...But not on the Shelves? An analysis of Canadian public libraries' holdings of gay-themed picture books

For those of you who do not want children exposed to [picture books such as Heather Has Two Mommies and Daddyʼs Roommate], I ask this: what leads you to believe that every child sitting in your child s̓ classroom or library comes from a home with a mother and a father? Why do you think that there are no children in your child s̓ classroom or library with lesbian or gay parents, siblings, aunts, uncles, grandparents, neighbors and friends? What messages are you giving to all children, when you pretend there is only one type of family, and render the rest invisible from Lesléa Newman, “ʼHeather ̓and Her Critics. ” Horn Book Magazine 73.2(1997): 149-154.
Personality subtyping and bulimia nervosa: psychopathological and genetic correlates

Background. There is empirical evidence suggesting that individuals with bulimia nervosa vary considerably in terms of psychiatric co-morbidity and personality functioning. In this study, latent profile analysis was used to attempt to identify clusters of bulimic subjects based on psychiatric co-morbidity and personality. Method. A total of 178 women with bulimia nervosa or a subclinical variant of bulimia nervosa completed a series of self-report inventories of co-morbid psychopathology and personality, and also provided a buccal smear sample for genetic analyses. Results. Three clusters of bulimic women were identified: an affective-perfectionistic cluster, an impulsive cluster, and a low co-morbid psychopathology cluster. The clusters showed expected differences on external validation tests with both personality and eating-disorder measures. The impulsive cluster showed the highest elevations on dissocial behavior and the lowest scores on compulsivity, while the affective-perfectionistic cluster showed the highest levels of eating-disorder symptoms. The clusters did not differ on genetic variations of the serotonin transporter gene. Conclusions. This study corroborates previous findings suggesting that the bulimia nervosa diagnostic category is comprised of three classes of individuals based on co-morbid psychopathology and personality. These differences may have significant etiological and treatment implications.
Modification of Hydrophilic Property of Polypropylene Films by a Parallel-Plate Nitrogen-Based Dielectric Barrier Discharge Jet

Modification of the hydrophilic properties of polypropylene (PP) films has been investigated using the postdischarge region of a pulsed nitrogen-based dielectric barrier discharge under atmospheric-pressure conditions. Results show that, for the stationary PP films, the contact angle (CA) decreases dramatically from 103° (untreated) to less than 30° (treated) with a wide range of O2/N2 ratios (<; 1%) and treating distances (<; 10 mm). In addition, the CA can still be maintained at ~ 40° after 24 h of the aging test. For the nonstationary PP films, a highly hydrophilic surface can only be obtained when the PP film is placed near the jet exit with O2/N2 ratios of 0.06%-0.2%. Additionally, the CA can only be maintained at ~80°-90° when the moving speed is ~ 1 cm/s after 24 h of the aging test. These observations are explained through measured optical emission spectra and ozone concentration data, in which the metastable nitrogen plays a key role in breaking the surface chemical bonds and the UV emission (200-300) participates in the process of converting the ozone into oxygen radical. Furthermore, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis showed that the O/C ratio increases dramatically for improved hydrophilic surface and the incorporation of functional groups containing oxygen (e.g., C-O and C = O ) is critical in increasing the aging time after plasma treatment.
Feed resources in the highlands of Ethiopia: A value chain assessment and intervention options

Livestock and Irrigation Value chains for Ethiopian Smallholders Livestock and irrigation value chains for Ethiopian smallholders project aims to improve the competitiveness, sustainability and equity of value chains for selected high‐value livestock and irrigated crop commodities in target areas of four regions of Ethiopia. It identifies, targets and promotes improved technologies and innovations to develop high value livestock and irrigated crop value chains; it improves the capacities of value chain actors; it improves the use of knowledge at different levels; it generates knowledge through action‐oriented research; and it promotes and disseminates good practices. Project carried out with the financial support of the Government of Canada provided through Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Canada (DFATD). lives-ethiopia.org
Individual Interventions to Prevent Drunk Driving: Types, Efficacy, and a Theoretical Perspective

College students (n = 100) who had tried to stop someone from driving drunk, or who someone else had tried to stop, provided information about their interaction, including what was said and whether the intervention worked. Results suggest that the manner in which people intervene can affect the likelihood that the impaired person will not drive, with forceful statements, clear demands, and concrete action being more effective than requests, pleas, or suggestions. The hypothesis that intervention represents a threat to the person's image received limited support, possibly for methodological reasons. The concept of threat to competence is discussed, as are implications of the results for prevention and education activities.
Is a more active attitude warranted in patients with subclinical thyrotoxicosis?

Abstract. In 1985 one of the new sensitive thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) assays was introduced as part of our laboratory routine for thyroid function testing. Consequently, we now routinely identify a small but not insignificant group of patients with ‘subclinical thyrotoxicosis’, i.e. a low serum TSH in conjunction with a normal serum free T4. We here present the results of a 2‐year follow‐up investigation, which includes 40 patients with subclinical thyrotoxicosis and 40 euthyroid control patients. The group with subclinical thyrotoxicosis was characterized by a mean age of 65 years and a high prevalence of nodular goitre. Twelve (30%) of the patients but none of the individuals in the control group were treated during the follow‐up period because of clinical thyroid disease. Atrial fibrillation was found in 11 (28%) patients compared to four (10%) of the controls. Therapy should be considered more often than previously in patients with nodular goitre and subclinical thyrotoxicosis, particularly in conjunction with atrial fibrillation.
From essence to excellence : A strengths-based approach to talent management

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The SUMO deconjugating peptidase Smt4 contributes to the mechanism required for transition from sister chromatid arm cohesion to sister chromatid pericentromere separation

The pericentromere chromatin protrudes orthogonally from the sister-sister chromosome arm axis. Pericentric protrusions are organized in a series of loops with the centromere at the apex, maximizing its ability to interact with stochastically growing and shortening kinetochore microtubules. Each pericentromere loop is ∼50 kb in size and is organized further into secondary loops that are displaced from the primary spindle axis. Cohesin and condensin are integral to mechanisms of loop formation and generating resistance to outward forces from kinesin motors and anti-parallel spindle microtubules. A major unanswered question is how the boundary between chromosome arms and the pericentromere is established and maintained. We used sister chromatid separation and dynamics of LacO arrays distal to the pericentromere to address this issue. Perturbation of chromatin spring components results in 2 distinct phenotypes. In cohesin and condensin mutants sister pericentric LacO arrays separate a defined distance independent of spindle length. In the absence of Smt4, a peptidase that removes SUMO modifications from proteins, pericentric LacO arrays separate in proportion to spindle length increase. Deletion of Smt4, unlike depletion of cohesin and condensin, causes stretching of both proximal and distal pericentromere LacO arrays. The data suggest that the sumoylation state of chromatin topology adjusters, including cohesin, condensin, and topoisomerase II in the pericentromere, contribute to chromatin spring properties as well as the sister cohesion boundary.
Portfolio Rebalancing and Asset Pricing with Heterogeneous Inattention

Can households’ inattention to the stock market quantitatively account for the inertia in portfolio rebalancing? I address this question by introducing an observation cost into a production economy with heterogeneous agents. In this environment inattention changes endogenously over time and across agents. I find that inattention explains the inertia in portfolio rebalancing and its heterogeneity across households. Inattention also rationalises the limited stock market participation observed in the data, and improves the asset pricing performance of the model. Finally, I present a novel testable implication linking the effects of inattention on portfolio choices and asset prices to households’ funding liquidity.
Psychostimulants, Brain Membrane Lipids and Dopamine Transmission

Membrane lipids in the brain play important roles in regulation of the membrane compartmentalization, function and signaling of neurotransmitter transporters and receptors. This review summarizes findings on changes in the composition and metabolism of brain membrane lipids such as phospholipids, cholesterol and sphingolipids following chronic exposure to psychostimulants. We also discussed the mechanisms by which membrane lipids regulate the membrane compartmentalization and function of dopamine transports and receptors in animal brain tissues and cultured cell lines. This review indicates that chronic psychostimulant exposure causes the remodeling of brain membrane lipid, which may contribute to psychostimulant-induced functional alterations in dopamine transporters and receptors. Brain membrane lipids could be exploited as a new avenue for pharmacological interventions of abnormal brain dopamine transmission and dopamine-related addiction behavior.
Smoking-based selection and influence in gender-segregated friendship networks: a social network analysis of adolescent smoking.

AIMS The main goal of this study was to examine differences between adolescent male and female friendship networks regarding smoking-based selection and influence processes using newly developed social network analysis methods that allow the current state of continuously changing friendship networks to act as a dynamic constraint for changes in smoking behaviour, while allowing current smoking behaviour to be simultaneously a dynamic constraint for changes in friendship networks. DESIGN Longitudinal design with four measurements. SETTING Nine junior high schools in Finland. PARTICIPANTS A total of 1163 adolescents (mean age = 13.6 years) who participated in the control group of the ESFA (European Smoking prevention Framework Approach) study, including 605 males and 558 females. MEASUREMENTS Smoking behaviour of adolescents, parents, siblings and friendship ties. FINDINGS Smoking-based selection of friends was found in male as well as female networks. However, support for influence among friends was found only in female networks. Furthermore, females and males were both influenced by parental smoking behaviour. CONCLUSIONS In Finnish adolescents, both male and female smokers tend to select other smokers as friends but it appears that only females are influenced to smoke by their peer group. This suggests that prevention campaigns targeting resisting peer pressure may be more effective in adolescent girls than boys.
Association of the 54‐nucleotide repeat polymorphism of hPer3 with heroin dependence in Han Chinese population

Circadian clock genes have the function of producing circadian rhythm. They are also implicated in the origin or development of many diseases such as cancers and neuropsychiatric diseases. The purpose of this study is to determine whether the 54‐nucleotide repeat polymorphism of hPer3, one of the circadian clock genes, associates with heroin dependence. DNA samples were obtained from 209 Chinese heroin‐dependent subjects and 249 Chinese healthy controls. The 54‐nucleotide repeat polymorphism was detected by polymerase chain reaction and DNA agarose gel electrophoresis. The frequency of four‐repeat allele was significantly higher (χ2= 10.64, P = 0.001; corrected for multiple tests, P = 0.003) in the mixed gender heroin‐dependent subject group (four repeat: 0.89, five repeat: 0.11) than in the mixed gender control group (four repeat: 0.81, five repeat: 0.19); the frequency of four‐repeat allele was also significantly higher (χ2= 10.00, P = 0.002; corrected for multiple tests, P = 0.006) in the male heroin‐dependent subject group (four repeat: 0.89, five repeat: 0.11) than in the male control group (four repeat: 0.81, five repeat: 0.19); for females, no significant trend was observed with the 54‐nucleotide repeat polymorphism between the heroin‐dependent subject group and the control group. Our results suggest that the 54‐nucleotide repeat polymorphism of hPer3 significantly associates with heroin dependence at the allele frequency level and may be a potential risk factor for the development of heroin dependence.
Verbal fluency tests: Normative data for the Latin American Spanish speaking adult population.

OBJECTIVE To generate normative data for the Verbal Fluency Tests across 11 countries in Latin America, with country-specific adjustments for gender, age, and education, where appropriate. METHOD The sample consisted of 3,977 healthy adults who were recruited from Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Cuba, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, and, Puerto Rico. Each subject was administered the Verbal Fluency Test as part of a larger neuropsychological battery. A standardized five-step statistical procedure was used to generate the norms. RESULTS The final multiple linear regression models for the letter F explained 8-30% of the variance, 7-32% for letter A, 8-32% for the letter S, and 16-43% for the animal category in Verbal Fluency Test scores. Although t-tests showed significant differences between men and women on the Verbal Fluency Test, they did not have an effect size larger than 0.3. As a result, gender-adjusted norms were not generated. CONCLUSIONS This is the first normative multicenter study conducted in Latin America aiming to create norms for the Verbal Fluency Test; this study will have important outcomes for the future of neuropsychology in the region.
How Does the Ossification Area of the Posterior Longitudinal Ligament Progress After Cervical Laminoplasty?

Study Design. Retrospective case series. Objective. To investigate the progression pattern of ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL) after cervical laminoplasty. Summary of Background Data. OPLL is a progressive disease, and an increased area of ossification affects the surgical results after laminoplasty. However, it is uncertain how the ossification area progresses with time after surgery. Methods. Fifty-five patients who were available for serial radiographs of more than 5 years were included. The extent of ossification in the longitudinal axis was assessed using computer software. The associations between the progression of OPLL and the clinical and radiologic data were analyzed. Results. Forty-one patients had OPLL progression. The patients were divided into three groups according to the pattern of progression. Group 1 consisted of patients 40 to 49 years of age with continuous or mixed type, showing slow progression at the beginning, then fast. Group 2 consisted of patients older than 50 years with continuous or mixed type, showing rapid progression at the beginning and then slow. The patients in Group 3 had segmental type with no or slight progression. Conclusions. We speculated that the progression of OPLL decreases as the patient ages. These findings will be important for the management of patients with OPLL after surgery.
Agroecology as a science, a movement and a practice. A review

Agroecology involves various approaches to solve actual challenges of agricultural production. Though agroecology initially dealt primarily with crop production and protection aspects, in recent decades new dimensions such as environmental, social, economic, ethical and development issues are becoming relevant. Today, the term ‘agroecology’ means either a scientific discipline, agricultural practice, or political or social movement. Here we study the different meanings of agroecology. For that we analyse the historical development of agroecology. We present examples from USA, Brazil, Germany, and France. We study and discuss the evolution of different meanings agroecology. The use of the term agroecology can be traced back to the 1930s. Until the 1960s agroecology referred only as a purely scientific discipline. Then, different branches of agroecology developed. Following environmental movements in the 1960s that went against industrial agriculture, agroecology evolved and fostered agroecological movements in the 1990s. Agroecology as an agricultural practice emerged in the 1980s, and was often intertwined with movements. Further, the scales and dimensions of agroecological investigations changed over the past 80 years from the plot and field scales to the farm and agroecosystem scales. Actually three approaches persist: (1) investigations at plot and field scales, (2) investigations at the agroecosystem and farm scales, and (3) investigations covering the whole food system. These different approaches of agroecological science can be explained by the history of nations. In France, agroecology was mainly understood as a farming practice and to certain extent as a movement, whereas the corresponding scientific discipline was agronomy. In Germany, agroecology has a long tradition as a scientific discipline. In the USA and in Brazil all three interpretations of agroecology occur, albeit with a predominance of agroecology as a science in the USA and a stronger emphasis on movement and agricultural practice in Brazil. These varied meanings of the term agroecology cause confusion among scientists and the public, and we recommend that those who publish using this term be explicit in their interpretation.