Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Self-Other Differences in Student Drinking Norms Research: The Role of Impression Management, Self-Deception, and Measurement Methodology.

BACKGROUND Data-driven student drinking norms interventions are based on reported normative overestimation of the extent and approval of an average student's drinking. Self-reported differences between personal and perceived normative drinking behaviors and attitudes are taken at face value as evidence of actual levels of overestimation. This study investigates whether commonly used data collection methods and socially desirable responding (SDR) may inadvertently impede establishing "objective" drinking norms. METHODS U.K. students (N = 421; 69% female; mean age 20.22 years [SD = 2.5]) were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 versions of a drinking norms questionnaire: The standard multi-target questionnaire assessed respondents' drinking attitudes and behaviors (frequency of consumption, heavy drinking, units on a typical occasion) as well as drinking attitudes and behaviors for an "average student. " Two deconstructed versions of this questionnaire assessed identical behaviors and attitudes for participants themselves or an "average student. " The Balanced Inventory of Desirable Responding was also administered. RESULTS Students who answered questions about themselves and peers reported more extreme perceived drinking attitudes for the average student compared with those reporting solely on the "average student. " Personal and perceived reports of drinking behaviors did not differ between multitarget and single-target versions of the questionnaire. Among those who completed the multitarget questionnaire, after controlling for demographics and weekly drinking, SDR was related positively with the magnitude of difference between students' own reported behaviors/attitudes and those perceived for the average student. CONCLUSIONS Standard methodological practices and socially desirable responding may be sources of bias in peer norm overestimation research.
Posttransplant therapy using high-dose human immunoglobulin (intravenous gammaglobulin) to control acute humoral rejection in renal and cardiac allograft recipients and potential mechanism of action.

BACKGROUND Intravenous gammaglobulin (i.v.IG) contains anti-idiotypic antibodies that are potent inhibitors of HLA-specific alloantibodies in vitro and in vivo. In addition, highly HLA-allosensitized patients awaiting transplantation can have HLA alloantibody levels reduced dramatically by i.v. IG infusions, and subsequent transplantation can be accomplished successfully with a crossmatch-negative, histoincompatible organ. METHODS In this study, we investigated the possible use of i.v. IG to reduce donor-specific anti-HLA alloantibodies arising after transplantation and its efficacy in treating antibody-mediated allograft rejection (AR) episodes. We present data on 10 patients with severe allograft rejection, four of whom developed AR episodes associated with high levels of donor-specific anti-HLA alloantibodies. RESULTS Most patients showed rapid improvements in AR episodes, with resolution noted within 2-5 days after i.v. IG infusions in all patients. i.v. IG treatment also rapidly reduced donor-specific anti-HLA alloantibody levels after i.v. IG infusion. All AR episodes were reversed. Freedom from recurrent rejection episodes was seen in 9 of 10 patients, some with up to 5 years of follow-up. Results of protein G column fractionation studies from two patients suggest that the potential mechanism by which i.v. IG induces in vivo suppression is a sequence of events leading from initial inhibition due to passive transfer of IgG to eventual active induction of an IgM or IgG blocking antibody in the recipient. CONCLUSION I.v. IG appears to be an effective therapy to control posttransplant AR episodes in heart and kidney transplant recipients, including patients who have had no success with conventional therapies. Vascular rejection episodes associated with development of donor-specific cytotoxic antibodies appears to be particularly responsive to i.v. IG therapy.
Parameter identification of Li-Po batteries in electric vehicles: A comparative study

An effective management of the onboard energy storage system is a key point for the development of electric vehicles. This requires the accurate estimation of the battery state over time and in a wide range of operating conditions. The battery state is usually expressed as state-of-charge and state-of-health. Its estimation demands an accurate model to represent the static and dynamic behaviour of the battery. Developing such a model requires the online identification of the battery parameters. This paper aims at comparing the performance of two popular system identification techniques, i.e., the Extended Kalman Filter and the classic Least Squares method. A significant contribution of this work is the definition of a benchmark which is representative of the real use of the battery in an electric vehicle. Simulation results show the peculiarities of both methods and their effectiveness.
The mycotoxins citrinin, gliotoxin, and patulin affect interferon‐γ rather than interleukin‐4 production in human blood cells

Exposure to molds diminishes the numbers of T‐helper type 1 (Th1) cells in the peripheral blood of children and is a risk factor for the development of allergic diseases (results of LARS: Leipzig Allergy Risk Children Study, Mueller et al. 2002). We hypothesized that mycotoxins are responsible for this effect and therefore investigated the influence of citrinin, gliotoxin, and patulin on human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). CD3/CD28‐stimulated PBMC of healthy donors were incubated for 24 h with the mycotoxins in serial dilutions and triplicates. Vitality and proliferation were tested using the MTT assay and T‐cell function by the expression of cytokines (ELISA, intracellular cytokine staining, and real‐time polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR) for interferon‐γ (IFN‐γ) and interleukin‐4 (IL‐4). The cytokine secretion was inhibited at concentrations 2–130 times lower compared to vitality (ELISA versus MTT assay). The strongest inhibition of cytokine expression was found for IFN‐γ: 8.3 μg/mL citrinin, 34.2 ng/mL gliotoxin, and 64.8 ng/mL patulin caused a 50% inhibition of the IFN‐γ release (50% inhibitory dose, ID50). For IL‐4 release the corresponding ID50 values were 21.6 μg/mL citrinin, 82.8 ng/mL gliotoxin, and 243.2 ng/mL patulin. Furthermore, 3 ng/mL patulin caused a significant increase of IL‐4 but a significant suppression of IFN‐γ. On the mRNA level, after 24 h an unaltered or enhanced IL‐4 was observed compared to a reduced IFN‐γ expression. Using a method of intracellular cytokine staining, we were able to show that the described effects are caused by a reduction of the number of IFN‐γ‐producing T lymphocytes rather than by a reduced functional capacity of the single cell. We suggest that mycotoxins primarily cause stronger inhibition of IFN‐γ‐producing Th1 cells, which may lead to T‐cell polarization toward the Th2 phenotype and may raise the risk for the development of allergies. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Environ Toxicol 17: 211–218, 2002; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/tox.10050
Improved binary turbo coded modulation with 16QAM in HSDPA

High speed downlink packet access (HSPDA) is proposed as the evolution of WCDMA recently, aiming at providing higher downlink transmission rate with peak rate about 8-10 Mbps. Turbo code combined with high order modulation can provide bandwidth efficient transmission with substantial coding gain over traditional trellis coded modulation (TCM). In this paper, author evaluates the feasibility of the application of binary turbo coded modulation (BTCM) with 16QAM in HSPDA. Some improvements of interleaver design according to label mapping are proposed to enhance the performance. And the impact of rate matching functionality on the performance of BTCM is analyzed. Simulation results show that the improved BTCM scheme with 16QAM can be implemented with low code rate and outperform the conventional scheme.
Cocaethylene's Effects on Coronary Artery Blood Flow and Cardiac Function in a Canine Model

Objectives: Cocaethylene is a toxic metabolite of cocaine formed in the presence of ethanol. Though cocaine causes coronary vasoconstriction, cocaethylene's effects on coronary flow are unknown. The aim of our study was to describe cocaethylene's effects on coronary flow and cardiac function. Methods: Sixteen alpha-chloralose anesthetized dogs were monitored with Swan-Ganz, arterial and venous catheters, and an electrocardiogram. Doppler flow probes were placed on the circumflex and left anterior descending coronary arteries. Dogs were allotted 15 mg/kg (n=10) or 30 mg/kg (n=6) of cocaethylene given as a continuous intravenous infusion. Measurements were made at fixed time intervals during the 60-minute cocaethylene infusion and 2-hour observation period. Results: The cocaethylene concentrations were maximal at the end of the infusion and cocaethylene was rapidly metabolized to benzoylecognine. One low-dose animal died of ventricular fibrillation. Five high-dose dogs experienced ventricular arrhythmias or pulseless electrical activity (PEA), and three died. In the low-dose group, cocaethylene caused a 38% increase in mean arterial pressure relative to baseline, and increased systemic vascular resistance. In the high-dose group, at maximal cocaethylene concentrations, stroke volume decreased by 42% (p<0.0002), and circumflex blood flow decreased by 30% (p=0.03) relative to baseline, when arrhythmias occurred. The PR, QRS, and QTc intervals increased by 48, 209, and 29%, respectively (p<0.001). As cocaethylene levels declined, circumflex blood flow increased by 77% (p=0.05) and mean arterial pressure increased 49% (p<0.01), also relative to baseline. Conclusions: Cocaethylene caused hypertension and increased systemic vascular resistance. At high concentrations, it decreased myocardial function, slowed cardiac conduction, and was arrhythmogenic. The cocaethylene's toxicity does not appear to be mediated by effects on coronary blood flow.
A comparison of different methods for reducing the unintended positional drift accompanying walking-in-place locomotion

If Walking-in-place (WIP) techniques are to be considered a useful way of facilitating virtual locomotion, it is crucial that the user remains stationary with respect to the physical environment. However, it has recently been documented that WIP locmotion may lead to Unintended Positional Drift (UPD). Users walking in place while wearing a head-mounted display tend to physically drift in the direction which they are headed within the virtual environment. This paper details a within-subjects study evaluating different methods for minimizing UPD. The study included 14 conditions: 13 different types of feedback informing the user that a certain amount of drift had occurred and a control condition devoid of feedback. The feedback differed in terms of sensory modality (auditory, visual or audiovisual), onset mode (gradual or sudden) and presentation mode (either the feedback constituted a warning or a deprivation of the stimuli used to represent the virtual world). Finally, a condition providing passive haptic feedback (a circular carpet) was included. The types of feedback were assessed in terms of how effectively they reduced UPD as well as how helpful and intrusive they were perceived. The results suggest that both passive haptic feedback and feedback types with gradual onset are the most efficient at controlling the user's physical movement. However, the passive haptic feedback was regarded as more helpful and perceived as less disruptive than some of the feedback types with a gradual onset.
Applicability of micro‐FTIR in detecting shale heterogeneity

Samples of Late Devonian/Early Mississippian New Albany Shale from the Illinois Basin, having maturities ranging from early mature to postmature, were analysed using micro‐Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, ImageJ processing software and scanning electron microscopic X‐ray spectroscopy to explore the distribution, connectivity and chemical composition of organic matter, clay minerals, carbonate minerals and quartz, and to further test the applicability of micro‐FTIR mapping to study shale heterogeneity. Each sample was analysed in planes parallel and perpendicular to the bedding to investigate anisotropy in component distribution, with a possible implication for better understanding anisotropy in porosity and permeability in organic‐matter‐rich shales. Our results show that for low‐maturity samples, organic matter is better connected in the plane parallel to the bedding than in the plane perpendicular to the bedding. Organic matter connectivity decreases with increasing maturity as a result of kerogen transformation. Clay minerals are very well connected in both planes, whereas carbonate minerals are not abundant whilst dominantly isolated in most samples, independent of maturity. This study demonstrates that micro‐FTIR mapping is a valuable tool for studying shale heterogeneity on a micrometre to millimetre scale that becomes even more powerful in combination with scanning electron microscopy techniques, which extend observations to a nanometre scale. However, to obtain meaningful and comparable results, micro‐FTIR mapping requires very careful standardization, precise selection of peak heights/areas and mapping conditions (such as aperture size, scan numbers, resolution, etc.) well suited for the analysed samples.
Examining How Structures Shape Teacher and Student Agency in Science Classrooms in an Innovative Middle School: Implications for Policy and Practice

Conducted as an ethnographic examination of science teaching and learning in an Innovative Middle School in Korea, this study employs sociocultural theory to examine how structures afford and limit student participation in an innovative school designed to promote student-centered learning. Data includes teacher and student interviews, student responses to a questionnaire, classroom observations, and analysis of video recordings of ten lessons in two in two 8th grade science classes. Using structure|agency dialectic theory, we identify and describe some structures that afford and limit teacher and student agency at the micro (science classrooms), meso (school), and macro (Korean society) levels to raise some questions about current reform measures, such as innovation schools, that seek to position classroom teachers as agents for change in science education reform in Korea. Findings suggest that while teachers and school administrators play an essential role in structuring learning opportunities at the meso and micro levels, they have limited agency to address structural constraints originating at the macro-level, which can negatively impact teaching and learning in the science classroom. We offer implications for policy and practice and argue the need for more qualitative research, informed by sociocultural theory, to inform science education reform efforts in Korea.
Pre-sarcopenia is associated with renal hyperfiltration independent of obesity or insulin resistance

Abstract Renal hyperfiltration is closely linked to cardiometabolic disorders, and it may increase the mortality risk of the general population. Despite the well-established association between cardiometabolic diseases and sarcopenia, the relationship between renal hyperfiltration and sarcopenia has not yet been assessed. This population-based, cross-sectional study used a nationally representative sample of 13,800 adults from the 2008 to 2011 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Renal hyperfiltration was defined as the age- and sex-specific glomerular filtration rate above the 90th percentile in subjects with normal kidney function (>60 mL/min/1.73 m2). Appendicular skeletal muscle (ASM), measured by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry, was used to assess pre-sarcopenia, which the international consensus defines as both ASM per se and ASM that was adjusted for the body mass index and the height. A total of 1402 (10.2%) participants were classified as having renal hyperfiltration. The prevalence of pre-sarcopenia ranged from 11.6% to 33.0%, by definition. Individuals with pre-sarcopenia had higher risks of renal hyperfiltration compared to those without pre-sarcopenia (10.9% vs 17.4%, P < .001; odds ratio [OR] = 1.71, 95% confidential interval [CI] = 1.48–1.99, P < .001). Multiple logistic regression analyses also demonstrated this independent association between pre-sarcopenia and renal hyperfiltration, following adjustment for confounding factors such as insulin resistance and obesity (OR = 1.84, 95% CI = 1.57–2.15, P < .001). In the general population of healthy individuals, pre-sarcopenia might be associated with renal hyperfiltration independent of obesity or insulin resistance.
Dynamics of three-dimensional Ising spin glasses in thermal equilibrium.

I present an analysis of the dynamic behavior of short-range Ising spin glasses observed in stochastic simulations. The time dependence of the order parameter q(t)=〈${S}_{x}$(0)${S}_{x}$(t)〉\ifmmode\bar\else\textasciimacron\fi{}---which is the same as that of the structure factor---and the time dependence of the related dynamic correlation functions have been recorded with good statistics and very long observation times. The spin-glass model with a symmetric distribution of discrete nearest-neighbor \ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}J interactions on a simple-cubic lattice was used. Simulations were performed with a special fast computer, allowing for the first-time investigation of the equilibrium dynamics for a wide range of temperatures (0.7\ensuremath{\le}kT/J\ensuremath{\le}5.0) and lattice sizes (${8}^{3}$, ${16}^{3}$, ${32}^{3}$, and ${64}^{3}$). I have found that the empirical formula q(t)=${\mathrm{ct}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}x}$exp(-\ensuremath{\omega}${t}^{\ensuremath{\beta}}$) with temperature-dependent exponents x(T) and \ensuremath{\beta}(T) describes the decay very well at all temperatures above the spin-glass transition. In the spin-glass phase, only the algebraic decay q(t)=${\mathrm{ct}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}x}$ could be observed, with different temperature dependences of the exponent x(T). The dynamic scaling hypothesis and finite-size scaling explain well the observed temperature and size dependence of the data, and the functional form of the correlation functions is com- patible with the scaling form if corrections to scaling are taken into account. The scaling behavior and the dynamic and static critical exponents found in my simulations are in reasonable agreement with recent experiments performed on insulating spin glasses, showing that despite its simplicity the discrete model of spin glasses analyzed in this work displays behavior similar to that seen in nature.
Retail Energy Prices and Consumer Expenditures

In the absence of a major disruption in spending by consumers and firms, the effects of energy price shocks on the economy will be small. In this paper, we quantify the direct effect on real consumption of (1) unanticipated changes in discretionary income, (2) shifts in precautionary savings, and (3) changes in the operating cost of energy-using durables. We also evaluate the evidence for asymmetries in the response of real consumption that would be expected, for example, if shifting expenditure patterns cause sectoral reallocations. While we do find evidence of changing expenditure patterns based on a detailed analysis of more than 130 expenditure items, there is no compelling evidence for an allocative effect on consumer spending, aggregate unemployment, or consumer expectations. The absence of such an effect, despite a comparatively large effect of energy price shocks on the consumption of new domestically produced automobiles, is consistent with the small share of the U.S. auto industry in domestic real GDP and employment. It is also consistent with the symmetric behavior of real consumption in 1979 (when energy prices rose sharply) and in 1986 (when they fell equally sharply). This finding has important implications for theoretical models of the transmission of energy price shocks. Our analysis also sheds light on the declining importance of energy price shocks for the U.S. economy. We not only document the extent to which consumption aggregates have become less responsive to energy price shocks since the mid-1980s, but we trace the declining importance of energy price shocks relative to the 1970s to changes in the composition of U.S. automobile production and the declining overall importance of the U.S. automobile sector.
Hypoglycaemia in patients with type 2 diabetes treated with a combination of metformin and sulphonylurea therapy in France

Context: Hypoglycaemia from antihyperglycaemic drugs may have a significant impact on patients’ health‐related quality of life. Combination use of metformin and a sulphonylurea has become increasingly common; yet, the impact of hypoglycaemia on quality of life in these patients is not well documented.
Comparison of the Aptima and Cervista tests for detection of high-risk human papillomavirus in cervical cytology specimens.

OBJECTIVES The Aptima and Cervista tests (Hologic/ Gen-Probe, San Diego, CA) were compared for detection of high-risk human papillomaviruses (HPV) in cervical cytology specimens. METHODS A total of 208 specimens were tested with both tests, and those with discordant results were tested with the Cobas HPV test (Roche Diagnostics, Indianapolis, IN). HPV test results were correlated with cytologic findings for all specimens and concurrent cervical biopsy specimens in 31 women. RESULTS The agreement between the results of the two tests was only 88% (McNemar test, P < .001). HPV was detected by both tests in 83 specimens, by Aptima alone in two, and by Cervista alone in 23. Both tests were negative in 100 specimens. One (50%) of two specimens positive by Aptima alone and only five (22%) of 23 specimens positive by Cervista alone were positive by the Cobas test. Of the 23 Cervista-positive/Aptima-negative specimens, 13 were positive in all three of the Cervista reaction mixtures for HPV clades A5/A6, A7, and A9, and 85% of these had high human genomic DNA fold-over-zero ratios (≥15). CONCLUSIONS We found poor positive percent agreement between the results of the Aptima and Cervista HPV tests and described an important source of false-positive Cervista results.
Bacillus subtilis RNase III gene: cloning, function of the gene in Escherichia coli, and construction of Bacillus subtilis strains with altered rnc loci

The rnc gene of Bacillus subtilis, which has 36% amino acid identity with the gene that encodes Escherichia coli RNase III endonuclease, was cloned in E. coli and shown by functional assays to encode B. subtilis RNase III (Bs-RNase III). The cloned B. subtilis rnc gene could complement an E. coli rnc strain that is deficient in rRNA processing, suggesting that Bs-RNase III is involved in rRNA processing in B. subtilis. Attempts to construct a B. subtilis rnc null mutant were unsuccessful, but a strain was constructed in which only a carboxy-terminal truncated version of Bs-RNase III was expressed. The truncated Bs-RNase III showed virtually no activity in vitro but was active in vivo. Analysis of expression of a copy of the rnc gene integrated at the amy locus and transcribed from a p(spac) promoter suggested that expression of the B. subtilis rnc is under regulatory control.