Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Dealing with bureaucracy: measuring citizens’ bureaucratic self-efficacy

ABSTRACT As subjects of the policy and rules enforced by the state, citizens play a key role in the implementation of public policies. However, our knowledge about the role of the citizen is limited in Public Administration research. This article conceptualizes and develops a measurement scale for citizens’ subjective perception of their competence to handle interaction with bureaucracy, namely citizens’ bureaucratic self-efficacy. Bureaucratic self-efficacy consists of two dimensions: citizens’ self-efficacy in (1) understanding rules and processes and (2) communicative abilities related to interactions with bureaucracy. The author tested the dimensionality of the concept using exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, which confirmed the concept’s two dimensions. Through additional validity tests, the concept demonstrated good psychometric properties. The scales correlate with citizens’ decision outcomes and their perceived substantive and procedural justice. This indicates that the measurement is able to predict citizens’ outcomes when interacting with bureaucracy.
cGAS-dependent proinflammatory and immune homeostatic effects of the microtubule-targeting agent paclitaxel

Taxanes are Microtubule-Targeting Agents (MTAs) that exert potent anticancer activity by directly killing cancer cells. However, recent evidence suggests that they may also stimulate inflammation and anticancer adaptive immunity and that these actions strongly contribute to their therapeutic efficacy. Details on how Taxanes may modulate inflammation and anticancer immunity are, nevertheless, still missing. We show here that at very low doses the Taxane Paclitaxel (Pxl) indeed induces a potent proinflammatory response in various cancer cell types in a cyclic GMP-AMP (cGAMP) synthase (cGAS)- and Stimulator of Interferon Genes (STING)-dependent manner, leading to interferon (IFN) signaling. However, we find that Pxl treatment also strongly upregulates the expression of the immune checkpoint protein Programmed Death-Ligand 1 (PD-L1) in cancer cells, therefore, inducing an inhibitory response to adaptive immunity potentially attenuating anticancer immunity and therapeutic success. These observations provide a mechanistic explanation of why clinical benefit may derive from the combination of Pxl with Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors (ICIs) and suggest that more accurately tailoring dosage and schedule of this combination therapy may provide benefit in the management of a larger number of cancer types and stages.
The bases of probability

The subject for consideration today forms an aspect of a somewhat venerable branch of mathematical theory; but in essence it is part of a far older department of thought—the ancient science of logic. For it is concerned with a category of propositions of a nature marked by features neither physical nor mathematical, but by their rôle under the aspect of the reason. Their essential characteristic is their involvement of that species of relation between the knower and the known evoked by such terms as probability, likelihood, degree of certainty, as used in the parlance of intuitive thought. It is our threefold task to transcribe this concept into symbols, to formulate its principles, and to study its properties in their inner order and outward application. As prelude to this undertaking it is necessary to set forth certain conventions of logic. Propositions are the elements of symbolic logic, but they may play the rôle of contemplated propositions (statements in quotation marks) or of asserted propositions (statements regarded as true throughout a given manipulation or deduction) ; and it is necessary to take account of this in the notation for the logical constants. We shall employ the symbols for negation ( ^ ) , conjunction or logical product ( • ) , and disjunction or logical sum ( V), and regard them as having no assertive power : they combine contemplated propositions into contemplated propositions and asserted propositions into asserted propositions of the same logical type. Quite other shall be our convention regarding implication ( c ) and equivalence ( = ) : they combine contemplated propositions into asserted propositions, and shall not be used to combine asserted propositions in our present study. If a and b stand for contemplated propositions, the assertion that a is false (true) shall be written a = 0 (# = 1), and the assertion that a implies ô, a c b or a ^ o = 0; it is thus quite different from the contemplated proposition ~(a~b). Finally it is universally asserted that a~a = 0, a \/~a = 1$ and in fact all the laws of Boolean algebra are regarded as assertions. We shall assume their elements to be fa-
Identification factors to adjust early combination regimens in adult primary immune thrombocytopenia: An 8-year data analysis

Purpose Recent studies suggested that adding other agents to corticosteroids as a first-line treatment for immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) could improve outcomes. However, combination regimens may increase side effects and costs. To determine clinical factors associated with responses to the first-line steroid at 1 month. Materials and methods We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of patients with ITP aged ≥ 18 years, who were treated at Rajavithi Hospital between 2012 and 2020. Clinical data, laboratory results, treatment regimens, and responses to therapy were analyzed. Results Of the 226 patients, 76.6% were female. The mean age was 46.5 ± 18.1 years, and the median follow-up duration was 40 months. The proportion of chronic ITP was 97.3%. The complete response and response rates to first-line therapy were 65.5% and 88.9%, respectively. The age over 26 years, presentation clinically non-significant bleeding and a difference in platelet count of >50 x 109/L between days 1 and 7 after initial treatment were associated with the response to first-line treatment (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 5.09, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.50-17.28, p = 0.009); OR 5.87, 95%CI 1.19-28.91, p = 0.029, and OR 3.60, 95%CI 1.10-11.73, p = 0.034, respectively. Younger patients and a difference in platelet count between day 1 and 7 ≤ 50 x 109/L were more likely to require second-line treatments. There were significant increases in the median platelet counts after prescribing azathioprine (baseline vs. 3 months, p = 0.001), cyclophosphamide (baseline vs. 6 months, p = 0.021), or danazol (baseline vs. 12 months, p = 0.039). Conclusion Adult, severity of bleeding at presentation, and rapid platelet increases within 1 week were related to excellent corticosteroid responses in ITP patients. These patients may not need combination regimens.
Effect of teaching tools in spatial understanding in health science education: a systematic review

Background The concept of spatial orientation is integral to health education. Students studying to be healthcare professionals use their visual intelligence to develop 3D mental models from 2D images, like X-rays, MRI, and CT scans, which exerts a heavy cognitive load on them. Innovative teaching tools and technologies are being developed to improve students’ learning experiences. However, the impact of these teaching modalities on spatial understanding is not often evaluated. This systematic review aims to investigate current literature to identify which teaching tools and techniques are intended to improve the 3D sense of students and how these tools impact learners’ spatial understanding. Methods The preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analysis (PRISMA) guidelines were followed for the systematic review. Four databases were searched with multiple search terms. The articles were screened based on inclusion and exclusion criteria and assessed for quality. Results Nineteen articles were eligible for our systematic review. Teaching tools focused on improving spatial concepts can be grouped into five categories. The review findings reveal that the experimental groups have performed equally well or significantly better in tests and tasks with access to the teaching tool than the control groups. Conclusion Our review investigated the current literature to identify and categorize teaching tools shown to improve spatial understanding in healthcare professionals. The teaching tools identified in our review showed improvement in measured, and perceived spatial intelligence. However, a wide variation exists among the teaching tools and assessment techniques. We also identified knowledge gaps and future research opportunities.
The evolution of cataclysmic and low-mass X-ray binaries.

We present an observational study of the structure and evolution of cataclysmic and low-mass X-ray binaries, concentrating on the 124 systems for which orbital periods are known. The eruptive properties and mass transfer rates of these stars are found to be highly correlated wit their orbital periods, suggesting that both the eruptive activity and the long-term evolution are determined by the properties of the lobe-filling secondaries. The secondaries do not satisfy the commonly used theoretical models of low-mass zero-age main-sequence (ZAMS) stars, but are, in general consistent with the empirically derived properties of the lower main sequence. We show stars, that R/R/sub direct-sum/ = (M/M/sub direct-sum/)/sup 0.88/ for low-mass ZAMS stars in the field, in wide binaries and in cataclysmic binaries. For masses above 0.8 M/sub direct-sum/, the empirical ZAMS is in reasonable agreement with the models. But in this regime (corresponding to orbital periods > or approx. = 9 hr), the secondaries in cataclysmic binaries are found to be slightly evolved from ZAMS.
Formation of ammonia during nitrogen-seeded discharges at ASDEX Upgrade

The seeding of gaseous impurities will be mandatory for ITER to protect the tungsten divertor from local heat loads. A promising candidate for radiative cooling seems to be nitrogen, but reactions with hydrogen may influence tokamak operation. In particular, the formation of ammonia can become a serious issue for gas plants, cryo pumps and wall conditioning. Therefore, the residual gases of discharges with and without nitrogen seeding at ASDEX Upgrade were investigated by mass spectrometry. For the deconvolution of the measured spectra a method was developed that takes into account different protium concentrations in different compounds. The applied absolute calibration of the mass spectrometers allowed a quantitative analysis. Significant formation of ammonia was observed during nitrogen-seeded H-mode discharges. Up to 8% of the seeded nitrogen atoms were detected in the form of ammonia molecules. Ammonia was present not only in the residual gas of the nitrogen-seeded discharge itself, but also in the residual gases of subsequent unseeded discharges. For calibration purposes ammonia was injected into the plasma vessel of ASDEX Upgrade without plasma operation. A significant part of the ammonia was retained in the vessel. The simultaneous observation of partly deuterated ammonia strongly indicates an interaction between metal walls and ammonia.
Gevrey separation of fast and slow variables

We consider (not necessarily conservative) perturbations of a one phase Hamiltonian system written with action-angle variables where is real analytic, of the form where f, g are real analytic in all the variables and -periodic in . More generally we consider systems similar to system (*) with . It is well known that, using an iterated averaging process, it is posssible to eliminate `formally in ' the phase by a formal transformation tangent to the identity where are -periodic in . Then one obtains a formal autonomous system Fixing the normalization , we prove that the transform is Gevrey 1 in . As an application, we give a new proof of a result of Neishstadt: it is possible to represent the formal transformation by an actual transformation T (admitting as its asymptotic expansion) such that the transformation T reduces the system (*) to a system which is autonomous up to perturbations which are exponentially small in . It is possible to use a cut-off `at the smallest term' like Neishstadt but we prefer to use an incomplete Laplace transform. Then we obtain for T a nice dependence in and we improve Neishstadt's result. We will also give similar improvements for the basic adiabatic invariants theory. Our main statement generalizes a theorem of D Sauzin conjectured by P Lochak.
Dating Dilemma: Predicting the barriers to adoption of Online Dating Apps (ODAs) Applying Innovation Resistance Theory

Abstract This study intended to identify the barriers that inhibit the adoption of online dating apps (ODAs). It applied innovation resistance theory, with attitude being used as a moderator. A sample of 440 responses from ODAs users was analyzed using structural equation modeling. The three barriers of risk, usage, and tradition have a significant negative influence on the adoption intention of ODAs. Attitude was found to moderate the association between the usage barrier and adoption intention, whereas attitude did not moderate the association between the risk barrier and adoption intention or that between the tradition barrier and adoption intention. Age, gender, income, educational qualification, and household size were used as control variables. The study contributes to the current body of knowledge by identifying the barriers that influence the adoption intention of ODAs. Practical implications for the professionals and firms engaged in ODAs, as well as theoretical contributions, demonstrate the benefits of the study.
The 30-60-Day Convection Seesaw between the Tropical Indian and Western Pacific Oceans.

Abstract The tropical Indian and western Pacific oceans are two prominent action centers for tropical 30–60-day convective variability. When convection is enhanced over the equatorial Indian Ocean, the tropical western Pacific often experiences an abnormal dry condition (phase I), whereas the development of the convection over the tropical western Pacific tends to be accompanied by suppressed convection in the equatorial Indian Ocean (phase II). This convection seesaw is a fundamental characteristic of the tropical 30–60-day oscillation. The seesaw is intimately associated with the activity of propagating low-frequency convective systems (LFCSs). Its formation process is season dependent. Typical boreal summer seesaw results from a time-lagged development of two systems: a western system that originates in the equatorial Indian Ocean and moves eastward and/or northward and an eastern system that develops in the western Pacific monsoon region and moves westward and/or northward. The boreal winter seesaw, o.
Targeted multi-platform metabolome analysis and enzyme activity analysis of kiwifruit during postharvest ripening

Kiwifruit is a climacteric fruit, in which the accumulation of flavor substances mainly occurs at the postharvest ripening stage. However, the dynamic changes in metabolite composition remain poorly understood. Here, targeted multi-platform metabolome analysis based on GC-MS and UPLC-MS/MS and enzyme activity analysis were performed at different postharvest ripening stages of kiwifruit. A total of 12 soluble sugars and 31 organic acids were identified. The main soluble sugars are sucrose, glucose and fructose, which exhibited similar variation tendencies along with the extension of ripening. The main organic acids are citric acid, quinic acid and malic acid, which showed different variation patterns. A total of 48 energy metabolites were identified, which were classified into two groups based on the content variation. The content of substances related to the respiratory metabolic pathway decreased gradually along with postharvest ripening, and there was obvious accumulation of downstream products such as amino acids at the late ripening stage. A total of 35 endogenous hormones were identified, among which seven cytokinins were highly accumulated at the later stage of softening. We further investigated the dynamic changes in the activities of 28 ripening-related enzymes. As a result, the activities of 13 enzymes were highly correlated with changes in starch, total pectin, and soluble sugars, and those of seven enzymes were closely associated with the change in firmness. In conclusion, this study comprehensively describes the dynamic changes in soluble sugars, organic acids, hormones, energy substances, and ripening-related enzyme activities during kiwifruit postharvest ripening, and provides a theoretical basis for the postharvest quality improvement of kiwifruit.
Litter addition as a tool for restoring hydrological processes and controlling erosion in riparian forests disturbed by fine sediment deposition

Riverscape aggradation due to the deposition of fine particles above natural forest litter can change the soil, sediment, and water properties, damage riparian vegetation, and reduce environmental integrity, especially in headwater streams. Litter addition techniques that enhance surface roughness and permeability can decrease the interference of fine particles on the ecosystem, representing a low‐tech alternative to recover disturbed riparian areas. We aimed to evaluate run‐off, percolation, storage coefficients, run‐off volume, and sediment yield using a rainfall simulator and the mitigation potential provided by the addition of forest litter to limnological variables—turbidity, total suspended solids (TSS), electrical conductivity, pH, nitrogen—which are indicators of integrity that can reflect streams' aggradation. Fifteen soil samples from a disturbed area (silt and clay deposits aboveground), five from an undisturbed area (sandy soil), and superficial forest litter were obtained from riparian areas adjacent to two small streams in Carajás National Forest, Brazil. The addition of litter showed great potential to mitigate erosive processes and to reestablish hydrological processes in the disturbed soil. The run‐off volume and sediment yield were 2–4 times lower in litter addition treatments compared to non‐litter addition. Litter addition also improved run‐off water quality, especially turbidity and TSS, which were 12–16 times and 3–13 times lower, respectively. The experimental addition of litter has shown encouraging results to be applied in situ as a sustainable, low‐cost, and simplified nature‐based solution to contribute to the restoration of degraded riparian forests and reduce in‐stream silt and clay aggradation.
Planning Collision- Free Motions for Pick-and-Place Operations

An efficient algorithm that finds collision-free paths for a manipulator with five or six revolute joints is described. It solves the problem for four-degree-of-freedom pick-and-place operations. Examples are given of paths found by the algorithm in tightly cluttered workspaces. The algorithm first describes free space in two ways: as freeways for the hand and payload ensemble and as freeways for the upper arm. Freeways match volumes swept out by manipulator motions and can be "inverted" to find a class of topologically equivalent path segments. The two freeway spaces are searched concurrently under projection of constraints deter mined by motion of the forearm.
CheckMate-915: does adjuvant CTLA-4 blockade play a role in resected melanoma?

© Annals of Translational Medicine. All rights reserved. Ann Transl Med 2023;11(10):370 | https://dx.doi. org/10.21037/atm-23-754 The CTLA-4 inhibitor ipilimumab is a vital component of the treatment armamentarium for patients with unresectable stage III/IV melanoma. Ipilimumab was Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved in 2011 after demonstrating a survival benefit in advanced melanoma (1). The PD-1 inhibitor pembrolizumab subsequently prolonged overall survival (OS) compared to ipilimumab and was approved in 2014, as was nivolumab (2). Since then, PD-1 inhibitorbased therapies have persisted as the standard of care for advanced melanoma, often with the use of immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) doublets such as ipilimumab plus nivolumab, approved in 2015, or nivolumab plus the LAG3 inhibitor relatlimab, approved in 2022 (3,4). The success of ICI for patients with unresectable stage III/IV melanoma has led to investigation of these agents in earlier stages of disease, on the assumption of biological equivalence between residual microscopic versus macroscopic disease. In resected stage III melanoma, adjuvant ipilimumab was in i t ia l ly s tudied a t 10 mg/kg and improved recurrence-free survival (RFS) and OS compared to placebo (5). Subsequently, adjuvant PD-1 inhibition with pembrolizumab versus placebo (6), pembrolizumab versus interferon or ipilimumab (7), and nivolumab versus ipilimumab (8) improved RFS in resected stage III, IIIA(N2)-IV, and IIIB-IV melanoma, respectively. It is unknown whether the addition of adjuvant ipilimumab to nivolumab can improve outcomes in resected stage III/IV melanoma, however the benefit is clear in advanced melanoma. Ipilimumab 3 mg/kg plus nivolumab 1 mg/kg has numerically doubled OS compared to nivolumab monotherapy, as demonstrated in the 6.5 years follow-up of CheckMate-067 (3,9). Therefore, the purpose of CheckMate-915 by Weber et al. was to determine whether adjuvant ipilimumab plus nivolumab could improve RFS compared to adjuvant nivolumab monotherapy, which we review in this editorial. The study was entitled “Adjuvant Therapy of Nivolumab Combined With Ipilimumab Versus Nivolumab Alone in Patients With Resected Stage IIIB-D or Stage IV Melanoma” and was published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology in September 2022 (10). In CheckMate-915, there was no improvement in RFS for patients with resected stage IIIB-IV melanoma treated with combination therapy compared to adjuvant anti-PD-1 alone, the standard of care. Nor were there any differences in RFS for any of the examined subgroups, including stage. Twenty-four-month RFS was 64.6% in the combination group and 63.2% in the nivolumab group, which was unexpected given the superior activity of the combination in the metastatic setting (10). Importantly, the chosen ipilimumab dose in the trial was 1 mg/kg every 6 weeks. This dose and dosing interval has not been previously studied in melanoma and is a lower and less frequent dose than the standard 3 mg/kg administered every 3 weeks for up to 4 doses in advanced disease. The ipilimumab dosing Editorial Commentary
Far-Infrared and ν2 Vibration-Rotation Spectrum of Thioformaldehyde and Infrared Spectrum of Thioglyoxal

Abstract The ν2 fundamental band at 1455 cm−1 and pure rotational spectrum of thioformaldehyde in the range 16-60 cm−1 have been recorded at 0.003 cm−1 resolution using a Fourier transform infrared spectrometer. More than 1300 transitions have been assigned with the help of an interactive Loomis-Wood fitting program and improved ground state constants have been obtained. The pure rotational spectrum of the 34S isotopomer has been observed in natural abundance and 126 transitions were assigned. Rotational and centrifugal distortion constants have been obtained for ν2 and the band origin has been determined as 1455.49505(56) cm−1. The low-resolution gas-phase spectrum of thioglyoxal has been recorded in the range 4000-650 cm−1 and the stronger bands have been assigned. The CO stretching mode, ν3, has been investigated at 0.003 cm−1 resolution.