Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Predictive Validity of Item Effect Variables in the Satisfaction With Life Scale for Psychological and Physical Health

Although the Satisfaction with Life Scale strives to capture a single dimension, describing respondents’ satisfaction with life as a whole, individual items might also capture unique aspects of life satisfaction leading to some form of multidimensionality. Such systematic item-specific variance can be viewed as a content-laden secondary trait. Information on the nomological net and predictive validity can be useful to aid the interpretation of these item-specific effects. Therefore, the present study on N = 2,543 Dutch respondents adopts revised latent state-trait theory to disentangle common construct variance, random measurement error, and person-specific item effects in the Satisfaction with Life Scale across three measurement occasions. The reported analyses not only demonstrate how to examine item-specific multidimensionality in longitudinal data but also emphasize how different identification constraints for the latent variable lead to different interpretations. Moreover, the predictive validity of item effect variables for the prediction of psychological and physical health is examined. A cross-validation with the same sample at a later measurement period and robustness checks with incomplete data, support our findings on the substantive value of a multidimensional specification of the Satisfaction with Life Scale for substantive analyses. Finally, the contributions of person-specific item effects for psychological assessments are discussed.
Engineered Alcaligenes sp. by chemical mutagen produces thermostable and acido-alkalophilic endo-1,4-β-mannanases for improved industrial biocatalyst

Abstract This study reported physicochemical properties of purified endo-1,4-β-mannanase from the wild type, Alcaligenes sp. and its most promising chemical mutant. The crude enzymes from fermentation of wild and mutant bacteria were purified by ammonium sulfate precipitation, ion exchange and gel-filtration chromatography followed by an investigation of the physicochemical properties of purified wild and mutant enzymes. β-mannanase from wild and mutant Alcaligenes sp. exhibited 1.75 and 1.6 purification-folds with percentage recoveries of 2.6 and 2.5% and molecular weights of 61.6 and 80 kDa respectively. The wild and mutant β-mannanase were most active at 40 and 50 °C with optimum pH 6.0 for both and were thermostable with very high percentage activity but the wild-type β-mannanase showed better stability over a broad pH activity. The β-mannanase activity from the parent strain was stimulated in the presence of Mn2+, Co2+, Zn2+, Mg2+ and Na+. Vmax and Km for the wild type and its mutant were found to be 0.747 U//mL/min and 5.2 × 10−4 mg/mL, and 0.247 U/mL/min and 2.47 × 10−4 mg/mL, respectively. Changes that occurred in the nucleotide sequences of the most improved mutant may be attributed to its thermo-stability, thermo-tolerant and high substrate affinity- desired properties for improved bioprocesses.
Association of Familial Aggregation of Major Depression With Risk of Major Depression.

Importance Major depression (MD) aggregates within families, but how family history of MD confers risk of MD over the life course is unclear. Such knowledge is important to identify and prevent possible depressogenic effects of family environment. Objective To examine the association between family MD history and risk of MD including association with age, sex, type of kinship, and age of the affected family member. Design, Setting, and Participants This cohort study included all Danish citizens born from 1960 to 2003 with known parental identity followed up from their 15th birthday until time of MD, censoring, or December 31, 2018. Analysis took place between April 2022 and December 2022. Exposures Family members with first-time MD using International Classification of Diseases, Eighth Revision codes 296.09, 296.29, 298.09, and 300.49 or 10th Revision codes F32.0-F33.9, family members' age at MD onset, and individuals' age at exposure to family MD. Main Outcomes and Measures Multivariable Poisson regression was applied to estimate the incidence rate ratio (IRR) with 95% CI of first-time MD. Results Of 2 903 430 individuals (1 486 574 [51.2%] men), 37 970 men (2.6%) and 70 223 women (5.0%) developed MD during follow-up. For men, exposure to maternal, paternal, or full sibling MD were associated with a 2-times higher risk of MD (IRR, 2.10 [95% CI, 2.02-2.19]; IRR, 2.04 [95% CI, 1.94-2.14]; IRR, 2.08 [95% CI, 1.97-2.19]) and the associated risk increased with number of affected family members. This pattern was similar for women. For men, family members' age at MD onset was not associated with MD. For women, maternal MD onset at 69 years or younger was associated with higher IRRs of MD (age <40 years: IRR, 1.64 [95% CI, 1.28-2.10]; age 40-49 years: IRR, 1.62 [95% CI, 1.27-2.07]; age 50-59 years: IRR, 1.56 [95% CI, 1.22-2.00]; and age 60-69 years: IRR, 1.67 [95% CI, 1.28-2.16]) compared with women with maternal MD onset at 70 years or older. For men, exposure to maternal MD younger than 30 years (age <1 year: IRR, 1.95 [95% CI, 1.70-2.25]; age 1 to <12 years: IRR, 2.31 [95% CI, 2.16-2.47]; age 12 to <19 years: IRR, 2.18 [95% CI, 2.03-2.35]; age 19 to <30 years: IRR, 1.42 [95% CI, 1.32-1.53]) was associated with increased IRRs, while exposure to maternal MD at 30 years or older was associated with a lower IRR (0.77 [95% CI, 0.70-0.85]). The findings were similar across type of kinships and for women. Conclusions and Relevance In this study, risk of MD was associated with increased numbers of affected family members but did not vary by gender or type of kinship. Exposure to family MD during childhood and adolescence was associated with increased risk.
Consumer responses to rebranding to address racism

In 2020, following the death of George Floyd and the renewed national focus on racism, many food brands with racist names and packages announced they would rebrand. Brands differed in their extent of rebranding (some only removed an image, whereas others also changed a brand name) and differed in the reasons they gave for the rebranding in PR statements and news interviews. At this point, little is known about how consumers responded to these branding changes. To address this, we conducted an online experiment using the case of Aunt Jemima pancake mix to evaluate how changes in the extent of rebranding and the reason for rebranding impact consumers’ likelihood of purchase, expected taste, brand liking, and brand trust. We find that removing the image of Aunt Jemima brought moderate reductions to likelihood of purchase and expected taste and no changes to brand liking or brand trust. When the brand name was also changed to Pearl Milling Company we find larger reductions to likelihood of purchase and expected taste and reductions to brand liking and brand trust. Additionally, we find that informing consumers the change was done to address racism partially mitigated losses in likelihood of purchase following renaming the brand but provided no protection when only the image was removed. The information also had no impact on expected taste, brand liking, or brand trust following either image removal or brand name change. Last, we find evidence of heterogeneity in consumer responses across political ideologies, with liberals reacting more positively to the rebranding and conservatives reacting more negatively.
Time-resolved spectroscopy of the roAp star $\gamma$ Equ

We present an investigation of the magnetic field geometries and inhomogeneous distribution of chemical elements in the atmospheres of peculiar A and B stars. Our study combines high-quality spectroscopic and spectropolarimetric stellar observations with the development and application of novel techniques for theoretical interpretation of the shapes and variability of stellar line profiles. In particular, we extend the method of Doppler imaging to the analysis of spectra in the four Stokes parameters, making it possible to derive detailed and reliable stellar magnetic maps simultaneously with the imaging chemical inhomogeneities.The magnetic Doppler imaging is applied to study of magnetic topologies and distributions of chemical elements in the peculiar stars α2 CVn and 53 Cam. We found that the magnetic field geometry of 53 Cam is considerably more complex than a low-order multipolar topology, commonly assumed for magnetic A and B stars. Our Doppler imaging analysis also led to a discovery and study of spots of enhanced mercury abundance in the atmosphere of α And, a star where the presence of a global magnetic field is unlikely.The ESO 3.6-m telescope is used to collect unique, very high spectral- and time-resolution observations of rapidly oscillating peculiar A (roAp) stars and to reveal line profile variations due to stellar pulsations. We present a detailed characterization of the spectroscopic pulsational behaviour and demonstrate a remarkable diversity of pulsations in different spectral lines. The outstanding variability of the lines of rare-earth elements is used to study propagation of pulsation waves through the stellar atmospheres and identify pulsation modes. This analysis led to a discovery of a non-axisymmetric character of pulsations in roAp stars.Our study of chemical stratification in the atmosphere of the roAp star γ Equ provides a compelling evidence for significant variation of the chemical composition with depth. We find a combined effect of extreme chemical anomalies and a growth of pulsation amplitude in the outermost atmospheric layers to be the most likely origin of the high-amplitude pulsational variations of the lines of rare-earth elements.Observations of cool magnetic CP stars are obtained with the ESO Very Large Telescope and are used for empirical investigation of the anomalies in the atmospheric temperature structure. We show that the core-wing anomaly of the hydrogen Balmer lines observed in some cool CP stars can be attributed to a hot layer at an intermediate atmospheric depth.
Model Checking Infinite-State Systems: Generic and Specific Approaches

University of Edinburgh, PhD in Informatics, September 2006 – August 2010 Thesis: Model Checking Infinite-state Systems: Generic and Specific Approaches Supervisors: Prof. Leonid Libkin and Dr. Richard Mayr Examiners: Prof. Chih-Hao Luke Ong and Prof. Colin Stirling University of Melbourne, BSc (Honours) in Computer Science & Mathematics, February 2001 – December 2004 Thesis: On Unary-conjunctive-view Queries Adviser: Prof. James Bailey
The acute effects of cannabis with and without cannabidiol in adults and adolescents: A randomised, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled, crossover experiment

Abstract Background and Aims Long‐term harms of cannabis may be exacerbated in adolescence, but little is known about the acute effects of cannabis in adolescents. We aimed to (i) compare the acute effects of cannabis in adolescent and adult cannabis users and (ii) determine if cannabidiol (CBD) acutely modulates the effects of delta‐9‐tetrahydocannabinol (THC). Design Randomised, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled, crossover experiment. The experiment was registered on ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT04851392). Setting Laboratory in London, United Kingdom. Participants Twenty‐four adolescents (12 women, 16‐ to 17‐year‐olds) and 24 adults (12 women, 26‐ to 29‐year‐olds) who used cannabis 0.5–3 days/week and were matched on cannabis use frequency (mean = 1.5 days/week). Intervention We administered three weight‐adjusted vaporised cannabis flower preparations: ‘THC’ (8 mg THC for 75 kg person); ‘THC + CBD’ (8 mg THC and 24 mg CBD for 75 kg person); and ‘PLA’ (matched placebo). Measurements Primary outcomes were (i) subjective ‘feel drug effect’; (ii) verbal episodic memory (delayed prose recall); and (iii) psychotomimetic effect (Psychotomimetic States Inventory). Findings Compared with ‘PLA’, ‘THC’ and ‘THC + CBD’ significantly (P < 0.001) increased ‘feel drug effect’ (mean difference [MD] = 6.3, 95% CI = 5.3–7.2; MD = 6.8, 95% CI = 6.0–7.7), impaired verbal episodic memory (MD = –2.7, 95% CI = −4.1 to −1.4; MD = −2.9, 95% CI = −4.1 to −1.7) and increased psychotomimetic effects (MD = 7.8, 95% CI = 2.8–12.7; MD = 10.8, 95% CI = 6.2–15.4). There was no evidence that adolescents differed from adults in their responses to cannabis (interaction P ≥ 0.4). Bayesian analyses supported equivalent effects of cannabis in adolescents and adults (Bayes factor [BF01] >3). There was no evidence that CBD significantly modulated the acute effects of THC. Conclusions Adolescent cannabis users are neither more resilient nor more vulnerable than adult cannabis users to the acute psychotomimetic, verbal memory‐impairing or subjective effects of cannabis. Furthermore, in adolescents and adults, vaporised cannabidiol does not mitigate the acute harms caused by delta‐9‐tetrahydocannabinol.
Impact of a Bedside Activity Device on the Functional Status of Hospitalized Older Adults: A Randomized Controlled Trial

ABSTRACT Background: Older adults may have difficulty maintaining their functional capabilities during hospitalization. This pilot study aimed to investigate the impact of a bedside activity device on the functional status of hospitalized older adults. Methods: For this single-site randomized controlled trial, 48 participants were recruited between July 2019 and March 2021. Participants were randomized into one of two groups: the intervention group, which was given the use of a bedside activity device plus standard care, and the control group, which received standard care. Katz Index of Independence in Activities of Daily Living (Katz ADL) scores and Timed Up and Go (TUG) test times were used as indicators of functional status and were collected on admission (baseline) and at discharge. Mann-Whitney U and χ2 tests were used to test for baseline similarities between groups. The Wilcoxon signed rank test was used to determine within-group pre–post changes in TUG and Katz ADL scores. The Mann-Whitney U test was used to determine between-group differences in TUG and Katz ADL change scores. Results: Within-group pre–post analysis showed significant increases in Katz ADL scores in the intervention group and no significant changes in the control group. TUG times decreased significantly in the intervention group and increased significantly in the control group. Between-group analyses showed significant differences in both TUG and Katz ADL change scores. Conclusion: The use of the bedside activity device in addition to standard care may prevent functional decline and increase independence in performing basic ADLs. This pilot study evaluated the use of a device equipped with exergames—interactive video games that incorporate physical exercise—in preventing functional decline and increasing patients' independence in basic activities of daily living.
Comparison of faecal calprotectin using two collection and extraction strategies for the BÜHLMANN CALEX® Cap – possible implications for clinical cut-offs?

Background Faecal calprotectin has been identified as a useful biochemical marker in the differentiation of inflammatory bowel disease and irritable bowel syndrome. Typically, patients send faecal specimens in a pot for manual extraction by the laboratory. During the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS CoV-2) pandemic, the routine laboratory service was temporarily suspended due to the potential increased risk to staff. In this study we investigated the possibility of patients collecting samples directly into the faecal extraction tubes. Method Patients submitted paired faecal samples for calprotectin analysis using a standard faecal container (current practice) and followed instructions for faecal collection using the BÜHLMANN CALEX® Cap device. Samples were returned to the laboratory immediately after collection. Laboratory staff manually extracted the calprotectin from the faecal samples using the CALEX® Cap prior to analysis of both extracts on the Cobas c702. Results 91 paired faecal samples were included in the study. Clinical correlation was found to be 70% with numerical correlation showing a positive bias for the patient-collected CALEX® Cap sample when compared to the laboratory-extracted faecal sample around the clinical decision points 100–250 μg calprotectin/g faeces. Conclusion The study shows that collection of a faecal sample using the CALEX® Cap works well and is a good alternative to using standard containers. The correlation gives rise to the possibility that faecal calprotectin is not stable when collected into standard collection containers. Prior to further roll-out of this process, questions surrounding the current cut-offs would need to be addressed.
Plant water use theory should incorporate hypotheses about extreme environments, population ecology, and community ecology.

Plant water use theory has largely been developed within a plant-performance paradigm that conceptualizes water use in terms of value for carbon gain, and that sits within a neoclassical economic framework. This theory works very well in many contexts but does not consider other values of water to plants that could impact their fitness. Here we survey a range of alternative hypotheses for drivers of water use and stomatal regulation. These hypotheses are organized around relevance to extreme environments, life history and population ecology, and species interactions within a community context. Most of these hypotheses are not yet empirically tested and some are controversial (e.g., requiring more agency and behavior than is commonly believed possible for plants). Some hypotheses, especially those focused around using water to avoid thermal stress, using water to promote reproduction instead of growth, and hoarding water, may be useful to incorporate into theory or to implement in Earth System Models.
A journey in UPR modelling

Protein folding and protein maturation largely occur in the controlled environment of the Endoplasmic Reticulum (ER). Perturbation to the correct functioning of this organelle leads to altered proteostasis and accumulation of misfolded proteins in the ER lumen. This condition is commonly known as ER stress and is appearing as an important contributor in the pathogenesis of several human diseases. Monitoring of the quality control processes is mediated by the Unfolded Protein Response (UPR). This response consists in a complex network of signalling pathways that aim to restore protein folding and ER homeostasis. Conditions in which UPR is not able to overcome ER stress lead to a switch of the UPR signalling program from an adaptive to a pro‐apoptotic one, revealing a key role of UPR in modulating cell fate decisions. Because of its high complexity and its involvement in the regulation of different cellular outcomes, UPR has been the centre of the development of computational models, which tried to better dissect the role of UPR or of its specific components in several contexts. In this review, we go through the existing mathematical models of UPR. We emphasize how their study contributed to an improved characterization of the role of this intricate response in the modulation of cellular functions.
Validation of spot urine in estimating 24-h urinary sodium, potassium and sodium-to-potassium ratio during three different sodium diets in healthy adults

Abstract Purpose To evaluate the validity of spot urine assay methods in estimating the 24-h urinary sodium, potassium and sodium-to-potassium ratio during three different sodium diets. Materials and methods Twelve healthy volunteers were asked to adhere to 3 dietary sodium targets (3.3–5.0g/day,<3.3 g/day and >5.0 g/day) for three consecutive weeks and to measure salt excretion daily in spot urine samples using a self-monitoring device. On day 7 of each week, 24-h urine was collected to compare measured with estimated 24-h salt excretion (by the Kawasaki, Tanaka and INTERSALT equations). Results Correlation coefficients relating measured and estimated 24-h sodium excretion were low and not significant for Kawasaki and INTERSALT and moderate for the Tanaka equation (τ 0.56–0.64,p<.05). Bland–Altman plots showed considerable differences between estimated and measured sodium excretion across all salt diets. Over 40% of the participants showed an absolute difference between measured and estimated 24-h sodium of more than 1000 mg/day. The correlation coefficients between 24-h and spot Na/K ratio were 0.67, 0.94 and 0.85(p<.05), and mean differences were 0.59, 0.06 and 0.48 for the intermediate, low and high sodium diets, respectively. Conclusion These findings do not support estimation of individual 24-h salt excretion from spot urine by the Kawasaki, Tanaka, or INTERSALT formula. Plain language summary Accurate monitoring of salt intake is essential to improve BP control. At present, measurement of sodium and potassium excretion in multiple non-consecutive 24-h urinary collections is considered the gold standard for measuring dietary sodium intake. However, this method is burdensome, time-consuming and error prone. Therefore, we assessed and compared the validity of three formula-based approaches to estimate 24-h urinary sodium and potassium excretion and the Na/K ratio from spot urine samples measured by a self-monitoring device under three different sodium diets using 24-h urine collections as the reference. We conclude that use of three commonly used equations that estimate 24-h urinary sodium and potassium excretion result in substantial bias, poor precision and poor accuracy and are therefore not recommended. The Na/K ratio based on multiple casual urine samples may be a useful, low-burden, low-cost alternative method to 24-h urine collection for monitoring daily salt intake.
Lower prospective memory is associated with higher neurocognitive dispersion in two samples of people with HIV: A conceptual replication study

Abstract Objectives: People living with HIV (PLWH) often experience deficits in the strategic/executive aspects of prospective memory (PM) that can interfere with instrumental activities of daily living. This study used a conceptual replication design to determine whether cognitive intraindividual variability, as measured by dispersion (IIV-dispersion), contributes to PM performance and symptoms among PLWH. Methods: Study 1 included 367 PLWH who completed a comprehensive clinical neuropsychological test battery, the Memory for Intentions Test (MIsT), and the Prospective and Retrospective Memory Questionnaire (PRMQ). Study 2 included 79 older PLWH who completed the Cogstate cognitive battery, the Cambridge Prospective Memory Test (CAMPROMPT), an experimental measure of time-based PM, and the PRMQ. In both studies, a mean-adjusted coefficient of variation was derived to measure IIV-dispersion using normative T-scores from the cognitive battery. Results: Higher IIV-dispersion was significantly associated with lower time-based PM performance at small-to-medium effect sizes in both studies (mean r s = −0.30). The relationship between IIV-dispersion and event-based PM performance was comparably small in magnitude in both studies (r s = −0.19, −0.20), but it was only statistically significant in Study 1. IIV-dispersion showed very small, nonsignificant relationships with self-reported PM symptoms in both samples (r s < 0.10). Conclusions: Extending prior work in healthy adults, these findings suggest that variability in performance across a cognitive battery contributes to laboratory-based PM accuracy, but not perceived PM symptoms, among PLWH. Future studies might examine whether daily fluctuations in cognition or other aspects of IIV (e.g., inconsistency) play a role in PM failures in everyday life.