Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Role of Self-Reported Individual Differences in Preference for and Tolerance of Exercise Intensity in Fitness Testing Performance

Abstract Hall, EE, Petruzzello, SJ, Ekkekakis, P, Miller, PC, and Bixby, WR. Role of self-reported individual differences in preference for and tolerance of exercise intensity in fitness testing performance. J Strength Cond Res 28(9): 2443–2451, 2014—Performance in fitness tests could depend on factors beyond the bioenergetic and skeletomuscular systems, such as individual differences in preference for and tolerance of different levels of exercise-induced somatosensory stimulation. Although such individual-difference variables could play a role in exercise testing and prescription, they have been understudied. The purpose of these studies was to examine the relationships of self-reported preference for and tolerance of exercise intensity with performance in fitness tests. Participants in study I were 516 men and women volunteers from a campus community, and participants in study II were 42 men recruit firefighters undergoing a 6-week training program. Both the Preference and Tolerance scores exhibited significant relationships with performance in several fitness tests and with body composition and physical activity participation. Preference and Tolerance did not change after the training program in study II, despite improvements in objective and perceived fitness, supporting their conceptualization as dispositional traits. Preference and Tolerance scores could be useful not only in ameliorating the current understanding of the determinants of physical performance, but also in personalizing exercise prescriptions and, thus, delivering exercise experiences that are more pleasant, tolerable, and sustainable.
Cell Intrinsic Galectin-3 Attenuates Neutrophil ROS-Dependent Killing of Candida by Modulating CR3 Downstream Syk Activation

Invasive candidiasis is a leading cause of nosocomial bloodstream infection. Neutrophils are the important effector cells in host resistance to candidiasis. To investigate the modulation of neutrophil fungicidal function will advance our knowledge on the control of candidiasis. While recombinant galectin-3 enhances neutrophil phagocytosis of Candida, we found that intracellular galectin-3 downregulates neutrophil fungicidal functions. Co-immunoprecipitation and immunofluorescence staining reveal that cytosolic gal3 physically interacts with Syk in neutrophils after Candida stimulation. Gal3−/− neutrophils have higher level of Syk activation as well as greater abilities to generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) and kill Candida than gal3+/+ cells. While galectin-3 deficiency modulates neutrophil and macrophage activation and the recruitment of monocytes and dendritic cells, the deficiency does not affect the numbers of infiltrating neutrophils or macrophages. Galectin-3 deficiency ameliorates systemic candidiasis by reducing fungal burden, renal pathology, and mortality. Adoptive transfer experiments demonstrate that cell intrinsic galectin-3 negatively regulates neutrophil effector functions against candidiasis. Reducing galectin-3 expression or activity by siRNA or gal3 inhibitor TD139 enhances human neutrophil ROS production. Mice treated with TD139 have enhanced ability to clear the fungus. Our work unravels the mechanism by which galectin-3 regulates Syk-dependent neutrophil fungicidal functions and raises the possibility that blocking gal3 in neutrophils may be a promising therapeutic strategy for treating systemic candidiasis.
Comparison of demographic and direct methods to calculate probabilistic maturation reaction norms for Flemish Cap cod (Gadus morhua)

Age and length at maturation have declined in many fish populations and this has been hypothesized to be a genetic change caused by high fishing mortality. Probabilistic Maturation Reaction Norms (PMRNs) have been used as a tool to gain a better understanding of the possible genetic nature of these changes. The demographic and direct methods are two ways to calculate PMRNs. The data requirements are more often met for the demographic method than for the direct method which requires the identification of recruit spawners. However, the demographic method relies on more assumptions than the direct method, typically assuming equality of growth and mortality rates for immature and mature individuals within an age class. This study provides the first direct comparison of demographic and direct methods and shows that both methods produce comparable results. Differences between methods are hypothesized to be owed to possible differences in growth rate between mature and immature individuals in Flemish Cap cod.
The self and its brain.

In 1973 Philippe Pinel, physician in charge of the Bicetre asylum in Paris, literally removed the chains from his patients and ordered that they should be treated with kindness and understanding.1 This action reflected two important phenomena. One was the spirit of humanitarianism abroad in France at the time. The other was an emerging view of mental illness as a natural or biological phenomenon. Those afflicted were sick, they were mentally ill.
Determination of Reticulocytes: Three Methods Compared

Abstract Determination of reticulocytes in peripheral blood is a valuable tool for getting information about erythropoiesis of an individual. For many years, reticulocyte numbers were quantified manually by means of a microscope after staining with supravital dyes. However, this method is tedious and shows low reproducibility. Therefore, several methods for the automated determination of reticulocytes have been established in laboratory routine within the last years. The aim of this study was to compare three of these automated methods for reticulocyte analysis. Reticulocytes were determined in 130 subsequent routine samples by means of an ABX Pentra 120 Retic haematological analyser, a Coulter EPICS XL MCL flow cytometer and a Coulter STKS haematology system, using the fluorescent dye thiazole orange or the supravital dye new methylene blue for reticulocyte staining, respectively. The reticulocyte concentrations were slightly lower for the Coulter STKS haematology system (mean ± SD 1.89 ± 1.32%) when compared with the Coulter EPICS XL MCL flow cytometer or the ABX Pentra 120 Retic haematological analyser (2.11 ± 1.25% and 2.12 ± 1.15%, respectively). The correlations between all methods were significant (rs ≥ 0.843, p < 0.001). Small intercepts were, however, observed in the correlation plots between the values obtained by means of the Coulter STKS haematology system and those obtained by the other two methods. Within-batch coefficients of variation were 6.0%, 6.9% and 7.8% for the ABX Pentra 120 Retic haematological analyser, the Coulter STKS haematology system and the Coulter EPICS XL MCL flow cytometer, respectively. The corresponding between-batch coefficient of variation values were 6.8%, 4.9% and 5.3% as well as 14.1%, 7.6% and 6.1% for the low, medium and high control levels determined by means of the ABX Pentra 120 Retic haematological analyser and the Coulter STKS haematology system, respectively. These data suggest that all three methods allow the efficient and reliable determination of reticulocyte counts under clinical routine conditions. However, although the obtained data are very similar, differences exist which should be taken into account for the normal values of the different methods.
Interpretation of surface diffusion data with Langevin simulations: a quantitative assessment

Diffusion studies of adsorbates moving on a surface are often analyzed using 2D Langevin simulations. These simulations are computationally cheap and offer valuable insight into the dynamics, however, they simplify the complex interactions between the substrate and adsorbate atoms, neglecting correlations in the motion of the two species. The effect of this simplification on the accuracy of observables extracted using Langevin simulations was previously unquantified. Here we report a numerical study aimed at assessing the validity of this approach. We compared experimentally accessible observables which were calculated using a Langevin simulation with those obtained from explicit molecular dynamics simulations. Our results show that within the range of parameters we explored Langevin simulations provide a good alternative for calculating the diffusion procress, i.e. the effect of correlations is too small to be observed within the numerical accuracy of this study and most likely would not have a significant effect on the interpretation of experimental data. Our comparison of the two numerical approaches also demonstrates the effect temperature dependent friction has on the calculated observables, illustrating the importance of accounting for such a temperature dependence when interpreting experimental data.
Object co-identification on the semantic web

The Semantic Web seeks integrate data from many different sources. Since different sources often use different names for the same object, we need to map between these names. We first consider the use of keys to do this mapping and discuss some of the associated problems. We introduce the concept of bootstrapping from some shared names to more shared names and discuss some conditions under which this process is guaranteed to be correct. We describe a probabilistic approach to matching and propose approximations to address the issue of requiring a combinatorially large number of joint probabilities. We report on empirical studies for validating this approach in two interesting domains. Finally, we discuss the implications of better matching techniques for privacy.
An empirical study of the relationships among virtual community participants’ personality, internet addiction behavior and internet purchasing involvement

Abstract In social science research, the factor analysis approach has become quite popular for examining many psychological concepts. This study proposes a structural equation model with observed variables to analyze the relations among personality, Internet addiction behavior and Internet purchasing involvement in virtual community participants. The results obtained through 326 internet questionnaires show that (1) extraversion, openness, and agreeableness are highly related to personality; (2) compulsive, withdrawal, and tolerance are highly related to Internet addiction behavior; and (3) withdrawal, information collecting, and product assessment are highly related to Internet purchasing involvement. The structural equation model with observed variables was supported based on the results of the empirical analysis.
Structural Equation Modeling on Personal Satisfaction with Life in Grandmothers Parenting Grandchildren

Purpose: This study was designed to construct and test a structural equation model for life satisfaction in grandmothers who were parenting grandchildren Methods: Grandmothers assuming part-time parenting responsibilities for grandchildren were recruited in four cities in South Korea. They were asked to complete a questionnaire through face to face interviews or self reports, and 248 data units were analyzed with Structural Equation Modeling. Results: Model fit indices for the final model revealed a fit at an excellent level, and all of the 12 paths were statistically significant explaining 51% of the variance. Predictors of life satisfaction in the final model were parenting efficacy, perceived health status, parenting stress, amount of parenting, and demographic factors. The new findings of this study were as follows: First, the satisfaction with life of part-time parenting grandmothers was less than that of non-parenting grandmothers. Second, parenting stress and parenting efficacy revealed determinants to life satisfaction. Third, motivation of parenting and amount of parenting affect both parenting stress and parenting efficacy. Conclusion: The value of parenting and the grandmother-adult children relationship quality should also be considered in developing a grandmothers' educational program, because these are the factors which strengthen parenting efficacy and alleviate parenting stress.
OF INTERMITTENT FASTING ON PLACENTAL FUNCTION

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The Impact of Pre-processing on the Classification of MEDLINE Documents

The amount of information available in the MEDLINE database makes it very hard for a researcher to retrieve a reasonable amount of relevant documents using a simple query language interface. Automatic Classification of documents may be a valuable technology to help reducing the amount of documents retrieved for each query. To accomplish this process it is of capital importance to use appropriate pre-processing techniques on the data. The main goal of this study is to analyse the impact of pre-processing techniques in text Classification of MEDLINE documents. We have assessed the effect of combining different pre-processing techniques together with several classification algorithms available in the WEKA tool. Our experiments show that the application of pruning, stemming and WordNet reduces significantly the number of attributes and improves the accuracy of the results.
Cognitive dysfunction in multiple sclerosis.

Previous frequency estimates of cognitive dysfunction in multiple sclerosis have ranged from 54 to 65 percent. These studies may overestimate the frequency in the general MS population, since the patients in these studies were recruited from clinic populations. In the present study, we administered a comprehensive neuropsychological test battery to 100 community‐based MS patients and 100 demographically matched healthy controls. Of 31 cognitive test indices examined, 48 MS patients and five controls were impaired on four or more test indices, yielding an overall frequency rate of 43% for the MS group. The pattern of cognitive decline was not uniform: MS patients were more frequently impaired on measures of recent memory, sustained attention, verbal fluency, conceptual reasoning, and visuospatial perception, and less frequently impaired on measures of language and immediate and remote memory. We developed a brief (20‐minute) screening battery empirically by selecting the four most sensitive test indices from the comprehensive battery. The brief battery yielded a sensitivity value of 71% and a specificity value of 94% in discriminating cognitively intact from impaired MS patients, as defined by the comprehensive battery. Cognitive impairment was not significantly associated with illness duration, depression, disease course, or medication usage, but was significantly (albeit weakly) correlated with physical disability. NEUROLOGY 1991;41:685‐691
Vestibular Hair Bundles Control pH with (Na+, K+)/H+ Exchangers NHE6 and NHE9

In hair cells of the inner ear, robust Ca2+/H+ exchange mediated by plasma-membrane Ca2+-ATPase would rapidly acidify mechanically sensitive hair bundles without efficient removal of H+. We found that, whereas the basolateral membrane of vestibular hair cells from the frog saccule extrudes H+ via an Na+-dependent mechanism, bundles rapidly remove H+ in the absence of Na+ and HCO3−, even when the soma is acidified. K+ was fully effective and sufficient for H+ removal; in contrast, Rb+ failed to support pH recovery. Na+/H+-exchanger isoform 1 (NHE1) was present on hair-cell soma membranes and was likely responsible for Na+-dependent H+ extrusion. NHE6 and NHE9 are organellar isoforms that can appear transiently on plasma membranes and have been proposed to mediate K+/H+ exchange. We identified NHE6 in a subset of hair bundles; NHE9 was present in all bundles. Heterologous expression of these isoforms in yeast strains lacking endogenous exchangers conferred pH-dependent tolerance to high levels of KCl and NaCl. NHE9 preferred cations in the order K+, Na+ ≫ Rb+, consistent with the relative efficacies of these ions in promoting pH recovery in hair bundles. Electroneutral K+/H+ exchange, which we propose is performed by NHE9 in hair bundles, exploits the high-K+ endolymph, responds only to pH imbalance across the bundle membrane, is unaffected by the +80 mV endocochlear potential, and uses mechanisms already present in the ear for K+ recycling. This mechanism allows the hair cell to remove H+ generated by Ca2+ pumping without ATP hydrolysis in the cell.
The Cast Test of Nonverbal Sensitivity

A number of tests claim to measure sensitivity to various aspects of the communication process, particularly the nonverbal component. Unfortunately, the validity and usefulness of these tests are open to question, as each can be criticised on methodological and conceptual grounds. A new test of affective sensitivity was developed. Called the Contextual and Affective Sensitivity Test (CAST), it incorporates a number of features that constitute an important methodological improvement on earlier tests. Specifically, genuine rather than posed messages are used; messages are contextualised rather than disparate; and the focus of the test is camouflaged rather than transparent. The CAST avoids a number of methodological problems present in alternative tests, such as the Profile of Nonverbal Sensitivity. It represents a new approach to measuring sensitivity to affective communication. The CAST consists of 34 items that measure communication on three dimensions: accuracy of identification; sensitivity to nonverbal cues; and responsiveness to contextual information. Pretesting focused on the item and scale characteristics and on validity. Validity was demonstrated by showing that higher scores on the test are obtained by people in more person-oriented occupations.
Fast Probabilistic Planning through Weighted Model Counting

We present a new algorithm for probabilistic planning with no observability. Our algorithm, called Probabilistic-FF, extends the heuristic forward-search machinery of Conformant-FF to problems with probabilistic uncertainty about both the initial state and action effects. Specifically, Probabilistic-FF combines Conformant-FF's techniques with a powerful machinery for weighted model counting in (weighted) CNFs, serving to elegantly define both the search space and the heuristic function. Our evaluation of Probabilistic-FF on several probabilistic domains shows an unprecedented, several orders of magnitude improvement over previous results in this area.
Learning theory reconsidered: EU integration theories and learning

This article introduces this special issue by contextualizing learning theory within European integration studies. There are important empirical and theoretical gaps in the study of European integration which necessitate a greater attention to learning theory. This article deploys a number of conceptual distinctions about learning and non-learning processes, drawing from political science, international relations, public administration and sociological/organizational studies. It traces ‘learning’ in its political science context and how learning has been inserted into EU integration studies. In relating this evolution, the article examines the conditions that define the type and likelihood of learning and surveys the special issue. The article argues that studying learning in the EU is difficult, but integration requires an understanding of the micro policy processes that learning seeks to address.
Mathematical Model of Hepatitis B in the Bosomtwe District of Ashanti Region, Ghana

We use SIR model to predict the prevalence and incidence of Hepatitis B in Bosomtwe District of Ghana. The study is made up of two sections. An SIR model without vaccination is used to explain the spread of the HBV in the Bosomtwe district followed by the modeling HB with vaccination in the district.
Molecular Properties and Evaluation of Indion 234–Ondansetron Resinates

Ondansetron is a serotonin 5HT3 antagonist; anti-emetic drug. Bitter taste of the ondansetron is a major problem in ensuring patient compliance. The study was designed to formulate tasteless complexes of ondansetron with ion exchange resin and evaluate molecular properties of drug complex. The drug-loading process was carried out using various resins and was optimized using different drug:resin ratio and pH. Resinates were characterized by infrared spectroscopy, thermal analysis, and X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD). Indion 234 gave the best loading efficiency at drug resin ratio of 1:1.5. pH had no effect on drug loading. XRPD studies revealed that drug is in amorphous state in complex. The Infrared studies revealed complexation of secondary amine group of drug with carboxylic functional group of resin. Taste evaluation by using semiquantitative method found resonates as tasteless and agreeable. The release of drug from resinates in simulated gastric fluid was complete in 30 min. Thus, ion exchange resinates offer an effective tool for masking of bitterness and improve drug release.
Attachment behavior in children with Autistic Spectrum Disorders

Purpose – Significance of attachment relationship to the development and impairments among children with autism has been studied. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the literature for studies completed on the attachment and assess the effect of autism on attachment development. Different moderators of attachment are also reviewed. Design/methodology/approach – Systematic reviews were searched for in different databases to establish the necessity and relevance of the current paper. The last systematic review on the topic was published in 2004 so studies done after that year were searched for in electronic databases and experts on the filed were also contacted before choosing the ten studies selected for this review. Findings – Attachment is present among children with Autistic Spectrum Disorders (ASD), however not prevalent as in normally developing children. The security and organization of attachment behavior are affected by the severity of the diagnosis of Autism and the co-morbidities associated.
Effects of coil orientation on the electric field induced by TMS over the hand motor area

Responses elicited by transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) over the hand motor area depend on the position and orientation of the stimulating coil. In this work, we computationally investigate the induced electric field for multiple coil orientations and locations in order to determine which parts of the brain are affected and how the sensitivity of motor cortical activation depends on the direction of the electric field. The finite element method is used for calculating the electric field induced by TMS in two individual anatomical models of the head and brain. The orientation of the coil affects both the strength and depth of penetration of the electric field, and the field strongly depends on the direction of the sulcus, where the target neurons are located. The coil position that gives the strongest electric field in the target cortical region may deviate from the closest scalp location by a distance on the order of 1 cm. Together with previous experimental data, the results support the hypothesis that the cortex is most sensitive to fields oriented perpendicular to the cortical layers, while it is relatively insensitive to fields parallel to them. This has important implications for targeting of TMS. To determine the most effective coil position and orientation, it is essential to consider both biological (the direction of the targeted axons) and physical factors (the strength and direction of the electric field).