Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Glare susceptibility test results correlate with temporal safety margin when executing turns across approaching vehicles in simulated low‐sun conditions

The purpose of this study was to compare the results of a laboratory glare susceptibility test with the execution of turns at an intersection (turns that required the driver to cross a lane containing approaching traffic). We measured glare susceptibility by means of low and high‐contrast letter charts with and without a glare source. Driving performance in the absence and presence of simulated low sun was assessed using a simulator. In particular, we measured the difference between the time taken to complete a turn across the path of an approaching vehicle and the time to collision (TTC) with the approaching vehicle (the safety margin). The presence of glare resulted in a significant reduction in the safety margin used by drivers (by 0.65 s on average) and the mean number of collisions was significantly higher in the glare conditions than in the non‐glare conditions. The effect of glare was larger for low‐contrast than for high‐contrast oncoming vehicles. Older drivers (45–60 years) had a significantly greater reduction in safety margin than younger drivers (19–29 years), though there was a large inter‐individual variability in both age groups. We suggest that the reduction in retinal image contrast caused by low‐sun caused drivers to overestimate the TTC with approaching vehicles.
Fear of Failing? The Many Meanings of Difficulty in Video Games

Winning isn’t everything It is quite simple: When you play a game, you want to win. Winning makes you happy, losing makes you unhappy. If this seems self-evident, there is nonetheless a contradictory viewpoint, according to which games should be “neither too easy nor too hard”, implying that players also want not to win, at least part of the time. This is a contradiction I wil l try resolve in what follows. The question is:
Neuroanatomical changes in patients with loss of visual function

Eye diseases that cause loss of visual function are associated with changes in the brain. However, the underlying mechanism of this association is still unclear. Research into this association is important, since the remaining capacity of the brain to conduct and process the input from the eye is believed to be a crucial factor that can affect the success of future vision restoration treatments. Moreover, such research can provide information for a better understanding of the origin of the investigated eye disease. The aim of this thesis was to discover which mechanisms could explain the association between loss of visual function and changes in the brain in general. To investigate this, I studied changes in the brain in various eye diseases that cause visual deprivation. In conclude that changes in the brain – due to loss of visual input – plays an important role in all of the cases. Furthermore, I found evidence that suggests that the eye diseases primary open angle glaucoma and age-related macular degeneration are part of a more general neurodegenerative disorder. This can give directions to future research on the treatment of the eye disease, which might have to expand its focus from treatment of the eye alone towards treatment of both the eye and brain.
High-np Rydberg states of atomic carbon studied through vuv and uv double resonance

wise excitation of the Rydberg states was carried out using vacuum ultraviolet ~vuv! excitation of the 2 p3s upper states of the resonance transition, followed by further excitation using the ultraviolet ~uv! light from a frequency-doubled tunable pulsed dye laser. Agreement between theory and experiment was generally excellent, although significant discrepancies between theoretical and experimental relative intensities were noted in several cases. These differences appear to be due to the presence of Cooper zeroes near threshold, and a consequent extreme sensitivity of the channel dipole matrix elements to the representation of the excited state wave functions. We conclude that the theoretical approach used in this work is capable of very accurately describing the highly excited states of this relatively simple system.
What's new in foot and ankle surgery.

This update summarizes recent research pertaining to the subspecialty of orthopaedic foot and ankle surgery that was published or presented between August 2006 and July 2007. The sources of these studies include The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery (American and British Volumes), Foot and Ankle International, and the proceedings of Specialty Day at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS), held on February 17, 2007, in San Diego, California; and the summer meeting of the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS), held on July 13, 14, and 15, 2007, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Evidence for a massive dark object in ngc 4350

ABSTRACT In this work we build a detailed dynamic model for a S0 galaxy possibly hostinga central massive dark object (MDO). We show that the photometric proﬁles and thekinematics along the major and minor axes, including the h 3 and h 4 proﬁles, imply thepresence of a central MDO of mass M MDO ∼ 1.5−9.7· 10 8 M ⊙ , i.e. 0.3−2.8% of themass derived for the stellar spheroidal component. Models without MDO are unableto reproduce the kinematic properties of the inner stars and of the rapidly rotatingnuclear gas.The stellar population comprise of an exponential disc (27% of the light) anda diﬀuse spheroidal component (73% of the light) that cannot be represented by asimple de Vaucouleurs proﬁle at any radius. The M/L ratios we found for the stellarcomponents (respectively 3.3 and 6.6) are typical of those ofdisc and elliptical galaxies.Key words: galaxies: individual: NGC 4350 – galaxies: kinematics and dynamics –galaxies: structure – galaxies: nuclei – dark matter 1 INTRODUCTIONThere is increasing evidence that most galaxies with a largespheroidal component host a Massive Dark Object (MDO)at their centre, with masses ranging from ∼ 10
THE INFLUENCE OF LIPID COMPOSITION AND CAROTENE ON LIPID PEROXIDATION IN LIPOSOMES

Oxidative damage to membrane lipid is one of the prime events occurring in aging and other undesirable physiological processes. In this study experiments were performed on liposomes (prepared either from crude erythrocyte phospholipids or purified egg yolk phosphatidylcholine) as models of lipid bilayer portion of biomembranes. The effects of β-carotene, and phospholipid composition on peroxidation process, initiated by Fe 2+ , were studied. It was found that β-carotene does not show any noticeable antioxidant effect on the peroxidation process initiated by Fe 2+ in liposomes prepared from erythrocyte phosphatides, whereas it effectively suppressed the same process in egg yolk phosphatidylcholine (EYPC). It is concluded that the anti-/pro-oxidant activity of β–carotene is also dependent on the membrane lipid composition and this may provide an explanation about the conflicting reports on its role in ordinary or promoted oxidation experiments.
Radioimmunotherapy and stem-cell transplantation in the treatment of aggressive B-cell lymphoma

High-dose chemotherapy and autologous stem-cell transplantation (ASCT) have an established therapeutic role in the treatment of chemo-sensitive relapsed aggressive lymphoma, but has limited success in chemo-refractory disease or in heavily pretreated, multiple relapsed patients. Recurrent disease is the major cause of treatment failure in all patient subsets and the majority is not cured. Methods for better eradication of underlying lymphoma are needed to improve outcome. Radioimmunotherapy (RIT) combines radiation delivered by radio-isotopes with the targeting effect of monoclonal antibodies. Two radioimmunoconjugates are currently approved for relapsed/resistant low-grade or transformed lymphoma: iodine-131 tositumomab and yttrium-90 ibritumomab tiuxetan. These agents are also effective in aggressive lymphoma. Radio-labeled antibodies are ideal candidates to combine with high-dose chemotherapy and ASCT. Their major toxicity is myelosuppression, which is easily reversed by ASCT and they can target disease sites with almost no added toxicity to normal tissues. RIT has been used in escalated doses as the sole treatment prior to ASCT or in standard or escalated doses combined with standard high-dose chemotherapy regimens. RIT was also combined with reduced-intensity conditioning and allogeneic SCT. Preliminary results are promising and suggest improved disease control with no added toxicity; however randomized studies are needed to confirm these initial observations.
Laboratory Evaluation of the DCA 2000 Clinic HbA1c Immunoassay Analyser

The DCA 2000™ clinical analyser for the measurement of haemoglobin A1c was evaluated for analytical quality. The analyser, which utilises inhibition of latex agglutination immunoassay, demonstrated good within-batch (1 · 9–3 · 1% CV) and between-batch (2·2% CV) imprecision, and was not affected by haemoglobin concentration. The analyser was linear throughout the analytical range, and was found to correlate well with agar electroendosmosis (r = 0·93), affinity chromatography (r=0·97), HPLC (r=0 · 90) and EIA (r=0·98). The analyser was found to give reliable analytical results, and with its ease of use, will provide the diabetologist with HbA1c results in the clinic; although an analysis time of 9 min will limit sample throughput.
mpaired behavioural response to alarm substance in rainbow trout xposed to copper nanoparticles

To date, studies of the toxicity of engineered nanoparticles (NPs) in fish have not fully considered effects on olfactory-mediated behaviours, despite their ecological importance. In this study the effects of copper NPs (Cu NPs) on the anti-predator behavioural responses of juvenile rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) to trout alarm substance was investigated. Individual fish were exposed for 12 h to a control (no added Cu), 50 g l−1 of Cu as Cu NPs, or 50 g l−1 Cu as CuSO4, after which fish behaviours were analyzed in 10 min periods before and after the addition of the alarm substance stimulus. The response of control fish to deionised water (negative control, no alarm substance stimulus) was also analyzed. The alarm substance elicited a behavioural response in the control fish characterized by an immediate freeze response and the slower resumption of swimming activity compared to negative controls exposed to the sham deionised water stimuli. In fish exposed to Cu NPs, the behavioural response to alarm substance was eliminated, with no significant difference in behaviours compared to negative controls. In comparison, exposure to 50 g l−1 Cu as CuSO4 decreased, but did not eliminate the response of fish to alarm substance, which indicated a significantly greater effect of Cu NPs on olfactory mediated behaviours than of the equivalent concentration of Cu as CuSO4. Measurement of total Cu concentrations in the tissues of fish demonstrated no significant accumulation of Cu from any treatment in gill, liver or brain, confirming the effects of Cu NPs, and to a lesser extent CuSO4, on behavioural responses were mostly associated with the interaction of the materials with the external surfaces of the fish. Scanning electron microscopy revealed that Cu as CuSO4 caused a pronounced depletion of ciliated sensory and non-sensory cells in the olfactory rosette surrounding the midline raphe, whereas Cu NPs had no impact on the structure of the rosette. However, exposure to Cu NPs caused a significant increase in the ratio of oxidized to reduced glutathione in brains of fish, indicating some systemic oxidative stress that was not observed in either controls or fish exposed to CuSO4. Overall, the study showed that the olfactory mediated behaviours of fish were potentially more sensitive to Cu NPs than CuSO4 and NPs elicited effects via a mechanism that is distinct from that of the metal salt. ublis © 2014 The Authors. P
Use of Bayesian networks for emergency assistance assessment of ship capsizing

Ship capsize is one of the hottest spots in the public security due to their sudden and severe consequences, such as Eastern Star and Sewol accidents happened in the past few years. To improve the ability of emergency handling, e.g. Search and Rescue (SAR) operations in inland waters to waterborne transport accidents, an SAR evaluation model for inland ships is proposed based on the Bayesian network technique and an expert survey. The model starts with the statistical analysis of historical ship capsize data from 1998 to 2010. The statistics and expert knowledge are synthesized in the Bayesian network model to obtain the probability distribution of the consequences. Then, several indicators that influence the consequences are identified based on case study and sensitivity analysis, e.g. navigation environment, self-rescue ability and emergency disposal etc. Finally, the proposed Bayesian network model is used as a tool for emergency assistance assessment aiming to mitigate the consequences due to ship capsizing.
Co‐operative interactions control conjugative transfer of broad host‐range plasmid RK2: full effect of minor changes in TrbA operator depends on KorB

A network of circuits, with KorB and TrbA as key regulators, controls genes for conjugative transfer of broad host range plasmid RK2. To assess the importance of the TrbA regulon, mutational analysis was applied to the TrbA operator at the trbB promoter and then to other TrbA‐regulated promoters in the tra region. All identified TrbA operators are submaximal; in the case of trbBp, a G to A transition that made the operator core a perfect palindrome increased repression by about 50% compared to the wild type. When this change was introduced into the RK2 genome, decreases in transfer frequency of up to three orders of magnitude were observed, with bigger effects when Escherichia coli was the donor compared to Pseudomonas putida. Western blotting showed a significant decrease in Trb protein levels. These effects were much greater than the effect of the mutation on repression by TrbA alone. When KorB was introduced into the reporter system, the effects were closer to those observed in the whole RK2 context. These results indicate that co‐operativity, previously observed between TrbA and KorB, allows big changes in transfer gene expression to result from small changes in individual regulator activities.
Plasmodium falciparum (human malaria)-induced modifications in human erythrocyte band 3 protein

A monoclonal antibody, 1C4, was produced which recognizes a 65 kDa protein that is localized to the plasma membrane of human erythrocytes infected with Plasmodium falciparum. By immunofluorescence the antigen was visualized as dots on the surface of the infected cell. The 65 kDa protein was present in 4 strains of diverse geographical origin, and in erythrocytes infected with a knobless strain. The 65 kDa protein was insoluble in non-ionic detergents, but was partly soluble in SDS and some high (1 M) śalt solutions. The 65 kDa protein is recognized by antibodies specific for the cytoplasmic domain and the N-terminal side of the membrane-spanning region of human band 3, but was not recognized by an antibody specific to the C-terminal side of the membrane-spanning region. The results of treatment of the 65 kDa protein with trypsin and chymotrypsin are consistent with the 65 kDa protein being a truncated and covalently modified band 3 molecule which consists of the first 540 amino acids of human band 3.
Fracture risk among First Nations people: a retrospective matched cohort study

Background: Canadian First Nations people have unique cultural, socioeconomic and health-related factors that may affect fracture rates. We sought to determine the overall and site-specific fracture rates of First Nations people compared with non-First Nations people. Methods: We studied fracture rates among First Nations people aged 20 years and older (n = 32 692) using the Manitoba administrative health database (1987–1999). We used federal and provincial sources to identify ethnicity, and we randomly matched each First Nations person with 3 people of the same sex and year of birth who did not meet this definition of First Nations ethnicity (n = 98 076). We used a provincial database of hospital separations and physician billing claims to calculate standardized incidence ratios (SIRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for each fracture type based on a 5-year age strata. Results: First Nations people had significantly higher rates of any fracture (age- and sex-adjusted SIR 2.23, 95% CI 2.18–2.29). Hip fractures (SIR 1.88, 95% CI 1.61–2.14), wrist fractures (SIR 3.01, 95% CI 2.63–3.42) and spine fractures (SIR 1.93, 95% CI 1.79–2.20) occurred predominantly in older people and women. In contrast, craniofacial fractures (SIR 5.07, 95% CI 4.74–5.42) were predominant in men and younger adults. Interpretation: First Nations people are a previously unidentified group at high risk for fracture.
Artifacts due to stimulus correlated motion in functional imaging of the brain

To assess the effect of stimulus correlated motion on the appearance of functional magnetic resonance images, conventional visual and motor protocols were each performed by four normal volunteers and an image co‐registration technique was used to retrospectively monitor subject motion. In three studies synthetic data sets were constructed from single baseline images using the positional information obtained from the co‐registration procedure. Cumulative difference images were then created from both the synthetic and functional image sets. Stimulus correlated motion was detected in all eight studies and the synthetic cumulative difference images showed striking similarities to the equivalent functional images in each case.
Traumatic brain injury: classification of initial severity and determination of functional outcome

Purpose : The aim of the present manuscript is to review current methods for classifying initial severity and final outcome in traumatic brain injury (TBI) and to suggest a direction and form of further research. Method : The literature on valid and reliable measurements used in TBI-research for classifying initial severity and final outcome was reviewed. Results : Classifying initial severity in patients with head injury according to clinical condition or CT-parameters is valid. Classifying outcome according to measurement tools of disability showed adequate validity and reliability. Conclusions : Future research in TBI outcome, particularly in rehabilitation medicine, should focus on determinants of outcome, identifying those patients who will have the greatest chance of benefiting from intensive rehabilitation programmes. More research is needed to determine the long-term functional outcome in TBI, the long-term socio-economic costs, and the influence of behavioural problems on family cohesion. Finally, validation of outcome measures is required in the TBI-population; the relative value of various outcome measures needs to be determined, and the usefulness and applicability of measures for health related quality of life in TBI should be established.
Flexbattery — Merging multilevel power conversion and energy storage

This paper describes a “flexbattery” modular battery pack concept that integrates the function of energy storage, active cell balancing, and bidirectional multilevel power conversion. As a result, the flexbattery pack does not have a positive or negative terminal, but terminals that can operate at arbitrary voltage levels, both positive or negative. Since each connection terminal can generate a variable voltage within a certain range, the system can also supply ac voltage. Therefore, with appropriate control this innovative flexbattery could be directly applied to an electrical motor. Also, the flexbattery pack can be charged from any voltage level within the nominal output range of the pack, both dc or ac. The elementary flexbattery unit is introduced and analyzed together with the operation of a pack. Additionally, the concept has been experimentally verified with a 120 W three-unit, nine-level prototype under both ac and dc operation.
Psychosocial Adjustment and Craniofacial Malformations in Childhood

Forty-three children between the ages of 6 and 13 years with congenital facial anomalies underwent psychosocial evaluation prior to surgery. Also evaluated were healthy children matched to the craniofacial subjects by sex, age, intelligence, and economic background. Relative to this comparison group, the craniofacial children were found to have poorer self-concept, greater anxiety at the time of evaluation, and more introversion. Parents of the craniofacial children noted more frequent negative social encounters for their children and more hyperactive behavior at home. Teachers reported more problematic classroom behavior. Examination of these results revealed craniofacial malformations to be associated with psychosocial limitations rather than marked deficits. These children tended to function less well than the comparison children, but with few exceptions, they were not functioning in a psychosocially deviant range. Explanations for the observed circumscribed impact of facial deformity include the use of denial as a coping mechanism, possible diminished significance of appearance for younger children, and the restricted environment experienced by most of the subjects. It can be predicted that time would render these protective influences ineffective, so that adolescent and young adult patients could be at far greater psychosocial risk.
Preference Learning with Strength

In order for machines to effectively collaborate with humans computers must be able to learn, and reason about, human preferences. Requesting a person to exhaustively assess their preferences regarding individual objects has been shown to be inaccurate and tiresome. We elicit preference automatically from data comprising human supplied pairwise comparisons, which invokes lower cognitive effort on the part of the person. We also seamlessly fold in the strength of preference, supplied by the human, to further improve the accuracy and efficiency of our algorithm. We take a Bayesian approach, exploiting the rich principles of probabilistic reasoning to reduce the number of comparisons undertaken by the human. In particular we use Bayesian non-parametrics, specifically Gaussian processes, to model a latent value function that allows us to infer global preference ordering from a small set of pairwise choices. We show that by integrating preference strength the accuracy of our approach improves by a factor of two.
Working Women and Fertility: The Role of Grandmothers' Labor Force Participation

Grandmothers’ availability for childcare has been shown to increase the labor force participation (LFP) and fertility of daughters. However, grandmothers’ childcare availability depends highly on their LFP. When grandmothers work, intergenerational income transfers to their daughters may increase at the expense of time transfers (through childcare). Using a Two-stage Two-steps Least Squares estimation, we exploit changes in legal retirement ages in Italy to explore the relationship between mothers’ LFP and daughters’ LFP and fertility choices. We show that even though grandmothers who participate in the labor force provide less childcare, their daughters are more likely to have children and less likely to participate in the labor force. This can be explained by the increase in family income as a result of mothers’ LFP offsetting the influence of the reduction in childcare. (JEL codes: J41, J24, M51, C41, C33, C35, J6, L1).