Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Treatment of Persons of Color in Local Television News

Blaming outgroups for social problems is a common discursive practice. However, it is not clear whether this discourse represents ethnocentric bias or realistic group conflict. To compare these explanations, the authors studied 14 weeks of local television news on three stations in Philadelphia. The authors found that persons of color were heavily presented in stories about crime, and within those stories were more likely to be presented as perpetrators of crime than as persons reacting to or suffering from it. An analysis using recent homicide rates in Philadelphia and a rational model of expected victimization indicated that contrary to a realistic-conflict explanation, White actors were overpresented as victims of violence compared to their roles as perpetrators, and persons of color were overpresented as perpetrators of violence against White actors. These patterns were consistent with the hypothesis that the news media engage in a discourse of ethnic blame that is independent of realistic group conflict.
Can normal narcissism be managed to promote green product purchases? Investigating a counterintuitive proposition

Despite the presumed influence of narcissism as a prevalent consumer trait, the psychological construct was only recently linked to consumer theory. “Normal” narcissism is traditionally associated with negative effects on others. But narcissism is examined from a different perspective here. This study investigates how narcissistic traits may influence consumer tendencies to engage in “green” behaviors. Study 1 demonstrates that narcissists do not intrinsically value green behavior or its potential societal benefits. However, four integrated experiments—grounded in costly signaling theory and the realistic accuracy model—demonstrated that situational factors such as product visibility, purchase visibility, relative price, and message detection and utilization could be influential in motivating normal narcissists to act “green. ”
Meeting Soft Deadlines in Scientific Workflows Using Resubmission Impact

We propose a new heuristic called Resubmission Impact to support fault tolerant execution of scientific workflows in heterogeneous parallel and distributed computing environments. In contrast to related approaches, our method can be effectively used on new or unfamiliar environments, even in the absence of historical executions or failure trace models. On top of this method, we propose a dynamic enactment and rescheduling heuristic able to execute workflows with a high degree of fault tolerance, while taking into account soft deadlines. Simulated experiments of three real-world workflows in the Austrian Grid demonstrate that our method significantly reduces the resource waste compared to conservative task replication and resubmission techniques, while having a comparable makespan and only a slight decrease in the success probability. On the other hand, the dynamic enactment method manages to successfully meet soft deadlines in faulty environments in the absence of historical failure trace information or models.
De novo mutation in the Notch3 gene causing CADASIL

CADASIL, an autosomal dominant arteriopathy responsible for stroke and dementia, is caused by strongly stereotyped mutations in the Notch3 gene. We report a patient with a condition strongly suggestive of CADASIL (migraine, stroke, and white matter abnormalities), except that this patient did not have any first‐degree relatives with similar symptoms. This patient carried a heterozygous Arg182Cys mutation in the Notch3 gene; this mutation was absent in his two biological parents. These data demonstrate the occurrence of a de novo noninherited mutation in the Notch3 gene, which indicates that CADASIL should not be rejected in the absence of a family history. Therefore, our finding suggests that CADASIL may be more frequent than anticipated. Ann Neurol 2000;47:388–391
ACM: atlas of connectivity maps for semiregular models

Semiregular models are an important subset of models in computer graphics. They are typically obtained by applying repetitive regular refinements on an initial arbitrary model. As a result, their connectivity strongly resembles regularity due to these refinement operations. Although data structures exist for regular or irregular models, a data structure designed to take advantage of this semiregularity is desirable. In this paper, we introduce such a data structure called atlas of connectivity maps for semiregular models resulting from arbitrary refinements. This atlas maps the connectivity information of vertices and faces on separate 2D domains called connectivity maps. The connectivity information between adjacent connectivity maps is determined by a linear transformation between their 2D domains. We also demonstrate the effectiveness of our data structure on subdivision and multiresolution applications.
A Construct Validity Study of the Survey of Perceived Organizational Support

Eisenberger, Huntington, Hutchinson, and Sowa (1986) recently conducted a study focused on ameasure of perceived employer commitment that they called the Survey of Perceived Organiza-tional Support (SPOS). In the present study, confirmatory factor analysis was used to examine thedimensionality of the SPOS and to determine the distinctiveness of this construct from othersimilar constructs. Participants were 330 employees in a large corporation headquartered in thesoutheastern United States. The results support the SPOS as a unidimensional scale that is distin-guishable from affective and continuance commitment. However, the data raise some question asto the empirical distinction between the SPOS and satisfaction.
Potential Effect of Anoplophora glabripennis (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) on Urban Trees in the United States

Abstract Anoplophora glabripennis Motschulsky, a wood borer native to Asia, was recently found in New York City and Chicago. In an attempt to eradicate these beetle populations, thousands of infested city trees have been removed. Field data from nine U.S. cities and national tree cover data were used to estimate the potential effects of A. glabripennis on urban resources through time. For the cities analyzed, the potential tree resources at risk to A. glabripennis attack based on host preferences, ranges from 12 to 61% of the city tree population, with an estimated value of $72 million–$2.3 billion per city. The corresponding canopy cover loss that would occur if all preferred host trees were killed ranges from 13–68%. The estimated maximum potential national urban impact of A. glabripennis is a loss of 34.9% of total canopy cover, 30.3% tree mortality (1.2 billion trees) and value loss of $669 billion.
Radical Civic Transitions: Networking and Building Civic Solutions

In this intervention, as with the Civics exhibition, we draw on a range of UK grassroots movements, broadly concerned with matters of pressing social and environmental concern, which are arguably shaping, and may shape future, civic geographies. We propose that these movements are laying the foundations for, and actively co-creating, what we call ‘radical civic transitions’. We detect much that is ‘civic’ – according to the sensibility of this Interventions theme section – at the heart of working participatively towards change, seeking to effect transitions in how local ecologies, life-worlds and communities re connect to a wider world whose current socio-environmental trajectories are potentially so damaging. We propose that our contribution usefully inserts a more explicitly temporal dimension into civic geographies than is apparent from more ‘conservative’ versions of civics, wherein the temptation is to look back, to conserve what is, rather than to project forward in building something new. In what follows, we write with and for four different civic groups: the Network of Wellbeing, the Transition Research Network, the Ecological Land Cooperative and Transition Homes. Each group plays brokering roles, bringing alternative, radical movements and ideas into more mainstream contexts, thereby engaging with more established civic geographies, such as those enacted by local authorities and higher education institutions, in a range of complementary and contradictory ways. The tensions, insights and opportunities which arise may in turn extend to and be extended by other civic groups in other times and spaces.
Making trouble: the uses of “formal organization” as an institutional resource

This study examines the ‘mechanisms of sustained and sanctioned rationality’ (Egon Bittner) in the maintenance of institutional boundaries. The methodology used is Categorization Analysis, the less frequently used form of Conversation Analysis. Through an analysis of the practices of reporting, the author seeks to show how ‘formal' organization is used as a background resource in the rational construction of the everyday ‘social' organizational activity, ‘making trouble’.
Nicotine-seeking reinstatement is reduced by inhibition of instrumental memory reconsolidation

The reinforcing properties of nicotine play a major role in instrumental conditioning to nicotine taking in smokers. Retrieval of nicotine-related memories may promote relapse to nicotine seeking after prolonged abstinence. Once consolidated, memories are stable, but they return to a labile phase, called reconsolidation, after their retrieval. The aim of our study was to investigate whether it was possible to interfere with the reconsolidation of instrumental nicotine-related memories by acting at glutamatergic receptors [N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors (NMDARs)] to prevent relapse to nicotine-seeking behaviour in the rat. We assessed whether the NMDAR antagonist MK-801, administered before or after nicotine-related instrumental memory retrieval, can reduce reinstatement of nicotine-seeking behaviour in rats previously trained to nicotine self-administration. Following a period of forced abstinence, MK-801 (0.1 mg/kg intraperitoneally) was administered 30 min before or 1 h after the re-exposure to 20 lever presses without any contingency in the training context to retrieve instrumental memory. MK-801 administered after, but not before, retrieval inhibited reinstatement compared with vehicle controls and groups without retrieval of instrumental memory. Interestingly, a retrieval factor effect was observed as an increase of reinstatement in vehicle-treated groups, suggesting a behavioural outcome of the occurrence of instrumental memory reconsolidation. Our findings suggest that, by acting on NMDARs, it is possible to reduce the reinstatement of nicotine-seeking behaviour through inhibition of instrumental nicotine-related memory reconsolidation.
Effect of human body weight changes on circulating levels of peptide YY and peptide YY3-36.

BACKGROUND Recent findings suggest that low plasma peptide YY (PYY) levels may contribute to diet-induced human obesity and justify PYY replacement therapy. Although the pharmacological value of PYY is controversial, further study of the secretion of the precursor PYY(1-36) and the pharmacologically active PYY(3-36) is indicated to determine the potential role in energy balance regulation. AIM Our objective was to determine the effects of acute and chronic changes in human body weight on circulating levels of the putative satiety hormone peptide YY. DESIGN Total plasma PYY levels (PYY(1-36) + PYY(3-36)) were measured in 66 lean, 18 anorectic, 63 obese, and 16 morbidly obese humans. In addition, total PYY was measured in 17 of the obese patients after weight loss and in the 18 anorectic patients after weight gain. Fasting PYY(3-36) levels were measured in 17 lean and 15 obese individuals. RESULTS Fasting total plasma PYY levels were highest in patients with anorexia nervosa (80.9 +/- 12.9 pg/ml, P < 0.05) compared with lean (52.4 +/- 4.6 pg/ml), obese (43.9 +/- 3.8 pg/ml), or morbidly obese (45.6 +/- 11.2 pg/ml) subjects. In obese patients, weight loss of 5.4% was associated with a 30% decrease in fasting total PYY plasma levels. In anorectic patients, weight gain had no effect on fasting PYY. PYY(3-36) levels did not differ between lean (96.2 +/- 8.6 pg/ml) and obese (91.5 +/- 6.9 pg/ml) subjects. CONCLUSION Our findings do not support a role for abnormal circulating PYY in human obesity. We conclude that circulating PYY levels in humans are significantly elevated in anorexia nervosa and, given the controversially discussed anorectic effect of PYY, could theoretically contribute to that syndrome.
Actively synthesizing beta-cells secrete preferentially after glucose stimulation.

To establish whether the heterogeneous secretion of glucose-stimulated beta-cells correlates with a different biosynthetic activity, we have studied the secretion and biosynthesis of the very same beta-cells by combining a hemolytic plaque assay with autoradiography. After a 10-min incubation in 2.8 mM glucose, 52 +/- 2% of dispersed rat beta-cells incorporated [3H] leucine into newly synthesized proteins, as revealed by autoradiographic labeling. When the incubation was performed in 16.7 mM glucose, larger (P less than 0.02) proportions (92 +/- 4%) of plaque-forming, i.e. insulin-secreting, and nonplaque-forming beta-cells (74 +/- 4%) were autoradiographically labeled. Labeled and unlabeled beta-cells were stimulated to secrete insulin during a 30-min incubation in 16.7 mM glucose, as revealed by the larger (P less than 0.001) formation of hemolytic plaques. Under these conditions, autoradiographically labeled beta-cells were recruited preferentially (P less than 0.01) and secreted more (P less than 0.04) than unlabeled beta-cells. Analogous observations were made with beta-cell pairs. Under glucose stimulation, pairs comprising two autoradiographically labeled beta-cells secreted more (P less than 0.004) than pairs comprising one or no labeled beta-cells. The data indicate that under glucose stimulation, 1) secreting and nonsecreting beta-cells increase protein biosynthesis; 2) biosynthetically active and inactive beta-cells increase insulin secretion; 3) beta-cells synthesizing new proteins release insulin preferentially; and 4) contact decreases the biosynthetic and secretory heterogeneity of beta-cells.
Fuzzy Clustering of Students' Data Repository for At-Risks Students Identification and Monitoring

In educational data mining, identifying academic courses that contribute significantly to students’ class of degree and predicting students’ performances can help in the choice and improvement of intervention and support services for students whose performances are poor. Experience shows that graduates with weak class of degree find it difficult to gain employment, hence, the need to identify and group these at-risk students at an early stage of their academic career and then develop a plan to improve their performance. This paper identifies possible academic courses with significant contribution to academic performance and predicts students’ graduating class of degree. 11Ants Model Builder provided a means for course rank analysis while MATLAB was the system development tool. Fuzzy c-Means (FCM) algorithm was used to partition students into weak, average and good clusters. Four (4) natural clusters of at-risk students were automatically identified with k-means algorithm. Results show that Sugeno-type inference system is best suitable for the provision of initial parameters for Adaptive Neuro Fuzzy Inference System (ANFIS) training of students’ dataset. The results also prove the effectiveness of the combination of FCM, k-means and ANFIS in the classification of students based on academic performance and at-risk levels. The results will help educational managers monitor groups of students at the same level of performance, and those at the boundary of two classes of degree for the provision of informed counseling and intervention plans, to improve academic performance.
Manual Asymmetry in Weight Discrimination: Hand or Spatial-Field Advantage?

Sixty subjects who were either left-handed or right-handed performed one-handed weight discrimination using their left and right hands in the left and right spatial fields. Differential thresholds, for the left and right hands of both left-handed and right-handed subjects, were found to be lower in the spatial field contralateral to the ear which proved superior in a dichotic listening test. It is concluded that manual asymmetry for weight discrimination results primarily from the mapping of sensorimotor events in the spatial fields onto contralateral cerebral cortex, with an advantage in the spatial field contralateral to the nonlanguage cerebral hemisphere.
Self-reported psychological development in cosmetic breast surgery patients

Abstract Cosmetic breast surgery is the only therapeutic alternative for psychological and physical complications associated with micromasty, breast ptosis, and macromasty. We analyzed the effects of 2 variables, time, and type of cosmetic breast surgery, on anxiety symptomatology and quality of life. Following a mixed 3 × 4 design, 3 groups of women with breast augmentation (n = 63), mastopexy (n = 42), and breast reduction (n = 30) were selected and evaluated using the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory and the 12-Item Short-Form Health Survey at 4 different times, the preoperative stage, and at 1, 6, and 12 months postoperative. Pearson's chi square, Welch's U, Games-Howell tests, mixed analysis of variance, and Cohen's d and w for effect size were calculated. Results relating to anxiety (state and trait) showed that the time factor was significant (P < 0.001) with differences between the preoperative stage (higher anxiety levels) and the 3 postoperative stages: at 1 month (P < 0.001), 6 months (P < 0.001), and 12 months (P < 0.001). In quality of life, type of surgery and time factors were found to have interactive effects on vitality (P = 0.044) and role-emotional (P = 0.023) dimensions. Compared to the other 2 groups, women who had undergone mastopexy felt worse (vitality) at 1 month since surgery than in the other stages, and better at 6 months since surgery (role-emotional). In the rest of the dimensions, and focusing on the most relevant effect sizes, the type of surgery made a difference in the physical functioning (P = 0.005) and role-physical (P = 0.020) dimensions, where women who had had breast reduction felt worse than those who had had augmentation. Time also resulted in differences in the physical functioning (P < 0.001), role-physical (P < 0.001), and bodily pain (P < 0.001) dimensions, where women felt worse at 1 month since surgery than during the rest of the stages, as well as in the social functioning dimension (P < 0.001) at 1 month, compared to 6 months postoperative. We conclude that in the long term, women who have cosmetic breast surgery recover their physical and psychological well-being.
Measurement Error, Legalized Abortion, and the Decline in Crime: A Response to Foote and Goetz (2005)

Donohue and Levitt (2001) argue that the legalization of abortion in the United States in the 1970s played an important role in explaining the observed decline in crime approximately two decades later. Foote and Goetz (2005) challenge the results presented in one of the tables in that original paper. In this reply, we regretfully acknowledge the omission of state-year interactions in the published version of that table, but show that their inclusion does not alter the qualitative results (or their statistical significance), although it does reduce the magnitude of the estimates. When one uses a more carefully constructed measure of abortion (e.g. one that takes into account cross-state mobility, or doing a better job of matching dates of birth to abortion exposure), however, the evidence in support of the abortion-crime hypothesis is as strong or stronger than suggested in our original work.
Impact of dietary shift to higher-antioxidant foods in COPD: a randomised trial

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is characterised by increased oxidative stress. Dietary factors, such as ample consumption of foods rich in antioxidants, such as fruit and vegetables, might have beneficial effects in COPD patients. The association between dietary shift to foods rich in antioxidants and lung function in COPD was investigated in a 3-yr prospective study. A total of 120 COPD patients were randomised to follow either a diet based on increased consumption of fresh fruit and vegetables (intervention group (IG)) or a free diet (control group (CG)). The mean consumption of foods containing antioxidants was higher in the IG than in the CG throughout the study period (p<0.05). The relationship between consumption of foods rich in antioxidants and percentage predicted forced expiratory volume in 1 s was assessed using a general linear model for repeated measures; the two groups overall were different in time (p = 0.03), with the IG showing a better outcome. In investigating the effect of several confounders (sex, age, smoking status, comorbid conditions and exacerbation) of group response over time, nonsignificant interactions were found between confounders, group and time. These findings suggest that a dietary shift to higher-antioxidant food intake may be associated with improvement in lung function, and, in this respect, dietary interventions might be considered in COPD management.
Reconstructing Complex Indoor Environments with Arbitrary Wall Orientations

Reconstructing the architectural shape of interiors is a problem that is gaining increasing attention in the field of computer graphics. Some solutions have been proposed in recent years, but cluttered environments with multiple rooms and non-vertical walls still represent a challenge for state-of-the-art methods. We propose an occlusionsaware pipeline that extends current solutions to work with complex environments with arbitrary wall orientations.