Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Empathetic perspective-taking is impaired in schizophrenia: Evidence from a study of emotion attribution and theory of mind

Introduction. Schizophrenia and autism are clinically distinct yet both disorders are characterised by theory of mind (ToM) deficits. Autistic individuals fail to appreciate false beliefs, yet understand the causal connections between behavioural events and simple emotions. Findings of this type have promoted the view that ToM deficits in autism reflect a domain-specific difficulty with appreciating the representational nature of epistemic mental states (i.e., beliefs and intentions and not emotions). This study examines whether the same holds true for schizophrenia. Methods. A picture-sequencing task assessed capacity to infer false beliefs in patients with schizophrenia and healthy controls. To assess emotion attribution, participants were shown cartoon strips of events likely to elicit strong emotional reactions in story characters. Characters' faces were blanked out. Participants were instructed to think about how the characters would be feeling in order to match up the cards depicting facial affect appropriately. Participants later named emotions depicted in facial affect cards. Results. Patients were as capable as controls of identifying cartoon facial expressions, yet had greater difficulties with: (a) attributing emotions based on circumstances; and (b) inferring false beliefs. Conclusions. Schizophrenia patients, unlike autistic individuals, suffer a domain-general difficulty with empathetic perspective-taking that affects equally their appreciation of other people's beliefs, percepts, and emotions.
Uniform prostate imaging and spectroscopy at 7 T: comparison between a microstrip array and an endorectal coil

An endorectal coil and an eight‐element microstrip array were compared for prostate imaging at 7 T. An extensive radiofrequency safety assessment was performed with the use of finite difference time domain simulations to determine safe scan parameters. These simulations showed that the endorectal coil can deliver substantially more B 1+ to the prostate than can the microstrip array within the specific absorption rate safety guidelines. However, the B 1+ field of the endorectal coil is very inhomogeneous, which makes the use of adiabatic pulses compulsory for T1‐ or T2‐weighted imaging. As a consequence, a full prostate examination is only possible in a feasible amount of time when the microstrip array is used for T1‐ and T2‐weighted imaging, whereas the endorectal coil is required for spectroscopic imaging. The pulse parameters were optimised within the specific absorption rate guidelines and thereafter used to provide a good illustration of the possibilities of prostate imaging at 7 T. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Reliability of a novel testing protocol to assess upper-body strength qualities in elite athletes.

PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to evaluate the reliability of an isometric-bench-press (IBP) test performed across 4 elbow angles and a ballistic bench throw (BBT) using a relative load, as well as evaluating the reliability of the dynamic strength index (DSI: BBT peak force/IBP peak force). METHODS Twenty-four elite male athletes performed the IBP and a 45% 1-repetition-maximum BBT on 2 separate days with 48 h between testing occasions. Peak force, peak power, peak velocity, peak displacement, and peak rate of force development (PRFD) were assessed using a force plate and linear position transducer. Reliability was assessed by intraclass correlation (ICC), coefficient of variation (%CV) and typical error. RESULTS Performance measures in the BBT, such as peak force, peak velocity, peak power, and peak displacement, were considered reliable (ICC = .85-.92, %CV = 1.7-3.3), while PRFD was not (ICC = .43, %CV = 4.1). Similarly, for the IBP, peak force across all angles was considered reliable (ICC = .89-.97, %CV = 1.2-1.6), while PRFD was not (ICC = .56-.65, %CV = 0.5-7.6). The DSI was also reliable (ICC = .93, %CV = 3.5). CONCLUSIONS Performance measures such as peak force in the IBP and BBT are reliable when assessing upper-body pressing-strength qualities in elite male athletes. Furthermore, the DSI is reliable and could potentially be used to detect qualities of relative deficiency and guide specific training interventions.
Leveraging correlation across space and time to interpolate geophysical data via CoKriging

ABSTRACT Managing geophysical data generated by emerging spatiotemporal data sources (e.g. geosensor networks) presents a growing challenge to Geographic Information System science. The presence of correlation poses difficulties with respect to traditional spatial data analysis. This paper describes a novel spatiotemporal analytical scheme that allows us to yield a characterization of correlation in geophysical data along the spatial and temporal dimensions. We resort to a multivariate statistical model, namely CoKriging, in order to derive accurate spatiotemporal interpolation models. These predict unknown data by utilizing not only their own geosensor values at the same time, but also information from near past data. We use a window-based computation methodology that leverages the power of temporal correlation in a spatial modeling phase. This is done by also fitting the computed interpolation model to data which may change over time. In an assessment, using various geophysical data sets, we show that the presented algorithm is often able to deal with both spatial and temporal correlations. This helps to gain accuracy during the interpolation phase, compared to spatial and spatiotemporal competitors. Specifically, we evaluate the efficacy of the interpolation phase by using established machine-learning metrics (i.e. root mean squared error, Akaike information criterion and computation time).
The efficiency of electrocoagulation using aluminum electrodes in treating wastewater from a dairy industry

This research deals with the investigation of electrocoagulation (EC) treatment of wastewater from a dairy plant using aluminum electrodes. Electrolysis time, pH, current density and distance between electrodes were considered to assess the removal efficiency of chemical oxygen demand (COD), total solids (TS) and their fractions and turbidity. Samples were collected from the effluent of a dairy plant using a sampling methodology proportional to the flow. The treatments were applied according to design factorial of half fraction with two levels of treatments and 3 repetitions at the central point. The optimization of parameters for treating dairy industry effluent by electrocoagulation using aluminum electrodes showed that electric current application for 21 minutes, an initial sample pH near 5.0 and a current density of 61.6A m-2 resulted in a significant reduction in COD by 57%; removal of turbidity by 99%, removal of total suspended solids by 92% and volatile suspended solids by 97%; and a final treated effluent pH of approximately 10. Optimum operating condition was used for cost calculations show that operating cost is approximately 3.48R$ m-3.
Virus-Specific T Cell Immune Response in Children and Adolescents with Chronic Hepatitis B Virus Infection

Objectives: To study the hepatitis B–specific T cell–mediated immune response in chronically infected children and adolescents. Patients and Methods: In all, 36 HBsAg-positive patients, 2 to 19 years old, were included. There were 9 HBeAg-positive patients with normal levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) (group 1), 18 HBeAg-positive patients with elevated ALT (group 2), and 9 HBeAg-negative, anti-HBe–positive patients (group 3). Four patients in group 2 were treated with interferon during the study. In all patients, HBcAg-specific T cell proliferation and ALT levels were prospectively studied in repeated samples for a mean follow-up time of 1.6 years. The baseline HBV-DNA and plasma cytokine levels were determined, and genotypes were analyzed. Results: The percent of patients with at least 1 sample indicating T cell proliferation was 55% in group 1 and 89% in groups 2 and 3, respectively (P = 0.07 group 1 vs group 2, P = 0.013 group 1 vs the combined groups 2 and 3). Tendencies for positive correlations between the degree of T cell proliferation and ALT levels were noted in groups 1 and 3 and for negative correlations in HBeAg seroconverting patients of group 2. In patients with successful interferon treatment, a pattern of more vigorous T cell proliferation than in patients with spontaneous seroconversion was noted. Conclusions: A majority of patients showed signs of ongoing T cell proliferation. The continuation of the T cell–mediated immune response seems to be of importance in maintaining the HBeAg seroconversion over time.
Evolution of the northeast Labrador Sea during the last interglaciation

Boreal summer insolation during the last interglaciation (LIG) generally warmed the subpolar to polar Northern Hemisphere more than during the early Holocene, yet regional climate variations between the two periods remain. We investigate northeast Labrador Sea subsurface temperature and hydrography across terminations (T) I and II and during the LIG to assess the impact of two different magnitudes of boreal summer insolation increase on the northeast Labrador Sea. We use Mg/Ca ratios in Neogloboquadrina pachyderma (sinistral) as a proxy of calcification temperature to document changes in subsurface temperatures over Eirik Drift. Our corresponding record of δ18O of seawater documents changes in water mass salinity. Mg/Ca calcification temperatures peak early in the Holocene coincident with peak boreal summer insolation. In contrast, LIG temperatures are relatively constant through the interglaciation, and are no warmer than peak Holocene temperatures. During the first half of the LIG, δ18O of seawater remains depleted, likely from southern Greenland Ice Sheet retreat and enhanced Arctic freshwater and sea‐ice export to the Labrador Sea. The consequent stratification of the Labrador Sea and attendant suppressed convection explains delayed deep‐ocean ventilation and a cooler subsurface in the northeast Labrador Sea during the LIG.
Improved Survival after Implementation of Multidisciplinary Team Meetings, Perioperative Chemotherapy, Extended Lymphnode Dissection and Laparoscopic Surgery in the Treatment of Advanced Gastric Cancer

Aims: The treatment of gastric cancer has changed in the western countries during the last decade. This includes multidisciplinary team (MDT) meetings, perioperative chemotherapy, extended lymph node dissection, and laparoscopic surgery, all of which were gradually implemented at our department from 2008. The aim of the present study was to determine the effect of these changes on morbidity and survival. Material and Methods: 185 patients with gastric cancer were operated with curative intent from 2000 until 2016 in this retrospective, observational, follow-up study; 83 before implementation of modern principles in 2008 (period 1) and 102 were treated after 2008 (period 2). Results: The resection rate (94% vs 92.8%) and mortality rates (4.8% vs 2.9%) did not differ between the two periods. In period 2, 48 patients (47.1%), received neoadjuvant chemotherapy. In 36 patients (35.3%), laparoscopic surgery with D2 lymphadenectomy was performed. There was a significantly higher yield in the number of lymph nodes in period 2 compared to period 1 (14 vs 8, p pparent between laparoscopic and open surgery in the second period (32 vs 10, p The five-year survival rate was significantly improved after the change in treatment principles with an estimated improvement from 30% to 40% between the periods (p = 0.033). Conclusion: The combined effect of MDT meetings, neoadjuvant chemotherapy, extended lymphnode dissection and laparoscopy has improved the prognosis of gastric cancer patients.
CD9 antigen is an accessory subunit of the VLA integrin complexes

The CD9 antigen is a cell surface glycoprotein of unknown function which belongs to the tetraspans family. We demonstrate here, by precipitation, Western blotting and co‐capping experiments, that this molecule is associated with a large fraction of β1 integrins in two cell lines, the pre‐B cell line NALM‐6 and the megakaryocytic cell line HEL. In HEL cells, CD9 antigen is only associated with VLA‐4. In contrast, in NALM‐6 cells, CD9 antigen is associated with both VLA‐4 and VLA‐5. On the other hand, only the β1 chain is co‐precipitated with the CD9 antigen in transfected L cells. These data show that the CD9 antigen is associated with the β1 chain rather than with a particular integrin. CD9 monoclonal antibodies (mAb) did not modify the binding of HEL and NALM‐6 cells to fibronectin, laminin or collagen. The association of CD9 antigen to VLA integrins is strengthened by the fact that both CD9 and anti‐VLA mAb induce aggregation of the two cell lines and inhibit their migration in Transwell chambers. Because the aggregating effect, but not the inhibition of migration, is observed in CEM or CD9‐transfected CEM cells, these two effects are likely to be mediated by different mechanisms.
Connecting P2P to the web: Lessons from a prototype Gnutella-WWW gateway

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to describe a means to improve the accessibility of files across different delivery platforms, making it possible to use a single search modality. The paper shows that both peer‐to‐peer file sharing networks and the worldwide web provide extensive information resources, and either network may contain data that satisfy a searcher's information need.Design/methodology/approach – The paper proposes a gateway between the worldwide web and peer‐to‐peer networks that permits searchers on one side to be able to seamlessly search and retrieve files on the other side of the gateway. The design and prototype implementation of such a gateway to Gnutella is detailed, along with access statistics from test deployments and lessons learned.Findings – The prototype implementation was found to demonstrate the feasibility of a seamless gateway between the Gnutella network and the worldwide web. Gnutella users saw millions of web search results and initiated retrievals via the gateway .
Effects of therapeutic and toxic doses of propylthiouracil in rats.

In an attempt to reduce the toxicity of propylthiouracil (PTU) by establishing different degrees of hypothyroidism, Wistar rats were pair-fed a semisynthetic balanced diet and administered 4 to 6 mg/kg/day (therapeutic dose) or 120 to 180 mg/kg/day (toxic dose) of PTU for 6 weeks. A significant difference between the two groups could not be established by 24-hr I181 uptake of thyroid, 24-hr serum protein-bound iodine (PBI181) conversion ratio, serum thyroxine level or serum total cholesterol or by comparing thyroid weights. Despite the isocaloric dietary intake, body weight gain in the toxic-dose group was less than in the controls, whereas weight gain in the therapeutic-dose group exceeded that of the controls. Hemoglobin, hematocrit and platelet counts of both groups were normal and similar, but the toxic-dose group had leukopenia with a reduction in all types of leukocytes. Histologic features of the thyroids of both groups were similar, showing extreme follicular hyperplasia with depletion of colloid and increased vascularity. The results indicate that the administration of a therapeutic dose of PTU produces a satisfactory degree of hypothyroidism without sacrificing excessively the general physical condition of animals.
Calorie conversion factors. An experimental reassessment of the factors used in the calculation of the energy value of human diets

1. The intake and excretion of total nitrogen, fat and the various forms of carbohydrate, and the heats of combustion of the diet, urine and faeces were measured in groups of young men, young women, elderly men and elderly women. 2. Each group was studied while the subjects were eating two diets in turn, which differed in their contents of unavailable carbohydrate; the young women were also studied on a third diet which was rich in unavailable carbohydrate. 3. Increasing the intake of unavailable carbohydrate resulted in a greater faecal loss of energy, and in most instances of nitrogen and fat. 4. There was no significant effect of sex or age on the apparent digestibility of protein, fat or available carbohydrate. 5. The results are used to evaluate the use of calorie conversion factors for calculating the metabolizable energy content of mixed diets. 6. These show that for practical purposes the classical Atwater factors can be used to calculate the metabolizable energy of a diet with reasonable accuracy, provided that when available carbohydrate (as monosaccharides) values are used in the calculation a factor of 3.75 kcal/g (15.7 kJ/g) is used. 7. The studies demonstrate that the accuracy of any method for calculating the metabolizable energy of a diet is largely determined by the accuracy with which the method is capable of predicting the gross energy of the diet.
Automatic planning and flexible scheduling: A knowledge-based approach

Planning in flexible manufacturing systems must take into account both the multiprocessing environment and the dynamically changing states. This paper uses a knowledge-based approach to handle such a planning system, where three levels-i.e., the control, state, and operational levels-constitute its manufacturing knowledge. The construction of plans for multiple manufacturing jobs requires four steps: (1) linear plan generation, (2) conflict detection, (3) plan synthesis, and (4) plan revision. To achieve goals, these steps will search for planning operators using a backward chaining inference procedure. To perform the scheduling and sequencing of the multiple jobs within a flexible manufacturing cell, the planning system modifies the nonlinear planning approach and adds resources and durations information to the action formalism. Because the plan-generation process is goal-directed, the dynamically adjustable plan can be constructed on-line.
Short Blue Light Pulses (30 Min.) in the Morning are Able to Phase Advance the Rhythm of Melatonin in a Home Setting

It is known that light in the morning is able to induce phase advances of the endogenous clock, however most studies have tested the phase advances in highly controlled laboratory conditions. At home the environmental lighting is more variable. In theory, a high intensity short morning-light pulse in the short-wavelengths-range (blue light) should be capable of inducing phase advances. If this is also true in a home setting, this could be a firm basis supporting light treatment in late chronotypes who suffer from a late sleep phase. In a study carried out in summer, 11 normal to relatively late (habitual midsleep 4:15-6:09 hours) chronotypes (age range 23-27 years, 4f/7m) participated in two conditions: (1) 1 baseline day followed by 3 consecutive days of 30 min. blue morning-light pulses, (2) 1 baseline day followed by 3 consecutive days of 60 min. blue light pulses. Blue light was applied by use of the Philips GoLite BLU (HF3320, blue leds, intensity at the cornea 2306 melanopic-lux, 300 lux, 3.65 W/m2). During all four evenings, subjects were asked to protect themselves from light exposure (<10 lux). The response of the melatonin rhythm, calculated as a shift in dim light melatonin onset (DLMO), to a single 30 min. light pulse varied between subjects and resulted in a non-significant phase advance of 15 (±48) min. (t10 = 1.04; P = 0.33), and a significant advance of 30 (±41) min. to a single 60 min. light pulse. (t10 = 2.40; P < 0.05). After 3 days of light exposure both in the 30- and in the 60 min. light pulses condition significant phase advances of DLMO were observed; 49 (±58) min. (t10 = 2.80; P < 0.05) and 59 (±29) min. (t10 = 6.9; P < 0.001) respectively. No significant differences were found in the DLMO shifts between conditions. In addition there was a trend for a lower sleepiness score directly after waking up after using light for 3 days in both conditions (t10 = 3.38; P = 0.096, 60 min. and (t10 = 4.10; P = 0.070, 30 min.). A prelimin.ary analysis of actimetry data indicated some support for an effect on sleep timin.g. The data support the conclusion that light pulses of 30 min. in the morning on three consecutive days, in a home setting, in combination with dim light during the evenings, can be part of an efficient phase advancing chronotherapy protocol.
22q11.2 deletions in a series of patients with non‐selective congenital heart defects: incidence, type of defects and parental origin

Previous studies have indicated a wide spectrum of incidences of 22q11.2 deletions in isolated and syndromic (sporadic or familial) cases of conotruncal heart defects, whereby the detection rate of the deletion varied from 65% in one study to 0 in another. We analysed 110 patients with non‐selective syndromic or isolated non‐familial congenital heart malformations by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) using the D22S75 DiGeorge chromosome (DGS) region probe. A 22q11.2 microdeletion has been detected in 9/51 (17.6%) syndromic patients. Five were of maternal origin and four of paternal origin. None of the 59 patients with isolated congenital cardiac defect had a 22q11.2 deletion. We compared the cardiac anomalies of our patients with a 22q11.2 deletion with those of previously published series and we describe types of congenital heart defects which appear to be often associated with a 22q11.2 deletion. The ability to detect such types of heart defects and to provide an early diagnosis of 22q11.2 deletion is particularly relevant in very young infants, who often show only very mild expression of the otherwise well‐characterized phenotypes of the DiGe‐orge/velo‐cardio‐facial syndrome (DG/VCFS).
Comparative ecophysiology of four wetland plant species along a continuum of invasiveness

We compared the ecophysiological performance of four dominant, perennial plant species of tidal marshes of northeastern North America (Phragmites australis, Typha angustifolia, Spartina alterniflora, andLeersia oryzoides), asking whether species that fall along a continuum of invasiveness vary consistently in terms of primary productivity, growth, biomass allocation, phenology, maximal photosynthetic rate, leaf turnover, tissue nutrient and chlorophyll content, and water use. During 1999, we examined plants growing at two brackish marshes and two freshwater tidal marshes in southern Connecticut, USA.Phragmites andTypha consistently exceeded the other two species in both marsh types in terms of ramet biomass, standing crop, length of the growing season, standing leaf area, leaf longevity, and total chlorophyll.Typha, Phragmites, andSpartina showed similar maximal photosynthetic rates across marsh types, significantly greater than the Pmax observed inLeersia. Foliar nitrogen, was significantly greater inPhragmites than in all other species, suggesting that this species accrues nutrients more efficiently.Phragmites andTypha populations did not differ in a number of characters between freshwater and brackish marshes, indicating low sensitivity to exposure to moderate salinity levels. A principle components analysis placedPhragmites andTypha close to each other and more distant fromSpartina andLeersia along axes describing components of competitive ability and photosynthetic performance. Thus, moderately and highly invasive species are distinct from less invasive species in terms of ecophysiology in both wetland types. AsPhragmites australis andTypha angustifolia displace other plant species in marshes, they will likely influence the carbon- and nitrogen-cycling functions of wetlands, subject to the species' varying tolerances for salinity.