Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Gesture in Spatial Cognition: Expressing, Communicating, and Thinking About Spatial Information

Do hand gestures play a role in spatial cognition? This paper reviews literature addressing the roles of gestures in (1) expressing spatial information, (2) communicating about spatial information, and (3) thinking about spatial information. Speakers tend to produce gestures when they produce linguistic units that contain spatial information, and they gesture more when talking about spatial topics than when talking about abstract or verbal ones. Thus, gestures are commonly used to express spatial information. Speakers use gestures more in situations when those gestures could contribute to communication, suggesting that they intend those gestures to communicate. Further, gestures influence addressees' comprehension of the speech they accompany, and addressees also detect information that is conveyed uniquely in gestures. Thus, gestures contribute to effective communication of spatial information. Gestures also play multiple roles in thinking about spatial information. There is evidence that gestures activate lexical and spatial representations, promote a focus on spatial information, and facilitate the packaging of spatial information in speech. Finally, some of the observed variation across tasks in gesture production is associated with task differences in demands on spatial cognitive processes, and individual differences in gesture production are associated with individual differences in spatial and verbal abilities. In sum, gestures appear to play multiple roles in spatial cognition. Central challenges for future research include: (1) better specification of the mental representations that give rise to gestures, (2) deeper understanding of the mechanisms by which gestures play a role in spatial thinking, and (3) greater knowledge of the sources of task and individual differences in gesture production.
Influence of oxidation state on iron binding by Bacillus licheniformis capsule

We examined ferric (Fe3+) and ferrous (Fe2+) iron binding by the anionic gamma-glutamyl capsule polymer of Bacillus licheniformis ATCC 9945. The addition of FeCl3 to B. licheniformis capsule under aerobic conditions resulted in flocculation due to the capsule-induced formation of amorphous, rust-colored ferrihydrite. Significant binding of iron, which could be attributed to binding by both the anionic capsule and the ferrihydrite precipitate, occurred. In contrast, the addition of FeCl2 to B. licheniformis capsule under anaerobic conditions resulted in significantly less iron being bound and no color change or flocculation occurring. Capsule-bound ferric iron could be partially released upon addition of several reducing agents. From these observations, it can be concluded that the oxidation state of iron significantly influences its tendency to be bound by anionic bacterial polymers such as capsules.
18FDG positron emission computed tomography in a study of aphasia

Positron emission computed tomography (PECT) using 18F‐2‐fluoro‐2‐deoxy‐D‐glucose (FDG) was used to investigate the correlations between clinical status, anatomy (as described by CT), and metabolism in five patients with stable aphasia resulting from ischemic cerebral infarction. Local cerebral metabolic activity was diminished in an area larger than the area of infarction demonstrated by CT. In one patient, FDG PECT revealed a metabolic lesion that probably caused the aphasic syndrome and was not apparent by CT. The data suggest that reliance on CT in delineating the extent of the brain lesion in aphasia or other neuropsychological defects can be misleading; FDG PECT may provide important additional information. Two patients with similar metabolic lesions had very different clinical syndromes, showing that even when currently available methods are combined, major gaps remain in clinicoanatomical correlations in aphasia.
Association of mannose‐binding lectin‐2 gene polymorphism with the development of hepatitis C‐induced hepatocellular carcinoma

Background: Development of end‐stage liver and graft disease is suspected to be partially determined by the individual genetic background. Mannose‐binding lectin (MBL) is an important immunomodulatory factor, which is supposed to be involved in complement activation and oncogenesis. Genetic polymorphisms of MBL‐2 alter MBL functionality. The aim of our study was to determine the prevalence of MBL‐2 polymorphism (rs7096206) in hepatitis C virus (HCV)‐induced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) based on histological analysis of explanted livers in patients undergoing liver transplantation (LT).
Chapter 15. Classification of Bacteria from Polar and Nonpolar Glacial Ice

SNOWFALL ACCUMULATES as glacial ice at both poles and globally at high altitudes in nonpolar regions. Archived chronologically within these glaciers are samples of the atmospheric constituents at the time of snow deposition, including particulates of inorganic and biological origin deposited originally on the surface of the snow, often by attachment to snowflakes. Studies of ice cores have established past climate changes and geological events, both globally and regionally, but rarely have these results been correlated with the insects, plant fragments, seeds, pollen grains , fungal spores, and bacteria, that also are present, and very few attempts have been made to determine the diversity and longevity of viable species entombed in such glacial ice. Fungi, algae, protists, bacteria, and viruses have been detected and recovered from polar ice cores (1, 2, 3, 10, 15, 41), but there are very few similar reports describing the microorganisms preserved in nonpolar glacial ice of different age and from different locations. Fortunately, for such studies, we have access to ice cores archived at the Byrd Polar Research Center (BPRC) at the Ohio State University. These ice cores have been collected over many years from globally distributed sites, and many have already been subjected to extensive physical and chemical analyses. These, therefore, provide the opportunity to isolate and to characterize microorganisms from glacial ice formed at defined dates, under known climate conditions, at geographically very different locations (Figure 15.1). To avoid problems of surface contamination, we constructed an ice core sampling system that melts the ice and collects only the resulting interior core meltwater. Here we review the results of bacterial isolations from meltwater generated using this system from the interiors of nonpolar and polar glacial ice cores of different vintage, and from Lake Vostok accretion ice ( 12, 14 ).
The apocalypse on Twitter

There was one trending topic on Twitter in December 2012 that we could have seen coming for a few years now: the New Age prophecy of the End of Times on 21 December 2012—all because some Mayan calendar supposedly ended on this date. For 2 weeks long—a week before the Apocalypse and a week after—we monitored Twitter for Dutch words concerning the End of the World. We caught 52,000 tweets in 2 weeks. When did the stream of rumours peek? How many retweets were involved? Was there much micro-variation? What was the overall content of the tweets? What emotions were expressed in the tweets? How did religious people respond? And finally, how many people confessed they were truly scared because of the prophecy? These are intriguing questions that we can answer by using a few basic computational tools. Although the Apocalypse got a lot of attention in the news media, it turned out most Dutch people on Twitter took the End of Days with a grain of salt.
Effects of acute psychological stress on serum lipid levels, hemoconcentration, and blood viscosity.

BACKGROUND While there is substantial evidence that psychological stress enhances risk for coronary artery disease, the mechanisms underlying such an influence remain unclear. We examined the effects of short-term psychological stress on serum lipid levels, hemoconcentration, fibrinogen level, and plasma viscosity. METHODS Forty-four healthy young adults were randomly assigned to perform a distinctly frustrating cognitive task for 20 minutes (stress condition) or to rest quietly for the same period (control condition). RESULTS Relative to controls, stressed subjects showed significant increases in blood pressure and heart rate; total, low-density, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels; hematocrit; hemoglobin level; and total protein concentration. Stressed subjects also showed significant reductions in plasma volume and increased plasma viscosity and estimated whole-blood viscosity compared with controls. A similar trend in fibrinogen level was not statistically significant. Individual differences in blood pressure and heart rate response to stress correlated highly with changes in total cholesterol levels and hematocrit. CONCLUSIONS Our investigation provides further evidence that exposure to short-term mental stress elicits hemoconcentration with associated increases in serum lipid concentrations, hemostatic factors, and blood viscosity.
Equivalent occupancy of dopamine D1 and D2 receptors with clozapine: differentiation from other atypical antipsychotics.

OBJECTIVE Clozapine, the prototype of atypical antipsychotics, remains unique in its efficacy in the treatment of refractory schizophrenia. Its affinity for dopamine D(4) receptors, serotonin 5-HT(2A) receptor antagonism, effects on the noradrenergic system, and its relatively moderate occupancy of D(2) receptors are unlikely to be the critical mechanism underlying its efficacy. In an attempt to elucidate the molecular/synaptic mechanism underlying clozapine's distinctiveness in refractory schizophrenia, the authors studied the in vivo D(1) and D(2) receptor profile of clozapine compared with other atypical antipsychotics. METHOD Positron emission tomography with the radioligands [(11)C]SCH23390 and [(11)C]raclopride was used to investigate D(1) and D(2) receptor occupancy in vivo in 25 schizophrenia patients receiving atypical antipsychotic treatment with clozapine, olanzapine, quetiapine, or risperidone. RESULTS Mean striatal D(1) occupancies ranged from 55% with clozapine to 12% with quetiapine (rank order: clozapine > olanzapine > risperidone > quetiapine). The striatal D(2) occupancy ranged from 81% with risperidone to 30% with quetiapine (rank order: risperidone > olanzapine > clozapine > quetiapine). The ratio of striatal D(1)/D(2) occupancy was significantly higher for clozapine (0.88) relative to olanzapine (0.54), quetiapine (0.41), or risperidone (0.31). CONCLUSIONS Among the atypical antipsychotics, clozapine appears to have a simultaneous and equivalent occupancy of dopamine D(1) and D(2) receptors. Whether its effect on D(1) receptors represents agonism or antagonism is not yet clear, as this issue is still unresolved in the preclinical arena. This distinctive effect on D(1)/D(2) receptors may be responsible for clozapine's unique effectiveness in patients with schizophrenia refractory to other typical and atypical antipsychotics.
Nonuniformly spaced photonic microwave delay-line filter using a spatially discrete chirped fiber Bragg grating

A new technique to implement a nonuniformly-spaced photonic microwave delay-line filter using a spatially discrete chirped fiber Bragg grating (SD-CFBG) is proposed and investigated. It is different from a regular nonuniformly-spaced photonic microwave delay-line filter where a laser array with nonuniformly spaced wavelengths is used to provide nonuniformly-spaced filter taps, the proposed method employs a single incoherent broadband optical source. The SD-CFBG is acting as a multifunctional device, to slice the broadband spectrum to generate the required filter taps, to provide nonuniform time delays to the taps, and to tailor the weights of the filter taps. By properly designing the spectral response of the SD-CFBG, a photonic microwave delay-line filter with arbitrary magnitude and phase response can be implemented. Based on this concept, a nonuniformly-spaced photonic microwave delay-line filter with a flat-top bandpass magnitude response and a quadratic phase response is designed and analyzed. The use of the designed filter for chirped microwave pulse compression is investigated.
Phenotypic plasticity in seedling defense strategies : compensatory growth and chemical induction

Phenotypic plasticity in growth (leading to compensation) and secondary chemical production (leading to induction) in response to herbivory are key defense strategies in adult plants, but their role in seedling defense remains unclear. A pair of greenhouse studies was conducted to investigate compensation and induction in seedlings and juvenile plants, using Plantago lanceolata (Plantaginaceae) and the specialist buckeye caterpillar Junonia coenia (Nymphalidae) as a model system. Plants received 50% defoliation at two and four weeks of age, and groups of plants were harvested one week after herbivory and six to eight weeks after herbivory to investigate the duration of the responses. Plants damaged at two weeks showed no chemical induction and fully compensated for the lost leaf tissue by ten weeks of age. Plants damaged at four weeks showed a significant reduction in iridoid glycosides one week after herbivory and achieved full shoot compensation by ten weeks of age at the expense of root biomass. These results indicate that P. lanceolata seedlings use compensation, but not chemical induction, as a defense strategy. This research highlights the importance of considering ontogeny in studies of plant-herbivore interactions and suggests that seedling defense may differ markedly from adult plant defense.
Effects of retinoic acid and dimethylsulfoxide on the morphogenesis of the sea urchin embryo

Sea urchin embryos of the species Paracentrotus lividus were treated continuously with different concentrations of all‐trans retinoic acid (RA) or dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) at different developmental stages. A delay in embryonic development was observed when embryos were cultured in the presence of 2x10−5 M RA, between 1 and 12 hours of development. Hence, at 48 hours of development, while control embryos had reached the pluteus stage, RA‐treated embryos were at the prism stage. At 72 hours of development RA‐treated embryos recovered and continued normal development reaching the pluteus stage. No effect was observed when treatment was performed before 1 hour or after 12 hours of developmet. DMSO treatment had no effect on normal sea urchin embryo development, although we observed that pigment cells, clearly visible at the pluteus stage, become visible earlier with respect to control embryos. This report confirms the advantages that the sea urchin embryo offers for the study of problems in cellular and developmental biology.
Flooding management using hybrid model predictive control at the Ebro river in Spain

Flooding prevention and control in rivers is a important topic in the river management. This is also the case in the basin of the river Ebro in Spain. In the past, the Ebro basin experienced several floods. In order to reduce the flood hazard in a given area, the local water administration usually sets up several flood-controlled areas for being able to store the excessive water volume during periods of extreme rainfall. In order to control the flows to and from the flooding zones, hydraulic control structures have been put in place. Through these actions, it is planned to have a significant reduction of the flood risk in the basin. Recent simulations of these past events in a hydrodynamic river model showed that flooding could have been significantly reduced and even avoided if the hydraulic structures would have been controlled in a different way. Therefore, the main interest of this paper is to test a different control strategy than the one currently adopted. Due to the specific nature of the flooding problem, a model predictive control (MPC) strategy (Maciejowski, 2001) seems to be the most suitable option. In this paper, the problem of flooding control at the Ebro River in Spain is addressed using MPC. Finally, several scenarios are used to validate the performance of the proposed approach. In Section 2, the problem addressed in this paper is described. In Section 3, a control oriented model is proposed. In Section 4, the control approach based on an MPC is described. Results of the application of the proposed control approach using a Virtual reality simulator are presented in Section 5. Finally, in Section 6, the main conclusions are presented.
The Exploratory Study of ERP Systems Usage Problem and its Coping Mechanism : The Deployment of Feral System

The euphoria around ERP systems is wearing off due to challenges and problems that users face in both the deployment and usage phases. Problems encountered in using ERP might hinder the effective exploitation and continued use of ERP systems and their value to organizations. While identifying the problem alone is scarce, direction to recognize available alternatives as the coping mechanisms must also set forth. This paper aims to explore users’ experiences in using ERP system and how they find ways to cope with the issues via deployment of ‘feral system’. The paper adopts mixed method of 9 semi-structured interviews and 70 exploratory surveys, of one subsidiary of the leading oil and gas organization in Malaysia. The exploratory study reveals some ERP issues pertaining to system (unavailability of essential function, underutilization), data and interface. In order to cope with the usage issues, users rely on the use of ‘feral system’ (feral information system, feral use of technology and feral data). The theoretical contribution of this paper is in gaining deeper insight on the impediment of ERP system usage and the coping mechanism deployed. From the practical point of view, this paper could assist managers in providing lesson learnt from the case.
Measuring Party Institutionalization in Developing Countries: A New Research Instrument Applied to 28 African Political Parties

The institutionalization of political parties is said to be important for democratic development, but its measurement has remained a neglected area of research. We understand the institutionalization of political organizations as progress in four dimensions: roots in society, level of organization, autonomy, and coherence. On this basis we construct an Index of the Institutionalization of Parties (IIP), which we apply to 28 African political parties. The IIP uses extensive GIGA survey and fieldwork data. Initial results reveal a more differentiated degree of institutionalization than is commonly assumed. In addition to illustrating overall deficits in party institutionalization, the IIP highlights an astonishing variance between individual parties and - to a lesser extent - between national aggregates. Further research on party institutionalization remains necessary, particularly regarding its causes and consequences.
Sweating Rates of Dairy Cows and Beef Heifers in Hot Conditions

Sweating rates from heat-stressed dairy cows and beef heifers were measured using a "Portable Calorimeter" and a "Bovine Evaporation Meter" designed and fabricated for the studies reported herein. Measurements were taken when cows were in their natural habitat. The focus of the study was to compare sweating rates measured from different breeds of dairy cows and beef heifers, and determine the level of influence of environmental factors (air temperature, relative humidity, solar load, and air velocity) and hair-coat color on sweating rate. The cows were exposed to solar radiation greater than 500 W/m 2 (average 833 ±132 W/m 2 ), average THI was 82.7 ± 1.64 for all studies except for the Nebraska data where the THI was 77.4 ± 4. Air velocity in the sample area was between 0.8 and 1.2 m/s, and body (rectal) temperature was greater than 38.8°C (threshold for heat stress). Sweating rates ranged between 189 ± 84.6 and 522 ± 127.7 g/m 2 -h. Body temperature ranged between 39.3 ± 0.53°C and 41.7 ± 0.19°C. Differences in sweating rates were statistically significant at P < 0.05 between breeds, between black and white hair coats, and changes in solar load, relative humidity, and air velocity. Wetting the skin surface and increasing air velocity profoundly increased evaporation rate by converting sensible heat to latent heat.
Crises and Life Changes preceding the Onset or Relapse of Acute Schizophrenia: Clinical Aspects

In a previous publication (Brown and Birley, 1968) we have presented some findings which suggest that life changes and crises frequently precipitate the acute onset, relapse or exacerbation of schizophrenic states. To summarize : consecutively admitted patients diagnosed as suffering from schizophrenia were seen at mental hospitals serving a known catchment area. The first fifty whose onsets occurred within three months of admission and could be accurately dated within a week were included. Both the patient and at least one other informant were interviewed about the occurrence of certain previously defined and datable events occurring to the patient or to close relatives. These included such events as moving house, starting or leaving a job, admission to hospital, birth, marriage or death during the twelve weeks prior to onset. These were classified, according to their apparent independence of the patient's control, as ‘independent’ or ‘possibly independent’. The former were those which could be regarded as outside his control, e.g. discovering a burglary or hearing of a brother's serious illness. ‘Possibly independent’ events were those which were considered to have been within the patient's control but which had not been brought about by any unusual behaviour on the patient's part. They were chiefly changes of job, or of opposite sex friends. (Loss of job would, under certain circumstances, be rated as ‘independent’, e.g. when a whole firm closed down).
Improving medical student performance in smoking health promotion: effect of a vertically integrated curriculum

The majority of medical schools have curricula that address the health effects of smoking. However, there are many gaps in smoking education, especially in relationship to vertical integration. The authors aimed to determine whether medical students would better address adolescent smoking within a vertically integrated curriculum in comparison with the previous traditional curriculum. They studied two groups of fifth-year students; one group received a specific smoking intervention. Each group consisted of the entire cohort of students within the Child and Adolescent Health rotation of a newly designed medical curriculum. Two groups of students from the previous traditional undergraduate curriculum were available for direct comparison, one of which had received the same teaching on adolescent smoking. An objective structured clinical examination station was used to measure adolescent smoking enquiry. Intervention students in the new curriculum were more likely to enquire about smoking in the objective structured clinical examination than students who did not receive the intervention (p < 0.005). New curriculum students performed better than students from the previous curriculum, whether or not they had received the smoking intervention (p < 0.001). This study suggests that integrated undergraduate teaching can improve student clinical behaviours with regard to opportunistic smoking enquiry in adolescents.