Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
PPARγ silencing enhances osteogenic differentiation of human adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells

Peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) is the master regulator of adipogenesis, and has been indicated as a potential therapeutic target to promote osteoblast differentiation. However, recent studies suggest that suppression of PPARγ inhibits adipogenesis, but does not promote osteogenic differentiation in human bone marrow‐derived mesenchymal stem cells (hBMSCs). It was reasoned that the osteogenic effect of PPARγ suppression may be masked by the strong osteogenesis‐inducing condition commonly used, resulting in a high degree of matrix mineralization in both control and experimental groups. This study investigates the role of PPARγ in the lineage commitment of human adipose‐derived mesenchymal stem cells (hADSCs) by interfering with the function of PPARγ mRNA through small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) specific for PPARγ2. By applying an osteogenic induction condition less potent than that used conventionally, we found that PPARγ silencing led to retardation of adipogenesis and stimulated a higher level of matrix mineralization. The mRNA level of PPARγ decreased to 47% of control 2 days after treatment with 50 nmol/l PPARγ2 siRNA, while its protein expression was 60% of mock control. In the meantime, osteogenic marker genes, including bone morphogenic protein 2 (BMP2), runt‐related transcription factor 2 (Runx2), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and osteocalcin (OC), were up‐regulated under PPARγ silencing. Our results suggest that transient suppression of PPARγ promotes the onset of osteogenesis, and may be considered a new strategy to stimulate bone formation in bone tissue engineering using hADSCs.
Metacognitive monitoring and control in visual change detection: Implications for situation awareness and cognitive control

Metacognitive monitoring and control of situation awareness (SA) are important for a range of safety-critical roles (e.g., air traffic control, military command and control). We examined the factors affecting these processes using a visual change detection task that included representative tactical displays. SA was assessed by asking novice observers to detect changes to a tactical display. Metacognitive monitoring was assessed by asking observers to estimate the probability that they would correctly detect a change, either after study of the display and before the change (judgement of learning; JOL) or after the change and detection response (judgement of performance; JOP). In Experiment 1, observers failed to detect some changes to the display, indicating imperfect SA, but JOPs were reasonably well calibrated to objective performance. Experiment 2 examined JOLs and JOPs in two task contexts: with study-time limits imposed by the task or with self-pacing to meet specified performance targets. JOPs were well calibrated in both conditions as were JOLs for high performance targets. In summary, observers had limited SA, but good insight about their performance and learning for high performance targets and allocated study time appropriately.
Underlying assumptions and core beliefs in anorexia nervosa and dieting.

OBJECTIVE To investigate assumptions and beliefs in anorexia nervosa and dieting. DESIGN AND METHOD The Eating Disorder Belief Questionnaire (EDBQ), was administered to patients with anorexia nervosa, dieters and female controls. RESULTS The patients scored more highly than the other two groups on assumptions about weight and shape, assumptions about eating and negative self-beliefs. The dieters scored more highly than the female controls on assumptions about weight and shape. CONCLUSIONS The cognitive content of anorexia nervosa (both assumptions and negative self-beliefs) differs from that found in dieting. Assumptions about weight and shape may also distinguish dieters from female controls.
The folding funnel landscape for the peptide met‐enkephalin

We study the free energy landscape of the small peptide Met‐enkephalin. Our data were obtained from a generalized‐ensemble Monte Carlo simulation taking the interactions among all atoms into account. We show that the free energy landscape resembles that of a funnel, indicating that this peptide is a good folder. Our work demonstrates that the energy landscape picture and folding concept, developed in the context of simplified protein models, can also be used to describe the folding in more realistic models. Proteins 1999;34:472–483. © 1999 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation over the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex decreases valuations during food choices

Several studies have found decision‐making‐related value signals in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). However, it is unknown whether the DLPFC plays a causal role in decision‐making, or whether it implements computations that are correlated with valuations, but that do not participate in the valuation process itself. We addressed this question by using repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) while subjects were involved in an economic valuation task involving the consumption of real foods. We found that, as compared with a control condition, application of rTMS to the right DLPFC caused a decrease in the values assigned to the stimuli. The results are consistent with the possibility that the DLPFC plays a causal role in the computation of values at the time of choice.
Factors influencing the origins of colour categories

Proefschrift voorgelegd voor het behalen van de academische graad van doctor in de wetenschappen, in het openbaar te verdedigen op vrijdag 8 maart 2002. Acknowledgements I started as a research assistant in the Artificial Intelligence Laboratory in autumn 1996. My first interests were into behavioural robotics and robot ecosystems. As a continuation to my " licentiaats " thesis I started building a camera system to extend the sensory perception of the lab's robots (Bel-It was around that time when Luc Steels got interested in the origins of language. His early experiments formed the seed for what is now one of the most important paradigms for exploring linguistic interactions with computer simulations. Luc soon wanted more and had plans to implement a language experiment in the real world, for which I delivered the visual perception (Belpaeme et al., 1998; Belpaeme, 1999). This got me interested in visual features, and my research soon switched to the artificial evolution of visual feature detectors. As the robot research in the lab was simmering, most resources and brain-power were put on the origins of language research. In 1999 Luc had the idea to take colour as theme for one of our courses on artificial intelligence. With the help of Erik Myin speakers from different backgrounds were invited: engineers, philosophers and even an artist came by to give their view on colour. During these lectures it dawned on me that there is more to colour than meets the eye. I there and then decided to delve into the splendid field of colour research and to use Luc's simulation paradigms to study colour categorisation. Two years later, this thesis is the result of my explorations. I am most indebted to my supervisor, Luc Steels, for the opportunities and intellectual freedom he gave me. He provided the ideas and guidance for this work and though his physical presence is every now and then lacking , his influence and inspiration are always felt. for answering my questions, for introducing me to the literature and for their kind advice. My gratitude goes out to all my friends and colleagues of the AI Lab whom I ever had the pleasure of working and socialising with: I would also like to thank all the people who kept my academic activities into perspective, I will not sum up your names here, there's too many of you. You know who you are. Thanks! Of …
Polarity Consistency Checking for Domain Independent Sentiment Dictionaries

Polarity classification of words is important for applications such as Opinion Mining and Sentiment Analysis. A number of sentiment word/sense dictionaries have been manually or (semi)automatically constructed. We notice that these sentiment dictionaries have numerous inaccuracies. Besides obvious instances, where the same word appears with different polarities in different dictionaries, the dictionaries exhibit complex cases of polarity inconsistency, which cannot be detected by mere manual inspection. We introduce the concept of polarity consistency of words/senses in sentiment dictionaries in this paper. We show that the consistency problem is NP-complete. We reduce the polarity consistency problem to the satisfiability problem and utilize two fast SAT solvers to detect inconsistencies in a sentiment dictionary. We perform experiments on five sentiment dictionaries and WordNet to show interand intra-dictionaries inconsistencies.
Is Deliberation Neutral? Patterns of Attitude Change During “The Deliberative Polls™”

Though deliberative theory has a bias toward rigorous argument and democratic social relations, it presumes that an ideal discursive process otherwise has a neutral stance with respect to particular ideologies and cultural values. This essay provides a preliminary test of that assumption by examining attitude change across a wide range of Deliberation Polls held across the globe. We analyzed 65 questionnaire statements on which Poll participants significantly changed their views on a wide variety of issues. By coding each of these survey items on various value dimensions, we were able to look for any obvious patterns of attitude change. Despite its small size and the exclusion of items showing no attitude change, this sample showed that Poll respondents tend to move toward more cosmopolitan, egalitarian, and collectivist value orientations. Further analysis showed the strongest value-laden shifts were on empirical statements, with public opinion on such questions shifting moderately toward cosmopolitan and collectivist beliefs. The conclusion considers the implications of these findings for deliberative theory, research, and practice.
Cognitive and subjective effects of mephedrone and factors influencing use of a 'new legal high'.

AIMS Use of the stimulant drug mephedrone increased dramatically in 2009, and it is still available in the United Kingdom after being controlled in April 2010. This study aimed to assess mephedrone's acute cognitive and subjective effects. DESIGN A mixed within- and between-subjects design compared 20 mephedrone users, first while intoxicated (T1) and secondly drug free (T2); and 20 controls twice when drug free (T1 and T2). SETTINGS Participants' own homes. PARTICIPANTS Healthy adults recruited from the community. MEASUREMENTS Subjective effects, episodic and working memory, phonological and semantic fluency, psychomotor speed and executive control at were assessed at T1 and T2. Trait schizotypy, depression, changes in mephedrone use since the ban and attitudes influencing use of a hypothetical new legal high were indexed at T2 only. FINDINGS Compared with controls, mephedrone users had generally impaired prose recall (P = 0.037) and higher scores in schizotypy (P < 0.001) and depression (P = 0.01). Mephedrone acutely primed a marked 'wanting' for the drug (P < 0.001), induced stimulant-like effects, impaired working memory (P < 0.001) and enhanced psychomotor speed (P = 0.024). Impulsivity in mephedrone users correlated with the number of hours in an average (nearly 8 hour) mephedrone session (r = 0.6). Users would be drawn to use a new legal high if it were pure, had no long/short term harms, and was positively rated by friends or on the internet. CONCLUSIONS Mephedrone impairs working memory acutely, induces stimulant-like effects in users and is associated with binge use. Factors that influence users' attitudes to new drugs might help to predict future trends in use of the many new psychoactive substances emerging on the internet.
Effectsof Sample Preparationon Concentrationsof CyclosporinA Measured in Plasma

Because cyclosporin A rapidly changes its distribution in blood with changes in temperature, sample preparation affects results for it as measured in plasma. If whole blood is stored at either 4 #{176}C or room temperature, results for cyclosporinA in the plasma are lowerthan in whole bloodstored at 37 #{176}C and centrifugedat thistemperature. Re-equilibration of the formerto 37 #{176}C beforecellsare removedincreasesthe analytical recoveryof cyclosporinA in plasma; the optimal equilibration interval is 30 mm. Use of such re-equilibration, followed by immediate centrifugation at room temperature, increases values obtained for cyclosporin in plasma by 60 to 65% over thosedeterminedafter non-temperature-standardized collection procedures, but does not significantly improve the correlationbetween values for plasma and whole blood. Hematocrit and concentrationsof cyclosporinA in plasma are inverselyrelated. Correctionfor hematocritimprovesthe correlationbetween resultsfor plasma and whole blood.
The Use of Microarray Technology for the Analysis of Streptococcus Pneumoniae

Streptococcus pneumoniae is an important human pathogen associated with pneumonia, septicaemia, meningitis and otitis media. It is estimated to result in over 3 million child deaths worldwide every year and an even greater number of deaths among the elderly. Prior to the complete sequencing of the genomes of S. pneumoniae TIGR4 (serotype 4) and S. pneumoniae R6 (serotype 2), we designed a custom miniarray consisting of 497 pneumococcal genes. The overall objectives of our microarray investigations were, first, to assess the genetic diversity between different S. pneumoniae serotypes, clinical isolates and also different Streptococcus species; second, we aimed to use microarray technology to examine the mechanisms by which environmental factors influence pneumococcal gene expression, and ultimately to further the understanding of how these changes in gene expression are achieved and how they may alter the virulence of the organism.
Adaptive and Maladaptive Perfectionism, Adult Attachment, and Big Five Personality Traits

ABSTRACT The author examined the role of anxiety and avoidance dimensions of attachment and Big Five personality traits in adaptive and maladaptive dimensions of perfectionism among 604 (377 male, 227 female) Turkish university students. The results of 2 separate multiple regression analyses yielded that adaptive perfectionism was significantly predicted by conscientiousness, openness, and extraversion. Maladaptive perfectionism was significantly predicted by the neuroticism, anxiety, and avoidance dimensions of attachment. The authors discuss the implications, limitations, and future directions for research.
Examining the mediating role of cohesion between athlete leadership and athlete satisfaction in youth sport

The purpose of the present study was to examine whether cohesion served as a mediator between athlete leadership and athlete satisfaction in youth sport. Participants were 205 competitive youth sport athletes ranging from 13-17 years old (Mage = 15.01 years, SD = 1.27). Participants completed the Leadership Scale for Sports (LSS; Chelladurai & Saleh, 1980), the Youth Sport Environment Questionnaire (YSEQ; Eys, Loughead, Bray, & Carron, 2009), and the Athlete Satisfaction Questionnaire (ASQ; Riemer & Chelladurai, 1998). Structural equation modelling was used to test for mediation. Overall the results indicated that task cohesion mediated the relationships between formal and informal task athlete leadership behaviours and task athlete satisfaction outcomes. Further it was found that social cohesion mediated the relationship between formal and informal social athlete leadership behaviours and social athlete satisfaction outcomes. Findings from the present study augment the group dynamics literature as theoretical, methodological, and practical implications are discussed.
A bio-inspired approach modeling spiking neural networks of visual cortex for human action recognition

Human visual system is an effective recognition one. Based on information processing mechanism of visual cortex, a bio-inspired approach for the human action recognition from video sequences is proposed in this paper. The approach gives a hierarchical architecture of the feedforward spiking neural network modeling two visual cortical areas: primary visual cortex (VI) and middle temporal area (MT), neurobiologically dedicated to motion processing. We augment the operator of motion information processing with center surround interaction to model the nonclassical receptive field inhibitory effect based on horizontal connection of spiking neurons in each cortical area. The weight function of lateral connection between VI and MT areas is built based on a previous study that explained direction selectivity in MT area by a linear combination of normalized VI direction-tuned signals. Moreover, we propose a three-dimensional (3D) Gabor filter to model the spatiotemporal direction and speed tuning properties of time-dependent receptive fields of the VI cells. The conductance-driven integrate-and-fire (IF) neuron model is used to obtain spike trains generated by the spiking neurons in two cortical areas. Finally, in order to analyze spike trains, we consider a characteristic of the neural code: mean motion map based on the mean firing rates of neurons in MT, called action code, as feature vector representing human actions. The approach is carried out on the Weizmann and KTH action database. Experimental results show that our approach has higher recognition performance and computational efficiency than other bio-inspired ones.
Traditional Toys and Student Motivation and Commitment in Technological Education

Technological Education is a subject where students acquire knowledge and technical skills, which will enable them to analyse and resolve specific situations and will prepare them for an increasingly technological world. This course requires students to gain knowledge and know-how such that motivation and commitment are crucial for the development of classroom projects and activities. It is in this context that traditional toys come up in this study as catalysts for motivation and student interest. Thus, the aim of the research performed is to understand whether the units of work related to traditional toys promote the students’ motivation and commitment on Technological Education. In terms of methodology, we carried out an exploratory research of qualitative nature, based on semistructured interviews with teachers and students in the 2nd cycle of basic education at five schools in the municipality of Viseu, Portugal. Nine teachers and forty-five Technological Education students, aged between 10 and 12 years, attending the 5th and 6th years of schooling participated. Content analysis of the answers revealed that the implementation of units of work involving the construction of traditional toys are conducive to students’ motivation and commitment, constituting an added value in Technological Education. As this is a classroom project, it allows students to apply technical knowledge they have acquired. Thus, starting from a first idea, it allows them to experience all of the stages of toy building, from conception to completion, contributing to greater student satisfaction in the teaching-learning process. © 2016 Published by Future Academy www.FutureAcademy. org.uk
Asymmetry in the Nasal Mucociliary Transport Rate

Several methods have been devised for measuring the nasal mucociliary transport rate (N‐MTR), but only one side of the nose has usually been studied. This study was conducted to determine whether there are side‐to‐side differences in N‐MTR. A radioisotopic method was used to investigate 185 patients with various respiratory symptoms. Bilateral measurements were performed in the 111 patients with an N‐MTR of under 7 mm per minute.
Global Capitalism Meets Local Postcommunism: Tensions in Transition as Manifested through Physical Culture and the Female Body in Romania

Title of Dissertation GLOBAL CAPITALISM MEETS LOCAL POSTCOMMUNISM: TENSIONS IN TRANSITION AS MANIFESTED THROUGH PHYSICAL CULTURE AND THE FEMALE BODY IN ROMANIA Jessica W. Chin, Doctor of Philosophy, 2008 Dissertation directed by: Dr. David L. Andrews Department of Kinesiology Nearly two decades after communism officially ended in Romania, the nation continues to struggle in its transition from state socialism to liberal democracy. The increased presence and influence of Western images, democratic ideals, and social ideologies produces a complex and unstable tension with persisting legacies of communism and socialist ideologies. This dissertation is a critical analysis of the ways in which various tensions are manifested within the changing physical culture in Romania, particularly through performative bodies and constructed spaces of leisure and physical activity. In addition, participation in sports and other physical activities related to fitness and health are examined to reveal disciplinary techniques that reinforce normalized constructions of gendered and classed bodies. Using a qualitative, multi-method approach, empirical data was primarily collected in gyms and fitness clubs of three major cities in Romania. Through a contextual, interpretive, and theoretically-informed analysis of the empirical findings, this project intends to expand upon and articulate theories of postcommunist transition, gender, and physical culture in the Eastern European context—opening new lines of inquiry that consider both the empowering and problematic implications of creating and negotiating new subject positions within postcommunist environments. GLOBAL CAPITALISM MEETS LOCAL POSTCOMMUNISM: TENSIONS IN TRANSITION AS MANIFESTED THROUGH PHYSICAL CULTURE AND THE FEMALE BODY IN ROMANIA by Jessica W. Chin Dissertation submitted to the Faculty of the Graduate School of the University of Maryland, College Park in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy 2008 Advisory Committee: Professor David L. Andrews, Chair Professor Jeffrey Lucas Professor Deborah Rohm-Young Professor Jessica (Jaime) Schultz Professor David Zang © Copyright by Jessica W. Chin 2008