Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Drug-Induced Regulation of Target Expression

Drug perturbations of human cells lead to complex responses upon target binding. One of the known mechanisms is a (positive or negative) feedback loop that adjusts the expression level of the respective target protein. To quantify this mechanism systems-wide in an unbiased way, drug-induced differential expression of drug target mRNA was examined in three cell lines using the Connectivity Map. To overcome various biases in this valuable resource, we have developed a computational normalization and scoring procedure that is applicable to gene expression recording upon heterogeneous drug treatments. In 1290 drug-target relations, corresponding to 466 drugs acting on 167 drug targets studied, 8% of the targets are subject to regulation at the mRNA level. We confirmed systematically that in particular G-protein coupled receptors, when serving as known targets, are regulated upon drug treatment. We further newly identified drug-induced differential regulation of Lanosterol 14-alpha demethylase, Endoplasmin, DNA topoisomerase 2-alpha and Calmodulin 1. The feedback regulation in these and other targets is likely to be relevant for the success or failure of the molecular intervention.
Leveraging everyday technology for people living with dementia: a case study

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to present the self-described “journey” of a person with dementia (Brian; author 3) in his re-learning of old technologies and learning of new ones and the impact this had on his life. Design/methodology/approach – This is a single case study detailing the participant's experiences collaborating with a researcher to co-create methods of facilitating this learning process, which he documented in the form of an online blog and diary entries. These were analysed using NVivo to reveal the key themes. Findings – Brian was able to relearn previously used technologies and learn two new ones. This lead to an overarching theme of positive outlook on life supported by person-centredness, identity and technology, which challenged negative perceptions about dementia. Research limitations/implications – The paper provides an example of how learning and technology improved the life of one person with dementia. By sharing the approach the authors hope to encourage others to embrace.
Comorbidity of anxiety-depression among Australian university students: implications for student counsellors

ABSTRACT The incidence, factor structure and scale item differences in anxiety-depression comorbidity were investigated in a sample of Australian university students defined according to the presence of anxiety and/or depression. The incidence of anxiety-depression comorbidity was over 32%, about four times that for anxiety or depression alone. Participants with comorbidity had significantly higher Self-rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) and Self-rating Depression Scale (SDS) total and factor scores than those with anxiety or depression alone. The major differences between the comorbid and unitary disordered subgroups were for self-disintegration and autonomic arousal. Comorbidity of anxiety and depression is a more serious disorder than either anxiety or depression alone, and appears to exist in large proportions among university students. Assessment and treatment plans might benefit from inclusion of this comorbidity.
Identification of 3-Sulfinopropionyl Coenzyme A (CoA) Desulfinases within the Acyl-CoA Dehydrogenase Superfamily

ABSTRACT In a previous study, the essential role of 3-sulfinopropionyl coenzyme A (3SP-CoA) desulfinase acyl-CoA dehydrogenase (Acd) in Advenella mimigardefordensis strain DPN7T (AcdDPN7) during degradation of 3,3′-dithiodipropionic acid (DTDP) was elucidated. DTDP is a sulfur-containing precursor substrate for biosynthesis of polythioesters (PTEs). AcdDPN7 showed high amino acid sequence similarity to acyl-CoA dehydrogenases but was unable to catalyze a dehydrogenation reaction. Hence, it was investigated in the present study whether 3SP-CoA desulfinase activity is an uncommon or a widespread property within the acyl-CoA dehydrogenase superfamily. Therefore, proteins of the acyl-CoA dehydrogenase superfamily from Advenella kashmirensis WT001, Bacillus cereus DSM31, Cupriavidus necator N-1, Escherichia coli BL21, Pseudomonas putida KT2440, Burkholderia xenovorans LB400, Ralstonia eutropha H16, Variovorax paradoxus B4, Variovorax paradoxus S110, and Variovorax paradoxus TBEA6 were expressed in E. coli strains. All purified acyl-CoA dehydrogenases appeared as homotetramers, as revealed by size exclusion chromatography. AcdS110, AcdB4, AcdH16, and AcdKT2440 were able to dehydrogenate isobutyryl-CoA. AcdKT2440 additionally dehydrogenated butyryl-CoA and valeryl-CoA, whereas AcdDSM31 dehydrogenated only butyryl-CoA and valeryl-CoA. No dehydrogenation reactions were observed with propionyl-CoA, isovaleryl-CoA, succinyl-CoA, and glutaryl-CoA for any of the investigated acyl-CoA dehydrogenases. Only AcdTBEA6, AcdN-1, and AcdLB400 desulfinated 3SP-CoA and were thus identified as 3SP-CoA desulfinases within the acyl-CoA dehydrogenase family, although none of these three Acds dehydrogenated any of the tested acyl-CoA thioesters. No appropriate substrates were identified for AcdBL21 and AcdWT001. Spectrophotometric assays provided apparent Km and Vmax values for active substrates and indicated the applicability of phylogenetic analyses to predict the substrate range of uncharacterized acyl-CoA dehydrogenases. Furthermore, C. necator N-1 was found to utilize 3SP as the sole source of carbon and energy.
Process vs. Impact in Men's and Women's Achievement Motivation∗

The author presents a new taxonomy of six achievement motivation types, with the categories based on an interaction between two factors: (a) whether the individual emphasizes the process of achieving or the impact of the accomplishment itself; and (b) whether the person derives his standards of excellence from within himself, from some social reference, or from an impersonal task demand. The hypothesis is proposed that females in American society have been taught to emphasize the process of their achievement strivings and males the impact of their achievement attempts. Empirical evidence is given to support this hypothesis and to elucidate the six types of achievement motivation.
Contact, trust and social capital in Northern Ireland: a qualitative study of three mixed communities

Abstract In a recent paper, Robert Putnam (2007) challenges the contact hypothesis by arguing that ethnic diversity causes people to ‘hunker down’ and essentially withdraw themselves from society. Drawing on qualitative data collected from three mixed communities in Northern Ireland, this paper explores the extent and quality of contact experienced by Protestants and Catholics in their everyday lives. Themes emerging from our data are generally consistent with the contact hypothesis. There is also some support for Putnam's theory that mixed environments can induce ‘hunkering down’ and that inter-group trust may be compromised. However, our data challenge Putnam's argument that these responses are a consequence of ‘anomie’ or ‘social malaise’. Rather, we find that withdrawal from social activity in the neighbourhoods we observed was a calculated response at times of threat, often aimed at protecting existent positive inter-ethnic relations.
Coursework Assessment, Class Size and Student Performance: 1984‐94

Abstract Student grades in higher education (HE) have improved markedly over the past decade. However, resources have also declined, student — staff ratios have worsened, class sizes have increased and there is known to be a negative relationship between class size and performance so there is understandable scepticism about the interpretation that standards have improved. The spotlight has inevitably fallen on how assessment is being undertaken. The largest single change in assessment in the past decade has been a marked increase in the proportion of coursework — assignments during modules which are marked — contributing to degree results. A study of assessment on a large modular degree programme was undertaken. It was found that modules with a high proportion of coursework assessment produced higher average module marks than those with a high proportion of assessment by examinations, and that subject areas which used more coursework assessment also produced higher average marks. An increase in average st.
Demand-Based Option Pricing

We model the demand-pressure effect on prices when options cannot be perfectly hedged. The model shows that demand pressure in one option contract increases its price by an amount proportional to the variance of the unhedgeable part of the option. Similarly, the demand pressure increases the price of any other option by an amount proportional to the covariance of their unhedgeable parts. Empirically, we identify aggregate positions of dealers and end users using a unique dataset, and show that demand-pressure effects contribute to well-known option-pricing puzzles. Indeed, time-series tests show that demand helps explain the overall expensiveness and skew patterns of both index options and single-stock options.
Question-Order Effects in Surveys: The Case of Political Interest, News Attention, and Knowledge

Subjects were exposed to one of three survey versions differing only in question order. Those who first faced difficult political knowledge questions reported significantly lower levels of both political interest and news attention than those who did not first face the knowledge test. However, when the knowledge questions and the interest and attention questions were separated by a “buffer” item that could serve as an excuse for poor knowledge, self-assessed interest and attention were less depressed. Characteristics of survey questions that may make them particularly susceptible to these types of question-order context effects are discussed and strategies for dealing with such effects are noted.
Somatotopy and temporal dynamics of sensorimotor interactions: evidence from double afferent inhibition

Moving and interacting with the world requires that the sensory and motor systems share information, but while some information about tactile events is preserved during sensorimotor transfer the spatial specificity of this information is unknown. Afferent inhibition (AI) studies, in which corticospinal excitability (CSE) is inhibited when a single tactile stimulus is presented before a transcranial magnetic stimulation pulse over the motor cortex, offer contradictory results regarding the sensory‐to‐motor transfer of spatial information. Here, we combined the techniques of AI and tactile repetition suppression (the decreased neurophysiological response following double stimulation of the same vs. different fingers) to investigate whether topographic information is preserved in the sensory‐to‐motor transfer in humans. We developed a double AI paradigm to examine both spatial (same vs. different finger) and temporal (short vs. long delay) aspects of sensorimotor interactions. Two consecutive electrocutaneous stimuli (separated by either 30 or 125 ms) were delivered to either the same or different fingers on the left hand (i.e. index finger stimulated twice or middle finger stimulated before index finger). Information about which fingers were stimulated was reflected in the size of the motor responses in a time‐constrained manner: CSE was modulated differently by same and different finger stimulation only when the two stimuli were separated by the short delay (P = 0.004). We demonstrate that the well‐known response of the somatosensory cortices following repetitive stimulation is mirrored in the motor cortex and that CSE is modulated as a function of the temporal and spatial relationship between afferent stimuli.
Uncertainty and Stepwise Investment

We analyze the optimal investment strategy of a firm that can complete a project either in one stage at a single freely chosen time point or in incremental steps at distinct time points. The presence of economies of scale gives rise to the following trade-off: lumpy investment has a lower total cost, but stepwise investment gives more flexibility by letting the firm choose the timing individually for each stage. Our main question is how uncertainty in market development affects this trade-off. The answer is unambiguous and in contrast with a conventional real-options intuition: higher uncertainty makes the single-stage investment more attractive relative to the more flexible stepwise investment strategy.
PARENT EDUCATION PROGRAMMES IN HONG KONG: ARE THEY EFFECTIVE?

The study examined whether participants of parent education programmes in Hong Kong experienced gains in parental efficacy, parental empathy, availability of social support, and parenting satisfaction as a result of programme attendance. A single-group pre- and post-programme design was adopted. Data from 130 mother participants showed that they had positive gains in the four dimensions. However, mothers aged 40 and above and those with more than one child did not experience higher parenting satisfaction after the programme. Results also indicated that among the three instrumental variables, social support was the most crucial determinant of parenting satisfaction. Implications for social work practice were discussed. 这项研究主要在探讨家长在参加亲职教育活动後，在作为家长的效能感、对子女的同理心、能得到的支持和作为家长的满足感四方面，是否会有得益。 研究采用单组活动前和活动后的设计，参与者包括130名女性家长。 结果显示，家长在活动后，在四方面均有显著的提升。 但是他们的获益也因其背景有所分别。 对於四十岁以上的家长和那些有多过一名子女的家长，他们在活动後并没有加强了作为家长的满足感。 另外，结果指出，家长在过程中是否获得更多支持，是影响他们作为家长的满足感的最重要因素。 作者就这些结果，提出了一些实务的启示。
Business Models in Two-sided Markets: an Assessment of Strategies for App Platforms

„App platforms” are electronic software distribution markets for mobile devices like smartphones or tablets. They have gained popularity after Apple launched its AppStore in 2008. Since then, app platforms have transformed the entire mobile communication industry including mobile network operators, device producers, software suppliers, content providers, advertisers, etc. Platforms (like AppStore) that intermediate between two distinct groups of customers connected through indirect network effects can be analyzed effectively using the theory of two-sided markets. The interdependencies of customers, platforms and developers require consideration of strategic issues not present in traditional models. These issues may pertain to all development phases, including platform design, launch and competition and thus, have an effect on existing and new business models in this
Dengue Serotype-Specific Differences in Clinical Manifestation, Laboratory Parameters and Risk of Severe Disease in Adults, Singapore

Studies on serotype-specific features of dengue and disease severity on adults are limited. We prospectively recruited adult febrile patients without alternate diagnosis to dengue from April 2005 to December 2011. Outcomes were defined using both the World Health Organization (WHO) 1997 and 2009 criteria; Dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) and severe dengue (SD). Infecting serotype was identified in 469 dengue-confirmed patients comprising 22.0% dengue virus serotype 1 (DENV-1), 57.1% DENV-2, 17.1% DENV-3, and 3.8% DENV-4. Cases infected with DENV-1 were more likely to present with red eyes whereas presence of joint pain and lower platelet count was associated with DENV-2 cases. After adjusting for potential confounders, DENV-1 was associated with both DHF (adjusted Relative Risk [aRR] = 1.74) and SD (aRR = 2.1) whereas DENV-2 had a lower risk of DHF (aRR = 0.5). DENV-1 genotype 1 and DENV-2 cosmopolitan were the predominant genotypes identified. Infecting dengue serotype and possibly genotype may play an important role in disease severity among adult dengue patients in Singapore.
Probing the public's honesty: a field experiment using the lost letter technique

The present study probed the honesty of the general public through an experimentl approach. A variaty of experimental procedures have been used in previous research. This study used the “lost letter” technique, whereby ordinary citizens are offered an opportunity to keep envelopes that are planted on their cars and that are apparently lost. They are stamped and addressed (actually they are addressed to the investigators). One quarter of the “lost” letters were kept by the subjects. On the whole, the value of the contents (some contained a coin made to appear valuable) did not seem to affect the return rate. Also, little difference was found in the behavior of the male and female subjects. Age, however, did appear important as younger subjects were significantly more likely to keep the letters. Since the value of the contents was not important, a failure to return could simply indicate less altruism on their part. Also, an interaction was found between the variables of age and sex, as young females had the.
The inflammatory milieu associated with conjunctivalized cornea and its alteration with IL-1 RA gene therapy.

PURPOSE This study was designed to gain an insight into the inflammatory milieu into which a donor limbal graft is routinely introduced. The objective of this study was to modulate this environment by gene therapy with the anti-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1 RA). METHODS In a mouse model, the ocular surface cytokine environment associated with a conjunctivalized cornea was assessed 4 weeks after injury. Total corneal epithelial and limbal debridement was performed with a combination of alkali and scrape injury. The cytokines and adhesion molecules measured included IL-1alpha, IL-1beta, IL-6, VEGF, intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM)-1, and vascular adhesion molecule (VCAM)-1, by real-time PCR or ELISA. Injured corneas were transfected with IL-1 RA by injection of naked plasmid vector pIRES-EGFP-IL-1 RA immediately after injury. Corneas transfected with pIRES-EGFP served as the control. Expression of corneal IL-1 RA after transfection with pIRES-EGFP-IL1-RA was assessed over a 2-week period by real-time PCR and Western blot analysis. In addition, limbal stem cell grafts transfected with IL-1 RA were assessed for leukocyte influx. RESULTS Conjunctivalized corneas showed increased expression of IL-1alpha, IL-1beta, IL-1 RA, IL-6, VEGF, ICAM-1, and VCAM-1, compared with normal cornea. Transfection-efficiency experiments indicated that corneal expression of IL-1 RA peaked between 12 and 24 hours and lasted up to 2 weeks after the initial transfection. IL-1 RA corneal gene therapy resulted in a downregulation of IL-1beta and VCAM-1 expression at 4 weeks after injury, whereas downregulation of IL-6 was evident only at 1 week after injury. Corneal neovascularization was also reduced. In addition, corneal limbal stem cell grafts transfected with IL-1 RA showed a decreased leukocyte influx compared with control grafts. CONCLUSIONS Transfection of a cornea with IL-1 RA immediately after epithelial injury selectively altered the cytokine profile of the resultant conjunctivalized cornea and suppressed corneal neovascularization. Transfection of corneal limbal donor tissue with IL-1 RA before engraftment can reduce leukocyte influx into the graft. The findings demonstrate the feasibility of using transient cytokine gene expression, either in donor or recipient corneal tissue, to alter the ocular surface environment beneficially.
Teacher reflective functioning: a preliminary study of measurement and self-reported teaching behavior

In this pilot study we assessed whether the Parent Development Interview –Revised for Teachers (PDI-R/T) can be used to measure reflective functioning in preschool teachers and whether it was associated with a teacher’s self-reported behavior with a focus child. Twenty teachers were interviewed using the PDI-R/T, which was then coded for reflective functioning using procedures outlined by Slade, Grienenberger, Bernbach, Levy, and Locker. A separate set of coders counted examples of behaviors, reported by the teachers in the PDI-R/T, that are known to foster emotion regulation in young children and behaviors that undermine effective emotion regulation. Teachers’ reflective functioning scores varied from 1 to 8 and were not associated with demographic variables. Teachers rated as highly reflective gave significantly more examples of using behaviors known to foster social emotional skills than teachers rated in the moderate and low reflective functioning categories. These data, although preliminary, indicate that teacher reflective functioning can be measured and may underlie the behaviors that teachers use when interacting which difficult children. Implications for research and practice are discussed.
Visual processing of social information during interocular suppression

I Zusammenfassung . II 1 General introduction . 1 1.1 Structure of the thesis . 2 1.1 Interocular suppression . 2 2 Summary and discussion of empirical studies . 4 2.1 Visual awareness of faces: Functional mechanisms (Studies 1 and 2) . 4 2.1.1 Similarities between face detection in adults and newborns’ looking preferences (Study 1) . 6 2.1. 2 Own-race and own-age biases in face detection (Study 2) . 7 2.2 Visual awareness of conspecifics: Inversion effects for bodies (Study 3) . 8 2.3 Facial features modulate awareness of faces: Eye contact and emotion (Studies 4–6) . 9 2.3.1 Eye contact facilitates awareness of faces (Study 4) . 9 2.3.2 A confound in schematic emotional faces (Study 5) . 10 2.3.3 The role of spatial frequency in rapid fear detection (Study 6) . 11 2.4 Detection during interocular suppression: A direct measure of unconscious processing? (Study 7) . 12 2.5 Adaptation to facial features: The role of visual awareness (Studies 8 and 9) . 14 2.5. 1 Face shape adaptation (Study 8) . 15 2.5. 2 Eye gaze adaptation (Study 9) . 15 3 Conclusions and future directions . 16 3.1 Face detection: Hard-wired or experience-derived? 16 3.2 Both upright faces and bodies have privileged access to awareness . 17 3.3 A subcortical pathway to the amygdala? 18 3.4 How to interpret detection during interocular suppression? 19 4 List of research articles included in the thesis . 21 5 References . 22 Eidesstattliche Erklärung . 31
Distinguishing Male Juvenile Offenders through Personality Traits, Coping Strategies, Feelings of Guilt and Level of Anger

On the basis of a comparative, descriptive, cross-sectional study, our aim was to determine differential traits of adolescent offenders with respect to personality traits, feelings of guilt, level of anger, and coping strategies. 128 adolescent residents of Barcelona (86 high school students and 42 young inmates aged between 16 and 18 years) replied to a variety of questionnaires (SC-35, EPQ-R, STAXI, ACS). Significant differences between the two groups were found. Young offenders present higher levels of guilt feelings, neuroticism, psychoticism, and trait anger. They also tend to repress their anger or, on the contrary, express it verbally and physically and use passive or avoidance coping strategies. Education and psychological therapy focussed on guilt may contribute to reduce recidivism. A partir de un estudio comparativo, descriptivo y transversal, se pretende conocer algunos rasgos diferenciales de adolescentes infractores en relación a la personalidad, el sentimiento de culpa, el nivel de ira y las estrategias de afrontamiento. Se administraron el SC-35, el EPQ-R, el STAXI y el ACS a 128 adolescentes de Barcelona (86 estudiantes y 42 infractores institucionalizados, de edades comprendidas entre los 16 y 18 años). Se observaron diferencias significativas entre los grupos estudiados. Los jóvenes infractores presentan niveles más elevados de culpa, neuroticismo, psicoticismo e ira rasgo. Así mismo, tienden a reprimir la ira o, por el contrario, a expresarla verbal y físicamente y acostumbran a utilizar estrategias de afrontamiento pasivas o de carácter evitativo. El trabajo psicológico y educativo sobre la culpa puede reducir la reincidencia.