Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effects of oxytocin on recollections of maternal care and closeness

Although the infant–caregiver attachment bond is critical to survival, little is known about the biological mechanisms supporting attachment representations in humans. Oxytocin plays a key role in attachment bond formation and maintenance in animals and thus could be expected to affect attachment representations in humans. To investigate this possibility, we administered 24 IU intranasal oxytocin to healthy male adults in a double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover designed study and then assessed memories of childhood maternal care and closeness—two features of the attachment bond. We found that the effects of oxytocin were moderated by the attachment representations people possess, with less anxiously attached individuals remembering their mother as more caring and close after oxytocin (vs. placebo) but more anxiously attached individuals remembering their mother as less caring and close after oxytocin (vs. placebo). These data contrast with the popular notion that oxytocin has broad positive effects on social perception and are more consistent with the animal literature, which emphasizes oxytocin's role in encoding social memories and linking those memories to the reward value of the social stimulus.
Positive Affect as a Buffer Between Chronic Stress and Symptom Severity of Emotional Disorders

Research has demonstrated that stressors play a critical role in the development of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), social anxiety disorder (SAD), and major depressive disorder (MDD). Separately, deficits in positive affect (PA) have been identified in GAD, SAD, and MDD. Whereas previous research has linked the buffering effects of PA in chronic illness, such effects have yet to be investigated for chronic stressors and emotional disorder–related symptom severity. The purpose of the present study was to examine PA as a moderator of chronic interpersonal and noninterpersonal stress on GAD, SAD, and MDD symptom severity. Using a multilevel statistical approach with a sample of adolescents and young adults (N = 463), PA was found to moderate significantly the relationship between chronic interpersonal stress and symptom severity for MDD and SAD. Findings suggest that in times of chronic interpersonal stress, higher PA may serve as a buffer from development of SAD and MDD symptoms.
A Method for Extracting Light Echo Fluxes Using the NN2 Difference Imaging Technique

Light echoes are interesting because of the wealth of information they offer about their progenitors and the reflecting dust. Due to their faint surface brightnesses, difference imaging is necessary to separate most light echoes from the sky background. However, difference images reveal only the relative fluxes between two epochs. Obtaining absolute fluxes for individual epochs has traditionally relied on a single template image that is free of light echoes. Since such an observation is normally unavailable, a light echo–free template must be constructed by a complicated and usually subjective process. Here we present an application of the NN2 method of Barris et al. to extract the relative fluxes of light echoes across a range of epochs directly from a series of difference images. This method requires no privileged image and makes maximal use of the observational data. Statistical methods to estimate the zero‐flux level and thus the absolute flux are also presented. The efficacy of the technique is demonstrated by an application to the light echoes around SN 1987A. The resulting images reveal new detail and faint light echo structures. This method can be adapted and applied to other extended variable light sources, such as stellar outflows and supernova remnants.
The Quest Data Mining System

The goal of the Quest project at the IBM Almaden Research center is to develop technology to enable a new breed of data-intensive decision-support applications. This paper is a capsule summary of the current functionality and architecture of the Quest data mining System. Our overall approach has been to identify basic data mining operations that cut across applications and develop fast, scalable algorithms for their execution (Agrawal, Imielinski, & Swami 1993a). We wanted our algorithms to:
Symplectormophism groups of non-compact manifolds, orbifold balls, and a space of Lagrangians

We establish connections between contact isometry groups of certain contact manifolds and compactly supported symplectomorphism groups of their symplectizations. We apply these results to investigate the space of symplectic embeddings of balls with a single conical singularity at the origin. Using similar ideas, we also prove the longstanding expected result that the space of Lagrangian $\RR P^2$ in $T^*\RR P^2$ is weakly contractible.
RNA Viruses that Cause Hemorrhagic, Encephalitic, and Febrile Disease

A group of small RNA viruses belonging difficult to obtain from traditional sources. to the families Togaviridae, Bunyaviridae, Research on them is focused in a few reArenaviridae, and Filoviridae cause hemsearch institutes specializing in tropical orrhagic, encephalitic, or febrile disease medicine. Traditionally, the United States throughout large areas of the world. All are Army has been a major contributor to such associated with insect or rodent vectors research efforts, with laboratories both in whose interaction with humans defines the the United States and overseas in several mode of disease transmission. Because endemic areas, and through an extramuthese viruses occur primarily in Asia, Afral contract/grant system to support such rica, and South America they are typically work. The Centers for Disease Control considered in the context of "tropical med(CDC) also conducts significant work in icine" and are considered as "exotic vithis field. Summarizing the field of cliniruses," both because of their unusual biolcally important viral diseases in tropical ogy of transmission and the increased level medicine is beyond the scope of this chapof biohazard protection, biosafety level ter, and the reader is referred to major BL2 to BL4, required for their safe hanreviews in the references for further indling in the laboratory. Because they tend formation (1-3). Where several of these disto occur either in underdeveloped couneases represent either significant health tries, or with such low frequencies, the development of antiviral therapies has not been a commercial priority. Further, fundThe views of the authors do not purport to reflect ing for studying many of these viruses is the position of the Department of Defense.
Induction of T Helper Type 1 and 2 Responses to 19-Kilodalton Merozoite Surface Protein 1 in Vaccinated Healthy Volunteers and Adults Naturally Exposed to Malaria

ABSTRACT Plasmodium falciparum malaria is a major cause of death in the tropics. The 19-kDa subunit of P. falciparum merozoite surface protein 1 (MSP-119), a major blood stage vaccine candidate, is the target of cellular and humoral immune responses in animals and humans. In this phase I trial of MSP-119, immunization of nonexposed human volunteers with either of the two allelic forms of recombinant MSP-119 induced high levels of antigen-specific Th1 (gamma interferon) and Th2 (interleukin 4 [IL-4] and IL-10) type lymphokines. The adjustment of the antigen dose and number of immunizations regulated the level of specificity of immune responses and Th1/Th2 bias of responses induced by vaccination. Novel conserved and allelic T-cell epitopes which induced cross-strain immune responses were identified. Importantly, responses to many of these novel epitopes were also present in adults exposed to malaria, both in east (Kenya) and west Africa (The Gambia). These data suggest that epitope-specific naturally acquired MSP-119 immune responses in endemic populations can be boosted by vaccination.
Mixture effects of copper, cadmium, and zinc on mortality and behavior of Caenorhabditis elegans

The toxicity effects of zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), and cadmium (Cd), both as single metals and in combination, were examined in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. Metal effects on lethality were analyzed in a time‐dependent manner using different concentrations in K‐medium. To investigate the effects on locomotion and chemosensation, lethal concentration at 20% (LC20) values were used. The results showed that Cu toxicity was higher compared with Cd and Zn, resulting in higher mortality rates and a more reduced locomotion. Lethality increased over time for all metals. When Cd was added to Cu, and vice versa, significant increases in toxicity were noted. Different interaction effects were observed for the mixtures ZnCd, ZnCu, CuCd, and ZnCuCd. Zinc seemed to have a neutral toxic effect on Cd, while in combination with Cu, a similar additive effect was seen as for the CuCd combination. Binary and tertiary metal mixtures caused a strong decrease in locomotion, except for the ZnCd combination, where Zn seemed to have a neutral effect. After LC2024 h exposure, reduced crawling speed (except for Zn) and reduced thrashing behavior (except for Zn and the ZnCd mixture) were observed. Almost no significant effects were observed on chemosensation. Because the same trend of mixture effects was noted in locomotion and in lethality tests, locomotion can probably be considered a sensitive endpoint for metal toxicities. Environ Toxicol Chem 2018;37:145–159. © 2017 SETAC
Antifungal resistance and predominance of virulence determinants among Candida albicans isolated from various clinical specimens

Candida albicans remains the most common cause of hospital-acquired fungal infections due to its virulence determinants. Resistance to antifungal therapy has increased dramatically, narrowing the few available therapeutic options due to their potential toxicity. However, the association between C. albicans virulence determinants and resistance profiles needs further investigation. C. albicans (n= 25) isolated from various clinical samples were identified. Antibiogram analysis of the tested isolates against different antifungal agents was performed and their minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) were verified. Virulence determinants including extracellular hydrolytic enzymes, biofilm formation, and cell surface hydrophobicity (CSH) were investigated. Correlations between virulence determinants and resistance profiles of the experimented isolates, in addition to their potential association with the source of clinical specimens, were analyzed. All isolates were amphotericin B, nystatin and micafungin sensitive, while 100% were clotrimazole, fluconazole and voriconazole resistant. Extracellular hydrolytic activities were detected in 52, 68 and 100% of the tested isolates for phospholipase, protease, and hemolysin, respectively, while CSH and biofilm production was shown in 24 and 20% of isolates, respectively. CSH had significant (p < 0.05) positive as well as negative associations with amphotericin B and fluconazole MICs, respectively. Source of clinical isolates showed significant (p < 0.05) influence on some resistance and virulence patterns.
Evaluation of mechanisms controlling the release and inactivation of the adrenergic transmitter in the rabbit portal vein and vas deferens

1 A method is described for the detection and assay of picogramme quantities of noradrenaline. This involves transferring Krebs solution containing noradrenaline to a cascade system where the catecholamine may be bioassayed on superfused preparations of the rabbit aorta and iliac artery. 2 Electrical field stimulation of the rabbit vas deferens and portal vein caused the release, into the bathing medium, of a material which was identified by pharmacological and chemical tests as noradrenaline. 3 Cocaine (0·3–5 μg/ml) caused a marked increase in noradrenaline output after electrical stimulation of the portal vein and vas deferens. This effect appeared to be maximal at a concentration of 2·4 μg/ml; when the cocaine concentration was increased above 10 μg/ml the noradrenaline output was greatly reduced. 4 Phenoxybenzamine (5 μg/ml) caused a 4–8 times greater increase in noradrenaline output than cocaine; however, the increase in output due to phenoxybenzamine was much smaller in tissues pretreated with cocaine. 5 Corticosterone (20 μg/ml) increased noradrenaline output by 30–40% in untreated vas deferentia, but caused a 300% increase in output in tissues pretreated with cocaine. Cocaine also caused a much greater increase in output in tissues pretreated with corticosterone than in untreated tissues. 6 Treatment with pargyline plus tropolone caused a 100–200% increase in noradrenaline output; this effect was not modified by cocaine, but was abolished when the tissues were pretreated with either phenoxybenzamine or corticosterone. 7 When tissues were stimulated for 240 pulses at 1–16 Hz, the output per pulse of noradrenaline increased linearly with the logarithm of the frequency of stimulation. This relationship between frequency and output was seen in both untreated tissues, and in tissues treated with cocaine, phenoxybenzamine, corticosterone or pargyline plus tropolone. 8 It is concluded that cocaine enhances output by blocking the neuronal reuptake of noradrenaline, and corticosterone by blocking the extraneuronal uptake and subsequent metabolism of noradrenaline. Phenoxybenzamine acts by blocking both neuronal and extraneuronal uptake mechanisms. There appears to be a dynamic balance in the distribution of noradrenaline between the two uptake mechanisms after the release of the transmitter from the nerve endings. 9 It is calculated that more than 90% of the noradrenaline released by nerve stimulation (240 pulses at 2–16 Hz) is inactivated by neuronal and extraneuronal uptake mechanisms. 10 It is calculated that the fraction of the total noradrenaline store that is released by one pulse at 2 Hz is 6·6 × 10−5 in the portal vein and 5·6 × 10−5 in the vas deferens; the corresponding values at 16 Hz were 15·9 × 10−5 and 16·2 × 10−5.
Exploratory path planning using the Max-min ant system algorithm

In the path planning problem for autonomous mobile robots, robots have to plan their path from the start position to the goal. In this paper, we investigate the application of the MMAS algorithm to the exploratory path planning problem, in which the robots should explore the environment at the same time they plan the path. Max-min ant system is an ant colony optimization algorithm that exploits the best solutions found. In addition, to analyze the quality of solutions obtained, we also analyze the traveled distance spent by robots in the first iteration of the algorithm. The environment is previously unknown to the robots, although it is represented by a topological map, that does not require precise information from the environment and provides a simple way to execute the navigation of the path. Thus, the paths are represented by a sequence of actions that the robots should execute to reach the goal. The navigation of the best solution found was implemented in a realistic robotic simulator. The proposed algorithm provides a very good performance in relation to a genetic algorithm and the well-known A* algorithm that deal with this problem.
Prospective surveillance study of haemophilia A patients switching from moroctocog alfa or other factor VIII products to moroctocog alfa albumin-free cell culture (AF-CC) in usual care settings

Summary This prospective, open-label, postauthorisation safety surveillance study assessed clinically significant inhibitor development in patients with severe haemophilia A transitioning from moroctocog alfa or other factor VIII (FVIII) replacement products to reformulated moroctocog alfa (AF-CC). Males aged12 years with severe haemophilia A (FVIII:C) < 1 IU/dl), > 150 exposure days (EDs) to recombinant or plasma-derived FVIII products, and no detectable inhibitor at screening were enrolled. Primary end point was the incidence of clinically significant FVIII inhibitor development. Secondary end points included annualised bleeding rate (ABR), less-than-expected therapeutic effect (LETE), and FVIII recovery. Patients were assigned to one of two cohorts based on whether they were transitioning to moroctocog alfa (AF-CC) from moroctocog alfa (cohort 1; n=146) or from another recombinant or plasma-derived FVIII product (cohort 2; n=62). Mean number of EDs on study was 94 (range, 1–139). Six positive FVIII inhibitor results, as determined by local laboratories, were reported in four patients; none were confirmed by a central laboratory, no inhibitor-related clinical manifestations were reported, and all anti-FVIII antibody assays were negative. Median ABRs were 23.4 and 3.4 in patients categorised at baseline as following on-demand and prophylactic regimens, respectively; 86.5 % of bleeding episodes resolved after one infusion. LETE incidence was 0.06 % and 0.19 % in the on-demand and prophylaxis settings, respectively. FVIII recovery remained constant throughout the study. No new safety concerns were identified. This study found no increased risk of clinically significant FVIII inhibitor development in patients transitioning from moroctocog alfa or other FVIII replacement products to moroctocog alfa (AF-CC).
Upfront whole brain radiotherapy for multiple brain metastases in patients with EGFR-mutant lung adenocarcinoma

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of upfront whole-brain radiotherapy (WBRT) in EGFR-mutant lung adenocarcinoma patients with multiple brain metastases (BM). Methods: In this study, 195 patients with EGFR mutations who had multiple BM at preliminary diagnosis were included and retrospectively reviewed. Patients were admitted to receive the following treatments in a multi-disciplinary setting: upfront WBRT followed by EGFR-TKI, concurrent EGFR-TKI and WBRT and upfront EGFR-TKI followed by WBRT. A disease-specific graded prognostic assessment (DS-GPA) was performed for all the patients. The treatment response and overall survival (OS) were assessed as well. Results: The median OS of these patients was 27 months. Objective response rate (ORR) was significantly better in upfront WBRT group than other two groups (P=0.004). Moreover, patients who received upfront WBRT (n=67) had longer OS than the concomitant group (36 vs 25 months; P=0.006) and the upfront EGFR-TKI group (36 vs 25 months; P<0.0001). The prognosis of patients with different DS-GPA scores significantly differed (P<0.0001). In concomitant group and upfront EGFR-TKIs group, patients with higher DS-GPA scores of 2–3 had more favorable prognosis compared with those with lower DS-GPA scores of 0–1.5 (27 vs 25 months; P=0.023). Patients who received EGFR-TKIs concurrently with WBRT had longer OS than those received upfront EGFR-TKIs with high DS-GPA scores. (37 vs 17 months; P=0.023). Conclusion: The use of upfront WBRT for EGFR-mutated lung adenocarcinoma patients with multiple BM can improve ORR and OS. More importantly, patients with high DS-GPA scores are recommended to receive WBRT immediately after EGFR-TKIs therapy.
Determinants of Cloud ERP Adoption in Saudi Arabia: an Empirical Study

Cloud based Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems have emerged as solutions to all the difficulties encountered by conventional ERP system. It provides flexibility, adaptability, and cost efficiency. It requires low upfront investments and can rapidly be deployed. Different private and public organization in developed countries have already realized the benefit of cloud ERP and implemented it to improve overall efficiency and quality of services. However, the adoption rate of cloud ERP in developing countries such as Saudi Arabia is still at the beginning stage with not many adopters. Side by side, not much research has been done to investigate the factors that influence the implementation of cloud ERP. So, it is essential to analyze the factors that affect the adoption of cloud ERP in Saudi Arabia. This paper will examine various factors that affect the adoption of cloud ERP in different private and public organization in Saudi Arabia by combining the two widely applied IT theories such as Technology-Organization-Environment (TOE) framework and Diffusion of Innovation theory. This paper will also analyze the performance of cloud base ERP with traditional ERP systems. Avenues for future research will also be suggested.
Mechanism of cross-resistance between vincristine and daunorubicin in Ehrlich ascites tumor cells.

Abstract An investigation was undertaken of the mechanism of a previously reported cross-resistance between vincristine (VCR) and daunorubicin (DNR) in Ehrlich ascites tumor cells. No significant difference was demonstrated for the time course of [3H]VCR uptake in cells resistant to VCR (EHR 2/VCR+) and in cells resistant to DNR (EHR 2/DNR+), whereas wild-type cells accumulated nearly 6-fold more drug at steady state. The energy dependence of [3H]VCR and of DNR transport was investigated by the metabolic inhibitors sodium azide and iodoacetic acid. These studies revealed that uptake of [3H]VCR and of DNR was depressed in both resistant sublines by an energy-dependent process that mostly requires energy from glycolysis. If glucose was omitted from the medium together with addition of sodium azide, the uptake of [3H]VCR and of DNR in EHR 2/VCR+ reached a level nearly equal to that of wild-type cells. If glycolysis was restored by addition of glucose to the resistant cells loaded with drug in this way, a pronounced extrusion of [3H]VCR and of DNR was induced. In a similar experiment with wild-type cells, a slight but significant extrusion of [3H]VCR could be induced. The studies showed that, for nearly unidirectional influx, the cells must be incubated in the medium without glucose but with sodium azide. In this medium the influx of [3H]VCR and of DNR was significantly higher in wild-type cells than in cells from the resistant sublines. The flux of DNR was not competitively inhibited by VCR either in wild-type cells or in resistant cells. The data indicate that the mechanism of cross-resistance between VCR and DNR in Ehrlich ascites tumor cells is a result of at least two different mechanisms: (a) an energy-dependent drug extrusion common to VCR and DNR; and (b) unspecific changes in the membrane, which reduce the influx of both compounds.
Breast tumor cell soluble factors induce monocytes to produce angiogenic but not angiostatic CXC chemokines

Tumor cells are known to interact closely with nontumoral infiltrating cells in order to grow and proliferate. Monocyte‐derived cells constitute a major component of the tumoral infiltrate and a high level of these cells has been associated with increased tumor growth and poor prognosis in patients with breast cancer. For their growth and metastatic propagation, solid tumors are dependant on angiogenesis and accumulated evidences suggest that monocyte‐derived cells could also play an important role in this phenomenon. However, the precise nature of proangiogenic factors secreted by these cells in breast carcinomas, and their direct influence on vessel formation, has not been determined. In the present study, we show that soluble factors secreted by breast tumor cells induce monocytes to produce a variety of proangiogenic CXC chemokines without secretion of angiostatic CXC chemokines. Using in vitro tubule formation in Matrigel, we demonstrated that the CXC chemokines secreted by MTSs (monocytes cultured with tumor cell supernatants) were able to induce microvessel formation. The profile of secreted CXC chemokines was characteristic for each tumor cell line or fresh tumor cells. This last result points out that a precise profiling of secreted proangiogenic factors inside the tumor, by tumor cells themselves or tumor‐infiltrating monocyte‐derived cells, is important for a precise targeting of therapeutic agents against neovascularization. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.