Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Obsessional beliefs and the implicit and explicit morality of intrusive thoughts

Cognitive models of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) suggest that misinterpreting intrusive thoughts exacerbates obsessional thinking. To evaluate this hypothesis, healthy participants (N=91) were prompted to recollect their unwanted thoughts, and then beliefs about the immorality of these thoughts were manipulated. Next, participants completed implicit and explicit measures of self-evaluation and appraisals of unwanted thoughts. Results from structural regression analyses indicated that explicit responses to unwanted thoughts, such as evaluations of the significance of intrusive thoughts and state self-esteem, were predicted by pre-existing obsessional beliefs, but not by the morality instruction manipulation. In contrast, implicit responses, such as appraisals of unwanted thoughts as relatively important and evaluations of the self as relatively immoral and dangerous, were predicted by the interaction between specific obsessional beliefs (e.g., intolerance of uncertainty) and the morality instructions. Findings largely support cognitive models of OCD and suggest unique predictors of implicit and explicit responses to unwanted thoughts.
Magnesium sulphate can prolong pregnancy in patients with severe early-onset preeclampsia

Abstract Objective: To assess whether long-term use of magnesium sulphate prolongs pregnancy in patients with severe early-onset preeclampsia. Methods: Retrospective cohort study included all singleton pregnancies with severe early-onset preeclampsia, expectantly managed in our institution between 2005 and 2013. Obstetric and perinatal outcomes were compared between patients managed using a current protocol that tolerates long-term (over 48 h) use of magnesium sulphate (long-term group, n = 26) and a historical control group (control group, n = 15) that underwent conventional treatment (up to 48 h use of magnesium sulphate). Results: Long-term group showed significant prolongation of pregnancy compared with the control group (9.2 ± 7.9 versus 16.6 ± 9.3 d, log-rank test, p = 0.021), which was also observed in patients with severe preeclampsia occurring before 28 weeks’ gestation (n = 11, 4.5 ± 5.2 versus 13.2 ± 6.8 d, log-rank test, p = 0.035). In contrast to a progressive decrease of platelet count in patients managed without magnesium sulphate, administration of magnesium sulphate for 7 d prevented the decrease of platelet count (p = 0.001). Thirty two percent of patients (13/41) experienced a major complication irrespective of duration of magnesium sulphate use. Conclusions: Long-term use of magnesium sulphate prolonged pregnancy in patients with severe early-onset preeclampsia and can help alleviate progression of preeclampsia.
Evidence That the Transition of HIV-1 Gp41 into a Six-Helix Bundle, Not the Bundle Configuration, Induces Membrane Fusion

Many viral fusion proteins exhibit a six-helix bundle as a core structure. HIV Env–induced fusion was studied to resolve whether membrane merger was due to the transition into the bundle configuration or occurred after bundle formation. Suboptimal temperature was used to arrest fusion at an intermediate stage. When bundle formation was prevented by adding inhibitory peptides at this stage, membranes did not merge upon raising temperature. Inversely, when membrane merger was prevented by incorporating lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC) into cell membranes at the intermediate, the bundle did not form upon optimizing temperature. In the absence of LPC, the six-helix bundle did not form when the temperature of the intermediate was raised for times too short to promote fusion. Kinetic measures showed that after the temperature pulse, cells had not advanced further toward fusion. The latter results indicate that bundle formation is the rate-limiting step between the arrested intermediate and fusion. Electrical measures showed that the HIV Env–induced pore is initially large and grows rapidly. It is proposed that bundle formation and fusion are each contingent on the other and that movement of Env during its transition into the six-helix bundle directly induces the lipid rearrangements of membrane fusion. Because peptide inhibition showed that, at the intermediate stage, the heptad repeats of gp41 have become stably exposed, creation of the intermediate could be of importance in drug and/or vaccine development.
Posture Used in fMRI-PET Elicits Reduced Cortical Activity and Altered Hemispheric Asymmetry with Respect to Sitting Position: An EEG Resting State Study

Horizontal body position is a posture typically adopted for sleeping or during brain imaging recording in both neuroscience experiments and diagnostic situations. Recent literature showed how this position and similar ones with head down are associated to reduced plasticity, impaired pain and emotional responses. The present study aimed at further understanding the decrease of cortical activity associated with horizontal body position by measuring high-frequency EEG bands – typically associated with high-level cognitive activation – in a resting state experimental condition. To this end, two groups of 16 female students were randomly assigned to either sitting control (SC) or 2-h horizontal Bed Rest condition (hBR) while EEG was recorded from 38 scalp recording sites. The hBR group underwent several body transitions, from sitting to supine, and from supine to sitting. Results revealed a clear effect of horizontal posture: the hBR group showed, compared to its baseline and to SC, reduced High-Beta and Gamma EEG band amplitudes throughout the 2-h of hBR condition. In addition, before and after the supine condition, hBR group as well as SC exhibited a greater left vs. right frontal activation in both EEG bands while, on the contrary, the supine position induced a bilateral and reduced activation in hBR participants. The cortical sources significantly more active in SC compared with hBR participants included the left Inferior Frontal Gyrus and left Insula. Results are discussed in relation to the differences among neuroimaging methods (e.g., fMRI, EEG, NIRS), which can be partially explained by posture-induced neural network changes.
Love at first sight or friends first? Ties among partner personality trait similarity, relationship onset, relationship quality, and love

The present study examined the relation between the type of relationship onset on the one hand and the degree to which partners have similar personalities and relationship quality on the other hand. It was hypothesized that partners who fell in love at first sight, relative to partners who got involved more gradually, entered into intimate relationships more shortly after they met, would have mates with less similar personalities, especially with regard to levels of extraversion, emotional stability and autonomy, and would report relatively low levels of relationship quality. In a sample of 137 married or cohabiting couples, it was found that, as predicted, partners who fell in love at first sight became romantically involved more quickly, and showed more dissimilar personalities with regard to levels of extraversion, emotional stability and autonomy. Partners who fell in love at first sight did not report lower relationship quality. Instead, partner personality trait similarity was related to relationship quality as a function of both relationship onset and specific personality traits.
Fear of cancer and older people's beliefs about cancer treatment in Poland

ABSTRACT Throughout Europe and the United States, more than 60% of all cancer incidents occur in older people. Therefore, the aim of this study was to understand the level of fear people have regarding cancer and older people's beliefs about cancer pain, cancer treatment, and the curability of cancer. We conducted a survey in 2012, in which the sample was comprised of 910 adult residents of Wroclaw, Poland, to ascertain the beliefs people have about cancer and the degree of fear people have with respect to cancer. The majority of the respondents reported having a high level of fear, and this level of fear increased with age. Moreover, the oldest people (65 years and above) expressed fatalistic beliefs with respect to cancer. Our observations may guide health promotion campaigns and cancer prevention programs.
Utility of a physiologically–based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) modeling approach to quantitatively predict a complex drug–drug–disease interaction scenario for rivaroxaban during the drug review process: implications for clinical practice

Rivaroxaban is an oral Factor Xa inhibitor. The primary objective of this communication was to quantitatively predict changes in rivaroxaban exposure when individuals with varying degrees of renal impairment are co‐administered with another drug that is both a P‐gp and a moderate CYP3A4 inhibitor.
Determination of penicillin susceptibility of Streptococcus pneumoniae using the polymerase chain reaction.

AIM: To develop a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) based method to detect penicillin susceptibility in isolates of Streptococcus pneumoniae (SP). METHOD: PCR primers were designed to amplify differential nucleotide sequences of the penicillin-binding protein (PBP) genes 2b, 2x, and 1a in penicillin susceptible and resistant strains of SP. Primers derived from the PBP 2x and 2b genes were designed to amplify products from penicillin susceptible S pneumoniae (PSSP), whereas primers derived from the PBP 1a gene were designed to amplify gene sequences of penicillin resistant S pneumoniae (PRSP). RESULTS: Two hundred and thirty clinical isolates of SP from the USA, UK, Kenya, Romania, and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia were tested. Of the isolates, 116 were penicillin susceptible, 65 were intermediately resistant, and 49 were highly resistant. PCR identified 108 (93%) of 116 of PSSP isolates, 55 (85%) of 65 intermediately resistant isolates, and all of the 49 highly resistant isolates of SP. The susceptibility of 16 (7%) isolates could not be determined using PCR. All of these 16 isolates had a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of penicillin < 1 mg/l. None of the highly resistant isolates was identified as penicillin susceptible by PCR, although two of the isolates with intermediate resistance (MIC = 0.125 mg/l) were. CONCLUSION: Using primers that differentially identify the genotypes of susceptible and resistant strains of SP, PCR provides a rapid method for determining the penicillin susceptibility of SP isolates and could potentially be used for testing clinical samples.
The Development and Psychometric Validation of the Central Sensitization Inventory

Central sensitization (CS) has been proposed as a common pathophysiological mechanism to explain related syndromes for which no specific organic cause can be found. The term “central sensitivity syndrome (CSS)” has been proposed to describe these poorly understood disorders related to CS. The goal of this investigation was to develop the Central Sensitization Inventory (CSI), which identifies key symptoms associated with CSSs and quantifies the degree of these symptoms. The utility of the CSI, to differentiate among different types of chronic pain patients who presumably have different levels of CS impairment, was then evaluated. Study 1 demonstrated strong psychometric properties (test–retest reliability = 0.817; Cronbach’s alpha = 0.879) of the CSI in a cohort of normative subjects. A factor analysis (including both normative and chronic pain subjects) yielded 4 major factors (all related to somatic and emotional symptoms), accounting for 53.4% of the variance in the dataset. In Study 2, the CSI was administered to 4 groups: fibromyalgia (FM); chronic widespread pain without FM; work‐related regional chronic low back pain (CLBP); and normative control group. Analyses revealed that the patients with FM reported the highest CSI scores and the normative population the lowest (P < 0.05). Analyses also demonstrated that the prevalence of previously diagnosed CSSs and related disorders was highest in the FM group and lowest in the normative group (P < 0.001). Taken together, these 2 studies demonstrate the psychometric strength, clinical utility, and the initial construct validity of the CSI in evaluating CS‐related clinical symptoms in chronic pain populations. ▪
Post-translational GPI lipid anchor modification of proteins in kingdoms of life: analysis of protein sequence data from complete genomes.

To investigate the occurrence of glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) lipid anchor modification in various taxonomic ranges, potential substrate proteins have been searched for in completely sequenced genomes. We applied the big-pi predictor for the recognition of propeptide cleavage and anchor attachment sites with a new, generalized analytical form of the extreme-value distribution for evaluating false-positive prediction rates. (i) We find that GPI modification is present among lower and higher Eukaryota (approximately 0.5% of all proteins) but it seems absent in all eubacterial and three archaeobacterial species studied. Four other archaean genomes appear to encode such a fraction of substrate proteins (in the range of eukaryots) that they cannot be explained as false-positive predictions. This result supports the possible existence of GPI anchor modification in an archaean subgroup. (ii) The frequency of GPI-modified proteins on various chromosomes of a given eukaryotic species is different. (iii) Lists of potentially GPI-modified proteins in complete genomes with their predicted cleavage sites are available at http://mendel.imp. univie.ac. at/gpi/gpi_genomes. html. (iv) Orthologues of known transamidase subunits have been found only for EUKARYA: Inconsistencies in domain structure among homologues some of which may indicate sequencing errors are described. We present a refined model of the transamidase complex.
A gentle (without chopping) approach to the full Kostant-Toda lattice.

In this paper we propose a new algorithm for obtaining the rational integrals of the full Kostant-Toda lattice. This new approach is based on a reduction of a bi-Hamiltonian system on gl(n,R). This system was obtained by reducing the space of maps from Zn to GL(n,R) endowed with a structure of a pair of Lie-algebroids.
Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) signalling in cell migration and cancer invasion: A focussed review and analysis of LPA receptor gene expression on the basis of more than 1700 cancer microarrays

Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) is a ubiquitously present signalling molecule involved in diverse cellular processes such as cell migration, proliferation and differentiation. LPA acts as an autocrine and/or paracrine signalling molecule via different G‐protein‐coupled LPA receptors (LPARs) that trigger a broad range of intracellular signalling cascades, especially the RHOA pathway. Mounting evidence suggests a crucial role of the LPA/LPAR‐axis in cancer cell metastasis and promising studies are underway to investigate the therapeutic potential of LPAR‐antagonists. This review summarises current knowledge on how LPA promotes cytoskeletal remodelling to enhance the migratory and invasive properties of cells, which may ultimately contribute to cancer metastasis. Furthermore, we provide comprehensive transcriptome analyses of published microarrays of more than 350 normal tissues and more than 1700 malignant tissues to define the expression signatures of LPARs and the LPA‐generating enzymes autotaxin (ATX) and lipase member 1 (LIPI). These analyses demonstrate that ATX is highly expressed in a variety of carcinomas and sarcomas, whereas LIPI is almost exclusively overexpressed in highly aggressive Ewing's sarcomas, which underscores the potential contribution of LPA in metastatic disease. In addition, these analyses show that different cancer entities display distinct expression signatures of LPARs that distinguish them from one another. Finally, we discuss current approaches to specifically target the LPA/LPAR circuits in experimental cancer therapy.
A Vector Approach to Regression Analysis and Its Application to Heavy-Duty Diesel Emissions

An alternative approach is presented for the regression of response data on predictor variables that are not logically or physically separable. The methodology is demonstrated by its application to a data set of heavy-duty diesel emissions. Because of the covariance of fuel properties, it is found advantageous to redefine the predictor variables as vectors, in which the original fuel properties are components, rather than as scalars each involving only a single fuel property. The fuel property vectors are defined in such a way that they are mathematically independent and statistically uncorrelated. Because the available data set does not allow definitive separation of vehicle and fuel effects, and because test fuels used in several of the studies may be unrealistically contrived to break the association of fuel variables, the data set is not considered adequate for development of a full-fledged emission model. Nevertheless, the data clearly show that only a few basic patterns of fuel-property variation affect emissions and that the number of these patterns is considerably less than the number of variables initially thought to be involved. These basic patterns, referred to as ''eigenfuels,'' may reflect blending practice in accordance with their relative weighting in specific circumstances. The methodology is believed to be widely applicable in a variety of contexts. It promises an end to the threat of collinearity and the frustration of attempting, often unrealistically, to separate variables that are inseparable.
MiRNA Transcriptome Profiling of Spheroid-Enriched Cells with Cancer Stem Cell Properties in Human Breast MCF-7 Cell Line

Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide as most patients often suffer cancer relapse. The reason is often attributed to the presence of cancer stem cells (CSCs). Recent studies revealed that dysregulation of microRNA (miRNA) are closely linked to breast cancer recurrence and metastasis. However, no specific study has comprehensively characterised the CSC characteristic and miRNA transcriptome in spheroid-enriched breast cells. This study described the generation of spheroid MCF-7 cell in serum-free condition and the comprehensive characterisation for their CSC properties. Subsequently, miRNA expression differences between the spheroid-enriched CSC cells and their parental cells were evaluated using next generation sequencing (NGS). Our results showed that the MCF-7 spheroid cells were enriched with CSCs properties, indicated by the ability to self-renew, increased expression of CSCs markers, and increased resistance to chemotherapeutic drugs. Additionally, spheroid-enriched CSCs possessed greater cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and wound healing ability. A total of 134 significantly (p<0.05) differentially expressed miRNAs were identified between spheroids and parental cells using miRNA-NGS. MiRNA-NGS analysis revealed 25 up-regulated and 109 down-regulated miRNAs which includes some miRNAs previously reported in the regulation of breast CSCs. A number of miRNAs (miR-4492, miR-4532, miR-381, miR-4508, miR-4448, miR-1296, and miR-365a) which have not been previously reported in breast cancer were found to show potential association with breast cancer chemoresistance and self-renewal capability. The gene ontology (GO) analysis showed that the predicted genes were enriched in the regulation of metabolic processes, gene expression, DNA binding, and hormone receptor binding. The corresponding pathway analyses inferred from the GO results were closely related to the function of signalling pathway, self-renewability, chemoresistance, tumorigenesis, cytoskeletal proteins, and metastasis in breast cancer. Based on these results, we proposed that certain miRNAs identified in this study could be used as new potential biomarkers for breast cancer stem cell diagnosis and targeted therapy.
The Effect of Different Motivation Factors on Knowledge-Sharing Willingness and Behavior

The main purpose in this study was to examine the correlations between knowledge-sharing motivation, willingness, and behavior of volunteers and paid staff in different types of social welfare nonprofit organizations. Statistical analysis of empirical data from 375 participants’ questionnaires revealed the following results. Only one of the hygiene factors, extrinsic motivation, was found to be unrelated to willingness to share knowledge. All other hygiene factors were significantly related to knowledge-sharing willingness behavior, and the intrinsic motivation factor had the strongest influence on knowledge-sharing willingness and behavior.
Older Adults' Experiences and Perceptions of Dual Tasking

There is no consensus on which dual task (DT) test best assesses mobility or balance deficits in older adults. This study aimed to explore older adults' experiences and perceptions of dual tasking to identify DTs relevant to their everyday life and that they perceive as difficult or risky. Two gender-specific focus groups were conducted. Six males and nine females, aged 70 years or above, participated. The topics posed to the groups included structured and open questions designed to explore experiences of combining two activities and the consequences of that for balance. The results were subjected to content analysis to identify DT examples, task difficulty levels and balance-threatening tasks. Most participants were able to identify DT examples and some identified a concurrent impact on balance. There were gender differences in the examples: the females focused more on household tasks and the males more on outdoor activities. Many tasks that were considered difficult or risky by the participants do not feature sufficiently in the literature, such as stair negotiation and avoiding moving obstacles accompanied by secondary tasks. The views of older adults should be taken into consideration to help to develop tests that are more sensitive and have face validity.
Monolingual International Schools and the Young Non-English-Speaking Child

While a majority of children from diverse language backgrounds benefit from the education on offer in most English-medium international schools, some non-English-speaking children enrolled at a young age can encounter difficulties. In this article background on the growth and development of very young and early primary-age children are reviewed, and consideration is given to the kinds of behaviour which give cause for concern in this context. Suggestions are made for ways in which some potentially disabling experiences might be mitigated or avoided, and areas for research identified.
Information Sharing and Citizenship Behaviors

This study aims to evaluate the mediating roles of empowerment, procedural justice, and organizational support in the influence of top-down and bottom-up information sharing on citizenship behaviors. In line with our hypotheses, we found that top-down practices primarily reinforce a sense of empowerment, whereas bottom-up practices primarily reinforce the perception of procedural justice. Finally, we found that information-sharing practices significantly influence citizenship performance in all three exchange mechanisms studied.