Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Personality, imaginative involvement, and self-reported somatic complaints: relevance to the concept of alexithymia.

Forty-five undergraduate students were investigated to determine the relationship between personality dispositions, capacity for imaginative involvement, and self-reported physical symptoms. The results showed that somatic complaints were associated with variables reflecting psychological vulnerability and dysphoric affect (e.g. anxiety and worry/depression). Imaginative involvement, and especially the Absorption Scale, correlated positively with self-reported somatic symptoms. Factor analyses revealed that Absorption Scale and the Creative Imagination Scale loaded on a general psychological distress factor. Moreover, self-reported somatic symptoms correlated negatively with 'inner directedness' and 'sociable' coping style, and positively with the coping styles 'sensitive' and 'inhibited', thus suggesting a link between emotional expressiveness and somatic complaints. The relevance of these results to the concept of alexithymia is discussed.
Morphology of asphalts, asphalt fractions and model wax-doped asphalts studied by atomic force microscopy

Asphalts used in the construction of pavements exhibit unique properties at the micron and nanometre scale. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) images of asphalts and asphalt chromatographic fractions prepared as thin films clearly show that a variety of ‘microstructures’ can develop on the surface of these types of materials. Structure develops to different degrees and in different forms depending on the residua crude source from which the asphalt or asphalt fraction is derived, the thermal history of the sample and the sample thickness. Based on our current best interpretation of a very large number of AFM images obtained over several years, we hypothesise that the interaction between crystallising paraffin waxes and the remaining asphalt fractions is responsible for much of the structuring, including the well-known bee structures (Loeber et al. 1996, Journal of Microscopy, 182 (1), 32–39), which has been observed with asphalt materials.
Fine Needle Aspiration Cytology and Flow Cytometry in the Diagnosis and Subclassification of Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma Based on the World Health Organization Classification

OBJECTIVE To determine the usefulness of fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) in combination with flow cytometry on the new World Health Organization (WHO) classification of malignant lymphoma. STUDY DESIGN Smears and flow cytometry reports of patients who underwent both methods at the same time were independently examined. Both methods were classified according to the new WHO classification of malignant lymphoma. RESULTS A group of 131 smears were examined. In 89 cases exact diagnosis was made by cytomorphology. Twenty-five cases were not classified exactly or were classified incorrectly, resulting in a sensitivity of 96.4% and a specificity of 85%. With flow cytometry, only 30 of 131 patients could be classified exactly, resulting in a sensitivity of 27% and specificity of 100%, respectively. The combination of methods showed a sensitivity of 85% and specificity of 100%. CONCLUSION The combination of FNAC and flow cytometry obtained by FNAC can distinguish between benign and malignant lymphoid infiltrates and support a diagnosis of lymphoma.
Melioidosis and glanders modulation of the innate immune system: barriers to current and future vaccine approaches

ABSTRACT Burkholderia pseudomallei and Burkholderia mallei are pathogenic bacteria causing fatal infections in animals and humans. Both organisms are classified as Tier 1 Select Agents owing to their highly fatal nature, potential/prior use as bioweapons, severity of disease via respiratory exposure, intrinsic resistance to antibiotics, and lack of a current vaccine. Disease manifestations range from acute septicemia to chronic infection, wherein the facultative intracellular lifestyle of these organisms promotes persistence within a broad range of hosts. This ability to thrive intracellularly is thought to be related to exploitation of host immune response signaling pathways. There are currently considerable gaps in our understanding of the molecular strategies employed by these pathogens to modulate these pathways and evade intracellular killing. A better understanding of the specific molecular basis for dysregulation of host immune responses by these organisms will provide a stronger platform to identify novel vaccine targets and develop effective countermeasures.
100 Days of marine Synechococcus–Ruegeria pomeroyi interaction: A detailed analysis of the exoproteome

Summary Marine phototroph and heterotroph interactions are vital in maintaining the nutrient balance in the oceans as essential nutrients need to be rapidly cycled before sinking to aphotic layers. The aim of this study was to highlight the molecular mechanisms that drive these interactions. For this, we generated a detailed exoproteomic time‐course analysis of a 100‐day co‐culture between the model marine picocyanobacterium Synechococcus sp. WH7803 and the Roseobacter strain Ruegeria pomeroyi DSS‐3, both in nutrient‐enriched and natural oligotrophic seawater. The proteomic data showed a transition between the initial growth phase and stable‐state phase that, in the case of the heterotroph, was caused by a switch in motility attributed to organic matter availability. The phototroph adapted to seawater oligotrophy by reducing its selective leakiness, increasing the acquisition of essential nutrients and secreting conserved proteins of unknown function. We also report a surprisingly high abundance of extracellular superoxide dismutase produced by Synechococcus and a dynamic secretion of potential hydrolytic enzyme candidates used by the heterotroph to cleave organic groups and hydrolase polymeric organic matter produced by the cyanobacterium. The time course dataset we present here will become a reference for understanding the molecular processes underpinning marine phototroph‐heterotroph interactions.
DHEA Supplementation Confers No Additional Benefit to that of Growth Hormone on Pregnancy and Live Birth Rates in IVF Patients Categorized as Poor Prognosis

Background In vitro fertilization (IVF) patients receive various adjuvant therapies to enhance success rates, but the true benefit is actively debated. Growth hormone (GH) and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) supplementation were assessed in women undergoing fresh IVF transfer cycles and categorized as poor prognosis from five criteria. Methods Data were retrospectively analyzed from 626 women undergoing 626 IVF cycles, where they received no adjuvant, GH alone, or GH–DHEA in combination. A small group received DHEA alone. The utilization of adjuvants was decided between the attending clinician and the patient depending on various factors including cost. Results Despite patients being significantly older with lower ovarian reserve, live birth rates were significantly greater with GH alone (18.6%) and with GH-DHEA (13.0%) in comparison to those with no adjuvant (p < 0.003). No significant difference was observed between the GH groups (p = 0.181). Overall, patient age, quality of the transferred embryo, and GH treatment were the only significant independent predictors of live birth chance. Following adjustment for patient age, antral follicle count, and quality of transferred embryo, GH alone and GH–DHEA led to a 7.1-fold and 5.6-fold increase in live birth chance, respectively (p < 0.000). Conclusion These data indicated that GH adjuvant may support more live births, particularly in younger women, and importantly, the positive effects of GH treatment were still observed even if DHEA was also used in combination. However, supplementation with DHEA did not indicate any potentiating benefit or modify the effects of GH treatment. Due to the retrospective design, and the risk of a selection bias, caution is advised in the interpretation of the data.
Auditory and visual connectivity gradients in frontoparietal cortex

A frontoparietal network of brain regions is often implicated in both auditory and visual information processing. Although it is possible that the same set of multimodal regions subserves both modalities, there is increasing evidence that there is a differentiation of sensory function within frontoparietal cortex. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in humans was used to investigate whether different frontoparietal regions showed intrinsic biases in connectivity with visual or auditory modalities. Structural connectivity was assessed with diffusion tractography and functional connectivity was tested using functional MRI. A dorsal–ventral gradient of function was observed, where connectivity with visual cortex dominates dorsal frontal and parietal connections, while connectivity with auditory cortex dominates ventral frontal and parietal regions. A gradient was also observed along the posterior–anterior axis, although in opposite directions in prefrontal and parietal cortices. The results suggest that the location of neural activity within frontoparietal cortex may be influenced by these intrinsic biases toward visual and auditory processing. Thus, the location of activity in frontoparietal cortex may be influenced as much by stimulus modality as the cognitive demands of a task. It was concluded that stimulus modality was spatially encoded throughout frontal and parietal cortices, and was speculated that such an arrangement allows for top–down modulation of modality‐specific information to occur within higher‐order cortex. This could provide a potentially faster and more efficient pathway by which top–down selection between sensory modalities could occur, by constraining modulations to within frontal and parietal regions, rather than long‐range connections to sensory cortices. Hum Brain Mapp 38:255–270, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Risk Preferences in Surrogate Decision Making

There is growing evidence that decisions made on behalf of other people differ from the decisions we make for ourselves because we are less affected by the subjective experience of their outcome. As a result, the decisions we make for other people can be more optimal. This experiment investigated surrogate decision making using a probability discounting task where participants made choices between risky and sure options. Psychological distance between the decision maker and the recipient was manipulated by having participants make decisions for themselves, their friend, and another unknown participant. Risk preferences were closer to neutrality (i.e., more consistent with expected value) when making decisions on behalf of another participant than when making decisions for themselves or a friend. We conclude that subjective risk preferences are attenuated in surrogate decision making. Findings are discussed in relation to inconsistencies in the literature and theories of surrogate decision making.
Propulsion-Based Soft Robotic Actuation

The use of air propulsion to drive limb motion in soft robotics has been a largely untapped field even though the technology has been around since the 1700s. Air propulsion can generate greater degrees of motion in limb actuators compared to widely-experimented pneumatic actuators operating on expandable air channels, which are limited by air pressure input, minimum size and cyclic fatigue. To demonstrate the application of air propulsion in soft robotics motion, we developed a 3D-printed, tri-pedal, soft, air-driven robot that can perform biomimetic motions such as flexion and extension of limbs, crawling, rotation, grasping, kicking and picking of objects. To accomplish air-propelled actuation, milli-scale channels are incorporated throughout each limb that guides the pressurized air inflow to outlets of different directions. A Finite Element Model (FEM) approach to simulate the bending response of the limb due to varying pressure is proposed and evaluated. This study introduces the potential of using air propulsion as an alternate form of soft body actuation for longer cyclic lifespan and increased maximum air pressure input.
A comparative study of iron and zinc concentration, localization, speciation and bioavailability in two wheat cultivars

Iron (Fe) and Zinc (Zn) deficiency remains a prevalent nutritional disorder worldwide, disproportionally affecting people of low and middle income countries due to the reliance on non-meat sources in the diet. Cereals, a relatively poor Fe and Zn source, account for over 50% of the energy intake in developing countries, and are a potentially important target for biofortification strategies aimed at improving dietary Fe and Zn content and utilisation. The effectiveness of a crop in combating Fe and Zn deficiency is largely dependent on Fe and Zn speciation, as different forms vary in their bioavailability. Size exclusion chromatography, coupled with inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry is a valuable approach to identify and quantify different forms of Fe and Zn in the grain. Adaptations of the method to quantify and identify nutritionally relevant forms of Fe and Zn (ferritin, Fe-phytate, mono-ferric phytate and Fe-nicotianamine, Zn-nicotainamine) are described, together with the assessment of bioavailability of Fe in wheat using an in vitro Caco-2 cell model system. Speciation of Fe and Zn varied between milling fractions with low molecular weight (LMW) complexes likely to be Fe-deoxymugenic acid/nicotianamine and Zn-nictainamine being the predominant extractable Fe and Zn species in the purest white flour fraction. During in vitro digestion the speciation of Fe differed between white and wholemeal bread. Overall, the bioavailability of Fe assessed using a Caco-2 cell model system appeared to be much higher in white bread than in wholemeal bread. Addition of ferrous sulphate was a more effective fortificant in white bread compared to wholemeal bread. The quantity of total or soluble Fe did not appear to be related to predicted bioavailability from the Caco-2 cell model, indicating that the effects of Fe speciation and the presence of absorption inhibitors are of greater importance than total or soluble iron when determining Fe bioavailability.
An update on the use of cerebrospinal fluid analysis as a diagnostic tool in multiple sclerosis

ABSTRACT Introduction: Intrathecal B-lymphocyte activation is a hallmark of multiple sclerosis (MS), a multi-factorial inflammatory-demyelinating disease of the central nervous system. Such activation has a counterpart in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) oligoclonal IgG bands (OCB), whose diagnostic role in MS has been downgraded within the current McDonald’s criteria. With a theoretico-practical approach, the authors review the physiopathological basis of the CSF dynamics, and the state-of-the-art of routine CSF analysis and CSF biomarkers in MS. Areas covered: The authors discuss pros and cons of CSF analysis, including critical evaluations of both well-established, and promising diagnostic and prognostic laboratory tools. New acquisitions on the CSF and cerebral interstitial fluid dynamics are also presented. The authors searched the PubMed database for English-language articles reported between January 2010 and June 2016, using the key words ‘multiple sclerosis’, ‘cerebrospinal fluid’, ‘oligoclonal bands’. Reference lists of relevant articles were scanned for additional studies. Expert commentary: The availability of performing high-quality, routine CSF tests in specialized laboratories, the emerging potential of novel CSF biomarkers, and the trend for early treatments should induce a reappraisal of CSF analysis for diagnostic and prognostic purposes in MS. Further procedural and methodological improvements seem to be necessary in both research and translational diagnostic CSF settings.
Knowledge and self‐care behaviors among patients with heart failure in Jordan

Knowledge is known to affect self-care behaviors. However, little is known about the factors that influence self-care behaviors among patients with heart failure in Jordan. A cross-sectional descriptive-correlational design was used to describe the associations between knowledge, sociodemographics, and self-care behaviors. In a convenience sample of 226 patients with heart failure, the Dutch Heart Failure Scale and Self-Care of Heart Failure Index (SCHFI) version 6.2 were used to measure knowledge and self-care behaviors, respectively. The mean heart failure knowledge score was quite low at 5.29. The SCHFI self-care management subscale mean was 57.56 with an actual range of 10-90, and the SCHFI self-care maintenance subscale mean was 53.89 with an actual range of 13.33-86.66. The SCHFI self-care confidence subscale mean was lowest of the three at 45.07, with an actual range of 5.56-94.52. All three subscale mean scores were below the clinical target level (≥70) for the SCHFI. Lower knowledge, income, and educational level, shorter duration of disease, fewer people living at home, older age, and being unemployed were significant predictors of low self-care scores. Characteristics of the cultural, social, and healthcare environment in Jordan may help explain some results. Nurses may play a role in improving knowledge and self-care among patients with heart failure in Jordan. Studies of the effect of educational programs on knowledge and self-care among patients with heart failure are recommended.
A Novel Biomimetic Hybrid Material Made of Silicified Collagen: Perspectives for Bone Replacement

Recent findings have generated new interest in the biomaterial properties of silica-containing structures useful for bone replacement. The sol-gel-route seems to be most appropriate to mimic biological processing because it works under ambient conditions and furthermore allows the formation of a mineral phase from solution and the integration of a second component. The present work provides a strategy to mimic the natural processes of biosilicification under ambient conditions. By going beyond the nano- and micro-level, the authors established an advanced procedure for the preparation of monolithic silica-collagen hybrid xerogels.
Neighborhood Characteristics, Alcohol Outlet Density, and Alcohol-Related Calls-for-Service: A Spatiotemporal Analysis in a Wet Drinking Country

Alcohol outlets have been associated with different social problems, such as crime, violence, intimate partner violence, and child maltreatment. The spatial analysis of neighborhood availability of alcohol outlets is key for better understanding of these influences. Most studies on the spatial distribution of alcohol outlets in the community have been conducted in U.S. cities, but few studies have assessed this spatial distribution in other countries where the drinking culture may differ. The aim of this study was to analyze the spatiotemporal distribution of alcohol outlets in the city of Valencia, Spain, and its relationship with neighborhood-level characteristics, as well as to examine the influence of alcohol outlet density on alcohol-related police calls-for-service. Spain is characterized by having a “wet” drinking culture and greater social acceptance of drinking compared to the U.S. Data on alcohol outlets between 2010–2015 in three categories (off-premise, restaurants and cafes, and bars) were used for the analysis. We used the 552 census block groups allocated within the city as neighborhood unit. Data were analyzed using Bayesian spatiotemporal regression models. Results showed different associations between alcohol outlets categories and neighborhood variables: off-premise density was higher in areas with lower economic status, higher immigrant concentration, and lower residential instability; restaurant and cafe density was higher in areas with higher spatially-lagged economic status, and bar density was higher in areas with higher economic status and higher spatially-lagged economic status. Furthermore, restaurant and cafe density was negatively associated with alcohol-related police calls-for-service, while bar density was positively associated with alcohol-related calls-for-service. These results can be used to inform preventive strategies for alcohol-related problems at the neighborhood-level in Spain or other countries with a wet drinking culture. Future research would benefit from exploring the relationship between alcohol availability and different social problems in cities outside the U.S.
A Low Psoas Muscle Index before Treatment Can Predict a Poorer Prognosis in Advanced Bladder Cancer Patients Who Receive Gemcitabine and Nedaplatin Therapy

Introduction. Gemcitabine and cisplatin (GC) is a gold-standard first-line systemic chemotherapy for advanced urothelial carcinoma (UC). However, it may cause severe adverse effects such as renal toxicity, gastrointestinal toxicity, and neurotoxicity. Sarcopenia is the age-related loss of skeletal muscle mass. A correlation between sarcopenia and the oncological prognosis has been reported. In UC, several studies have noted that patients with sarcopenia had a greater incidence of complications and worse survival after radical cystectomy or chemotherapy. Our institute introduced gemcitabine and nedaplatin (GN) for UC patients with renal failure. We investigated whether the presence of sarcopenia predicted the prognosis of patients with advanced UC who were treated by GN chemotherapy. Methods. A total of 27 patients (male, n = 21; female, n = 6) received GN therapy for metastatic UC from 2005 to 2016. The institutional review board of Yokohama City University Hospital approved this study. The psoas muscle index (PMI, cm2/m2) was calculated using this formula: right psoas muscle area (cm2)/the square of the body height (m2). The overall survival (OS) of the high PMI group (male: ≥2.49, female: ≥2.07) and low PMI group (male: <2.49, female: <2.07) was compared. Results. Kaplan-Meier survival curves and a log-rank test revealed that the high PMI group had significantly better OS than the low PMI group (p = 0.015). The mean survival of the high and low PMI groups was 561 days and 223 days, respectively. Conclusions. In the present study, we revealed that sarcopenia (a low psoas muscle volume) might be a predictive factor for poorer overall survival in patients with advanced urothelial carcinoma who are undergoing GN chemotherapy.
RNA expression profiling of nonhuman primate renal allograft rejection identifies tolerance

Tolerance induction to prevent allograft rejection is a long‐standing clinical goal. However, convincing and dependable tolerance identification remains elusive. Hypothesizing that intragraft RNA expression is informative in both rejection and tolerance, we profile intrarenal allograft RNA expression in a mixed chimerism renal allograft model of cynomolgus monkeys and identify biologically significant tolerance. Analysis of 67 genes identified 3 dominant factors, each with a different pattern of gene expressions, relating to T cell–mediated rejection (TCMR), chronic antibody‐mediated rejection (CAMR), or Tolerance. Clustering these 3 factors created 9 groups. One of the 9 clustered groups, the Tolerance cluster, showed the lowest probability of terminal rejection, the longest duration of allograft survival, and the lowest relative risk of terminal rejection. The Tolerance factor consists of a novel set of gene expressions including cytokine and immunoregulatory genes adding mechanistic insights into tolerance. The Tolerance factor could not be identified within current pathologic diagnostic categories. The TCMR and CAMR factors are dominant to the Tolerance factor, causing rejection even if the Tolerance factor is present. These 3 factors determine the probability of terminal rejection or tolerance. This novel a posteriori approach permits identification of pathways of rejection, including tolerance.