Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Pushing or Pulling Your “Poison”: Clinical Correlates of Alcohol Approach and Avoidance Bias Among Inpatients Undergoing Alcohol Withdrawal Treatment

Introduction: Alcohol approach bias, the tendency to automatically move toward alcohol cues, has been observed in people who drink heavily. However, surprisingly, some alcohol-dependent patients demonstrate an alcohol avoidance bias. This inconsistency could be explained by the clinical or demographic profile of the population studied, yet this has not been examined in approach bias modification (ABM) trials to date. We aimed to determine the proportion of patients with an approach or avoidance bias, assess whether they differ on demographic and drinking measures, and to examine the clinical correlates of approach bias. Method: These research questions were addressed using baseline data from 268 alcohol-dependent patients undergoing inpatient withdrawal treatment who then went on to participate in a trial of ABM. Results: At trial entry (day 3 or 4 of inpatient withdrawal), 155 (57.8%) had an alcohol approach bias and 113 (42.2%) had an avoidance bias. These two groups did not differ on any demographic or relevant drinking measures. Approach bias was significantly and moderately associated with total standard drinks consumed in the past 30 days (r = 0.277, p = 0.001) but no other indices of alcohol consumption or problem severity. Conclusion: Whilst the majority of alcohol-dependent patients showed an alcohol approach bias, those with an avoidance bias did not differ in demographic or clinical characteristics, and the strength of approach bias related only to recent consumption. Further research is needed to develop more accurate and personally tailored measures of approach bias, as these findings likely reflect the poor reliability of standard approach bias measures.
The Impact of Intensive Fish Farming on Pond Sediment Microbiome and Antibiotic Resistance Gene Composition

Aquaculture is a fast-growing animal food sector, and freshwater fish farming is particularly common in Central and Eastern Europe. As the biodiversity of fishery ponds is changed toward fulfilling the industrial needs, precautions should be taken to keep the system sustainable and protect the adjacent environment from possible damage. Due to risk of infectious diseases, antibiotics are used in aquaculture production systems. The constant exposure to antimicrobials can contribute to the rise of antibiotic resistance in aquaculture products and the adjacent ecosystems, with possibility of dissemination to the wider environment as well as between animals and humans. Even though previous studies have found antibiotic resistance genes in the sediments and water of farming ponds, the tendency and direction of spreading is not clear yet. The objective of this project was to evaluate the influence of intensive fish farming on the condition of water bodies used for the aquaculture and the environment, concentrating on the impact of the aquaculture on the surrounding water ecosystems as well as the possibility of transferring the pollutants and antibiotic resistance genes to both environment and the human hosts. Combined measurement of antibiotic and heavy metal contamination, toxicity assessment, microorganism diversity, and the detection of common antibiotic resistance genes was performed in the sediments of one fishery farm ponds as well as sampling points upstream and downstream. All the tested sediment samples did not show significantly elevated heavy metal concentrations and no substantial veterinary antibiotic pollution. From the antibiotic resistance genes tested, the presence of aminoglycoside and β-lactam resistance determinants as well as the presence of integrons could be of concern for the possibility of transfer to humans. However, despite the lack of heavy metal and antibiotic pollution, the sediments showed toxicity, the cause of which should be explored more.
Epidemiology of Kawasaki Disease in Europe

Aim of the review: To review major epidemiological aspects of Kawasaki disease (KD) in Europe, describing demographic characteristics, revising its incidence along with time trends and geographic variations, and describing migration studies to provide clues about its etiology. Recent findings: The annual incidence of KD in Europe is about 10–15 per 100,000 children under 5 years old and seems to be relatively stable over time and space. Demographic characteristics are in line with those in other countries of the world, with a higher incidence in children from Asia and possibly North African origin. All studies performed across Europe found a coherent seasonal distribution of KD onset peaking from winter to early spring. This seasonal distribution was consistent over the years and suggests a climate-related environmental trigger. The occurrence of peaks during pandemics, microbiological findings and a possible link with southerly winds support the hypothesis of an airborne infectious agent. Neither other airborne agents such as pollutants or pollens nor urbanization and industrialization seem to have major effect on the etiology. Conclusion: Discrepancies in KD incidence rates across studies were due more to methodological differences, variation in definitions and awareness of the disease than a real increase in incidence. Genetic predisposition is undeniable in KD, but environmental factors seem to play a pivotal role. Several lines of evidence support a non-exclusive airborne infectious agent with a protective immune response by the host as a key factor in inducing the inflammatory cascade responsible for symptoms and complications.
Altered Immune Phenotypes and HLA-DQB1 Gene Variation in Multiple Sclerosis Patients Failing Interferon β Treatment

Background Interferon beta (IFNβ) has been prescribed as a first-line disease-modifying therapy for relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) for nearly three decades. However, there is still a lack of treatment response markers that correlate with the clinical outcome of patients. Aim To determine a combination of cellular and molecular blood signatures associated with the efficacy of IFNβ treatment using an integrated approach. Methods The immune status of 40 RRMS patients, 15 of whom were untreated and 25 that received IFNβ1a treatment (15 responders, 10 non-responders), was investigated by phenotyping regulatory CD4+ T cells and naïve/memory T cell subsets, by measurement of circulating IFNα/β proteins with digital ELISA (Simoa) and analysis of ~600 immune related genes including 159 interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs) with the Nanostring technology. The potential impact of HLA class II gene variation in treatment responsiveness was investigated by genotyping HLA-DRB1, -DRB3,4,5, -DQA1, and -DQB1, using as a control population the Milieu Interieur cohort of 1,000 French healthy donors. Results Clinical responders and non-responders displayed similar plasma levels of IFNβ and similar ISG profiles. However, non-responders mainly differed from other subject groups with reduced circulating naïve regulatory T cells, enhanced terminally differentiated effector memory CD4+ TEMRA cells, and altered expression of at least six genes with immunoregulatory function. Moreover, non-responders were enriched for HLA-DQB1 genotypes encoding DQ8 and DQ2 serotypes. Interestingly, these two serotypes are associated with type 1 diabetes and celiac disease. Overall, the immune signatures of non-responders suggest an active disease that is resistant to therapeutic IFNβ, and in which CD4+ T cells, likely restricted by DQ8 and/or DQ2, exert enhanced autoreactive and bystander inflammatory activities.
Host-Microbiome Interaction in Lung Cancer

Commensal microbiota has emerged as an essential biomarker and regulator of both tumorigenesis and response to cancer therapy. However, our current knowledge about microbiota in cancer has been largely limited to intestinal microbiota. As a mucosal organ harboring one of the largest surface areas in the body, the lung is exposed to a variety of microbes through inhalation and micro-aspiration, and is colonized by a diverse bacterial community in both physiological and pathological conditions. Importantly, increasing evidence has linked the lung microbiome to cancer development. Studies in lung cancer patients and mouse models have revealed tumor-associated dysregulation of the local microbiome in the lung, which in turn impacts cancer progression by shaping the tumor microenvironment and modulating the activity of tumor-infiltrating immune cells. These findings not only provide novel mechanistic insight into the biology of lung cancer but also shed light on new therapeutic targets and strategies for lung cancer prevention and treatment. The goal of this review is to discuss the key findings, remaining questions, and future directions in this new and exciting field.
Effects of Sorafenib, a Tyrosin Kinase Inhibitor, on Adrenocortical Cancer

The lack of an effective medical treatment for adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) has prompted the search for better treatment protocols for ACC neoplasms. Sorafenib, a tyrosine kinase inhibitor has exhibited effectiveness in the treatment of different human tumors. Therefore, the aim of this study was to understand the mechanism through which sorafenib acts on ACC, especially since treatment with sorafenib alone is sometimes unable to induce a long-lasting antiproliferative effect in this tumor type. The effects of sorafenib were tested on the ACC cell line H295R by evaluating cell viability, apoptosis and VEGF receptor signaling which was assessed by analyzing VE-cadherin and β-catenin complex formation. We also tested sorafenib on an in vitro 3D cell culture model using the same cell line. Apoptosis was observed after sorafenib treatment, and coimmunoprecipitation data suggested that the drug prevents formation VEGFR-VE-cadherin and β-catenin proteins complex. These results were confirmed both by ultrastructural analysis and by a 3D model where we observed a disaggregation of spheres into single cells, which is a crucial event that represents the first step of metastasis. Our findings suggest that although sorafenib induces apoptotic cell death a small portion of cells survive the treatment and have characteristics of a malignancy. Based on our data we recommend against the use of sorafenib in patients with ACC.
Classroom Culture When Students are Reluctant to Learn Online: Student Dissent Behaviors Explained by Their Self-Efficacy, Control of Learning, and Intrinsic Motivation

Student beliefs about classroom culture, instructor behaviors, and their own abilities to learn significantly influence their academic engagement. COVID-19 has drastically altered the classroom environment, forcing many students into a virtual learning platform they may not have preferred or felt comfortable with. Whether it is the fault of the instructor or the environment, students who are dissatisfied engage in instructional dissent. This study examined the influence of instructor clarity, instructor relevance, self-efficacy, intrinsic motivation, distributive justice, procedural justice, and interactional justice on student dissent. The data supported six modified models, indicating a significant difference between students’ expressive, rhetorical, and vengeful dissent behaviors based on whether or not they were enrolled in their preferred learning platform.
The Effect of Novel Medical Nonhormonal Treatments on the Angiogenesis of Endometriotic Lesions

Importance Irrespective of the precise mechanisms leading to endometriosis, angiogenesis is essential for the establishment and long-term proliferation of the disease. As current surgical and medical management options for women with endometriosis have substantial drawbacks and limitations, novel agents are needed and molecules targeting the angiogenic cascade could serve as potential candidates. Objective Our aim was to review current data about the role of angiogenesis in the pathophysiology of endometriosis and summarize the novel antiangiogenic agents that could be potentially used in clinical management of patients with endometriosis. Evidence Acquisition Original research and review articles were retrieved through a computerized literature search. Results Loss of balance between angiogenic activators and suppressors triggers the nonphysiological angiogenesis observed in endometriotic lesions. Several proangiogenic mediators have been identified and most of them have demonstrated increased concentrations in the peritoneal fluid and/or serum of women with endometriosis. Among the antiangiogenic molecules, anti–vascular endothelial growth factor agents, dopamine agonists, romidepsin, and statins have shown the most promising results so far. Conclusions and Relevance Given the limitations of current treatments of endometriosis, there is a need for novel, more efficient agents. Antiangiogenic molecules could be used potentially in clinical management of women with endometriosis; however, their safety and efficiency should be carefully assessed prior to that. Further large prospective trials in humans are needed before any treatment is introduced into daily clinical practice. Target Audience Obstetricians and gynecologists, family physicians Learning Objectives After participating in this activity, physicians should be better able to summarize current knowledge about the role of proangiogenic and antiangiogenic mediators in the development of endometriosis; outline the main antiangiogenic agents that are under investigation; and describe their effect on the angiogenic mediators of endometriosis.
PROTON EXCHANGE MEMBRANES FROM POLYELECTROLYTES BASED ON CELLULOSE- CONTAINING COMPOSITES

Studiul nostru relevă obţinerea de filme membranare polielectrolitice ieftine din compozite celulozice şi polimeri sau copolimeri ai acidului metacrilic. Precipitarea complexului simultan cu polimerizarea in situ conduce la obţinerea unui film continuu subţire cu matrice din acelaşi polimer (copolimer) ca cea generată pe particulele de celuloză. Această structură asigură ramforsarea filmului polimeric şi îmbunătăţeşte stabilitatea termică ale celulozei. Încorporarea celulozei în matricea polimerică şi modificarea sa parţială sunt demonstrate prin FTIR. Caracterizarea prin analiză TGA-DSC relevă stabilitatea termică adecvată a filmelor, esenţială pentru aplicaţiile Membranlore Schimbătoare de Protoni (PEM). Gonflarea moderată în apă (2–10%) asigură rezistivităţi de volum ce scad până la approx. 1x106÷4 Ω. cm pentru membranele crude “nereticulate”, în timp ce membranele sulfonate au rezistivităţi de approx 1x104÷3 Ω. cm, adecvate pentru procesarea ulterioară ca PEM.
Effect of Training and Career Development on Bank Employees’ Performance: Evidence from Selected Banks in Nigeria

This study examines the effect of training and career development on banks employees’ performance, using survey research design, through the administration of structured questionnaire on some employees of some selected banks at Ijebu Ode, Ogun State, Nigeria. The findings reveal that, all the variables have positive individual significant effect on employees’ performance. The individual significance career development has the highest effect on Nigerian banks employees’ performance with t-stat = 6.256 *0.000. To further certify this, the multiple linear regression was used to test the combined effect of training and career development on employees’ performance to which only career development has positive and significant effect on employees’ performance (t-stat = 6.359 *0.000), where training has positive but insignificant effect (t-stat = 1.556 * 0.123). The adjusted R2 (0.398) indicated that, 39.8% variation in employees’ performance is accounted for by training and career development. The findings revealed that, an improvement in training and career development tends to enhance banks employees’ performance. It can therefore be concluded that, training and career development are important determinants of banks employees’ performance. Therefore, it is recommended that banks should enhance their training and career development activities towards the enhancement of their employees’ performance.
INFLUENCE OF MICROFINANCE SERVICES ON ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT OF WOMEN IN OLKALOU CONSTITUENCY, KENYA

Microfinance plays a major role in many gender and development strategies because of its direct relationship to both poverty alleviation and to the empowerment of women. In Kenya and elsewhere, microfinance institutions have been on the rise with microfinance having been portrayed as a way to reach poor people in the development process, meet the UN Millennium Development Goals, and as a new innovative strategy for alleviating poverty. Studies on microfinance services and women empowerment in Kenya remain scanty with global empirical evidence providing contradicting information. The study sought to find out the effect of microfinance services on women empowerment in Olkalou Constituency, Kenya. A descriptive research design was used for this study. The target population comprised of women who had been using microfinance services in the constituency. Data was collected using closed-ended questionnaires which yielded quantitative data. The sample size in this study was 120 women chosen at random where 30 respondents were allocated to each of the microfinance institutions. The collected data was analyzed using SPSS Version 21 and the findings presented in tables. The study found that microfinance services have positive and significant effect on women empowerment in Kenya. The study established that microfinance services provided financial access which provided women with start-up and working capital, training, savings leading to women engagement in income generating activities and hence positive outcome on empowerment and women role in society and decision making. There was a strong positive significant correlation between income generation and Women economic empowerment (r=0.704, p<0.05) and financial literacy and Women economic empowerment(r=0.777, p<0.05). Credit access had an insignificant effect on economic empowerment. The study recommends that MFIs to enhance women training mostly in rural areas to enhance their skills on viable and sustainable investment ventures. Further, the government should formulate and review the existing policies on microfinance and financial empowerment to women in Kenya to incorporate the emerging issues due to volatility of the banking industry and the changes in the needs of the poor.
Effects of Free Time on Quality of Life in Elderly Caregivers

1. Department of Adult Nursing, Shubun University, 6 Nikko-cho, Ichinomiya, Aichi 491-0938, Japan 2. Centre for Community Liaison and Patient Consultations, Nagoya University Hospital, 65 Tsuruma, Showa, Nagoya, Aichi 466-8550, Japan 3. Department of Community and In-Home Nursing, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, Daiko-Minami, Higashi-ku, Nagoya, Aichi 461-8673, Japan 4. Department of Internal Medicine, Ina Clinic, 3-111 Hirabari, Tenpaku, Nagoya, Aichi 468-0011, Japan 5. Department of Community Healthcare & Geriatrics, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, 65 Tsuruma, Showa, Nagoya, Aichi 466-8550, Japan
Role of Value Added Tax (VAT) on the Economic Growth of Bangladesh

Purpose This paper discusses and empirically analysed the role of VAT on the Economic Growth of Bangladesh. Methodology The Ordinary Least Square regression techniques are applied to estimate three models using annual quantitative time series secondary data, both descriptive and inferential statistics used to analyse it. Findings The results of the models revealed a significant positive impact of VAT on economic growth as measured by gross domestic product (GDP) in Bangladesh. There is a perfect positive relationship between VAT and total tax revenue (TTR), and VAT and total revenue (TR) during the study period. The study also reveals that VAT boosts the general economic growth of Bangladesh compared to sales tax. Research Limitations The study mainly based on secondary sources of data, no opinion was taken from the concerned authorities regarding the contribution of VAT on economic growth. Research Implications It expected that the study would add value to the existing stock of knowledge in the tax literature, especially in VAT. The policymakers may get the message to take suitable policy measures to boost tax revenue vis-à-vis economic growth. Originality/value The study is one of the initial studies examined the role of VAT on the economic growth of Bangladesh as well as showed the comparative scenario of the contribution of sales tax and VAT on economic growth, considered as an evolving economy.
Running head: THE EFFECT OF STRESS ON RISKY DECISION-MAKING IN 1 ADOLESCENTS USING A DECOMPOSABLE TASK The Effect of Stress on Risky Decision-Making in Adolescents Using a Decomposable Task

Stress is an important moderator of risky decision-making in adults (Starcke & Brand, 2012). The current study investigated the effect of stress on adolescents’ risky decision-making. Due to the strong adolescent reactions of stress on arousal and affect (Larsen and Asmussen, 1991), and the known increase in adolescent risky decision-making after heightened arousal (Steinberg, 2008) and heightened affect (Figner et al., 2009; Figner & Weber, 2011); an increase in risky decision-making as well as moderating effects of the information use of choice characteristics (such as loss amount) were hypothesised. By using the Columbia Card Task (CCT; Figner & Weber, 2011), a number of issues (learning confounds and nonsystematic variance of choice characteristics) regarding previous studies were circumvented. Ninety-six adolescents (aged 16 to 17) performed the CCT before and after a stress induction. While I hypothesized more risk-taking as well as less sensitivity to loss amount after stress, the opposite results were found. Additionally, after stress, adolescents’ decision-making strategy came closer to the strategy that achieves the optimal expected value. These results may be explained by the Regulatory Focus Theory (Higgins, 1997; Higgins, 1998). By carefully disseminating the tasks used in previous research, comparability with the CCT is brought into question. Other possible explanations including strategy optimization and age differences are discussed. Further research is proposed to investigate these options, as well as improve on the limitations (i.e. no control group, no comparison of age groups, and the operationalization of cortisol) of the current study.
Electron Beam Synthesis and Characterization of Acrylamide/Acrylic Acid Hydrogels Using Trimethylolpropane Trimethacrylate as Cross-Linker

The purpose of the paper is to present the synthesis and characterization of hydrogels prepared by free-radical copolymerization of acrylamide and acrylic acid in aqueous solutions using potassium persulfate as initiator and trimethylolpropane trimethacrylate as cross-linker, via the radiation technique. The samples were subjected to electron beam treatment in the dose range of 2 to 4 kGy and the influence of the absorbed dose and amount of cross-linker on the swelling properties, diffusion coefficient, and network parameters of hydrogels was investigated. A possible reaction mechanism for acrylamide/acrylic acid/trimethylolpropane trimethacrylate hydrogels was also suggested. The structure and morphology of hydrogels were characterized by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy and Scanning Electron Microscopy.