Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Assessing the Linkage of Behavioural Traits and Investment Decisions Using SEM Approach

The goal of this research is to investigate to what extent long term and short term stock investors share different behavioural characteristics. A structural model is employed to compare the traits of the investors and examine how investment decision making and behavioural biases are related, as well compare the relative differences of behavioural biases such as Herding, Social Contagion, Representative Heuristic, Over Confidence, Risk Aversion, Disposition Effect and Cognitive Dissonance. Identification of behavioural traits commonly associated with investment tenure aids in providing opinions and framing trading strategies. The psychological impact of investment decision making among investors is studied through a sampling survey of 318 valid respondents from voluntary retail investors in India between Jan 2012 and May 2012. Based on structure equation modelling [SEM], path analysis is performed on how investment decision making and the proposed behavioural biases are related. Analytical results indicate that the structural path model closely fits to the sample data, implying the role of behavioural biases in investment decision making among individuals. Our results further demonstrate that long term and short term investors significantly differ in behavioural traits.
Correlation of Memory T Cell Responses against TRAP with Protection from Clinical Malaria, and CD4+ CD25high T Cells with Susceptibility in Kenyans

Background Immunity to malaria develops naturally in endemic regions, but the protective immune mechanisms are poorly understood. Many vaccination strategies aim to induce T cells against diverse pre-erythrocytic antigens, but correlates of protection in the field have been limited. The objective of this study was to investigate cell-mediated immune correlates of protection in natural malaria. Memory T cells reactive against thrombospondin-related adhesive protein (TRAP) and circumsporozoite (CS) protein, major vaccine candidate antigens, were measured, as were frequencies of CD4+ CD25high T cells, which may suppress immunity, and CD56+ NK cells and γδ T cells, which may be effectors or may modulate immunity. Methodology and Principal Findings 112 healthy volunteers living in rural Kenya were entered in the study. Memory T cells reactive against TRAP and CS were measured using a cultured IFNγ ELISPOT approach, whilst CD4+ CD25high T cells, CD56+ NK cells, and γδ T cells were measured by flow cytometry. We found that T cell responses against TRAP were established early in life (<5 years) in contrast to CS, and cultured ELISPOT memory T cell responses did not correlate with ex-vivo IFNγ ELISPOT effector responses. Data was examined for associations with risk of clinical malaria for a period of 300 days. Multivariate logistic analysis incorporating age and CS response showed that cultured memory T cell responses against TRAP were associated with a significantly reduced incidence of malaria (p = 0.028). This was not seen for CS responses. Higher numbers of CD4+ CD25high T cells, potentially regulatory T cells, were associated with a significantly increased risk of clinical malaria (p = 0.039). Conclusions These data demonstrate a role for central memory T cells in natural malarial immunity and support current vaccination strategies aimed at inducing durable protective T cell responses against the TRAP antigen. They also suggest that CD4+ CD25high T cells may negatively affect naturally acquired malarial immunity.
Proceedings of the 2011 National Toxicology Program Satellite Symposium

The 2011 annual National Toxicology Program (NTP) Satellite Symposium, entitled “Pathology Potpourri,” was held in Denver, Colorado in advance of the Society of Toxicologic Pathology’s 30th Annual Meeting. The goal of the NTP Symposium is to present current diagnostic pathology or nomenclature issues to the toxicologic pathology community. This article presents summaries of the speakers’ presentations, including diagnostic or nomenclature issues that were presented, along with select images that were used for audience voting or discussion. Some lesions and topics covered during the symposium include: proliferative lesions from various fish species including ameloblastoma, gas gland hyperplasia, nodular regenerative hepatocellular hyperplasia, and malignant granulosa cell tumor; spontaneous cystic hyperplasia in the stomach of CD1 mice and histiocytic aggregates in the duodenal villous tips of treated mice; an olfactory neuroblastoma in a cynomolgus monkey; various rodent skin lesions, including follicular parakeratotic hyperkeratosis, adnexal degeneration, and epithelial intracytoplasmic accumulations; oligodendroglioma and microgliomas in rats; a diagnostically challenging microcytic, hypochromic, responsive anemia in rats; a review of microcytes and microcytosis; nasal lesions associated with green tea extract and Ginkgo biloba in rats; corneal dystrophy in Dutch belted rabbits; valvulopathy in rats; and lymphoproliferative disease in a cynomolgus monkey.
A mathematical model of vasoreactivity in rat mesenteric arterioles: I. Myoendothelial communication

To study the effect of myoendothelial communication on vascular reactivity, we integrated detailed mathematical models of Ca2+ dynamics and membrane electrophysiology in arteriolar smooth muscle (SMC) and endothelial (EC) cells. Cells are coupled through the exchange of Ca2+, Cl−, K+, and Na+ ions, inositol 1,4,5‐triphosphate (IP3), and the paracrine diffusion of nitric oxide (NO). EC stimulation reduces intracellular Ca2+ ([Ca2+ in the SMC by transmitting a hyperpolarizing current carried primarily by K+. The NO‐independent endothelium‐derived hyperpolarization was abolished in a synergistic‐like manner by inhibition of EC SKCa and IKCa channels. During NE stimulation, IP3diffusing from the SMC induces EC Ca2+ release, which, in turn, moderates SMC depolarization and [Ca2+]i elevation. On the contrary, SMC [Ca2+]i was not affected by EC‐derived IP3. Myoendothelial Ca2+ fluxes had no effect in either cell. The EC exerts a stabilizing effect on calcium‐induced calcium release‐dependent SMC Ca2+ oscillations by increasing the norepinephrine concentration window for oscillations. We conclude that a model based on independent data for subcellular components can capture major features of the integrated vessel behavior. This study provides a tissue‐specific approach for analyzing complex signaling mechanisms in the vasculature.
Murine Norovirus: Propagation, Quantification, and Genetic Manipulation

Murine norovirus (MNV) is a positive‐sense, plus‐stranded RNA virus in the Caliciviridae family. It is the most common pathogen in biomedical research colonies. MNV is also related to the human noroviruses, which cause the majority of nonbacterial gastroenteritis worldwide. Like the human noroviruses, MNV is an enteric virus that replicates in the intestine and is transmitted by the fecal‐oral route. MNV replicates in murine macrophages and dendritic cells in cells in culture and in the murine host. This virus is often used to study mechanisms in norovirus biology, because human noroviruses are refractory to growth in cell culture. MNV combines the availability of a cell culture and reverse genetics system with the ability to study infection in the native host. Herein, we describe a panel of techniques that are commonly used to study MNV biology. Curr. Protoc. Microbiol 33:15K.2. 1‐15K.2. 61. © 2014 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
The relative validity of a food record using the smartphone application MyFitnessPal

AIM The present study aimed to validate food records on the application MyFitnessPal (MFP), comparing them with paper-based food records (P-FR). METHODS Thirty university students, including males and females, volunteered and recorded dietary intakes on P-FR and MFP food records (MFP-FR). The values of energy, macronutrients and fibre from MFP-FR were compared with data from P-FR, calculated using Brazilian food composition tables. Adjustments for in-person variability and energy intake were performed, and comparisons were made between each data set, using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test, Spearman's correlation and Bland-Altman agreement plots. RESULTS Positive moderate correlations between P-FR and MFP-FR for all variables, and non-significant associations for energy and fibre were found. The Bland-Altman plots showed tendency to underestimation and relatively narrow limits of agreement. Carbohydrate and lipids show trends of increasing the degree of overestimation with increased intake, even after data normalisation. CONCLUSIONS MFP tends to underestimate ingestion of nutrients probably due to inadequacies in the MFP database. However, MFP showed good relative validity, especially for energy and fibre. Its use, as well as other similar applications, should be encouraged, due to ease of assessing dietary information, although careful usage is recommended because of database gaps.
Face emotion labeling deficits in children with bipolar disorder and severe mood dysregulation

Abstract Children with narrow phenotype bipolar disorder (NP-BD; i.e., history of at least one hypomanic or manic episode with euphoric mood) are deficient when labeling face emotions. It is unknown if this deficit is specific to particular emotions, or if it extends to children with severe mood dysregulation (SMD; i.e., chronic irritability and hyperarousal without episodes of mania). Thirty-nine NP-BD, 31 SMD, and 36 control subjects completed the emotional expression multimorph task, which presents gradations of facial emotions from 100% neutrality to 100% emotional expression (happiness, surprise, fear, sadness, anger, and disgust). Groups were compared in terms of intensity of emotion required before identification occurred and accuracy. Both NP-BD and SMD youth required significantly more morphs than controls to label correctly disgusted, surprised, fearful, and happy faces. Impaired face labeling correlated with deficient social reciprocity skills in NP-BD youth and dysfunctional family relationships in SMD youth. Compared to controls, patients with NP-BD or SMD require significantly more intense facial emotion before they are able to label the emotion correctly. These deficits are associated with psychosocial impairments. Understanding the neural circuitry associated with face-labeling deficits has the potential to clarify the pathophysiology of these disorders.
Spontaneous and Task-Evoked Brain Activity Negatively Interact

A widely held assumption is that spontaneous and task-evoked brain activity sum linearly, such that the recorded brain response in each single trial is the algebraic sum of the constantly changing ongoing activity and the stereotypical evoked activity. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging signals acquired from normal humans, we show that this assumption is invalid. Across widespread cortices, evoked activity interacts negatively with ongoing activity, such that higher prestimulus baseline results in less activation or more deactivation. As a consequence of this negative interaction, trial-to-trial variability of cortical activity decreases following stimulus onset. We further show that variability reduction follows overlapping but distinct spatial pattern from that of task-activation/deactivation and it contains behaviorally relevant information. These results favor an alternative perspective to the traditional dichotomous framework of ongoing and evoked activity. That is, to view the brain as a nonlinear dynamical system whose trajectory is tighter when performing a task. Further, incoming sensory stimuli modulate the brain's activity in a manner that depends on its initial state. We propose that across-trial variability may provide a new approach to brain mapping in the context of cognitive experiments.
Differential expression of eIF5A‐1 and eIF5A‐2 in human cancer cells

Eukaryotic translation initiation factor 5A (eIF5A) is the only cellular protein that contains the unusual amino acid hypusine [Nε‐(4‐amino‐2‐hydroxybutyl)lysine]. Vertebrates carry two genes that encode two eIF5A isoforms, eIF5A‐1 and eIF5A‐2, which, in humans, are 84% identical. eIF5A‐1 mRNA (1.3 kb) and protein (18 kDa) are constitutively expressed in human cells. In contrast, expression of eIF5A‐2 mRNA (0.7–5.6 kb) and eIF5A‐2 protein (20 kDa) varies widely. Whereas eIF5A‐2 mRNA was demonstrable in most cells, eIF5A‐2 protein was detectable only in the colorectal and ovarian cancer‐derived cell lines SW‐480 and UACC‐1598, which showed high overexpression of eIF5A‐2 mRNA. Multiple forms of eIF5A‐2 mRNA (5.6, 3.8, 1.6 and 0.7 kb) were identified as the products of one gene with various lengths of 3′‐UTR, resulting from the use of different polyadenylation (AAUAAA) signals. The eIF5A‐1 and eIF5A‐2 precursor proteins were modified comparably in UACC‐1598 cells and both were similarly stable. When eIF5A‐1 and eIF5A‐2 coding sequences were expressed from mammalian vectors in 293T cells, eIF5A‐2 precursor was synthesized at a level comparable to that of eIF5A‐1 precursor, indicating that the elements causing inefficient translation of eIF5A‐2 mRNA reside outside of the open reading frame. On sucrose gradient separation of cytoplasmic RNA, only a small portion of total eIF5A‐2 mRNA was associated with the polysomal fraction, compared with a much larger portion of eIF5A‐1 mRNA in the polysomes. These findings suggest that the failure to detect eIF5A‐2 protein even in eIF5A‐2 mRNA positive cells is, at least in part, due to inefficient translation.
Structure to utilize interventionists’ implementation experiences of a family-based behavioral weight management program to enhance the dissemination of the standardized intervention: The TODAY study

Background For a 2- to 6-year period, interventionists for the TODAY (Treatment Options for type 2 Diabetes in Adolescents and Youth) randomized clinical trial delivered a family-based, behavioral weight-loss program (the TODAY Lifestyle Program) to 234 youth with type 2 diabetes. Interventionists held at least a bachelor’s degree in psychology, social work, education, or health-related field and had experience working with children and families, especially from diverse ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds. This article describes the administrative and organizational structure of the lifestyle program and how the structure facilitated collaboration among study leadership and lifestyle interventionists on the tailoring of the program to best suit the needs of the trial’s diverse patient population. Methods During the pilot phase and throughout the duration of the trial, the interventionists’ experiences in delivering the intervention were collected in a variety of ways including membership on study committees, survey responses, session audio recordings, and feedback during in-person trainings. Results The experiences of interventionists conveyed to study leadership through these channels resulted in decisions to tailor the lifestyle intervention’s delivery location and ways to supplement the standardized educational materials to better address the needs of a diverse patient population. Conclusion The methods used within the TODAY study to encourage and utilize interventionists’ experiences while implementing the lifestyle program may be useful to the design of future multi-site, clinical trials seeking to tailor behavioral interventions in a standardized, and culturally and developmentally sensitive manner.
Organization of the diffuse thalamic projection system.

The diffuse thalamic projection system has been studied in the cat by evoking recruiting responses with thalamic stimulation and determining their distribution with recording electrodes moved systematically through the hemisphere. The thalamic origins of this system include the centre median, intralaminar, anterior, ventralis anterior and anterior reticular nuclei. These components form a functionally interconnected unit, the excitation of any part of which sets the whole into activity. Radiations leave the thalamus principally from its rostral pole and to a lesser extent laterally, and project in a localized fashion to the caudate nucleus and to the associational cortex of the frontal, cingulate, orbital and suprasylvian portions of the hemisphere. The projection overlap the motor region but avoids the sensory receiving areas. The results suggest that the diffuse projection system is organized for mass thalamic influence upon associational cortex.
Introduction to the special issue. Advancing the state-of-the-science in reading research through modeling

Understanding the factors that contribute to successful acquisition of literacy is, necessarily, a multidisciplinary enterprise. Even skilled reading may be characterized by detailed psycholinguistic investigations of multiple, somewhat dissociable, outcomes such as generalization to novel pseudo-words and reading for comprehension. Thus it is not surprising that research on the development of reading generally takes a wide variety of cognitive and linguistic skills into account, in an attempt to understand how these factors interact and how they may put children at risk for reading difficulty. As a result
Fluoxetine treatment for obsessive-compulsive disorder in children and adolescents: a placebo-controlled clinical trial.

OBJECTIVE This study assesses the efficacy and tolerability of fluoxetine in the acute treatment of child and adolescent obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) during a 13-week, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. METHOD Eligible patients aged 7 to 17 (N = 103) were randomized at a ratio of 2:1 to receive either fluoxetine or placebo. Dosing was initiated at 10 mg daily for 2 weeks, then increased to 20 mg daily. After 4 weeks of treatment, and again after 7 weeks of treatment, non-responders could have their dosage increased by 20 mg daily, for a maximum possible dosage of 60 mg daily. Primary measure of efficacy was improvement in OCD symptoms as measured by the Children's Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (CY-BOCS). All analyses were intent-to-treat. RESULTS Fluoxetine was associated with significantly greater improvement in OCD as assessed by the CY-BOCS (p = .026) and other measures than was placebo. Fluoxetine was well tolerated and had a rate of discontinuation for adverse events similar to that of placebo (p = 1.00). CONCLUSIONS Fluoxetine 20 to 60 mg daily was effective and well tolerated for treatment of OCD in this pediatric population.
What's Happening in the Crowd? Analysis of Crowdfunding Contributor Behaviors Using the Theory of Planned Behavior

OF THE THESIS What’s Happening in the Crowd? Analysis of Crowdfunding Contributor Behaviors Using the Theory of Planned Behavior by Holly Christine Trusiak Master of Arts in Mass Communication and Media Studies San Diego State University, 2016 Online crowdfunding has been a rapidly growing sector of both charitable giving and online purchase behavior. In 2014, $16.2 billion was raised globally by crowdfunding platforms, and that number was projected to more than double in 2015, reaching $34.4 billion. Online crowdfunding aggregates small donations from a large number of contributors to generate funds for many different purposes, including business capital and humanitarian efforts. Using Ajzen’s model of the theory of planned behavior, a survey was constructed to assess how subjective norms influence intention to donate and donation behavior in crowdfunding. In addition to the variables in Ajzen’s original theory, the survey assessed the role of credibility in crowdfunding and whether perceived credibility serves as a predictor of intention to donate or donation behavior. To further adapt the application of the theory of planned behavior to investigate online crowdfunding behavior, the measure of motivation to comply was assessed separately from subjective norms of a social network. Relationships between motivation to comply and the variables intention to donate and donating today were analyzed to determine the strength of the relationships between the variables. A strong relationship between motivation to comply and intention to donate and motivation to comply and donating today would indicate that motivation to comply applies similarly to online and offline transactions. A survey of those who had contributed to crowdfunding campaigns (N = 316) was conducted online using Amazon Mechanical Turk. Results of the survey revealed that the subjective norms of an individual’s social network are the biggest predictor of making a donation to a crowdfunding campaign. Additionally, the results indicated that the variables confidence in ability to donate to a crowdfunding campaign, attitude toward helping others, motivation to comply, and attitude toward crowdfunding campaigns best predict an individual’s intention to donate to a given crowdfunding campaign. Additionally, the results show that intention to donate and actual donation behavior have a weak relationship. This means that intention to donate to a crowdfunding campaign does not predict that an individual will follow through with his or her intentions and complete the intended behavior of donating to a campaign.
Functional significance of axonal Kv7 channels in hippocampal pyramidal neurons

Members of the Kv7 family (Kv7.2–Kv7.5) generate a subthreshold K+ current, the M− current. This regulates the excitability of many peripheral and central neurons. Recent evidence shows that Kv7.2 and Kv7.3 subunits are targeted to the axon initial segment of hippocampal neurons by association with ankyrin G. Further, spontaneous mutations in these subunits that impair axonal targeting cause human neonatal epilepsy. However, the precise functional significance of their axonal location is unknown. Using electrophysiological techniques together with a peptide that selectively disrupts axonal Kv7 targeting (ankyrin G-binding peptide, or ABP) and other pharmacological tools, we show that axonal Kv7 channels are critically and uniquely required for determining the inherent spontaneous firing of hippocampal CA1 pyramids, independently of alterations in synaptic activity. This action was primarily because of modulation of action potential threshold and resting membrane potential (RMP), amplified by control of intrinsic axosomatic membrane properties. Computer simulations verified these data when the axonal Kv7 density was three to five times that at the soma. The increased firing caused by axosomatic Kv7 channel block backpropagated into distal dendrites affecting their activity, despite these structures having fewer functional Kv7 channels. These results indicate that axonal Kv7 channels, by controlling axonal RMP and action potential threshold, are fundamental for regulating the inherent firing properties of CA1 hippocampal neurons.
Lack of Free Choice Reveals the Cost of Having to Search for More Than One Object

It is debated whether people can actively search for more than one object or whether this results in switch costs. Using a gaze-contingent eye-tracking paradigm, we revealed a crucial role for cognitive control in multiple-target search. We instructed participants to simultaneously search for two target objects presented among distractors. In one condition, both targets were available, which gave the observer free choice of what to search for and allowed for proactive control. In the other condition, only one of the two targets was available, so that the choice was imposed, and a reactive mechanism would be required. No switch costs emerged when target choice was free, but switch costs emerged reliably when targets were imposed. Bridging contradictory findings, the results are consistent with models of visual selection in which only one attentional template actively drives selection and in which the efficiency of switching targets depends on the type of cognitive control allowed for by the environment.