Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Estimation of sensitivity and specificity of multiple repeated binary tests without a gold standard

A model for multiple diagnostic tests, applied repeatedly over time on each subject, is proposed; gold standard data are not required. The model is identifiable with as few as three tests, and correlation among tests at each time point in the diseased and nondiseased populations, as well as across time points, is explicitly included. An efficient Markov chain Monte Carlo scheme allows for straightforward posterior inference; sample R code is available in the Supporting Web Materials for this paper. The proposed model is broadly illustrated via simulations and an analysis of scaphoid fracture data from a prospective study. In addition, omnibus tests constructed from individual tests in parallel and serial are considered.
Fathers’ and mothers’ attachment styles, couple conflict, parenting quality, and children’s behavior problems: an intervention test of mediation

ABSTRACT A diverse sample of 239 primarily low-income couples participated in a random controlled trial of the Supporting Father Involvement couples group intervention. In this report, we examined the value of adding measures of fathers’ attachment style and parenting to mothers’ measures in order to explain variations in children’s behavior problems. We also tested the hypothesis that the link between intervention-induced reductions in couple conflict and reductions in anxious/harsh parenting can be explained by intervention effects on parents’ attachment insecurity or on anxiety and depression. Fathers’ attachment security and parenting behavior added significantly to mothers’ in accounting for children’s internalizing and externalizing problem behaviors. Fathers’ anxious attachment style and anxiety/depression mediated the link between post-intervention reductions in parental conflict and anxious/harsh parenting. For mothers, only improvements in attachment security accounted for those links. The findings support the need for attachment researchers to consider the contributions of both parents to their children’s development.
The lift force on a charged sphere that translates and rotates in an electrolyte

The distortion of the charge cloud around a uniformly charged, dielectric, rigid sphere that translates and rotates in an unbounded binary, symmetric electrolyte at zero Reynolds number is examined. The zeta potential of the particle ζ is assumed small relative to the thermal voltage scale. It is assumed that the equilibrium structure of the cloud is slightly distorted, which requires that the Péclet numbers characterizing distortion due to particle translation, Pet=Ua/D , and rotation, Per=Ωa2/D , are small compared to unity. Here, a is radius of the particle; D is the ionic diffusion coefficient; U=|U| and Ω=|Ω| , where U and Ω are the rectilinear and angular velocities of the particle, respectively. Perturbation expansions for small Pet and Per are employed to calculate the nonequilibrium structure of the cloud, whence the force and torque on the particle are determined. In particular, we predict that the sphere experiences a force orthogonal to its directions of translation and rotation. This “lift” force arises from the nonlinear distortion of the cloud under the combined actions of particle translation and rotation. The lift force is given by F lift =L(κa)(εa3ζ2/D2)U×Ω[1+O(Pet,Per)] . Here, ε is the permittivity of the electrolyte; κ−1 is the Debye length; and L(κa) is a negative function that decreases in magnitude with increasing κa . The lift force implies that an unconstrained particle would follow a curved path; an electrokinetic analog of the inertial Magnus effect. Finally, the implication of the lift force on cross‐streamline migration of an electrophoretic particle in shear flow is discussed.
99 Reasons and He Ain’t One: A Content Analysis of Domestic Homicide News Coverage

Domestic violence is a widespread issue, with victims suffering emotional and physical harm and severe cases resulting in homicide. Media presentation of these extreme instances may affect public opinion and related policies. The current study considered the portrayal of domestic homicides in Canadian print news, using articles published in the Vancouver Sun between 2004 and 2015. A content analysis shows domestic homicides were portrayed as isolated incidents and perpetuated the notions of victim blaming and offender excusing, rather than as connected to a pattern of domestic violence. This portrayal may affect how domestic violence and homicides are perceived and addressed.
Guanine nucleotide exchange factors activate Rab8a for Toll-like receptor signalling

ABSTRACT Macrophages are important immune sentinels that detect and clear pathogens and initiate inflammatory responses through the activation of surface receptors, including Toll-like receptors (TLRs). Activated TLRs employ complex cellular trafficking and signalling pathways to initiate transcription for inflammatory cytokine programs. We have previously shown that Rab8a is activated by multiple TLRs and regulates downstream Akt/mTOR signalling by recruiting the effector PI3Kγ, but the guanine nucleotide exchange factors (GEF) canonically required for Rab8a activation in TLR pathways is not known. Using GST affinity pull-downs and mass spectrometry analysis, we identified a Rab8 specific GEF, GRAB, as a Rab8a binding partner in LPS-activated macrophages. Co-immunoprecipitation and fluorescence microscopy showed that both GRAB and a structurally similar GEF, Rabin8, undergo LPS-inducible binding to Rab8a and are localised on cell surface ruffles and macropinosomes where they coincide with sites of Rab8a mediated signalling. Rab nucleotide activation assays with CRISPR-Cas9 mediated knock-out (KO) cell lines of GRAB, Rabin8 and double KOs showed that both GEFs contribute to TLR4 induced Rab8a GTP loading, but not membrane recruitment. In addition, measurement of signalling profiles and live cell imaging with the double KOs revealed that either GEF is individually sufficient to mediate PI3Kγ-dependent Akt/mTOR signalling at macropinosomes during TLR4-driven inflammation, suggesting a redundant relationship between these proteins. Thus, both GRAB and Rabin8 are revealed as key positive regulators of Rab8a nucleotide exchange for TLR signalling and inflammatory programs. These GEFs may be useful as potential targets for manipulating inflammation. Abbreviations: TLR: Toll-like Receptor; OCRL: oculocerebrorenal syndrome of Lowe protein; PI3Kγ: phosphoinositol-3-kinase gamma; LPS: lipopolysaccharide; GEF: guanine nucleotide exchange factor; GST: glutathione S-transferases; BMMs: bone marrow derived macrophages; PH: pleckstrin homology; GAP: GTPase activating protein; ABCA1: ATP binding cassette subfamily A member 1; GDI: GDP dissociation inhibitor; LRP1: low density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 1
A Smartphone App to Promote Healthy Weight Gain, Diet, and Physical Activity During Pregnancy (HealthyMoms): Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial

Background Excessive gestational weight gain is common and associated with adverse outcomes both in the short and long term. Although traditional lifestyle-based interventions have shown to mitigate excess gestational weight gain, little is known about whether mobile Health (mHealth) apps can promote healthy weight gain, diet, and physical activity during pregnancy. Objective The primary aim of the HealthyMoms trial is to determine the effectiveness of a smartphone app (HealthyMoms) for mitigating excess gestational weight gain during pregnancy. Secondary aims are to determine the effectiveness of the app on dietary habits, physical activity, body fatness, and glycemia during pregnancy. Methods HealthyMoms is a two-arm randomized controlled trial. Women are being recruited at routine visits at the maternity clinics in Linköping, Norrköping and Motala, Sweden. Women are randomized to the control or intervention group (n=150 per group). All women will receive standard care, and women in the intervention group will also receive the HealthyMoms smartphone app. Results Recruitment of participants to the trial was initiated in October 2017, and 190 women have so far completed the baseline measurement. The baseline measures are estimated to be finalized in December 2019, and the follow-up measures are estimated to be completed in June 2020. Conclusions This project will evaluate a novel smartphone app intervention integrated with existing maternity health care. If successful, it has great potential to be implemented nationally in order to promote healthy weight gain and health behaviors during pregnancy. International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID) DERR1-10.2196/13011
Comprehensive Comparative Analysis of Cholesterol Catabolic Genes/Proteins in Mycobacterial Species

In dealing with Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the causative agent of the deadliest human disease—tuberculosis (TB)—utilization of cholesterol as a carbon source indicates the possibility of using cholesterol catabolic genes/proteins as novel drug targets. However, studies on cholesterol catabolism in mycobacterial species are scarce, and the number of mycobacterial species utilizing cholesterol as a carbon source is unknown. The availability of a large number of mycobacterial species’ genomic data affords an opportunity to explore and predict mycobacterial species’ ability to utilize cholesterol employing in silico methods. In this study, comprehensive comparative analysis of cholesterol catabolic genes/proteins in 93 mycobacterial species was achieved by deducing a comprehensive cholesterol catabolic pathway, developing a software tool for extracting homologous protein data and using protein structure and functional data. Based on the presence of cholesterol catabolic homologous proteins proven or predicted to be either essential or specifically required for the growth of M. tuberculosis H37Rv on cholesterol, we predict that among 93 mycobacterial species, 51 species will be able to utilize cholesterol as a carbon source. This study’s predictions need further experimental validation and the results should be taken as a source of information on cholesterol catabolism and genes/proteins involved in this process among mycobacterial species.
No evidence of increased cerebrovascular involvement in adult neurologically‐asymptomatic β‐Thalassaemia. A multicentre multimodal magnetic resonance study

Multi‐factorial causes jeopardize brain integrity in β‐thalassaemia. Intracranial parenchymal and vascular changes have been reported among young β‐thalassaemia patients but conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings are contradictory making early MRI and magnetic resonance angiography (MRA)/venography monitoring a matter of debate.
Shared Plates, Shared Minds: Consuming From a Shared Plate Promotes Cooperation

A meal naturally brings people together, but does the way a meal is served and consumed further matter for cooperation between people? This research (N = 1,476) yielded evidence that it does. People eating from shared plates (i.e., a Chinese-style meal) cooperated more in social dilemmas and negotiations than those eating from separate plates. Specifically, sharing food from a single plate increased perceived coordination among diners, which in turn led them to behave more cooperatively and less competitively toward each other, compared with individuals eating the same food from separate plates. The effect of sharing a plate on cooperation occurred among strangers, which suggests that sharing plates can bring together more than just allies.
The BLOC-3 subunit HPS4 is required for activation of Rab32/38 GTPases in melanogenesis, but its Rab9 activity is dispensable for melanogenesis

HPS4 biogenesis of lysosome-related organelles complex 3 subunit 2 (HPS4) is one of the genes whose mutations have been associated with Hermansky–Pudlak syndrome (HPS), characterized by ocular albinism and susceptibility to bleeding because of defects in the biogenesis of lysosome-related organelles such as melanosomes. HPS4 protein forms a BLOC-3 complex with HPS1, another HPS gene product, and the complex has been proposed to function as a guanine nucleotide exchange factor (GEF) for RAB32, a member of the Rab small GTPase family (Rab32), and Rab38 (Rab32/38-GEF) and also as a Rab9 effector. Although both Rab32/38 and Rab9 have been shown previously to be involved in melanogenesis in mammalian epidermal melanocytes, the functional relationships of these small GTPases with BLOC-3 remain unknown. In this study, we used site-directed mutagenesis to generate HPS4 mutants that specifically lack either Rab32/38-GEF activity or Rab9-binding activity and investigated their involvement in melanogenesis of melan-le cells (an HPS4-deficient melanocyte cell line derived from light ear mice). Melan-le cells exhibit a clear hypopigmentation phenotype, i.e. reduced expression and abnormal distribution of tyrosinase and reduced melanin content. Although re-expression of WT HPS4 completely rescued this phenotype, the Rab32/38-GEF activity–deficient HPS4 mutant failed to restore melanin content and tyrosinase trafficking in these cells. Unexpectedly, as WT HPS4, the Rab9 binding–deficient HPS4 mutant completely rescued the phenotype. These results indicate that activation of Rab32/38 by HPS4 (or BLOC-3) is essential for melanogenesis of cultured melanocytes and that Rab9 likely regulates melanogenesis independently of HPS4.
Cohesin-Mediated Genome Architecture Does Not Define DNA Replication Timing Domains

3D genome organization is strongly predictive of DNA replication timing in mammalian cells. This work tested the extent to which loop-based genome architecture acts as a regulatory unit of replication timing by using an auxin-inducible system for acute cohesin ablation. Cohesin ablation in a population of cells in asynchronous culture was shown not to disrupt patterns of replication timing as assayed by replication sequencing (RepliSeq) or BrdU-focus microscopy. Furthermore, cohesin ablation prior to S phase entry in synchronized cells was similarly shown to not impact replication timing patterns. These results suggest that cohesin-mediated genome architecture is not required for the execution of replication timing patterns in S phase, nor for the establishment of replication timing domains in G1.
Exploiting Mobile Edge Computing for Enhancing Vehicular Applications in Smart Cities

Mobile edge computing (MEC) has been recently proposed to bring computing capabilities closer to mobile endpoints, with the aim of providing low latency and real-time access to network information via applications and services. Several attempts have been made to integrate MEC in intelligent transportation systems (ITS), including new architectures, communication frameworks, deployment strategies and applications. In this paper, we explore existing architecture proposals for integrating MEC in vehicular environments, which would allow the evolution of the next generation ITS in smart cities. Moreover, we classify the desired applications into four major categories. We rely on a MEC architecture with three layers to propose a data dissemination protocol, which can be utilized by traffic safety and travel convenience applications in vehicular networks. Furthermore, we provide a simulation-based prototype to evaluate the performance of our protocol. Simulation results show that our proposed protocol can significantly improve the performance of data dissemination in terms of data delivery, communication overhead and delay. In addition, we highlight challenges and open issues to integrate MEC in vehicular networking environments for further research.
Variability in daily self-reported emotional symptoms and fatigue measured over eight weeks in community dwelling individuals with traumatic brain injury

ABSTRACT Objective: To investigate within-person variability in daily self-reported emotional and fatigue symptoms and factors associated with high within-person variability among individuals with chronic traumatic brain injury (TBI). Design: This was a prospective descriptive pilot study of n = 18 adults with chronic TBI (2–27 years post-injury) who owned and could independently use an Apple or Android device. Methods: Participants completed daily assessments for 8 weeks via smartphone. Outcome measures included the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule, Patient Health Questionnaire-2, Generalized Anxiety Disorder-2, and a 7-point fatigue rating. We examined within-person variability over time using individual Multilevel Linear Models. We categorized within-person variability as High or Low based on individual standard deviations in relationship to sample standard deviation. Results: Significant temporal within-person variability occurred for all measures. High variability was associated with more symptom reporting versus Low variability, and variability was associated with sex (High variability: 88% women; Low variability 90% men). Conclusions: Symptom measurement at a single time point among adults with chronic TBI may not capture day-to-day symptom fluctuation and may misidentify individuals in need of intervention. Assessing symptom profiles over time to capture temporal and individual variability may provide a more ecologically valid measure for managing long-term symptoms after TBI.
Stress perception following childhood adversity: Unique associations with adversity type and sex

Abstract Childhood adversity is associated with poor mental and physical health outcomes across the life span. Alterations in the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis are considered a key mechanism underlying these associations, although findings have been mixed. These inconsistencies suggest that other aspects of stress processing may underlie variations in this these associations, and that differences in adversity type, sex, and age may be relevant. The current study investigated the relationship between childhood adversity, stress perception, and morning cortisol, and examined whether differences in adversity type (generalized vs. threat and deprivation), sex, and age had distinct effects on these associations. Salivary cortisol samples, daily hassle stress ratings, and retrospective measures of childhood adversity were collected from a large sample of youth at risk for serious mental illness including psychoses (n = 605, mean age = 19.3). Results indicated that childhood adversity was associated with increased stress perception, which subsequently predicted higher morning cortisol levels; however, these associations were specific to threat exposures in females. These findings highlight the role of stress perception in stress vulnerability following childhood adversity and highlight potential sex differences in the impact of threat exposures.
What are the effects of vitamin C on sperm functional properties during direct swim-up procedure?

Summary Direct swim-up procedure is widely used to separate the motile competent spermatozoa from the antioxidant-rich semen. Subsequently, spermatozoa become more vulnerable to reactive oxygen species (ROS) due to their cytological characteristics. The effect of vitamin C, a highly concentrated antioxidant in the semen, on direct swim-up-enriched sperm population is not fully investigated. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to assess the effect of vitamin C on sperm functional properties during direct swim-up procedure. Semen samples were collected from 22 participants. Each semen sample was divided into several aliquots. The first portion was overlaid with sperm medium without ascorbic acid (0 µM AA). The second and third fractions were overlaid with sperm medium supplemented with 300 µM and 600 µM AA; respectively. After 1 h of incubation, basic sperm parameters, intracellular ROS levels, acrosome reaction, chromatin integrity, and glucose uptake were assessed. Swim-up without AA significantly increased the percentage of ROS(+) spermatozoa compared with the raw semen (P<0.01). Interestingly, swim-up with 300 µM AA did not increase the percentage of ROS(+) sperm compared with the raw semen. In parallel, the percentage of sperm with altered chromatin integrity was significantly lower in the 300 µM AA group compared with that in the raw semen (P<0.05). These findings suggest that supplementation of vitamin C to sperm medium could be beneficial for direct swim-up-derived spermatozoa.
Comparing Dynamic Hyperinflation and Associated Dyspnea Induced by Metronome-Paced Tachypnea Versus Incremental Exercise

Abstract Dynamic hyperinflation (DH) during exercise is associated with both dyspnea and exercise limitation in COPD. Metronome-paced tachypnoea (MPT) is a simple alternative for studying DH. We compared MPT with exercise testing (XT) as methods of provoking DH, and assessed their relationship with dyspnea. We studied 24 patients with moderate COPD (FEV1 59 ± 9% predicted) after inhalation of ipratropium/salbutamol combination or placebo in a double-blind, crossover design. Inspiratory capacity (IC) was measured at baseline and after 30 seconds of MPT with breathing frequencies (fR) of 20, 30 and 40 breaths/min and metronome-defined I:E ratios of 1:1 and 1:2, in random sequence, followed by incremental cycle ergometry with interval determinations of IC. DH was defined as a decline in IC from baseline (∆IC) for both methods. Dyspnea was assessed using a Borg CR-10 scale. ∆IC during MPT was greater with higher fR and I:E ratio of 1:1 versus 1:2, and less when patients were treated with bronchodilator rather than placebo (P = 0.032). DH occurred during 19 (40%) XTs, and during 35 (73%) tests using MPT. Eleven of 18 (61%) non-congruent XTs (where DH occurred on MPT but not XT) terminated before fR of 40 breaths/min was reached. Although greater during XT, the intensity of dyspnea bore no relationship to DH during either MPT and XT. MPT at 40 breaths/min and I:E of 1:1 elicits the greatest ∆IC, and is a more sensitive method for demonstrating DH. The relationship between DH and dyspnea is complex and not determined by DH alone.
Anger Suppression and Rumination Sequentially Mediates the Effect of Emotional Labor in Korean Nurses

The degree of emotional labor in nurses has been associated with negative physical and psychological health indices. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between emotional labor and depressive and anxiety symptoms in nurses. Specifically, the study addressed the question of whether anger suppression and anger rumination sequentially mediated the relationship. A total of 99 nurses was recruited from a university hospital in Korea. The questionnaires included instruments assessing emotional labor, anger suppression, anger rumination, as well as depressive and anxiety symptoms. Consistent with our hypothesis, there was a significant indirect effect of anger suppression and anger rumination on the relationship between emotional labor and depressive symptoms, as well as on the relationship between emotional labor and anxiety symptoms. The nurses’ degree of emotional labor, anger suppression, and anger rumination was associated with psychological adjustment. Thus, the impact of nurses’ negative affect needs to be adequately addressed, as inadequate resolution of anger may increase their vulnerability to experience depressive and anxiety symptoms. These findings may contribute to developing a strategy for enhancing nurses’ psychological health.