Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The relationship between executive control, conscientiousness and health behaviour

Health is important, but the health of the nation is failing, with chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular disease, cancer and diabetes on the rise. Most of which are related to the performance of negative health behaviours. As a result, improving the health of the population through the promotion of positive health behaviours is a key aim of health professionals and Government. However, to promote positive health behaviours, first, what variables predict health behaviour must be identified. Two prominent variables of interest are cognition and personality. Recently, attention has focussed on executive control (EC) and conscientiousness as predictors of health behaviour. As such, a number of questions have emerged. Firstly, due to the conceptual overlap of these variables, are they related constructs? Secondly, do they have a direct impact on health behaviour? Finally, are they moderating variables, and do they moderate the intention-behaviour relationship? The aim of this PhD was to explore the relations between EC, conscientiousness and multiple health behaviours in healthy samples. Over four studies, participants completed an array of computer, and paper and pencil-based tasks and computer-administered questionnaires. In addition, behavioural intentions and health behaviour performance was measured over a period of 7-14 days using online daily diaries. Using multilevel modelling analysis, three main findings emerged. First, the relationship between EC and conscientiousness is dependent on the measures used. Second, some EC and conscientiousness measures have direct effects on health behaviour; and third, some EC and conscientiousness measures have indirect effects on health behaviour via moderation of the intention-behaviour relationship. The findings highlight EC and conscientiousness are significantly related to health behaviour performance, though the relationships are more complex than shown by previous research. As such, the current findings serve to highlight issues of construct complexity, ecological validity, sample diversity and measurement.
A Patient-Based Needs Assessment for Living Well with Parkinson Disease: Implementation via Nominal Group Technique

Background. Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative condition with complex subtleties, making it challenging for physicians to fully inform their patients. Given that approximately 50% of Americans access the Internet for health information, the development of a multimedia, web-based application emphasizing targeted needs of people with Parkinson's disease (PwP) has the potential to change patient's lives. Objectives. To determine what information PwP perceive could enhance their quality of life. Methods. Group sessions utilizing nominal group technique (NGT) were conducted. Participants were asked “what information do you want to know about that would help you live well with PD? ” Silent generation of ideas preceded discussion followed by anonymous ranking of items. A “summary score” (sum of rank × frequency) was calculated. Results. 36 individual items were collapsed into 9 categories. Coping with emotions, changing relationships, and social implications of PD were ranked as most important. Financial supports and skills for self-advocacy were also highly ranked. Conclusions. Qualitative research methodology was utilized to determine the unmet needs of PwP. Results of this survey will inform the development of a patient-oriented, online resource, the goal will be to provide information and strategies to improve symptom management, reduce disability and address all relevant concerns important to those affected by PD.
Parallel Particle Swarm Optimization (PPSO) clustering for learning analytics

Analytics is all about insights. Learning-oriented insights are the targets for Learning Analytics researchers. Insights could be detected, analysed, or created in the context of variables such as the quality of interactions with the content, study habits, engagement, competence growth, sentiments, learning efficiency, and instructional effectiveness. Clustering techniques offer an effective solution for grouping learners using observed patterns. For instance, learners could be clustered based on the effectiveness of learners' self-regulation initiatives in reaching the target learning outcomes. Each learner could belong to a number of clusters that target different types of insights. One could also analyse the distance between clusters as a means to guide learners towards better performance. Further, one could analyse the effectiveness of cohesive peer groups within and among clusters. Traditional clustering techniques only cope with numerical or categorical data and are not readily applicable in offering learning analytics solutions. In addressing this gap, this research aims to design a Parallel Particle Swarm Optimization (PPSO) algorithm for the purposes of learning analytics, where the arrival of data is continuous, the types of data is both structured and unstructured, and the volume of data can be significantly large. The research will also describe the application of the PPSO algorithm to detect, analyse, and generate learning-oriented insights.
Stable bottom‐up processing during dynamic top‐down modulations in monkey auditory cortex

It is unclear whether top‐down processing in the auditory cortex (AC) interferes with its bottom‐up analysis of sound. Recent studies indicated non‐acoustic modulations of AC responses, and that attention changes a neuron's spectrotemporal tuning. As a result, the AC would seem ill‐suited to represent a stable acoustic environment, which is deemed crucial for auditory perception. To assess whether top‐down signals influence acoustic tuning in tasks without directed attention, we compared monkey single‐unit AC responses to dynamic spectrotemporal sounds under different behavioral conditions. Recordings were mostly made from neurons located in primary fields (primary AC and area R of the AC) that were well tuned to pure tones, with short onset latencies. We demonstrated that responses in the AC were substantially modulated during an auditory detection task and that these modulations were systematically related to top‐down processes. Importantly, despite these significant modulations, the spectrotemporal receptive fields of all neurons remained remarkably stable. Our results suggest multiplexed encoding of bottom‐up acoustic and top‐down task‐related signals at single AC neurons. This mechanism preserves a stable representation of the acoustic environment despite strong non‐acoustic modulations.
Inflammatory Polyarthritis in a Patient with Psoriasis: Is It Psoriatic Arthritis or Rheumatoid Arthrirtis?

Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is an inflammatory arthritis associated with psoriasis. There are no generally accepted diagnostic criteria for PsA. Indeed, the diagnosis of this inflammatory arthritis is made by exclusion of other possible diseases and based upon immunologic, radiologic, and clinical features which are consistent with the diagnosis. Inflammatory arthritis in a patient with psoriasis can be an important clue for the diagnosis of PsA, but the possibility for diagnosis of other inflammatory arthritides ever remains. Herein we report a case of a female patient who was not diagnosed with PsA, but with rheumatoid arthritis, even though she had psoriasis.
Emotion lateralisation: Developments throughout the lifespan

There is a great amount of research on hemispheric lateralisation for processing emotions and on the recognition of emotions across the lifespan. However, few researchers have explored the links between these two measures. This paper highlights how trends in these two research areas inform our understanding of how lateralisation for emotion processing may influence emotion recognition performance throughout the lifespan, including if the development of emotion lateralisation is a response to our environmental experiences of learning (experience dependent) or a result of having specific experiences at a particular time (experience expectant). The development of emotion lateralisation across the lifespan (infancy through to late adulthood) is explored with reference to past research and through the integration of the novel research offered within this special issue of Laterality. We also explore what we can learn from atypical populations. We propose that researchers need to focus on three key avenues of future research (longitudinal research, investigating the role of hormones, and research that explores the evolution of laterality) all which will provide greater insight into the development of laterality and how this may be associated with emotion processing.
Ethernet passive optical network (EPON): building a next-generation optical access network

This article describes Ethernet passive optical networks, an emerging local subscriber access architecture that combines low-cost point-to-multipoint fiber infrastructure with Ethernet. EPONs are designed to carry Ethernet frames at standard Ethernet rates. An EPON uses a single trunk fiber that extends from a central office to a passive optical splitter, which then fans out to multiple optical drop fibers connected to subscriber nodes. Other than the end terminating equipment, no component in the network requires electrical power, hence the term passive. Local carriers have long been interested in passive optical networks for the benefits they offer: minimal fiber infrastructure and no powering requirement in the outside plant. With Ethernet now emerging as the protocol of choice for carrying IP traffic in metro and access networks, EPON has emerged as a potential optimized architecture for fiber to the building and fiber to the home.
Sutureless Valve Implantation via Mini J-Sternotomy: A Single Center Experience with 2 Years Mean Follow-up

Abstract Introduction Despite increased operative time, minimally invasive cardiac surgery is associated with a lower morbidity than conventional aortic valve replacement (AVR). On the other hand, sutureless aortic bioprostheses have the potential of simplifying implantation, as it reduces the ischemic time. Our aim was to investigate the outcome of a sutureless AVR through a mini-sternotomy. Materials and Methods Since March 2010, a total of 262 patients affected by aortic valve stenosis underwent AVR with a sutureless bioprosthesis (Perceval, Sorin Group, Saluggia, Italy). Of these, 145 patients (mean age 77.8 ± 4.7 years, 80 women) underwent surgical AVR through a mini J-sternotomy. Clinical and echocardiographic data were evaluated. Results Patients received a size: S(12), M(49), L(67), or XL(17) prostheses, either as isolated (131) or combined procedures (14) including 2 redo patients who had undergone coronary artery bypass grafting via full sternotomy previously. Mean logistic EuroSCORE (I) was 9.9 ± 5.9%, and mean aortic cross-clamp time was 38 ± 12 minutes (35 ± 11 minutes in isolated procedures). Two conversions to full sternotomy were necessary because of bleeding. Thirty-day mortality was 2.1% (all noncardiac deaths); mean hospital stay was 11.6 ± 4.9 days. We recorded 11 pacemaker implantations (7.6%). At follow-up (23.5 ± 14.4 months), five patients were dead (three noncardiac and two cardiac deaths). At echocardiographic control, mean transprosthetic gradients were as follows: 12.8 ± 4.9, 12.5 ± 4.5, 11.8 ± 4.7 mm Hg, postoperatively at 6 months, 1 year, and 2 years, respectively. No paravalvular leaks were recorded. Conclusion The sutureless bioprosthesis shows satisfactory clinical and hemodynamic results. Owing to its simple implantation technique, it represents a good support for minimally invasive access surgery via J-sternotomy.
Global Assessment of Genetic Variation Influencing Response to Retinoid Chemoprevention in Head and Neck Cancer Patients

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) patients are at an increased risk of developing a second primary tumor (SPT) or recurrence following curative treatment. 13-cis-retinoic acid (13-cRA) has been tested in chemoprevention clinical trials, but the results have been inconclusive. We genotyped 9,465 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) in 450 patients from the Retinoid Head and Neck Second Primary Trial. SNPs were analyzed for associations with SPT/recurrence in patients receiving placebo to identify prognosis markers and further analyzed for effects of 13-cRA in patients with these prognostic loci. Thirteen loci identified a majority subgroup of patients at a high risk of SPT/recurrence and in whom 13-cRA was protective. Patients carrying the common genotype of rs3118570 in the retinoid X receptor (RXRA) were at a 3.33-fold increased risk (95% CI, 1.67–6.67) and represented more than 70% of the study population. This locus also identified individuals who received benefit from chemoprevention with a 38% reduced risk (95% CI, 0.43–0.90). Analyses of cumulative effect and potential gene–gene interactions also implicated CDC25C:rs6596428 and JAK2:rs1887427 as 2 other genetic loci with major roles in prognosis and 13-cRA response. Patients with all 3 common genotypes had a 76% reduction in SPT/recurrence (95% CI, 0.093–0.64) following 13-cRA chemoprevention. Carriers of these common genotypes constituted a substantial percentage of the study population, indicating that a pharmacogenetic approach could help select patients for 13-cRA chemoprevention. The lack of any alternatives for reducing risk in these patients highlights the need for future clinical trials to prospectively validate our findings. Cancer Prev Res; 4(2); 185–93. ©2011 AACR.
Exploring Femoral Diaphyseal Shape Variation in Wild and Captive Chimpanzees by Means of Morphometric Mapping: A Test of Wolff's Law

Long bone shafts (diaphyses) serve as load‐bearing structures during locomotion, implying a close relationship between diaphyseal form and its locomotor function. Diaphyseal form‐function relationships, however, are complex, as they are mediated by various factors such as developmental programs, evolutionary adaptation, and functional adaptation through bone remodeling during an individual's lifetime. The effects of the latter process (“Wolff's Law”) are best assessed by comparing diaphyseal morphologies of conspecific individuals under different locomotor regimes. Here we use morphometric mapping (MM) to analyze the morphology of entire femoral diaphyses in an ontogenetic series of wild and captive common chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes troglodytes). MM reveals patterns of variation of diaphyseal structural and functional properties, which cannot be recognized with conventional cross‐sectional analysis and/or geometric morphometric methods. Our data show that diaphyseal shape, cortical bone distribution and inferred cross‐sectional biomechanical properties vary both along ontogenetic trajectories and independent of ontogeny. Mean ontogenetic trajectories of wild and captive chimpanzees, however, were found to be statistically identical. This indicates that the basic developmental program of the diaphysis is not altered by different loading conditions. Significant differences in diaphyseal shape between groups could only be identified in the distal diaphysis, where wild chimpanzees exhibit higher mediolateral relative to anteroposterior cortical bone thickness. Overall, thus, the hypothesis that Wolff's Law predominantly governs long bone diaphyseal morphology is rejected. Anat Rec, 2011. © 2011 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Functional Diversity in the Gene Network Controlled by the Master Regulator p53 in Humans

Individual differences in susceptibility to exposure-induced diseases are likely due to variation in the DNA sequences of “environmental response” genes, many of which are arranged in complex regulatory networks. Among ~10 million inherited DNA variations, called single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), perhaps only a few thousand, will actually influence human disease risk. We have combined bioinformatics and laboratory approaches to investigate genetic variation within the p53 stress response network. p53, a prominent tumor suppressor protein, is a master regulator that targets over a hundred genes for transcriptional up-regulation or repression through sequence-specific interactions with DNA response elements (REs). We identified many human genes in the network that contain SNPs in REs that can be transactivated by p53. The discovery of these individual differences has implications for variation in human responses to environmental stresses, risk of disease, and responsiveness to drug therapies. The findings also provide insight into the evolution of complex networks and the role of master regulatory genes, such as p53, in such networks.
Endogenous Msx1 antisense transcript: In vivo and in vitro evidences, structure, and potential involvement in skeleton development in mammals

Msx1 is a key factor for the development of tooth and craniofacial skeleton and has been proposed to play a pivotal role in terminal cell differentiation. In this paper, we demonstrated the presence of an endogenous Msx1 antisense RNA (Msx1-AS RNA) in mice, rats, and humans. In situ analysis revealed that this RNA is expressed only in differentiated dental and bone cells with an inverse correlation with Msx1 protein. These in vivo data and overexpression of Msx1 sense and AS RNA in an odontoblastic cell line (MO6-G3) showed that the balance between the levels of the two Msx1 RNAs is related to the expression of Msx1 protein. To analyze the impact of this balance in the Msx-Dlx homeoprotein pathway, we analyzed the effect of Msx1, Msx2, and Dlx5 overexpression on proteins involved in skeletal differentiation. We showed that the Msx1-AS RNA is involved in crosstalk between the Msx-Dlx pathways because its expression was abolished by Dlx5. Msx1 was shown to down-regulate a master gene of skeletal cells differentiation, Cbfa1. All these data strongly suggest that the ratio between Msx1 sense and antisense RNAs is a very important factor in the control of skeletal terminal differentiation. Finally, the initiation site for Msx1-AS RNA transcription was located by primer extension in both mouse and human in an identical region, including a consensus TATA box, suggesting an evolutionary conservation of the AS RNA-mediated regulation of Msx1 gene expression.
AN EXPERIMENTAL STUDY OF THE LUNEBURG THEORY OF BINOCULAR SPACE PERCEPTION (3):THE EXPERIMENTS IN A SPACIOUS FIELD

As a part of a series of experimental studies upon the Luneburg theory of binocular visual space, results were described of the 3and 4-point experiments and of the parallel and distance alley experiments all having been carried out with three Ss in a spacious dark field. Light points were at eye level and the farthest one was 1610 cm apart from the S. Analysis was made in terms of the theory with the modified mapping function introduced by Blank and Hardy. The result was in support of Luneburg's basic conception that the binocular visual space be hyperbolic, though quantitative coincidence between the theory and the experimental data was not entirely satisfactory.
Severity of Alexithymia is Related to Psychosocial Factors in Patients with Peritoneal Dialysis

We examined the relationship between alexithymia and psychosocial factors in 72 peritoneal dialysis patients. The 72 patients had significantly higher scores on alexithymia and anxiety than did 73 healthy volunteers. The alexithymia scores were significantly and positively correlated with anxiety scores, suggesting that alexithymia may be related to anxiety derived from the stress associated with dialysis therapy. After 3 yr. of follow-up consultations, patients were still showing higher scores on alexithymia and anxiety; however, alexithymia scores were not correlated with anxiety scores but rather were significantly associated with poor social support. Alexithymic characteristics may be related to psychosocial factors such as the availability of social support.
Configural association theory and the hippocampal formation: An appraisal and reconfiguration

Sutherland and Rudy ([1989] Psychobiology 17:129–144) proposed that the hippocampal system is critical to normal learning and memory because of its function as the central part of a configural association system. This system constructs a unique representation of the joint occurrence of the independent elements of a compund. There is evidence consistent with the theory's predictions, however, there also are data that unambiguously demonstrate that, under some conditions, animals lacking an intact hippocampal system acquire configural associations. Thus, Sutherland and Rudy's fundamental assumption cannot be correct. To integrate the supporting and contradictory data, we propose two simple modifications of our position: (1) The critical neural system for configural associations is in cortical circuitry outside the hippocampus, and (2) the output from the hippocampal formation contributes to configural processing by selectively enhancing, thereby making more salient, cortical units representing stimulus conjunctions. This enhancement has two important effects: (1) It decreases the similarity between the configural units representing the co‐occurrence of cues and the units representing the cues, and (2) it increases the rate at which the configural units can acquire associative strength. The modified theory explains why damage to the hippocampal formation only impairs learning on a subset of nonlinear discrimination problems. It also integrates recent data on the effects of hippocampal formation damage on conditioning involving context cues and makes novel predictions about performance on nonlinear discrimination problems and place learning. © 1995 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Testosterone decreases CA1 plasticity in vivo in gonadectomized male rats

Estrogen has been reported to enhance CA1 functional plasticity in adult rats, as measured by the induction of long‐term potentiation (LTP). In the present study, the effects of androgens on CA1 LTP were assessed in adult male Sprague‐Dawley rats in vivo following peripubertal castration. Castrated rats with cholesterol implants showed significantly greater plasticity, both in degree and duration of potentiation, than castrated rats given testosterone or dihydrotestosterone implants. An LTP paradigm reported to produce decremental LTP in vitro produced nondecremental LTP in androgen‐deprived rats, but decremental LTP in androgen‐treated rats. These results suggest that androgens, unlike estrogens, act to reduce CA1 plasticity in the adult rat. Hippocampus 2000;10:693–697. © 2000 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Resolution-Invariant Image Representation and its applications

We present a resolution-invariant image representation (RIIR) framework in this paper. The RIIR framework includes the methods of building a set of multi-resolution bases from training images, estimating the optimal sparse resolution-invariant representation of any image, and reconstructing the missing patches of any resolution level. As the proposed RIIR framework has many potential resolution enhancement applications, we discuss three novel image magnification applications in this paper. In the first application, we apply the RIIR framework to perform Multi-Scale Image Magnification where we also introduced a training strategy to built a compact RIIR set. In the second application, the RIIR framework is extended to conduct Continuous Image Scaling where a new base at any resolution level can be generated using existing RIIR set on the fly. In the third application, we further apply the RIIR framework onto Content-Base Automatic Zooming applications. The experimental results show that in all these applications, our RIIR based method outperforms existing methods in various aspects.