Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Optimal levels of emotional arousal in experiential therapy of depression.

OBJECTIVE To determine the relationship between length of time spent expressing highly aroused emotion and therapeutic outcome. METHOD Thirty-eight clients (14 male, 24 female) between the ages of 22 and 60 years (M = 39.5, SD = 9.71), treated for depression with experiential therapy, were rated on working alliance and expressed emotional arousal (with the Client Expressed Emotional Arousal Scale) in their three highest arousal sessions. Among the clients, 34 were of European ethnicity, 2 were of Asian ethnicity, 1 was of Latino ethnicity, and 1 was of Caribbean-Canadian ethnicity. Clients were administered the short form of the Working Alliance Inventory following their 4th therapy session and also completed, pre- and posttherapy, the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), the Global Severity Index (GSI) of the Symptom Checklist-90-Revised (SCL-90-R), the Inventory of Interpersonal Problems, and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale. RESULTS Hierarchical regressions showed that a nonlinear pattern of expressed emotional arousal predicted outcome significantly above the alliance. This combination predicted 30% of outcome variance on the BDI and 24% on the GSI (p < .01). An optimal frequency (25%) of highly aroused emotional expression was found to relate to outcome, with deviation from this optimal frequency predicting poorer outcome. CONCLUSIONS Too much or too little emotion was found to be not as helpful as a moderate amount. It was concluded that expressed emotional arousal in experiential therapies has a more intricate relationship with therapeutic outcome than has previously been shown and that it is moderate amounts of heightened emotional arousal that improve predictions of therapeutic outcome.
Some Intercultural Implications of ASEAN and Thai Educational Policies for Thai Higher Education

In this paper, I present my thematic analysis of selected policy documents produced by the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) and by the Higher Education Commission of Thailand, a member state within the ASEAN and my home educational context. In particular, I focus on the policies in which the possible impacts of the establishment of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) on the Thai higher education are considered. I will first outline the background to my study, and then, present my analysis of the documents selected. Informed by this analysis, I draw some conclusions regarding how the chosen policy documents comment on the complexities of this globalised and interconnected era and the skills these policies seem to focus on with regard to Thai graduates functioning well in this era. I conclude with a discussion of some possible implications for the role of Thai higher education institutions and teachers like me.
Beat Rate Variability in Murine Embryonic Stem Cell-Derived Cardiomyocytes: Effect of Antiarrhythmic Drugs

Background/Aims: Heart rate variability (HRV) refers to the fluctuation of the time interval between consecutive heartbeats in humans. It has recently been discovered that cardiomyocytes derived from human embryonic and induced pluripotent stem cells show beat rate variability (BRV) that is similar to the HRV in humans. In the present study, clinical aspects of HRV were transferred to an in vitro model. The aims of the study were to explore the BRV in murine embryonic stem cell (mESC)-derived cardiomyocytes and to demonstrate the influence of antiarrhythmic drugs on BRV as has been shown in clinical trials previously. Methods: The Microelectrode Array (MEA) technique was used to perform short-term recordings of extracellular field potentials (FPs) of spontaneously beating cardiomyocytes derived from mESCs (D3 cell line, αPig-44). Offline analysis was focused on time domain and nonlinear methods. Results: The Poincaré-Plot analysis of measurements without pharmacological intervention revealed that three different shapes of scatter plots occurred most frequently. Comparable shapes have been described in clinical studies before. The antiarrhythmic drugs Ivabradine, Verapamil and Sotalol augmented BRV, whereas Flecainide decreased BRV parameters at low concentrations (SDSD 79.0 ± 8.7% of control at 10-9 M, p < 0.05) and increased variability measures at higher concentrations (SDNN 258.8 ± 42.7% of control at 10-5 M, p < 0.05). Amiodarone and Metoprolol did not alter BRV significantly. Conclusions: Spontaneously beating cardiomyocytes derived from mESCs showed BRV that appears to be similar to the HRV known from humans. Antiarrhythmic drugs affected BRV parameters similar to clinical observations. Therefore, our study demonstrates that this in vitro model can contribute to a better understanding of electrophysiological properties of mESC-derived cardiomyocytes and might serve as a valuable tool for drug safety screening.
Swelling-activated Ca2+ Entry via TRPV4 Channel Is Defective in Cystic Fibrosis Airway Epithelia*

The vertebrate transient receptor potential cationic channel TRPV4 has been proposed as an osmo- and mechanosensor channel. Studies using knock-out animal models have further emphasized the relevance of the TRPV4 channel in the maintenance of the internal osmotic equilibrium and mechanosensation. However, at the cellular level, there is still one important question to answer: does the TRPV4 channel generate the Ca2+ signal in those cells undergoing a Ca2+-dependent regulatory volume decrease (RVD) response? RVD in human airway epithelia requires the generation of a Ca2+ signal to activate Ca2+-dependent K+ channels. The RVD response is lost in airway epithelia affected with cystic fibrosis (CF), a disease caused by mutations in the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator channel. We have previously shown that the defective RVD in CF epithelia is linked to the lack of swelling-dependent activation of Ca2+-dependent K+ channels. In the present study, we show the expression of TRPV4 in normal human airway epithelia, where it functions as the Ca2+ entry pathway that triggers the RVD response after hypotonic stress, as demonstrated by TRPV4 antisense experiments. However, cell swelling failed to trigger Ca2+ entry via TRPV4 channels in CF airway epithelia, although the channel's response to a specific synthetic activator, 4α-phorbol 12,13-didecanoate, was maintained. Furthermore, RVD was recovered in CF airway epithelia treated with 4α-phorbol 12,13-didecanoate. Together, these results suggest that defective RVD in CF airway epithelia might be caused by the absence of a TRPV4-mediated Ca2+ signal and the subsequent activation of Ca2+-dependent K+ channels.
2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin enhances CCl4-induced hepatotoxicity in an aryl hydrocarbon receptor-dependent manner

1. Cytochrome P4502E1 (CYP2E1) is involved in the biotransformation of several low molecular weight chemicals and plays an important role in the metabolic activation of carcinogens and hepatotoxins such as CCl4. Induction of CYP2E1 is exerted mainly at posttranscriptional levels through mRNA and protein stabilization, and there is little evidence of xenobiotic induction at the transcriptional level. Previously, we reported microarray analysis data suggesting a decrease in Cyp2e1 gene expression on Ahr-null livers when compared to wild-type mouse livers. 2. The goal of the present study was to determine whether 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) increased mouse CYP2E1 levels in an AhR-dependent manner and the impact on CCl4-induced hepatotoxicity. 3. TCDD treatment induced CYP2E1 mRNA and protein levels in mouse liver, and this effect was aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR)-dependent. 4. Moreover, TCDD pre-treatment increased the CCl4-induced alanine aminotransferase (ALT) activity, the extent of CCl4-induced necrosis, and the number of sinusoidal cells in wild-type animals, while this potentiating effect was not observed in Ahr-null mice. 5. In conclusion, this study revealed that TCDD, probably in an AhR-dependent manner, exacerbated CCl4-induced hepatotoxicity through induction of CYP2E1.
DCE-MRI Texture Features for Early Prediction of Breast Cancer Therapy Response

This study investigates the effectiveness of hundreds of texture features extracted from voxel-based dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) parametric maps for early prediction of breast cancer response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC). In total, 38 patients with breast cancer underwent DCE-MRI before (baseline) and after the first of the 6–8 NAC cycles. Quantitative pharmacokinetic (PK) parameters and semiquantitative metrics were estimated from DCE-MRI time-course data. The residual cancer burden (RCB) index value was computed based on pathological analysis of surgical specimens after NAC completion. In total, 1043 texture features were extracted from each of the 13 parametric maps of quantitative PK or semiquantitative metric, and their capabilities for early prediction of RCB were examined by correlating feature changes between the 2 MRI studies with RCB. There were 1069 pairs of feature–map combinations that showed effectiveness for response prediction with 4 correlation coefficients >0.7. The 3-dimensional gray-level cooccurrence matrix was the most effective feature extraction method for therapy response prediction, and, in general, the statistical features describing texture heterogeneity were the most effective features. Quantitative PK parameters, particularly those estimated with the shutter-speed model, were more likely to generate effective features for prediction response compared with the semiquantitative metrics. The best feature–map pair could predict pathologic complete response with 100% sensitivity and 100% specificity using our cohort. In conclusion, breast tumor heterogeneity in microvasculature as measured by texture features of voxel-based DCE-MRI parametric maps could be a useful biomarker for early prediction of NAC response.
Antidiabetic plants used by Sikkim and Darjeeling Himalayan tribes , India

Sikkim and Darjeeling Himalayan region is characterized by a rich floral diversity and an equally rich ethnomedicinal tradition. Herbal medicine is the dominant system of medicine practiced by the local tribes of this region for the treatment of diabetes. During the course of the present studies it was found that 37 species of plants belonging to 28 families are used as antidiabetic agents in the folk medicinal practices i rch towards d ©
The Information Content of Interest Rate Futures Options

Options prices are being increasingly employed to extract market expectations and views about monetary policy. In this paper, eurodollar options are monitored to examine the evolution of market sentiment over the possible future values of eurodollar rates. Risk-neutral probability functions are employed to synopsize the information contained in the prices of euro/dollar futures options. Several common methods of estimating risk-neutral probability density functions are examined. A method based on a mixture of lognormals density is found to rank first and a method based on a Hermite polynomial approximation is found to rank second. Several standard summary statistics are also examined, namely volatility, skewness, and kurtosis. The volatility measure is fairly robust across methods, while the skewness and kurtosis measure are model-sensitive. As an example, the days surrounding the September 1998 Federal Open Market Committee are examined.
Fatigue. Measures and relation to pain

Fatigue describes reduced capacity to sustain force or power output, reduced capacity to perform multiple tasks over time and simply a subjective experience of feeling exhausted, tired, weak or having lack of energy. Pain and fatigue have several components in common, such as being subjective, prevalent in most patients with cancer and caused by multiple factors of both a physical and psychological nature. In order to explore the relationship between fatigue and pain, data from five studies were used: two random samples from the Norwegian population (n=2323 and n=1965), Hodgkin’s disease survivors (n=459), palliative care patients (n=434) and patients with bone metastases (n=94). All patients had completed one or more of the following instruments: EORTC QLQ‐C30, SF‐36 and/or Fatigue Questionnaire. The level of fatigue was much higher in the two palliative care populations (54.4 and 63.2) as compared to the normal population samples (25.0). Patients with bone metastases had significantly more pain (72.0) than the patients in the palliative care trial (47.4) and norms (20.5). In the two palliative care and bone metastases populations fatigue was almost unchanged over time, while pain was reduced. In the palliative care population a high level of fatigue (80.3) and pain (57.8) was reported 0–1 month before death. The relationship between pain, fatigue and the health‐related quality of life domains should be explored in more detail, especially in follow‐up studies in order to assess possible changes over time. In addition, the validity of the existing instruments measuring fatigue should be investigated for use in patients with advanced disease and short life expectancy.
Assessing the role of peripheral CD8 T cells in neurocognitive impairment in HIV-infected men who have sex with men: data from the MSM Neurocog Study

Studies have suggested CD8 lymphocytes may be a possible marker for inflammation, which is believed to be a contributing factor to neurocognitive impairment. Individuals enrolled in the MSM Neurocog Study were analysed. Those with depression, anxiety or mood disorders were excluded. Individuals with neurocognitive impairment were identified using the Brief NeuroCognitive Screen and compared to those with normal scores. CD4 and CD8 T cell values and CD4:CD8 ratios were compared between groups. In all, 144 men, aged 18–50 years, were included in the analysis. Twenty were diagnosed with neurocognitive impairment. We were unable to identify any significant difference between current, nadir or peak CD4 and CD8 counts. CD4:CD8 ratios and CD4:CD8 ratio inversion (<1) were also found to be similar between both groups. However, neurocognitive impairment subjects were 8% more likely to have inversion of CD4:CD8 ratio and higher median peak CD8 cell counts reported compared to non-impaired subjects. Analysis of data from the MSM Neurocog Study, demonstrated trends in peripheral CD8 counts and CD4:CD8 ratios. However, we are unable to demonstrate any significant benefit. Plasma biomarkers of neurocognitive impairment in HIV-infected subjects would be of great benefit over current methods of invasive CSF analysis and technical neuroimaging used in the diagnosis of neurocognitive impairment. Future, prospective, longitudinal work with large numbers of neurocognitive impairment subjects is required to further investigate the role of peripheral CD8 T cells as markers of neurocognitive impairment.
Emerging and re‐emerging infections at the turn of the millennium

Summary. After World War II, mankind believed that infectious diseases were on the way to being defeated. Unfortunately, they still are the second worldwide cause of death. Globalization changes promote the emergence of new infections and pandemics; international deliveries and travelling facilitate the dissemination of infectious agents; man‐induced environmental changes create new opportunities for contacts between species, leading to infections in aberrant hosts, including man; global warming enables insects, a major vector of pathogens, to thrive in more countries. The main pandemics have been caused by viruses, such as HIV and novel subtypes of influenza viruses. In addition, prion proteins are a threat. The transmission of the Creutzfeld Jakob disease variant through blood transfusion and the recent discovery of prion protein in the spleen of a haemophilia patient are a matter of further concern. The end of the war against infectious diseases is not in sight. Mankind’s battle with pathogens has lasted millennia and is destined to continue.
Factor Structure of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children

Objective: Recent evidence suggests that the factor structure of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Fourth Edition (WISC-IV) is better explained by a five-factor model rather than the four-factor model in the standardization sample. The current study examined the WISC-IV’s factor structure in a sample of children with ADHD. Method: Participants included 314 children and adolescents who were diagnosed with ADHD. Confirmatory factor analysis was conducted on the 10 core subtests of the WISC-IV, and three models were examined including two based on Cattell–Horn–Carroll (CHC) theory. Results: A five-factor model consisting of Gc, Gf, Gv, Gsm, and Gs factors provided the best fit for the data. The Perceptual Reasoning factor identified in the original four-factor model split into the two CHC factors, Gf and Gv, and cross-loaded the Symbol Search subtest onto the Gv factor. Conclusion: A five-factor model based on CHC theory provided superior fit for the WISC-IV in children with ADHD, as has been found with the standardization sample.
Fat mass and obesity gene and cognitive decline

ABSTRACT Objective: To determine whether 4 genetic variants in the fat mass and obesity associated gene (FTO) identified in genome-wide association studies of diabetes and obesity are associated with cognitive change in midlife in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Study. Methods: ARIC is a prospective cohort study of the development of atherosclerosis in 15,792 individuals aged 45 to 64 years at baseline from 1986 to 1989. FTO is highly expressed in human fetal and adult brain, and a single nucleotide polymorphism in FTO has previously been associated with reduced brain volume in cognitively normal subjects. Since a relationship between brain atrophy and diminished cognitive function has been demonstrated in ARIC participants, general linear models were used to evaluate the association between 6-year change in scores on 3 neuropsychological tests and FTO genotype. Results: In a sample of 8,364 white and 2,083 African American men and women with no clinical history of stroke, significantly greater mean change in performance on the Delayed Word Recall Test was associated with 2 of 4 FTO single nucleotide polymorphisms examined (rs9939609, rs805136, rs17817449, and rs1421085) in whites but not in African Americans (p ≤ 0.002). The association of the FTO polymorphisms with cognitive change was independent of potential confounding clinical and demographic variables including age, gender, education, diabetes, hypertension, and body mass index. Conclusions: Further studies will be needed to clarify the biological mechanisms and genetic pathways through which variants in FTO can increase susceptibility to decline in verbal memory detectable in middle-aged, community-dwelling adults.
Ondansetron for the prevention of emesis induced by high‐dose cisplatin. A multi‐center dose‐response study

To determine a dose‐response relationship of ondansetron for the prevention of emesis induced by high‐dose cisplatin and to study the efficacy of the extended dosing schedule of ondansetron during 20 hours after cisplatin administration, 36 patients with malignant neoplasms who had not previously received chemotherapy but who were currently receiving cisplatin were treated. These patients received a six‐dose regimen of 0.01 mg/kg (low dose) or 0.18 mg/kg (high dose) of ondansetron. Seven (41%) patients in the high‐dose group had no emesis and four (24%) patients had one or two episodes. One (5%) patient in the low‐dose group had no emesis and four (21%) patients had one or two episodes. The difference in the number of emetic episodes was significant (P < 0.02). Fifty percent of the high‐dose patients reported no nausea or mild nausea, compared with 11% of the low‐dose patients. Clinical adverse events included mild, transient headache and dizziness in the high‐dose group and headache and diarrhea in the low‐dose group, with no significant laboratory abnormalities. There is a parallel relationship between the ondansetron doses and the antiemetic efficacy. The response rate for the six‐dose regimen of 0.18 mg/kg was not superior to that for the previously reported 0.18 mg/kg regimen given in a three‐dose schedule in a similar clinical setting.
Du médecin correspondant au médecin référent : une étude des délais de transmission des informations de santé aux Antilles françaises

Introduction : A l’heure du virage ambulatoire et du parcours de soins coordonne, une transmission rapide des informations medicales entre medecins de premier et second recours est indispensable a la continuite des soins. Objectif : Evaluer les delais de transmission des comptes rendus (CR) d’hospitalisation et de consultation aux medecins generalistes exercant dans deux departements francais. Methodes : Une etude transversale a ete realisee en 2015 dans 96 cabinets medicaux en Guadeloupe et Martinique. Au cours d’une semaine selectionnee aleatoirement, les CR recus dans ces cabinets ont ete exhaustivement collectes. Ont ete mesures : la date de sortie d’hospitalisation ou de consultation, la date de reception du CR, l’emetteur (specialiste hospitalier public ou prive, specialiste ambulatoire), le type de CR (hospitalisation ou consultation), et le mode de transmission (fax, internet, courrier postal, mains propres). L’analyse multivariee a fait appel a la regression multi-niveau. Resultats : Parmi les 1088 CR analyses, 70% etaient des CR de consultation, mais 72% emanaient de professionnels hospitaliers. Ils etaient essentiellement transmis par voie postale (75%) ou en mains propres (21%), 3% par internet. Le delai median de transmission etait de 14 jours, 69% des CR etant recus au-dela de 8 jours. Independamment des autres variables, le risque de transmission au-dela de 8 jours etait augmente pour les CR emanant de professionnels hospitaliers (OR ajuste=2,9 ; IC95% : 2,1-4,1). Conclusion : Les delais de correspondance observes dans cette etude restaient eleves. Compte-tenu des outils informatiques aujourd’hui disponibles, dematerialisation des CR et incitation voire coercition des professionnels hospitaliers constituent deux pistes d’amelioration.
"Remembering" words not presented in lists: relevance to the current recovered/false memory controversy.

H.L. Roediger and K.B. McDermott (1995) found that when participants studied a list of words with a common but not presented associate, participants frequently falsely reported remembering the never presented associated word as part of the list. Roediger and McDermott suggest that this finding is generalizable to the current controversy surrounding contested memories of child abuse. The present authors urge caution in making such a generalization, arguing that there are critical differences between Roediger and McDermott's findings and contested memories of abuse.
Race and Ideology: African-American Images in Television Advertising

Although the numerical representation of African-Americans in contemporary television advertising has improved in recent years, the authors’ analysis illustrates how the potentially positive effects of including more African-Americans in advertisements are often mitigated by subtle racist elements that suggest African-American inferiority. Using an interpretive approach, the authors cast the problem within a framework of racism as ideology, that is, the dominant white ideology pervading the advertising industry. Their discussion of six themes identified in their analysis of prime-time television commercials serves to highlight problematic images of African-Americans that continue to persist in contemporary advertising. In the spirit of self-regulation, the authors suggest actions that the advertising industry can take to present more positive and varied portrayals of minority populations.