Algorithmic Complexity for Short Binary Strings Applied to Psychology: A Primer

Since human randomness production has been studied and widely used to assess executive functions (especially inhibition), many measures have been suggested to assess the degree to which a sequence is random-like. However, each of them focuses on one feature of randomness, leading authors to have to use multiple measures. Here we describe and advocate for the use of the accepted universal measure for randomness based on algorithmic complexity, by means of a novel previously presented technique using the the definition of algorithmic probability. A re-analysis of the classical Radio Zenith data in the light of the proposed measure and methodology is provided as a study case of an application.Comment: To appear in Behavior Research Method

Observation of D0→ρ0γD^0\to \rho^0\gamma and search for CPCP violation in radiative charm decays

We report the first observation of the radiative charm decay $D^0 \to \rho^0 \gamma$ and the first search for $CP$ violation in decays $D^0 \to \rho^0 \gamma$, $\phi\gamma$, and $\overline{K}{}^{*0} \gamma$, using a data sample of 943 fb$^{-1}$ collected with the Belle detector at the KEKB asymmetric-energy $e^+e^-$ collider. The branching fraction is measured to be $\mathcal{B}(D^0 \to \rho^0 \gamma)=(1.77 \pm 0.30 \pm 0.07) \times 10^{-5}$, where the first uncertainty is statistical and the second is systematic. The obtained $CP$ asymmetries, $\mathcal{A}_{CP}(D^0 \to \rho^0 \gamma)=+0.056 \pm 0.152 \pm 0.006$, $\mathcal{A}_{CP}(D^0 \to \phi \gamma)=-0.094 \pm 0.066 \pm 0.001$, and $\mathcal{A}_{CP}(D^0 \to \overline{K}{}^{*0} \gamma)=-0.003 \pm 0.020 \pm 0.000$, are consistent with no $CP$ violation. We also present an improved measurement of the branching fractions $\mathcal{B}(D^0 \to \phi \gamma)=(2.76 \pm 0.19 \pm 0.10) \times 10^{-5}$ and $\mathcal{B}(D^0 \to \overline{K}{}^{*0} \gamma)=(4.66 \pm 0.21 \pm 0.21) \times 10^{-4}$

A Novel Peptide Derived from Human Apolipoprotein E Is an Inhibitor of Tumor Growth and Ocular Angiogenesis

Angiogenesis is a hallmark of tumor development and metastasis and now a validated target for cancer treatment. We previously reported that a novel dimer peptide (apoEdp) derived from the receptor binding region of human apolipoprotein E (apoE) inhibits virus-induced angiogenesis. However, its role in tumor anti-angiogenesis is unknown. This study demonstrates that apoEdp has anti-angiogenic property in vivo through reduction of tumor growth in a mouse model and ocular angiogenesis in a rabbit eye model. Our in vitro studies show that apoEdp inhibits human umbilical vein endothelial cell proliferation, migration, invasion and capillary tube formation. We document that apoEdp inhibits vascular endothelial growth factor-induced Flk-1 activation as well as downstream signaling pathways that involve c-Src, Akt, eNOS, FAK, and ERK1/2. These in vitro data suggest potential sites of the apoE dipeptide inhibition that could occur in vivo

Global epidemiology of drug resistance after failure of WHO recommended first-line regimens for adult HIV-1 infection: A multicentre retrospective cohort study

Background Antiretroviral therapy (ART) is crucial for controlling HIV-1 infection through wide-scale treatment as prevention and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). Potent tenofovir disoproxil fumarate-containing regimens are increasingly used to treat and prevent HIV, although few data exist for frequency and risk factors of acquired drug resistance in regions hardest hit by the HIV pandemic. We aimed to do a global assessment of drug resistance after virological failure with first-line tenofovir-containing ART.Methods The TenoRes collaboration comprises adult HIV treatment cohorts and clinical trials of HIV drug resistance testing in Europe, Latin and North America, sub-Saharan Africa, and Asia. We extracted and harmonised data for patients undergoing genotypic resistance testing after virological failure with a first-line regimen containing tenofovir plus a cytosine analogue (lamivudine or emtricitabine) plus a non-nucleotide reverse-transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI; efavirenz or nevirapine). We used an individual participant-level meta-analysis and multiple logistic regression to identify covariates associated with drug resistance. Our primary outcome was tenofovir resistance, defined as presence of K65R/N or K70E/G/Q mutations in the reverse transcriptase (RT) gene.Findings We included 1926 patients from 36 countries with treatment failure between 1998 and 2015. Prevalence of tenofovir resistance was highest in sub-Saharan Africa (370/654 [57%]). Pre-ART CD4 cell count was the covariate most strongly associated with the development of tenofovir resistance (odds ratio [OR] 1.50, 95% CI 1.27-1.77 for CD4 cell count <100 cells per mu L). Use of lamivudine versus emtricitabine increased the risk of tenofovir resistance across regions (OR 1.48, 95% CI 1.20-1.82). Of 700 individuals with tenofovir resistance, 578 (83%) had cytosine analogue resistance (M184V/I mutation), 543 (78%) had major NNRTI resistance, and 457 (65%) had both. The mean plasma viral load at virological failure was similar in individuals with and without tenofovir resistance (145 700 copies per mL [SE 12 480] versus 133 900 copies per mL [SE 16 650; p=0.626]).Interpretation We recorded drug resistance in a high proportion of patients after virological failure on a tenofovir-containing first-line regimen across low-income and middle-income regions. Effective surveillance for transmission of drug resistance is crucial. Copyright (C) The TenoRes Study Group. Open Access article distributed under the terms of CC BY

Global epidemiology of drug resistance after failure of WHO recommended first-line regimens for adult HIV-1 infection: A multicentre retrospective cohort study

Background Antiretroviral therapy (ART) is crucial for controlling HIV-1 infection through wide-scale treatment as prevention and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). Potent tenofovir disoproxil fumarate-containing regimens are increasingly used to treat and prevent HIV, although few data exist for frequency and risk factors of acquired drug resistance in regions hardest hit by the HIV pandemic. We aimed to do a global assessment of drug resistance after virological failure with first-line tenofovir-containing ART.Methods The TenoRes collaboration comprises adult HIV treatment cohorts and clinical trials of HIV drug resistance testing in Europe, Latin and North America, sub-Saharan Africa, and Asia. We extracted and harmonised data for patients undergoing genotypic resistance testing after virological failure with a first-line regimen containing tenofovir plus a cytosine analogue (lamivudine or emtricitabine) plus a non-nucleotide reverse-transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI; efavirenz or nevirapine). We used an individual participant-level meta-analysis and multiple logistic regression to identify covariates associated with drug resistance. Our primary outcome was tenofovir resistance, defined as presence of K65R/N or K70E/G/Q mutations in the reverse transcriptase (RT) gene.Findings We included 1926 patients from 36 countries with treatment failure between 1998 and 2015. Prevalence of tenofovir resistance was highest in sub-Saharan Africa (370/654 [57%]). Pre-ART CD4 cell count was the covariate most strongly associated with the development of tenofovir resistance (odds ratio [OR] 1.50, 95% CI 1.27-1.77 for CD4 cell count <100 cells per mu L). Use of lamivudine versus emtricitabine increased the risk of tenofovir resistance across regions (OR 1.48, 95% CI 1.20-1.82). Of 700 individuals with tenofovir resistance, 578 (83%) had cytosine analogue resistance (M184V/I mutation), 543 (78%) had major NNRTI resistance, and 457 (65%) had both. The mean plasma viral load at virological failure was similar in individuals with and without tenofovir resistance (145 700 copies per mL [SE 12 480] versus 133 900 copies per mL [SE 16 650; p=0.626]).Interpretation We recorded drug resistance in a high proportion of patients after virological failure on a tenofovir-containing first-line regimen across low-income and middle-income regions. Effective surveillance for transmission of drug resistance is crucial. Copyright (C) The TenoRes Study Group. Open Access article distributed under the terms of CC BY

Gelotophobia, emotion-related skills and responses to the affective states of others

Gelotophobia (the fear of being laughed at) has recently been introduced as an individual difference variable that is not only relevant in clinical practice but also as part of a normal variant of personality. Observations of several emotion-related concomitants of gelotophobia suggested that gelotophobic individuals may be inapt or insecure with regard to the habitual use of certain emotion-related skills. We evaluated relationships of gelotophobia to measures of trait emotional intelligence and also examined participants’ responses to the affective states of another person in an experimental setting (exposure to emotionally contagious films displaying intense cheerfulness, sadness, anxiety, anger, or neutral mood). Individuals with high gelotophobia scores indicated that they feel relatively weak at regulating their emotions, and the attempts they typically make to manage their emotions are considered inefficient by experts. Accordingly, they showed a high degree of emotional contagion of negative moods. They also reported to have a strong tendency to control the expression of their emotions. Both self-report, typical-performance and experimental data only revealed differences in the use of intrapersonal emotion-related skills, but provided no evidence that gelotophobia may be related to deficits in interpersonal skills

Experimentally observed responses to humor are related to individual differences in emotion perception and regulation in everyday life

This study aimed to investigate the relevance of an individual's typical emotion perception and emotion regulation behavior to his or her responsiveness to humor. This was studied behaviorally by examining responses to different types of humorous stimuli in an experimental paradigm, in a sample of n = 54 participants aged between 18 to 41 years (29 women, 25 men). Individual differences in emotion perception and regulation were assessed by relevant subscales of an established self-report instrument. Higher scores on emotion perception were related to higher amusement ratings in response to the humorous stimuli. Higher scores on emotion regulation were associated with shorter response latencies for the amusement ratings, particularly when it was important to mentalize with the characters in the cartoons in order to understand the humor. The cognitive understanding of the humor was unaffected. The findings suggest that good emotion perception and emotion regulation skills may contribute to greater humor responsiveness in everyday life, which may be an adaptive trait promoting successful functioning and resilience

Potential markers of aggressive behavior: the fear of other persons' laughter and its overlaps with mental disorders.

BACKGROUND: Anecdotal evidence suggested that some outbreaks of aggression and violence may be related to a fear of being laughed at and ridiculed. The present study examined the potential association of the fear of other persons' laughter (gelotophobia) with emotion-related deficits predisposing for aggression, anger and aggression proneness, and its overlaps with relevant mental disorders. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Gelotophobic individuals were compared to a non-phobic control group with respect to emotion regulation skills and strategies, alexithymia, anger proneness, and aggressive behavior. Social phobia was diagnosed using the Structural Clinical Interview (SCID-I) for DSM IV (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition). Additionally, the SCID-II modules for Cluster A Personality Disorders, which includes schizoid, paranoid, and schizotypal personality disorder were administered to all participants. The findings show that gelotophobia is associated with deficits in the typical handling of an individual's own affective states, greater anger proneness and more aggressive behavior according to self-report as compared to non-phobic individuals. 80% of the subjects in the gelotophobia group had an additional diagnosis of social phobia and/or Cluster A personality disorder. The additional diagnoses did not predict additional variance of anger or aggressive behavior as compared to gelotophobia alone. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Features related to aggression and violence that are inherent in mental disorders such as social phobia and Cluster A personality disorders may be particularly evident in the symptom of fear of other persons' laughter