ROOTCLUS: Searching for "ROOT CLUSters" in Three-Way Proximity Data.

In the context of three-way proximity data, an INDCLUS-type model is presented to address the issue of subject heterogeneity regarding the perception of object pairwise similarity. A model, termed ROOTCLUS, is presented that allows for the detection of a subset of objects whose similarities are described in terms of non-overlapping clusters (ROOT CLUSters) common across all subjects. For the other objects, Individual partitions, which are subject specific, are allowed where clusters are linked one-to-one to the Root clusters. A sound ALS-type algorithm to fit the model to data is presented. The novel method is evaluated in an extensive simulation study and illustrated with empirical data sets.

Taste quality traits and volatile profiles of sprouts and wheatgrass from hulled and non-hulled Triticum species.

Wheat sprouts and wheatgrass represent a sort of fresh vegetable for the ready-to-eat market and are acknowledged for their bioactive compounds content. Besides nutritional properties, sensory quality is a crucial issue for consumers' satisfaction. This work reports several sensory traits of sprouts and wheatgrass from five genotypes of Triticum species. Sprouts showed higher soluble solids content (SSC) and SSC/TA (titratable acidity) ratio than wheatgrass. The prevalent volatile compounds of both sprouts and wheatgrass were 1-penten-3-ol, 1-penten-3-one, E-2-hexenal, and 1-octen-3-ol, responsible for green, solvent, earthy, and mushroom odors. Differences among samples were affected more by the growing stage than by the genotype. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Results indicate sprouts and wheatgrass have a strong flavor, which might not be acceptable to consumers. This suggests the addition of sprouts to vegetable-based products, such as salads, in order to enhance the taste complexity while providing valuable phytochemicals. Similarly, the strong flavor of wheatgrass, which is mainly used alone to make juices, could be mitigated by mixing it with other vegetable products or by using it as a garnishment. Overall, the observed sensory traits and volatile compounds represent a tool for a tailored choice of the sprout stage and genotype depending on the desired food specialty (e.g., salad, course garnishment, juice).

GINDCLUS: Generalized INDCLUS with External Information.

A Generalized INDCLUS model, termed GINDCLUS, is presented for clustering three-way two-mode proximity data. In order to account for the heterogeneity of the data, both a partition of the subjects into homogeneous classes and a covering of the objects into groups are simultaneously determined. Furthermore, the availability of information which is external to the three-way data is exploited to better account for such heterogeneity: the weights of both classifications are linearly linked to external variables allowing for the identification of meaningful classes of subjects and groups of objects. The model is fitted in a least-squares framework, and an efficient Alternating Least-Squares algorithm is provided. An extensive simulation study and an application on benchmark data are also presented.

The K-INDSCAL Model for Heterogeneous Three-Way Dissimilarity Data.

A weighted Euclidean distance model for analyzing three-way dissimilarity data (stimuli by stimuli by subjects) for heterogeneous subjects is proposed. First, it is shown that INDSCAL may fail to identify a common space representative of the observed data structure in presence of heterogeneity. A new model that removes the rotational invariance of the classical multidimensional scaling problem and specifies K common homogeneous spaces is proposed. The model, called mixture INDSCAL in K classes, or briefly K-INDSCAL, still includes individual saliencies. However, the large number of parameters in K-INDSCAL may produce instability of the estimates and therefore a parsimonious model will also be discussed. The parameters of the model are estimated in a least-squares fitting context and an efficient coordinate descent algorithm is given. The usefulness of K-INDSCAL is demonstrated by both artificial and real data analyses.

Is mindfulness-based therapy an effective intervention for obsessive-intrusive thoughts: a case series.

Despite the efficacy of cognitive-behavioural interventions in improving the experience of obsessions and compulsions, some people do not benefit from this approach. The present research uses a case series design to establish whether mindfulness-based therapy could benefit those experiencing obsessive-intrusive thoughts by targeting thought-action fusion and thought suppression. Three participants received a relaxation control intervention followed by a six-session mindfulness-based intervention which emphasized daily practice. Following therapy all participants demonstrated reductions in Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale scores to below clinical levels, with two participants maintaining this at follow-up. Qualitative analysis of post-therapy feedback suggested that mindfulness skills such as observation, awareness and acceptance were seen as helpful in managing thought-action fusion and suppression. Despite being limited by small participant numbers, these results suggest that mindfulness may be beneficial to some people experiencing intrusive unwanted thoughts and that further research could establish the possible efficacy of this approach in larger samples.

Does magical thinking produce neutralising behaviour? An experimental investigation.

Magical thinking is of relevance to obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), and has been most widely investigated in relation to the cognitive bias known as thought-action fusion (TAF). This is seen as playing a role in the formation of fears about responsibility for harm. We suggest that magical thinking may also characterise some types of neutralising behaviour, which arise in response to those fears, and are a hallmark of the disorder. In an experimental study of 51 undergraduate students, we assessed whether the use of neutralising behaviours in response to an induction of fears of increasing likelihood for harm is related to a propensity for magical thinking. The 75.5% of participants demonstrated at least one form of neutralising behaviour in response to a TAF-induction task. Neutralising was associated with stronger and more persistent responses to the task, and with questionnaire measures of magical ideation. Those who neutralised did not report higher levels of OCD symptoms. It appears that neutralising is a common response in circumstances that provoke a sense of responsibility for harm. Its occurrence may be linked to magical thinking, however, the results from this experimental investigation suggested that this process may not be specific to OCD.