Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Induction maintenance with tumour necrosis factor-inhibitor combination therapy with discontinuation versus methotrexate monotherapy in early rheumatoid arthritis: a systematic review and meta-analysis of efficacy in randomised controlled trials

Objective To determine whether an induction-maintenance strategy of combined therapy (methotrexate (MTX)+tumour necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitor (TNFi)) followed by withdrawal of TNFi could yield better long-term results than a strategy with MTX monotherapy, since it is unclear if the benefits from an induction phase with combined therapy are sustained if TNFi is withdrawn. Methods We performed a meta-analysis of trials using the initial combination of MTX+TNFi in conventional synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drug-naïve patients with early rheumatoid arthritis (RA). A systematic literature search was performed for induction-maintenance randomised controlled trials (RCTs) where initial combination therapy was compared with MTX monotherapy in patients with clinically active early RA. Our primary outcome was the proportion of patients who achieved low disease activity (LDA; Disease Activity Score (DAS)28<3.2) and/or remission (DAS28<2.6) at 12–76 weeks of follow-up. A random-effects model was used to pool the risk ratio (RR) for LDA and remission and heterogeneity was explored by subgroup analyses. Results We identified 6 published RCTs, 4 of them where MTX+adalimumab was given as initial therapy and where adalimumab was withdrawn in a subset of patients after LDA/remission had been achieved. 2 additional trials used MTX+infliximab as combination therapy. The pooled RRs for achieving LDA and clinical remission at follow-up after withdrawal of TNFi were 1.41 (95% CI 1.05 to 1.89) and 1.34 (95% CI 0.95 to 1.89), respectively. There was significant heterogeneity between trials due to different treatment strategies, which was a limitation to this study. Conclusions Initial therapy with MTX+TNFi is associated with a higher chance of retaining LDA and/or remission even after discontinuation of TNFi.
‘Queer(y)ing methodologies: doing fieldwork and becoming queer’ – guest editorial

Abstract This themed issue contributes to discussions of queer positionalities in the context of doing fieldwork on/with queer-identified subjects. The point of departure being that the term queer has emerged to qualify a specific scholarship that contests normative orders in gender and sexuality, and that queering is a form of critique of multiple power relations that informs knowledge production. Normative sex and gender orders are reflected in the power-knowledge relations that produce ‘queerness’ as outsider, abnormal and subaltern. In order to challenge these normativities, the production of knowledge must be contested in its conception. Here we present the theoretical framework that grounds our themed issue as well a short summary of the articles in this series.
Women and Stem

Researchers from economics, sociology, psychology, and other disciplines have studied the persistent under-representation of women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). This chapter summarizes this research. We argue that women’s under-representation is concentrated in the math-intensive science fields of geosciences, engineering, economics, math/computer science and physical science. Our analysis concentrates on the environmental factors that influence ability, preferences, and the rewards for those choices. We examine how gendered stereotypes, culture, role models, competition, risk aversion, and interests contribute to gender STEM gap, starting at childhood, solidifying by middle school, and affecting women and men as they progress through school, higher education, and into the labor market. Our results are consistent with preferences and psychological explanations for the under-representation of women in math-intensive STEM fields.
Prevalence and Nature of Sexual Dysfunctions in OCD in a Tertiary Medical College

Normal sexual behavior brings pleasure to oneself and one's partner involves stimulation of the primary sex organs including coitus; it is devoid of inappropriate feelings of guilt or anxiety and is not compulsive. Sexual functioning is influenced by a number of factors, mental illness being one of them. Sexual dysfunction in patients with OCD has mostly been studied independently or in gender-specific studies. These studies have reported significant dysfunction in different areas of sexual functioning. The aim of this study is an attempt to assess & compare the presence, prevalence & types of sexual dysfunctions (SD) in OCD mostly coming from rural background in a Tertiary Government Hospital in West Bengal. Our study revealed Sexual dysfunction was in 53.33% of the subjects. Orgasmic dysfunction was the most frequent dysfunction 20.51% in females (N=8), followed by problems in desire15.38%. However since the data were collected from a specific population, the degree to which they represent the general population cannot be commented upon. Key word : OCD, Sexual Dysfunction
GLYCOSAMINOGLYCAN SYNTHESIS BY EMBRYONIC INDUCTORS: NEURAL TUBE, NOTOCHORD, AND LENS

Considerable indirect evidence (1-4) and some direct evidence (5-8) indicate that glycosaminoglycans (GAG) promote certain types of morphogenesis and cell differentiat ion. Removal of basement m e m b r a n e by hyaluronidase disrupts salivary gland branching (2) and hyaluronate interferes with chondrocyte aggregat ion (5). On the positive side, chondromucopro te in s t imulates the synthesis of extracellular matr ix by chondrocytes and prechondrocytes (6, 7). Chondro i t in and heparan sulfates and collagen, but not de rmatan or kera tan sulfates or hyaluronate , p romote product ion of pr imary corneal s t roma by corneal epithelium (8, 9), an event which in vivo is said to be induced by
Ischemic Preconditioning by Caspase Cleavage of Poly(ADP-Ribose) Polymerase-1

A transient, sublethal ischemic interval confers resistance to a subsequent, otherwise lethal ischemic insult, in a process termed ischemic preconditioning. Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 (PARP-1) normally functions in DNA repair, but extensive PARP-1 activation is a major cause of ischemic cell death. Because PARP-1 can be cleaved and inactivated by caspases, we investigated the possibility that caspase cleavage of PARP-1 could contribute to ischemic preconditioning. Murine cortical cultures were treated with glucose deprivation combined with 0.5 mm 2-deoxyglucose and 5 mm azide (“chemical ischemia”) to model the reversible energy failure that occurs during transient ischemia in vivo. Cortical cultures preconditioned with 15 min of chemical ischemia showed increased resistance to subsequent, longer periods of chemical ischemia. These cultures were also more resistant to the PARP-1 activating agent, N-methyl-N′-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine, suggesting reduced capacity for PARP-1 activation after preconditioning. Immunostaining for the 89 kDa PARP-1 cleavage fragment and for poly(ADP-ribose) formation confirmed that PARP-1 was cleaved and PARP-1 activity was attenuated in the preconditioned neurons. Preconditioning also produced an increase in activated caspase-3 peptide and an increase in caspase-3 activity in the cortical cultures. A cause-effect relationship between caspase activation, PARP-1 cleavage, and ischemic preconditioning was supported by studies using the caspase inhibitor Ac-Asp-Glu-Val-Asp-aldehyde (DEVD-CHO). Cultures treated with DEVD-CHO after preconditioning showed reduced PARP-1 cleavage and reduced resistance to subsequent ischemia. These findings suggest a novel interaction between the caspase- and PARP-1-mediated cell death pathways in which sublethal caspase activation leads to PARP-1 cleavage, thereby increasing resistance to subsequent ischemic stress.
Conditional relevance of controls: A simultaneous test of the influences of self-control and deterrence on criminal behaviour in the context of Situational Action Theory

Situational Action Theory includes a series of propositions on the interaction between the moral filter and internal and external controls. These reflections are condensed into the principle of the conditional relevance of controls and the principle of moral correspondence. In this study, the interplay of controls and moral forces is tested within the framework of structural equation modelling. Survey data from two cohorts of students in the German cities of Dortmund (North-Rhine Westphalia) and Nuremberg (Bavaria) serve as the empirical base. By using multiple group comparisons, the influences of self-control and deterrence on self-reported delinquency are examined simultaneously for four different subgroups of respondents formed on the basis of their levels of crime propensity and criminogenic exposure. The analyses provide support for a conditional relevance of controls, but produce only mixed evidence for the principle of moral correspondence. Controls are more important when the moral filter is weak, but fail to lose their explanatory power among adolescents characterized by both high propensity and strong exposure. Our findings furthermore suggest that self-control appears to matter particularly when the moral context encourages crime and deterrence seems to be influential especially when personal morality encourages crime.
Investigación Original / Original Research Serie Sobre Salud Ocular / Series on Eye Health a Comparative Assessment of Avoidable Blindness and Visual Impairment in Seven Latin American Countries: Prevalence, Coverage, and Inequality

A comparative assessment of avoidable blindness and visual impairment in seven Latin American countries: prevalence, coverage, and inequality. To build upon recent achievements in service delivery and reduction of blindness and to address the challenges of universality and equity in the provi-Objective. To conduct a comparative analysis of social inequalities in eye health and eye health care and generate baseline evidence for seven Latin American countries as a bench-marking exercise for monitoring progress toward three goals of the regional Plan of Action for the Prevention of Blindness and Visual Impairment: increasing eye health service coverage, minimizing barriers, and reducing eye health–related disease burden. Methods. Results from cross-sectional eye health surveys conducted in six Latin American countries (Argentina, El Salvador, Honduras, Panama, Peru, and Uruguay) from 2011 to 2013 and recently published national surveys in Paraguay were analyzed. The magnitude of absolute and relative inequalities between countries in five dimensions of eye health across the population gradient defined by three equity stratifiers (educational attainment, literacy, and wealth) were explored using standard exploratory data analysis techniques. Results. Overall prevalence of blindness in people 50 years old and older varied from 0.7% (95% CI: 0.4–1.0) in Argentina to 3.0% (95% CI: 2.3–3.6) in Panama. Overall prevalence of visual impairment (severe plus moderate) varied from 8.0% (95% CI: 6.5–11.0) in Uruguay to 14.3% (95% CI: 13.9–14.7) in El Salvador. The main reported cause of blindness was un-operated cataract and most cases of visual impairment were caused by uncorrected refractive error. Three countries had cataract surgical coverage of more than 90% for blind persons, and two-thirds of cataract-operated patients had good visual acuity. Conclusions. Blindness and moderate visual impairment prevalence were concentrated among the most socially disadvantaged, and cataract surgical coverage and cataract surgery optimal outcome were concentrated among the wealthiest. There is a need for policy action to increase services coverage and quality to achieve universality.
Runtime Prediction for Scale-Out Data Analytics

Many analytics applications generate mixed workloads, i.e., workloads comprised of analytical tasks with different processing characteristics including data pre-processing, SQL, and iterative machine learning algorithms. Examples of such mixed workloads can be found in web data analysis, social media analysis, and graph analytics, where they are executed repetitively on large input datasets (e.g., "Find the average user time spent on the top 10 most popular web pages on the UK domain web graph."). Scale-out processing engines satisfy the needs of these applications by distributing the data and the processing task efficiently among multiple workers that are first reserved and then used to execute the task in parallel on a cluster of machines. Finding the resource allocation that can complete the workload execution within a given time constraint, and optimizing cluster resource allocations among multiple analytical workloads motivates the need for estimating the runtime of the workload before its actual execution. Predicting runtime of analytical workloads is a challenging problem as runtime depends on a large number of factors that are hard to model a priori execution. These factors can be summarized as workload characteristics (i.e., data statistics and processing costs), the execution configuration (i.e., deployment, resource allocation, and software settings), and the cost model that captures the interplay among all of the above parameters. While conventional cost models proposed in the context of query optimization can assess the relative order among alternative SQL query plans, they are not aimed to estimate absolute runtime. Additionally, conventional models are ill-equipped to estimate the runtime of iterative analytics that are executed repetitively until convergence and that of user defined data pre-processing operators which are not "owned" by the underlying data management system. This thesis demonstrates that runtime for data analytics can be predicted accurately by breaking the analytical tasks into multiple processing phases, collecting key input features during a reference execution on a sample of the dataset, and then using the features to build per-phase cost models. We develop prediction models for three categories of data analytics produced by social media applications: iterative machine learning, data pre-processing, and reporting SQL. The prediction framework for iterative analytics, PREDIcT, addresses the challenging problem of estimating the number of iterations, and per-iteration runtime for a class of iterative machine learning algorithms that are run repetitively until convergence. The hybrid prediction models we develop for data pre-processing tasks and for reporting SQL combine the benefits of analytical modeling with that of machine learning-based models. Through a training methodology and a pruning algorithm we reduce the cost of running training queries to a minimum while maintaining a good level of accuracy for the models.
Molecular Dynamics Simulations to Investigate the Influences of Amino Acid Mutations on Protein Three-Dimensional Structures of Cytochrome P450 2D6.1, 2, 10, 14A, 51, and 62

Many natural mutants of the drug metabolizing enzyme cytochrome P450 (CYP) 2D6 have been reported. Because the enzymatic activities of many mutants are different from that of the wild type, the genetic polymorphism of CYP2D6 plays an important role in drug metabolism. In this study, the molecular dynamics simulations of the wild type and mutants of CYP2D6, CYP2D6.1, 2, 10, 14A, 51, and 62 were performed, and the predictions of static and dynamic structures within them were conducted. In the mutant CYP2D6.10, 14A, and 61, dynamic properties of the F-G loop, which is one of the components of the active site access channel of CYP2D6, were different from that of the wild type. The F-G loop acted as the “hatch” of the channel, which was closed in those mutants. The structure of CYP2D6.51 was not converged by the simulation, which indicated that the three-dimensional structure of CYP2D6.51 was largely different from that of the wild type. In addition, the intramolecular interaction network of CYP2D6.10, 14A, and 61 was different from that of the wild type, and it is considered that these structural changes are the reason for the decrease or loss of enzymatic activities. On the other hand, the static and dynamic properties of CYP2D6.2, whose activity was normal, were not considerably different from those of the wild type.
The Guinea Pig as a Model for Sporadic Alzheimer’s Disease (AD): The Impact of Cholesterol Intake on Expression of AD-Related Genes

We investigated the guinea pig, Cavia porcellus, as a model for Alzheimer’s disease (AD), both in terms of the conservation of genes involved in AD and the regulatory responses of these to a known AD risk factor - high cholesterol intake. Unlike rats and mice, guinea pigs possess an Aβ peptide sequence identical to human Aβ. Consistent with the commonality between cardiovascular and AD risk factors in humans, we saw that a high cholesterol diet leads to up-regulation of BACE1 (β-secretase) transcription and down-regulation of ADAM10 (α-secretase) transcription which should increase release of Aβ from APP. Significantly, guinea pigs possess isoforms of AD-related genes found in humans but not present in mice or rats. For example, we discovered that the truncated PS2V isoform of human PSEN2, that is found at raised levels in AD brains and that increases γ-secretase activity and Aβ synthesis, is not uniquely human or aberrant as previously believed. We show that PS2V formation is up-regulated by hypoxia and a high-cholesterol diet while, consistent with observations in humans, Aβ concentrations are raised in some brain regions but not others. Also like humans, but unlike mice, the guinea pig gene encoding tau, MAPT, encodes isoforms with both three and four microtubule binding domains, and cholesterol alters the ratio of these isoforms. We conclude that AD-related genes are highly conserved and more similar to human than the rat or mouse. Guinea pigs represent a superior rodent model for analysis of the impact of dietary factors such as cholesterol on the regulation of AD-related genes.
How is attunement, disruption, and repair experienced by the therapist in an attachment-focused approach to psychotherapy?

This study explored the question: How is attunement, disruption and repair (ADR) experienced by the therapist in an attachment-focused approach to psychotherapy? The prevailing conception of ADR has emerged from a confluence of domains of inquiry: infant development research, psychotherapy, and affective neuroscience. However, it was not until recently that insights from these three areas of study converged. This convergence has created a flood of theoretical literature that conceptualizes ADR as a fundamental vehicle for change in the therapeutic relationship. However, two principal issues have been eluded: 1) there has been a lack of consensus on what constitutes attunement, disruption and repair and, 2) while ADR has been investigated extensively in infant development research and has been theorized to occur in the therapeutic relationship, there is a dearth of empirical demonstrations examining attunement, disrupton and repair as experienced by the therapist in the therapeutic process. The current research comprised a qualitative micro-analysis of the moment to moment shifts in the interactive process of ADR as experienced by the therapist. By investigating the question, “How is attunement, disruption and repair experienced by the therapist in an attachment-focused approach to psychotherapy? ” the present qualitative study filled in a significant gap in the literature, contributed to our knowledge of the construct and the role of attunement, disruption and repair in the therapeutic process, informed existing theory on affect regulation and attachment repair, and informed the change process in therapy.
Biomarkers in Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery: Ready for Prime Time and Outcome Prediction?

Coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG) is still one of the most frequently performed surgical procedures all over the world. The results of this procedure have been constantly improved over the years with low perioperative mortality rates, with relatively low complication rates. To further improve these outstanding results, the clinicians focused their attention at biomarkers as outcome predictors. Although biological testing for disease prediction has already been discussed many times, the role of biomarkers in outcome prediction after CABG is still controversial. In this article, we reviewed the current knowledge regarding the role of genetic and dynamic biomarkers and their possible association with the occurrence of adverse clinical outcomes after CABG. We also took into consideration that the molecular pathway activation and the possible imbalance may affect hard outcomes and graft patency. We analyzed biomarkers classified in two different categories depending on their possibility to change over time: genetic markers and dynamic markers. Moreover, we evaluated these markers by dividing them, into sub-categories, such as inflammation, hemostasis, renin–angiotensin, endothelial function, and other pathways. We showed that biomarkers might be associated with unfavorable outcomes after surgery, and in some cases improved outcome prediction. However, the identification of a specific panel of biomarkers or of some algorithms including biomarkers is still in an early developmental phase. Finally, larger studies are needed to analyze broad panel of biomarkers with the specific aim to evaluate the prediction of hard outcomes and graft patency.
Quivers and the Euclidean group

We show that the category of representations of the Euclidean group of orientation-preserving isometries of two-dimensional Euclidean space is equivalent to the category of representations of the preprojective algebra of type A∞. We also consider the moduli space of representations of the Euclidean group along with a set of generators. We show that these moduli spaces are quiver varieties of the type considered by Nakajima. Using these identifications, we prove various results about the representation theory of the Euclidean group. In particular, we prove it is of wild representation type but that if we impose certain restrictions on weight decompositions, we obtain only a finite number of indecomposable representations.
Antibiotic resistance of Vibrio parahaemolyticus isolated from pond-reared Litopenaeus vannamei marketed in natal, brazil

Ten out of fifty fresh and refrigerated samples of shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) collected from retailers in Natal (Rio Grande do Norte, Northeastern Brazil) tested positive for Vibrio parahaemolyticus. The Kanagawa test and multiplex PCR assays were used to detect TDH and TRH hemolysins and the tdh, trh and tlh genes, respectively. All strains were Kanagawa-negative and tlh-positive. Antibiotic susceptibility testing was done for seven antibiotics by the agar diffusion technique. Five strains (50%) presented multiple antibiotic resistance to ampicillin (90%) and amikacin (60%), while two strains (20%) displayed intermediate-level resistance to amikacin. All strains were sensitive to chloramphenicol. Intermediate-level susceptibility and/or resistance to other antibiotics ranged from 10 to 90%, with emphasis on the observed growing intermediate-level resistance to ciprofloxacin. Half our isolates yielded a multiple antibiotic resistance index above 0.2 (range: 0.14–0.29), indicating a considerable risk of propagation of antibiotic resistance throughout the food chain.