Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Speed of Improvement in Symptoms of Depression With Desvenlafaxine 50 mg and 100 mg Compared With Placebo in Patients With Major Depressive Disorder

Purpose/Background This post hoc analysis examined the time point at which clinically significant improvement in major depressive disorder (MDD) symptoms occurs with desvenlafaxine versus placebo. Methods Data were pooled from 9 short-term, double-blind, placebo-controlled studies in adults with MDD randomly assigned to desvenlafaxine 50 mg/d, 100 mg/d, or placebo. A mixed-effects model for repeated-measures analysis of change from baseline score was used to determine the time point at which desvenlafaxine treatment groups separated from placebo on the 17-item Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression and psychosocial outcomes. The association between early improvement and week 8 outcomes was examined using logistic regression analyses. Time to remission for patients with early improvement versus without early improvement was assessed using Kaplan-Meier techniques. Comparisons between groups were performed with log-rank tests. Results In the intent-to-treat population (N = 4279 patients: desvenlafaxine 50 mg/d, n = 1714; desvenlafaxine 100 mg/d, n = 870; placebo, n = 1695), a statistically significant improvement on the 17-item Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression was observed with desvenlafaxine 50 mg/d at week 1 (P = 0.0129) and with desvenlafaxine 100 mg/d at week 2 (P = 0.0002) versus placebo. Early improvement was a significant predictor of later remission. Treatment assignment, baseline depression scale scores, and race were significantly associated with probability of early improvement. On several measures of depressive symptoms and function, desvenlafaxine 50 mg/d and 100 mg/d separated from placebo as early as week 1 and no later than week 4 in patients with MDD. Implications/Conclusions These findings suggest that clinicians may be able to use depression rating scale scores early in treatment as a guide to inform treatment optimization.
2 Micron Narrowband Adaptive Optics Imaging in the Arches Cluster

Canada-France-Hawaii-Telescope adaptive optics bonnette images through narrowband filters in the K band are presented for the Arches cluster. Continuum fluxes, line fluxes, and equivalent widths are derived from high angular resolution images, some nearly diffraction limited, for the well-known massive stars in the Arches cluster. Images were obtained in the lines He I 2.06 μm, H I Brγ (2.17 μm), and He II 2.19 μm, as well as continuum positions at 2.03, 2.14, and 2.26 μm. In addition, fluxes are presented for H I Pα (1.87 μm) and a nearby continuum position (1.90 μm) from Hubble Space Telescope archival dataBased on observations made with the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope, obtained from the data archive at the Space Telescope Science Institute. STScI is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc., under NASA contract NAS 5-26555. The 2 μm and Pα data reveal two new emission-line stars and three fainter candidate emission-line objects. Indications for a spectral change of one object between earlier observations in 1992–1993 and our data from 1999 are found. The ratio of He II 2.19 μm to Brγ emission exhibits a narrow distribution among the stars, suggesting a narrow evolutionary spread centered predominantly on spectral types O4 If or Wolf-Rayet stars of the WN7 subtype. From the approximate spectral types of the identified emission-line stars and comparisons with evolutionary models we infer a cluster age between ∼2 and 4.5 Myr.
[Epizootiology and pathogenesis of avian mycobacteriosis in doves (Streptopelia sp.)].

The collared turtle-dove (Streptopelia decaocto) and the turtle dove are common synanthropic bird species. The collared turtle dove in particular comes to close contact with farm animals, including with tuberculosis-infected small poultry on farms. It can thus be infected by avian mycobacteria and to become their further source and disseminator. Elucidating the occurrence of avian mycobacteriosis in turtle we examined 218 specimens of the collared turtle-doves and 22 specimens of turtle-doves taken in habitats with different epidemiological setting. We found no pathomorphological tuberculous lesions and isolated no mycobacteria from organs or the contents of intestines in any of them, though we also examined turtles living near poultry farms infected with tuberculosis or near farms where avian tuberculin-positive cattle was reared. Under the same conditions we found repeatedly, e.g. in sparrows, both the tuberculous lesions and mycobacteria. The turtle dove can thus be considered as very resistant to avian mycobacteria and the occurrence of avian mycobacteriosis can be regarded as rather exceptional. The susceptibility of the collared turtle-dove to avian mycobacteria was verified also by experimental infections. After intramuscular infections of M. avium serotype 2 suspension, we demonstrated macroscopic tuberculosis lesions only in the site of inoculation from day 21 onwards. The histological lesions were found in the liver, spleen and bone marrow from day 28 after inoculation. However, mycobacteria were isolated from various organs and tissues as early as 12 days after inoculation. Attempts to demonstrate tuberculous lesions and to isolate mycobacteria from the intestines failed. No tuberculous lesions produced in turtle dove within the period of 122 days after peroral infection by food contaminated by TBC poultry livers and bacteriologically examined was negative too. After free contact between TBC poultry and turtle doves the sporadic histological TBC changes in liver were found after 180 days and in one case mycobacteria were isolated from the liver and muscle after 157 days. The transfer of M. avium from TBC infected turtle doves pigs and poultry was successful. After 45 days of join contact among TBC turtle doves, healthy pigs and poultry in stables and after further stay of pigs and poultry in contaminated environment for additional 65 and 175 days, respectively. In the course of the experiment, 105 days after its onset, marked reaction to avian tuberculin was demonstrated in one pig. Simultaneously with it, the TBC lesions in mandibular and mesenteric lymphatic glands were found. In one pig, mycobacteria were isolated from those suspectedly affected lymphatic glands. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Maxillary and Mandibular Dental-Arch Dimensions and Occlusion in Bilateral Cleft Lip and Palate Patients from 3 to 17 Years of Age

The aim of this study was to describe maxillary and mandibular dental-arch form and occlusion in bilateral cleft of the lip and palate (BCLP) from 3 to 17 years of age and to compare their characteristics with a normative sample. A sample of 22 patients with BCLP was investigated, with a noncleft control sample used for comparison. Dental-arch dimensions were studied on dental casts. A comparison between both groups was made at fixed time intervals. From 9 years of age, the cleft sample showed a significantly smaller maxillary depth. Maxillary dental-arch widths were also significantly smaller than in the control group over the whole age period. Mandibular dental-arch measurements were very similar In both groups, although smaller first-molar widths were noted in the BCLP group beginning at 12 years of age. A tendency for end-to-end occlusion was found, which became more clear with age and was most markedly in the canine region.
Cerebral blood flow and cerebrovascular CO2 reactivity in stroke‐age normal controls

We used the noninvasive 133-xenon inhalation technique to determine cerebral hemodynamics in 55 normal volunteers aged 18 to 88. Values for cerebral blood flow and cerebrovascular CO2 reactivity in fastclearing tissue (flow gray) and slow-clearing tissue (flow white) were examined as functions of age and in relation to hematocrit, blood pressure, and evidence of extracranial vascular disease. Flow gray declined linearly with age, but no corresponding change was found in flow white or in CO, reactivity. The data suggest that the progressive fall in flow gray is due to a physiologic aging process.
Application of an Automatic Yarn Dismantler to Track Changes in Cotton Fiber Properties During Processing on a Miniature Spinning Line

This paper reports on the application of a newly developed automatic yarn dismantler for dismantling short staple ring-spun yarns, to track changes in cotton fiber properties from lint to yarn, during processing on a miniature spinning line. The results obtained on different Upland cottons have clearly demonstrated the practical value of the yarn dismantler in enabling yarns to be automatically dismantled into their constituent fibers. Based upon Advanced Fiber Information System (AFIS) fiber tests, miniature opening and cleaning, on a Shirley Analyzer, increased fiber neps and short fiber content and decreased fiber length, whereas the miniature card did not have a consistent effect on mean fiber length, but decreased neps substantially. The first miniature drawframe passage resulted in a significant increase in mean fiber length, fiber linear density, and maturity ratio and a decrease in short fiber content, immature fiber content, and neps. The mean length of fibers from the dismantled yarn tended to be slightly longer than that of the fibers just prior to the miniature spinning frame, while the immature fiber content tended to be slightly lower and the maturity ratio slightly higher.
Measurement of complex permittivity for liquid materials using the open-ended cut-off waveguide reflection method

Various studies of specific absorption rates (SARs) using liquid phantoms imitating human body tissues have been widely carried out in electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) research fields. In order to establish accurate SARs for measurement, a faithful mockup of human body tissue is needed. Therefore, knowledge of the accurate measurement of sample materials with high permittivity and high loss is very important. In this study, the complex permittivity of tap water, ethanol, methanol and isopropanol is measured by the open-ended cut-off circular waveguide reflection method. The effectiveness of the method presented here of measuring a liquid phantom with high-permittivity and high-loss is also confirmed by comparing the measured results with the results obtained by the TM010 circular cavity resonator method. At this time, the effects on the input impedance under variations of the insertion length and termination conditions were studied. Then the complex permittivity of tap water, ethanol, methanol and isopropanol was measured at frequencies ranging from 0.5 to 3.0 GHz using the measurement procedure above. As a result, we confirmed the frequency characteristics of the complex permittivity for a wide variety of high-loss liquid materials.
Analysis and design of integral sliding manifolds for systems with unmatched perturbations

The robustness properties of integral sliding-mode controllers are studied. This note shows how to select the projection matrix in such a way that the euclidean norm of the resulting perturbation is minimal. It is also shown that when the minimum is attained, the resulting perturbation is not amplified. This selection is particularly useful if integral sliding-mode control is to be combined with other methods to further robustify against unmatched perturbations. H/sub /spl infin// is taken as a special case. Simulations support the general analysis and show the effectiveness of this particular combination.
Antioxidant and antihyperlipidaemic activity of protocatechuic acid on streptozotocindiabetic rats

Abstract Oxidative stress in diabetes co-exists with a reduction in the antioxidant status, which can further increase the deleterious effects of free radicals. Hyperlipidaemia is one of the major risk factors of cardiovascular complications in diabetes. A study was undertaken to evaluate the antioxidant and antihyperlipidaemic activity of protocatechuic acid (PCA) on streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. The levels of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and lipid hydroperoxides (LOOH) were increased and the level of enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants decreased except vitamin E. Lipid profile increased in diabetic rats, whereas HDL-C level decreased. These alterations reverted to near control levels after the diabetic rats were treated with PCA. Histopathological studies also revealed the protective effects of PCA on liver and kidney. These findings suggest that PCA treatment exerts a therapeutic property by decreasing the oxidative stress and lipid profile. The effect of PCA was comparable to glibenclamide, a well-known hypoglycaemic drug.
Inducible model for β-six-mediated site-specific recombination in mammalian cells

The prokaryotic β recombinase catalyzes site-specific recombination between two directly oriented minimal six sites in chromatin-integrated substrates. Here, we demonstrate that an enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP)-fused version of β recombinase (β-EGFP) is fully active, retaining most specific activity. It is used to develop a recombination-dependent activatable gene expression (RAGE) system based on the androgen receptor (AR) ligand-binding domain (LBD). Two hybrid molecules, a direct fusion of the LBD-AR to the C-terminus of β recombinase (β-AR) and a triple fusion of β-EGFP to the same ligand-binding domain (β-EGFP-AR), were engineered and their subcellular behavior, stability and catalytic activity were evaluated. Both chimeric β recombinase proteins showed in vivo inducible recombinogenic activity dependent on addition of an androgen receptor agonist, although the β-AR fusion protein demonstrated more accurate ligand-dependent translocation from cytoplasm to nucleus.
Combat duty in Iraq and Afghanistan, mental health problems, and barriers to care.

BACKGROUND The current combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan have involved U.S. military personnel in major ground combat and hazardous security duty. Studies are needed to systematically assess the mental health of members of the armed services who have participated in these operations and to inform policy with regard to the optimal delivery of mental health care to returning veterans. METHODS We studied members of four U.S. combat infantry units (three Army units and one Marine Corps unit) using an anonymous survey that was administered to the subjects either before their deployment to Iraq (n=2530) or three to four months after their return from combat duty in Iraq or Afghanistan (n=3671). The outcomes included major depression, generalized anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which were evaluated on the basis of standardized, self-administered screening instruments. RESULTS Exposure to combat was significantly greater among those who were deployed to Iraq than among those deployed to Afghanistan. The percentage of study subjects whose responses met the screening criteria for major depression, generalized anxiety, or PTSD was significantly higher after duty in Iraq (15.6 to 17.1 percent) than after duty in Afghanistan (11.2 percent) or before deployment to Iraq (9.3 percent); the largest difference was in the rate of PTSD. Of those whose responses were positive for a mental disorder, only 23 to 40 percent sought mental health care. Those whose responses were positive for a mental disorder were twice as likely as those whose responses were negative to report concern about possible stigmatization and other barriers to seeking mental health care. CONCLUSIONS This study provides an initial look at the mental health of members of the Army and the Marine Corps who were involved in combat operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. Our findings indicate that among the study groups there was a significant risk of mental health problems and that the subjects reported important barriers to receiving mental health services, particularly the perception of stigma among those most in need of such care.
Using MODIS NDVI Time Series to Identify Geographic Patterns of Landslides in Vegetated Regions

The 2008 Wenchuan Earthquake that occurred in a mountainous region of China induced massive landslides and caused numerous casualties and property losses. Analyzing the disturbances on vegetation detected from the abnormal sudden drops of the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) within a short period can be used for the purpose of rapid landslide identification. Although much research has confirmed the necessity of high-resolution satellite images in landslides identification, Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometry (MODIS) products still have their usefulness for high temporal resolution, as investigated by the authors. Using MODIS MOD09Q1 NDVI products at a temporal interval of 8 days during 2008, this letter presents a method that has been developed to identify landslide distribution and evolution patterns. First, to find the optimal threshold, the MODIS NDVI time series are analyzed in a training area by an iteration searching procedure. Second, the chosen threshold is used in a larger validation area. To examine the effectiveness of the proposed method, the results are compared to interpreted landslides using SPOT5 images with a spatial resolution of 2.5 m acquired before and after the main shock. An overall 75% accuracy is achieved, and better consistency is observed for landslides extending over one MODIS pixel. The proposed method has also been applied to the Wenchuan earthquake affected areas with seismic intensity IX and greater, and the similar spatial pattern of landslides distribution is obtained when compared with results by using high-resolution images and field investigation. This technique can be applied practically for rapid landslide assessment at a relatively large region after a major earthquake or other severe disturbance events.
Bringing Together Evolution on Serpentine and Polyploidy: Spatiotemporal History of the Diploid-Tetraploid Complex of Knautia arvensis (Dipsacaceae)

Polyploidization is one of the leading forces in the evolution of land plants, providing opportunities for instant speciation and rapid gain of evolutionary novelties. Highly selective conditions of serpentine environments act as an important evolutionary trigger that can be involved in various speciation processes. Whereas the significance of both edaphic speciation on serpentine and polyploidy is widely acknowledged in plant evolution, the links between polyploid evolution and serpentine differentiation have not yet been examined. To fill this gap, we investigated the evolutionary history of the perennial herb Knautia arvensis (Dipsacaceae), a diploid-tetraploid complex that exhibits an intriguing pattern of eco-geographic differentiation. Using plastid DNA sequencing and AFLP genotyping of 336 previously cytotyped individuals from 40 populations from central Europe, we unravelled the patterns of genetic variation among the cytotypes and the edaphic types. Diploids showed the highest levels of genetic differentiation, likely as a result of long term persistence of several lineages in ecologically distinct refugia and/or independent immigration. Recurrent polyploidization, recorded in one serpentine island, seems to have opened new possibilities for the local serpentine genotype. Unlike diploids, the serpentine tetraploids were able to escape from the serpentine refugium and spread further; this was also attributable to hybridization with the neighbouring non-serpentine tetraploid lineages. The spatiotemporal history of K. arvensis allows tracing the interplay of polyploid evolution and ecological divergence on serpentine, resulting in a complex evolutionary pattern. Isolated serpentine outcrops can act as evolutionary capacitors, preserving distinct karyological and genetic diversity. The serpentine lineages, however, may not represent evolutionary ‘dead-ends’ but rather dynamic systems with a potential to further influence the surrounding populations, e.g., via independent polyplodization and hybridization. The complex eco-geographical pattern together with the incidence of both primary and secondary diploid-tetraploid contact zones makes K. arvensis a unique system for addressing general questions of polyploid research.
Analysis of synchronization of two metronomes hanging from a plate via describing function approach

This paper concerns the synchronization phenomena in the system consisting of two metronomes hanging from a plate, by using describing function (DF) approach, which deals with the driving torque as a discontinuous function of the angle and angular velocity of each metronome. This paper presents a DF solution of the system and shows that there exist two types of synchronization with the first harmonic of the angle of each metronome having the same amplitude. One is the anti-phase synchronization; that is, the phase shift of two metronomes is π. The other is the in-phase synchronization; that is, the phase shift of two metronomes is zero. This paper shows analytically the phase shifts of two types of synchronization of two metronomes rather than showing via numerical simulation in a previous result. Moreover, this paper demonstrates numerically that there are two subtypes of in-phase synchronization for some mechanical parameters of the systems. The numerical investigation indicates that the obtained frequencies and amplitudes are close to those obtained by solving numerically the nonlinear differential equations.
The Molecular Basis of Oligomeric Organization of the Human M3 Muscarinic Acetylcholine Receptor

G protein–coupled receptors, including the M3 muscarinic acetylcholine receptor, can form homo-oligomers. However, the basis of these interactions and the overall organizational structure of such oligomers are poorly understood. Combinations of site-directed mutagenesis and homogenous time-resolved fluorescence resonance energy transfer studies that assessed interactions between receptor protomers at the surface of transfected cells indicated important contributions of regions of transmembrane domains I, IV, V, VI, and VII as well as intracellular helix VIII to the overall organization. Molecular modeling studies based on both these results and an X-ray structure of the inactive state of the M3 receptor bound by the antagonist/inverse agonist tiotropium were then employed. The results could be accommodated fully by models in which a proportion of the cell surface M3 receptor population is a tetramer with rhombic, but not linear, orientation. This is consistent with previous studies based on spectrally resolved, multiphoton fluorescence resonance energy transfer. Modeling studies furthermore suggest an important role for molecules of cholesterol at the dimer + dimer interface of the tetramer, which is consistent with the presence of cholesterol at key locations in many G protein–coupled receptor crystal structures. Mutants that displayed disrupted quaternary organization were often poorly expressed and showed immature N-glycosylation. Sustained treatment of cells expressing such mutants with the muscarinic receptor inverse agonist atropine increased cellular levels and restored both cell surface delivery and quaternary organization to many of the mutants. These observations suggest that organization as a tetramer may occur before plasma membrane delivery and may be a key step in cellular quality control assessment.