Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Long-term safety and efficacy of abatacept in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and an inadequate response to methotrexate: a 7-year extended study.

OBJECTIVES To assess the safety and efficacy of intravenous (IV) abatacept plus methotrexate (MTX) over 7 years, the longest observational period to date, in patients with established rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and an inadequate response to MTX. METHODS Patients randomised to IV abatacept (10 or 2 mg/kg) or placebo, plus MTX, during the 1-year double-blind (DB) period of a Phase 2b study could enter the long-term extension (LTE) and receive IV abatacept 10 mg/kg monthly. Safety was assessed in patients who received ≥1 dose of abatacept; efficacy was assessed in patients originally randomised to 10 mg/kg abatacept (as-observed data). RESULTS A total of 219 patients entered the LTE; 114 (52.1%) completed 7 years of treatment with abatacept plus MTX. Cumulative (DB + LTE) incidence rates of serious adverse events, serious infections, malignancies, and autoimmune events were 17.6, 3.2, 1.8, and 1.2/100 patient-years, respectively. Safety was consistent between the DB (n=220) and cumulative (n=287) periods. Improvements in American College of Rheumatology responses, disease activity, and normalisation of physical function and health-related quality of life were maintained over time. Approximately 80% of patients who achieved low disease activity or normalised modified Health Assessment Questionnaire scores at Year 1, and who remained in the study, sustained these responses in each subsequent year. CONCLUSIONS IV abatacept in combination with MTX demonstrated consistent safety and sustained efficacy over 7 years in MTX inadequate responders with established RA. Furthermore, some patients demonstrated a normalisation of physical function and health-related quality of life that was sustained over time.
The intrinsic electronic phase diagram of iron-oxypnictide superconductors

We present the first comprehensive derivation of the intrinsic electronic phase diagram of the iron-oxypnictide superconductors in the normal state based on the analysis of the electrical resistivity ρ of both LaFeAsO1- xFx and SmF eAsO1- xFx for a wide range of doping. Our data give clear-cut evidence for unusual normal-state properties in these new materials. In particular, the emergence of superconductivity at low doping levels is accompanied by distinct anomalous transport behavior in ρ of the normal state which is reminiscent of the spin-density wave (SDW) signature in the parent material. At higher doping levels ρ of LaFeAsO1- xFx shows a clear transition from this pseudogap-like behavior to Fermi-liquid–like behavior, mimicking the phase diagram of the cuprates. Moreover, our data reveal a correlation between the strength of the anomalous features and the stability of the superconducting phase. The pseudogap-like features become stronger in SmF eAsO1- xFx where superconductivity is enhanced and vanish when superconductivity is reduced in the doping region with Fermi-liquid–like behavior.
Improvement of the Mechanical Properties and Creep Resistance of SBS Block Copolymers by Nanoclay Fillers

SBS nanocomposites based on a SBS triblock copolymer containing different weight fractions of a commercial Cloisite 20A organoclay were prepared by melt-processing. Extensive electron microscopy as well as WAXS and static tensile and tensile creep tests were used to evaluate the resulting morphological and mechanical properties of the nanocomposites. The nanocomposite morphology is characterized by a combination of intercalated and partly exfoliated clay platelets with occasional clay aggregates present at higher clay contents; nanocomposite features that are reflected by the results of both the static tensile as well as the tensile creep tests at room temperature. For this particular thermoplastic elastomer nanocomposite system, well dispersed nanoclays lead to an enhanced stiffness and ductility; effects that induce promising improvements in nanocomposite creep performance.
The immunomodulatory potential of Leonurus cardiaca extract in relation to endothelial cells and platelets

The immunomodulatory activity of Leonurus cardiaca L. polyphenol-rich extract (LCE) was tested in vitro on HUVECs to explore its potential therapeutic usefulness in the treatment of inflammatory lesions. The phytochemical composition of LCE, its antioxidant and cytotoxic activity, and the influence of LCE on NO and platelet-activating factor (PAF) secretion by HUVECs and platelet aggregation were all assessed. Total polyphenol contents in LCE reached 137.0 ± 0.8 mg/g, with hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives as the predominant phenolic compounds. LCE expressed antioxidant capacity, which was, however, 13- to 16-fold lower than the antioxidant activity of ascorbic acid. The plant extract was not cytotoxic up to a concentration 4500 µg/ml and did not exhibit proapoptotic activity. LCE significantly increased NO production in HUVECs in a concentration-dependent manner and led to the inhibition of PAF secretion induced by staphylococcal peptidoglycan. The extract used at the concentration of 100 µg/ml significantly reduced platelet aggregation in the presence of arachidonic acid. We provide in vitro data demonstrating the immunomodulatory potential of LCE, which may be beneficial in preventing the development of difficult-to-treat inflammatory lesions within chronically infected tissues.
Symmetric Tragedies: Commons and Anticommons*

An anticommons problem arises when there exist multiple rights to exclude. In a lengthy law review paper, Michael A. Heller has examined “The Tragedy of the Anticommons,” especially in regard to disappointing experiences with efforts to shift from socialist to market institutions in Russia. In an early footnote, Heller suggests that a formal economic model of the anticommons has not been developed. This paper responds to Heller's challenge. We analyze the anticommons problem in which resources are inefficiently underutilized rather than overutilized, as in the familiar commons setting. The two problems are shown to be symmetrical in several respects. We present an algebraic and geometric illustration and extend the discussion to several applications. Of greater importance, we suggest that the construction is helpful in understanding the sources of major value wastage in modern regulatory bureaucracy.
Evaluation of soluble benzene migration in the Uinta Basin

Field sampling and mathematical modeling are used to study the long-distance transport and attenuation of petroleum-derived benzene in the Uinta Basin, Utah. Benzene concentration was measured from oil and oil field formation waters of the Altamont-Bluebell and Pariette Bench oil fields in the basin. It was also measured from springs located in the regional groundwater discharge areas, hydraulically down-gradient from the oil fields sampled. The average benzene concentration in oils and co-produced waters is 1946 and 4.9 ppm at the AltamontBluebell field and 1533 and 0.6 ppm at the Pariette Bench field, respectively. Benzene concentration is below the
Socioeconomic predictors of high allergen levels in homes in the greater Boston area.

In the United States, childhood asthma morbidity and prevalence rates are the highest in less affluent urban minority communities. More than 80% of childhood asthmatics are allergic to one or more inhalant allergens. We evaluated whether socioeconomic status was associated with a differential in the levels and types of indoor home allergens. Dust samples for an ELISA allergen assay were collected from the homes of 499 families as part of a metropolitan Boston, Massachusetts, longitudinal birth cohort study of home allergens and asthma in children with a parental history of asthma or allergy. The proportion of homes with maximum home allergen levels in the highest category was 42% for dust mite allergen (> or = 10 microg/g Der p 1 or Der f 1), 13% for cockroach allergen (> or = 2 U/g Bla g 1 or Bla g 2), 26% for cat allergen (> or = 8 microg/g Fel d 1), and 20% for dog allergen (> or = 10 microg/g Can f 1). Homes in the high-poverty area (> 20% of the population below the poverty level) were more likely to have high cockroach allergen levels than homes in the low-poverty area [51 vs. 3%; OR, 33; 95% confidence interval (CI), 12-90], but less likely to have high levels of dust mite allergen (16 vs. 53%; OR, 0.2; CI, 0.1-0.4). Lower family income, less maternal education, and race/ethnicity (black or Hispanic vs. white) were also associated with a lower risk of high dust mite levels and a greater risk of high cockroach allergen levels. Within a single U.S. metropolitan area we found marked between-community differences in the types of allergens present in the home, but not necessarily in the overall burden of allergen exposure. ImagesFigure 1Figure 2
Advantages of closed-loop calibration in intracortical brain–computer interfaces for people with tetraplegia

Objective. Brain–computer interfaces (BCIs) aim to provide a means for people with severe motor disabilities to control their environment directly with neural activity. In intracortical BCIs for people with tetraplegia, the decoder that maps neural activity to desired movements has typically been calibrated using ‘open-loop’ (OL) imagination of control while a cursor automatically moves to targets on a computer screen. However, because neural activity can vary across contexts, a decoder calibrated using OL data may not be optimal for ‘closed-loop’ (CL) neural control. Here, we tested whether CL calibration creates a better decoder than OL calibration even when all other factors that might influence performance are held constant, including the amount of data used for calibration and the amount of elapsed time between calibration and testing. Approach. Two people with tetraplegia enrolled in the BrainGate2 pilot clinical trial performed a center-out-back task using an intracortical BCI, switching between decoders that had been calibrated on OL versus CL data. Main results. Even when all other variables were held constant, CL calibration improved neural control as well as the accuracy and strength of the tuning model. Updating the CL decoder using additional and more recent data resulted in further improvements. Significance. Differences in neural activity between OL and CL contexts contribute to the superiority of CL decoders, even prior to their additional ‘adaptive’ advantage. In the near future, CL decoder calibration may enable robust neural control without needing to pause ongoing, practical use of BCIs, an important step toward clinical utility.
Correction: Threatened Caribbean Coral Is Able to Mitigate the Adverse Effects of Ocean Acidification on Calcification by Increasing Feeding Rate

There are errors in the eleventh and twelfth sentences of the Feeding Rate subsection of the Materials and Methods section. The correct sentence should be: This concentration was chosen to mimic a level close to that used in Edmunds [11], ca. 1.6 x 104 nauplii L-1, in order to provide corals with ad libitum access to zooplankton in order to see any potential differences in feeding due to thermal and CO2 stress.
Adaptive threshold-based approach for energy-efficient consolidation of virtual machines in cloud data centers

The rapid growth in demand for computational power driven by modern service applications combined with the shift to the Cloud computing model have led to the establishment of large-scale virtualized data centers. Such data centers consume enormous amounts of electrical energy resulting in high operating costs and carbon dioxide emissions. Dynamic consolidation of virtual machines (VMs) and switching idle nodes off allow Cloud providers to optimize resource usage and reduce energy consumption. However, the obligation of providing high quality of service to customers leads to the necessity in dealing with the energy-performance trade-off. We propose a novel technique for dynamic consolidation of VMs based on adaptive utilization thresholds, which ensures a high level of meeting the Service Level Agreements (SLA). We validate the high efficiency of the proposed technique across different kinds of workloads using workload traces from more than a thousand PlanetLab servers.
Yeast as a navigational aid in genome analysis. 1996 Kathleen Barton-Wright Memorial Lecture.

In April 1996, the complete genome sequence of a microbial eukaryote, the brewers’ and bakers’ yeast Saccharornyces cerevisiae, was deposited in the public data libraries (Goffeau et al., 1996). This was a landmark event in genetics for two reasons: it was the first complete eukaryotic genome to be sequenced and it was the first genome sequence for an organism that represents a tractable experimental system with a large constituency of active researchers around the globe ready and able to exploit the sequence data. Thus the completion of the yeast genome sequence represented only an important staging post in the Yeast Genome Project; the next, and more difficult, step is the analysis of the functions specified by the 6000 or so proteinencoding genes which the sequence reveals (Oliver, 1996a). This is a large and complex problem but it is, at least, a finite one. Its solution requires us to reverse the normal course of genetical research. Classically, genetics starts by analysing some heritable change in the phenotype of an organism and, by studying the pattern of inheritance of that change, defines the gene that determines it. In recent years, this has been followed by the isolation and sequencing of the defined gene. Thus classical genetics is a ‘function first’ approach: it proceeds from biological function to DNA sequence. Systematic genome sequencing, in contrast, defines genes de novo and requires us to move forward from the gene sequences to the biological functions that they specify. Before I consider how we may attempt to work this trick of performing genetics in the reverse direction, I wish to consider a number of features of genome organization that the complete S. cerevisiae sequence has revealed since some of these are central to the problem of functional analysis.
Seasonal Succession of Fungi Associated with Ips typographus Beetles and Their Phoretic Mites in an Outbreak Region of Finland

The ophiostomatoid fungi (Microascales and Ophiostomatales, Ascomycota) are common associates of Ips typographus, and include tree pathogens and species responsible for blue-stain of timber. Fungal assemblages associated with I. typographus have varied considerably between studies but few investigations have attempted to explain this variation. For this reason, we assessed the overall cultivable fungal diversity associated with I. typographus in a storm-felled spruce forest in south-eastern Finland. Fungi were isolated from the individually collected beetles as well as their phoretic mites in spring, summer and autumn, including different life stages of the beetle (hibernation, dispersal flight and first generation). The internal transcribed spacer (ITS) gene region was used to identify the fungi. A total of 32 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) were found and these resided in four fungal phyla/subphyla (24 Ascomycota, 2 Basidiomycota, 5 Mucoromycotina, 1 Mortierellomycotina) in association with adult bark beetles. Ophiostomatoid species were the most commonly detected fungal associates. A generalized linear model analysis showed a clear association between fungal communities and season, indicating seasonal succession among I. typographus-associated fungi. The season of sampling appears to be an important factor that has resulted in inconsistencies between results in previous studies. Many of these fungi were also found on phoretic mites and their presence or absence could have influenced variation in patterns of association.
Clinical and Research Methods for Evaluating Cortical Excitability

Summary The evaluation of motor cortical output after transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is a means of investigating how the motor cortex reacts to external stimuli (i.e., a method to assess the excitability of the motor cortex). The recording of the descending volleys at the surface of the spinal cord provides a direct measure of the motor cortical output. However, this approach is highly invasive and can be used only during particular conditions. On the other hand, electromyographic recordings of the motor phenomena induced by TMS provide a completely painless, noninvasive, indirect measure of the cortical output, with these phenomena obviously reflecting the excitability of the spinal motoneurons as well as that of the muscle itself. The authors review how the electromyographic activity induced by TMS can provide valuable information about motor cortical excitability for use in clinical practice and research.
On the algebraic independence of generic Painlevé transcendents

Abstract We prove that if $y''=f(y,y',t,\alpha ,\beta ,\ldots)$ is a generic Painlevé equation from among the classes II, IV and V, and if $y_1,\ldots,y_n$ are distinct solutions, then $\mathrm{tr.deg}(\mathbb{C}(t)(y_1,y'_1,\ldots,y_n,y'_n)/\mathbb{C}(t))=2n$. (This was proved by Nishioka for the single equation $P_{{\rm I}}$.) For generic Painlevé III and VI, we have a slightly weaker result: $\omega $-categoricity (in the sense of model theory) of the solution space, as described below. The results confirm old beliefs about the Painlevé transcendents.
Effects of Regulation on Hospital Costs and Input Use

IN the first half of this century, most regulations affecting hospitals were designed to promote quality assurance through accreditation and licensure of facilities and personnel. Then health planning, initially on a voluntary basis and subsequently made compulsory, arose from a dual concern for improving access to health services and for correcting alleged malfunctions in the health care marketplace. During the past decade, the growth of hospital expenditures has led to more targeted efforts to regulate specific sources of cost increases. At present, hospitals in the United States must cope with a wide variety, and still growing number, of controls developed by federal, state, and local governmental agencies and by some private organizations, including Blue Cross. The case for hospital regulation is buttressed by a general consensus that the hospital market is far from the competitive ideal.1 The majority of hospitals are nonprofit and therefore may not be as subject to pressures for efficient production as are profit-maximizing firms in competitive industries. Overinsurance also undermines incentives to implement cost-reducing innovations and has probably led to overuse of hospital services.2 Many hospitals are local monopolists and perhaps monopsonists as well. Other structural characteristics of the industry, including medical-staffing privileges, severely limit patient and physician choice of hospital. Finally, given the "merit want" aspect of health and hospital care, society may not be satisfied with a market solution, even if the above impediments were not important. Regulation offers the appeal of directly attacking the problems that cause
Temperament and personality in eating disorders

Purpose of review In the last decades, three main different personality domains have been investigated in the field of eating disorders: personality traits, temperament, and personality disorders. The use of a wide range of instruments and the presence of many different approaches in the definition of personality dimensions make it difficult to summarize the emerging results from different studies. The aim of this narrative review is to critically highlight and discuss all interesting developments in this field, as reflected in the recent literature. Recent findings The study of personality and temperament in eating disorders seems to be in line with the recently suggested dimensional approach, which highlights the importance of symptoms aggregation, rather than the categorical diagnoses. Recent literature seems to confirm that specific personality and temperamental profiles can be drawn for patients with eating disorders, which can discriminate different eating disorders’ diagnoses/symptoms. Summary These observations have relevant clinical implications as treatment of eating disorders is largely based on psychotherapeutic interventions. However, large longitudinal studies are needed to better clarify the suggested relationships and to identify more defined therapeutic strategies.
Supraglottic Airway Devices: A Review in a New Era of Airway Management

‘Supraglottic Airway Devices’ refers to a broad set of medical devices capable of acting as a passageway for ventilation, oxygenation and administration of anaesthetic gases. Their adoption has increased gradually over the last decades, having become a fundamental tool in modern anaesthesiology. Brain's 'Laryngeal Mask Airway', introduced in 1983, marked the beginning of a revolution as a new method for airway management, ultimately replacing tracheal intubation as the most used. Initially targeted for simple procedures, supraglottic airway devices (SADs) have been gaining new indications, as many advanced models were introduced with specific designs for better ventilatory performance and higher patient safety. SADs also prove to be useful in critical scenarios both in emergencies, as rescue airways in difficult intubation. Their higher ease and speed of insertion, lower autonomic impact and less post-operative discomfort for the patient are seen as some of the best advantages when compared to the endotracheal tube (ET), but studies with some SADs have shown lower seal pressures and higher incidence of gastric insufflation. There is still not enough evidence to prove that the newer SADs can provide the same level of safety against pulmonary aspiration as the ET. Main advantages in relation to the facemask are easier placement, more reliable ventilation and hands-free operation. Several SADs have features better suited for some scenarios, which has led to a substantial amount of devices available at the same time, being the anaesthetist the responsible for its selection. This demands the knowledge of their specificities and since new devices are always being introduced, continuous learning is paramount. Sometimes the newest devices become available before any evidence is published on them. Attempts at devising a useful classification system have not been completely successful with several different taxonomies proposed but still no agreement among the experts.
Cross-cultural reproducibility of the Brazilian Portuguese version of the Role Checklist for persons with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

OBJECTIVE This article presents the results of a cross-cultural reproducibility and test-retest reliability study of a Brazilian version of the Role Checklist, in a population with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). METHODS The English version was translated and culturally adapted into Brazilian Portuguese, then administered twice at a 2-week interval to a group of 25 clinically stable individuals with COPD. RESULTS Cross-cultural adaptation led to adjustments in some terms used in the checklist. Values obtained for kappa suggested moderate-to-substantial agreement for Part I and Part II. No statistically significant correlations were found between agreement and variables of gender, occupation, marital status, level of education, level of depression, or severity of bronchial obstruction. CONCLUSION The Brazilian Portuguese version of the Role Checklist was found content valid and reliable for persons with COPD and probably for the Brazilian population in general.