Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Comparison of dementia with Lewy bodies to Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease with dementia

We compared the clinical and neuropsychological pattern of dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) to Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Parkinson's disease with dementia (PD‐d). Sixteen patients clinically diagnosed with DLB were compared with two groups of patients with PD‐d (n = 15) and AD (n = 16) matched for level of dementia. Isolated cognitive impairment was the most common form of presentation in AD (93.8%) and DLB (31.3%) groups, while parkinsonism was in 100% of PD‐d subjects. Psychoses associated with cognitive impairment at the beginning of the disease were more frequent in DLB patients (31.3%) than in AD (6.3%) and PD‐d (0%) groups. There were no significant differences in Unified Parkinson Disease Rating Scale motor‐subscale scores between DLB and PD‐d patients. DLB and PD‐d patients performed significantly worse on attentional functions and better on memory tests than AD. DLB patients also showed lower scores than AD subjects on visual memory, visuoperceptive, and visuoconstructive tests. No significant differences were found between PD‐d group and DLB subjects on any neuropsychological test. We were unable to find any differences in cognitive tasks between PD‐d and DLB subjects. Clinical features and neuropsychological deficiencies of DLB (attentional, visuoperceptive, and visuoconstructive deficits) and PD (attentional deficits) compared to AD (amnesic syndrome) can contribute to accurate identification of these entities and to the understanding of the neuropathological and neurochemical substrate underlying these diseases. © 2003 Movement Disorder Society
Kinetics, prognostic and predictive values of ESR1 circulating mutations in metastatic breast cancer patients progressing on aromatase inhibitor

Purpose To assess the prognostic and predictive value of circulating ESR1 mutation and its kinetics before and after progression on aromatase inhibitor (AI) treatment. Patients and methods ESR1 circulating D538G and Y537S/N/C mutations were retrospectively analyzed by digital droplet PCR after first-line AI failure in patients treated consecutively from 2010 to 2012 for hormone receptor-positive metastatic breast cancer. Progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were analyzed according to circulating mutational status and subsequent lines of treatment. The kinetics of ESR1 mutation before (3 and 6 months) and after (3 months) AI progression were determined in the available archive plasmas. Results Circulating ESR1 mutations were found at AI progression in 44/144 patients included (30.6%). Median follow-up from AI initiation was 40 months (range 4-94). The median OS was decreased in patients with circulating ESR1 mutation than in patients without mutation (15.5 versus 23.8 months, P=0.0006). The median PFS was also significantly decreased in patients with ESR1 mutation than in patients without mutation (5.9 vs 7 months, P=0.002). After AI failure, there was no difference in outcome for patients receiving chemotherapy (n = 58) versus non-AI endocrine therapy (n=51) in patients with and without ESR1 mutation. ESR1 circulating mutations were detectable in 75% of all cases before AI progression, whereas the kinetics 3 months after progression did not correlate with outcome. Conclusion ESR1 circulating mutations are independent risk factors for poor outcome after AI failure, and are frequently detectable before clinical progression. Interventional studies based on ESR1 circulating status are warranted.
An Evaluation of Pedagogical Tutorial Tactics for a Natural Language Tutoring System: A Reinforcement Learning Approach

Pedagogical strategies are policies for a tutor to decide the next action when there are multiple actions available. When the content is controlled to be the same across experimental conditions, there has been little evidence that tutorial decisions have an impact on students' learning. In this paper, we applied Reinforcement Learning (RL) to induce two sets of pedagogical policies from pre-existing human interaction data. The NormGain set was derived with the goal of enhancing tutorial decisions that contribute to learning while the InvNormGain set was derived with the goal of enhancing those decisions that contribute less or even nothing to learning. The two sets were then tested with human students. Our results show that when the content was controlled to be the same, different pedagogical policies did make a difference in learning and more specifically, the NormGain students outperformed their peers. Overall our results suggest that content exposure and practice opportunities can help students to learn even when tutors have poor pedagogical tutorial tactics. However, with effective tutorial tactics, students can learn even more.
Long-lasting memory deficits in mice withdrawn from cocaine are concomitant with neuroadaptations in hippocampal basal activity, GABAergic interneurons and adult neurogenesis

ABSTRACT Cocaine addiction disorder is notably aggravated by concomitant cognitive and emotional pathology that impedes recovery. We studied whether a persistent cognitive/emotional dysregulation in mice withdrawn from cocaine holds a neurobiological correlate within the hippocampus, a limbic region with a key role in anxiety and memory but that has been scarcely investigated in cocaine addiction research. Mice were submitted to a chronic cocaine (20 mg/kg/day for 12 days) or vehicle treatment followed by 44 drug-free days. Some mice were then assessed on a battery of emotional (elevated plus-maze, light/dark box, open field, forced swimming) and cognitive (object and place recognition memory, cocaine-induced conditioned place preference, continuous spontaneous alternation) behavioral tests, while other mice remained in their home cage. Relevant hippocampal features [basal c-Fos activity, GABA+, parvalbumin (PV)+ and neuropeptide Y (NPY)+ interneurons and adult neurogenesis (cell proliferation and immature neurons)] were immunohistochemically assessed 73 days after the chronic cocaine or vehicle protocol. The cocaine-withdrawn mice showed no remarkable exploratory or emotional alterations but were consistently impaired in all the cognitive tasks. All the cocaine-withdrawn groups, independent of whether they were submitted to behavioral assessment or not, showed enhanced basal c-Fos expression and an increased number of GABA+ cells in the dentate gyrus. Moreover, the cocaine-withdrawn mice previously submitted to behavioral training displayed a blunted experience-dependent regulation of PV+ and NPY+ neurons in the dentate gyrus, and neurogenesis in the hippocampus. Results highlight the importance of hippocampal neuroplasticity for the ingrained cognitive deficits present during chronic cocaine withdrawal. Summary: Hippocampal functional activity and neuroplasticity are altered in mice long withdrawn from cocaine, with concomitant memory deficits, emphasizing the role of the hippocampus in persistent cognitive manifestation of cocaine withdrawal.
Resilience in Organ Transplantation: An Application of the Connor–Davidson Resilience Scale (CD–RISC) With Liver Transplant Candidates

End-stage liver disease (ESLD) is a chronic and debilitating condition associated with substantial psychological stress, morbidity, and mortality. The Connor–Davidson Resilience Scale (CD–RISC; Connor & Davidson, 2003) is a commonly used resilience measure. This research examined the validity of the CD–RISC among ESLD patients (N = 120) using exploratory factor analysis. Results supported a single-factor solution after removing poorly loading items. The CD–RISC also was correlated with measures of depression, anxiety, quality of life, social support, age, and cognitive ability, thus providing evidence to support its construct validity. Future research should confirm this factor structure and examine its predictive validity prior to widespread use among ESLD patients. This research represents the first step in this process and proposes an alternative version of the CD–RISC for this population.
Institute of Physics Publishing Journal of Optics A: Pure and Applied Optics Monte Carlo Simulation for Modulated Pulse Bathymetric Light Detecting and Ranging Systems

A modulated light detecting and ranging (LIDAR) system has been developed to improve the detection of underwater targets. To study this detection scheme, this paper proposes a Monte Carlo simulation method for modulated pulse LIDAR systems. First, a Monte Carlo model is developed to simulate modulated pulse propagation in sea water. Second, a receiving system model is emulated with advanced signal processing tools like Fourier transform, cross-correlation and filtering. The simulation program based on the model is realized. This program is capable of predicting experimental results and helping in the design of more advanced transmitter and receiver configurations as various parameters of the environment, modulation and geometry are taken into account in our design. The calculations of backscattering frequency responses with different attenuation coefficients exhibit the low-pass filter-like response of backscattering. The modulated LIDAR results for a target depth of 5 m and attenuation coefficient of c = 0.67 and 0.85 m −1 are also computed. It is validated that the modulation approach can suppress volume backscattering clutter and can enhance the target contrast. Furthermore, comparisons with reported experimental results indicate the feasibility of the simulation model.
Using self-report to identify the broad phenotype in parents of children with autistic spectrum disorders: a study using the Autism-Spectrum Quotient.

BACKGROUND The concept of the 'broad phenotype' of autism refers to the finding that relatives of people with autism often have mild forms of autistic-like characteristics, such as social and communicative difficulties. This study used the Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ), a questionnaire devised to assess features of the broad phenotype in adults, with parents of people with autism, to see whether they would be more likely to obtain extreme scores than a control group. METHODS The AQ was administered to parents of 69 people with an autism spectrum disorder and parents of 52 controls. RESULTS On two of the five subscales of the AQ, social skills and communication, parents of people with autism obtained higher scores than control parents. The other three scales, attention to detail, attention switching, and imagination, did not differentiate groups. The correlation between social skills and communication scales was . 663. The scales can be combined to give an index of broad phenotype. CONCLUSIONS The AQ appears to be sensitive to the broad phenotype, provided attention is restricted to the social skills and communication scales.
Online and face-to-face group interaction processes compared using Bales’ Interaction Process Analysis (IPA).

Previous, pioneering studies of small-group interaction, conducted in face-to-face environments, have generated a body of literature; however, the usefulness of this knowledge for online groups has not been systematically examined. This paper reports the use of Bales' influential Interation Process Analysis model, originally published in 1950, on the transcript of an computer-mediated discussion conducted by a group of graduate students. The results showed some differences: lower levels of some interaction processes than were found in face-to-face groups, and an almost complete lack of negative socio-emotional interactions (which had comprised 2 to 6% of face-to-face utterances). The group's task focus, and its emphasis on problems of evaluation (addressed by opinions) and orientation (addressed by information), were consistent with the activities of face-to-face groups, and were judged expected, considering the close presence of the instructor-moderator in the online discussion. While issues of reliability were identified related to coding with the instrument, the IPA itself was found to be useful for describing interaction processes in online groups.
Development and Validation of the Gambling Pathways Questionnaire (GPQ)

The Pathways Model (Blaszczynski & Nower, 2002) is a theoretical framework that proposes three pathways for identifying etiological subtypes of problem gamblers. The model has been used to assist clinicians in developing individualized treatments that target not only the gambling behavior but also associated risk factors that may undermine recovery and precipitate relapse. The current study sought to develop and validate a new screening instrument, based on the Pathways Model for treatment-seeking gamblers. Participants were gamblers age 18 and over who scored 1+ symptoms on the Problem Gambling Severity Index of the Canadian Problem Gambling Index and presented to one of 22 participating treatment centers in Canada, the United States, and Australia (N = 1,176). Data were collected on 127 items, consisting of 62 core items that reflected variables in the Pathways Model and 65 experimental items derived from recent scholarly literature in gambling etiology. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses identified the following six factors: Antisocial Impulsive Risk-Taking, Stress-Coping, Mood Pre-Problem-Gambling Onset, Mood Post-Problem-Gambling Onset, Child Maltreatment, and Meaning Motivation. The Gambling Pathways Questionnaire showed excellent internal consistency (&agr; = .937), with good to high reliability found for each of the six factors, ranging from . 851 to . 945. Cluster analysis results demonstrated that the three-factor model produced good model fit to the data: Cluster 1 (Behaviorally Conditioned Subtype), Cluster 2 (Emotionally Vulnerable Subtype) and Cluster 3 (Antisocial, Impulsive Risk-Taking Subtype). The present study is the first to present an empirical measure for assigning problem gamblers to etiological subtypes for use as a screening tool in treatment settings.
Chandra Imaging of the X-Ray Core of the Virgo Cluster

We report subarcsecond X-ray imaging spectroscopy of M87 and the core of the Virgo Cluster with the Chandra X-Ray Observatory. The X-ray morphology shows structure on arcsecond (~100 pc) to 10' (~50 kpc) scales, the most prominent feature being an "arc" running from the east, across the central region of M87, and off to the southwest. A ridge in the radio map, ending in an "ear-shaped" structure, follows the arc to the east. Depressions in the X-ray surface brightness correspond to the inner radio lobes, and there is no evidence of shock-heated gas surrounding them. There are also at least two approximately circular (centered near the nucleus) "edges" in the X-ray brightness distribution, the radii of which are slightly larger than the nuclear distances of the inner radio lobes and intermediate radio ridges. We speculate that these discontinuities may be spherical pulses or "fronts" driven by the same jet activity as is responsible for the radio structure; such pulses are found in recent numerical simulations. All these results provide good evidence that the nuclear activity affects the intracluster medium. We present a temperature map of the intracluster medium and obtain the temperature, pressure, and cooling time as a function of nuclear distance for the arcs and the ambient intracluster medium. We show that the gas in the arcs is cooler than, and probably overpressured with respect to, the ambient intracluster medium. The metal abundances of the cooler gas in the arc are somewhat enhanced relative to the ambient intracluster medium, favoring a "buoyant plume" origin for the X-ray arc, in which ambient gas near the nucleus is entrained by buoyant radio plasma and carried to larger nuclear distances. The gas within the inner front (nuclear distance ≃3.5 kpc ≃ 45'') is at least a two-temperature plasma, with the cool component at ≃1 keV. This cool region is concentrated to the north of the nucleus and is strongly correlated with the Hα+[N II] emission line distribution.
Induction of p53-mediated transcription and apoptosis by exportin-1 (XPO1) inhibition in mantle cell lymphoma

The nuclear transporter exportin‐1 (XPO1) is highly expressed in mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) cells, and is believed to be associated with the pathogenesis of this disease. XPO1‐selective inhibitors of nuclear export (SINE) compounds have been shown to induce apoptosis in MCL cells. Given that p53 is a cargo protein of XPO1, we sought to determine the significance of p53 activation through XPO1 inhibition in SINE‐induced apoptosis of MCL cells. We investigated the prognostic impact of XPO1 expression in MCL cells using Oncomine analysis. The significance of p53 mutational/functional status on sensitivity to XPO1 inhibition in cell models and primary MCL samples, and the functional role of p53‐mediated apoptosis signaling, were also examined. Increased XPO1 expression was associated with poor prognosis in MCL patients. The XPO1 inhibitor KPT‐185 induced apoptosis in MCL cells through p53‐dependent and ‐independent mechanisms, and p53 status was a critical determinant of its apoptosis induction. The KPT‐185‐induced, p53‐mediated apoptosis in the MCL cells occurred in a transcription‐dependent manner. Exportin‐1 appears to influence patient survival in MCL, and the SINE XPO1 antagonist KPT‐185 effectively activates p53‐mediated transcription and apoptosis, which would provide a novel strategy for the therapy of MCL.
SPANC: Optimizing Scheduling Delay for Peer-to-Peer Live Streaming

In peer-to-peer (P2P) live streaming using unstructured mesh, packet scheduling is an important factor in overall playback delay. In this paper, we propose a scheduling algorithm to minimize scheduling delay. To achieve low delay, our scheduling is predominantly push in nature, and the schedule needs to be changed only upon significant change in network states (due to, for examples, bandwidth change or parent churns). Our scheme, termed SPANC (Substream Pushing and Network Coding), pushes video packets in substreams and recovers packet loss using network coding. Given heterogeneous contents, delays, and bandwidths of parents of a peer, we formulate the substream assignment (SA) problem to assign substreams to parents with minimum delay. The SA problem can be optimally solved in polynomial time by transforming it to a max-weighted bipartite matching problem. We then formulate the fast recovery with network coding (FRNC) problem, which is to assign network coded packets to each parent to achieve minimum recovery delay. The FRNC problem can also be solved exactly in polynomial time with dynamic programming. Simulation results show that SPANC achieves substantially lower delay with little cost in bandwidth, as compared with recent approaches based on pull, network coding and hybrid pull-push.
Institute for Mathematical Physics a Global Theory of Algebras of Generalized Functions a Global Theory of Algebras of Generalized Functions

We present a geometric approach to deening an algebra ^ G(M) (the Colombeau algebra) of generalized functions on a smooth manifold M containing the space D 0 (M) of distributions on M. Based on diierential calculus in convenient vector spaces we achieve an intrinsic construction of ^ G(M). ^ G(M) is a diierential algebra, its elements possessing Lie derivatives with respect to arbitrary smooth vector elds. Moreover, we construct a canonical linear embedding of D 0 (M) into ^ G(M) that renders C 1 (M) a faithful subalgebra of ^ G(M). Finally, it is shown that this embedding commutes with Lie derivatives. Thus ^ G(M) retains all the distinguishing properties of the local theory in a global context.
Dose uniformity of loteprednol etabonate ophthalmic gel (0.5%) compared with branded and generic prednisolone acetate ophthalmic suspension (1%)

Introduction Loteprednol etabonate (LE) ophthalmic gel 0.5% (Lotemax®) is a new polycarbophil-based, nonsettling topical ophthalmic formulation. The formulation is a semisolid gel at rest and a shear thinning fluid when expressed through a dropper tip. The present study was undertaken to determine how the nonsettling character of LE ophthalmic gel affects dose uniformity. Prednisolone acetate ophthalmic suspension 1% (Pred Forte®) and a generic prednisolone acetate suspension 1% were used as comparators. Methods Drug concentrations of LE ophthalmic gel, Pred Forte, and a generic prednisolone acetate suspension were determined following simulated dosing – consisting of 2 drops, expressed four times daily for 2 weeks, with bottles that were shaken or not shaken immediately prior to expressing the drops. Drug concentrations were determined using a reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method and reported as a percentage of the declared (labeled) concentration. Comparative kinetics of drug particle sedimentation were also determined for each formulation, using dispersion analysis under gravity. Results Mean drug concentrations in drops of all three formulations were within a few percentage points of the declared concentration when the bottles were shaken for 5 seconds prior to dispensing. Only LE ophthalmic gel showed consistent and on-target concentrations when the bottles were unshaken prior to dispensing, with a mean (standard deviation [SD]) percent declared concentration of 102% (1.92%) over the 2-week dosing regimen. Drug concentrations for the branded and generic prednisolone acetate suspensions following expression from unshaken bottles were highly variable (overall relative SDs of 16.8% and 20.3%, respectively), with mean concentrations for both falling significantly below the declared concentration for drops expressed at the beginning of the 2-week dosing regimen and significantly above the declared concentration for drops expressed near the end of the dosing regimen. Dispersion analysis at 120× g showed no drug particle sedimentation for LE ophthalmic gel over the 24-hour testing period, whereas the prednisolone acetate suspensions settled in less than 6 hours. Conclusion LE ophthalmic gel 0.5% provided consistent dose uniformity at the declared concentration whether or not the bottle was shaken prior to dispensing, whereas Pred Forte® and the generic prednisolone acetate required shaking to provide consistent drug concentrations. LE ophthalmic gel may be beneficial to patients because it eliminates the potential impact on the clinical response of both under- and overdosing.