Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effect of Hypericum perforatum (St John's wort) in major depressive disorder: a randomized controlled trial.

CONTEXT Extracts of Hypericum perforatum (St John's wort) are widely used for the treatment of depression of varying severity. Their efficacy in major depressive disorder, however, has not been conclusively demonstrated. OBJECTIVE To test the efficacy and safety of a well-characterized H perforatum extract (LI-160) in major depressive disorder. DESIGN AND SETTING Double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial conducted in 12 academic and community psychiatric research clinics in the United States. PARTICIPANTS Adult outpatients (n = 340) recruited between December 1998 and June 2000 with major depression and a baseline total score on the Hamilton Depression Scale (HAM-D) of at least 20. INTERVENTIONS Patients were randomly assigned to receive H perforatum, placebo, or sertraline (as an active comparator) for 8 weeks. Based on clinical response, the daily dose of H perforatum could range from 900 to 1500 mg and that of sertraline from 50 to 100 mg. Responders at week 8 could continue blinded treatment for another 18 weeks. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Change in the HAM-D total score from baseline to 8 weeks; rates of full response, determined by the HAM-D and Clinical Global Impressions (CGI) scores. RESULTS On the 2 primary outcome measures, neither sertraline nor H perforatum was significantly different from placebo. The random regression parameter estimate for mean (SE) change in HAM-D total score from baseline to week 8 (with a greater decline indicating more improvement) was -9.20 (0.67) (95% confidence interval [CI], -10.51 to -7.89) for placebo vs -8.68 (0.68) (95% CI, -10.01 to -7.35) for H perforatum (P =.59) and -10.53 (0.72) (95% CI, -11.94 to -9.12) for sertraline (P =.18). Full response occurred in 31.9% of the placebo-treated patients vs 23.9% of the H perforatum-treated patients (P =.21) and 24.8% of sertraline-treated patients (P =.26). Sertraline was better than placebo on the CGI improvement scale (P =.02), which was a secondary measure in this study. Adverse-effect profiles for H perforatum and sertraline differed relative to placebo. CONCLUSION This study fails to support the efficacy of H perforatum in moderately severe major depression. The result may be due to low assay sensitivity of the trial, but the complete absence of trends suggestive of efficacy for H perforatum is noteworthy.
Modeling of Metal Structure Corrosion Damage: A State of the Art Report

The durability of metal structures is strongly influenced by damage due to atmospheric corrosion, whose control is a key aspect for design and maintenance of both new constructions and historical buildings. Nevertheless, only general provisions are given in European codes to prevent the effects of corrosion during the lifetime of metal structures. In particular, design guidelines such as Eurocode 3 do not provide models for the evaluation of corrosion depth that are able to predict the rate of thickness loss as a function of different influencing parameters. In this paper, the modeling approaches of atmospheric corrosion damage of metal structures, which are available in both ISO standards and the literature, are presented. A comparison among selected degradation models is shown in order to evaluate the possibility of developing a general approach to the evaluation of thickness loss due to corrosion.
Band-Gap Structure of Spectra of Periodic Dielectric and Acoustic Media. II. Two-Dimensional Photonic Crystals

We consider the two-component dielectric medium consisting of a periodic array of parallel air columns of square cross section embedded into a lossless optically dense host material with the dielectric constant $\zeta > 1$. We show that if$\zeta $ is large enough and the relative distance $\delta $ between the air columns is such that $\zeta \delta \gg 1$ and $\zeta \delta ^2 \ll 1$, then the corresponding Maxwell operator has a series of gaps in the spectrum. We also provide some analytic formulas that enable one to detect location of bands and gaps in the spectrum. In particular, the typical wavelength exhibiting a photonic band gap is $2\pi L\sqrt {\zeta \delta } $ where L is the distance between the axes of adjacent air columns. We also give some estimates on the space distribution of electric field energy for different eigenmodes.
Determining the intensity and energy expenditure during commuter cycling

Objectives: To determine the intensity and energy expenditure during commuter cycling, and to investigate whether cycling to work at a self-chosen intensity corresponds to recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) for health improvement and ACSM recommendations for fitness improvement. Methods: 18 healthy, untrained middle-aged people, who did not cycle to work, underwent two maximal exercise tests (MT and MT2) in order to measure their maximal heart rate and oxygen consumption (VO2). MT2 was performed 24 weeks after MT. Participants were asked to cycle at least three times a week to their workplace over a one-way minimum distance of 2 km. Data on cycling were recorded in a diary. 12 weeks after MT, a field test was conducted, where participants had to cycle to or from their workplace. The same measurements were taken as during MT as markers of exercise intensity. Metabolic equivalents (METs) and energy expenditure were calculated. Results: The intensity during the field test was >75% of their maximal aerobic capacity. The mean (SD) MET value was 6.8 (1.9). The energy expenditure during the field test was 220 (115) kcal or 540 (139) kcal/h and 1539 (892) kcal/week. Men consumed significantly (p<0.01) more energy per hour than women. Conclusion: Commuter cycling at a self-selected intensity meets the CDC and ACSM recommendations for health improvement and the ACSM recommendations for improvement of cardiorespiratory fitness. However, as the participants cycled faster during the field test than during daily cycling, the results should be interpreted with caution.
Perspective taking in individuals with autism in the interactive context of drama education

The focus of this thesis is on perspective taking in individuals with autism and factors associated with it in the interactive context of drama education. Studies have consistently shown that individuals with autism encounter difficulty with perspective taking. This manifests in qualitative differences in social interaction and communication, as outlined in standard diagnostic criteria. Findings from the research in this thesis demonstrate that the difficulty in perspective taking can be mitigated through particular types of interaction with others. Using case study methodology within an interpretative paradigm, data were gathered about ten students aged 16 to 19 in one school for individuals with autism through observations, interviews, questionnaires and documentation. Data were coded and multimodal semiotic analysis was used to examine interactions in detail. Findings from the research indicate that individuals with autism show perspective taking in the interactive context of drama education, and suggest that it maintains and develops over time and generalises to other contexts. A comparison with perspective taking in other curricular areas reveals that it is shown more often and in qualitatively different ways in drama. This suggests that social context influences perspective taking. An interrogation of the social context locates factors associated with perspective taking in interactions with teachers and peers and draws out general approaches and detailed strategies within these interactions. A comparison with other curricular areas highlights particular opportunities presented by drama. These approaches and strategies are explained socioculturally enabling the research to illustrate both the relevance of sociocultural theory for individuals with autism and its practical application. The research context, approach, findings and explanation contribute uniquely to research about and practice involving individuals with autism. Implications of this contribution are discussed with reference to avenues for future research.
Molar incisor hypomineralisation in 7-to-14-year old children in Plovdiv, Bulgaria--an epidemiologic study.

INTRODUCTION Molar incisor hypomineralization (MIH) is a developmental disturbance of enamel affecting the first permanent molars and permanent incisors. The epidemiological evidence on MIH prevalence shows it to be in the range of 3.6 to 25%. The prevalence of MIH has not been documented in Bulgaria which warranted the conduction of the present study. AIM To find the prevalence of molar incisor hypomineralisation in Bulgarian children. PATIENTS AND METHODS The study included randomly selected 2960 children aged 7 to 14 years from Plovdiv and born between 1992 and 1999. The children were allocated to age groups which were matched in number--each of them included 370 children and consisted of approximately equal number of girls and boys. The defect was assessed by visual and tactile inspection using directed light without the enamel surface being preliminary dried. The prevalence of MIH was determined totally and for each age group; also we determined the degree of damage by type of teeth, and the average number of affected teeth of one person with MIH. The results were analysed using alternative analysis at a level of significance P < 0.05. RESULTS The mean prevalence of MIH of the studied populations was 3.58%. The prevalence of MIH for the different age groups was within the range of 2.43-7.84%. The highest prevalence was found for the children born in 1999 (7.84%). It was significantly higher in comparing all age groups (P < 0.05) with the exception of those born in 1992 (P > 0.05). The mean number of affected teeth per person with MIH was 3.99 of which 2.08 were first permanent molars, 1.86--incisors and 0.5--canines. The incisors and the first permanent molars were approximately equally affected (P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS The results of the study suggest that molar incisor hypomineralization can be found in Bulgarian children too. The prevalence of MIH and the mean number of affected teeth of one individual are lower than the data reported in similar studies in other countries.
Cutting Edge: RIPK1 Kinase Inactive Mice Are Viable and Protected from TNF-Induced Necroptosis In Vivo

The serine/threonine kinase RIPK1 is recruited to TNFR1 to mediate proinflammatory signaling and to regulate TNF-induced cell death. A RIPK1 deficiency results in perinatal lethality, impaired NFκB and MAPK signaling, and sensitivity to TNF-induced apoptosis. Chemical inhibitor and in vitro–reconstitution studies suggested that RIPK1 displays distinct kinase activity–dependent and –independent functions. To determine the contribution of RIPK1 kinase to inflammation in vivo, we generated knock-in mice endogenously expressing catalytically inactive RIPK1 D138N. Unlike Ripk1−/− mice, which die shortly after birth, Ripk1D138N/D138N mice are viable. Cells expressing RIPK1 D138N are resistant to TNF- and polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid–induced necroptosis in vitro, and Ripk1D138N/D138N mice are protected from TNF-induced shock in vivo. Moreover, Ripk1D138N/D138N mice fail to control vaccinia virus replication in vivo. This study provides genetic evidence that the kinase activity of RIPK1 is not required for survival but is essential for TNF-, TRIF-, and viral-initiated necroptosis.
The Multifractal Structure of Contrast Changes in Natural Images: From Sharp Edges to Textures

We present a formalism that leads naturally to a hierarchical description of the different contrast structures in images, providing precise definitions of sharp edges and other texture components. Within this formalism, we achieve a decomposition of pixels of the image in sets, the fractal components of the image, such that each set contains only points characterized by a fixed strength of the singularity of the contrast gradient in its neighborhood. A crucial role in this description of images is played by the behavior of contrast differences under changes in scale. Contrary to naive scaling ideas where the image is thought to have uniform transformation properties (Field, 1987), each of these fractal components has its own transformation law and scaling exponents. A conjecture on their biological relevance is also given.
Technologies for an Aging Society: A Systematic Review of “Smart Home” Applications

Summary Objectives A “smart home” is a residence wired with technology features that monitor the well-being and activities of their residents to improve overall quality of life, increase independence and prevent emergencies. This type of informatics applications targeting older adults, people with disabilities or the general population is increasingly becoming the focus of research worldwide. The aim of this study was to provide a comprehensive review of health related smart home projects and discuss human factors and other challenges. MethodsTo cover not only the medical but also the social sciences and electronics literature, we conducted extensive searches across disciplines (e.g., Medline , Embase , CINAHL, PsycINFO, Electronics and Communications Abstracts, Web of Science etc.). In order to be inclusive of all new initiatives and efforts in this area given the innovativeness of the concept, we manually searched for relevant references in the retrieved articles as well as published books on smart homes and gerontechnology Results A total of 114 publications (including papers, abstracts and web pages) were identified and reviewed to identify the overarching projects. Twenty one smart home projects were identified (71% of the projects include technologies for functional monitoring, 67% for safety monitoring, 47% for physiological monitoring, 43% for cognitive support or sensory aids, 19% for monitoring security and 19% to increase social interaction). Evidence for their impact on clinical outcomes is lacking. Conclusions The field of smart homes is a growing informatics domain. Several challenges including not only technical but also ethical ones need to be addressed.
Functional Interaction of the Bovine Papillomavirus E2 Transactivation Domain with TFIIB

ABSTRACT Induction of gene expression by the papillomavirus E2 protein requires its ∼220-amino-acid amino-terminal transactivation domain (TAD) to interact with cellular factors that lead to formation of an activated RNA polymerase complex. These interaction partners have yet to be identified and characterized. The E2 protein localizes the transcription complex to the target promoter through its carboxy-terminal sequence-specific DNA binding domain. This domain has been reported to bind the basal transcription factors TATA-binding protein and TFIIB. We present evidence establishing a direct interaction between amino acids 74 to 134 of the E2 TAD and TFIIB. Within this region, the E2 point mutant N127Y was partially defective and W99C was completely defective for TFIIB binding in vitro, and these mutants displayed reduced or no transcriptional activity, respectively, upon transfection into C33A cells. Overexpression of TFIIB specifically restored transactivation by N127Y to close to wild-type levels, while W99C remained inactive. To further demonstrate the functional interaction of TFIIB with the wild-type E2 TAD, this region was fused to a bacterial DNA binding domain (LexA:E2:1-216). Upon transfection with increasing amounts of LexA:E2:1-216, there was reduction of its transcriptional activity, a phenomenon thought to result from titration of limiting factors, or squelching. Squelching of LexA:E2:1-216, or the wild-type E2 activator, was partially relieved by overexpression of TFIIB. We conclude that a specific region of the E2 TAD functionally interacts with TFIIB.
Non-linear relationship between heart period and root mean square of successive differences during ramp exercise and early recovery

To compare the relationships between heart period and root mean square of successive differences for exercise and recovery, these parameters were obtained in eight subjects during three one-minute successive sub-maximal workloads of cycle exercise and the first three minutes of recovery, using a 25 second sliding window. In most subjects, at recovery, the variables reached values over those at resting condition. Individual semi-log and log-log regressions were estimated and the regression parameters for both stages were compared by paired t-test. All correlations were very strong, higher for the exercise stage, and the regressions were slightly better for the log-log case. The parameters had significant differences between exercise and recovery stages, showing that the relationship between the heart period and the vagal modulation index changed with the subject condition, in this case due to the differences in the response of both variables during the recovery stage
Prevalence, Evolution, and cis-Regulation of Diel Transcription in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii

Endogenous (circadian) and exogenous (e.g., diel) biological rhythms are a prominent feature of many living systems. In green algal species, knowledge of the extent of diel rhythmicity of genome-wide gene expression, its evolution, and its cis-regulatory mechanism is limited. In this study, we identified cyclically expressed genes under diel conditions in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii and found that ~50% of the 17,114 annotated genes exhibited cyclic expression. These cyclic expression patterns indicate a clear succession of biological processes during the course of a day. Among 237 functional categories enriched in cyclically expressed genes, >90% were phase-specific, including photosynthesis, cell division, and motility-related processes. By contrasting cyclic expression between C. reinhardtii and Arabidopsis thaliana putative orthologs, we found significant but weak conservation in cyclic gene expression patterns. On the other hand, within C. reinhardtii cyclic expression was preferentially maintained between duplicates, and the evolution of phase between paralogs is limited to relatively minor time shifts. Finally, to better understand the cis regulatory basis of diel expression, putative cis-regulatory elements were identified that could predict the expression phase of a subset of the cyclic transcriptome. Our findings demonstrate both the prevalence of cycling genes as well as the complex regulatory circuitry required to control cyclic expression in a green algal model, highlighting the need to consider diel expression in studying algal molecular networks and in future biotechnological applications.
Plasma Concentrations, Efficacy and Safety of Efavirenz in HIV-Infected Adults Treated for Tuberculosis in Cambodia (ANRS 1295-CIPRA KH001 CAMELIA Trial)

Objective To assess efavirenz plasma concentrations and their association with treatment efficacy and tolerance of efavirenz 600 mg daily in HIV-tuberculosis co-infected patients. Methods HIV-infected adults with CD4+ T cell count ≤200/mm3 received standard 6-month tuberculosis treatment and antiretroviral therapy including a daily-dose of 600 mg of efavirenz, irrespective of their body weight. Mid-dose blood samples were drawn both on tuberculosis treatment (week +2 and week +6 after antiretroviral therapy initiation, and week 22 of follow-up) and off tuberculosis treatment (week 50 of follow-up). Considered therapeutic range was 1,000 to 4,000 ng/mL. Multivariate analysis was performed to evaluate the association between efavirenz concentration below 1,000 ng/mL and virological failure. Linear regression was used to test the association between efavirenz exposure and CD4+ T cell gain. Severe side effects potentially related to efavirenz were described and their association with efavirenz exposure was tested by multivariate analysis. Results Efavirenz plasma concentrations were available in 540 patients. Median [interquartile range] efavirenz concentrations were 2,674 ng/mL [1,690–4,533], 2,667 ng/mL [1,753–4,494] and 2,799 ng/mL [1,804–4,744] at week +2, week +6, week 22, respectively, and 2,766 ng/mL [1,941–3,976] at week 50. Efavirenz concentrations were lower at week 50 (off rifampicin) compared to week 22 (on rifampicin) (p<0.001). Late attendance to study visit and low hemoglobinemia were the only factors associated with an increased risk of efavirenz concentration below 1,000 ng/mL. Efavirenz concentration below 1,000 ng/mL was not associated with treatment failure. Efavirenz concentration above 4,000 ng/mL was associated with higher risk of central nervous system side effects (p<0.001) and of hepatotoxicity (p<0.001). Conclusion Body weight and tuberculosis treatment were not associated with low efavirenz concentrations or treatment failure, supporting the 600 mg daily-dose of efavirenz in HIV-tuberculosis co-infected patients. High efavirenz concentrations were related to a higher risk of central nervous system side effects and hepatotoxicity. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01300481
Field accuracy of fourth-generation rapid diagnostic tests for acute HIV-1: a systematic review

Introduction:Fourth-generation HIV-1 rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) detect HIV-1 p24 antigen to screen for acute HIV-1. However, diagnostic accuracy during clinical use may be suboptimal. Methods:Clinical sensitivity and specificity of fourth-generation RDTs for acute HIV-1 were collated from field evaluation studies in adults identified by a systematic literature search. Results:Four studies with 17 381 participants from Australia, Swaziland, the United Kingdom and Malawi were identified. All reported 0% sensitivity of the HIV-1 p24 component for acute HIV-1 diagnosis; 26 acute infections were missed. Specificity ranged from 98.3 to 99.9%. Conclusion:Fourth-generation RDTs are currently unsuitable for the detection of acute HIV-1.
Comparison of methods for the simplification of mesh models of the lungs using quality indices and an observer study

This paper presents a comparison among mesh simplification methods performed through quality indices and a controlled experiment involving 32 observers. The simplification methods: OpenMesh, OpenMesh with a normal flipping criterion and QSlim, were compared at two simplification levels: 50% and 20% of the original number of faces. Results obtained using the quality indices and the controlled experiment were compared and show that some quality indices can be used as reasonable estimators of the observers' performance in specific circumstances.
Real-Time Monitoring of Growing Nanoparticles

One challenge in the production of nanometer-sized objects with given properties is to control their growth at a macroscopic scale in situ and in real time. A dedicated ultrahigh-vacuum grazing-incidence small-angle x-ray scattering setup has been developed, yielding high sensitivity and dynamics. Its capabilities to derive the average particle shape and size and the film growth mode and ordering and to probe both surfaces and buried interfaces are illustrated for two prototypical cases: the model catalyst Pd/MgO(100) and the self-organized Co/Au(111) system. A wide range of technologically important systems can potentially be investigated in various gaseous environments.