Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
[Serotonergic activity and harm avoidance in abstinent drug addicts].

INTRODUCTION The present study was to assess the relationship between the Tridimensional Personality Questionnaire scores and the 5-HT activity in abstinent drug addicts. METHODOLOGY 16 men who satisfied the DSM-III-R/DSM-IV criteria for substance abuse disorder accomplished the Cloninger's Tridimensional Personality Questionnaire; their serotonergic activity was measured using the Fenfluramine Challenge Test. RESULTS The Novelty Seeking is the only dimension showing a statistical difference versus a standard healthy sample, while harm avoidance and not the other dimensions was significantly correlated with the prolactin post-fenfluramine peak (r= 0.80, p<0.001). CONCLUSION This work confirm that drug addicts are high Novelty Seekers and support the hypothesis that Harm Avoidance dimension correlate with serotonergic activity.
Maternal Blood Manganese Levels and Infant Birth Weight

Background: Manganese is both an essential element and a known neurotoxicant to children. High manganese exposures have been associated with negative reproductive outcomes in animals, but few epidemiologic studies have examined the effects of human fetal manganese exposure. Methods: We studied the association between maternal and umbilical cord blood manganese levels and birth weight in a cohort of 470 mother-infant pairs born at term (≥37 weeks gestation) in Ottawa County, Oklahoma. Nonlinear spline and quadratic regression models were used to test the hypothesis of an inverted U-shaped relationship between manganese levels and birth weight. Results: Mean (standard deviation) concentration of manganese was 2.4 (0.95) &mgr;g/dL in the maternal blood and 4.2 (1.6) &mgr;g/dL in the cord blood. Umbilical cord manganese was not associated with birth weight. A nonlinear relationship was observed between maternal manganese and birth weight after adjusting for potential confounders. Birth weight increased with manganese levels up to 3.1 &mgr;g/L, and then a slight reduction in weight was observed at higher levels. Compared with the 3.1-&mgr;g/L point of inflection, birth weight estimates at the 5th (1.3 &mgr;g/L) and 95th (4.0 &mgr;g/L) percentiles of exposure were −160 g (95% confidence interval = −286 to −33) and −46 g (−38 to 131), respectively. Conclusions: Maternal blood manganese levels during pregnancy are associated with birth weight in a nonlinear pattern in full-term infants. These findings suggest that manganese may affect fetal growth. Possible detrimental effects of elevated manganese levels on the fetus should be further examined in more highly exposed populations.
Speedup and Parallelization Models for Energy-Efficient Many-Core Systems Using Performance Counters

Traditional speedup models, such as Amdahls, facilitate the study of the impact of running parallel workloads on manycore systems. However, these models are typically based on software characteristics, assuming ideal hardware behaviors. As such, the applicability of these models for energy and/or performance-driven system optimization is limited by two factors. Firstly, speedup cannot be measured without instrumenting the original software codes, and secondly, the parallelization factor of an application running on specific hardware is generally unknown. In this paper, we propose a novel method, whereby standard performance counters found in modern many-core platforms can be used to derive speedup without instrumenting applications for time measurements. We postulate that speedup can be accurately estimated as a ratio of instructions per cycle for a parallel manycore system to the instructions per cycle of a single core system. By studying the application instructions and system instructions for the first time, our method leads to the determination of the parallelization factor and the optimal system configuration for energy and/or performance. The method is extensively demonstrated through experiments on three different platforms with core numbers ranging from 4 to 61, running parallel benchmark applications (including synthetic and PARSEC benchmarks) on Linux operating system. Speedup and parallelization estimations using our method and their extensive cross-validations show negligible errors (up to 8%) in these systems. Additionally, we demonstrate the effectiveness of our method to explore parallelization-aware energy-efficient system configurations for many-core systems using energy-delay-product based formulations.
Disparities in 30-Day Rehospitalization Rates Among Medicare Skilled Nursing Facility Residents by Race and Site of Care

Objectives:To examine racial and site-of-care disparities in all-cause and potentially avoidable 30-day rehospitalization rates among a national cohort of Medicare skilled nursing facility (SNF) residents. Methods:We analyzed the 2012 Minimum Data Set, Medicare inpatient claims, and other data. Multivariable logistic regressions were used to adjust for resident demographic, functional, and diagnostic characteristics, as well as observed SNF and geographic factors. Conditional fixed effects for SNFs were further used to adjust for both observed and unobserved factors. Independent effects of black race and site-of-care groups were estimated, where sites were defined using proportions of black Medicare admissions to the SNF. Results:The 30-day all-cause and potentially avoidable rehospitalization rates were 21.9% and 8.8%, respectively, for black residents (n=120,508), and 17.7% and 7.9% for white residents (n=1,182,003). Racial disparities persisted after adjustment for resident characteristics. Moreover, risk-adjusted disparities were essentially related to the type of SNFs to which residents were admitted; after controlling for SNF sites, significant racial disparity disappeared for potentially available rehospitalizations. Black residents and white residents admitted to SNFs with high proportions of black admissions (>25%) were 31% and 19%, respectively, more likely to be rehospitalized than white residents admitted to SNFs caring for only a small percentage of black postacute residents (<3%). Conclusions:Compared with white SNF residents, black SNF residents are more likely to be rehospitalized even after adjusting for patient risk factors. Black-white disparities, especially in potentially preventable rehospitalizations, are largely due to the fact that black residents tend to be admitted to the small number of SNFs with very high rehospitalization rates.
The Influence of Management Commitment to Service Quality on Employee Performance, and the Mediating Role of Employee Involvement: a Saudi Arabia Perspective

This study explores the mediating role of employee involvement in the links between management commitment to service quality, and employee performance in the Immigration Department at Saudi international airports. In this regard, self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data. This questionnaire was distributed to frontline Immigration Department employees to measure management commitment to service quality, employee involvement, and employee performance. The questionnaire provided primary data. The study applied a quantitative research approach that involved SPSS v. 21 and AMOS v.21 were both used in the analytical process. Structural equation modeling (SEM) enabled the examination of the interactions among management commitment to service quality, employee performance, and employee involvement. The results of the analysis show that employee involvement has a full mediating role between management commitment to service quality and employee performance. Consequently, this study confirms that management commitment to service quality alone does not produce positive employee performance unless linked with employee involvement. Keywords : Management commitment to service quality; employee involvement; employee performance; Saudi Arabia.
Development of the Bovine Metanephros

This study presents the gross and light microscopic features of the developing bovine metanephros. Thirty‐six specimens, consisting of 19 whole embryos and foetuses, 15 foetal metanephroi, one calf kidney and one cow kidney, were examined. The development of the collecting duct system and nephron induction and formation were similar to those processes described for the human kidney but appeared to follow an accelerated time course. The bovine metanephros by 15–18 weeks gestation, had a well organized internal structure consisting of dilated major calyces, prominent minor calyces and papillae, and a definize cortex and medulla. Nephron induction started as early as 4–6 weeks gestation and was completed around 28 weeks.
Intertwined Orders in Heavy-Fermion Superconductor CeCoIn

Duk Y. Kim, Shi-Zeng Lin, Franziska Weickert, Michel Kenzelmann, Eric D. Bauer, Filip Ronning, J. D. Thompson, and Roman Movshovich Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545, USA Laboratory for Scientific Developments & Novel Materials, Paul Scherrer Institute, Villigen CH-5232, Switzerland (Received 24 July 2016; revised manuscript received 26 October 2016; published 20 December 2016)
New nutritional composition data on selected traditional foods consumed in Black Sea Area countries.

BACKGROUND Traditional foods are an important part of the culture, history, identity and heritage of a region or country and are key elements in dietary patterns. In most countries there is limited information on the nutritional composition of such foods and therefore there is a need to investigate, register and promote traditional foods. One of the aims within the 'Sustainable exploitation of bioactive components from the Black Sea Area traditional foods' (BaSeFood) project is to generate for the first time new data on the nutritional composition of traditional foods from six Black Sea Area countries to promote their sustainable development and exploitation. RESULTS Thirty-three traditional foods were analysed in an accredited laboratory to determine their nutritional composition, and the data were fully documented. The nutrient content varied widely because of the nature and variety of the analysed foods. The energy content ranged between 4 kcal per 100 g for kvass southern and 900 kcal per 100 g for mustard oil, with the exception of the analysed teas, which did not contribute to energy intake. CONCLUSION The use of a common methodology for the study of traditional foods will enable countries to further investigate these foods. Moreover, a new nutritional knowledge base of traditional foods from Black Sea Area countries will contribute to promote local biodiversity and sustainable diets by maintaining healthy dietary patterns within local cultures.
APOE Genotype, Vascular Risk Factors, Memory Test Performance and the Five-Year Risk of Vascular Cognitive Impairment or Alzheimer’s Disease

The APOE ε4 gene and poor memory test performance have each been associated with an increased risk of developing dementia, but the relationship between these risk factors in predicting dementia is unclear. We examined the multivariate effects of APOE genotype, memory test performance and vascular risk factors in predicting incident Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and vascular cognitive impairment (VCI) in the Canadian Study of Health and Aging. Delayed free recall was measured by the Buschke Cued Recall Test (BCRT). The study sample included 223 people who were identified as having no cognitive impairment (NCI) and either APOE ε3/ε3 or ε3/ε4 genotypes at the baseline clinical assessment. After 5 years, 182 (82%) still had NCI, 21 developed VCI (9%) and 20 AD (9%). Multivariate analyses demonstrated that APOE ε4 increased the risk of AD (OR, 3.48; CI, 1.15–10.48) but not VCI (OR, 0.89; CI, 0.24–3.27). Vascular risk factors increased the risk of VCI (OR, 2.18; CI, 1.36–3.51) but not AD (OR, 0.68; CI, 0.38–1.20). Lower BCRT scores conferred an increased risk of both VCI (OR, 1.75; CI, 1.27–2.42) and AD (OR, 1.86; CI, 1.29–2.67) but attenuated the APOE ε4 effect in AD. VCI and AD have different risk profiles and outcomes, but subtle memory difficulties may be an early feature of both.
Pedestrian Prediction by Planning Using Deep Neural Networks

Accurate traffic participant prediction is the prerequisite for collision avoidance of autonomous vehicles. In this work, we propose to predict pedestrians using goal-directed planning. For this, we infer a mixture density function for possible destinations. We use these destinations as the goal states of a planning stage that performs motion prediction based on common behavior patterns. The patterns are learned by a fully convolutional network operating on maps of the environment. We show that this entire system can be modeled as one monolithic neural network and trained via inverse reinforcement learning. Experimental validation on real world data shows the system's ability to predict both, destinations and trajectories accurately.
Immunopathogenesis and treatment of the guillain‐barré syndrome—part I

The etiology of the Guillain‐Barré syndrome (GBS) still remains elusive. Recent years have witnessed important advances in the delineation of the mechanisms that may operate to produce nerve damage. Evidence gathered from cell biology, immunology, and immunopathology studies in patients with GBS and animals with experimental autoimmune neuritis (EAN) indicate that GBS results from aberrant immune responses against components of peripheral nerve. Autoreactive T lymphocytes specific for the myelin antigens PO and P2 and circulating antibodies to these antigens and various glycoproteins and glycolipids have been indentified but their pathogenic role remains unclear. The multiplicity of these factors and the involvement of several antigen nonspecific proinflammatory mechanisms suggest that a complex interaction of immune pathways results in nerve damage. Data on disturbed humoral immunity with particular emphasis on glycolipid antibodies and on activation of autoreactive T lymphocytes and macrophages will be reviewed. Possible mechanisms underlying initiation of peripheral nerve‐directed immune responses will be discussed with particular emphasis on the recently highlighted association with Campylobacter jejuni infection. © 1995 John Wiley &Sons, Inc.
Comparing two programs of cognitive training in Alzheimer's disease: a pilot study

Objectives – To evaluate the efficacy of two different procedures of individual cognitive training in mild to moderate Alzheimer's Disease (AD). Material and methods – Twenty‐two AD patients entered the study. We compared stimulation of procedural memory (group 1) with training of partially spared cognitive functions (group 2). Assessment included: neuropsychological tests, scales, and the Functional Living Skills Assessment (FLSA), a standardized battery built to directly evaluate patients' performance in everyday life. Results – We observed a significant improvement for both groups after training in FLSA total score (P=0.005) and subscales. For group 1, we also found a slightly improved performance in two tests: Attentional Matrices (P=0.041), and Verbal Fluency for Letters (P=0.059). After 3 months, patients' results showed a tendency to regress to the pre‐training level. Conclusion – Both AD groups showed a substantial improvement after training in a direct performance measure of everyday functioning. However, results at neuropsychological tests suggest that training activities of daily living (supported by procedural memory) may be more effective than stimulating `residual' cognitive functions.
Breast-feeding initiation: predictors, attitudes, and practices among blacks and whites in rural Mississippi.

OBJECTIVES We attempted to determine the incidence, predictors, attitudes, and practices of breast-feeding initiation among women in a low-income rural Mississippi community. METHODS We interviewed 420 new mothers regarding breast-feeding. RESULTS Ninety-six women (24%) initiated breast-feeding. More whites (44%) than blacks (20%) initiated breast-feeding. Of those 96, 59% planned to breast-feed for <6 months and 38% for 6 to 12 months. Among women who breast-fed, 78% said they did so because it was healthier. Among those not breast-feeding, most (48%) specifically stated, "I have no reason," while 20% hated the idea and 19% lacked time. About 73% of all women had been encouraged to breast-feed by nonphysicians (83%). For both races, the most significant predictor was a breast-feeding friend or relative. CONCLUSION Breast-feeding rates in the Mississippi Delta are low, especially among blacks. Effective education programs are needed to increase these rates, and such programs should include friends, spouses, relatives, and significant others.
Nickel release from ear piercing kits and earrings

Ear piercing with nickel‐alloyed studs/clasps involves considerable risk of nickel sensitisation. Stainless steel studs/clasps for ear piercing and different types of earring were stored in synthetic sweat for 1 week. The nickel release was determined. One “hypoallergenic” stud/clasp released 0.005 μg Ni; 21 unused studs/clasps and earrings released 0.05–3 μg Ni, and 11 unused studs/clasps and earrings released 6–25 μg Ni. 6 earrings which caused dermatitis released 14–442 μg Ni. Thus, all studs/clasps and earrings released nickel. Neither gold nor silver plating prevented the nickel release. Nickel‐sensitive women were asked to wear studs/clasps releasing various amounts of nickel. The most sensitive of them showed eczematous reactions to studs/clasps releasing nickel down to 0.05 μg. The dimethylglyoxime test was positive only when more than 10 μg Ni was released.
Monte Carlo Simulation of the Vacancies and Thickness Effects on the Magnetic Behavior of La $_{0.67}$Ca $_{0.33}$MnO $_{3}$ Thin Films

Monte Carlo simulations of La0.67Ca0. 33MnO3 thin films by using the Metropolis algorithm and a nearest neighbor classical Heisenberg model were carried out. Films were simulated by considering system sizes of L × L × d magnetic ions, being d the film thickness, which was varied, and L the linear dimension of the basal plane, which was kept fixed at a high enough value. In the simulation we have differentiated three types of ions, namely Mn4+d3, Mn3+eg, and Mn3+eg' with their corresponding coupling constants. Hence, the effect of substituting Mn ions by vacancies upon the magnetic properties of the films was addressed. Magnetization, magnetic susceptibility, and specific heat curves as a function of temperature were obtained. Results indicate that the paramagnetic to ferromagnetic transition temperature Tc increases until reaching the value reported for the bulk material (~260 K) as the film thickness increases above 9 magnetic unit cells. Moreover, as the vacancies percentage increases, Tc exhibits a linear decrease without depending of the sample thickness; this is caused by the decrease in the magnetic bonds density.
The efficacy of short‐term psychodynamic psychotherapy for depression: a summary of recent findings

We commend Malhi et al. (1) and this journal for publishing excellent clinical practice recommendations for depression. We write to highlight new findings supporting Short-Term Psychodynamic Psychotherapy (STPP) for depression which, using the authors criteria requiring a systematic review of randomized controlled trials (1), may result in increasing the level of evidence for this treatment. We recently published a meta-analysis of group and individual STPP for depression (2), including 23 studies totaling 1365 patients. We found STPP resulted in large symptom reductions (d = 1.34), that were maintained until 1-year follow-up. STPP was found superior to controls (d = 0.69), but somewhat less efficacious than other psychotherapies at post-treatment (d = )0.30). However, we found no significant differences at 3and 12-month follow-up (d = )0.05; d = )0.29). Individual STPP (d = 1.43) was more effective than group STPP (d = 0.83), and as effective as other individual psychotherapies at post-treatment (d = )0.19), 3and 12-month follow-up (d = )0.05 and )0.31; all non-significant). These findings add to the evidencebase of STPP for depression and may result in an increase to the highest level of evidence according to the criteria used by Malhi et al. (1). Furthermore, STPP has been found effective at reducing symptoms in treatment resistant depression (3) and personality-disordered depressed patients (4). A recent review (5) found STPP producing robust and persistent symptom-reducing effects for personality-disordered patients (d = 0.97). These findings render STPP a treatment of choice for these depressed populations that are frequently non-responsive to initial depression treatment.
Comparison of Calcium Analysis, Longitudinal Microradiography and Profilometry for the Quantitative Assessment of Erosion in Dentine

Erosion of dentine causes mineral dissolution, while the organic compounds remain at the surface. Therefore, a determination of tissue loss is complicated. Established quantitative methods for the evaluation of enamel have also been used for dentine, but the suitability of these techniques in this field has not been systematically determined. Therefore, this study aimed to compare longitudinal microradiography (LMR), contacting (cPM) and non-contacting profilometry (ncPM), and analysis of dissolved calcium (Ca analysis) in the erosion solution. Results are discussed in the light of the histology of dentine erosion. Erosion was performed with 0.05 M citric acid (pH 2.5) for 30, 60, 90 or 120 min, and erosive loss was determined by each method. LMR, cPM and ncPM were performed before and after collagenase digestion of the demineralised organic surface layer, with an emphasis on moisture control. Scanning electron microscopy was performed on randomly selected specimens. All measurements were converted into micrometres. Profilometry was not suitable to adequately quantify mineral loss prior to collagenase digestion. After 120 min of erosion, values of 5.4 ± 1.9 μm (ncPM) and 27.8 ± 4.6 μm (cPM) were determined. Ca analysis revealed a mineral loss of 55.4 ± 11.5 μm. The values for profilometry after matrix digestion were 43.0 ± 5.5 μm (ncPM) and 46.9 ± 6.2 (cPM). Relative and proportional biases were detected for all method comparisons. The mineral loss values were below the detection limit for LMR. The study revealed gross differences between methods, particularly when demineralised organic surface tissue was present. These results indicate that the choice of method is critical and depends on the parameter under study.
Microstructure of cheese : Processing

Cheese is a classical dairy product, which is strongly judged by its appearance and texture; hence, a renewed interest in its microstructure has been on the rise, as sophisticated techniques of analysis become more and more informative and widely available. Processing parameters that affect microstructure play a dominant role upon the features exhibited by the final product as perceived by the consumer; rational relationships between microstructure (which includes biochemical and he products are accordingly required. Subsequent to that extra fundamental knowledge, technological innovations may eventually improve current cheesemaking processes, and permit mechanistic design of novel ones. This review thus focuses on recent advances pertaining to the microstructure of cheese, and discusses them in a logical and critical manner.