Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Metformin in the treatment of HIV lipodystrophy syndrome: A randomized controlled trial.

CONTEXT A syndrome of lipodystrophy, characterized by fat redistribution and insulin resistance, has been estimated to affect the majority of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected individuals who are treated with combination antiretroviral therapy. There are no proven therapies for the metabolic disturbances associated with HIV lipodystrophy syndrome. OBJECTIVE To determine the safety and efficacy of metformin therapy in HIV-infected patients with fat redistribution and abnormal glucose homeostasis. DESIGN AND SETTING Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot study conducted in a university hospital between December 1998 and January 2000. PATIENTS Twenty-six HIV-infected, nondiabetic patients with fat redistribution and abnormal oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) results, hyperinsulinemia, or both. INTERVENTIONS Patients were randomly assigned to receive metformin, 500 mg twice daily (n = 14), or identical placebo (n = 12), for 3 months. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Insulin area under the curve (AUC), calculated 120 minutes following a 75-g OGTT at baseline vs at 3-month follow-up and compared between treatment groups. RESULTS Patients treated with metformin demonstrated significant reductions in mean (SEM) insulin AUC 120 minutes after OGTT (-2930 [912] vs -414 [432] microIU/mL [-20349 6334 vs -2875 3000 pmol/L]; P =.01), weight (-1.3 [0.6] vs 1.1 [0.4] kg; P =.005), and diastolic blood pressure (-5 [4] vs 5 [2] mm Hg; P =.009) vs controls, respectively. Metformin therapy was associated with a decrease in visceral abdominal fat (VAT; -1115 [819] vs 1191 [699] mm(2); P =. 08) and a proportional reduction in subcutaneous abdominal fat (SAT); the VAT-SAT ratio was unchanged in metformin-treated vs placebo-treated patients. No increase in lactate or liver transaminase levels was observed with metformin treatment. Mild diarrhea was the most common adverse effect of metformin. No patient discontinued therapy because of adverse effects. CONCLUSIONS This study suggests that a relatively low dosage of metformin reduces insulin resistance and related cardiovascular risk parameters in HIV-infected patients with lipodystrophy. JAMA. 2000;284:472-477
The Cardinal Needs Schedule – a modified version of the MRC Needs for Care Assessment Schedule

SYNOPSIS This paper describes a modified version of the MRC Needs for Care Schedule (the Cardinal Needs Schedule), for measuring needs for psychiatric and social care amongst patients with severe psychiatric disorders. The modified schedule has three new features: (i) it is quick and easy to use; (ii) it takes systematic account of the views of patients and their carers; (iii) it defines and identifies need in a way that is concise and easy to interpret. The paper describes why the three new features were considered necessary, and then gives an overview of the structure of the Cardinal Needs Schedule, together with a description of how the three new features were developed. During a study of social services care management the practicality of the modified schedule was investigated and further data were obtained on the reliability and validity of the standardized approach to measuring need, in domains not previously investigated. Because of its speed and simplicity, the Cardinal Needs Schedule offers a new choice to researchers who wish to use a standardized and practical assessment of need in evaluative studies of community care. Examples of the usage of the modified schedule are given in an Appendix.
A Rigorous Methodology for Security Architecture Modeling and Verification

This paper introduces a rigorous methodology for utilizing threat modeling in building secure software architectures using SAM (Software Architecture Modeling framework) and verifying them formally using Symbolic Model Checking. Security mitigations are expressed as constraints over a high-level SAM model and are used to refine it into a secure constrained model. We also, propose a translation from SAM Secure models into the SMV model checker where the threats and the elicited security properties from the threat modeling process are used as inputs to the verification phase as well. This method is developed with the aim of bridging the gap between informal security requirements and their formal representation and verification.
Cross-National Environmental Injustice and Human Rights Issues

This article focuses on the issues of environmental injustice and human rights violations across nations. Using existing documents, the patterns of the transnational toxic waste trade and natural resource exploitation and the bases of global environmental injustice are explored. The dependency/world-system perspective on toxic waste exports and imports and the environmental justice framework are used to analyze transnational toxic waste dumping schemes and resource exploitation in underdeveloped nations. With an emphasis on the Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People, available evidence suggests that environmental activists, powerless indigenous subpopulations, and other minorities face the danger of environmental injustice and human rights abuse, especially under authoritarian regimes. The need for stronger international norms protecting human rights to a safe and sound environment is emphasized, and it is argued that environmental injustice needs to be included as a component of human rights protocols. Policy implications of theoretical analyses are offered.
Tourette's syndrome: performance on tests of behavioural inhibition, working memory and gambling.

BACKGROUND Tourette's syndrome (TS) is a neurodevelopmental disorder associated with fronto-striatal dysfunction. There is debate as to the extent to which TS is associated with cognitive impairment. Some authors argue that any impairments seen are attributable to comorbid psychiatric symptomatology, whilst others have suggested that uncomplicated TS is associated with mild deficits limited primarily to inhibitory processes. The present study was designed to examine this issue using carefully screened participants with TS and experimental measures thought to involve different areas of the frontal lobes. METHODS Adolescents with TS who were screened for comorbid psychiatric disorder were compared with a healthy control group on a set of executive measures. Two tasks involving behavioural inhibition were used: a Sentence Completion task in which sentences had to be completed first with straightforward and then with nonsensical endings, and a Flanker task in which a central stimulus was surrounded by either compatible or incompatible flankers. Working memory was assessed using an N-back task, and reward learning was assessed using a Gambling task. Both accuracy and reaction times were measured for each task. RESULTS The TS group differed significantly from the control group on both the Sentence Completion task and on the Flanker task. On the Sentence Completion task, they were slower to make both sensible and nonsensical completions, and they had higher error scores on the nonsensical completions. On the Flanker task, the TS participants were less accurate than the control group, since they were poorer on the incompatible but not the compatible trials. A similar interaction with trial type was found for speed, where the TS participants were slowed more by the incompatible versus compatible trials, although overall their performance tended to be faster than the controls. The TS group did not differ significantly from the control group on measures of working memory or reward learning. CONCLUSIONS The findings provide further evidence that uncomplicated TS is not associated with widespread executive impairments. However, it was not clear that any differences between the groups could be attributed solely to selective inhibitory impairment.
Tricarballylic ester formation during biosynthesis of fumonisin mycotoxins in Fusarium verticillioides

Fumonisins are agriculturally important mycotoxins produced by the maize pathogen Fusarium verticillioides. The chemical structure of fumonisins contains two tricarballylic esters, which are rare structural moieties and important for toxicity. The mechanism for the tricarballylic ester formation is not well understood. FUM7 gene of F. verticillioides was predicted to encode a dehydrogenase/reductase, and when it was deleted, the mutant produced tetradehydro fumonisins (DH4–FB). MS and NMR analysis of DH4–FB1 indicated that the esters consist of aconitate with a 3′-alkene function, rather than a 2′-alkene function. Interestingly, the purified DH4–FB1 eventually yielded three chromatographic peaks in HPLC. However, MS revealed that the metabolites of the three peaks all had the same mass as the initial single-peak DH4–FB1. The results suggest that DH4–FB1 can undergo spontaneous isomerization, probably including both cis–trans stereoisomerization and 3′- to 2′-ene regioisomerization. In addition, when FUM7 was expressed in Escherichia coli and the resulting enzyme, Fum7p, was incubated with DH4–FB, no fumonisin with typical tricarballylic esters was formed. Instead, new fumonisin analogs that probably contained isocitrate and/or oxalosuccinate esters were formed, which reveals new insight into fumonisin biosynthesis. Together, the data provided both genetic and biochemical evidence for the mechanism of tricarballylic ester formation in fumonisin biosynthesis.
The role of spermidine/spermine N1-acetyltransferase in determining response to chemotherapeutic agents in colorectal cancer cells

Polyamines have been shown to play a role in the growth and survival of several solid tumors, including colorectal cancer. We identified the polyamine catabolic enzyme spermidine/spermine N1-acetyltransferase (SSAT) as being one of the most highly inducible genes in two DNA microarray screens to identify novel determinants of response to chemotherapeutic agents in colorectal cancer. SSAT was shown to be inducible in response to 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) or oxaliplatin in parental and drug-resistant HCT116 cell lines. It was also shown that SSAT mRNA was up-regulated in response to 5-FU or oxaliplatin in a panel of six colorectal cancer cell lines. The polyamine analogue N1,N11-diethylnorspermine (DENSpm) depletes polyamine pools and potently induces SSAT. We evaluated the effect of combining DENSpm with chemotherapeutic agents in HCT116 p53+/+ cells and in HCT116 drug-resistant daughter cell lines. Western blot analyses showed that SSAT protein expression was dramatically enhanced when DENSpm was combined with oxaliplatin or 5-FU in HCT116 p53+/+ cells. Using cell viability assays and flow cytometry, synergistic induction of cell death was observed following cotreatment of HCT116 p53+/+ cells with DENSpm and each chemotherapeutic agent. Of note, this combined therapy increased the chemosensitivity of cells rendered resistant to each of these chemotherapeutic agents. Small interfering RNA–mediated down-regulation of SSAT resulted in loss of synergy between DENSpm and these agents. These results show that SSAT plays an important role in regulating cell death following combined cytotoxic drug and DENSpm treatment. Furthermore, DENSpm sensitizes both sensitive and resistant cells to chemotherapeutic agents. Taken together, these results suggest that SSAT may be an important target for therapeutic intervention in colorectal cancer. [Mol Cancer Ther 2007;6(1):128–37]
The BeppoSAX catalog of GRB X-ray afterglow observations

We present the catalog of X-ray afterglow observed by BeppoSAX from the launch of the satellite to the end of the mission. Thirty-three X-ray afterglows out of 39 observations were securely identified based on their fading behavior. We have extracted the continuum parameters (decay index, spectral index, flux, absorption) for all available afterglows. We point out a possible correlation between the X-ray afterglow luminosity and the energy emitted during the prompt γ -ray event. We do not detect a significant jet signature within the afterglows, implying a lower limit on the beaming angle, nor a standard energy release when X-ray fluxes are corrected for beaming. Our data support the hypothesis that the burst should be surrounded by an interstellar medium rather than a wind environment, and that this environment should be dense. This may be explained by a termination shock located near the burst progenitor. We finally point out that some dark bursts may be explained by an intrinsic faintness of the event, while others may be strongly absorbed.
Distributed large-scale tensor decomposition

Canonical Polyadic Decomposition (CPD), also known as PARAFAC, is a useful tool for tensor factorization. It has found application in several domains including signal processing and data mining. With the deluge of data faced in our societies, large-scale matrix and tensor factorizations become a crucial issue. Few works have been devoted to large-scale tensor factorizations. In this paper, we introduce a fully distributed method to compute the CPD of a large-scale data tensor across a network of machines with limited computation resources. The proposed approach is based on collaboration between the machines in the network across the three modes of the data tensor. Such a multi-modal collaboration allows an essentially unique reconstruction of the factor matrices in an efficient way. We provide an analysis of the computation and communication cost of the proposed scheme and address the problem of minimizing communication costs while maximizing the use of available computation resources.
Transcultural Adaptation and Validation of the Korean Version of the Pediatric Outcomes Data Collection Instrument (PODCI) in Children and Adolescents

Background Translation and transcultural adaptation of the Pediatric Outcomes Data Collection Instrument (PODCI) into Korean language was performed, and the validity was tested. Methods Korean version of PODCI was produced according to internationally accepted guideline, which included preparation, forward translation, reconciliation, back translation, review of back translation and harmonization, cognitive debriefing and review, and proof reading process. Eighty-two child controls (aged 5 to 10 y), 92 adolescent controls (aged 10 to 18 y), and 30 children with cerebral palsy (aged 5 to 10 y) undergoing single event multilevel surgery were included, and their parents also participated. Each subscale of Korean PODCI was tested in terms of internal consistency (Cronbach &agr;), discriminant validity (difference of parental responses between child control and children with cerebral palsy), convergent validity (correlation between self-response and parental response in adolescent control), and responsiveness (postoperative changes of parental responses in children with cerebral palsy). Results All subscales except pain/comfort showed sufficient internal consistencies (Cronbach &agr;>0.7). Upper extremity/physical function, transfer/basic mobility, sports/physical functioning, and global functioning subscales showed significant discriminant validity (P<0.001, P<0.001, P<0.001, and P<0.001, respectively). Correlation between self-response and parental response in adolescent controls were significant in all subscales, being highest in transfer/basic mobility subscale (r=0.952, P<0.001) and lowest in happiness subscale (r=0.548, P<0.001). Responsiveness was significant in transfer/basic mobility (P<0.001), sports/physical functioning (P=0.001), and global functioning (P=0.006) subscales after single event multilevel surgery. Conclusions Korean version of PODCI showed relevant internal consistency, discriminant validity, convergent validity, and responsiveness except for pain/comfort and happiness subscales. Care need to be taken when evaluating subjective measures, such as pain/comfort and happiness subscales. Level of Evidence Diagnostic level I.
Stratification and Global Elite Theory: A Cross-Cultural and Longitudinal Analysis of Public Opinion

Many scholars have argued that globalization involves the emergence of a global elite, who are attached more to supra-national identities than others, who remain more local. Two variants of the global elite can be found in the literature: cosmopolitan and capitalist. This literature suggests more broadly that cross-nationally stratification has a consistent influence on attitudes pertinent to globalization such as support for global economic institutions. Using a social stratification approach, we examined nine developed societies from the World Values Survey to test whether stratification is related to attitudes towards globalization, and find only modest support for the contention that the upper strata become more cosmopolitan and more capitalist, or in a word, more global. The evidence suggests that the attitudinal globalization of the upper strata in developed economies is temporary and does not occur simultaneously in all countries, and that it does not increase consistently over time.
Empirical Gaussian priors for cross-lingual transfer learning

Sequence model learning algorithms typically maximize log-likelihood minus the norm of the model (or minimize Hamming loss + norm). In cross-lingual part-of-speech (POS) tagging, our target language training data consists of sequences of sentences with word-by-word labels projected from translations in $k$ languages for which we have labeled data, via word alignments. Our training data is therefore very noisy, and if Rademacher complexity is high, learning algorithms are prone to overfit. Norm-based regularization assumes a constant width and zero mean prior. We instead propose to use the $k$ source language models to estimate the parameters of a Gaussian prior for learning new POS taggers. This leads to significantly better performance in multi-source transfer set-ups. We also present a drop-out version that injects (empirical) Gaussian noise during online learning. Finally, we note that using empirical Gaussian priors leads to much lower Rademacher complexity, and is superior to optimally weighted model interpolation.
Observer-based continuous-time robust scaled-H∞ controller design with simultaneous optimization of scaling matrices

This paper addresses the design problem of robust scaled-H∞ controllers composed of state observers and state-feedback controllers for polytopic systems with time-invariant parameters. Even when designing robust H∞ controllers for time-invariant polytopic systems, multiple uncertainty blocks are often introduced to represent various design requirements, in particular, frequency domain requirements. Then, scaling matrices should be introduced to reduce the conservatism due to the multiple uncertainty blocks. The problem in which H∞ output feedback controllers and scaling matrices are both to be designed is, in general, a non-convex problem. On this issue, we propose a design method in which controller matrices, i.e. statetransition matrix, observer gain and state-feedback gain, as well as scaling matrix are all optimized simultaneously by using dilated Linear Matrix Inequality (LMI) technique. A numerical example demonstrates the effectiveness of our method with respect to the simultaneous optimization of controller gains and scaling matrices.
Confirmatory Factor Analysis of the Patient Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) Adult Domain Framework Using Item Response Theory Scores

Background:To guide measure development, National Institutes of Health-supported Patient reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) investigators developed a hierarchical domain framework. The framework specifies health domains at multiple levels. The initial PROMIS domain framework specified that physical function and symptoms such as Pain and Fatigue indicate Physical Health (PH); Depression, Anxiety, and Anger indicate Mental Health (MH); and Social Role Performance and Social Satisfaction indicate Social Health (SH). We used confirmatory factor analyses to evaluate the fit of the hypothesized framework to data collected from a large sample. Methods:We used data (n=14,098) from PROMIS’s wave 1 field test and estimated domain scores using the PROMIS item response theory parameters. We then used confirmatory factor analyses to test whether the domains corresponded to the PROMIS domain framework as expected. Results:A model corresponding to the domain framework did not provide ideal fit [root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA)=0.13; comparative fit index (CFI)=0.92; Tucker Lewis Index (TLI)=0.88; standardized root mean square residual (SRMR)=0.09]. On the basis of modification indices and exploratory factor analyses, we allowed Fatigue to load on both PH and MH. This model fit the data acceptably (RMSEA=0.08; CFI=0.97; TLI=0.96; SRMR=0.03). Discussion:Our findings generally support the PROMIS domain framework. Allowing Fatigue to load on both PH and MH improved fit considerably.
Will they like me? Adolescents’ emotional responses to peer evaluation

Relative to children and adults, adolescents are highly focused on being evaluated by peers. This increased attention to peer evaluation has implications for emotion regulation in adolescence, but little is known about the characteristics of the evaluatee and evaluator that influence emotional reactions to evaluative outcomes. The present study used a computer-based social evaluation task to examine predictors of adolescents’ emotional responses to feedback from unknown peers. Nine-to-seventeen-year-olds (N = 36) completed the “chatroom task” and indicated the degree to which each peer would be interested in interacting with them and how good they felt after receiving acceptance and rejection feedback from peers. We examined whether adolescents’ age and gender impacted their emotional responses to being accepted or rejected by peers of different age groups (i.e., early or middle adolescence) and genders. We also tested whether expectations about peers’ interest was associated with variability in adolescents’ emotional responses to the evaluative outcome. Upon being accepted by middle adolescent male peers, females in the middle relative to early years of adolescence reported greater well-being, whereas males reported similar levels of well-being regardless of their own age. Following acceptance from middle adolescent female peers, females reported greater well-being than males. Adolescents with high expectations for being liked by peers felt better after being accepted versus rejected relative to those with low expectations. For adolescents with low expectations, acceptance and rejection were associated with similar levels of well-being. Adolescents’ emotional responses to peer evaluation are influenced by specific individual characteristics and antecedent preparation for evaluation that may serve an emotion regulatory purpose.