Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Are Patients with Childhood Onset of Insomnia and Depression More Difficult to Treat Than Are Those with Adult Onsets of These Disorders? A Report from the TRIAD Study.

STUDY OBJECTIVES To determine if patients with childhood onsets (CO) of both major depression and insomnia disorder show blunted depression and insomnia treatment responses to concurrent interventions for both disorders compared to those with adult onsets (AO) of both conditions. METHODS This study was a secondary analysis of data obtained from a multisite randomized clinical trial designed to test the efficacy of combining a psychological/behavior insomnia therapy with antidepressant medication to enhance depression treatment outcomes in patients with comorbid major depression and insomnia. This study included 27 adults with CO of depression and insomnia and 77 adults with AO of both conditions. They underwent a 16-week treatment including: (1) a standardized two-step pharmacotherapy for depression algorithm, consisting of escitalopram, sertraline, and desvenlafaxine in a prescribed sequence; and (2) either cognitive behavioral insomnia therapy (CBT-I) or a quasi-desensitization control (CTRL) therapy. Main outcome measures were the 17-item Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HRSD-17) and the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) completed pre-treatment and every 2 weeks thereafter. RESULTS The AO and CO groups did not differ significantly in regard to their pre-treatment HRSD-17 and ISI scores. Mixed model analyses that adjusted for the number of insomnia treatment sessions attended showed that the AO group achieved significantly lower, subclinical scores on the HRSD-17 and ISI than did the CO group by the time of study exit. Moreover, a significant group by treatment arm interaction suggested that HRSD-17 scores at study exit remained significantly higher in the CO group receiving the CTRL therapy than was the case for the participants in the CO group receiving CBT-I. Greater proportions of the AO group achieved a priori criteria for remission of insomnia (49.3% vs. 29.2%, p = 0.04) and depression (45.5% vs. 29.6%, p = 0.07) than did those in the CO group. CONCLUSIONS Patients with comorbid depression and insomnia who experienced the first onset of both disorders in childhood are less responsive to the treatments offered herein than are those with adult onsets of these comorbid disorders. Further research is needed to identify therapies that enhance the depression and insomnia treatment responses of those with childhood onsets of these two conditions.
Adaptive Fault Tolerant Control for a Class of Nonlinear Switched Systems

This paper studies the adaptive fault-tolerant control problem for a class of switched systems under arbitrary switchings between two uncertain nonlinear strict-feedback subsystems. Through using backstepping techniques, two adaptive state feedback control approaches are presented, where unknown switching parameters are directly estimated via switched adaptive laws. A new trajectory initialization method is proposed, where the adaptive parameters are reset by exploiting the previous estimation information. By constructing a special Lyapunov function, the global stability and asymptotic tracking of the closed-loop system are achieved in the presence of actuator faults. Furthermore, the prescribed performance method is introduced in the second control approach to improve the transient performance of the first approach. Finally, two examples are presented to show the effectiveness of the proposed approaches.
Short Lag Times for Invasive Tropical Plants: Evidence from Experimental Plantings in Hawai'i

Background The lag time of an invasion is the delay between arrival of an introduced species and its successful spread in a new area. To date, most estimates of lag times for plants have been indirect or anecdotal, and these estimates suggest that plant invasions are often characterized by lag times of 50 years or more. No general estimates are available of lag times for tropical plant invasions. Historical plantings and documentation were used to directly estimate lag times for tropical plant invasions in Hawai'i. Methodology/Principal Findings Historical planting records for the Lyon Arboretum dating back to 1920 were examined to identify plants that have since become invasive pests in the Hawaiian Islands. Annual reports describing escape from plantings were then used to determine the lag times between initial plantings and earliest recorded spread of the successful invaders. Among 23 species that eventually became invasive pests, the average lag time between introduction and first evidence of spread was 14 years for woody plants and 5 years for herbaceous plants. Conclusions/Significance These direct estimates of lag times are as much as an order of magnitude shorter than previous, indirect estimates, which were mainly based on temperate plants. Tropical invaders may have much shorter lag times than temperate species. A lack of direct and deliberate observations may have also inflated many previous lag time estimates. Although there have been documented cases of long lag times due to delayed arrival of a mutualist or environmental changes over time, this study suggests that most successful invasions are likely to begin shortly after arrival of the plant in a suitable habitat, at least in tropical environments. Short lag times suggest that controlled field trials may be a practical element of risk assessment for plant introductions.
Evaluation and comparison of GHz‐range LC oscillators using time‐varying root‐locus

This paper presents a comprehensive comparison between complementary metal‐oxide‐semiconductor (CMOS) LC‐oscillator topologies often used in GHz‐range transceivers. The comparison utilizes the time‐varying root‐locus (TVRL) method to add new insights into the operation of different oscillators. The paper focuses on the treatment of the TVRL trajectories obtained for different oscillators and establishes links between the trajectories and physical phenomena in oscillators. The evaluation of the root trajectories shows the advantages of the TVRL method for comparing oscillator topologies, which is also extended towards the analysis of voltage‐controlled oscillators. The necessary circuit simplifications required in closed‐form root‐locus analysis are avoided by the TVRL, which allows precise oscillator comparison and reveals details on the topology specifics. The derived conclusions have been verified by the Cadence Spectre‐RF simulator on 130‐nm CMOS process. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Creativity and mental disorder: Family study of 300 000 people with severe mental disorder

Background There is a long-standing belief that creativity is coupled with psychopathology. Aims To test this alleged association and to investigate whether any such association is the result of environmental or genetic factors. Method We performed a nested case–control study based on Swedish registries. The likelihood of holding a creative occupation in individuals who had received in-patient treatment for schizophrenia, bipolar disorder or unipolar depression between 1973 and 2003 and their relatives without such a diagnosis was compared with that of controls. Results Individuals with bipolar disorder and healthy siblings of people with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder were overrepresented in creative professions. People with schizophrenia had no increased rate of overall creative professions compared with controls, but an increased rate in the subgroup of artistic occupations. Neither individuals with unipolar depression nor their siblings differed from controls regarding creative professions. Conclusions A familial cosegregation of both schizophrenia and bipolar disorder with creativity is suggested.
It's not too Late for the Harpy Eagle (Harpia harpyja): High Levels Of Genetic Diversity and Differentiation Can Fuel Conservation Programs

Background The harpy eagle (Harpia harpyja) is the largest Neotropical bird of prey and is threatened by human persecution and habitat loss and fragmentation. Current conservation strategies include local education, captive rearing and reintroduction, and protection or creation of trans-national habitat blocks and corridors. Baseline genetic data prior to reintroduction of captive-bred stock is essential for guiding such efforts but has not been gathered previously. Methodology/Findings We assessed levels of genetic diversity, population structure and demographic history for harpy eagles using samples collected throughout a large portion of their geographic distribution in Central America (n = 32) and South America (n = 31). Based on 417 bp of mitochondrial control region sequence data, relatively high levels of haplotype and nucleotide diversity were estimated for both Central and South America, although haplotype diversity was significantly higher for South America. Historical restriction of gene flow across the Andes (i.e. between our Central and South American subgroups) is supported by coalescent analyses, the haplotype network and significant F ST values, however reciprocally monophyletic lineages do not correspond to geographical locations in maximum likelihood analyses. A sudden population expansion for South America is indicated by a mismatch distribution analysis, and further supported by significant (p<0.05) negative values of Fu and Li's DF and F, and Fu's F S. This expansion, estimated at approximately 60 000 years BP (99 000–36 000 years BP 95% CI), encompasses a transition from a warm and dry time period prior to 50 000 years BP to an interval of maximum precipitation (50 000–36 000 years BP). Notably, this time period precedes the climatic and habitat changes associated with the last glacial maximum. In contrast, a multimodal distribution of haplotypes was observed for Central America suggesting either population equilibrium or a recent decline. Significance High levels of mitochondrial genetic diversity in combination with genetic differentiation among subgroups within regions and between regions highlight the importance of local population conservation in order to preserve maximal levels of genetic diversity in this species. Evidence of historically restricted female-mediated gene flow is an important consideration for captive-breeding programs.
Automatic use of phonological codes during word recognition in deaf signers of Spanish Sign Language

The poor reading skills often found in deaf readers are typically explained on the basis of underspecified print-to-sound mapping and poorer use of spoken phonology. Whilst prior research using explicit phonological tasks has shown that deaf readers can use phonological codes when required, an open question is whether congenitally deaf readers can automatically use phonological codes when reading. We designed a masked sandwich priming experiment to examine whether deaf readers can automatic activate phonological codes during the early stages of lexical processing. 24 deaf participants had to decide whether a target stimulus was a word or not. We also recruited a group of 24 hearing controls. Each target word was preceded by a pseudohomophone or by an orthographic control prime. Results showed faster word identification times in the pseudohomophone than in the control condition (i.e., masked phonological priming). The magnitude of this phonological effect was similar in the two groups, thus supporting the view that phonological codes are automatically activated during word identification. The pattern of correlations of the phonological priming effect with reading ability suggested that the amount of sub-lexical use of phonological information might be a main contributor to reading ability for hearing but not for deaf readers.
Protein Carbonylation in Human Smokers and Mammalian Models of Exposure to Cigarette Smoke: Focus on Redox Proteomic Studies.

SIGNIFICANCE Oxidative stress is one mechanism whereby tobacco smoking affects human health, as reflected by increased levels of several biomarkers of oxidative stress/damage isolated from tissues and biological fluids of active and passive smokers. Many investigations of cigarette smoke (CS)-induced oxidative stress/damage have been carried out in mammalian animal and cellular models of exposure to CS. Animal models allow the investigation of many parameters that are similar to those measured in human smokers. In vitro cell models may provide new information on molecular and functional differences between cells of smokers and nonsmokers. Recent Advances: Over the past decade or so, a growing number of researches highlighted that CS induces protein carbonylation in different tissues and body fluids of smokers as well as in in vivo and in vitro models of exposure to CS. CRITICAL ISSUES We review recent findings on protein carbonylation in smokers and models thereof, focusing on redox proteomic studies. We also discuss the relevance and limitations of these models of exposure to CS and critically assess the congruence between the smoker's condition and laboratory models. FUTURE DIRECTIONS The identification of protein targets is crucial for understanding the mechanism(s) by which carbonylated proteins accumulate and potentially affect cellular functions. Recent progress in redox proteomics allows the enrichment, identification, and characterization of specific oxidative protein modifications, including carbonylation. Therefore, redox proteomics can be a powerful tool to gain new insights into the onset and/or progression of CS-related diseases and to develop strategies to prevent and/or treat them. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 26, 406-426.
Endoplasmic reticulum stress responses in mouse models of Alzheimer's disease: Overexpression paradigm versus knockin paradigm

Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress is believed to play an important role in the etiology of Alzheimer's disease (AD). The accumulation of misfolded proteins and perturbation of intracellular calcium homeostasis are thought to underlie the induction of ER stress, resulting in neuronal dysfunction and cell death. Several reports have shown an increased ER stress response in amyloid precursor protein (APP) and presenilin1 (PS1) double-transgenic (Tg) AD mouse models. However, whether the ER stress observed in these mouse models is actually caused by AD pathology remains unclear. APP and PS1 contain one and nine transmembrane domains, respectively, for which it has been postulated that overexpressed membrane proteins can become wedged in a misfolded configuration in ER membranes, thereby inducing nonspecific ER stress. Here, we used an App-knockin (KI) AD mouse model that accumulates amyloid-β (Aβ) peptide without overexpressing APP to investigate whether the ER stress response is heightened because of Aβ pathology. Thorough examinations indicated that no ER stress responses arose in App-KI or single APP-Tg mice. These results suggest that PS1 overexpression or mutation induced a nonspecific ER stress response that was independent of Aβ pathology in the double-Tg mice. Moreover, we observed no ER stress in a mouse model of tauopathy (P301S-Tau-Tg mice) at various ages, suggesting that ER stress is also not essential in tau pathology–induced neurodegeneration. We conclude that the role of ER stress in AD pathogenesis needs to be carefully addressed in future studies.
Effects of feeding bentonite clay upon ochratoxin A–induced immunosuppression in broiler chicks

ABSTRACT A presence of mycotoxins in feed is one of the most alarming issues in the poultry feed industry. Ochratoxins, produced by several Aspergillus and Penicillium species, are important mycotoxin regarding the health status of poultry birds. Ochratoxins are further classified into to several subtypes (A, B, C, etc) depending on their chemical structures, but ochratoxin A (OTA) is considered the most important and toxic. Bentonite clay, belonging to phyllosilicates and formed from weathering of volcanic ashes, has adsorbent ability for several mycotoxins. The present study was designed to study the effects of bentonite clay upon OTA-induced immunosuppression in broiler chicks. For this, 480 day-old broiler chicks were procured from a local hatchery and then different combinations of OTA (0.15, 0.3, or 1.0 mg/kg) and bentonite clay (5, 10, and 20 g/kg) were incorporated into their feed. At 13, 30, and 42 days of age, parameters such as antibody responses to sheep red blood cells, in situ lymphoproliferative responses to mitogen (PHA-P), and in situ phagocytic activity (i.e., via carbon clearance) were determined respectively. The results indicated there was a significant reduction of total antibody and immunoglobulin titres, lymphoproliferative responses, and phagocytic potential in OTA-treated birds, suggesting clear immunosuppression by OTA in birds in a dose-dependent manner. These results were also significantly lower in all combination groups (OTA with bentonite clay), suggesting few to no effects of feeding bentonite clay upon OTA- induced alterations in different immune parameters.
Altered Neurophysiological Processing of Auditory Attention in Preschool Children With Sickle Cell Disease

Objective Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a genetic red blood cell disorder that often leads to stroke and executive dysfunction in school-age children and adults. This study aimed to characterize the development of the neural correlates of selective attention, an early component of executive function, in preschool children with SCD. Methods Auditory event-related potentials (ERPs) were recorded while children attended to a story stream in one ear and ignored a second story in the other ear interchangeably. In total, 12 patients (mean age = 5.5, 7 males) and 22 typically developing children (mean age = 4.4, 10 males) were included in the final analyses. Results By 100 ms, more positive ERP amplitudes were observed for attended relative to unattended stimuli in typically developing children but not those with SCD, suggesting deficits in the ability to focus attention. Reduced attention effects were associated with lower performance intellectual quotient. Conclusion There are deficits in early attention modulation in young children with SCD.
Diversity of Micromonospora strains from the deep Mediterranean Sea and their potential to produce bioactive compounds

During studies on bacteria from the Eastern Mediterranean deep-sea, incubation under in situ conditions (salinity, temperature and pressure) and heat treatment were used to selectively enrich representatives of Micromonospora. From sediments of the Ierapetra Basin (4400 m depth) and the Herodotos Plain (2800 m depth), 21 isolates were identified as members of the genus Micromonospora. According to phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences, the Micromonospora isolates could be assigned to 14 different phylotypes with an exclusion limit of ≥ 99.5% sequence similarity. They formed 7 phylogenetic clusters. Two of these clusters, which contain isolates obtained after enrichment under pressure incubation and phylogenetically are distinct from representative reference organism, could represent bacteria specifically adapted to the conditions in situ and to life in these deep-sea sediments. The majority of the Micromonospora isolates (90%) contained at least one gene cluster for biosynthesis of secondary metabolites for non-ribosomal polypeptides and polyketides (polyketide synthases type I and type II). The determination of biological activities of culture extracts revealed that almost half of the strains produced substances inhibitory to the growth of Gram-positive bacteria. Chemical analyses of culture extracts demonstrated the presence of different metabolite profiles also in closely related strains. Therefore, deep-sea Micromonospora isolates are considered to have a large potential for the production of new antibiotic compounds.
Perses: Syntax-Guided Program Reduction

Given a program P that exhibits a certain property ψ (e.g., a C program that crashes GCC when it is being compiled), the goal of program reduction is to minimize P to a smaller variant P? that still exhibits the same property, i.e., ψ(P'). Program reduction is important and widely demanded for testing and debugging. For example, all compiler/interpreter development projects need effective program reduction to minimize failure-inducing test programs to ease debugging. However, state-of-the-art program reduction techniques — notably Delta Debugging (DD), Hierarchical Delta Debugging (HDD), and C-Reduce — do not perform well in terms of speed (reduction time) and quality (size of reduced programs), or are highly customized for certain languages and thus lack generality. This paper presents Perses, a novel framework for effective, efficient, and general program reduction. The key insight is to exploit, in a general manner, the formal syntax of the programs under reduction and ensure that each reduction step considers only smaller, syntactically valid variants to avoid futile efforts on syntactically invalid variants. Our framework supports not only deletion (as for DD and HDD), but also general, effective program transformations. We have designed and implemented Perses, and evaluated it for two language settings: C and Java. Our evaluation results on 20 C programs triggering bugs in GCC and Clang demonstrate Perses's strong practicality compared to the state-of-the-art: (1) smaller size — Perses's results are respectively 2% and 45% in size of those from DD and HDD; and (2) shorter reduction time — Perses takes 23% and 47% time taken by DD and HDD respectively. Even when compared to the highly customized and optimized C-Reduce for C/C++, Perses takes only 38-60% reduction time.
DebugAR: Mixed Dimensional Displays for Immersive Debugging of Distributed Systems

Distributed systems are very complex and in case of errors hard to debug. The high number of messages with non deterministic delivery timings, as well as message losses, data corruption and node crashes cannot be efficiently analyzed with traditional GUI tools. We propose to use immersive technologies in a multi-display environment to tackle these shortcomings. Our DebugAR approach shows a representation of the current systems state, message provenance, and the lifetime of participating nodes and offers layouting techniques. By providing a screen that shows a traditional text-log, we bridge the gap to conventional tools. Additionally, we propose an interactive 3D visualization of the message flow, combining an interactive tabletop with augmented reality using a head-mounted display. We are confident that our proposed solution can not only be used to analyze distributed system, but also for other time-dependent networks.
Early or late fresh frozen plasma administration in newborns and small infants undergoing cardiac surgery: the APPEAR randomized trial

Background. In newborns and small infants undergoing cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) and blood priming, it is unclear whether there is reduced blood loss if fresh frozen plasma (FFP) is added to the CPB priming volume. This single‐centre, randomized trial tested the hypothesis that the administration of FFP after CPB (late FFP group) is superior to FFP priming (early FFP group) in terms of postoperative bleeding and overall red blood cell (RBC) transfusion. Methods. Seventy‐three infants weighing <10 kg were randomly allocated to receive FFP to supplement RBCs in the CPB priming solution (n=36) or immediately after CPB (n=37). The primary endpoint was a difference in postoperative blood loss; secondary endpoints included the amount of RBCs and FFP transfused through the first 48 postoperative hours. Results. All patients were included in the analysis. Patients in the late FFP arm had greater postoperative mean blood loss than patients in the early FFP arm [33.1 (SD 20.6) vs 24.1 (12.9) ml kg‐1; P=0.028], but no differences in transfusions were found. The subgroup of cyanotic heart disease patients had comparable results, but with greater use of RBCs in the late FFP group. Conclusions. In infants undergoing cardiac surgery, FFP in the priming solution appears slightly superior to late administration in terms of postoperative bleeding. Clinical trial registration: www.ClinicalTrials. gov, NCT02738190.