Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Efficacy, tolerability, and safety of aripiprazole once-monthly versus other long-acting injectable antipsychotic therapies in the maintenance treatment of schizophrenia: a mixed treatment comparison of double-blind randomized clinical trials

Background Treatment with long-acting injectable (LAI) antipsychotic medication is an important element of relapse prevention in schizophrenia. Recently, the intramuscular once-monthly formulation of aripiprazole received marketing approval in Europe and the United States for schizophrenia. Objective This study aimed to compare aripiprazole once-monthly with other LAI antipsychotics in terms of efficacy, tolerability, and safety. Data sources A systematic literature review was conducted to identify relevant double-blind randomized clinical trials of LAIs conducted in the maintenance treatment of schizophrenia. MEDLINE, MEDLINE In-Process, Embase, the Cochrane Library, PsycINFO, conference proceedings, clinical trial registries, and the reference lists of key review articles were searched. The literature search covered studies dating from January 2002 to May 2013. Study selection Studies were required to have ≥24 weeks of follow-up. Patients had to be stable at randomization. Studies were not eligible for inclusion if efficacy of acute and maintenance phase treatment was not reported separately. Six trials were identified (0.5% of initially identified studies), allowing comparisons of aripiprazole once-monthly, risperidone LAI, paliperidone palmitate, olanzapine pamoate, haloperidol depot, and placebo. Data extraction Data extracted included study details, study duration, the total number of patients in each treatment arm, efficacy, tolerability, and safety outcomes. The efficacy outcome contained the number of patients that experienced a relapse, tolerability outcomes included the number of patients that discontinued treatment due to treatment-related adverse events (AEs), and that discontinued treatment due to reasons other than AEs (e.g., loss to follow-up). Safety outcomes included the incidence of clinically relevant weight gain and extrapyramidal symptoms. Data synthesis Data were analyzed by applying a mixed treatment comparison competing risks model (efficacy) and using binary models (safety). There was no statistically significant difference between any study outcome, including the risk of relapse, the risk of discontinuations, and safety outcomes. Conclusions Aripiprazole once-monthly is similarly efficacious to other LAIs with relatively low rates of discontinuation due to AEs and due to reasons other than AEs than other LAIs.
Trainee therapists’ views on the alliance in psychotherapy and supervision: a longitudinal study

ABSTRACT The shape of alliance in psychotherapy and supervision using growth curve modeling was examined for clinically inexperienced trainee therapists, who were engaged in long-term cognitive behavioral - or psychodynamic individual psychotherapy at a Psychology Clinic in Sweden. Trainee therapists rated their view of the alliance with their clients and their supervisors on the Working Alliance Inventory at five time points. The alliance to the client show a consistent, positive development throughout the therapy. The alliance to the supervisors show initially a decrease, followed by an increase, and then again, the rate of increase in the supervisory alliance ratings slowed down indicating a more complex view of the supervisory alliance compared to the view of the alliance in psychotherapy.
Fast and robust photomapping with an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV)

A fast and robust method for visual odometry based on the Fourier-Mellin Invariant (FMI) descriptor is presented. It extends previous FMI based approaches in two ways. First, a logarithmic representation of the spectral magnitude of the FMI descriptor is used. Second, a filter on the frequency where the shift is supposed to appear is applied. It is shown with experiments with an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle that this improved Fourier-Mellin Invariant (iFMI) method is is indeed an advancement and well suited for online visual odometry to generate large photo maps.
Statistical methods for the time-to-event analysis of individual participant data from multiple epidemiological studies

Background Meta-analysis of individual participant time-to-event data from multiple prospective epidemiological studies enables detailed investigation of exposure–risk relationships, but involves a number of analytical challenges. Methods This article describes statistical approaches adopted in the Emerging Risk Factors Collaboration, in which primary data from more than 1 million participants in more than 100 prospective studies have been collated to enable detailed analyses of various risk markers in relation to incident cardiovascular disease outcomes. Results Analyses have been principally based on Cox proportional hazards regression models stratified by sex, undertaken in each study separately. Estimates of exposure–risk relationships, initially unadjusted and then adjusted for several confounders, have been combined over studies using meta-analysis. Methods for assessing the shape of exposure–risk associations and the proportional hazards assumption have been developed. Estimates of interactions have also been combined using meta-analysis, keeping separate within- and between-study information. Regression dilution bias caused by measurement error and within-person variation in exposures and confounders has been addressed through the analysis of repeat measurements to estimate corrected regression coefficients. These methods are exemplified by analysis of plasma fibrinogen and risk of coronary heart disease, and Stata code is made available. Conclusion Increasing numbers of meta-analyses of individual participant data from observational data are being conducted to enhance the statistical power and detail of epidemiological studies. The statistical methods developed here can be used to address the needs of such analyses.
Minor Parties in Irish Political Life, 1922-1989

This article examines the role in Irish politics of parties other than the three "permanent" ones with a view to filling a recognised gap in political research. Minor parties are grouped into four loose categories on the basis of comparative studies of party systems: nationalist, agrarian, left-wing and right-wing parties. Following a profile over a 67-year period, the characteristics of minor parties are examined. The most important category in electoral terms, that of agrarian parties, consists mainly of parties that sought to mobilise the electorate on a new, alternative political issue. Nationalist and left-wing parties, by contrast, typically sought to challenge existing parties on traditional issues, alleging that the latter had deserted the causes they had originally claimed to serve. The right-wing category consists of parties which related in more diverse ways to the established party system: some sought to mobilise voters on alternative political issues, some sought to publicise a cause even if there was little prospect of electoral success (a type of motivation also to be found in the nationalist and left-wing categories) and some constituted essentially machinery of convenience for individuals. he sudden entrance onto the Irish political stage of the Progressive Demo- A cratic Party in 1987 and its more recent role in altering the pattern of Irish government formation draw attention to the series of minor political groups which have appeared at crucial periods in the state's history and many of which have, at least temporarily, held a pivotal position. As most published research into Irish political parties to date has focused on the fortunes of the country's three major or "permanent" parties, it is the object of this article to attempt to fill part of the gap that remains by documenting the appearance and decline of minor parties since 1922 and by attempting to interpret them within the more general framework of the comparative study of political parties. As the more important of these parties have already been described in some detail (Manning, 1972, pp. 85-109; Gallagher, 1985, pp. 93-120), *I am indebted to the Funding and Research Committee of the former National Institute for Higher Education, Limerick, for financial assistance towards the preparation of this article, and to Michael Gallagher, Brian Girvin, Brigid Laffan,Thomas Lyne and Cornelius O'Leary for comments on an earlier draft. I INTRODUCTION
Cholinesterase affects dynamic transduction properties from vagal stimulation to heart rate.

Recent investigations in our laboratory using a Gaussian white noise technique showed that the transfer function representing the dynamic properties of transduction from vagus nerve activity to heart rate had characteristics of a first-order low-pass filter. However, the physiological determinants of those characteristics remain to be elucidated. In this study, we stimulated the vagus nerve according to a Gaussian white noise pattern to estimate the transfer function from vagal stimulation to the heart rate response in anesthetized rabbits and examined how changes in acetylcholine kinetics affected the transfer function. We found that although increases in the mean frequency of vagal stimulation from 5 to 10 Hz did not change the characteristics of the transfer function, administration of neostigmine (30 microg . kg-1 . h-1 iv), a cholinesterase inhibitor, increased the dynamic gain from 8.19 +/- 3.66 to 11.7 +/- 4.88 beats . min-1 . Hz-1 (P < 0.05), decreased the corner frequency from 0.12 +/- 0.05 to 0.04 +/- 0.01 Hz (P < 0.01), and increased the lag time from 0.17 +/- 0.12 to 0.27 +/- 0.08 s (P < 0.05). These results suggest that the rate of acetylcholine degradation at the neuroeffector junction, rather than the amount of available acetylcholine, plays a key role in determining the dynamic properties of transduction from vagus nerve activity to heart rate.
Prevalence of Selectivity for Mirror-Symmetric Views of Faces in the Ventral and Dorsal Visual Pathways

Although the ability to recognize faces and objects from a variety of viewpoints is crucial to our everyday behavior, the underlying cortical mechanisms are not well understood. Recently, neurons in a face-selective region of the monkey temporal cortex were reported to be selective for mirror-symmetric viewing angles of faces as they were rotated in depth (Freiwald and Tsao, 2010). This property has been suggested to constitute a key computational step in achieving full view-invariance. Here, we measured functional magnetic resonance imaging activity in nine observers as they viewed upright or inverted faces presented at five different angles (−60, −30, 0, 30, and 60°). Using multivariate pattern analysis, we show that sensitivity to viewpoint mirror symmetry is widespread in the human visual system. The effect was observed in a large band of higher order visual areas, including the occipital face area, fusiform face area, lateral occipital cortex, mid fusiform, parahippocampal place area, and extending superiorly to encompass dorsal regions V3A/B and the posterior intraparietal sulcus. In contrast, early retinotopic regions V1–hV4 failed to exhibit sensitivity to viewpoint symmetry, as their responses could be largely explained by a computational model of low-level visual similarity. Our findings suggest that selectivity for mirror-symmetric viewing angles may constitute an intermediate-level processing step shared across multiple higher order areas of the ventral and dorsal streams, setting the stage for complete viewpoint-invariant representations at subsequent levels of visual processing.
Biology of VO2max: looking under the physiology lamp

In this review, we argue that several key features of maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) should underpin discussions about the biological and reductionist determinants of its interindividual variability: (i) training‐induced increases in VO2max are largely facilitated by expansion of red blood cell volume and an associated improvement in stroke volume, which also adapts independent of changes in red blood cell volume. These general concepts are also informed by cross‐sectional studies in athletes that have very high values for VO2max. Therefore, (ii) variations in VO2max improvements with exercise training are also likely related to variations in these physiological determinants. (iii) All previously untrained individuals will respond to endurance exercise training in terms of improvements in VO2max provided the stimulus exceeds a certain volume and/or intensity. Thus, genetic analysis and/or reductionist studies performed to understand or predict such variations might focus specifically on DNA variants or other molecular phenomena of relevance to these physiological pathways.
Embedded and External Brokers

Immigration scholars have made great strides in documenting the role of labor agents in connecting immigrant workers with jobs, though less attention has centered on whether such brokerage exacerbates existing workplace inequalities. Based on participant observation and in-depth interviews over 15 months in seven workplaces, I examine power dynamics and relations between brokers and immigrant workers. My analyses show that temporary agencies and embedded brokers play a complementary role in incorporating undocumented immigrants into jobs. Yet important power imbalances develop within these relationships, with implications for the inequalities that the most vulnerable workers experience.
Measuring Personality Constructs: The Advantages and Disadvantages of Self-Reports, Informant Reports and Behavioural Assessments

Achieving construct validity, or using measures that accurately represent particular theoretical constructs, is an important goal of social science research. This article reviews arguments regarding the strengths and limitations of personality assessment methods in terms of methodological feasibility and whether they are accurate in measuring personality constructs. Specifically, it considers the advantages and disadvantages of assessing personality with self-report questionnaires, informant reports, and behavioural measures. Acknowledging that no method is perfect, the discussion then focuses on the value of incorporating multiple methods. In light of the reliance on the self-report method in personality psychology, it will be argued that researchers could maximize the validity of the measurement of personality constructs by combining the questionnaire approach with other methods.
A Key Role for E-cadherin in Intestinal Homeostasis and Paneth Cell Maturation

Background E-cadherin is a major component of adherens junctions. Impaired expression of E-cadherin in the small intestine and colon has been linked to a disturbed intestinal homeostasis and barrier function. Down-regulation of E-cadherin is associated with the pathogenesis of infections with enteropathogenic bacteria and Crohn's disease. Methods and Findings To genetically clarify the function of E-cadherin in intestinal homeostasis and maintenance of the epithelial defense line, the Cdh1 gene was conditionally inactivated in the mouse intestinal epithelium. Inactivation of the Cdh1 gene in the small intestine and colon resulted in bloody diarrhea associated with enhanced apoptosis and cell shedding, causing life-threatening disease within 6 days. Loss of E-cadherin led cells migrate faster along the crypt-villus axis and perturbed cellular differentiation. Maturation and positioning of goblet cells and Paneth cells, the main cell lineage of the intestinal innate immune system, was severely disturbed. The expression of anti-bacterial cryptidins was reduced and mice showed a deficiency in clearing enteropathogenic bacteria from the intestinal lumen. Conclusion These results highlight the central function of E-cadherin in the maintenance of two components of the intestinal epithelial defense: E-cadherin is required for the proper function of the intestinal epithelial lining by providing mechanical integrity and is a prerequisite for the proper maturation of Paneth and goblet cells.
A Framework For Evaluating Active Queue Management Schemes

OverthelastdecadenumerousActiveQueueManagement(AQM) schemes have been proposed in the literature. Many of these studies havebeendirectedtowardsimprovingcongestioncontrolinbest-efiort networks. However, there has been a notable lack of standardised performance evaluation of AQM schemes. A rigorous study of the in∞uenceofparameterisationonspeciflcschemesandtheestablishment of common comparison criteria is essential for objective evaluation of difierent approaches. A framework for the detailed evaluation of AQM schemes is describedinthispaper. Thisprovidesadeceptivelysimpleuserinterface whilst maximally exploiting relevant features of the ns2 simulator. Tra‐c models and network topologies are carefully chosen to fully characterise the target simulation environment. The credibility of the results obtained is enhanced by vigilant treatment of the simulation data. The impact of AQM schemes on global network performance is assessed using flve carefully selected metrics. Thus, the comprehensive evaluation of AQM schemes may be achieved using the proposed framework.
No association of catechol-O-methyltransferase polymorphisms with schizophrenia in the Han Chinese population.

AIMS Genetics play a major role in the etiology of schizophrenia (SZ). Catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) is one of the promising candidate genes for SZ. A nonsynonymous single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP), rs4680, causing a Valine (Val) to Methionine (Met) substitution, has been widely studied in relation to psychiatric phenotypes, including SZ, but with conflicting results. We conducted a two-stage study to examine the association of COMT polymorphisms with SZ in the Han Chinese population. RESULTS Association analysis of nine SNPs in 768 patients and 1348 controls failed to detect any positive markers or haplotypes. Then, we tested rs4680 in a validation sample of 963 patients and 992 controls, and no significant association was observed, but the cases significantly deviated from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (p=5.7e-4). There was no association of rs4680 with SZ in the combined sample (n=4071, p=0.110, odds ratio=1.08). CONCLUSIONS Our results do not support the association of COMT with SZ in the Han Chinese population.
Stochastic Guard-Band-Aware Channel Assignment With Bonding and Aggregation for DSA Networks

Fading and shadowing along with the primary user dynamics make channel quality in dynamic spectrum access networks uncertain. Furthermore, the imperfect design of filters and amplifiers in wireless devices motivates the need for guard-bands (GBs) to prevent adjacent-channel interference. In this paper, we develop novel stochastic GB-aware sequential and batch channel assignment schemes that aim at maximizing the spectrum efficiency. In line with recent IEEE 802.11 and LTE standards, our schemes support bonding and aggregation. We propose two assignment models for each of the sequential and batch schemes: a static single-stage and an adaptive two-stage. In the static model, channel assignment is performed once such that the rate demands are probabilistically met. The adaptive model is a two-stage model, where the initial assignment may be corrected once uncertainties are partially revealed. We refer to our formulations of the sequential and batch static assignments as chance-constrained stochastic subset-s um problem (CSSP) and chance-constrained stochastic multiple s ubset-sum problem (CMSSP), respectively. Moreover, we develop stochastic formulations for the sequential and batch adaptive assignments, which we refer to as two-stage CSSP with recourse (CSSPR) and two-stage CMSSP with recourse (CMSSPR), respectively. Finally, we present computationally efficient simplified versions of CSSP and CSSPR with near-optimal performance.
Voice over WLAN (VoWLAN) - A wireless voice alternative?

Voice over WLAN (VoWLAN) is a natural evolution of VoIP. It is also a potential supplement or a potential competitor to 3G mobile systems. This article presents an overview of WLAN technologies and the issues that are relevant for voice communication over WLAN. The basic IEEE 802.11 mechanisms, and new security and QoS mechanisms recently being standardised by IEEE are described. Handover issues are addressed. A review of available papers on real-time communication over WLAN highlights the challenges to VoWLAN. There is also a short discussion on 3G-VoWLAN interworking. Finally user equipment aspects and the market potentials are discussed. Introduction Wireless Local Area Networks (WLANs) have become very popular in recent years. The most popular technology is based on IEEE Standard 802.11 [1]. 802.11-based WLANs are often considered as wireless extension to Ethernet standardised in IEEE Standard 802.3 [2]. WLAN is both used as an alternative and a complement to wired LAN. With the increasing popularity of IP technology, real-time applications such as interactive two-way voice and multimedia over IP have become popular. A natural evolution of voice over IP is voice over WLAN (VoWLAN). Like VoIP the growth of the VoWLAN market has been slower than analysts predicted a 1-2 years ago. Still it is predicted that the market will take off soon. The main hurdles to VoWLAN seems to be,
The Small World of Psychopathology

Background Mental disorders are highly comorbid: people having one disorder are likely to have another as well. We explain empirical comorbidity patterns based on a network model of psychiatric symptoms, derived from an analysis of symptom overlap in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-IV (DSM-IV). Principal Findings We show that a) half of the symptoms in the DSM-IV network are connected, b) the architecture of these connections conforms to a small world structure, featuring a high degree of clustering but a short average path length, and c) distances between disorders in this structure predict empirical comorbidity rates. Network simulations of Major Depressive Episode and Generalized Anxiety Disorder show that the model faithfully reproduces empirical population statistics for these disorders. Conclusions In the network model, mental disorders are inherently complex. This explains the limited successes of genetic, neuroscientific, and etiological approaches to unravel their causes. We outline a psychosystems approach to investigate the structure and dynamics of mental disorders.
On the potential of CHRIS/PROBA for estimating vegetation canopy properties from space

The Compact High Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (CHRIS), to be launched on board the PROBA (Project for On‐Board Autonomy) satellite in 2001/2002, will provide remotely‐sensed data for terrestrial and atmospheric applications. The mission is intended to demonstrate the potential of a compact, low‐cost, imaging spectrometer when combined with a small, agile satellite platform. CHRIS will provide data in 18–62 user‐selectable spectral channels in the range 400 nm to 1050 nm (1.25 nm ‐ 11 nm intervals) at a nominal spatial resolution of either 25 m or 50 m. Since PROBA can be pointed off‐nadir in both the along‐track and across‐track directions, it will be possible to use CHRIS to sample the Bidirectional Reflectance Distribution Function (BRDF) of the land surface. This combination of an agile satellite and a highly configurable sensor offers the unique potential to acquire high spatial resolution, spectral BRDF data sets and, from these, to study the biophysical and biochemical properties of vegetation canopies. It will also provide an important means of validating similar data sets from other, coarser spatial resolution sensors, such as VEGETATION, POLDER2, MODIS and MISR. This paper presents key features of the instrument, and explores the potential of CHRIS for estimating canopy biophysical parameters from space by means of a LUT‐based BRDF model inversion scheme.