Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Prospective developmental subtypes of alcohol dependence from age 18 to 32 years: Implications for nosology, etiology, and intervention

Abstract The purpose of the present study is to identify child and adult correlates that differentiate (a) individuals with persistent alcohol dependence from individuals with developmentally limited alcohol dependence and (b) individuals with adult-onset alcohol dependence from individuals who never diagnose. There are 1,037 members of the Dunedin Longitudinal Study, which is a birth cohort followed prospectively from birth until age 32. Past-year DSM-IV alcohol dependence diagnoses are ascertained with structured diagnostic interviews at ages 18, 21, 26, and 32. Individuals are classified as developmentally limited, persistent, or adult-onset subtypes based on their time-ordered pattern of diagnoses. The persistent subtype generally exhibits the worst scores on all correlates, including family psychiatric history, adolescent and adult externalizing and internalizing problems, adolescent and adult substance use, adult quality of life, and coping strategies. The prospective predictors that distinguished them from the developmentally limited subtype involved family liability, adolescent negative affectivity, daily alcohol use, and frequent marijuana use. Furthermore, young people who develop the persistent subtype of alcohol dependence are distinguished from the developmentally limited subtype by an inability to reduce drinking and by continued use despite problems by age 18. The adult-onset group members are virtually indistinguishable from ordinary cohort members as children or adolescents; however, in adulthood, adult-onset cases are distinguished by problems with depression, substance use, stress, and strategies for coping with stress. Information about age of onset and developmental course is fundamental for identifying subtypes of alcohol dependence. Subtype-specific etiologies point to targeted prevention and intervention efforts based on the characteristics of each subtype.
Learning outcomes as a tool to assess progression

In the move to outcome-based education (OBE) much of the attention has focussed on the exit learning outcomes–the outcomes expected of a student at the end of a course of studies. It is important also to plan for and monitor students progression to the exit outcomes. A model is described for considering this progression through the phases of undergraduate education. Four dimensions are included–increasing breadth, increasing depth, increasing utility and increasing proficiency. The model can also be used to develop a blueprint for a more seamless link between undergraduate education, postgraduate training and continuing professional development. The progression model recognises the complexities of medical practice and medical education. It supports the move to student-centred and adaptive approaches to learning in an OBE environment.
Theoretical and Experimental Relationships between Percent Inhibition and IC50 Data Observed in High-Throughput Screening

The four-parameter logistic Hill equation models the theoretical relationship between inhibitor concentration and response and is used to derive IC50 values as a measure of compound potency. This relationship is the basis for screening strategies that first measure percent inhibition at a single, uniform concentration and then determine IC50 values for compounds above a threshold. In screening practice, however, a “good” correlation between percent inhibition values and IC50 values is not always observed, and in the literature, there seems confusion about what correlation even to expect. We examined the relationship between percent inhibition data and IC50 data in HDAC4 and ENPP2 high-throughput screening (HTS) data sets and compared our findings with a series of numerical simulations that allowed the investigation of the influence of parameters representing different types of uncertainties: variability in the screening concentration (related to solution library and compound characteristics, liquid handling), variations in Hill model parameters (related to interaction of compounds with target, type of assay), and influences of assay data quality parameters (related to assay and experimental design, liquid handling). In the different sensitivity analyses, we found that the typical variations of the actual compound concentrations in existing screening libraries generate the largest contributions to imperfect correlations. Excess variability in the ENPP2 assay above the values of the simulation model can be explained by compound aggregation artifacts.
Calcium inactivation in skeletal muscle fibres of the stick insect, Carausius morosus.

1. Inactivation of Ca currents in skeletal muscle fibres of the stick insect, Carausius morosus, was studied using a three‐electrode voltage‐clamp method. 2. The extent of inactivation showed a voltage‐dependence similar to that of the Ca current, inactivation being absent in the absence of a Ca current, maximal at potentials where Ca currents are largest, and reduced at potentials close to ECa. 3. Ca currents inactivated along a double exponential time course, both when measured from the decline of Ca current during a single pulse and when measured using a two pulse protocol. In 20 mM‐Ca‐Ringer the fast time constant of inactivation had a mean value of 27 msec and that of the slow time constant was 134 msec, at O mV and 5 degrees C. 4. The rate of inactivation was slowed, and its extent reduced, in low [Ca]o, where Ca currents are smaller. Similarly, inactivation was faster and more complete in high‐Ca‐Ringer. 5. The rate of recovery from inactivation also followed a double exponential time course, with time constants of 638 msec and 4 sec following a 500 msec inactivating pulse in 20 mM‐Ca‐Ringer at 5 degrees C. Recovery appeared to be related to the amount of Ca entry during the inactivating pulse, being slower in high [Ca]o and following longer inactivating pulses. 6. Inactivation was slowed and reduced in extent when Ba2+ or Sr2+ carried current. Inactivation in Ba solutions may be due to depletion of Ba2+ from the lumen of the transverse tubules. 7. Ba2+ does not compete with Ca2+ for the inactivation mechanism. 8. It is concluded that inactivation of Ca currents in stick insect muscle fibres is primarily mediated by Ca2+ entry.
Outcomes of Adult Patients With Sickle Cell Disease Admitted to the ICU: A Case Series*

Objective:Sickle cell disease is associated with a decreased life expectancy, half of the deaths occurring in the ICU. We aimed to describe the characteristics of sickle cell disease patients admitted to ICU and to identify early predictors of a complicated outcome, defined as the need for vital support or death. Design:Retrospective observational cohort study of sickle cell disease patients over a 6-year period. Setting:ICU of a French teaching hospital and sickle cell disease referral center. Patients:Hundred thirty-eight ICU admissions in 119 sickle cell disease patients. Interventions:None. Measurements and Main Results:ICU admission was mainly indicated for sickle cell disease–related events, especially acute chest syndrome. Mechanical ventilation, vasoactive drugs, and renal replacement therapy were administered to 25 (18%), 10 (7%), and 10 (7%) episodes, respectively. The complicated outcome group (n = 28; 20%) was characterized by a more aggressive acute disease within the 48 hours preceding ICU admission, with a higher respiratory rate, a more frequent acute kidney injury, and a more sustained drop of hemoglobin (all p < 0.01). All nine deaths (7%) were sickle cell disease related. None of the sickle cell disease baseline characteristics predicted accurately a complicated outcome. In multivariate analysis, hemoglobin less than or equal to 7.8 g/dL (odds ratio, 3.6; 95% CI, 1.1–11.9), respiratory rate more than or equal to 32 cycles/min (odds ratio, 5.6; 95% CI, 1.8–17.2), and acute kidney injury on ICU admission (odds ratio, 11.5; 95% CI, 2.5–52.6) were independently associated with a complicated outcome. Conclusions:Sickle cell disease patients are at high risk of complications when admitted to the ICU. A sustained drop of hemoglobin, acute respiratory distress, and kidney injury at admission are strong predictors of a complicated outcome.
The lesser evil? Initiating a benzodiazepine prescription in general practice

Objective. Chronic benzodiazepine (BZD) use is widespread and linked with adverse effects. There is consensus concerning the importance of initiating BZD as a crucial moment. Nevertheless specific research in this field is lacking. This paper addresses the views of GPs on why they start prescribing BZDs to first-time users. Design. Qualitative study with five focus groups analysed using a systematic content analysis. Setting. Regions of Ghent and Brussels in Belgium. Subjects. A total of 35 general practitioners. Main outcome measure. The GPs’ perspective on their initiating of BZD prescribing. Results. GPs reported that they are cautious in initiating BZD usage. At the same time, GPs feel overwhelmed by the psychosocial problems of their patients. They show empathy by prescribing. They feel in certain situations there are no other solutions and they experience BZDs as the lesser evil. They admit to resorting to BZDs because of time restraint and lack of alternatives. GPs do not perceive the addictive nature of BZD consumption as a problem with first-time users. GPs do not specifically mention patients’ demand as an element for starting. Conclusion. The main concern of GPs is to help the patient. GPs should be aware of the addictive nature of BZD even in low doses and a non-pharmacological approach should be seen as the best first approach. If GPs decide to prescribe a BZD they should make plain to the patient that the medication is only a “temporary” solution with clear agreements with regard to medication withdrawal.
Techniques for Retrograde Cerebral Perfusion in the Treatment of Aortic Lesions via Left Thoracotomy

Abstract Retrograde cerebral perfusion under deep hypothermic circulatory arrest is a simple and useful adjunct in aortic surgery and is performed by many surgeons in the treatment of aortic arch pathology. In recent years, this technique has been recommended in the surgery of distal arch and proximal descending aortic lesions through a left thoracotomy incision. The aim of the technique is to increase the right atrial pressure for retrograde cerebral perfusion. After cooling using femorofemoral bypass, circulatory arrest is initiated. The right atrial pressure is increased to 20 mmHg, and retrograde cerebral circulation results. In this article, five patients with distal aortic arch and proximal descending thoracic aortic lesions who were operated on by using this technique were evaluated. It is suggested that this technique can be used with a lateral thoracotomy approach that is suitable for procedures on a distal aortic arch and proximal descending aorta.
Microbial Community Analysis of Anodes from Sediment Microbial Fuel Cells Powered by Rhizodeposits of Living Rice Plants

ABSTRACT By placing the anode of a sediment microbial fuel cell (SMFC) in the rhizosphere of a rice plant, root-excreted rhizodeposits can be microbially oxidized with concomitant current generation. Here, various molecular techniques were used to characterize the composition of bacterial and archaeal communities on such anodes, as influenced by electrical circuitry, sediment matrix, and the presence of plants. Closed-circuit anodes in potting soil were enriched with Desulfobulbus-like species, members of the family Geobacteraceae, and as yet uncultured representatives of the domain Archaea.
Pro‐inflammatory cytokines and prostaglandins induce maturation of potent immunostimulatory dendritic cells under fetal calf serum‐free conditions

Culture conditions for human dendritic cells (DC) have been developed by several laboratories. Most of these culture methods, however, have used conditions involving fetal calf serum (FCS) to generate DC in the presence of granulocyte‐macrophage colony‐stimulating factor and interleukin (IL)‐4. Recently, alternative culture conditions have been described using an additional stimulation with monocyte‐conditioned medium (MCM) and FCS‐free media to generate DC. As MCM is a rather undefined cocktail, the yield and quality of DC generated by these cultures varies substantially. We report that a defined cocktail of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)‐α, IL‐1β and IL‐6 equals MCM in its potency to generate DC. Addition of prostaglandin (PG)E2 to the cytokine cocktail further enhanced the yield, maturation, migratory and immunostimulatory capacity of the DC generated. More importantly, culture conditions also influenced the outcome of the T cell response induced. DC cultured with TNF‐α/IL‐1/IL‐6 or MCM alone induced CD4+ T cells that release intermediate levels of interferon (IFN)‐γ and no IL‐4 or IL‐10. Production of IFN‐γ was significantly induced by addition of PGE2, while no effect on production of IL‐4 or IL‐10 was observed. Even more striking differences were observed for CD8+ T cells. While MCM conditions only induced IFN‐γlow, IL‐4neg cells, TNF‐α/IL‐1/IL‐6 promoted growth of IFN‐γintermediate, IL‐4neg CD8+ T cells. Addition of PGE2 again only further polarized this pattern enhancing IFN‐γ production by alloreactive CD8+ T cells in both cultures without inducing type 2 cytokines. Taken together, the data indicate that the defined cocktail TNF‐α/IL‐1/IL‐6 can substitute for MCM and that addition of PGE2 further enhances the yield and quality of DC generated. TNF‐α/IL‐1, IL‐6 + PGE2‐cultured DC seem to be optimal for generation of IFN‐γ‐producing CD4/CD8+ T cells.
Cervicocephalic kinesthetic sensibility in patients with chronic, nontraumatic cervical spine pain.

OBJECTIVE To investigate cervicocephalic kinesthetic sensibility (head repositioning accuracy to subjective straight ahead) in patients with chronic, nontraumatic cervical spine pain. DESIGN A prospective, 2-group, observational design. SETTING An outpatient chiropractic clinic in the United Kingdom. PARTICIPANTS Eleven patients (6 men, 5 women; mean age +/- standard deviation, 41.1 +/- 13.3 yr; range, 18-55 yr) with chronic, nontraumatic cervical spine pain (mean duration, 24 +/- 18 mo), with no evidence of cervical radiculopathy and/or myelopathy or any other neurologic disorder. Eleven asymptomatic, unimpaired volunteers (5 men, 6 women; mean age, 39.3 +/- 10.3 yr; range, 28-54 yr) with no history of whiplash or other cervical spine injury or pain served as controls. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Cervicocephalic kinesthetic sensibility was investigated by testing the ability of blindfolded participants to relocate accurately the head on the trunk, to a subjective straight-ahead position, after a near-maximal active movement of the head in the horizontal or vertical plane. The active cervical range of motion and the duration and intensity of neck pain were also recorded. RESULTS Mann-Whitney U testing indicated that the patient (P) group was no less accurate in head repositioning than the control (C) group for all movement directions except flexion (median global positioning error [95% confidence interval], P = 5.7 degrees [5.03-9.10], C = 4.2 degrees [3.17-5.32]; p <.05). CONCLUSIONS Nontraumatic neck pain patients show little evidence of impaired cervicocephalic kinesthetic sensibility. These results contrast with studies of chronic cervical pain patients in which the origin was not controlled or involved a cervical whiplash injury.
A Comparison of Four Intrusion Detection Systems for Secure E-Business

This paper evaluates three rule-based open sourced network intrusion detection systems ‐ Snort, Firestorm, Prelude ‐ and one rule-based commercial system ‐ Dragon. The 1999 DARPA Dataset, which is the only public data set used for IDS benchmarking to the best of authors’ knowledge, is used to perform the evaluations. Results discuss how each system performed and the possible benefits of any one system over the other.
Properties of ionic currents from isolated adult rat carotid body chemoreceptor cells: effect of hypoxia.

1. The electrical properties of chemoreceptor cells from neonatal rat and adult rabbit carotid bodies (CBs) are strikingly different. These differences have been suggested to be developmental and/or species related. To distinguish between the two possibilities, the whole‐cell configuration of the patch‐clamp technique was used to characterize the ionic currents present in isolated chemoreceptor cells from adult rat CBs. Since hypoxia‐induced inhibition of O2‐sensitive K+ currents is considered a crucial step in O2 chemoreception, the effect of hypoxia on the adult rat chemoreceptor cell currents was also studied. 2. Outward currents were carried mainly by K+, and two different components could be distinguished: a Ca(2+)‐dependent K+ current (IK(Ca)) sensitive to Cd2+ and charybdotoxin (CTX), and a Ca(2+)‐insensitive, voltage‐dependent K+ current (IK(V)). IK(V) showed a slow voltage‐dependent activation (time constant (tau) of 87.4 ms at ‐20 mV and 8.8 ms at +60 mV) and a very slow inactivation, described by the sum of two exponentials (tau 1 = 684 +/‐ 150 ms and tau 2 = 4.96 +/‐ 0.76 s at + 30 mV), that was almost voltage insensitive. The kinetic and pharmacological properties of IK(V) are typical of a delayed rectifier K+ channel. 3. Voltage‐dependent Ca2+ currents (ICa) were present in nineteen of twenty‐seven cells. TTX‐sensitive Na+ currents were also observed in about 10% of the cells. 4. Low PO2 (< 10 mmHg) reduced the whole outward current amplitude by 22.17 +/‐ 1.96% (n = 27) at +20 mV. This effect was absent in the presence of Cd2+. Since low PO2 did not affect ICa, we conclude that hypoxia selectively blocks IK(Ca). 5. The properties of the currents recorded in adult rat chemoreceptor cells, including the specific inhibition of IK(Ca) by hypoxia, are similar to those reported in neonatal rat CB cells, implying that the differences between rat and rabbit chemoreceptor cells are species related.
Small Cell Base Station Sleep Strategies for Energy Efficiency

Small cell networks offer a promising and viable approach to meeting the increasing demand for high-data-rate wireless applications. With the expected increase in the number of small cell deployments, energy efficiency (EE) is a crucial system design parameter that demands consideration from an eco-sustainability perspective. One way to improve EE is to switch off small cell base stations (BSs) or to keep them in energy-saving mode while preserving the quality of service (QoS) experienced by users. With “bits/joule” as the metric, we aim to optimize EE with the introduction of several levels of sleep depths. Using a stochastic geometry-based heterogeneous cellular network (HCN) model, we derive coverage probability, average achievable rate, and EE in heterogeneous K-tier wireless networks with different sleep modes for small cells. Then, we try to maximize EE under 1) a random sleeping policy and 2) a strategic sleeping policy, with constraints on both coverage probability and wake-up times. Due to the nonconvexity of EE, we propose an alternative low-complexity near-optimal solution by maximizing the lower bound of EE. We use an alternating iterative approach to solve the resulting multivariable optimization problem. Simulation results confirm the effectiveness of the scheme. With improvements of approximately 30% in EE with random sleeping policy, simulation indicates that instantaneous EE can be further improved by 15% with a strategic sleeping policy.
DmzVisor: um Firewall para a Segurança de Zona Desmilitarizada Corporativa em Redes Definidas por Software

For the security of organizations that need to offer services to the external public, it is recommended to use a network protected by perimeter firewalls, known as the DeMilitarized Zone (DMZ), between the internal and external networks, in which it is located devices that hosting services accessed by the external public. However, the use of the DMZ may have a considerable financial cost for the organization. Therefore, through the Software Defined Networks (SDN) paradigm, it is possible to develop flexible and customized solutions that cover the whole network at a low-cost. Thus, this paper aims to propose the DmzVisor, which consists of a low-cost corporate SDN firewall developed with free open source software. The application in addition to filtering packets and isolating traffic between the local network and the corporate DMZ, also provides a web system for its management. Resumo. Para a segurança das organizações que necessitam oferecer serviços ao público externo, recomenda-se a utilização de uma rede protegida por firewalls de perı́metro, denominada de DeMilitarized Zone (DMZ), entre as redes interna e externa, na qual estão os dispositivos que hospedam serviços acessados pelo público exterior. Entretanto, o uso da DMZ pode ter um custo financeiro considerável para a organização. Diante disso, através do paradigma de Redes Definidas por Software (SDN) é possı́vel desenvolver soluções flexı́veis e personalizadas que abrangem toda a rede a um baixo custo. Dessa maneira, este artigo tem o objetivo de propor o DmzVisor, que consiste em um firewall SDN corporativo de baixo custo desenvolvido com software gratuito de código aberto. A aplicação além de filtrar pacotes e isolar o tráfego entre a rede local e a DMZ corporativa, também fornece um sistema web para seu gerenciamento.
Evaluation of Quantum II microbiology system for identification of gram-negative bacteria of veterinary origin

The ability of a rapid, semiautomated bacterial identification system, the Quantum II microbiology system (Abbott Laboratories, Irving, Tex.), to accurately identify gram-negative bacteria from veterinary sources was evaluated. A total of 378 isolates were tested, including 298 organisms in the family Enterobacteriaceae and strains representing Acinetobacter sp. , Aeromonas sp. , Flavobacterium sp. , Pasteurella multocida, Plesiomonas sp. , and Pseudomonas spp. Of these isolates, 333 (88.1%) were correctly identified, 20 (5.3%) were not identified, 10 (2.6%) were incorrectly identified at the genus level, and 15 (4.0%) were incorrectly identified at the species level. The Quantum II system correctly identified 268 (89.9%) of the isolates of Enterobacteriaceae and 65 (81.3%) of the nonenteric isolates. P. multocida was not identified correctly, and some nonenteric gram-negative bacteria of clinical significance in veterinary medicine are not included in the data base. The Quantum II system provided an accurate identification system for isolates of Enterobacteriaceae but had limited usefulness for the identification of other gram-negative bacteria of clinical significance in veterinary medicine.
Kinetics of hydroxymethylfurfural, lactulose and furosine formation in milk with different fat content

In the context of the general applicability of hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF), lactulose and furosine as time-temperature integrators (TTIs) for thermal processing of milk, the influence of milk fat content was studied. Formation kinetics were analysed for milk with fat content of 4·0±<0·1%. In previous experiments, it was observed that, under isothermal and non-isothermal heating conditions, formation of the three chemical compounds could be described by pseudo-zero order kinetics. Since the kinetic model was known, the experimental design could be simplified. Data were analysed by a non-linear regression procedure and results were evaluated by construction of joint confidence regions and temperature time tolerance (TTT-) diagrams. Formation kinetics of HMF and lactulose was not affected by milk fat content. Regarding furosine, significant differences were observed between kinetic parameters in whole, semi-skimmed and skimmed milk. The observed differences however were negligible in the context of process impact evaluation.