Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Don't ask, don't tell: a systematic review of the extent to which participant characteristics are reported in social anxiety treatment studies

ABSTRACT Background and Objectives: This study examined the extent to which social anxiety treatment studies report the demographic characteristics of their participants. One hundred and 56 treatment studies published in English between 2001 and 2012 articles were collected. Methods: Each study was evaluated on whether or not it reported information on gender, age, race, relationship status, education, socioeconomic status, sexual orientation, and disability and also the extent to which the racial composition of the sample was described. Results: The majority of studies reported information on age (96.2%) and gender (94.2%), but the percentage of studies that reported anything else is much lower: race (50.0%), education (42.3%), relationship status (37.8%), socioeconomic status (5.1%), disability (2.6%), and sexual orientation (1.3%). One third (34.0%) of studies reported the race of all participants in their samples, while the remaining reported no information or information for only a subset of participants (e.g. “mostly white”). Conclusions: Participants of social anxiety disorder treatment studies generally are not described beyond their age and gender. Standards for reporting participant characteristics of treatment studies (similar to standards for reporting the methodology of treatment studies) could improve clinical researchers’ and clinicians’ ability to evaluate the external validity of this body of work.
Factors Associated With Quality of Life of Family Caregivers of Dialysis Recipients

Chronic kidney failure may contribute to the diminished quality of life of African American women who care for adults affected by the disorder. Few studies document the quality of life of these caregivers. For this descriptive correlational study, caregiver demographic, caregiver burden, depressive symptoms, family functioning, and quality-of-life self-report data from 75 African American women were extracted from an existing database. Ferrans’ Conceptual Model of Quality of Life guided the selection of study variables. Several significant associations were found. Caregiver education, employment status, marital status, and caregiver burden explained 63% of the variance in the caregivers’ quality of life. Findings support the need to explore further and design interventions to improve the quality of life of working African American women supporting individuals with chronic kidney failure.
User Selection and Precoding Techniques for Rate Maximization in Broadcast MISO Systems

For broadcast channels (BC) in multiuser multiple-input multiple-output (MU-MIMO) systems, the overall achievable performance depends on the efficient use of the resources at the base station (BS). When channel state information (CSI) is known at the transmitter the gain is twofold: full spatial degrees of freedom can be attained [1] and the system can be optimized over a new degree of freedom given by the users. In the literature of MU-MIMO systems two dimensions of optimization are studied: multiplexing diversity and multiuser diversity (MUD). The former is a consequence of the independent fading across all MIMO links, which yields a set of parallel spatial channels where different data streams can be transmitted increasing the system capacity [2]. The latter is given when users that are geographically far apart have channels that fade independently at any point in time. For the system sum rate maximization, such independent fading process is exploited so that the user with the largest channel magnitude will be selected for transmission. In MU-MIMO systems spatial and temporal communication can be performed in two ways: 1) orthogonal multiple access (time, frequency, or code) and 2) spatial-division multiple access (SDMA). To achieve orthogonality in time, all the spatial resources at the BS (N t antennas) are used to communicate with one user (Nr antennas) at a time, which is known also as time-division multiple access (TDMA). This technique avoids inter-user interference, achieves power gains that scale with N t , enhances data rates for a single user specially at low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) regime, and is robust to CSI uncertainty [1], [3]. SDMA exploits CSI at the BS allowing K >1 users to be scheduled at the same time achieving multiplexing gains of min(N t , K Nr) at high SNR regime, where the system is limited by the degrees of freedom and not by power. Since the BS has knowledge of the data symbols and CSI, the multiuser transmission can be optimized using coding techniques. The achievable rate region in BC is based on dirty paper coding (DPC) [4].
Arterial spin labelling magnetic resonance imaging of the brain: techniques and development

This thesis centres on the development of arterial spin labelling (ASL) MRI, a non-invasive technique to image cerebral perfusion. In the first chapter I explain the principles of cerebral blood flow (CBF) quantification using ASL beginning with the original implementation through to the most recent advances. I proceed to describe the established theory behind the key additional MRI contrast mechanisms and techniques that underpin the novel experiments described in this thesis (T2 and T1 relaxation, diffusion imaging and half-Fourier acquisition and reconstruction). In Chapter 2 I describe work undertaken to sample the transverse relaxation of the ASL perfusion-weighted and control images acquired with and without vascular crusher gradients at a range of post-labelling delay times and tagging durations, to estimate the intra-vascular, intra-cellular and extra-cellular distribution of labelled water in the rat cortex. The results provide evidence for rapid exchange of labelled water into the intra-cellular space relative to the transit-time through the vascular bed, and provide a more solid foundation for CBF quantification using ASL techniques. In Chapter 3 the performance of image de-noising techniques for reducing errors in ASL CBF and arterial transit time estimates is investigated. I show that noise reduction methods can suppress random and systematic errors, improving both the precision and accuracy of CBF measurements and the precision of transit time maps. In Chapter 4 I present the first in-vivo demonstration of Hadamard-encoded continuous ASL (H-CASL); an efficient method of imaging small volumes of labelled blood water in the brain at multiple post labelling delay times. I present evidence that H-CASL is viable for in-vivo application and can improve the precision of δa estimation in 2/3 of the imaging time required for standard multi post labelling delay continuous ASL.
Memory-related perceptual illusions directly affect physical activity in humans

Perceptual illusions help us understand deficits in human perception, but they also have the potential to serve as treatment methods; e.g., to alleviate phantom limb pain. Treatment effects are usually the direct result of a mismatch between false visual feedback and somatosensory/proprioceptive feedback. We aimed to influence physical activity (walking distance) using a memory-related perceptual illusion that relies on a mismatch between a spatially manipulated virtual reality environment and a weakness of memory for a similar, previously experienced environment. Participants' main task was to reproduce a baseline distance three times, by walking on a treadmill while moving through a virtual reality environment. Depending on condition, the environment was either stretched or compressed relative to the previous session, but participants were not informed about these manipulations. Because false, suggestive information can lead to alterations in memory, especially when conveyed through ‘rich’ forms of media such as virtual reality, we expected each manipulation to alter memory for the previous environment(s) and we hypothesized that this would influence walking distance. The results for the first time showed that memory-related perceptual illusions can directly affect physical activity in humans. The effects we found are substantial; stretching previously experienced virtual environments led participants to almost double their initial walking distance, whereas compressing the environments resulted in about half of the initial distance. Possible clinical applications arising from these findings are discussed.
Brain cells--recently unveiled secrets: their clinical significance.

Twentieth century unraveled the mystery of the atoms and the gene but much to the disappointment of scientists and philosophers alike the hope to achieve a hat-trick by solving the mystery of the mind remained unfulfilled. However, during the latter part of the 20th century the study of the brain moved from a peripheral position within both the biological and psychological sciences to become an inter-disciplinary field called neuroscience that now occupies a central position within each discipline. [1] Those interested in a comprehensive overview of the progress of neuroscience in the 20th century are referred to a concise yet comprehensive review by Albright et al.[2] The declaration of the 1990s as the Decade of the Brain, provided a new awareness and impetus to study this most complex, unique and precious possession of human beings. It attracted a large number of scientists to brain research in newly opened departments of neurosciences and establishment of Centers of Excellence and specialized centers all over the world and somewhat belatedly even in India. [3] A brief account of the important gains of the Decade of the Brain has been provided by the author. [4] A summary of Indian contributions in neurosciences during this Decade is published in the Annals of the Indian Academy of Neurology. [5] Neuroscience research today is a continuum of study from the molecular to the behavioral level. It encompasses the body of research directed towards understanding the molecular, cellular, intercellular processes mediated through electrochemical signals, in the nervous system, integrated to subserve behavior. This has been possible as a result of recent advances in molecular biology, genetics, proteomics and biotechnology along with those in the fields of computer science, microelectronics, and the new imaging techniques (CT, MRI, FMRI, PET, SPECT, two-photon microscopy etc). It has been claimed that 90% of what we know about the human brain has been learnt during the last couple of decades. The new techniques now permit us to study the nervous system in health and disease from the gene to the behavioral level in a seamless intermingling of the Cartesian reductionism to the holistic approaches of cognitive science. Already the knowledge gained from these researches has been translated to provide better diagnostic and therapeutic applications in clinical practice. [6,7] However, the purpose of this presentation is to highlight some of the path-breaking discoveries in the last decade which have not only exploded longstanding dogmas about the structure and function of the various constituents of the brain but which promise to revolutionize the future of therapy for brain disorders. [8]
Performance of a Deep Learning Model vs Human Reviewers in Grading Endoscopic Disease Severity of Patients With Ulcerative Colitis

Key Points Question What is the agreement of automatically determined endoscopic severity of ulcerative colitis using deep learning models compared with expert human reviewers? Findings In this diagnostic study including colonoscopy data from 3082 adults, performance of a deep learning model for distinguishing moderate to severe disease from remission compared with multiple expert reviewers was excellent, with an area under the receiver operating curve of 0.97 using still images and full-motion video. Meaning Deep learning offers a practical and scalable method to provide objective and reproducible assessments of endoscopic disease severity for patients with ulcerative colitis.
A Cooperative Method for Prefix Hijack Detection in the Internet

The problem of detecting prefix hijacks in the Internet remains a challenging problem, when considering no single completely accurate source of truth about which organizations have the authority to advertise which prefixes. This paper proposes a method, called Co-Monitor, for prefix hijack detection based on cooperation. In the Co-Monitor overlay network, participating ASes exchange prefix-to-origin mappings defined by them. Through cooperative monitoring, such an event that the prefix origin of a route is inconsistent with the requested mapping can be detected in a comprehensive monitoring scope. To ensure the accuracy, the method adopts source verifying mechanism to confirm prefix hijacks because an announcer answers for its prefixes. We conduct experiments to evaluate the capabilities of the cooperative monitoring method, and results show that ASes have much incentive to join the co-monitor architecture.
Diverse TRPV1 responses to cannabinoids

ABSTRACT Cannabinoid compounds are potential analgesics. Users of medicinal Cannabis report efficacy for pain control, clinical studies show that cannabis can be effective and opioid sparing in chronic pain, and some constituent cannabinoids have been shown to target nociceptive ion channels. Here, we explore and compare a suite of cannabinoids for their impact upon the physiology of TRPV1. The cannabinoids tested evoke differential responses in terms of kinetics of activation and inactivation. Cannabinoid activation of TRPV1 displays significant dependence on internal and external calcium levels. Cannabinoid activation of TRPV1 does not appear to induce the highly permeant, pore-dilated channel state seen with Capsaicin, even at high current amplitudes. Finally, we analyzed cannabinoid responses at nociceptive channels other than TRPV1 (TRPV2, TRPM8, and TRPA1), and report that cannabinoids differentially activate these channels. On the basis of response activation and kinetics, state-selectivity and receptor selectivity, it may be possible to rationally design approaches to pain using single or multiple cannabinoids.
Micromachined high-Q fused silica bell resonator with complex profile curvature realized using 3D micro blowtorch molding

We present a high level of control over complex profile curvature in micro fused silica shell resonators achieved through a blowtorch molding process. The graphite mold geometry is imparted on the shell without transferring the texture, preserving the 2.4 Å surface roughness of the reflowed fused silica. A variety of shapes are possible using this technique, including a bell shape with a height-to-radius ratio of 1.2. The shell will gently curve around sharp corners but can also follow a curvature prescribed by a rounded or conical sidewall. We offer an explanation for the mechanism that enables this process. We also discuss simulation results on anchor loss and thermoelastic damping and measure ring-down times of 6.7 seconds at ~12.9 kHz for both n = 2 wineglass modes of a bell resonator.
Tartrate‐Resistant Acid Phosphatase 5b: A Novel Serum Marker of Bone Resorption

Human serum contains two forms of tartrate‐resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP), 5a and 5b. Of these, 5a contains sialic acid and 5b does not. We show here that antigenic properties and pH optimum of TRAP purified from human osteoclasts are identical to those of serum TRAP 5b and completely different from those of serum TRAP 5a, suggesting that 5b would be derived from osteoclasts and 5a from some other source. We developed a novel immunoassay specific for 5b using a monoclonal antibody O1A as capture antibody. O1A did not bind acid phosphatase derived from platelets and erythrocytes. Western analysis showed that O1A was specific for TRAP in both human bone and serum. We measured bound TRAP activity at pH 6.1, where 5b is highly active and 5a almost completely inactive. The immunoassay detected more than 90% of the initial TRAP 5b activity after 8‐h incubation of serum samples at 25°C and after 3 days incubation at 4°C. Serum TRAP 5b activity decreased significantly after 6 months of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) of postmenopausal women compared with the change observed in postmenopausal women receiving placebo (p < 0.0001). Instead, no significant differences were observed between the changes in the placebo and HRT groups in total serum TRAP amount. These results show that serum TRAP 5b is a specific and sensitive marker for monitoring antiresorptive treatment. Instead, total serum TRAP cannot be used for that purpose. These findings may turn out to be a significant improvement in using serum TRAP as a resorption marker.
Pro-Inflammatory Activation of a New Immortalized Human Microglia Cell Line

The characterization of human microglia has been hampered by poor availability of human cell sources. However, microglia is involved in the physiopathology of multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, HIV dementia, retinal degenerative diseases, cancer, and many other conditions. Therefore, there is an important need to have experimental paradigms of human microglia characterized and usable to study the role of microglia in the different pathologies in which it is involved. In the present work, we carried out an extensive characterization of Immortalized Human Microglia—SV40 cell line (IMhu), marketed by Applied Biological Material. The functional response of IMhu to a large variety of stimuli was studied. In particular, we investigated morphology, mortality, and changes in the production of different cytokines and chemokines, both under basal conditions and after stimulation. Moreover, western blotting analysis was conducted on phospho-mTOR (Ser 2448) and downstream parameters, p-P70S6K and 4EBP1, in order to understand if IMhu can be used for evaluations of mTOR pathway. In conclusion, IMhu cells proved to be a useful experimental model to investigate the physiopathology of inflammatory disease that involved microglia cells, including pathological conditions that involved the mTOR pathway.
Adrenergic receptor antagonism induces neuroprotection and facilitates recovery from acute ischemic stroke

Significance Stroke is one of the most prevalent types of acute brain injury, and rehabilitation poses globally a significant personal as well as socioeconomic burden. We here demonstrate a potent mitigation of stroke-induced brain damage by blocking adrenergic receptors. Stroke induces cortical spreading depolarizations which repeatedly increases extracellular potassium. We show that adrenergic receptor antagonism promotes the normalization of extracellular medium following stroke. From a translational standpoint, this approach may offer an affordable approach to current treatments such as tissue plasminogen activator administration and mechanical thrombectomy. Spontaneous waves of cortical spreading depolarization (CSD) are induced in the setting of acute focal ischemia. CSD is linked to a sharp increase of extracellular K+ that induces a long-lasting suppression of neural activity. Furthermore, CSD induces secondary irreversible damage in the ischemic brain, suggesting that K+ homeostasis might constitute a therapeutic strategy in ischemic stroke. Here we report that adrenergic receptor (AdR) antagonism accelerates normalization of extracellular K+, resulting in faster recovery of neural activity after photothrombotic stroke. Remarkably, systemic adrenergic blockade before or after stroke facilitated functional motor recovery and reduced infarct volume, paralleling the preservation of the water channel aquaporin-4 in astrocytes. Our observations suggest that AdR blockers promote cerebrospinal fluid exchange and rapid extracellular K+ clearance, representing a potent potential intervention for acute stroke.
Genome-wide strategies reveal target genes of Npas4l associated with vascular development in zebrafish

ABSTRACT The development of a vascular network is essential to nourish tissues and sustain organ function throughout life. Endothelial cells (ECs) are the building blocks of blood vessels, yet our understanding of EC specification remains incomplete. Zebrafish cloche/npas4l mutants have been used broadly as an avascular model, but little is known about the molecular mechanisms of action of the Npas4l transcription factor. Here, to identify its direct and indirect target genes, we have combined complementary genome-wide approaches, including transcriptome analyses and chromatin immunoprecipitation. The cross-analysis of these datasets indicates that Npas4l functions as a master regulator by directly inducing a group of transcription factor genes that are crucial for hematoendothelial specification, such as etv2, tal1 and lmo2. We also identified new targets of Npas4l and investigated the function of a subset of them using the CRISPR/Cas9 technology. Phenotypic characterization of tspan18b mutants reveals a novel player in developmental angiogenesis, confirming the reliability of the datasets generated. Collectively, these data represent a useful resource for future studies aimed to better understand EC fate determination and vascular development. Summary: Multiple genome-wide approaches reveal that Npas4l functions as a master regulator by directly inducing a group of transcription factor genes that are crucial for hematoendothelial specification.
The possible association between in vitro fertilization treatments and cancer development

The objective of this paper is to assess whether ovarian hyperstimulation and in vitro fertilization (IVF) are associated with increased risk of cancer development, using an historical cohort analysis of infertile women who attended the IVF unit, Lis Maternity Hospital Tel Aviv Medical Center, Tel Aviv, Israel. One thousand and 82 women participated in the IVF treatment program between 1984 and 1992. Cancer incidence rates were determined through the National Cancer Registry and were compared to the expected rates with respect to appropriate age and continent of birth. Twenty-one cases of cancer were observed as compared to 11 that were expected (SIR 1.91; 95% CI 1.18–2.91). When cancer cases that were diagnosed within one year of the IVF treatment were excluded from the analysis (SIR = 1.46; 95% CI 0.83–2.36), no significant excess risk of cancer was noted. We conclude that in this cohort of infertile women, the higher than expected cancer rate could not be attributed to IVF treatments. Special attention should be made to women who may be diagnosed with cancer during or shortly after IVF treatment.
Zika virus: Molecular responses and tissue tropism in the mammalian host

Zika virus (ZIKV) outbreaks have raised alarm because of reports of congenital Zika virus syndrome in infants. The virus is also known to cause the debilitating Guillain–Barré syndrome in adults. As a result, extensive research has been carried out on the virus over the past few years. To study the molecular responses of viral infectivity in mammals, in vitro two‐dimensional and three‐dimensional cellular models have been employed. The in vivo models of mouse, pig, chicken, and nonhuman primates are primarily used to investigate the teratogenicity of the virus, to study effects of the virus on specific tissues, and to study the systemic effects of a proposed antiviral agent. The virus exhibits wide tissue tropism in the mammalian host. The major host tissues of viral persistence and propagation are neural tissue, ocular tissue, testicular tissue and placental tissue. An understanding of the function of viral components, viral replication cycle, and the molecular responses elicited in the host tissues is imperative for designing antiviral treatment strategies and for development of vaccines. This review provides an update on ZIKV research models and mammalian host responses with respect to ZIKV tissue infection.