Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Catastrophizing, acceptance, and interference: laboratory findings, subjective report, and pain willingness as a moderator.

OBJECTIVE The present study investigated the effects of both catastrophizing and the pain willingness component of acceptance on interference in daily activities and task performance during experimentally induced ischemic pain. In addition, the potential moderating role of pain willingness on the relationship between catastrophizing and degree of pain interference was also examined. DESIGN Sixty-seven persons with chronic low back pain completed measures of catastrophizing, acceptance, and daily pain interference. Participants underwent an ischemic pain induction procedure during which a Stroop-like task was administered. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Self-reported pain interference and observed performance on a Stroop-like task during induced pain. RESULTS The pain willingness component of acceptance and catastrophizing both contributed significantly to self-reports of pain interference. However, levels of pain willingness had an effect much stronger than the negative effects associated with catastrophizing with respect to observed pain interference during induced pain. Results also indicated that pain willingness serves as a moderator in the relationship between catastrophizing and task performance during induced pain. CONCLUSION The pain willingness factor of acceptance and catastrophizing both appear to be strong predictors for self-reported pain interference. During an objective assessment of pain interference, however, pain willingness shows a stronger effect and attenuates the negative impact of catastrophizing on task functioning.
Naltrexone Combined With Either Cognitive Behavioral or Motivational Enhancement Therapy for Alcohol Dependence

Abstract: Although naltrexone has been shown to be effective in the treatment of alcohol dependence, less is known about its efficacy when combined with different behavioral therapies. Previous work has suggested that naltrexone works best when combined with weekly cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). This study examined the efficacy of naltrexone when combined with CBT or a motivational enhancement therapy involving less patient contact. Outpatient alcoholics (N = 160) were randomly assigned to either naltrexone (50 mg/d) or placebo and either CBT (12 sessions) or motivational enhancement therapy (4 sessions), in a 4-cell design, and treated over a 12-week period. Subjects were evaluated periodically for alcohol consumption, craving, and biologic markers of drinking (carbohydrate-deficient transferrin and γ-glutamyltransferase). There was high retention and adherence to therapy and medication in the trial with no significant difference across the treatment groups. Naltrexone, independent of therapy assignment, increased the time to first relapse. However, the CBT-naltrexone group did better than the other groups on a variety of outcome measures. Fewer CBT-naltrexone-treated subjects relapsed, and those that did had both fewer, and more time between, subsequent relapses. This randomized controlled trial is consistent with previous reports about the utility of combining naltrexone with CBT. Despite being more efficient to administer, the combination of motivational enhancement therapy and naltrexone is less effective than CBT and naltrexone. Because CBT and naltrexone share common mechanisms of action, such as craving reduction and relapse prevention, these therapies are likely to be well suited to use in combination.
ROBUST PREDICTIVE CONTROL BASED ON NEIGHBORING

The performance of a predictive controller is typically poor when the true plant evolution deviates significantly from that predicted by the model. A robust control approach that considers model uncertainty explicitly is then needed. However, it is often difficult to find a single input profile that works well for the range of uncertainty considered. Thus, multiple input profiles, i.e. one for each realization of the uncertainty, need to be determined. Unfortunately, this is computationally extremely expensive. This paper proposes an alternative approach that is based on neighboring extremals, where the multiple input profiles are computed using a simple feedback law, thereby reducing considerably the computational burden. The idea is illustrated via the simulation of a continuous stirred tank reactor and an inverted pendulum on a cart.
Clinical features and outcome in disseminated mycobacterial diseases in AIDS patients in Taiwan

Objective:To describe and compare the clinical features and outcome of disseminated tuberculosis (TB) and Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) disease in AIDS patients. Design:Prospective cohort study. Setting:A 1800-bed university teaching hospital, the largest centre for HIV/AIDS patients in Taiwan. Methods:From July 1994 through June 1997, a standardized protocol was used to record the demographic and clinical features in all hospitalized HIV-infected patients, and to perform routine studies and invasive procedures for diagnosis of disseminated mycobacterial diseases. To compare the survival, control patients were selected from the HIV-infected patients hospitalized in the same hospital during the same study period, and had similar age, sex, CD4+ cell counts and antiretroviral therapy regimens. Results:A total of 22 cases of disseminated TB and 15 cases of disseminated MAC were identified. Disseminated TB and MAC occurred in patients with similarly low CD4+ cell counts (median, 23 versus 5 × 106/l; P = 0.08). The clinical features favouring disseminated TB included night sweats, peripheral lymphadenopathy, acid-fast bacilli in sputum smears, chest radiographic findings of hilar enlargement, and lack of prior AIDS-defining illnesses. Hepatosplenomegaly, elevated serum alkaline phosphatase (more than twice the upper limit of normal), elevated serum γ-glutamyl transpeptidase (more than three times the upper limit of normal), and leukopenia favoured disseminated MAC. The patients with disseminated TB survived much longer than patients with disseminated MAC (mean survival, 96 versus 22 weeks, P = 0.008) but had a similar outcome to control patients (P = 0.60). Conclusion:Disseminated TB and MAC are distinguishable by clinical features in AIDS patients with similar immunocompromised states. Those features may facilitate diagnosis and selection of specific therapeutic regimens. Disseminated TB was not associated with a shortened survival period in AIDS patients when they completed anti-TB treatment. In contrast, disseminated DMAC was associated with shortened survival despite treatment with potent regimens. These results may emphasize the importance of prophylaxis for MAC in this population.
Peer Pressure and Inequity Aversion in the Japanese Firm

We present an explanation of the high frequency of team production and high level of peer monitoring found in Japanese firms, in terms of a simple and empirically grounded variation in individual utility functions. We argue that Japanese agents are generally characterized by a higher degree, with respect to their Western counterparts, of aversion to unfavorable inequality, a feature which explains seemingly puzzling experimental evidence. In combination with long term employment and various organizational practices, this creates the conditions for obtaining willingness to exert mutual monitoring and peer pressure which facilitates the convergence towards cooperative equilibria in dilemma type situations.
Sulfonylureas Stimulate Renin Secretion from the Perfused Kidney of the Rat

To elucidate whether sulfonylureas directly influence renin secretion, the effect of tolbutamide, glibenclamide, or chlorpropamide on renin secretion was investigated by using the perfused kidney of the rat. The isolated kidneys of male Wistar rats (200–250 g) were perfused with a medium containing 2 µM tolbutamide, 2 µM glibenclamide, and 2 µM chlorpropamide, respectively. Renin activity significantly increased from a basal value of 11.7 ± 3.6 to a peak value of 20.6 ± 5.5 ng/Ang I/ml/h with tolbutamide, from 14.4 ± 4.6 to 32.7 ± 6.5 ng/Ang I/ml/h with glibenclamide, and from 15.0 ± 4.9 to 30.4 ± 6.1 ng/Ang I/ml/h with chlorpropamide. The cAMP concentration in the effluent was not changed by the addition of the sulfonylureas. In kidneys perfused with a calcium-free medium, glibenclamide produced a significant increase in renin activity from a basal value of 13.4 ± 2.1 to a peak value of 30.6 ± 3.4 ng Ang I/ml/h. These results suggest that sulfonylureas stimulate renin secretion from perfused rat kidneys.
An Initial Evaluation of the Teacher–Child Interaction Direct Observation System

Children who engage in chronic problem behavior can present challenges for their early childhood teachers, and are more likely to develop negative relationships with these and other adults with whom they interact. Unfortunately, children who develop negative relationships with their teachers early in their school careers are more likely to have later academic and behavioral problems than children who have positive, supportive relationships. The salience of interactions between teachers and young children highlights the need for interventions that target building positive teacher–child interactions and increase the likelihood that these interactions are developmentally appropriate and supportive of children’s emotional and behavioral growth, as well as assessment tools to evaluate the effectiveness of these interventions. The purpose of this article is to describe the Teacher–Child Interaction Direct Observation System (TCIDOS), an observation system designed to capture teacher and child behaviors during classroom interactions to evaluate the effectiveness of a classroom-based intervention targeting improvements in teacher–child interaction patterns. Following a description of our conceptual framework and the development of the TCIDOS, we discuss preliminary reliability findings and future research directions as well as challenges inherent to collecting direct observational data in classroom settings.
The Effect of Intraoperative Use of Esmolol and Nicardipine on Recovery After Ambulatory Surgery

There is controversy regarding the optimal technique for maintaining hemodynamic stability during anesthesia. We designed this prospective, randomized, double-blinded study to test the hypothesis that the technique used for maintaining hemodynamic stability during general anesthesia can influence recovery after ambulatory surgery. Forty-five healthy consenting women undergoing gynecologic laparoscopy procedures were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 treatment groups: Group 1 (control, n = 15) received normal saline 5 mL and 1 mL, followed by a saline infusion at a rate of 0.005 mL · kg−1 · min−1; Group 2 (n = 15) received esmolol 50 mg and saline 1 mL, followed by an esmolol infusion 5 &mgr;g · kg−1 · min−1; and Group 3 (n = 15) received esmolol 50 mg and nicardipine 1 mg, followed by an esmolol infusion 5 &mgr;g · kg−1 · min−1. The study drugs were administered after the induction of anesthesia with fentanyl 1.5 &mgr;g/kg, and propofol 2 mg/kg IV. Tracheal intubation was facilitated with vecuronium 0.12 mg/kg IV. Anesthesia was initially maintained with desflurane 2% end-tidal and N2O 67% in oxygen in all 3 groups. During surgery, the mean arterial blood pressure (MAP) was maintained within ±15% of the baseline value by varying the study drug infusion rate and the inspired concentration of desflurane. In addition to MAP and heart rate values, electroencephalogram bispectral index values were recorded throughout the perioperative period. Recovery times and postoperative side effects were assessed. Compared with the control group, adjunctive use of esmolol and nicardipine attenuated the increase in heart rate (in Group 2) and MAP (in Group 3) after tracheal intubation. Furthermore, the use of an esmolol infusion as an adjunct to desflurane to control the acute autonomic responses during the maintenance period significantly decreased emergence times (4 ± 2 versus 7 ± 4 min), decreased the need for postoperative opioid analgesics (43% versus 80%), and reduced the time to discharge (209 ± 89 versus 269 ± 100 min). We conclude that the adjunctive use of esmolol alone or in combination with nicardipine during the induction of anesthesia reduced the hemodynamic response to tracheal intubation. Furthermore, use of an esmolol infusion as an adjuvant to desflurane-N2O anesthesia for controlling the acute hemodynamic responses during the maintenance period improved the recovery profile after outpatient laparoscopic surgery.
Childbirth as a life event: Sociocultural aspects of postnatal depression

This paper illustrates some important socio‐cultural aspects of postnatal depression with particular reference to my research in East Africa. Evidence is reviewed that in many non Western countries post‐partum rituals are still carried out and the hypothesis that the absence of such routine behaviours increases the likelihood of postnatal depression is examined. The lack of obstetric and family rituals may for example lower a mothers self esteem, stress the marital relationship, and can represent an ambivalent social status. The need to investigate this socio‐cultural dimension of postnatal illness in collaboration with Medical Anthropologists is outlined.
AAMI (Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation) completes recommended practice on decontamination.

3M is pleased to be a 2016 Principal Partner for IAHCSMM’s 51st Annual Conference and Expo in San Antonio. At 3M, science is the foundation upon which we build solutions to help you achieve a higher standard of care. Whether it is Every Load Monitoring, Standards Practice, solutions for endoscope reprocessing, or education programs through 3MSM Health Care Academy (brought to you by 3MTM Sterile U), we want to help you achieve your goals. The key is collaboration—because together we can create positive change that makes a real difference for patient safety.
A virtual lossy dielectric model with composite boundary conditions for the analysis of substrate integrated waveguides

A new model for the characterization of substrate integrated waveguides is presented based on the analysis of a non-homogeneous closed waveguide with composite boundary conditions and a section of virtual lossy dielectric. The performance of the closed waveguide simulates the substrate integrated waveguide, once the parameters of the lossy dielectric section are adjusted (width, dielectric permitivity and magnetic permeability). This simple model gives physical insight into the propagation in the substrate integrated waveguide and it is inspired in the different field regions which appear in the open problem. Another important feature of this model is that it allows the characterization of the open substrate structure, including the radiation loss, with an equivalent closed waveguide, where well-known and efficient full-wave methods can be applied. Thus, this model is suited for the accurate analysis and design of devices in substrate integrated waveguide, as it is shown with different structures. The model is able to predict the radiation loss when the structure has large distance between posts. The agreement between measured results and the simulations are also confirmed with a bandpass filter.
Progress Report : Predicting Which Recommended Content Users Click

Machine learning models can be used to predict which recommended content users will click on a given website. The given dataset contains millions of samples that map some feature about an ad or web page to a number. We reduced this dataset to a more manageable size to minimize computation time, and we extract features based on this reduced set. The features we extracted are based on the advertisers and campaigns associated with the advertisements in the dataset. We initially built models based on Naive Bayes and logistic regression. We also built a model based on the support vector machine (SVM) using hinge loss. In addition, we constructed a neural network using the multilayer perceptron model to capture the non-linearity of features in order to obtain a better prediction score. The best result we obtained was using SVMs, and it yielded an accuracy of 0.46. The result can be scaled up to the complete dataset by optimizing our implementation using parallel computing.
Designing and Implementing Cognitive Engine for Reconfigurable Wireless Networks

Scarcity of available frequency spectrum in everyday wireless communications is a growing problem. We can extend frequency spectrum to higher frequency bands but this will not resolve the problem for long. Measurements of spectral occupancy throughout the world showed highly ineffective spectrum utilization, especially in bands, where the spectrum portion is sold for exclusive use of determined primary user. An idea of highly flexible and intelligent radio agents was proposed by Joseph Mitola in his doctoral dissertation and is called cognitive radio. Cognitive radio is an attempt to effectively combine software defined radio (SDR) and artificial intelligence (AI) methods for secondary spectrum access without interference with primary users, to provide communication systems without the need of operator intervention (auto configurable), and to provide reliable and flexible communication system in case of emergency situations (natural disasters, rescue teams, military, etc.). The main part (the brain) of cognitive radio is cognitive engine, which is essentially a set of machine learning algorithms, databases, reasoning mechanisms, and optimizers. Now there are many cognitive radio pilot implementations but there is no ultimate solution yet and only minor attempts for standardization were made so far.
A CLOSED-FORM SOLUTION FOR LOOKBACK OPTIONS USING MELLIN TRANSFORM APPROACH

Lookback options, in the terminology of nance, are a type of exotic option with path dependency whose the payoff depends on the optimal (maximum or minimum) underlying asset`s price occurring over the life of the option. In this paper, we exploit Mellin transform techniques to find a closed-form solution for European lookback options in Black-Scholes model.
Solving a real job shop scheduling problem

This work deals with a real job shop scheduling problem (jssp). The operations sequences, processing time, setup time, deadline time, due date time, priority, machine, fabric color and related technological decisions data are obtained from orders database along with a set of technological criteria about machines, which allows automatically analyzing and generating the initial scheduling sequences. These sequences are processed later by two procedures, one based on Ant Colony, and the other in Genetic Algorithms. Both procedures are integrated to a generative scheduling method and dispatching rules for big problems. In this approach is integrated technological information from: the process planning and scheduling process, in order to improve the processing time and the solution quality.
Prevalence of clinical (major) depression in general practice using the DSM-IV version of PRIME-MD

INTRODUCTION: PRIME-MD (Primary Care Evaluation of Mental Disorder) has been developed to detect the most frequent mental disorders in general practice. METHOD: A prevalence study with the Danish PRIME-MD's module for major depression was carried out by general practitioners. In total, 16 practices and 2501 patients were involved in the study. RESULTS: The patient questionnaire part of the PRIME-MD was completed by more than 95% of the patients, indicating a high applicability. Around 8% of all patients included suffered from major depression. Of these, the ratio of females to males was 2:1. Three factors were identified in the questionnaire: depression, psychosomatic distress, and alcohol use. Compared to the non-depressed patients, the patients with major depression evaluated their health condition as being considerably impaired. CONCLUSION: PRIME-MD is highly applicable in general practice. ( Int J Psych Clin Pract 2001; 5:49-54)
The Temporal Sequence of Gut Peptide–CNS Interactions Tracked In Vivo by Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Hormonal satiety signals secreted by the gut play a pivotal role in the physiological control of appetite. However, therapeutic exploitation of the gut–brain axis requires greater insight into the interaction of gut hormones with CNS circuits of appetite control. Using the manganese ion (Mn2+) as an activity-dependent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agent, we showed an increase in signal intensity (SI) in key appetite-regulatory regions of the hypothalamus, including the arcuate, paraventricular, and ventromedial nuclei, after peripheral injection of the orexigenic peptide ghrelin. Conversely, administration of the anorexigenic hormone peptide YY3–36 caused a reduction in SI. In both cases, the changes in SI recorded in the hypothalamic arcuate nucleus preceded the effect of these peptides on food intake. Intravenous Mn2+ itself did not significantly alter ghrelin-mediated expression of the immediate early gene product c-Fos, nor did it cause abnormalities of behavior or metabolic parameters. We conclude that manganese-enhanced MRI constitutes a powerful tool for the future investigation of the effects of drugs, hormones, and environmental influences on neuronal activity.
Detection of Epstein-Barr virus genome in ocular tissues.

BACKGROUND Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is a ubiquitous mucosal pathogen with a propensity for lifelong, asymptomatic persistence. Because of reported association between EBV and ocular inflammatory disorders, we tested ocular tissues from normal eyes for presence of the EBV genome. METHODS Ten freshly harvested cadaveric human eyes were dissected into limbal cornea, central cornea, aqueous humor, iris, vitreous humor, and optic nerve. Total cellular DNA preparations were screened for DNA sequences specific to EBV's large internal repeat region. After Southern transfer, polymerase chain reaction products were detected by a 32P-labeled oligonucleotide probe specific to amplified sequences internal to the polymerase chain reaction primers. RESULTS Seven of ten eyes from deceased donors yielded a polymerase chain reaction product, indicating presence of EBV genome. In all, 12 (20%) of 60 cadaveric ocular samples contained EBV DNA. Only the optic nerve was consistently negative for EBV DNA. CONCLUSIONS Detection of EBV DNA in cadaveric ocular tissues indicates a broad anatomic distribution of this persistent mucosal pathogen. The frequency with which EBV was found at apparently normal ocular sites raises the possibility for viral involvement in disease states, but emphasizes the need for specific criteria to implicate EBV in ocular pathology.
Software evolution from a time-series perspective

The last decade of research in the software evolution field has resulted in successful empirical models for software systems growth. Although the models are able to forecast the growth trend of a number of software systems, there are still inconsistencies that must be addressed before the models can be incorporated into a final theory of software evolution. This study applies an innovative approach: the application of time series analysis techniques to historical data of software systems growth. Preliminary results have found the presence of anticorrelations in the data, phenomena that would validate some laws of software evolution.