Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

Purpose of Review: The objectives of this article are to update the reader on the current definition and diagnostic assessment of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and to describe its clinical characteristics, discuss its epidemiology and pathophysiologic aspects, as well as to summarize the current therapeutic options for PTSD. Recent Findings: The new nomenclature of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) includes 20 PTSD symptoms clustered into four symptomatic domains: intrusive symptoms, active avoidance, disturbed emotional states, and alterations of arousal and reactivity. Diagnostic structured interviews and severity scales have been updated in order to address this recent revision. It is also recognized that the neural circuits whose disruption might explain the genesis of PTSD symptoms, although overlapping, may be different between these four domains, a fact that may inform new biologically based phenotypes with prognostic and therapeutic implications. During the past years, there has been active research into the different factors influencing vulnerability and resilience to stress, including the effect of genetic and epigenetic variations. The neural circuits involved in the processing of threatening stimuli have been studied in patients with PTSD through paradigms inspired in animal research. These studies suggest that patients with PTSD have difficulty discriminating danger from safety cues and have problems suppressing fear in the presence of safety cues. Functional MRI (fMRI) studies suggest that the increased amygdala activation observed in these patients results from abnormal modulatory input from the ventromedial prefrontal cortex. Structural brain abnormalities, on the other hand, have been more consistently identified in the hippocampus. Prolonged exposure therapy and cognitive reprocessing are the interventions that have the more extensive validation of their psychotherapeutic efficacy. Medications are modestly more effective than placebo to treat PTSD symptoms, and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are considered a safe initial choice. Use of combined strategies including pharmacologic modulation of fear processing is an area of active research. Summary: PTSD is a frequent psychopathologic condition with a lifetime prevalence that is close to 10%. In the past few years, there have been significant advances in the definition of the disorder, in elucidating the neurobiology of vulnerability and resilience, and in developing new treatment alternatives.
Senescence and apoptosis: dueling or complementary cell fates?

In response to a variety of stresses, mammalian cells undergo a persistent proliferative arrest known as cellular senescence. Many senescence‐inducing stressors are potentially oncogenic, strengthening the notion that senescence evolved alongside apoptosis to suppress tumorigenesis. In contrast to apoptosis, senescent cells are stably viable and have the potential to influence neighboring cells through secreted soluble factors, which are collectively known as the senescence‐associated secretory phenotype (SASP). However, the SASP has been associated with structural and functional tissue and organ deterioration and may even have tumor‐promoting effects, raising the interesting evolutionary question of why apoptosis failed to outcompete senescence as a superior cell fate option. Here, we discuss the advantages that the senescence program may have over apoptosis as a tumor protective mechanism, as well as non‐neoplastic functions that may have contributed to its evolution. We also review emerging evidence for the idea that senescent cells are present transiently early in life and are largely beneficial for development, regeneration and homeostasis, and only in advanced age do senescent cells accumulate to an organism's detriment.
Incidence and Dynamics of Thyroid Dysfunction and Thyroid Autoimmunity in Girls with Turner’s Syndrome: A Long-Term Follow-Up Study

Objective: Clinical studies suggest that the thyroid autoantibodies and/or hypothyroidism are not present in Turner’s syndrome (TS) patients before the age of 8 years and are more frequent in patients with the X isochromosome. The aim of the study was to analyze the dynamics of thyroid dysfunction in girls with TS. Design: 86 TS patients with a median age of 10.6 years were followed for 4.6 ± 3.0 years. Outcomes: The prevalence of thyroid abnormalities increased from 25.5 to 50% during the follow-up. Finally, 31 (36%) patients had positive thyroid autoantibodies and 27 (31.4%) had subclinical hypothyroidism. Hashimoto’s thyroiditis was diagnosed in 15 patients. Median age of developing thyroid antibodies and subclinical hypothyroidism was 14.1 and 14.8 years, respectively. The youngest hypothyroid patient was 1.8 years old and the youngest girl with positive anti-thyroid antibodies was 5.5 years old. Autoantibodies appeared mainly after the age of 13. The risk of developing subclinical hypothyroidism was greatest between 12 and 14 years of age. The prevalence of thyroid abnormalities was not related to the karyotype. Conclusions: Thyroid autoimmunity and dysfunctions in TS may start early, their prevalence increases with age, independently of karyotype and without any clinical symptoms and signs.
Power Flow as an Algebraic System

Steady states of alternating-current (AC) circuits have been studied in considerable detail. In 1982, Baillieul and Byrnes derived an upper bound on the number of steady states in a loss-less AC circuit [IEEE TCAS, 29(11): 724--737] and conjectured that this bound holds for AC circuits in general. We prove this is indeed the case, among other results, by studying a certain multi-homogeneous structure in an algebraisation.
Optimizing the observation windows size for kernel attack signatures

In this paper, we introduce a signature-based intrusion detection methodology which utilizes low-level kernel data in order to identify network attacks in real time. Different types of attacks have different behavior characteristics over time, and thus require observation intervals of different length to clearly identify attack data within a network data stream. Our technique involves a pseudo-continuous stream of network kernel data that is processed in order to identify attacks. An additional advantage of a pseudo-continuous system is that it allows dynamic adjustment to account for varying levels of network load. This allows a higher precision and lower false positive rate than in a fixed-interval system because only the data needed for identification is compared to the stored signature. Further, response time is near-immediate as only the minimum data needed in order to detect the attack must be sampled.
Reconceptualizing Innovation as a Social and Knowledge-Based Phenomenon ∗

This paper contributes to the innovation literature by re-examining both the outcome and process perspective of organizational innovation from a knowledge-based perspective. First, we reconceptualize innovation as a duplicable, new and useful knowledge outcome. Building on the notion that knowledge is inherently social in nature, we then develop a model of organizational innovation as a process of knowledge creation and recombination that results from a complex interplay of both knowledge substantiation and social substantiation processes.
Overview of MEMS Sensors and Associated Aspects

MEMS technology is pervading in all domains ranging from commercial to strategic sectors so it is imperative that application oriented development encompassing fabrication, characterization, assembly and packaging aspects to be looked into to get the reliable product. This article details the overview of MEMS sensors and various aspects such as thin film process, process characterization tools, assembly along with challenges in realization are presented. Reduction in measurement inaccuracy is extremely important and main parameters associated with the sensors are explained.
Functional Bowel Disorders in Iranian Population using Rome III Criteria

Background/Aim: To study the prevalence and risk factors of functional bowel disorders (FBD) in Iranian community using Rome III criteria. Materials and Methods: This study was a cross-sectional household survey conducted from May 2006 to December 2007 in Tehran province, Iran, including 18,180 participants who were selected randomly and interviewed face-to-face by a validated questionnaire based on Rome III criteria. Results: In all, 1.1% met the Rome III criteria for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), 2.4% for functional constipation (FC), and 10.9% of the participants had any type of FBD. Among participants with functional dyspepsia, 83.8% had FBD; the majority cases were unspecified functional bowel disorder (U-FBD). Of the subjects fulfilling the IBS criteria, IBS with constipation (52%) was the most frequent subtype. In the multivariate analysis, women had a higher risk of any FBDs than men, except for functional diarrhea (FD). The prevalence of FBD, FC and FD increased and IBS decreased with increasing age. Marital status was only associated with a decrease in the risk of FBD and FD, respectively. IBS subtypes compared with FC and FD. There was no significant difference between FC and IBS with constipation (IBS-C), except for self-reported constipation; while, IBS with diarrhea (IBS-D) had more symptoms than FD. Conclusion: This study revealed a low rate of FBDs among the urban population of Tehran province. The ROME III criteria itself, and the problems with interpretation of the data collection tool may have contributed in underestimating the prevalence of FBD. In addition the reliability of recall over 6 months in Rome III criteria is questionable for our population.
Large-Scale Production and Structural and Biophysical Characterizations of the Human Hepatitis B Virus Polymerase

ABSTRACT Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a major human pathogen that causes serious liver disease and 600,000 deaths annually. Approved therapies for treating chronic HBV infections usually target the multifunctional viral polymerase (hPOL). Unfortunately, these therapies—broad-spectrum antivirals—are not general cures, have side effects, and cause viral resistance. While hPOL remains an attractive therapeutic target, it is notoriously difficult to express and purify in a soluble form at yields appropriate for structural studies. Thus, no empirical structural data exist for hPOL, and this impedes medicinal chemistry and rational lead discovery efforts targeting HBV. Here, we present an efficient strategy to overexpress recombinant hPOL domains in Escherichia coli, purifying them at high yield and solving their known aggregation tendencies. This allowed us to perform the first structural and biophysical characterizations of hPOL domains. Apo-hPOL domains adopt mainly α-helical structures with small amounts of β-sheet structures. Our recombinant material exhibited metal-dependent, reverse transcriptase activity in vitro, with metal binding modulating the hPOL structure. Calcomine orange 2RS, a small molecule that inhibits duck HBV POL activity, also inhibited the in vitro priming activity of recombinant hPOL. Our work paves the way for structural and biophysical characterizations of hPOL and should facilitate high-throughput lead discovery for HBV. IMPORTANCE The viral polymerase from human hepatitis B virus (hPOL) is a well-validated therapeutic target. However, recombinant hPOL has a well-deserved reputation for being extremely difficult to express in a soluble, active form in yields appropriate to the structural studies that usually play an important role in drug discovery programs. This has hindered the development of much-needed new antivirals for HBV. However, we have solved this problem and report here procedures for expressing recombinant hPOL domains in Escherichia coli and also methods for purifying them in soluble forms that have activity in vitro. We also present the first structural and biophysical characterizations of hPOL. Our work paves the way for new insights into hPOL structure and function, which should assist the discovery of novel antivirals for HBV.
C-arm cone-beam CT-guided percutaneous transthoracic needle biopsy of lung nodules: clinical experience in 1108 patients.

PURPOSE To retrospectively evaluate the diagnostic performance and complications of C-arm cone-beam computed tomography (CT)-guided percutaneous transthoracic needle biopsy (PTNB) in 1108 patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS This retrospective study was approved by the institutional review board with waiver of patient informed consent. From January 2009 to December 2011, 1108 patients (633 male, 475 female; mean age, 62.4 years ± 12.3 [standard deviation]) with 1116 pulmonary lesions (mean size, 2.7 cm ± 1.7) underwent 1153 cone-beam CT-guided PTNBs. A coaxial system with 18-gauge cutting needles was used. Diagnostic performance, complication rate, influencing factors, and patient radiation exposure were investigated. Variables influencing diagnostic performance and complications were assessed by using uni- and multivariate logistic regression analyses. RESULTS Among 1153 PTNBs, pathologic analysis showed 1148 (99.6%) were technically successful (766 malignant [66.4%], 323 benign [28.0%], and 59 [5.1%] indeterminate). Sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy for diagnosis of malignancy were 95.7% (733 of 766), 100% (323 of 323), and 97.0% (1056 of 1089), respectively. In regard to diagnostic failures (five technical failures, 33 false-negative findings), lesions 1 cm in diameter or smaller and lesions in the lower lobe were significant risk factors (P = .028 and P = .034, respectively). As for complications, pneumothorax and hemoptysis occurred in 196 (17.0%) and 80 (6.9%) procedures, respectively. Multivariate analysis revealed two or more pleural passages and emphysema along the needle pathway were the two most significant risk factors for pneumothorax, and ground-glass nodules were the most significant risk factor for hemoptysis (P < .001 for all). Virtual guidance was a significant protective factor for both pneumothorax and hemoptysis (P < .001 for both). Mean estimated effective radiation dose through cone-beam CT-guided PTNBs was 7.3 mSv ± 4.1. CONCLUSION Cone-beam CT-guided PTNB is a highly accurate and safe technique with which to diagnose pulmonary lesions with reasonable radiation exposure.
Learning Rule of Homeostatic Synaptic Scaling: Presynaptic Dependent or Not

It has been established that homeostatic synaptic scaling plasticity can maintain neural network activity in a stable regime. However, the underlying learning rule for this mechanism is still unclear. Whether it is dependent on the presynaptic site remains a topic of debate. Here we focus on two forms of learning rules: traditional synaptic scaling (SS) without presynaptic effect and presynaptic-dependent synaptic scaling (PSD). Analysis of the synaptic matrices reveals that transition matrices between consecutive synaptic matrices are distinct: they are diagonal and linear to neural activity under SS, but become nondiagonal and nonlinear under PSD. These differences produce different dynamics in recurrent neural networks. Numerical simulations show that network dynamics are stable under PSD but not SS, which suggests that PSD is a better form to describe homeostatic synaptic scaling plasticity. Matrix analysis used in the study may provide a novel way to examine the stability of learning dynamics.
Morphologic analysis in pathologic myopia using high-penetration optical coherence tomography.

PURPOSE We evaluated retrospectively the morphologic choroidal and scleral characteristics in eyes with pathologic myopia using high-penetration optical coherence tomography (HP-OCT) or swept-source OCT (SS-OCT). METHODS The subfoveal choroidal and scleral thicknesses were measured using the prototype HP-OCT with a 1060 nm light source. We also measured the scleral thickness 3 mm superior, inferior, nasal, and temporal to the fovea on the horizontal and vertical OCT sections. The axial length (AL) in all eyes was measured using optical biometry. RESULTS We examined 58 eyes of 35 patients (7 men and 28 women, mean age 65.5 years) with an AL exceeding 26.5 mm. The mean AL was 29.0 ± 1.4 mm. The full-thickness choroid and sclera were visualized in all eyes. The mean subfoveal choroidal and scleral thicknesses were 52 ± 38 and 335 ± 130 μm, respectively. The mean scleral thicknesses 3 mm superior, inferior, nasal, and temporal to the fovea were 266 ± 78 (n = 57), 259 ± 72 (n = 56), 324 ± 109 (n = 39), and 253 ± 79 (n = 58) μm, respectively. The subfoveal sclera was thicker than 3 mm outside the fovea (P < 0.05, for each comparison). CONCLUSIONS The full-thickness choroid and sclera in all eyes with pathologic myopia were visualized using a prototype HP-OCT. The subfoveal sclera was thicker than 3 mm outside the fovea. HP-OCT is a useful tool for morphologic analyses of pathologic myopia.
Staphylococcus aureus α-Toxin: Nearly a Century of Intrigue

Staphylococcus aureus secretes a number of host-injurious toxins, among the most prominent of which is the small β-barrel pore-forming toxin α-hemolysin. Initially named based on its properties as a red blood cell lytic toxin, early studies suggested a far greater complexity of α-hemolysin action as nucleated cells also exhibited distinct responses to intoxication. The hemolysin, most aptly referred to as α-toxin based on its broad range of cellular specificity, has long been recognized as an important cause of injury in the context of both skin necrosis and lethal infection. The recent identification of ADAM10 as a cellular receptor for α-toxin has provided keen insight on the biology of toxin action during disease pathogenesis, demonstrating the molecular mechanisms by which the toxin causes tissue barrier disruption at host interfaces lined by epithelial or endothelial cells. This review highlights both the historical studies that laid the groundwork for nearly a century of research on α-toxin and key findings on the structural and functional biology of the toxin, in addition to discussing emerging observations that have significantly expanded our understanding of this toxin in S. aureus disease. The identification of ADAM10 as a proteinaceous receptor for the toxin not only provides a greater appreciation of truths uncovered by many historic studies, but now affords the opportunity to more extensively probe and understand the role of α-toxin in modulation of the complex interaction of S. aureus with its human host.
Cognitive regulation of saccadic velocity by reward prospect

It is known that expectation of reward speeds up saccades. Past studies have also shown the presence of a saccadic velocity bias in the orbit, resulting from a biomechanical regulation over varying eccentricities. Nevertheless, whether and how reward expectation interacts with the biomechanical regulation of saccadic velocities over varying eccentricities remains unknown. We addressed this question by conducting a visually guided double‐step saccade task. The role of reward expectation was tested in monkeys performing two consecutive horizontal saccades, one associated with reward prospect and the other not. To adequately assess saccadic velocity and avoid adaptation, we systematically varied initial eye positions, saccadic directions and amplitudes. Our results confirmed the existence of a velocity bias in the orbit, i.e., saccadic peak velocity decreased linearly as the initial eye position deviated in the direction of the saccade. The slope of this bias increased as saccadic amplitudes increased. Nevertheless, reward prospect facilitated velocity to a greater extent for saccades away from than for saccades toward the orbital centre, rendering an overall reduction in the velocity bias. The rate (slope) and magnitude (intercept) of reward modulation over this velocity bias were linearly correlated with amplitudes, similar to the amplitude‐modulated velocity bias without reward prospect, which presumably resulted from a biomechanical regulation. Small‐amplitude (≤ 5°) saccades received little modulation. These findings together suggest that reward expectation modulated saccadic velocity not as an additive signal but as a facilitating mechanism that interacted with the biomechanical regulation.
Evaluation of wool dyeing potentials of some plant species growing in Southeastern Anatolia Region

ABSTRACT Dyeing properties of ethanol and water extracts of 16 plants species growing in Turkish flora on wool fibers were examined using K3Al(SO4)2, CuSO4, and FeSO4 mordents. The dyeing performances of plant extracts were evaluated with color strength (K/S), washing fastness, and light fastness measurements of dyed fibers. The color names and color codes of dyed fibers were also determined according to Pantone TPX color guide. The naturally colored wool yarns exhibited 3.19–27.82 of color strength (K/S) and light (rating 3–5) and washing fastness (rating 4–5) properties. The present results show that colors such as brown, gray, khaki, beige known as critical colors in textiles were easily achieved by natural dyes.
Surgery in head and neck cancer: United Kingdom National Multidisciplinary Guidelines

Abstract This is the official guideline endorsed by the specialty associations involved in the care of head and neck cancer patients in the UK. Surgery is one of the key modalities used in head and neck cancer treatment. Recent advances and a greater awareness of the short- and long-term toxicities associated with non-surgical modalities and newer technologies that permit minimal access resections have led to a resurgence in surgery. This paper provides an overview of the role of surgery in head and neck cancer practice.
Electromagnetic Interference Shielding Polymers and Nanocomposites - A Review

Abstract Intrinsically conducting polymers (ICP) and conductive fillers incorporated conductive polymer-based composites (CPC) greatly facilitate the research in electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding because they not only provide excellent EMI shielding but also have advantages of electromagnetic wave absorption rather than reflection. In this review, the latest developments in ICP and CPC based EMI shielding materials are highlighted. In particular, existing methods for adjusting the morphological structure, electric and magnetic properties of EMI shielding materials are discussed along with the future opportunities and challenges in developing ICP and CPC for EMI shielding applications.
Comparison of the translucency of two multishaded composite resins polymerized with direct or indirect method

Abstract The aim of this study was to measure the translucency of one indirect and direct resin composite after polymerization and to examine the effect of color parameters on this property. Tescera and Filtek Ultimate, each containing three shade groups (Enamel, Dentin and Body for Filtek Ultimate; and Incisal, Opaceous Dentin and Body for Tescera), were investigated. The translucency parameter (TP) was measured as the color difference between a specimen over a white and black background. Significant differences were observed in TP values between shade groups. Tukey’s multiple comparison test revealed TP values among the groups of Filtek Ultimate-Enamel > Tescera-Incisal > Filtek Ultimate-Body > Tescera-Body = Filtek Ultimate-Dentin > Tescera-Opaceous Dentin. In conclusion, it is concluded that the translucency of resin composite was affected by polymerization and color parameters.
Salivary pH changes post nasopharyngeal carcinoma radiotherapy using linac x- ray

Objective: The purpose of this study is to obtain an illustration of saliva pH in patients undergoing radiotherapy with linear accelerator (linac) X-ray radiation for nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Radiation therapy for nasopharyngeal carcinoma frequently causes severe salivary gland dysfunction. The salivary gland dysfunction is possibly influenced by