Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Adjunctive psychotherapy for bipolar disorder: state of the evidence.

OBJECTIVE Psychotherapy has long been recommended as adjunctive to pharmacotherapy for bipolar disorder, but it is unclear which interventions are effective for which patients, over what intervals, and for what domains of outcome. This article reviews randomized trials of adjunctive psychotherapy for bipolar disorder. METHOD Eighteen trials of individual and group psychoeducation, systematic care, family therapy, interpersonal therapy, and cognitive-behavioral therapy are described. Relevant outcome variables include time to recovery, recurrence, duration of episodes, symptom severity, and psychosocial functioning. RESULTS The effects of the treatment modalities varied according to the clinical condition of patients at the time of random assignment and the polarity of symptoms at follow-up. Family therapy, interpersonal therapy, and systematic care appeared to be most effective in preventing recurrences when initiated after an acute episode, whereas cognitive-behavioral therapy and group psychoeducation appeared to be most effective when initiated during a period of recovery. Individual psychoeducational and systematic care programs were more effective for manic than depressive symptoms, whereas family therapy and cognitive-behavioral therapy were more effective for depressive than manic symptoms. CONCLUSIONS Adjunctive psychotherapy enhances the symptomatic and functional outcomes of bipolar disorder over 2-year periods. The various modalities differ in content, structure, and associated mediating mechanisms. Treatments that emphasize medication adherence and early recognition of mood symptoms have stronger effects on mania, whereas treatments that emphasize cognitive and interpersonal coping strategies have stronger effects on depression. The placement of psychotherapy within chronic care algorithms and its role as a preventative agent in the early stages of the disorder deserve investigation.
Rational Error Correction

Under general conditions, linear decision rules of agents with rational expectations are equivalent to restricted error corrections. However, empirical rejections of rational expectation restrictions are the rule, rather than the exception, in macroeconomics. Rejections often are conditioned on the assumption that agents aim to smooth only the levels of actions or are subject to geometric random delays. Generalizations of dynamic frictions on agent activities are suggested that yield closed-form, higher-order decision rules with improved statistical fits and infrequent rejections of rational expectations restrictions. Properties of these generalized `rational' error corrections are illustrated for producer pricing in manufacturing industries.
First Clinical Experience With Targeted REnal Nerve Demodulation (TREND-1) Using a Neurotropic Agent for the Treatment of Sympathetic Hypertension.

AIMS To evaluate the feasibility and safety of a novel targeted neuromodulatory treatment for sympathetic hypertension involving a one-time local injection of neurotropic agents near renal nerves. METHODS AND RESULTS Seven patients suffering from uncontrolled hypertension per ESH-ESC guidelines were treated using a single dose of NW2013, a neurotropic Na+/K+ ATPase antagonist. A microneedle catheter was used to administer 1.2 mL of NW2013 (0.6 mL per artery) to the perivascular space surrounding renal arteries using percutaneous endovascular procedures under fluoroscopic guidance. All patients were successfully treated without any procedural complications. Patients were followed for 12 months post procedure, and office and 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure measurements were made. Both office and ambulatory blood pressures were lower at 24 hours, 1 month, and 3 months after treatment. The decrease in office blood pressure was greater than the decrease in ambulatory blood pressure. A reduction in medication regimen was also observed in 2 patients. One patient suffered a cerebrovascular event after 6-month follow-up and died from stroke, unrelated to the treatment. Overall, the reduction in office and ambulatory blood pressure was sustained over the course of 12 months. CONCLUSIONS Treatment of hypertension using local administration of NW2013 near renal nerves appears to be feasible and safe. Large, controlled, randomized, and blinded clinical studies with monitoring of patient compliance to daily oral medication are recommended to further establish the efficacy of this novel treatment.
Transcriptomic Insights into the Diplontic Life History of Diatoms

An organism’s life cycle is the direct result of its evolutionary history and represents a fundamental aspect of its ancestry and ecology. Yet the process of linking alternating life-history stages has proven to be challenging, if not impossible in some cases. Diatoms (Bacillariophyceae) are no exception to this challenge, and their diversity of life stages and reproductive strategies add further challenges. A central focus of diatom research has been to unravel the evolutionary events that led to their extraordinary diversity, a line of inquiry that has been greatly aided by the availability of nextgeneration sequence data. Yet without proper taxonomic sampling, many fundamental questions have remained unresolved. Furthermore, the incorporation of data from outgroup lineages provides crucial insights into the ancestral state of a taxon. However the life cycle of the sister lineage to diatoms, the Bolidophytes, has also remained an enigma. Here, to address yet unresolved questions about the origin of the diatom life cycle, transcriptomes for Bolidomonas pacifica (Bolidophyceae) and two diploid diatoms, Leptocylindrus danicus and Hemiaulus sinensis (Bacillariophyceae) were sequenced and analyzed. A novel approach of quantifying the degree of heterozygosity across the genome was used to infer the ploidy in Bolidomonas, whose ploidy level is unknown. Lack of heterozygous alleles in Bolidomonas strongly suggests that it is a vegetatively haploid organism, and the presence of several meiosis-specific genes indicate that it is likely capable of sexual reproduction as well. These results suggest that Bolidomonas represents the haploid phase of a haplodiplonitic life cycle, in which silicified Parmaleans are the diploid phase.
Molecular cloning of two prophenoloxidase genes from the mosquito Aedes aegypti

The biosynthesis of melanotic materials is an important process in the life of a mosquito. Melanin production is critical for many diverse processes such as egg chorion tanning, cuticular sclerotization, and melanotic encapsulation of metazoan parasites. Prophenoloxidase plays a critical role in this biochemical cascade. Two cDNAs, one full length and one partial clone, and two genomic clones encoding prophenoloxidase (pro‐PO) were isolated from the yellow fever mosquito, Aedes aegypti. The full‐length cDNA, pAaProPO1, is 2286 bp long with a 2055 bp open reading frame encoding a 685 amino acid protein that shares 89% identity with Armigeres subalbatus pro‐PO. It contains two putative copper binding domains (amino acids 197–243 and 346–423) that are homologous to other insect pro‐POs. AaProPO1 messenger RNA (mRNA) was detected by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR) only from third‐stage larvae and not in adult mosquitoes after blood feeding, during the melanotic encapsulation of Dirofilaria immitis microfilariae or following exposure to bacteria. A 750 bp fragment of the second cDNA (pAaProPO2) was cloned using RT‐PCR from mRNA obtained from 14‐day postovipostional eggs. AaProPO2 mRNA was not found in any other life stages, and may be in low abundance or transiently expressed. AaProPO2 and AaProPO1 each contain three introns that are 60, 68 and 58 bp and 61, 69 and 59 bp long, respectively, and the intron sequences of these two genes are not similar.
History of tonsillectomy is associated with irritable bowel syndrome.

To the Editor: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a chronic functional gastrointestinal disorder characterized by altered bowel function, abdominal discomfort, and bloating affecting 20% of individuals worldwide. The diagnosis is based on specific clinical criteria in the absence of a detectable organic cause. Interestingly, there is growing literature that patients with IBS have alterations in intestinal microbiota. The human gut is an elaborate ecosystem composed of 10 bacteria established in the first year of life and continuously altered by exogenous factors; however, genetics significantly contribute as well. The general requirement of intestinal colonization is microbial access to the intestinal tract, counteracted by enzymes, gastric acid, and the mucosal immune system. As microbes enter the human digestive tract, the first major encounter with the host immune system is the tonsils. The tonsils are important sentinels in the detection of foreign antigens/bacteria entering the digestive tract, and their removal may influence bacterial colonization/invasion of the alimentary tract. We examined whether a history of tonsillectomy is associated with the presence of IBS. We utilized a prospectively collected dataset of patients referred to a tertiary medical center. Patients with IBS (Rome I criteria) completed a symptom questionnaire to assess bowel symptoms. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were employed to assess associations between IBS, tonsillectomy, GI symptoms, and demographics. A total of 1125 patients (72% female), mean age 44.4±17.5 years were evaluated. Of these, 530 patients had IBS. A history of tonsillectomy was observed in 59.5% and 40.5% of patients with and without IBS, respectively (P=0.001). Confounding variables associated with IBS included age and sex; after controlling for age and sex, tonsillectomy was significantly associated with IBS (P=0.001). This is the first study demonstrating that tonsillectomy is associated with IBS. The rationale for this relationship is unclear, although we have set forth several hypotheses: the health seeking nature of IBS patients and higher rates of other surgeries may explain the higher rate of tonsillectomy, inflammation of the tonsils. Furthermore, the need for tonsillectomy implies an alteration in the host immune response (also found in IBS patients), and the absence of tonsils may enable successful and undetected pathogen penetration into the intestinal tract leading to postinfectious IBS or even bacterial overgrowth. Further investigation is warranted to understand the novel link between tonsillectomy and IBS.
Button selection for general GUIs using eye and hand together

This paper proposes an efficient technique for eye gaze interface suitable for the general GUI environments such as Microsoft Windows. Our technique uses an eye and a hand together: the eye for moving cursors onto the GUI button (move operation), and the hand for pushing the GUI button (push operation). We also propose the following two techniques to assist the move operation: (1) Automatic adjustment and (2) Manual adjustment. In the automatic adjustment, the cursor automatically moves to the closest GUI button when we push a mouse button. In the manual adjustment, we can move the cursor roughly by an eye, then move it a little more by the mouse onto the GUI button. In the experiment to evaluate our method, GUI button selection by manual adjustment showed better performance than the selection by a mouse even in the situation that has many small GUI buttons placed very closely each other on the GUI.
Strange attractors in weakly turbulent Couette-Taylor flow.

We have conducted an experiment on the transition from quasiperiodic to weakly turbulent flow of a fluid contained between concentric cylinders with the inner cylinder rotating and the outer cylinder at rest. Power spectra, phase-space portraits, and circle maps obtained from velocity time-series data indicate that the nonperiodic behavior which we have observed is deterministic, that is, it is described by strange attractors. We discuss various problems that arise in computing the dimension of strange attractors constructed from experimental data and show that these problems impose severe requirements on the quantity and accuracy of data necessary for determining dimensions greater than about 5. In the present experiment the attractor dimension increases from 2 at the onset of turbulence to about 4 at a Reynolds number 50% above the onset of turbulence.
A new link scheduling algorithm for multi-radio interfaces Wireless Mesh Networks

The network throughput of a Wireless Mesh Network (WMN) can be improved by utilizing multiple channels, multiple radio interfaces and directional antenna technology. When the numbers of available channels and radio interfaces in a WMN system are constant, efficient time scheduling among links is essential to avoid potential interference and conflict. In this paper, we assume a WMN with multiple gateway nodes and each node is equipped with multiple radio interfaces and directional antenna. First, we propose an algorithm to divide scheduling procedure into several steps according to maximal independent sets in interference and conflict graph. Then we construct a linear program model to capture the end-to-end throughputs of source-destination pairs and link scheduling matrix which describe the active time fraction of each link in each scheduling step, and the minimum scheduled end-to-end throughput is maximized. The obtained link scheduling matrix may not make all the end-to-end throughputs achieve upper bounds. Thus we propose an algorithm to improve the link scheduling matrix to make all the end-to-end throughputs achieve upper bounds. Finally, we compared the proposed link scheduling algorithm with other link scheduling algorithms, and the numerical result shows performance of our proposed algorithm is much better.
On the Uniqueness of the Fock Quantization of the Dirac Field in the Closed FRW Cosmology

The Fock quantization of free fields propagating in cosmological backgrounds is in general not unambiguously defined due to the non-stationarity of the spacetime. For the case of a scalar field in cosmological scenarios it is known that the criterion of unitary implementation of the dynamics serves to remove the ambiguity in the choice of Fock representation (up to unitary equivalence). Here, applying the same type of arguments and methods previously used for the scalar field case, we discuss the issue of the uniqueness of the Fock quantization of the Dirac field in the closed FRW spacetime proposed by D'Eath and Halliwell.
Structure and Macro - Level Impacts of Electronic Commerce: From Technological Infrastructure to Ele

The present invention relates to the transesterification of the carbonic acid aryl esters prepared according to German Published Patent Specification 2,651,639 (which corresponds to U.S. Patent application Ser. No. 854,174, filed Oct. 25, 1977) with an excess of diphenol for the preparation of polyester-diol bis-diphenol carbonate. The present invention further relates to the polyester-diol bis-diphenol carbonates obtained according to the invention and their use for the preparation of polyester/polycarbonates and to the polyester/polycarbonates so prepared.
Underwater image enhancement by dehazing and color correction

Abstract. Poor visibility due to the effects of light absorption and scattering is challenging for processing underwater images. We propose an approach based on dehazing and color correction algorithms for underwater image enhancement. First, a simple dehazing algorithm is applied to remove the effects of haze in the underwater image. Second, color compensation, histogram equalization, saturation, and intensity stretching are used to improve contrast, brightness, color, and visibility of the underwater image. Furthermore, bilateral filtering is utilized to address the problem of the noise caused by the physical properties of the medium and the histogram equalization algorithm. In order to evaluate the performance of the proposed approach, we compared our results with six existing methods using the subjective technique, objective technique, and color cast tests. The results show that the proposed approach outperforms the six existing methods. The enhanced images, as a result of implementing the proposed approach, are characterized by relatively genuine color, increased contrast and brightness, reduced noise level, and better visibility.
Impact of pulsatile perfusion on clinical outcomes of neonates and infants with complex pathologies undergoing cardiopulmonary bypass procedures.

The aim of this clinical trial was to evaluate the pulsatile perfusion mode in pediatric patients who had complex cardiac pathologies according to Jenkins stratifications (category 4) undergoing cardiopulmonary bypass procedures (CPB). Patients with transposition of great arteries (TGA) and ventricular septal defect (VSD) were included in this clinical study. Eighty-nine consecutive pediatric patients undergoing open heart surgery for repair of TGA-VSD were prospectively entered into the study and were randomly assigned to either the pulsatile perfusion group (Group P, n = 58) or the nonpulsatile perfusion group (Group NP, n = 31). There were no differences between groups in terms of demographical and intraoperative parameters. The pulsatile group needed significantly less inotropic support (P < 0.05) and had lower lactate levels (P < 0.001), higher urine output (P < 0.01), and higher albumin levels (P < 0.05). In addition, the pulsatile group had less ICU (P < 0.01) and hospital stays (P < 0.001). We conclude that the use of pulsatile flow is a better option and should be considered for repair of the complex congenital heart defects.
Characterization and Modeling of Flicker Noise in FinFETs at Advanced Technology Node

1/<inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">${f}$ </tex-math></inline-formula> noise is characterized on thick and thin-gate oxide-based FinFETs for different channel lengths. The devices exhibit gate bias dependence in 1/<inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">${f}$ </tex-math></inline-formula> noise even in the weak-inversion region of operation which cannot be explained by the existing flicker noise model. We attribute this phenomenon to the non-uniform oxide-trap distribution in energy or space. Based on our characterization results for n- and p-channel FinFETs, we have improved the BSIM-CMG industry standard compact model for the FinFETs. The improved model is able to capture the 1/<inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">${f}$ </tex-math></inline-formula> noise behavior over a wide range of biases, channel lengths, fin numbers, and number of fingers.
Concurrent alcohol and tobacco use during early adolescence characterizes a group at risk.

AIMS To investigate whether concurrent alcohol and tobacco use during early adolescence characterizes a subgroup that differs from users of one substance only regarding several risk factors for later substance use problems. METHODS Participants were from a prospective longitudinal cohort study of 384 children at risk for later psychopathology, with the majority being born with obstetric complications and psychosocial adversities. Assessments of adolescent drug consumption and related intrapersonal characteristics were obtained at age 15. RESULTS Compared to consumers of alcohol only, 15-year-olds drinking and smoking during the same time period (past 4 weeks) had significantly higher levels of consumption and more excessive use of alcohol, started drinking at an earlier age, had higher scores on the Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence, and more cannabis use. This group could be distinguished from users of alcohol only by higher novelty seeking and more positive alcohol effect expectancies. Compared to consumers of tobacco only, concurrent users reported higher nicotine dependence and more cannabis use. No significant differences were observed regarding frequency and age at initiation of tobacco use, tobacco-related sensitivity, self-efficacy and instrumentality as well as novelty seeking. CONCLUSIONS Concurrent alcohol and tobacco use during early adolescence is associated with characteristics that are well known as risk factors for later alcohol use problems and dependence and that should be targeted by prevention programs.
IS IT APPROPRIATE TO ADMINISTER ANTIBIOTIC PROPHYLAXIS TO INFANTS WITH SEVERE HYDRONEPHROSIS BEFORE PYELOPLASTY? JE VHODNé PODáVAT ATB PROFYLAXI kOJENCůM SE záVAžNOu HYDRONEFR ózOu PřED PROVEDENí PYELOPLASTIkY?

Metoda: V prospektivní studii byl vyhodnocen výskyt APN před provedením pyeloplastiky u kojenců dispenzarizovaných pro závažnou dilatací kalichopánvičkového systému (KPS) ledviny. Děti byly standardně vyšetřeny UZ a MAG3 scintigrafií, a pokud prodělaly APN, byla provedena mikční cystouretrografie (MCUG). Žádné dítě během dispenzarizace nedostávalo primárně ATB profylaxi, žádný z chlapců nebyl obřezán. Byly vyhodnoceny ultrazvukové a radionuklidové parametry, věk, pohlaví a nálezy byly statisticky posouzeny.
The bacterial leader peptide peTrpL has a conserved function in antibiotic-dependent posttranscriptional regulation of ribosomal genes

The ribosome-dependent attenuator located upstream of bacterial tryptophan biosynthesis genes harbors a small ORF trpL containing tryptophan codons. When tryptophan is available, efficient trpL translation causes transcription termination and release of the attenuator RNA rnTrpL. In Sinorhizobium meliloti, rnTrpL is a trans-acting sRNA. Here, we identified an evolutionary conserved function for the trpL-encoded 14-aa leader peptide peTrpL. Upon exposure to tetracycline, the cellular peTrpL levels were increased and rnTrpL was generated independently of tryptophan availability. Both peTrpL and rnTrpL were found to be involved in tetracycline-dependent destabilization of rplUrpmA mRNA encoding ribosomal proteins L21 and L27. We provide evidence for redirection of the sRNA rnTrpL from its antibiotic-independent target trpDC to rplUrpmA by formation of an antibiotic-dependent ribonucleoprotein complex (ARNP). ARNPs comprising peTrpL, rnTrpL, rplUrpmA and antisense RNA were also observed for other translation-inhibiting antibiotics, suggesting that bacteria evolved mechanisms to utilize antibiotics for mRNA destabilization.
Novel Methods to Enhance Precision and Reliability in Muscle Synergy Identification during Walking

Muscle synergies are hypothesized to reflect modular control of muscle groups via descending commands sent through multiple neural pathways. Recently, the number of synergies has been reported as a functionally relevant indicator of motor control complexity in individuals with neurological movement disorders. Yet the number of synergies extracted during a given activity, e.g., gait, varies within and across studies, even for unimpaired individuals. With no standardized methods for precise determination, this variability remains unexplained making comparisons across studies and cohorts difficult. Here, we utilize k-means clustering and intra-class and between-level correlation coefficients to precisely discriminate reliable from unreliable synergies. Electromyography (EMG) was recorded bilaterally from eight leg muscles during treadmill walking at self-selected speed. Muscle synergies were extracted from 20 consecutive gait cycles using non-negative matrix factorization. We demonstrate that the number of synergies is highly dependent on the threshold when using the variance accounted for by reconstructed EMG. Beyond use of threshold, our method utilized a quantitative metric to reliably identify four or five synergies underpinning walking in unimpaired adults and revealed synergies having poor reproducibility that should not be considered as true synergies. We show that robust and unreliable synergies emerge similarly, emphasizing the need for careful analysis in those with pathology.