Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
An open randomized study comparing disulfiram and acamprosate in the treatment of alcohol dependence.

AIMS To compare the efficacy of acamprosate (ACP) and disulfiram (DSF) for preventing alcoholic relapse in routine clinical practice. METHODS One hundred alcoholic men with family members who would encourage medication compliance and accompany them for follow-up were randomly allocated to 8 months of treatment with DSF or ACP. Weekly group psychotherapy was also available. The psychiatrist, patient, and family member were aware of the treatment prescribed. Alcohol consumption, craving, and adverse events were recorded weekly for 3 months and then fortnightly. Serum gamma glutamyl transferase was measured at the start and the end of the study. RESULTS At the end of the trial, 93 patients were still in contact. Relapse (the consumption of >5 drinks/40 g of alcohol) occurred at a mean of 123 days with DSF compared to 71 days with ACP (P = 0.0001). Eighty-eight per cent of patients on DSF remained abstinent compared to 46% with ACP (P = 0.0002). However, patients allocated to ACP had lower craving than those on DSF (P = 0.002). CONCLUSION DSF is superior to ACP for preventing relapse in alcohol-dependent men with good family support. Further comparisons between these two drugs in different treatment settings and populations are warranted.
Analysis and Mitigation of Dead-Time Harmonics in the Single-Phase Full-Bridge PWM Converter With Repetitive Controllers

In order to prevent the power switching devices (e.g., an insulated-gate bipolar transistor, IGBT) from shoot-through in voltage-source converters during a switching period, the dead time is added either in the hardware driver circuits of the IGBTs or implemented in software in pulse width modulation (PWM) schemes. Both solutions will contribute to a degradation of the injected current quality. As a consequence, the harmonics induced by the dead time (referred to as “dead-time harmonics” hereafter) have to be compensated in order to achieve a satisfactory current quality, as required by standards. In this paper, the emission mechanism of dead-time harmonics in single-phase PWM inverters is, thus, presented considering the modulation schemes in detail. More importantly, a repetitive controller has been adopted to eliminate the dead-time effect in single-phase grid-connected PWM converters. The repetitive controller has been plugged into a proportional-resonant-based fundamental-frequency current controller so as to mitigate the dead-time harmonics and also to maintain the control of the fundamental-frequency grid current in terms of dynamics. Simulations and experiments are provided, which confirm that the repetitive controller can effectively compensate the dead-time harmonics and other low-order distortions, and also, it is a simple method without hardware modifications.
Fibre-selective recording from peripheral nerves using a multiple-contact cuff: Report on pilot pig experiments

A single cuff electrode with multiple-contacts permits fibre selective recording from peripheral nerves. This has been demonstrated in frog nerve in vitro and earth worm before. In this paper we apply this method successfully to the peripheral median nerve of pig in vivo. Compound action potentials (CAPs) were electrically excited at the median nerve close to the wrist of the forelimb. The CAPs were recorded by a recording nerve cuff located proximal to the stimulation cuff. Applying simple mathematical routines allowed for generating a profile of nerve fibre activation as a function of propagation velocity.
Universal Salt Iodization Provides Sufficient Dietary Iodine to Achieve Adequate Iodine Nutrition during the First 1000 Days: A Cross-Sectional Multicenter Study.

Background Dietary iodine requirements are high during pregnancy, lactation, and infancy, making women and infants vulnerable to iodine deficiency. Universal salt iodization (USI) has been remarkably successful for preventing iodine deficiency in the general population, but it is uncertain if USI provides adequate iodine intakes during the first 1000 d. Objective We set out to assess if USI provides sufficient dietary iodine to meet the iodine requirements and achieve adequate iodine nutrition in all vulnerable population groups. Methods We conducted an international, cross-sectional, multicenter study in 3 study sites with mandatory USI legislation. We enrolled 5860 participants from 6 population groups (school-age children, nonpregnant nonlactating women of reproductive age, pregnant women, lactating women, 0-6-mo-old infants, and 7-24-mo-old infants) and assessed iodine status [urinary iodine concentration (UIC)] and thyroid function in Linfen, China (n = 2408), Tuguegarao, the Philippines (n = 2512), and Zagreb, Croatia (n = 940). We analyzed the iodine concentration in household salt, breast milk, drinking water, and cow's milk. Results The salt iodine concentration was low (<15 mg/kg) in 2.7%, 33.6%, and 3.1%, adequate (15-40 mg/kg) in 96.3%, 48.4%, and 96.4%, and high (>40 mg/kg) in 1.0%, 18.0%, and 0.5% of household salt samples in Linfen (n = 402), Tuguegarao (n = 1003), and Zagreb (n = 195), respectively. The median UIC showed adequate iodine nutrition in all population groups, except for excessive iodine intake in school-age children in the Philippines and borderline low intake in pregnant women in Croatia. Conclusions Salt iodization at ∼25 mg/kg that covers a high proportion of the total amount of salt consumed supplies sufficient dietary iodine to ensure adequate iodine nutrition in all population groups, although intakes may be borderline low during pregnancy. Large variations in salt iodine concentrations increase the risk for both low and high iodine intakes. Strict monitoring of the national salt iodization program is therefore essential for optimal iodine nutrition. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT02196337.
Etanercept, a Widely Used Inhibitor of Tumor Necrosis Factor-α (TNF- α), Prevents Retinal Ganglion Cell Loss in a Rat Model of Glaucoma

Background Visual loss in glaucoma is associated with pathological changes in retinal ganglion cell (RGC) axons and a slow decline in the RGC population. Age and elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) are the main risk factors for glaucomatous loss of vision. Several studies have implicated the proinflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor- α (TNF-α) as a link between elevated IOP and RGC death, but the cellular source of TNF-α and its causative role in RGC death remain uncertain. Here, using a rat model of glaucoma, we investigated the source of elevated TNF- α and examined whether Etanercept, a TNF-α blocker that is in common clinical use for other indications, is protective against RGC death. Methodology/Principal Findings Episcleral vein cauterization (EVC) caused intraocular pressure (IOP) to be elevated for at least 28 days. IOP elevation resulted in a dramatic increase in TNF-α levels within a few days, axonal degeneration, and a 38% loss of RGCs by 4 weeks. Immunostaining coupled with confocal microscopy showed that OHT induced robust induction of TNF-α in Iba-1-positive microglia around the optic nerve head (ONH). Despite persistent elevation of IOP, Etanercept reduced microglial activation, TNF-α levels, axon degeneration in the optic nerve, and the loss of RGCs. Conclusions/Significance Ocular hypertension (OHT) triggers an inflammatory response characterized by the appearance of activated microglia around the ONH that express TNF-α. Blocking TNF-α activity with a clinically approved agent inhibits this microglial response and prevents axonal degeneration and loss of RGCs. These findings suggest a new treatment strategy for glaucoma using TNF- α antagonists or suppressors of inflammation.
Response by Fernández-Jiménez et al to Letters Regarding Article, "Dynamic Edematous Response of the Human Heart to Myocardial Infarction: Implications for Assessing Myocardial Area at Risk and Salvage".

We are grateful to Stiermaier et al, Sacha and Feusette, and Bulluck and Hausenloy for their interest and comments on our article,1 in which we showed that myocardial edema in the week after ST-segment–elevation myocardial infarction in humans is a bimodal phenomenon. We concur with Stiermaier et al on the implications of our findings, and the need to put these data into perspective. Indeed, in the discussion of our paper, we speculated on the potential explanations for divergent findings in the literature. It is important to note that our clinical study was specifically designed to validate the hypothesis generated in previous experimental studies,2,3 and thus the timing for each cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) was exquisitely chosen. Thus, we first analyzed the dynamics of the initial wave of edema (online-only Data Supplement Figure I from Fernandez-Jimenez et al)1 to define the optimal timing for the first CMR scan in patients and not miss the initial wave of edema. The fact that this initial wave of edema peaks very early, and is significantly attenuated …
Indoor Tracking With the Generalized  $t$ -Distribution Noise Model

An indoor tracking system with forgetting factor and generalized <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$t$ </tex-math></inline-formula>-distribution (GT) noise model is proposed in this paper. It consists of first using the weighted centroid formulas to give an estimate of the position and then a filter with GT noise model to improve on the estimate. A common problem with indoor tracking is the noisy disturbances and this paper uses the GT to model them. By being a superset encompassing Gaussian, uniform, <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$t$ </tex-math></inline-formula>, Cauchy, and double exponential distributions, GT has the flexibility to characterize noise with Gaussian or non-Gaussian statistical properties. Because of the more accurate noise model, the filter with GT noise model can produce a better estimate than that of the Kalman filter which makes the usual assumption of Gaussian noise. An equation to compute the variance of the estimation error is also derived in this paper. For verification, 200 tracking experiments were conducted. The variance obtained from the experiments matched the variance calculated from the equation. The variance of the estimation error from the filter with GT noise model is smaller than that of the Kalman filter. Another experiment at the lift landing showed that the proposed filter with GT noise model is also less affected by outliers.
Aeromonas hydrophila subsp. dhakensis Isolated from Feces, Water and Fish in Mediterranean Spain

Eight Aeromonas hydrophila-like arabinose-negative isolates from diverse sources (i.e., river freshwater, cooling-system water pond, diseased wild European eels, and human stools) sampled in Valencia (Spain) during 2004–2005, were characterized by 16S rRNA gene sequencing and extensive biochemical testing along with reference strains of most Aeromonas species. These isolates and all reference strains of A. hydrophila subsp. dhakensis and A. aquariorum showed a 16S rRNA sequence similarity of 99.8–100%, and they all shared an identical phenotype. This matched exactly with that of A. hydrophila subsp. dhakensis since all strains displayed positive responses to the Voges-Prokauer test and to the use of dl-lactate. This is the first report of A. hydrophila subsp. dhakensis recovered from environmental samples, and further, from its original isolation in India during 1993–1994. This was accurately identified and segregated from other clinical aeromonads (A. hydrophila subsp. hydrophila, A. caviae, A. veronii biovars veronii and sobria, A. trota, A. schubertii and A. jandaei) by using biochemical key tests. The API 20 E profile for all strains included in A. hydrophila subsp. dhakensis was 7047125. The prevalence of this species in Spanish sources was higher for water (9.4%) than for feces (6%) or eels (1.3%). Isolates recovered as pure cultures from diseased eels were moderately virulent (LD50 of 3.3×106 CFU fish−1) to challenged eels in experimental trials. They were all resistant to ticarcillin, amoxicillin-clavuranic acid, cefoxitin, and imipenem, regardless of its source. Our data point to A. hydrophila subsp. dhakensis as an emerging pathogen for humans and fish in temperate countries.
Mass Spectrometry Detection of G3m and IGHG3 Alleles and Follow-Up of Differential Mother and Neonate IgG3

Mass spectrometry (MS) analysis for detection of immunoglobulins (IG) of the human IgG3 subclass is described that relies on polymorphic amino acids of the heavy gamma3 chains. IgG3 is the most polymorphic human IgG subclass with thirteen G3m allotypes located on the constant CH2 and CH3 domains of the gamma3 chain, the combination of which leads to six major G3m alleles. Amino acid changes resulting of extensive sequencing previously led to the definition of 19 IGHG3 alleles that have been correlated to the G3m alleles. As a proof of concept, MS proteotypic peptides were defined which encompass discriminatory amino acids for the identification of the G3m and IGHG3 alleles. Plasma samples originating from ten individuals either homozygous or heterozygous for different G3m alleles, and including one mother and her baby (drawn sequentially from birth to 9 months of age), were analyzed. Total IgG3 were purified using affinity chromatography and then digested by a combination of AspN and trypsin proteases, and peptides of interest were detected by mass spectrometry. The sensitivity of the method was assessed by mixing variable amounts of two plasma samples bearing distinct G3m allotypes. A label-free approach using the high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) retention time of peptides and their MS mass analyzer peak intensity gave semi-quantitative information. Quantification was realized by selected reaction monitoring (SRM) using synthetic peptides as internal standards. The possibility offered by this new methodology to detect and quantify neo-synthesized IgG in newborns will improve knowledge on the first acquisition of antibodies in infants and constitutes a promising diagnostic tool for vertically-transmitted diseases.
A 24-month advanced magnetic resonance imaging study of multiple sclerosis patients treated with alemtuzumab

Background: Tissue damage in both multiple sclerosis (MS) lesions and normal-appearing white matter (NAWM) are important contributors to disability and progression. Specific aspects of MS pathology can be measured using advanced imaging. Alemtuzumab is a humanised monoclonal antibody targeting CD52 developed for MS treatment. Objective: To investigate changes over 2 years of advanced magnetic resonance (MR) metrics in lesions and NAWM of MS patients treated with alemtuzumab. Methods: A total of 42 relapsing–remitting alemtuzumab-treated MS subjects were scanned for 2 years at 3 T. T1 relaxation, T2 relaxation, diffusion tensor, MR spectroscopy and volumetric sequences were performed. Mean T1 and myelin water fraction (MWF) were determined for stable lesions, new lesions and NAWM. Fractional anisotropy was calculated for the corpus callosum (CC) and N-acetylaspartate (NAA) concentration was determined from a large NAWM voxel. Brain parenchymal fraction (BPF), cortical thickness and CC area were also calculated. Results: No change in any MR measurement was found in lesions or NAWM over 24 months. BPF, cortical thickness and CC area all showed decreases in the first year followed by stability in the second year. Conclusion: Advanced MR biomarkers of myelin (MWF) and neuron/axons (NAA) show no change in NAWM over 24 months in alemtuzumab-treated MS participants.
Comprehensive Evaluation of Haze Governance based on Double Hierarchy Hesitant Fuzzy Language and Entropy Method Integrated Weight

A comprehensive evaluation model based on double hierarchy hesitant fuzzy language and entropy method integrated weight is put forward, by evaluating the effect of the existing governance haze system, and for the government to formulate the haze governance measures. First of all, through the impact of haze governance factors summarized and stratified, the index system is constructed. Then the weights of the indexes are determined by using the double hierarchy hesitant fuzzy language and entropy method. After that the fuzzy comprehensive evaluation model is used to evaluate the haze governance effect of the selected cities, and the rank sort is given. The empirical results show that the improved fuzzy comprehensive evaluation model based on the double hierarchy hesitant fuzzy language and entropy method integrated weight, is a kind of objective and subjective weighting combination method, which makes the evaluation results more credible. The method of double hierarchy hesitant fuzzy language makes the expression of expert opinions more close to the actual situation.
BACTERICIDAL COATINGS ON TEXTILES FOR REMEDIATION OF INTERMICROBE ACTIVITY (BaCTeRIA) SUMMARY REPORT

Abstract : Development of antimicrobials that demonstrate targeted, specific activity against pathogenic strains of interest to the Army provides a promising strategy to protect the Warfighter from pathogenic threats where broad-spectrum antimicrobials may not be applicable. This technical report describes the culmination of work dedicated to the discovery, characterization, analysis and development of a narrow-spectrum antimicrobial that exhibits targeted activity against the surrogate strain of Bacillus anthracis, the microbial agent of anthrax. The antimicrobial agent investigated in this effort was a bacteriocin, a member of a class of antimicrobial peptides secreted by microorganisms to protect against competing microbes in the environment and was discovered from a screen of environmental isolates from Fort Devens. A cost-effective purification protocol was developed to yield sufficient qualities and purities of the bacteriocin to enable its future development. Preliminary investigations were conducted to evaluate the feasibility of synthesizing a multifunctional material with the antimicrobial peptide. Additionally, the production conditions of the bacteriocin from its producer organism was investigated to generate the optimal growth media for high quantities of bacteriocin production. The work cited in this report provides the foundation for future studies to further characterize and develop a novel application employing the bacteriocin in a construct that facilitates antimicrobial protection for the Warfighter.
The Physiopathological Role of the Exchangers Belonging to the SLC37 Family

The human SLC37 gene family includes four proteins SLC37A1-4, localized in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) membrane. They have been grouped into the SLC37 family due to their sequence homology to the bacterial organophosphate/phosphate (Pi) antiporter. SLC37A1-3 are the less characterized isoforms. SLC37A1 and SLC37A2 are Pi-linked glucose-6-phosphate (G6P) antiporters, catalyzing both homologous (Pi/Pi) and heterologous (G6P/Pi) exchanges, whereas SLC37A3 transport properties remain to be clarified. Furthermore, SLC37A1 is highly homologous to the bacterial glycerol 3-phosphate permeases, so it is supposed to transport also glycerol-3-phosphate. The physiological role of SLC37A1-3 is yet to be further investigated. SLC37A1 seems to be required for lipid biosynthesis in cancer cell lines, SLC37A2 has been proposed as a vitamin D and a phospho-progesterone receptor target gene, while mutations in the SLC37A3 gene appear to be associated with congenital hyperinsulinism of infancy. SLC37A4, also known as glucose-6-phosphate translocase (G6PT), transports G6P from the cytoplasm into the ER lumen, working in complex with either glucose-6-phosphatase-α (G6Pase-α) or G6Pase-β to hydrolyze intraluminal G6P to Pi and glucose. G6PT and G6Pase-β are ubiquitously expressed, whereas G6Pase-α is specifically expressed in the liver, kidney and intestine. G6PT/G6Pase-α complex activity regulates fasting blood glucose levels, whereas G6PT/G6Pase-β is required for neutrophil functions. G6PT deficiency is responsible for glycogen storage disease type Ib (GSD-Ib), an autosomal recessive disorder associated with both defective metabolic and myeloid phenotypes. Several kinds of mutations have been identified in the SLC37A4 gene, affecting G6PT function. An increased autoimmunity risk for GSD-Ib patients has also been reported, moreover, SLC37A4 seems to be involved in autophagy.
Assessment of sleep and circadian rhythm disorders in the very old: the Newcastle 85+ Cohort Study.

OBJECTIVES to examine the association between subjective and objective measures of sleep and wake and other health parameters in a cohort of the very old. DESIGN a population-based cohort study. SETTING primary care, North East England. PARTICIPANTS four hundred and twenty-one men and women, aged 87-89, recruited to the Newcastle 85+ Study cohort. METHODS sleep questionnaires were administered and sleep-wake patterns were assessed over 5-7 days with a novel wrist triaxial accelerometer. Associations between sleep measures and various health parameters, including mortality at 24 months, were examined. RESULTS only 16% of participants perceived their sleep as severely disturbed as assessed with questionnaire responses. Wrist accelerometry showed marked variation between normal and abnormal sleep-wake cycles that did not correlate with the participants' perception of sleep. Impaired sleep-wake cycles were significantly associated with cognitive impairment, disability, depression, increased falls, body mass index and arthritis but not with any other specific disease markers and with decreased survival. CONCLUSIONS commonly used sleep questionnaires do not differentiate well between those with objectively determined disturbance of sleep-wake cycles and those with normal cycles. Abnormal sleep-wake patterns are associated with institutionalisation, cognitive impairment, disability, depression and arthritis but not with other diseases; there is also an association with reduced survival.
Eyewitness Memory in Face-to-Face and Immersive Avatar-to-Avatar Contexts

Technological advances offer possibilities for innovation in the way eyewitness testimony is elicited. Typically, this occurs face-to-face. We investigated whether a virtual environment, where interviewer and eyewitness communicate as avatars, might confer advantages by attenuating the social and situational demands of a face-to-face interview, releasing more cognitive resources for invoking episodic retrieval mode. In conditions of intentional encoding, eyewitnesses were interviewed 48 h later, either face-to-face or in a virtual environment (N = 38). Participants in the virtual environment significantly outperformed those interviewed face-to-face on all episodic performance measures – improved correct reporting reduced errors, and increased accuracy. Participants reported finding it easier to admit not remembering event information to the avatar, and finding the avatar easier to talk to. These novel findings, and our pattern of retrieval results indicates the potential of avatar-to-avatar communication in virtual environments, and provide impetus for further research investigating eyewitness cognition in contemporary retrieval contexts.