Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy as an augmentation treatment for obsessive-compulsive disorder.

A significant number of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) patients continue to experience symptoms that interfere with their functioning following cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). Providing an additional augmentation treatment following CBT could help reduce these residual symptoms. Mindfulness interventions that facilitate less reactivity to thoughts and feelings may be helpful for patients suffering from residual OCD symptoms. The purpose of the current randomized waitlist control trial was to evaluate the feasibility and impact of providing an 8-week mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) intervention following completion of a CBT intervention to OCD patients who continued to suffer from significant symptoms. Results indicated that compared to the waitlist control group, MBCT participants reported decreases in OCD symptoms (d = 1.38), depression symptoms (d = 1.25), anxiety symptoms (d = 1.02), and obsessive beliefs (d = 1.20) along with increases in self-compassion (d = 0.77) and mindfulness skills (d = 0.77). Additionally, participants reported high levels of satisfaction with the MBCT intervention. The results suggest that the use of MBCT for OCD as an augmentation therapy is acceptable to patients who continue to suffer from OCD symptoms after completing CBT and provides some additional relief from residual symptoms. KEY PRACTITIONER MESSAGE Mindfulness interventions teach skills that facilitate disengaging from cognitive routines and accepting internal experience, and these skills may be valuable in treating obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), as individuals describe getting "stuck" in repetitive thoughts and consequent rituals. The results of this study suggest that teaching mindfulness skills using an 8-week mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) intervention provides an added benefit (decreases in OCD, depression, and anxiety symptoms) for patients with OCD who have completed a cognitive behavioural therapy intervention and continued to suffer from significant symptoms. Participation in MBCT was also associated with increases in mindfulness skills including increased ability to be nonjudgmental and nonreactive. By fostering a nonjudgmental stance towards intrusive thoughts, mindfulness may discourage suppression and avoidance of thoughts and this could lead to increased habituation and a decreased reliance on compulsions. The use of MBCT as an augmentation treatment should be further explored to elucidate whether this treatment is beneficial for preventing relapse of OCD and could be compared against further cognitive behavioural therapy to see if offering participants a different and theoretically compelling intervention, such as MBCT, would outperform "more of the same" for individuals with OCD.
Latino outlook: good health, uncertain prognosis.

This article presents a profile of the health status of Hispanic (Latino) populations in the United States. The review is issue oriented and identifies those factors that have a continuing int1uence on Hispanic health. Hetero­ geneity is perhaps the most salient characteristic that defines Hispanic populations of the United States. Hispanic populations include native born, migrant, and immigrant peoples with distinctive national origins and regional settlement patterns (85). This multi-generational migratory and social ad­ justment process has produced important cultural variations within and among the respective Hispanic ethnic groups. Moreover, the demographic structure of Hispanic populations is also varied and complex (7). These historical, demographic, and sociocultural features shape the health and disease experience of Hispanics. Logically, respective Hispanic ethnic groups can be expected to vary in health status and to have differing needs for health services. This review provides a demographic comparison of Hispanic ethnic groups in the United States, an assessment of health status for the largest Hispanic groups, a brief summary of services utilization issues, and a discussion of health promotion and disease prevention. Framing the overall presentation is a controversial issue that deserves careful consideration. Historically, the absence of comprehensive epidemiologic information on Hispanic morbidity
Dengue Virus 3 Genotype I in Aedes aegypti Mosquitoes and Eggs, Brazil, 2005–2006

Dengue virus type 3 genotype I was detected in Brazil during epidemics in 2002–2004. To confirm this finding, we identified this virus genotype in naturally infected field-caught Aedes aegypti mosquitoes and eggs. Results showed usefulness of virus investigations in vectors as a component of active epidemiologic surveillance.
Strengths Building, Resilience, and the Bible: A Story-Based Curriculum for Adolescents Around the World

Abstract Depression is the leading cause of illness and disability in adolescents worldwide. Resilience training, founded on principles of positive psychology, is correlated with lower depression and substance misuse in U.S. adolescents and military personnel. However, resilience training has focused primarily on secular interventions using western material. Religion is strongly correlated with lower depression and also with wellbeing in developing countries. Ninety percent of adolescents live in developing countries, and at least twothirds are oral learners who prefer learning through stories and drama. This paper proposes a Bible story based curriculum that trains students in problem solving skills, character strengths, and both spiritual and secular research-tested principles for resilience and well-being. The Bible is available by audio recording in 751 languages and offers a broad base of archetypal stories for teaching resilience. The program is easily reproducible, culturally adaptable, respectful of all religions, and specifically crafted for oral learners. Through audio recordings to maintain fidelity, train the trainer programs for dissemination and support of national and community leaders, the proposed curriculum for Global Resilience Oral Workshops (GROW) has potential to lower depression and lift well-being in adolescents around the world.
Resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging: an emerging clinical tool.

In a routine clinical practice, functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is offered as a non‐invasive means of pre‐surgical functional mapping of eloquent cortex. [1,2] The basic approach is to conduct the study while the patient performs a task designed to target a single domain such as language, vision, memory, sensory or motor function. The fMRI images thus obtained are used prior to surgery to identify the closeness of the lesion to regions of functional activity. This approach is now well‐established and many centers around the world use the results of this technique for pre‐surgical counseling, surgical planning and neurosurgical decision making. However, there are few limitations for this technique. Some patients can have difficulty in performing the required tasks, especially those who have neurological deficits such as weakness of limbs for performing motor function, lower intelligence to perform cognitive tasks and altered levels of consciousness. Infants and children may not be able to perform the task. Thus, if a patient is unable to perform the prescribed task, the presently available task‐based functional mapping approaches may be unreliable or prove impossible. Secondly, specific task sets must be performed to target distinct functions. It is difficult to map multiple brain functions simultaneously.
Virulence Factor Diversity Between Imipenem Resistant and Imipenem Susceptible Strains of Escherichia coli Isolated from Hospitalized Patients with Severe Urinary Tract Infections

cultured immediately and those that were E. coli-positive were analyzed for the antimicrobial susceptibility pattern against imipenem using disk diffusion method. Imipenem resistant and imipenem susceptible strains were analyzed for the presence of sfa, afa, pap, hly, cnf1 and fim virulence factors using the PCR technique. Fifty out of 70 (71.42%) children urines and 55 out of 90 (61.11%) seniors urine samples harbored E. coli. The incidence of resistance against imipenem in children and seniors were 6% and 9.09%, respectively. In the other hand, 99.39% of tested strains were susceptible to imipenem. Total prevalence of pap, cnf1, hly, sfa, afa and fim genes in the imipenem resistant strains were 12.5% 25%, 50%, 75%, 62.5% and 25%, respectively. Prevalence of the sfa, afa and hly genes was lower in the imipenem susceptible strains of E. coli, while the pap, cnf1 and fim genes was entirely higher in the imipenem susceptible strains. This finding suggests that imipenem resistance could be directly associated with decreased prevalence of pap, cnf1 and fim virulent genes. However, the findings of the present study are novel and valuable but more courtesy studies are necessary to authorize them.
Lymphangiogenesis, Lymphatic Endothelial Cells and Lymphatic Metastasis in Head and Neck Cancer — A Review of Mechanisms

Lymphatic metastasis is a continuous and complicated process. The detailed mechanisms of lymphatic metastasis are still not very clear, despite considerable research efforts in recent years. Previously, it was commonly accepted that there were no lymphatic vessels in the primary tumor. However, recent studies have demonstrated that lymphatic vessels are detectable in certain types of cancer, and more and more evidence has shown that cancer cells invade into local lymph nodes mainly via peritumoral lymphatic vessels. Moreover, activated endothelial cells may also be important, having an influence on lymphatic metastasis of cancer cells. This article, based on recent research findings, provides an in‐depth discussion of the relationship between lymphangiogenesis, tumor‐derived lymphatic endothelial cells and lymphatic metastasis in head and neck cancer.
Splice-switching antisense oligonucleotides as therapeutic drugs

Splice-switching oligonucleotides (SSOs) are short, synthetic, antisense, modified nucleic acids that base-pair with a pre-mRNA and disrupt the normal splicing repertoire of the transcript by blocking the RNA–RNA base-pairing or protein–RNA binding interactions that occur between components of the splicing machinery and the pre-mRNA. Splicing of pre-mRNA is required for the proper expression of the vast majority of protein-coding genes, and thus, targeting the process offers a means to manipulate protein production from a gene. Splicing modulation is particularly valuable in cases of disease caused by mutations that lead to disruption of normal splicing or when interfering with the normal splicing process of a gene transcript may be therapeutic. SSOs offer an effective and specific way to target and alter splicing in a therapeutic manner. Here, we discuss the different approaches used to target and alter pre-mRNA splicing with SSOs. We detail the modifications to the nucleic acids that make them promising therapeutics and discuss the challenges to creating effective SSO drugs. We highlight the development of SSOs designed to treat Duchenne muscular dystrophy and spinal muscular atrophy, which are currently being tested in clinical trials.
Two-year sustained weight loss and metabolic benefits with controlled-release phentermine/topiramate in obese and overweight adults (SEQUEL): a randomized, placebo-controlled, phase 3 extension study123

Background: Obesity is a serious chronic disease. Controlled-release phentermine/topiramate (PHEN/TPM CR), as an adjunct to lifestyle modification, has previously shown significant weight loss compared with placebo in a 56-wk study in overweight and obese subjects with ≥2 weight-related comorbidities. Objective: This study evaluated the long-term efficacy and safety of PHEN/TPM CR in overweight and obese subjects with cardiometabolic disease. Design: This was a placebo-controlled, double-blind, 52-wk extension study; volunteers at selected sites continued with original randomly assigned treatment [placebo, 7.5 mg phentermine/46 mg controlled-release topiramate (7.5/46), or 15 mg phentermine/92 mg controlled-release topiramate (15/92)] to complete a total of 108 wk. All subjects participated in a lifestyle-modification program. Results: Of 866 eligible subjects, 676 (78%) elected to continue in the extension. Overall, 84.0% of subjects completed the study, with similar completion rates between treatment groups. At week 108, PHEN/TPM CR was associated with significant, sustained weight loss (intent-to-treat with last observation carried forward; P < 0.0001 compared with placebo); least-squares mean percentage changes from baseline in body weight were –1.8%, –9.3%, and –10.5% for placebo, 7.5/46, and 15/92, respectively. Significantly more PHEN/TPM CR–treated subjects at each dose achieved ≥5%, ≥10%, ≥15%, and ≥20% weight loss compared with placebo (P < 0.001). PHEN/TPM CR improved cardiovascular and metabolic variables and decreased rates of incident diabetes in comparison with placebo. PHEN/TPM CR was well tolerated over 108 wk, with reduced rates of adverse events occurring between weeks 56 and 108 compared with rates between weeks 0 and 56. Conclusion: PHEN/TPM CR in conjunction with lifestyle modification may provide a well-tolerated and effective option for the sustained treatment of obesity complicated by cardiometabolic disease. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT00796367.
A Globally Convergent Probability-One Homotopy for Linear Programs with Linear Complementarity Constraints

A solution of the standard formulation of a linear program with linear complementarity constraints (LPCC) does not satisfy a constraint qualification. A family of relaxations of an LPCC, associated with a probability-one homotopy map, proposed here is shown to have several desirable properties. The homotopy map is nonlinear, replacing all the constraints with nonlinear relaxations of NCP functions. Under mild existence and rank assumptions, (1) the LPCC relaxations RLPCC($\lambda$) have a solution for $0\le\lambda \le1$; (2) RLPCC(1) is equivalent to LPCC; (3) the Kuhn--Tucker constraint qualification is satisfied at every local or global solution of RLPCC($\lambda$) for almost all $ 0\le\lambda <1$; (4) a point is a local solution of RLPCC(1) (and LPCC) if and only if it is a Kuhn--Tucker point for RLPCC(1); and (5) a homotopy algorithm can find a Kuhn--Tucker point for RLPCC(1). Since the homotopy map is a globally convergent probability-one homotopy, robust and efficient numerical algorithms exist to f.
Time-Domain Dynamics and Stability Analysis of Optoelectronic Oscillators Based on Whispering-Gallery Mode Resonators

Optoelectronic oscillators (OEOs) are microwave photonics systems intended to generate ultrastable radio-frequency signals with unprecedented phase noise performance for aerospace and communication engineering applications. They had originally been introduced in a configuration where the energy storage element was a fiber delay line. However, recent research in view of size and power consumption optimization has led to novel configurations where this fiber delay line is replaced by an ultrahigh Q whispering-gallery mode (WGM) resonator. So far, there has been no theoretical framework enabling to understand the dynamical behavior of these new architectures of OEOs. In this paper, we propose for the first time a deterministic time-domain model to investigate the dynamics of these OEOs based on WGM resonators. This model enables us to perform the stability analysis of the microwave oscillations, and to determine rigorously their range of stability as the loop gain is varied. After building the model, we perform a full stability analysis of the various stationary solutions for the microwave output. We then perform extensive numerical simulations, which are in complete agreement with the stability analysis. The theoretical analysis is also found to be in excellent agreement with our experimental measurements.
Adjuvant Chemotherapy Following Complete Resection of Soft Tissue Sarcoma in Adults: A Clinical Practice Guideline

Purpose. To review the literature and make recommendations for the use of anthracycline-based adjuvant chemotherapy in adult patients with soft tissue sarcoma (STS). Patients. The recommendations apply to patients >15 years old with completely resected STS. Methods. A systematic overview of the published literature was combined with a consensus process around the interpretation of the evidence in the context of conventional practice to develop an evidence-based practice guideline. Results. Four meta-analyses and 17 randomized clinical trials comparing anthracycline-based adjuvant chemotherapy versus observation were reviewed. The Sarcoma Meta-Analysis Collaboration (SMAC) was the best analysis because it assessed individual patient data and had the longest follow-up. The results of the SMAC meta-analysis together with data from more recently published randomized trials, as well as our analysis of the toxicity and compliance data, are incorporated in this systematic review. Discussion. It is reasonable to consider anthracycline-based adjuvant chemotherapy in patients who have had removal of a sarcoma with features predicting a high likelihood of relapse (deep location, size >5 cm, high histological grade). Although the benefits of adjuvant chemotherapy are most apparent in patients with extremity sarcomas, patients with high-risk tumours at other sites should also be considered for such therapy.
Cross-domain one-shot authorization using smart cards

As the use of information technology is increasing rapidly in organizations around the world, an important task is to de-sign global networks with high security, eÆciency and functionality. While centralized systems have the advantages of simpli(cid:12)ed management, they face the problems of bottle-neck and single point of failure. In this paper, we propose a new authorization scheme that operates over existing centralized authentication mechanisms. The goal is to enhance the performance and scalability in a centrally administered security architecture. A new technique of using one-shot authorization tokens is introduced. It facilitates a mechanism for updating or revocation of the access rights of users in online or o(cid:11)-line authorization models. A smart card is used as an authorization device in addition to its traditional function of user authentication. This scheme provides the mobility for users and the (cid:13)exibility in coping with di(cid:11)erent access control policies in a cross domain multi-application environment.
The Study on Mental Health at Work: Design and sampling

Aims: The Study on Mental Health at Work (S-MGA) generates the first nationwide representative survey enabling the exploration of the relationship between working conditions, mental health and functioning. This paper describes the study design, sampling procedures and data collection, and presents a summary of the sample characteristics. Methods: S-MGA is a representative study of German employees aged 31–60 years subject to social security contributions. The sample was drawn from the employment register based on a two-stage cluster sampling procedure. Firstly, 206 municipalities were randomly selected from a pool of 12,227 municipalities in Germany. Secondly, 13,590 addresses were drawn from the selected municipalities for the purpose of conducting 4500 face-to-face interviews. The questionnaire covers psychosocial working and employment conditions, measures of mental health, work ability and functioning. Data from personal interviews were combined with employment histories from register data. Descriptive statistics of socio-demographic characteristics and logistic regressions analyses were used for comparing population, gross sample and respondents. Results: In total, 4511 face-to-face interviews were conducted. A test for sampling bias revealed that individuals in older cohorts participated more often, while individuals with an unknown educational level, residing in major cities or with a non-German ethnic background were slightly underrepresented. Conclusions: There is no indication of major deviations in characteristics between the basic population and the sample of respondents. Hence, S-MGA provides representative data for research on work and health, designed as a cohort study with plans to rerun the survey 5 years after the first assessment.
Influence of irrigating agents on fiber postpush-out bond strength to radicular dentin sections with the different adhesive system

ABSTRACT Objective: The objective of this study is to evaluate the effect of irrigating agents on push-out bond strength of resin postcemented with various adhesive systems at different radicular dentin sections. Materials and Methods:Sixty single-rooted premolar teeth were root canal treated, subsequently decorated at cementoenamel junction. The endodontic postspace was irrigated with 5.25% sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) and 17% ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) for Group A (n = 30) and Group B (n = 30), respectively. The sample from each group was subdivided into three groups (10) according to luting protocol of etch-wash, self-etch, and self-adhesive. Individual teeth with cemented resin postsamples were sectioned into coronal, middle, and apical segments. Subsequently, subjected for pushout bond strength test by applying a load at 0.5 mm/min speed. The data were analyzed by three-way analysis of variance and Tukey comparison test at a significant difference level of 0.05. Results: The coronal section with 5.25% NaOCl irrigation and self-etch luting protocol provided the highest push out strength at 16.282 Mpa. The etch-wash luting protocol in both irrigations showed the lesser bond strength at 8.273 and 8.493 MPa, respectively, in coronal section.Conclusions: The self-etch adhesive system showed better push out bond strength and 17% EDTA had a negative influence on self-etch bond strength. The coronal sections had highest bond strength in comparison with apical radicular dentin sections.
Acoustic Characterization of Environments (ACE) Challenge Results Technical Report

This document provides the results of the tests of acoustic parameter estimation algorithms on the Acoustic Characterization of Environments (ACE) Challenge Evaluation dataset which were subsequently submitted and written up into papers for the Proceedings of the ACE Challenge. This document is supporting material for a forthcoming journal paper on the ACE Challenge which will provide further analysis of the results.
Redirection of Epithelial Immune Responses by Short-Chain Fatty Acids through Inhibition of Histone Deacetylases

Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) are products of microbial fermentation that are important for intestinal epithelial health. Here, we describe that SCFAs have rapid and reversible effects on toll-like receptor (TLR) responses in epithelial cells. Incubation of HEK293 or HeLa epithelial cells with the SCFAs butyrate or propionate at physiological concentrations enhanced NF-κB activation induced by TLR5, TLR2/1, TLR4, and TLR9 agonists. NF-κB activation in response to tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα) was also increased by SCFAs. Comparative transcript analysis of HT-29 colon epithelial cells revealed that SCFAs enhanced TLR5-induced transcription of TNFα but dampened or even abolished the TLR5-mediated induction of IL-8 and monocyte chemotactic protein 1. SCFAs are known inhibitors of histone deacetylases (HDACs). Butyrate or propionate caused a rapid increase in histone acetylation in epithelial cells, similar to the small molecule HDAC inhibitor trichostatin A (TSA). TSA also mimicked the effects of SCFAs on TLR–NF-κB responses. This study shows that bacterial SCFAs rapidly alter the epigenetic state of host cells resulting in redirection of the innate immune response and selective reprograming of cytokine/chemokine expression.