Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Icosapent ethyl for the treatment of hypertriglyceridemia

Introduction: Icosapent ethyl (IPE; Vascepa) is a high-purity prescription form of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) ethyl ester recently approved in 2012 to reduce triglyceride (TG) levels in adult patients with severe (≥ 500 mg/dL) hypertriglyceridemia. Elevated TG levels are associated with increased risk for coronary heart disease. Currently available TG-lowering agents (fibrates, niacins, omega-3 fatty acid products containing both EPA and docosahexaenoic acid [DHA]) may be associated with adverse effects such as flushing, hepatotoxicity, myopathy, elevated glucose levels, and/or increases in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C). Areas covered: This review describes IPE chemistry, pharmacokinetics, and clinical studies. In two Phase III randomized, placebo-controlled trials, one in patients with very high TG levels (≥ 500 mg/dL; MARINE) and the other in statin-treated patients at high cardiovascular risk with well-controlled LDL-C and residual high TG levels (≥ 200 to < 500 mg/dL; ANCHOR), IPE lowered levels of TG, non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and other atherogenic lipoproteins without increasing LDL-C levels. Expert opinion: IPE is safe and effective for managing high TG levels, and it offers a new alternative with potential benefits over currently available treatments for dyslipidemia. The ongoing cardiovascular outcomes REDUCE-IT trial will provide valuable information on the efficacy of IPE to prevent cardiovascular events in high-risk patients already taking statins.
“Stormy waters ahead”: global emergence of carbapenemases

Carbapenems, once considered the last line of defense against of serious infections with Enterobacteriaceae, are threatened with extinction. The increasing isolation of carbapenem-resistant Gram-negative pathogens is forcing practitioners to rely on uncertain alternatives. As little as 5 years ago, reports of carbapenem resistance in Enterobacteriaceae, common causes of both community and healthcare-associated infections, were sporadic and primarily limited to case reports, tertiary care centers, intensive care units, and outbreak settings. Carbapenem resistance mediated by β-lactamases, or carbapenemases, has become widespread and with the paucity of reliable antimicrobials available or in development, international focus has shifted to early detection and infection control. However, as reports of Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemases, New Delhi metallo-β-lactamase-1, and more recently OXA-48 (oxacillinase-48) become more common and with the conveniences of travel, the assumption that infections with highly resistant Gram-negative pathogens are limited to the infirmed and the heavily antibiotic and healthcare exposed are quickly being dispelled. Herein, we provide a status report describing the increasing challenges clinicians are facing and forecast the “stormy waters” ahead.
Multi-subject fMRI connectivity analysis using sparse dictionary learning and multiset canonical correlation analysis

In this paper, we propose an effective technique to analyze task-based functional connectivity across multiple subjects for functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data. Instead of applying the assumption of group-independence or multiset correlation maximization, an alternative approach is adopted based on a combined framework of sparse dictionary learning (SDL) and multi-set canonical correlation analysis (MCCA) to obtain connectivity maps. The proposed technique encapsulates commonality and uniqueness solely based on sparsity of cross dataset corresponding components. It is validated using real fMRI data and its superior performance is illustrated using a simulation study, which shows its better capability in obtaining connectivity maps that are more specific.
Clickety-click: E-Mental Health Train on Track

Objective: Experts forecast that the Internet will bring about radical change in healthcare. This paper aims to summarise evidence concerning the efficacy of Internet-based programs in the delivery of mental health care and its implications for mental health professionals. It also describes those Internet programs which are both of demonstrated effectiveness in the treatment of anxiety or depression and available without restriction or cost to the public. Conclusions: There is evidence that Internet-based programs can improve a range of mental health conditions. Some of these programs could be used by psychiatrists and other mental health professionals as an adjunct to clinician-based treatment. However, clinicians need to know which programs work and how they can be accessed.
Using partial evaluation in distributed query evaluation

A basic idea in parallel query processing is that one is prepared to do more computation than strictly necessary at individual sites in order to reduce the elapsed time, the network traffic, or both in the evaluation of the query. We develop this idea for the evaluation of boolean XPath queries over a tree that is fragmented, both horizontally and vertically over a number of sites. The key idea is to send the whole query to each site which partially evaluates, in parallel, the query and sends the results as compact boolean functions to a coordinator which combines these to obtain the result. This approach has several advantages. First, each site is visited only once, even if several fragments of the tree are stored at that site. Second, no prior constraints on how the tree is decomposed are needed, nor is any structural information about the tree required, such as a DTD. Third, there is a satisfactory bound on the total computation performed on all sites and on the total network traffic. We also develop a simple incremental maintenance algorithm that requires communication only with the sites at which changes have taken place; moreover the network traffic depends neither on the data nor on the update. These results, we believe, illustrate the usefulness and potential of partial evaluation in distributed systems as well as centralized xml stores for evaluating XPath queries and beyond.
Effective use of WordNet Semantics via Kernel-Based Learning

Research on document similarity has shown that complex representations are not more accurate than the simple bag-of-words. Term clustering, e.g. using latent semantic indexing, word co-occurrences or synonym relations using a word ontology have been shown not very effective. In particular, when to extend the similarity function external prior knowledge is used, e.g. WordNet, the retrieval system decreases its performance. The critical issues here are methods and conditions to integrate such knowledge. In this paper we propose kernel functions to add prior knowledge to learning algorithms for document classification. Such kernels use a term similarity measure based on the WordNet hierarchy. The kernel trick is used to implement such space in a balanced and statistically coherent way. Cross-validation results show the benefit of the approach for the Support Vector Machines when few training data is available.
Visualization of age-dependent circadian changes in autonomic drive on heart rhythm by network representation of RR-increments

A method is presented which is capable of detailed characterization of the transition probability structure of heart period rhythm. The method is applied to two parts of the Holter recordings, diurnal and nocturnal, of healthy individuals grouped according to their age and gender. It reveals and quantifies patterns of short-term dynamics. This geometrically oriented approach provides a plausible method for distinguishing between healthy and pathological variability.
Autism in inclusive education : the employment of TEACCH in a secondary school in Auckland, New Zealand : a case study

thinking leads teenagers to consider various points of view, do philosophical reasoning, consider a full range of prospects, and to use symbols related to abstract concepts logically in subjects such as algebra and science (Keating, 1990 cited by APA 2002:11; Weiten 2005:306: White, Hayes & Livesey 2005:139). This leaves out the autistic adolescents who are mainly concerned with details, rather than the big picture, and their concern with details explains why they are able to develop special talents and become trivia experts in specific areas (Sigelman & Rider 2006:462; Smith 2012:15). Owing to their inability to think flexibly, autistic learners have difficulties organising multiple pieces of information simultaneously to form concepts, and can be overwhelmed when presented with too much information to process. This is where the TEACCH approach helps the autistic learner break down concepts into manageable units. Unlike typically developing adolescents, most autistic adolescents lack theory of mind, display poor executive function, weak integrative abilities, or display other cognitive impairments which might have improved slightly or immensely (depending on the individual) owing to interventions (Sigelman & Rider 2006:187). Overreliance on the prompts and feedback of caregivers are significant contributors towards cognitive functioning, and core deficits in autistic learners’ social and communication skills (Hume, Loftin & Lantz 2009:1330). As new friendships in middle and high school are formed on the basis of interests, strengths and aspirations, autistic adolescents are at a more increased risk of alienation and school failure if their difficulties are not understood and addressed (APA 2002:13; Carter, et al. 2013:2). Hormonal changes and the increased demands of school can exacerbate learning disabilities for autistic adolescents. In addition, problems with processing verbal information or poor reasoning skills can drive them further from their peers. Mental development is an advancement of mental processes as a result of natural growth and environmental experience (Kozulin 1994:271). The average, ordinary adolescent often questions and analyses more extensively, while the autistic adolescent’s thinking is rigid. Professionals can educate parents about their role in fostering “normal” cognitive competencies and in engendering feelings of competence in their children. Research has found that feelings of competence in adolescents are directly linked to feeling emotionally close and accepted by parents (Ohannessian, Lerner, Lerner, & Eye, 1998 in APA 2002:12). These feelings might not be evident in autistic adolescents.
Niche-specific cognitive strategies: object memory interferes with spatial memory in the predatory bat Myotis nattereri

Related species with different diets are predicted to rely on different cognitive strategies: those best suited for locating available and appropriate foods. Here we tested two predictions of the niche-specific cognitive strategies hypothesis in bats, which suggests that predatory species should rely more on object memory than on spatial memory for finding food and that the opposite is true of frugivorous and nectivorous species. Specifically, we predicted that: (1) predatory bats would readily learn to associate shapes with palatable prey and (2) once bats had made such associations, these would interfere with their subsequent learning of a spatial memory task. We trained free-flying Myotis nattereri to approach palatable and unpalatable insect prey suspended below polystyrene objects. Experimentally naïve bats learned to associate different objects with palatable and unpalatable prey but performed no better than chance in a subsequent spatial memory experiment. Because experimental sequence was predicted to be of consequence, we introduced a second group of bats first to the spatial memory experiment. These bats learned to associate prey position with palatability. Control trials indicated that bats made their decisions based on information acquired through echolocation. Previous studies have shown that bat species that eat mainly nectar and fruit rely heavily on spatial memory, reflecting the relative consistency of distribution of fruit and nectar compared with insects. Our results support the niche-specific cognitive strategies hypothesis and suggest that for gleaning and clutter-resistant aerial hawking bats, learning to associate shape with food interferes with subsequent spatial memory learning.
Possible relationship between general and pregnancy-related anxiety during the first half of pregnancy and the birth process: a prospective cohort study

Objectives The rate of interventions during childbirth has increased dramatically during the last decades. Maternal anxiety might play a role in the progress of the labour process and interventions during labour. This study aimed to identify associations between anxiety in the first half of pregnancy and the birth process, including any interventions required during labour. In addition, differences in the associations by parity and ethnicity were explored. Design Prospective cohort study. Setting Primary care midwifery practices and secondary/tertiary care obstetric practices in Amsterdam, participating in the multiethnic ABCD (Amsterdam Born Children and their Development) study (participation rate 96%; response 8266/12 373 (67%)). Participants Included were women with singletons, alive at labour start, with a gestational age ≥24 weeks (n=6443). Independent variable General anxiety (State-Trait Anxiety Inventory state) and pregnancy-related anxiety (Pregnancy-Related Anxieties Questionnaire (PRAQ)) were self-reported in the first half of pregnancy. Outcomes Associations between both forms of anxiety and several indicators of the birth process were analysed. Subgroup analyses were performed for parity and ethnicity. Results The prevalence of high general anxiety (State-Trait Anxiety Inventory score ≥43) and pregnancy-related anxiety (PRAQ score ≥P90) were 30.9% and 11.0%, respectively. After adjustment, in nulliparae, both general anxiety and pregnancy-related anxiety were associated with pain relief and/or sedation (OR for general anxiety 1.23; 95% CI 1.02 to 1.48; OR for pregnancy-related anxiety 1.45; 95% CI 1.14 to 1.85). In multiparae, general anxiety was associated with induction of labour (OR 1.53; 95% CI 1.16 to 2.03) and pregnancy-related anxiety was associated with primary caesarean section (OR 1.66; 95% CI 1.02 to 2.70). Associations were largely similar for all ethnicities. Conclusions High levels of general and pregnancy-related anxiety in early pregnancy contribute modestly to more interventions during the birth process with similar associations between ethnic groups, but with some differences between nulliparae and multiparae.
Synthesis of orthogonal transcription-translation networks

Orthogonal, parallel and independent, systems are one key foundation for synthetic biology. The synthesis of orthogonal systems that are uncoupled from evolutionary constraints, and selectively abstracted from cellular regulation, is an emerging approach to making biology more amenable to engineering. Here, we combine orthogonal transcription by T7 RNA polymerase and translation by orthogonal ribosomes (O-ribosomes), creating an orthogonal gene expression pathway in Escherichia coli. We design and implement compact, orthogonal gene expression networks. In particular we focus on creating transcription–translation feed-forward loops (FFLs). The transcription–translation FFLs reported cannot be created by using the cells' gene expression machinery and introduce information-processing delays on the order of hours into gene expression. We refactor the rRNA operon, uncoupling the synthesis of the orthogonal 16S rRNA for the O-ribosome from the synthesis and processing of the rest of the rRNA operon, thereby defining a minimal module that can be added to the cell for O-ribosome production. The minimal O-ribosome permits the rational alteration of the delay in an orthogonal gene expression FFL. Overall this work demonstrates that system-level dynamic properties are amenable to rational manipulation and design in orthogonal systems. In the future this system may be further evolved and tuned to provide a spectrum of tailored dynamics in gene expression and investigate the effects of delays in cellular decision-making processes.
The Physiology and Pathophysiology of the Hyperbaric and Diving Environments Selective vulnerability of the inner ear to decompression sickness in divers with right-to-left shunt : the role of tissue gas supersaturation

Mitchell SJ, Doolette DJ. Selective vulnerability of the inner ear to decompression sickness in divers with right-to-left shunt: the role of tissue gas supersaturation. J Appl Physiol 106: 298–301, 2009. First published September 18, 2008; doi:10.1152/japplphysiol.90915. 2008. — Inner ear decompression sickness has been strongly associated with the presence of right-to-left shunts. The implied involvement of intravascular bubbles shunted from venous to arterial circulations is inconsistent with the frequent absence of cerebral symptoms in these cases. If arterial bubbles reach the labyrinthine artery, they must also be distributing widely in the brain. This discrepancy could be explained by slower inert gas washout from the inner ear after diving and the consequent tendency for arterial bubbles entering this supersaturated territory to grow because of inward diffusion of gas. Published models for inner ear and brain inert gas kinetics were used to predict tissue gas tensions after an air dive to 4 atm absolute for 25 min. The models predict half-times for nitrogen washout of 8.8 min and 1.2 min for the inner ear and brain, respectively. The inner ear remains supersaturated with nitrogen for longer after diving than the brain, and in the simulated dive, for a period that corresponds with the latency of typical cases. It is therefore plausible that prolonged inner ear inert gas supersaturation contributes to the selective vulnerability of the inner ear to short latency decompression sickness in divers with right-to-left shunt.
Role of Non-conventional T Lymphocytes in Respiratory Infections: The Case of the Pneumococcus

Non-conventional T lymphocytes constitute a special arm of the immune system and act as sentinels against pathogens at mucosal surfaces. These non-conventional T cells (including mucosal-associated invariant T [MAIT] cells, gamma delta [γδ] T cells, and natural killer T [NKT] cells) display several innate cell-like features and are rapidly activated by the recognition of conserved, stress-induced, self, and microbial ligands. Here, we review the role of non-conventional T cells during respiratory infections, with a particular focus on the encapsulated extracellular pathogen Streptococcus pneumoniae, the leading cause of bacterial pneumonia worldwide. We consider whether MAIT cells, γδ T cells, and NKT cells might offer opportunities for preventing and/or treating human pneumococcus infections.
Post-stroke dysphagia: A review and design considerations for future trials

Post-stroke dysphagia (a difficulty in swallowing after a stroke) is a common and expensive complication of acute stroke and is associated with increased mortality, morbidity, and institutionalization due in part to aspiration, pneumonia, and malnutrition. Although most patients recover swallowing spontaneously, a significant minority still have dysphagia at six months. Although multiple advances have been made in the hyperacute treatment of stroke and secondary prevention, the management of dysphagia post-stroke remains a neglected area of research, and its optimal management, including diagnosis, investigation and treatment, have still to be defined.
Insight in Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP): A study of Intra-individual awareness

Deficits in awareness challenge patient's health and safety and can decrease not only the patient's quality of life but also that of the people around them (Rymer et al., 2002) Despite the frequency of awareness deficits in neurological diseases and its clinical relevance, the study of awareness in neurological conditions is still not fully understood. Moreover, it is not clear whether impaired awareness is a unitary concept or it can dissociate across different functional domains (Vasterling, Seltzer, Foss and Vanderbrook 1995). Due to the frontal pathology present in Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP), many patients suffer from awareness deficits. However, the study of awareness in PSP has only recently been studied (O'Keeffe, et al., 2007). Following O'Keeffe et al's (2007) multidimensional approach to awareness, the present study examines differences in awareness types (metacognitive, anticipatory and emergent awareness), the specificity of awareness deficits across cognitive domains and the effects of mood on awareness estimations across PSP patients, their primary carers and a group of controls. Results show that PSP patients have a specific pattern of awareness with not only general differences between emergent, anticipatory and metacognitive awareness (emergent being better than anticipatory and metacognitive awareness), but also domain-specific differences across different cognitive areas (with patients making more mistakes in executive tests than in any other types of tests). Moreover, the study also shows that the estimations made by the primary carers on the patients' as well as on their own performance are inaccurate.
A User Generated Key-based MKGA Mechanism for Authenticating Transmitted Messages

It is commonly believed that every cryptographic algorithm can be broken, however the complexity of the utilized algorithm and the generated key(s) strength can makes the attack tougher or futile. In an initial work, a novel multifactor key generation algorithm (MKGA) was developed that incorporates the strengths of textual passwords, graphical passwords and fingerprint biometric to dynamically generate and regenerate the private key(s) of user as required by the hosting systems. MKGA generates a two-way cryptographic key that has the ability to generate and regenerate several private keys utilize for users authentication into computer systems. The focus of this paper, and an important part of MKGA capabilities, is authenticating transmitted messages. The message authentication mechanism employed by MKGA operates by means of users generated keys to encrypt transmitted messages prior to submissions and decrypt received messages to derive the plaintext messages. A presentation is made of the messages authentication fragment of MKGA and a cryptanalysis experimentation involving brute force attack was performed to measure its performance with three prime key generated models from the domain of alphanumeric codes, graphical systems and biometric systems using the same stream of message bits transmitted through a network. KeywordsCryptography, Security, Privacy, Public Key, Private Key.
The World's Most Isolated and Distinct Whale Population? Humpback Whales of the Arabian Sea

A clear understanding of population structure is essential for assessing conservation status and implementing management strategies. A small, non-migratory population of humpback whales in the Arabian Sea is classified as “Endangered” on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, an assessment constrained by a lack of data, including limited understanding of its relationship to other populations. We analysed 11 microsatellite markers and mitochondrial DNA sequences extracted from 67 Arabian Sea humpback whale tissue samples and compared them to equivalent datasets from the Southern Hemisphere and North Pacific. Results show that the Arabian Sea population is highly distinct; estimates of gene flow and divergence times suggest a Southern Indian Ocean origin but indicate that it has been isolated for approximately 70,000 years, remarkable for a species that is typically highly migratory. Genetic diversity values are significantly lower than those obtained for Southern Hemisphere populations and signatures of ancient and recent genetic bottlenecks were identified. Our findings suggest this is the world's most isolated humpback whale population, which, when combined with low population abundance estimates and anthropogenic threats, raises concern for its survival. We recommend an amendment of the status of the population to “Critically Endangered” on the IUCN Red List.