Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The adolescent outcome of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder treated with methylphenidate or methylphenidate combined with multimodal behaviour therapy: results of a naturalistic follow-up study.

OBJECTIVE Children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) who participated in a randomized clinical trial, which compared a brief intensive multimodal behaviour therapy combined with optimally titrated methylphenidate to optimally titrated methylphenidate alone (n = 45), were re-assessed at adolescence in a naturalistic follow-up 4.5 to 7.5 years after treatment. Also a matched normal control group was recruited (n = 23). METHODS Assessments at follow-up included diagnostic status, ADHD symptoms, oppositional and conduct behaviour, substance abuse symptoms and parenting stress. RESULTS Of the 24 adolescents participating in the follow-up study, 50% still met diagnostic criteria for ADHD. There were no significant differences between adolescents at follow-up and those lost for follow-up. At follow-up, adolescents in the combined treatment condition used significantly less medication than children in the methylphenidate condition; there were no other significant differences between the treatment conditions. The adolescents showed a significant decline in hyperactivity/impulsivity, oppositional and conduct disorder symptoms from post-test to follow-up. Only inattention symptoms increased from post-test to follow-up but not to pre-test levels. The adolescents originally diagnosed with ADHD fared significantly worse than the matched controls on all outcomes, except on conduct disorder and substance abuse symptoms. CONCLUSIONS Our study shows in adolescents, diagnosed with ADHD in childhood, age-dependent decline of ADHD symptoms, although they still fared significantly worse than matched normal controls. Implications of results are restricted by small samples size, and the results may be subject to chance findings and need replication before firm conclusions can be drawn.
Nonlinear adaptive control system design with asymptotically stable parameter estimation error

ABSTRACT The paper presents a new general method for nonlinear adaptive system design with asymptotic stability of the parameter estimation error. The advantages of the approach include asymptotic unknown parameter estimation without persistent excitation and capability to directly control the estimates transient response time. The method proposed modifies the basic parameter estimation dynamics designed via a known nonlinear adaptive control approach. The modification is based on the generalised prediction error, a priori constraints with a hierarchical parameter projection algorithm, and the stable data accumulation concepts. The data accumulation principle is the main tool for achieving asymptotic unknown parameter estimation. It relies on the parametric identifiability system property introduced. Necessary and sufficient conditions for exponential stability of the data accumulation dynamics are derived. The approach is applied in a nonlinear adaptive speed tracking vector control of a three-phase induction motor.
Anti‐melanogenic effects of Aster spathulifolius extract in UVB‐exposed C57BL/6J mice and B16F10 melanoma cells through the regulation of MAPK/ERK and AKT/GSK3β signalling

Pharmacological studies of Aster spathulifolius Maxim(AS) have demonstrated its anti‐allergy, anti‐viral and anti‐obesity effects, however, its anti‐melanogenic effects is still unclear. In this study, the effects of AS extract (ASE) on the inhibition of melanin synthesis were investigated in vitro and in vivo.
Dendritic Spine Hypoplasticity and Downregulation of Reelin and GABAergic Tone in Schizophrenia Vulnerability

In this review, we will first present a brief overview of the current understanding of: (a) the biology of reelin; (b) the putative reelin signaling pathways via integrin receptor stimulation; (c) the cytosolic adapter protein DAB1, which appears to be operative in the transduction of reelin's pleiotropic actions in embryonic, adolescent, and adult brain; (d) the regulation of GABAergic function, including some aspects of GABAergic system development; and (e) dendritic spine function and its role in the regulation of synaptic plasticity. We argue that a downregulation of reelin expression occurring in prefrontal cortex and in every brain structure of schizophrenia patients so far studied may be associated with a decrease in dendritic spine expression that in turn may provide an important reduction of cortical function as documented by the downregulation of glutamic acid decarboxylase67 (GAD67) expression, which might be secondary to a reduction of GABAergic axon terminals. This hypothesis is supported by a genetic mouse model of reelin haploinsufficiency that replicates the above-described dendritic and presynaptic GABAergic defects documented in schizophrenia brains.
High Prevalence of Depression amongst Mothers of Children with Asthma

Objective. To compare the prevalence of depression among mothers of children with asthma and mothers of children without asthma and to investigate the influence of severity and duration of childhood asthma on maternal depression. Method. A cross-sectional study including 80 mothers of children with asthma and 160 mothers of children without asthma who attended the pediatric outpatient clinics of a teaching hospital in Southern Brazil. The main outcome measure was the presence of depression in these mothers, measured by the Beck Depression Inventory. Results. The prevalence of depression was higher among mothers of asthmatic children compared with mothers of non-asthmatic children (43.8% vs. 17.5%, p < 0.001), with an adjusted prevalence ratio of 2.74 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.76–4.25). Mothers of children with persistent asthma had a higher prevalence of depression than mothers of children with intermittent asthma (62.8% vs. 21.6%, p < 0.001), with an adjusted prevalence ratio of 2.77 (95% CI: 1.46–5.27). No significant association was observed between duration of childhood asthma and maternal depression. Conclusion. Mothers of children with asthma have a higher prevalence of depression than mothers of children without asthma. The severity but not duration of childhood asthma is associated with maternal depression.
The love and death relationship between lactoferrin and bacteria

Lactoferrin (Lf) is a non-haem iron-chelating glycoprotein of 70-80 kDa that is part of the innate immune system and is present in body secretions of mammals, like bile, pancreatic juice, intestinal secretions, bronchoalveolar fluid, semen, vaginal secretions, tears, and saliva [1]. In bovine colostrum, lactoferrin is present in high concentration (1 a 2 mg/mL) and in mature milk in lower concentration (0.1-0.3 mg/mL) [2,3]; Lf is part of the protection to the newborn. In addition, Lf is produced by the secondary granules of polymorphonuclear neutrophils, from which is released following activation in infection sites. The molecule consists of two lobes, each one with two domains, and each lobe can bind one ferric-iron ion reversibly; the apo-form is iron-free (apo-Lf) whereas the holo-form binds one or two iron ions (holo-Lf) [4]. Interestingly, Lf has multiple functions: it is microbiostatic, by chelating the iron necessary for pathogens in fluids and mucosae; it possesses serine protease activity, affecting adhesins and the secretion system type III; Lf avoids biofilm formation; it is immunomodulator by decreasing the release of some interleukins and enhancing monocyte and natural killer cell cytotoxicity; Lf has microbicidal effect against bacteria, fungi and viruses; and it has been tested in combination with antibiotics to treat some infections in humans and animals [5-7]. Accepted on April 15, 2017
ADAPTIVE ALGORITHM FOR ROUTING AND PLACEMENT IN FPGA

The design of the placement and routing for an FPGA (whether it’s a traditional or coarse grained field programmable gate arrays) is very important process, requiring the care about the flexibility with silicon efficiency. With the motivation growing towards embedding FPGAs into SoC (system on chip) designs, final requirements for the FPGA architectures becomes more critical. The identification of a routing channel requires determining the number of routing paths (tracks), the length of the segments in those paths, and the positioning of the breaks on the paths. We have developed an optimal algorithm to alleviate the routing and placement problem. This research focuses on the maximization of the flexibility and expandability to achieve the final placement with the convenient path(s) (routing). The optimal algorithm finds a solution provided the problem meets a number of restrictions such as busy or faulty path(s) in the routing process and applying the partial configuration to reduce the configuration time to achieve the required placement.
Are Standards and Regulations of Organic Farming Moving Away from Small Farmers' Knowledge?

ABSTRACT Organic farming is a promising agricultural method with positive effects on the human ecological and social environment. Governments have taken over a major role in defining organic farming by creating legal standards. Many countries all over the world have established a certification and accreditation system in order to protect the justified expectations of consumers with regard to processing and controlling the product quality of organic goods and to protecting producers from fraudulent trade practices. As they are relevant to international trade, these standards do not only influence the organic farming movement on the national level but also have a converse impact across national borders. Organic farming was established in a bottom-up process as farmers aimed to design sustainable ways of using natural resources. Farmers' traditional knowledge and their awareness of ecological, as well as, of social affairs was the main base for the development of organic farming. Since public interest in organic farming has grown rapidly, the ownership on the process of defining organic farming is no longer in the hands of farmers and the original principles and aims of the movement seem to be threatened by a bureaucratic view of “recipe”-organic farming. However, unsolved problems also exist between the necessities of global harmonization and the local adaptability of the standards on organic farming. This paper structures the current discussion and gives future prospects for further development.
Protective effect of exclusive breastfeeding against infections during infancy: a prospective study

Objective To prospectively investigate the effects of breastfeeding on the frequency and severity of infections in a well-defined infant population with adequate vaccination coverage and healthcare standards. Study design In a representative sample of 926 infants, successfully followed up for 12 months, feeding mode and all infectious episodes, including acute otitis media (AOM), acute respiratory infection (ARI), gastroenteritis, urinary tract infection, conjunctivitis and thrush, were recorded at 1, 3, 6, 9 and 12 months of life. Results Infants exclusively breastfed for 6 months, as per WHO recommendations, presented with fewer infectious episodes than their partially breastfed or non-breastfed peers and this protective effect persisted after adjustment for potential confounders for ARI (OR 0.58, 95% CI 0.36 to 0.92), AOM (OR 0.37, 95% CI 0.13 to 1.05) and thrush (OR 0.14, 95% CI 0.02 to 1.02). Prolonged exclusive breastfeeding was associated with fewer infectious episodes (rs=−0.07, p=0.019) and fewer admissions to hospital for infection (rs=−0.06, p=0.037) in the first year of life. Partial breastfeeding was not related to protective effect. Several confounding factors, including parental age and education, ethnicity, presence of other siblings, environmental tobacco smoke exposure and season of birth were demonstrated to have an effect on frequency of infections during infancy. Conclusions Findings from this large-scale prospective study in a well-defined infant population with adequate healthcare standards suggest that exclusive breastfeeding contributes to protection against common infections during infancy regarding and lessens the frequency and severity of infectious episodes. Partial breastfeeding did not seem to provide this protective effect.
Stability in controlling viral replication identifies long-term nonprogressors as a distinct subgroup among human immunodeficiency virus type 1-infected persons

Long-term nonprogressors (LTNPs) of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection are characterized by low levels of HIV-1 replication and viral load. However, it has not been established whether they differ in this regard from progressors from the very early stage of infection. By studying peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) specimens from a longitudinally monitored cohort of HIV-1-infected men, we found that HIV-1 proviral copy numbers and HIV-1 mRNA expression levels as low or lower than those seen in seven carefully selected LTNPs were commonly observed in specimens collected soon after seroconversion from 28 subjects who became infected while under observation. However, only the LTNPs were able to stably maintain such an efficient viral control over time. Because of the instability of the early control of HIV-1 replication, the predictive value of HIV-1 mRNA expression in PBMCs at postseroconversion was found to be limited but significantly increased during the first year of infection. Besides their diagnostic implications, these data support the idea that LTNPs may be a pathophysiologically distinct subgroup among persons infected with HIV-1.
Geometrical Positioning Schemes Based on Hybrid Lines of Position

To achieve more accurate measurements of the mobile station (MS) location, it is possible to integrate many kinds of measurements. In this paper we proposed several simpler methods that utilized time of arrival (TOA) at three base stations (BSs) and the angle of arrival (AOA) information at the serving BS to give location estimation of the MS in non-line-of-sight (NLOS) environments. From the viewpoint of geometric approach, for each a TOA value measured at any BS, one can generate a circle. Rather than applying the nonlinear circular lines of position (LOP), the proposed methods are much easier by using linear LOP to determine the MS. Numerical results demonstrate that the calculation time of using linear LOP is much less than employing circular LOP. Although the location precision of using linear LOP is only reduced slightly. However, the proposed efficient methods by using linear LOP can still provide precise solution of MS location and reduce the computational effort greatly. In addition, the proposed methods with less effort can mitigate the NLOS effect, simply by applying the weighted sum of the intersections between different linear LOP and the AOA line, without requiring priori knowledge of NLOS error statistics. Simulation results show that the proposed methods can always yield superior performance in comparison with Taylor series algorithm (TSA) and the hybrid lines of position algorithm (HLOP). key words: time of arrival (TOA), angle of arrival (AOA), non-line-of-sight (NLOS)
Low Frequency of Drug-Resistant Variants Selected by Long-Acting Rilpivirine in Macaques Infected with Simian Immunodeficiency Virus Containing HIV-1 Reverse Transcriptase

ABSTRACT Preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) using antiretroviral drugs is effective in reducing the risk of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection, but adherence to the PrEP regimen is needed. To improve adherence, a long-acting injectable formulation of the nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase (RT) inhibitor rilpivirine (RPV LA) has been developed. However, there are concerns that PrEP may select for drug-resistant mutations during preexisting or breakthrough infections, which could promote the spread of drug resistance and limit options for antiretroviral therapy. To address this concern, we administered RPV LA to macaques infected with simian immunodeficiency virus containing HIV-1 RT (RT-SHIV). Peak plasma RPV levels were equivalent to those reported in human trials and waned over time after dosing. RPV LA resulted in a 2-log decrease in plasma viremia, and the therapeutic effect was maintained for 15 weeks, until plasma drug concentrations dropped below 25 ng/ml. RT mutations E138G and E138Q were detected in single clones from plasma virus in separate animals only at one time point, and no resistance mutations were detected in viral RNA isolated from tissues. Wild-type and E138Q RT-SHIV displayed similar RPV susceptibilities in vitro, whereas E138G conferred 2-fold resistance to RPV. Overall, selection of RPV-resistant variants was rare in an RT-SHIV macaque model despite prolonged exposure to slowly decreasing RPV concentrations following injection of RPV LA.
Bursal lesions in chickens inoculated with Marek's disease vaccines.

The effects on the bursa of Fabricius (BF) of a herpesvirus, isolated from turkeys (HVT) and used as a vaccine in chickens for the prevention of Marek's disease (MD), were examined. In 25 HVT-vaccinated unchallenged chickens, histologic examination of the BF failed to reveal detectable lesions. Thirty-two of 33 nonHVT-vaccinated MDHV-challenged chickens had BF lesions, compared with 17 of 30 HVT-vaccinated MDHV-challenged chickens. The BF lesions observed were much less severe (0.5 on an arbitrary 0-to-3 scale) in the HVT-vaccinated MDHV-challenged group than in the unvaccinated MDHV-challenged group (2.2 on the same scale). The BF lesions observed were similar to those previously described in MDHV-infected chickens. Marked elevation of the serum gamma-globulin was observed at 7 weeks but not 4 or 8 weeks in HVT-vaccinated MDHV-challenged chickens.
Biofilms: The Stronghold of Legionella pneumophila

Legionellosis is mostly caused by Legionella pneumophila and is defined as a severe respiratory illness with a case fatality rate ranging from 5% to 80%. L. pneumophila is ubiquitous in natural and anthropogenic water systems. L. pneumophila is transmitted by inhalation of contaminated aerosols produced by a variety of devices. While L. pneumophila replicates within environmental protozoa, colonization and persistence in its natural environment are also mediated by biofilm formation and colonization within multispecies microbial communities. There is now evidence that some legionellosis outbreaks are correlated with the presence of biofilms. Thus, preventing biofilm formation appears as one of the strategies to reduce water system contamination. However, we lack information about the chemical and biophysical conditions, as well as the molecular mechanisms that allow the production of biofilms by L. pneumophila. Here, we discuss the molecular basis of biofilm formation by L. pneumophila and the roles of other microbial species in L. pneumophila biofilm colonization. In addition, we discuss the protective roles of biofilms against current L. pneumophila sanitation strategies along with the initial data available on the regulation of L. pneumophila biofilm formation.
Italian Corporate Governance: One American’s Perspective

In recent years, the topic of corporate governance has received a tremendous amount of attention in Italy. In 1992, the Bank of Italy began a major research project, the goal of which was to analyze the extent of the corporate governance problems facing Italian companies, both large and small. Following completion of that project, the Bank of Italy has continued to place the topic of corporate governance high on its research agenda. Corporate
Experimental glomerulonephritis induced by human IgG in rats.

Experimental immune complex glomerulonephritis was induced with human IgG (HIgG) in two strains of rats, Wistar-King-Aptekman (WKA) and spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). The rats were pre-immunized s.c. with 1 mg of HIgG in Freund's complete adjuvant, and 8 weeks later were given a daily i.v. 2 mg of HIgG injections for 4 weeks. Renal tissue, obtained at weekly intervals after the beginning of i.v. injections, was examined by light, immunofluorescence and electron microscopic tests. SHR developed an endocapillary proliferative glomerulonephritis with heavy proteinuria after the administration of HIgG for 4 weeks. They had massive depositions of HIgG, rat IgG, and rat C3 both in the mesangial area and along the capillary wall. On the other hand, in WKA rats, the proliferative lesions were scarcely seen and the immune deposits were observed almost exclusively in the mesangium. Moreover, urinary protein excretion of these rats was within normal range. In comparison with bovine serum albumin (BSA) nephritis in SHR, HIgG-induced glomerular lesion was relatively mild. This difference seemed attributable to the nature of the HIgG, such as its molecular weight and immunogenicity.
Active Sound Source Localization by Pinnae with Recursive Bayesian Estimation

Animals use two ears to localize the source of a sound, and this paper considers a robot system that localizes a sound source by using two microphones with active external reflectors that mimic movable pinnae. The body of the robot and the environment both affect the propagation of sound waves, which complicates mapping the acoustic cues to the source. The mapping may be multimodal, and the observed acoustic cues may lead to the incorrect estimation of the locations. In order to achieve sound source localization with such multimodal likelihoods, this paper presents a method for determining a configuration of active pinnae, which uses prior knowledge to optimize their location and orientation, and thus attenuates the effects of pseudopeaks in the observations. The observations are also adversely affected by noise in the sensor signals, and thus Bayesian inference approach to process them is further introduced. Results of experiments that validate the proposed method are also presented.
Evaluation of Adherence to Diabetic Treatment in Northern Region of United Arab Emirates

Purpose: To determine medication adherence and predictors of suboptimal adherence in patients with diabetes type 2, and to address the factors that are associated with treatment non-adherence in Northern Region of United Arab Emirates (UAE). Methods: This cross-sectional study involved 200 type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients randomly selected from outpatient clinics in Northern Region, UAE. Special questionnaire form have been prepared to assess the level of adherence then filled in through direct interviewing with the patients. The adherence level score was calculated based on total summation of items related to good adherence and accordingly participants’ scores of 90 % or more were considered adherent and who achieved less than 90 % were non-adherent. Results: Only 120 (60 %) of the patients were adherent. Factors that are associated with nonadherence were :age ≥ 50 (OR = 1.8, 95 % CI= 1.02 - 3.19), lower education level (OR = 0.17, 95 % CI = 0.09 - 0.31), lack of health insurance (OR = 21, 95 % CI = 9.62 - 45.85), forgetfulness (OR= 0.29, CI = 0.13 - 0.61), co-morbidities (OR = 0.24, 95 % CI = 0.11 - 0.51), > 6.5 % HbA1C (OR = 7.22,95 % CI = 3.69 - 14.14); longer time since last visit to clinic (OR = 14, 95 % CI = 6.52 - 30.04); increased medication cost (OR = 30, 95 % CI = 11.2 - 80.1); and unawareness (lack of awareness) of physician instructions (OR = 7.22, 95 % CI = 3.7 - 14.1). Conclusion: Adherence to diabetes treatment was quite poor among participants. Glycemic control could be improved through early identification and incentives for adherence behaviors which can be supported using a counseling approach of communication with the patients by healthcare professionals before applying any individual patient management plan. Keywords : Medication adherence, Type 2 diabetes, Antidiabetic, Predictors, United Arab Emirates