Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Experiential Cognitive Therapy in the Treatment of Panic Disorders with Agoraphobia: A Controlled Study

The use of a multicomponent cognitive-behavioral treatment strategy for panic disorder with agoraphobia is actually one of the preferred therapeutic approaches for this disturbance. This method involves a mixture of cognitive and behavioral techniques that are intended to help patients identify and modify their dysfunctional anxiety-related thoughts, beliefs and behavior. The paper presents a new treatment protocol for Panic Disorder and Agoraphobia, named Experiential-Cognitive Therapy (ECT) that integrates the use of virtual reality (VR) in a multicomponent cognitive-behavioral treatment strategy. The VR software used for the trial is freely downloadable: www.cyberpsychology. info/try.htm. Moreover, the paper presents the result of a controlled study involving 12 consecutive patients aged 35-53. The selected subjects were randomly divided in three groups: ECT group, that experienced the Cognitive Behavioral Therapy-Virtual Reality assisted treatment (eight sessions), a CBT group that experienced the traditional Cognitive Behavioral approach (12 sessions) and a waiting list control group. The data showed that both CBT and ECT could significantly reduce the number of panic attacks, the level of depression and both state and trait anxiety. However, ECT procured these results using 33% fewer sessions than CBT. This datum suggests that ECT could be better than CBT in relation to the "cost of administration," justifying the added use of VR equipment in the treatment of panic disorders.
Deciphering the aetiology of a mixed fungal infection by broad‐range PCR with sequencing and fluorescence in situ hybridisation

Simultaneous infections with multiple fungi may be misinterpreted as monomicrobial infections by current diagnostics with ramifications for the choice of antimicrobial agents that may impact patient outcomes. The application of molecular methods on tissue samples may be useful to decipher the aetiology of mixed fungal infections. We present a leukaemic patient who died from sepsis due to candidaemia. The postmortem examination documented fungal elements in lung tissue. Fungal DNA was amplified from the lung sample by broad‐range PCR assays targeting the 28S ribosomal RNA gene or the internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS‐2). Fluorescence in situ hybridisation (FISH) using differentially labelled fungal probes was applied on the tissue. Sequencing identified the PCR amplicons as Aspergillus fumigatus (28S assay) and Candida tropicalis (ITS‐2 assay). As a chromatogram suggested mixed amplicons, the Isentio ripseq® tool for in silico analysis was applied and confirmed the presence of both amplicons in the PCR products of both assays. FISH confirmed the presence of Aspergillus and Candida within the infectious process, a prerequisite for inferring a causal relationship with the infection. The combination of broad‐range PCR with sequence analysis and FISH applied on tissue samples is a powerful approach to identify the aetiology of invasive fungal infections, including mixed infections.
Description of Glaucomides bromelicola n. gen., n. sp. (Ciliophora, Tetrahymenida), a Macrostome Forming Inhabitant of Bromeliads (Bromeliaceae), Including Redescriptions of Glaucoma scintillans and G. reniformis

Glaucomides bromelicola n. gen., n. sp. is a tetrahymenid ciliate common in tank bromeliads of Central and South America. The new genus is characterized by having a kinety fragment along the left mouth margin, an unciliated dorsolateral area, a tetrahymenid silverline pattern, and the ability to produce macrostomes when bacterial food is depleted. I provide a detailed description of the microstome and the macrostome morph, using several morphological methods. This showed that G. bromelicola does not belong to the Glaucomidae, but to the Bromeliophryidae. However, various morphological traits are highly similar to those of Glaucoma reniformis and G. scintillans, which are thus redescribed and compared with G. bromelicola. Most differences are inconspicuous, showing that new tetrahymenids must be described very carefully. The morphological and molecular data suggest a common ancestor for Glaucoma and Glaucomides, both performing their own radiation, the former in ordinary limnetic habitats, the latter in tank bromeliads.
Flunixin meglumine in calves with natural bovine respiratory syncytial virus infection

Twenty-three calves (three to eight months of age) with serological evidence of bovine respiratory syncytial virus infection were used in this study. The calves originated from four herds with respiratory tract disease. In a double blind trial the calves were injected intravenously with either flunixin meglumine (2 mg/kg body weight) or with a placebo. The effect on the course of disease was measured using the PO2 in capillary blood samples from the ears of the calves and by the effect on body temperature and respiratory rate. Mean body temperature fell significantly in the flunixin meglumine treated group. Statistically significant differences were not found between the treated and control group during the seven-day examination period.
Comparison of the effects of intravenous methylprednisolone pulse versus oral prednisolone therapies on the first attack of minimal‐change nephrotic syndrome in adults

Aim: Minimal‐change nephrotic syndrome (MCNS) is characterized by a good response to corticosteroid, but a high incidence of relapse. We compared the effect of intravenous methylprednisolone pulse plus oral prednisolone therapy (pulse group) with that of conventional oral prednisolone alone therapy (oral group) on the responsiveness and relapse in the first attack of adult‐onset MCNS patients.
EVALUACIÓN DEL ESTADO DE RESISTENCIA DE AGENTES ETIOLÓGICOS DE MASTITIS CLÍNICA Y SUBCLÍNICA FRENTE A ALGUNOS ANTIMICROBIANOS UTILIZADOS EN HEMBRAS BOVINAS DEL MUNICIPIO DE SOTAQUIRÁ (BOYACÁ-COLOMBIA)

La mastitis se presenta en vacas en produccion o en periodo seco y es causada principalmente por bacterias. El tratamiento con antibacterianos suele ser eficaz, aunque las bacterias pueden desarrollar resistencia a algunos farmacos conduciendo a ineficacia. En el municipio de Sotaquira (Colombia), reconocido por su produccion de leche, no se han realizado estudios para identificar las bacterias causantes de mastitis, como tampoco la proporcion en la que se presenta la enfermedad o la existencia de resistencia de las bacterias. Por lo anterior, el objetivo de este trabajo fue evaluar la presencia de mastitis y los agentes causales de esta, las caracteristicas del ordeno y la presencia de resistencia a algunos antibacterianos. Se visitaron predios distribuidos en todo el Municipio, cuyos propietarios aceptaron participar en el estudio. Se evaluo la rutina de ordeno, se hizo un examen clinico de la glandula mamaria y valoracion fisica de la leche para el diagnostico de mastitis clinica y la prueba de mastitis California (CMT) para diagnosticar mastitis subclinica; se tomaron muestras de leche para identificacion bacteriana y las pruebas de sensibilidad. Del total de animales evaluados (N= 390), 153 tuvieron mastitis subclinica (40,4%) en grados 1, 2 y 3 (31; 36,6 y 31%, respectivamente); dos tuvieron cuartos atrofiados y dos mastitis clinica. Se aislaron Micrococcus spp, Escherichia coli , Klebsiella planticola, Streptococcus bovis , Staphylococcuss aprophyticus , Staphylococcus aureus, Coryne bacterium bovis y Sporolactobacillus spp. , entre otras. La mayoria de los microorganismos fueron resistentes a cefalotina y pe nicilina G. Por el contrario, 68% fueron sensibles a ceftriaxona y ciprofloxacina y 50% a amoxicilina. Setenta y cinco por ciento de los microorganismos fueron ligeramente sensibles a ampicilina . E. coli mostro resistencia a varios farmacos. Con los resultados de este estudio se comprueba la presencia de la enfermedad en los animales de la zona, pocos casos de mastitis clinica y niveles de resistencia considerables.
Machine Learning Techniques for the Analysis of High-Throughput DNA and RNA Sequencing Data

The identification of copy number variations in high-throughput DNA sequencing data and the detection of differential expression in RNA sequencing data are central topics in genetics and molecular biology. In these fields, new analysis methods should either enable researchers to investigate the data in a novel way that provides biologically relevant information, or have higher performance than previous methods, e.g. by yielding a lower false discovery rate and a lower false negative rate. This thesis describes two new methods, called “cn.MOPS” and “DEXUS”, for copy number detection in DNA sequencing data and identification of differentially expressed genes in RNA sequencing data, respectively. cn.MOPS outperformed all other methods with respect to false discovery rate and recall and is currently developing into a standard analysis tool for both genome and exome sequencing data. DEXUS enabled researchers for the first time to analyze RNA sequencing data even if the sample conditions are unknown, which is the case for many study designs. For study designs in which sample conditions are known, DEXUS outperformed in almost all settings all other methods with respect to the area under the ROC curve. Both methods are based on a probabilistic latent variable model. Model selection is done by maximizing the posterior with an expectation maximization (EM) algorithm. The EM algorithm makes model selection computationally efficient, such that the methods are fast enough to analyze huge amounts of data, which is an important criterion for bioinformatics methods. cn.MOPS and DEXUS are tested on a large number of benchmarking data sets and on many data sets with highly-relevant biological research questions, and there both algorithms provide excellent results.
Bacillus subtilis NhaC, an Na+/H+ Antiporter, Influences Expression of thephoPR Operon and Production of Alkaline Phosphatases

ABSTRACT When Bacillus subtilis is subjected to phosphate starvation, genes of the Pho regulon are either induced or repressed. Among those induced are genes encoding alkaline phosphatases (APases). A set of isogenic mutants, with a β-galactosidase gene transcriptionally fused to the inactivated target gene, was used to identify genes that influence the operation of the Pho regulon. One such gene was nhaC (previously yheL). In the absence of NhaC, growth and APase production were enhanced, while the production of other non-Pho-regulon secretory proteins (proteases and α-amylase) did not change. The influence of NhaC on growth, APase synthesis, and its own expression was dependent on the external Na+ concentration. Other monovalent cations such as Li+ or K+ had no effect. We propose a role for NhaC in the uptake of Na+. nhaC appears to be encoded by a monocistronic operon and, contrary to previous reports, is not in the same transcriptional unit as yheK, the gene immediately upstream. The increase in APase production was dependent on an active PhoR, the sensor kinase of the two-component system primarily responsible for controlling the Pho regulon. Transcriptional fusions showed that the phoPR operon and both phoA(encoding APaseA) and phoB (encoding APaseB) were hyperinduced in the absence of NhaC and repressed when this protein was overproduced. This suggests that NhaC effects APase production viaphoPR.
The usefulness of cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging in children with myocardial diseases.

BACKGROUND Cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging is a clinically proven and reliable diagnostic method for the assessment of morphology, function, and characteristics of myocardial tissue in patients with myocardial diseases. The use of gadolinium contrast agents has created new diagnostic possibilities for tissue characterisation in patients with suspected or known cardiomyopathy, myocarditis, and cardiac tumours. AIM To evaluate the usefulness of CMR in the diagnostic process in children with myocardial diseases and to compare the results of CMR and other non-invasive cardiovascular methods, including echocardiography. METHODS The study included 112 children, with an average age of 12 ± 4.64 years, with various forms of myocardial disease: 63 children with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), 9 with suspected myocarditis, 5 with history of myocarditis, 4 with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), 9 with suspected arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC), 6 with left ventricular non-compaction cardiomyopathy (LVNC), 9 with suspected restrictive cardiomyopathy (RCM) to be differentiated with constrictive pericarditis (CP), and 7 with cardiac tumours. RESULTS CMR confirmed the echocardiographic diagnosis of HCM in 92% of children and ruled it out in 8%, and in three children apical hypertrophy was found. CMR revealed the presence of myocardial fibrosis in 60% of patients with HCM. In 33% of children with clinically suspected myocarditis CMR confirmed this diagnosis, while in 44% of them DCM was recognised. Of the five children with a history of myocarditis, in one patient CMR performed 13 years after myocarditis revealed features of post-inflammatory DCM. In 75% of patients with the echocardiographic diagnosis of post-inflammatory DCM the result of CMR was consistent. CMR ruled out the presence of ARVC in 89% of children. Echocardiographic and CMR diagnosis of LVNC was consistent in 67% of children. CMR confirmed the clinical diagnosis of RCM in 63% of patients, and in one patient CP was recognised. CMR confirmed the presence of cardiac tumour in 57% of children and excluded it in 43% of patients. CONCLUSIONS CMR is increasingly recognised as an important tool in the investigation of myocardial disease and should be part of routine clinical work-up. CMR provides an additional diagnostic technique to assess the presence or exclusion of an active myocarditis. In children with clinical and echocardiographic suspicion of LVNC, ARVC, RCM, CP, and cardiac tumours CMR can conclusively confirm the presence of the disease.
Adrenal Renin is Localized in Lysosomal Granules

Both renin and cathepsin B were co‐localized in identical granules of adrenocortical cells. At day 16 of gestation, many renin‐containing granules were observed and gold particles showed homogeneous intragranular distribution; whereas, those for cathepsin B was distributed heterogene‐ously. At day 18 of gestation, renin immunoreactivity was decreased or undetectable, whereas cathepsin B was still demonstrated at the same level as on day 16 of gestation.
Pharmacokinetics of Saquinavir-SGC in HIV-Infected Pregnant Women

Abstract Purpose: To evaluate saquinavir (SQV) pharmacokinetics, tolerance, and safety in 10 HIV-infected pregnant women between 14-32 weeks gestation. Method: This was a phase I, prospective, area-under-the-curve (AUC) targeted study. Antepartum treatment consisted of SQV 1200 mg tid, lamivudine 150 mg bid, and zidovudine 200 mg tid. The SQV targeted exposure was an 8-hour AUC (AUC8) of 3000 ng · h/mL; the study was to be halted if the first 4 participants did not achieve this AUC8. Cord blood and plasma samples were collected in neonates at birth. Results: Four women completed the SQV pharmacokinetic assessments. Exposure in all 4 patients was below the target AUC8. Median (range) AUC8 and trough (C8H) were 1672 (738-2614) ng · h/mL and 60 (<15-332) ng/mL, respectively. Oral clearance (CL/F) was 9.3 (5.1-16.6) L/h/kg and Cmax was 599 (177–953) ng/mL. Cord and neonate plasma concentrations were mostly undetectable; 1 of 5 infants was HIV-infected at 24 weeks. Conclusion: These data suggest highly variable SQV pharmacokinetics in pregnant women, and exposure at 1200 mg tid may not be adequate for longer term therapy; both the AUC8 and C8H were considerably below average. Because ritonavir has been shown to significantly increase SQV concentrations, this combination should be further explored in this population.
The impact of mesenchymal stem cell therapy in transplant rejection and tolerance

Purpose of reviewTreatment with classical immunosuppressive drugs is associated with low specificity leading to toxicity, infections and malignancies. Cell therapy is emerging as an alternative for the pharmacological therapies and among them mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) appear as a solid choice for the treatment of transplanted patients. The aim of the present review is to analyze the potency of MSCs cell therapy in solid organ transplantation. Recent findingsThe increasing knowledge on the role of newly identified cell types like the pro-inflammatory Th17 cells, tolerogenic dendritic cells, regulatory macrophages and regulatory B cells among others in alloreactivity widened our understanding of the immune responses in transplantation patients. Recent studies suggest that MSCs interact with those populations as well as with classically studied Th1 cells to reduce alloreactivity and potentially promote graft acceptance. SummaryMSCs are arising as an immunomodulatory and potentially pro-tolerogenic tool in cell therapeutic intervention in solid organ transplantation and could substitute or minimize current immunosuppressive treatments.
Qualitative Process Evaluation of a Community-Based Culturally Tailored Lifestyle Intervention for Underserved South Asians

Introduction. There are few examples of effective cardiovascular disease prevention interventions for South Asians (SAs). We describe the results of a process evaluation of the South Asian Heart Lifestyle Intervention for medically underserved SAs implemented at a community-based organization (CBO) using community-based participatory research methods and a randomized control design (n = 63). Method. Interviews were conducted with 23 intervention participants and 5 study staff using a semistructured interview guide focused on participant and staff perceptions about the intervention’s feasibility and efficacy. Data were thematically analyzed. Results. Intervention success was attributed to trusted CBO setting, culturally concordant study staff, and culturally tailored experiential activities. Participants said that these activities helped increase knowledge and behavior change. Some participants, especially men, found that self-monitoring with pedometers helped motivate increased physical activity. Participants said that the intervention could be strengthened by greater family involvement and by providing women-only exercise classes. Staff identified the need to reduce participant burden due to multicomponent intervention and agreed that the CBO needed greater financial resources to address participant barriers. Conclusion. Community-based delivery and cultural adaptation of an evidence-based lifestyle intervention were effective and essential components for reaching and retaining medically underserved SAs in a cardiovascular disease prevention intervention study.
Optimal switching time calculation in Predictive Torque Control

This paper presents an approach to include a variable switching time into basic Predictive Torque Control methods. Using a constant switching frequency, every second switching time is shifted aiming at the minimization of the torque ripple. The optimal switching time is derived analytically from the torque error function. The result is a simple equation which can easily be included in the prediction algorithm. The proposed method is compared with other approaches in simulation and experiment showing that it yields a significant reduction of torque ripple and mean torque error.
Electromechanical coupling coefficient k15 of polycrystalline ZnO films with the c-axes lie in the substrate plane

The (112macr0) textured polycrystalline ZnO films with a high shear mode electromechanical coupling coefficient k15 are obtained by sputter deposition. An overmoded resonator, a layered structure of metal electrode film/(112macr0) textured ZnO piezoelectric film/metal electrode film/silica glass substrate was used to characterize k15 by a resonant spectrum method. The (112macr0) textured ZnO piezoelectric films with excellent crystallite c-axis alignment showed an electromechanical coupling coefficient k15 of 0.24. This value was 92% of k15 value in single-crystal (k15 = 0.26)
Dynamic Chinese Text on a Single-Line Display: Effects of Presentation Mode

There are many technologies with which users must read text from small-screen electronic devices. So, understanding the constraints and optimization of humans' use of these devices is important. In the present study, the optimal ways to display Chinese text on a single-line display were explored. 64 Chinese-speaking Taiwanese undergraduates participated in a 4 × 2 mixed design in which the presentation mode was a between-subjects factor and the text difficulty was a within-subjects factor. Four presentation modes in which two presentation formats, i.e., leading and rapid serial visual presentation, combined with two text layouts, i.e., convention and Interword spacing, were investigated. Chinese texts of High Difficulty and Low Difficulty were compared. The results showed that the leading format with Interword spacing resulted in greater reading efficiency and faster preferred reading speed than other presentation modes. Although the reading efficiency and preferred reading speed for Low Difficulty materials were significantly greater than for High Difficulty materials, the interaction between the presentation mode and text difficulty was not significant. The applications for presenting moving Chinese text on a single-line display are briefly discussed.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy as an Adjunct Treatment to Light Therapy for Delayed Sleep Phase Disorder in Young Adults: A Randomized Controlled Feasibility Study

Delayed sleep phase disorder (DSPD) is common among young people, but there is still no evidence-based treatment available. In the present study, the feasibility of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) was evaluated as an additive treatment to light therapy (LT) in DSPD. A randomized controlled trial with participants aged 16 to 26 years received LT for two weeks followed by either four weeks of CBT or no treatment (NT). LT advanced sleep-wake rhythm in both groups. Comparing LT+CBT with LT+NT, no significant group differences were observed in the primary endpoints. Although anxiety and depression scores were low at pretreatment, they decreased significantly more in LT+CBT compared to LT+NT. The results are discussed and some suggestions are given for further studies.
PNP-eSCR ESD protection device with tunable trigger and holding voltage for high voltage applications

A novel ESD device (PNP with embedded SCR), with tunable VT1 and VH, is proposed for high voltage applications. Tuning is achieved through design and process options. The trigger mechanism is determined by the series connection of PNP(s) and diode. The holding voltage is determined by the eSCR and additional PNP(s).
Case Management: Steadfast Resource for Addressing Linkage to Care and Prevention With Hospitalized HIV-Infected Crack Users

Interviews were conducted among HIV-positive inpatients in Miami, Florida and Atlanta, Georgia, to examine whether having a case manager was associated with improved outcomes. The authors explored whether current use of a case manager was associated with unprotected sex, HIV care, use of antiretroviral medications, and referral to case management at time of diagnosis. Outcomes among patients who received case management were compared with those without a case manager. Participants with a current case manager were significantly more likely to take HIV medications, have obtained HIV care within the past 6 months, and have been referred to case management when first diagnosed. They were also significantly less likely to engage in unprotected sex within the last 6 months. Interventions that link HIV-positive patients with a case manager may improve HIV health-seeking behaviors and reduce sexual risk engagement, which may lead to improved clinical results.