Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Institutional care and iron deficiency increase ADHD symptomology and lower IQ 2.5-5 years post-adoption.

Increased ADHD symptomology and lower IQ have been reported in internationally adopted (IA) children compared to non-adopted peers (Hostinar, Stellern, Schaefer, Carlson & Gunnar, 2012; Kreppner, O'Connor & Rutter, 2001). However, it is unclear whether these outcomes are due to institutional deprivation specifically or to co-occurring micronutrient deficiencies that disrupt brain development (Fuglestad, Rao & Georgieff, 2008b). In this study, IA children were compared to children raised in their biological families to examine differences in ADHD symptomology and IQ 2.5-5 years post-adoption and to assess the contributions of iron deficiency (ID) and duration of deprivation to these cognitive outcomes. ADHD symptoms (parent- and experimenter-reported) and IQ were evaluated in 88 IA (M = 62.1 months, SD = 2.4) and 35 non-adopted children (M = 61.4 months, SD = 1.6). IA children were assessed 29-64 months post-adoption (M = 41.9 months, SD = 10.2). ID was assessed during the initial post-adoption medical visit in 69 children, and children were classified into four groups by iron status, ranging from normal to ID anemia (most severe). IA children had greater ADHD symptomology, p < . 01, and lower IQ, p = . 001, than non-adopted children. Within the IA group, children with more severe ID at adoption had greater ADHD symptomology, r(69) = 0.40, p = . 001, and lower IQ, r(68) = -0.28, p < . 05. Duration of institutional care was positively correlated with ADHD symptoms, r(86) = . 28, p < . 01, but not IQ, r(85) = -. 08, p = . 52. Longitudinal results indicate improvement in IQ from 12 months post-adoption to age 5 for children with greater ID severity at adoption and longer duration of institutional care but no improvement in ADHD symptoms. These results signify continuing effects of early deprivation and ID on ADHD symptoms and IQ years after adoption. A video abstract of this article can be viewed at http://www.youtube. com/watch? v=vUFDAS3DD1c.
Inotuzumab ozogamicin in the treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia

ABSTRACT Over 90% of leukemic blasts in patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia express the marker CD22. Inotuzumab ozogamicin (INO) is a CD22-directed humanized monoclonal antibody conjugated to the potent cytotoxin, calicheamicin, via an acid labile linker. INO has shown high rates of response in the treatment of relapsed and refractory (R/R) ALL in single-agent studies, with fewer adverse effects than traditional cytotoxic chemotherapy. Given this experience, studies are now being done to evaluate INO in combination with low-intensity chemotherapy as frontline treatment for older adults with ALL and patients with R/R disease. Herein we will discuss the use of INO in the treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
General versus spinal anaesthesia for elective caesarean sections: effects on neonatal short-term outcome. A prospective randomised study

Objective. To compare neonatal short-term outcome in patients who underwent spinal, general anaesthesia and conversion from spinal to general anaesthesia. Methods. One hundred seventy-nine pregnant women undergoing elective caesarean section were allocated randomly to general (n = 89) or spinal anaesthesia (n = 90) and compared with 63 patients who required conversion to general anaesthesia. Umbilical cord artery pH, Apgar score as well as its individual parameter and need for assisted ventilation were evaluated. Results. No differences were found in pH values (p = 0.35), while the need for assisted ventilation differed significantly (p = 0.001). The rate of depressed newborns was 1.1% in the spinal group, 25.9% in the general group and 12.7% in the conversion group with a significant difference for all comparisons. At 5-min, all newborns were vigorous. At 1 min, a higher score for each parameter was found in spinal group with respect to general group, while ‘activity’, ‘grimace’ and ‘respiration’ showed a higher score in conversion group than in general group. At 5 min, a difference was found only for ‘activity’. Conclusions. All kinds of anaesthesia seem to be safe, but loco-regional blockade shows more advantages on the neonatal outcome also when a conversion is necessary.
Handling Convexity-Like Constraints in Variational Problems

We provide a general framework to construct finite-dimensional approximations of the space of convex functions, which also applies to the space of $c$-convex functions and to the space of support functions of convex bodies. We give precise estimates of the distance between the approximation space and the admissible set. This framework applies to the approximation of convex functions by piecewise-linear functions on a mesh of the domain and by other finite-dimensional spaces such as tensor-product splines. We show how these discretizations are well suited for the numerical solution of problems of calculus of variations under convexity constraints. Our implementation relies on proximal algorithms and can be easily parallelized, thus making it applicable to large-scale problems in dimension two and three. We illustrate the versatility and the efficiency of our approach on the numerical solution of three problems in calculus of variation: three-dimensional denoising, the principal agent problem, and optimizat.
A state-based technique for the summarization and recognition of gesture

We define a gesture to be a sequence of states in a measurement or configuration space. For a given gesture, these states are used to capture both the repeatability and variability evidenced in a training set of example trajectories. The states are positioned along a prototype of the gesture, and shaped such that they are narrow in the directions in which the ensemble of examples is tightly constrained, and wide in directions in which a great deal of variability is observed. We develop techniques for computing a prototype trajectory of an ensemble of trajectories, for defining configuration states along the prototype, and for recognizing gestures from an unsegmented, continuous stream of sensor data. The approach is illustrated by application to a range of gesture-related sensory data: the two-dimensional movements of a mouse input device, the movement of the hand measured by a magnetic spatial position and orientation sensor, and, lastly, the changing eigenvector projection coefficients computed from an image sequence. <<ETX>>
Caregiver Talk and Medical Risk as Predictors of Language Outcomes in Full Term and Preterm Toddlers.

This study examined associations between caregiver talk and language skills in full term (FT) and preterm (PT) children (n = 97). All-day recordings of caregiver-child interactions revealed striking similarities in amount of caregiver talk heard by FT and PT children. Children who heard more caregiver talk at 16 months demonstrated better knowledge- and processing-based language skills at 18 months. The unique contributions of caregiver talk were tempered by medical risk in PT children, especially for processing speed. However, there was no evidence that birth status or medical risk moderated the effects of caregiver talk. These findings highlight the role of caregiver talk in shaping language outcomes in FT and PT children and offer insights into links between neurodevelopmental risk and caregiver-child engagement.
Chronic arthritis and carpo:metacarpal ratio in Japanese patients with adult Still's disease.

OBJECTIVE To characterize Japanese patients having adult Still's disease (ASD) with chronic arthritis (> 6 months) and to examine the association of chronic arthritis with carpo:metacarpal ratio (CMC ratio), an index of radiographic progression in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). METHODS Twenty-seven patients with ASD (16 women and 11 men, mean age at disease onset 27.7 years) were classified into 2 groups: patients with (chronic articular ASD, 16 patients, 59%) or without (systemic ASD, 11 patients, 41%) chronic arthritis. Clinical and laboratory findings were compared between both groups. CMC ratio was calculated on serial hand radiographs in patients with chronic articular ASD. RESULTS In our series, serositis was rarely observed in chronic articular ASD. Peripheral arthritis (including transient arthritis), such as metacarpophalangeal, proximal interphalangeal, or ankle joint, was more frequently observed in chronic articular ASD than in systemic ASD (p < 0.05). Wrist arthritis was frequently observed also in systemic ASD; however, joint space narrowing of carpometacarpal or intercarpal joints was recognized only in chronic articular ASD (44%). CMC ratio at the last observation in 14 patients with chronic articular ASD was significantly decreased (0.526 +/- 0.039) compared to that at disease onset (0.553 +/- 0.034) (p < 0.05), while no decrease was observed in 4 with systemic ASD (0.565 +/- 0.062 at disease onset, 0.563 +/- 0.043 at the last observation). CONCLUSION It is suggested that chronic articular ASD has certain characteristics. CMC ratio may be a quantitative index for assessment of radiographic changes of carpal joints, not only in RA but also in chronic articular ASD.
Feasibility of Contactless Pulse Rate Monitoring of Neonates using Google Glass

In neonatal intensive care units in hospitals, vital signs of neonates are monitored continuously using wired sensors. However, these wired sensors introduce skin irritations, pain, discomfort and sleep disruptions for the neonates. State of the art camera-based vital sign algorithms are becoming popular as a solution to these issues. However, there are limited investigations into the feasibility of monitoring the neonates in a clinical setting with these algorithms. Also, recent emergence of a wide variety of wearable head-mounted devices, like Google Glass, enable vital sign monitoring to be ubiquitous. Again, feasibility of the use of such a device for vital sign monitoring is unknown. This paper investigates both the feasibility of using a camera-based algorithm for pulse rate monitoring of neonates in a clinical setting and the feasibility of using Google Glass for such pulse rate monitoring. The results of our research show under what conditions the monitoring of the pulse rate of neonates would be reliable and highlights the challenging conditions. Also, they give insights into the applicability of a Google Glass prototype for pulse rate monitoring and it’s current limitations.
Technology acceptance model for wireless Internet

Wireless Internet via mobile devices (WIMD) is leading the world into another spectrum of communications and means of conducting day‐to‐day business and life activities. Full bloom of wireless Internet services depends on user acceptance, as well as technology improvement. This paper develops a technology acceptance model for wireless Internet via mobile devices (TAM for wireless Internet), a conceptual framework to explain the factors influencing user acceptance of WIMD. By revising the technology acceptance model (TAM) to represent some unique features of the wireless system under study, TAM for wireless Internet proposes that constructs such as individual differences, technology complexity, facilitating conditions, social influences, and wireless trust environment determine user‐perceived short and long‐term usefulness, and ease of using WIMD. These, in turn, determine user intention and willingness to adopt WIMD. Twelve propositions are developed to promote and facilitate future empirical research relating to WIMD.
Sex, cough and (digital) audiotape

Cough is among the most common complaints for which medical attention is sought1 yet, historically, despite its significance as a health issue worldwide, cough has been under-represented in terms of basic and clinical research efforts aimed at understanding its mechanisms and developing effective therapeutic agents. Thankfully, the past decade has witnessed an emergence of interest in cough within the scientific community. Highlighting the perceived importance of cough as a clinical problem, no less than five major pulmonary societies have published guidelines addressing the management of cough: the European Respiratory Society,2 the German Respiratory Society,3 the American College of Chest Physicians,4 the British Thoracic Society5 and the Japanese Respiratory Society.6 In addition, a task force of the European Respiratory Society published the first ever guidelines on the assessment of cough,7 aimed at promoting and improving the quality of cough-related research. Furthermore, the discovery of several pharmacological receptors relevant to the cough reflex—such as TRPV1,8 NOP19 and cannabinoid receptors10—has stimulated numerous investigative programmes within the pharmaceutical industry. Research efforts in cough …
Uniform-related infection control practices of dental students

Background Uniform-related infection control practices are sometimes overlooked and underemphasized. In Saudi Arabia, personal protective equipment must meet global standards for infection control, but the country’s Islamic legislature also needs to be taken into account. Aim To assess uniform-related infection control practices of a group of dental students in a dental school in Saudi Arabia and compare the results with existing literature related to cross-contamination through uniforms in the dental field. Method A questionnaire was formulated and distributed to dental students at King Abdulaziz University Faculty of Dentistry in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, which queried the students about their uniform-related infection control practices and their methods and frequency of laundering and sanitizing their uniforms, footwear, and name tags. Results There is a significant difference between genders with regard to daily uniform habits. The frequency of uniform washing was below the standard and almost 30% of students were not aware of how their uniforms are washed. Added to this, there is no consensus on a unified uniform for male and female students. Conclusion Information on preventing cross-contamination through wearing uniforms must be supplied, reinforced, and emphasized while taking into consideration the cultural needs of the Saudi society.
pH during non-synaptic epileptiform activity—computational simulations

The excitability of neuronal networks is strongly modulated by changes in pH. The origin of these changes, however, is still under debate. The high complexity of neural systems justifies the use of computational simulation to investigate mechanisms that are possibly involved. Simulated neuronal activity includes non-synaptic epileptiform events (NEA) induced in hippocampal slices perfused with high-K+ and zero-Ca2+, therefore in the absence of the synaptic circuitry. A network of functional units composes the NEA model. Each functional unit represents one interface of neuronal/extracellular space/glial segments. Each interface contains transmembrane ionic transports, such as ionic channels, cotransporters, exchangers and pumps. Neuronal interconnections are mediated by gap-junctions, electric field effects and extracellular ionic fluctuations modulated by extracellular electrodiffusion. Mechanisms investigated are those that change intracellular and extracellular ionic concentrations and are able to affect [H+]. Our simulations suggest that the intense fluctuations in intra and extracellular concentrations of Na+, K+ and Cl− that accompany NEA are able to affect the combined action of the Na+/H+ exchanger (NHE), HCO 3 − ? > /Cl− exchanger (HCE), H+ pump and the catalytic activity of intra and extracellular carbonic anhydrase. Cellular volume changes and extracellular electrodiffusion are responsible for modulating pH.
Expanding the Genetic Toolbox for Leptospira Species by Generation of Fluorescent Bacteria

ABSTRACT Our knowledge of the genetics and molecular basis of the pathogenesis associated with Leptospira, in comparison to those of other bacterial species, is very limited. An improved understanding of pathogenic mechanisms requires reliable genetic tools for functional genetic analysis. Here, we report the expression of gfp and mRFP1 genes under the control of constitutive spirochetal promoters in both saprophytic and pathogenic Leptospira strains. We were able to reliably measure the fluorescence of Leptospira by fluorescence microscopy and a fluorometric microplate reader-based assay. We showed that the expression of the gfp gene had no significant effects on growth in vivo and pathogenicity in L. interrogans. We constructed an expression vector for L. biflexa that contains the lacI repressor, an inducible lac promoter, and gfp as the reporter, demonstrating that the lac system is functional in Leptospira. Green fluorescent protein (GFP) expression was induced by the addition of isopropyl-β-d-thiogalactopyranoside (IPTG) in L. biflexa transformants harboring the expression vector. Finally, we showed that GFP can be used as a reporter to assess promoter activity in different environmental conditions. These results may facilitate further advances for studying the genetics of Leptospira spp.
Myeloma cell‐induced disruption of bone remodelling compartments leads to osteolytic lesions and generation of osteoclast‐myeloma hybrid cells

Osteolytic lesions are a hallmark of multiple myeloma. They are due to the hyperactivity of bone resorbing osteoclasts and hypoactivity of bone forming osteoblasts, in response to neighbouring myeloma cells. This study identified a structure that deeply affects this response, because of its impact on the physical organisation of the myeloma cell microenvironment. The proximity between myeloma cells and osteoclasts or osteoblasts was shown to be conditioned by the recently discovered layer of flat cells that separates the osteoclasts and osteoblasts from the bone marrow, by forming a canopy over bone remodelling compartment (BRC). These canopies are frequently disrupted in myeloma, and this disruption correlates with increased proximity and density of myeloma cells. In vitro evidence indicates that this disruption may be due to direct contact between myeloma and BRC canopy cells. Importantly, this disruption and increased proximity and density of myeloma cells coincides with key myeloma‐induced bone events, such as osteolytic lesions, impaired bone formation despite increased bone resorption, and fusion of myeloma cells with osteoclasts thereby forming myeloma‐osteoclast hybrid cells. These findings strongly support a critical role of BRC canopies in myeloma‐induced bone disease. BRC canopies could therefore be considered as a new therapeutic target.
Effect of feeding starter containing butyrate salt on pre- and post-weaning performance of early or normally weaned calves

SUMMARY Two experiments were conducted to examine the influence of the starter supplemented with butyrate salts on the performance of Holstein calves. Twenty-three and thirty-five male calves were used in the Experiment I and II, respectively. Total duration of the experiments are 70 d (35 d preweaning and 35 d post-weaning) and 100 d (60 d pre-weaning and 40 d post-weaning), respectively. In both of the experiments, all calves were kept together with their dam and fed colostrum for the first 3 days after calving and then housed in calf hutches. Calves were fed individually whole milk (4 l/d) with two meals and starter diets ad libutum in pre-weaning period, while total mixed ration contained starter (60%) and alfalfa hay ground (40%) were used in post-weaning period. The starter diets contained 0 (without butyrate salt, CON), 1.5 g/kg sodium butyrate (NaB15), and 3.0 g/kg sodium butyrate (NaB30) in the experiment I, 0 (without butyrate salt, CON), 2.5 g/kg calcium butyrate (CaB25) and 5.0 g/kg calcium butyrate (CaB50) in the experiment II. Live weight, live weight gain and feed intake of calves were determined weekly in each experiment. Feeding starter containing NaB increased significantly (P< 0.05) live weight, live weight gain, and feed conversion efficiency of calves during pre-weaning period, but did not postweaning period. On the other hand, feeding starter supplemented with CaB did not affect performance of calves in both periods. The present results suggest that the inclusion of NaB in starter feeds could be recommended for calves in early weaning program.
Idursulfase for enzyme-replacement therapy in mucopolysaccharidosis II

Hunter syndrome (mucopolysaccharidosis II) is a rare, X-linked disorder caused by the missing or deficient lysosomal enzyme, iduronate-2-sulfatase, which leads to tissue and organ accumulation of glycosaminoglycans, resulting in multisystem dysfunction with death occurring most commonly in the first or second decade of life. Enzyme-replacement therapy with idursulfase (recombinant human iduronate-2-sulfatase) has been shown in a Phase II/III clinical trial to statistically significantly improve the primary end point – the sum of ranked changes in 6-min walking test distance and ranked changes in percentage predicted forced vital capacity compared with placebo – with the improvement being larger in the group treated with weekly doses compared with those treated every other week. Significant reductions in spleen and liver volume were also observed. Suspected hypersensitivity reactions were observed during the infusions in some patients, but were successfully managed, and no patients discontinued therapy. Idursulfase is now approved in the USA and EU and may offer the opportunity to affect the progression of Hunter disease in treated patients.
Microprogramming: Perspective and Status

The concept of microprogramming has been changing with the development of hardware technology to facilitate dynamic microprogramming and the development of software technology to facilitate user microprogramming. An examination of the status of microprogramming systems leads to a discussion of the design and implementation characteristics for both the hardware and software aspects of microprogramming. The concept of microprogrammability is introduced to measure the facility with which a user can microprogram a machine. Discussing and evaluating contemporary machines and software that have been developed to effect user microprogramming reveals a variety of designs and implementations but also indicates directions for future research and development. Describing some of the contemporary applications of microprogramming indicates the potential for exploiting microprogramming in many areas. A comprehensive list of references serves as a guide to details of microprogramming concepts and recent developments.
No association between tumour necrosis factor receptor type 2 gene polymorphism and rheumatoid arthritis severity: a comparison of the extremes of phenotypes.

OBJECTIVES To assess the association between the tumour necrosis factor receptor 2 (TNFR2) 196 M/R single-nucleotide polymorphism and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) severity by taking advantage of the extremes of phenotype that exist in arthritis. METHODS From the Leiden Early Arthritis Cohort (1700 patients), we selected patients who initially had the diagnosis of definite or probable RA according to the ACR criteria and developed complete remission (71 patients) or had the worst progression, to destructive disease (72 patients). A group of 135 healthy controls was included. The TNFR2 genotype was determined in these groups. RESULTS The extremes of phenotypes did not differ significantly in genotype distribution. No difference in genotype distribution between rheumatoid arthritis patients and healthy controls was observed. CONCLUSION Our study demonstrates that even by comparing the extremes of phenotypes no association between the TNFR2 genotype and disease severity can be detected in Caucasian patients with sporadic RA.