Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Development and psychometric properties of a neuropsychological battery for mild cognitive impairment with small vessel disease: the VMCI-Tuscany Study.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE Vascular cognitive impairment may have a selective neuropsychological profile. We developed a battery for assessing mild cognitive impairment (MCI) in patients with small vessel disease (SVD), its applicability, and psychometric properties. METHODS Among those proposed by the 2006 NINDS-CSN Consensus Conference, we selected tests for which norms based on healthy Italians and equivalent scores methodology were available. Confirmatory factor analysis was applied to ascertain the fit of the theoretically assumed dimensions to empirical data and to derive each cognitive dimension compound measures. RESULTS The entire battery was applied to 146 out of a cohort of 201 patients with MCI and SVD. Most tests showed good applicability. Fifty-five patients, who were older and cognitively more impaired, proved unable to complete the Trail Making Test part B, the Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure, and the Stroop test, and were excluded from the analysis. Among the remaining patients, Mini-Mental State Examination proved largely normal, while Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure, Symbol digit modalities test, and Trail Making Test part B were most frequently abnormal. Confirmatory factor analysis showed a good fit of the 4-factor theoretical model to empirical data. Praxis domain resulted in the highest percentage of abnormal performance (65%), followed by Memory and Attention/EF domains (19% and 15%), and Language (8%). CONCLUSIONS Our battery proved to be comprehensive, robust, and applicable. Attention-executive dysfunction and impaired memory and visuo-constructional abilities, were the prominent features. The assessment of the Consensus Conference, that included Trial Making Test, looks poorly applicable to older and cognitively impaired patients.
Limited success of HCV antiviral therapy in United States veterans

OBJECTIVE:The treatment of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in United States veterans has become a major task for the Veterans Administration Healthcare System. Although the comprehensive diagnosis and treatment of HCV-infected patients has been mandated, little is known about the performance characteristics of HCV clinics and about the outcomes of antiviral therapy in this unique patient population.METHODS:We retrospectively examined clinic show rates, treatment eligibility, and the response to antiviral therapy in a dedicated HCV outpatient clinic in a large urban Veterans Affairs medical center.RESULTS:Our data demonstrate that few veterans—regardless of their age or ethnic background—pursue evaluation and treatment of their HCV infection by hepatologists. A minority of those patients who undergo a comprehensive clinic evaluation meet the standard eligibility criteria for antiviral therapy. The overall efficacy of antiviral treatment, as measured by the sustained virological response rate, is substantially lower than previously reported in randomized clinical trials. HCV-infected veterans are characterized by a unique combination of risk factors that are predictive of a poor response to antiviral therapy, including a preponderance of male gender, HCV genotype I, age > 40 yr, and histologically advanced degrees of liver disease.CONCLUSIONS:Our study demonstrates the limitations of outpatient HCV treatment initiatives in the United States veteran population, and suggests that the overall impact of current HCV treatment programs may be small.
Measuring Organizational Climate at the Abilene-Taylor County Public Health District

The aim of this study was to answer the question, according to the Competing Values Framework, what is the organizational climate of the Abilene-Taylor County Public Health District (ATCPHD)? Organizational climate for this study refers to the collective perceptions of employees on their interactions with their peers, management, and the organization. This study surveyed the 64 employees at the ATCPHD with the Organizational Climate Measure (OCM). Forty employees participated in the study. The study determined that the climate of the ATCPHD, according to Competing Values Framework (CVF), was the Human Relations organizational climate with a secondary climate of Relational Goals. Having a Human Relations climate implies that the ATCPHD values the well-being of employees and strives to make employee satisfaction an end goal.
Chronic Visceral Ischemia: Symptom-Free Survival After Open Surgical Repair

A retrospective review of patients treated with a history of chronic visceral ischemia (CVI) was made to determine primary patency of open surgical repair and estimated symptom-free survival. Patients with CVI between 1990 and 2003 were reviewed. Included were those with chronic symptoms alone (C-CVI) and acute-on-chronic symptoms (A-CVI). Data were obtained from a vascular database. Symptom-free survival and graft patency were estimated by using product limit estimates. Fifty-eight patients (13 men, 45 women; mean age: 63 years) were treated surgically for C-CVI (34 patients) and A-CVI (24 patients). All patients had postprandial abdominal pain and weight loss (mean: 17 kg). One fourth reported food fear. Preoperative imaging demonstrated disease of the superior mesenteric artery (SMA) (100%; 64% occluded), celiac axis (89%; 37% occluded), and inferior mesenteric artery (IMA) (54%; 60% occluded). Multiple vessels were involved in 95% of patients (mean: 2.3 vessels/patient). Operative management included antegrade revascularization of 80 vessels. Combined aortic and/or renal procedures were performed in 7 patients. Patient demographics and visceral disease did not differ for C-CVI and A-CVI; however, perioperative mortality differed significantly (10% for C-CVI vs 54% for A-CVI [p<0.001]). Intestinal gangrene at presentation was associated with perioperative (hazard ratio [HR]: 7.6; 95% CI: 2.7–21.6; p=0.0002) and follow-up death (HR: 7.8; CI 2.8–21.9; p< 0.0001). Follow-up (mean: 34 months) was complete for 54/68 vessels (79%). Estimated primary and primary assisted patency at 5 years were 81% and 89% respectively. Estimated symptom-free survival for hospital survivors was 57% at 70 months. Open antegrade methods of visceral artery repair for CVI were durable and associated with 57% symptom-free survival at 70 months. Patient demographics and distribution of visceral artery anatomy were similar; however, perioperative mortality for C-CVI and A-CVI differed dramatically. Improved outcomes for A-CVI require recognition and treatment of CVI before onset of intestinal gangrene.
Local Economic Effects of Brexit

This paper studies local economic impacts of the increases in trade barriers associated with Brexit. Predictions of the local impact of Brexit are presented under two different scenarios, soft and hard Brexit, which are developed from a structural trade model. Average effects are predicted to be negative under both scenarios, and to be more negative under hard Brexit. The spatial variation in negative shocks across areas is higher in the latter case as some local areas are particularly specialised in sectors that are predicted to be badly hit by hard Brexit. Areas in the South of England, and urban areas, are harder hit by Brexit under both scenarios. Again, this pattern is explained by sector specialisation. Finally, the areas that were most likely to vote remain are those that are predicted to be most negatively impacted by Brexit
GLoop: an event-driven runtime for consolidating GPGPU applications

Graphics processing units (GPUs) have become an attractive platform for general-purpose computing (GPGPU) in various domains. Making GPUs a time-multiplexing resource is a key to consolidating GPGPU applications (apps) in multi-tenant cloud platforms. However, advanced GPGPU apps pose a new challenge for consolidation. Such highly functional GPGPU apps, referred to as GPU eaters, can easily monopolize a shared GPU and starve collocated GPGPU apps. This paper presents GLoop, which is a software runtime that enables us to consolidate GPGPU apps including GPU eaters. GLoop offers an event-driven programming model, which allows GLoop-based apps to inherit the GPU eaters' high functionality while proportionally scheduling them on a shared GPU in an isolated manner. We implemented a prototype of GLoop and ported eight GPU eaters on it. The experimental results demonstrate that our prototype successfully schedules the consolidated GPGPU apps on the basis of its scheduling policy and isolates resources among them.
Regulation of Monocarboxylic Acid Transporter 1 Trafficking by the Canonical Wnt/β-Catenin Pathway in Rat Brain Endothelial Cells Requires Cross-talk with Notch Signaling*

The transport of monocarboxylate fuels such as lactate, pyruvate, and ketone bodies across brain endothelial cells is mediated by monocarboxylic acid transporter 1 (MCT1). Although the canonical Wnt/β-catenin pathway is required for rodent blood-brain barrier development and for the expression of associated nutrient transporters, the role of this pathway in the regulation of brain endothelial MCT1 is unknown. Here we report expression of nine members of the frizzled receptor family by the RBE4 rat brain endothelial cell line. Furthermore, activation of the canonical Wnt/β-catenin pathway in RBE4 cells via nuclear β-catenin signaling with LiCl does not alter brain endothelial Mct1 mRNA but increases the amount of MCT1 transporter protein. Plasma membrane biotinylation studies and confocal microscopic examination of mCherry-tagged MCT1 indicate that increased transporter results from reduced MCT1 trafficking from the plasma membrane via the endosomal/lysosomal pathway and is facilitated by decreased MCT1 ubiquitination following LiCl treatment. Inhibition of the Notch pathway by the γ-secretase inhibitor N-[N-(3,5-difluorophenacetyl)-l-alanyl]-S-phenylglycine t-butyl ester negated the up-regulation of MCT1 by LiCl, demonstrating a cross-talk between the canonical Wnt/β-catenin and Notch pathways. Our results are important because they show, for the first time, the regulation of MCT1 in cerebrovascular endothelial cells by the multifunctional canonical Wnt/β-catenin and Notch signaling pathways.
The Vesicle-Forming 6K2 Protein of Turnip Mosaic Virus Interacts with the COPII Coatomer Sec24a for Viral Systemic Infection

ABSTRACT Positive-sense RNA viruses remodel host cell endomembranes to generate quasi-organelles known as “viral factories” to coordinate diverse viral processes, such as genome translation and replication. It is also becoming clear that enclosing viral RNA (vRNA) complexes within membranous structures is important for virus cell-to-cell spread throughout the host. In plant cells infected by turnip mosaic virus (TuMV), a member of the family Potyviridae, peripheral motile endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-derived viral vesicles are produced that carry the vRNA to plasmodesmata for delivery into adjacent noninfected cells. The viral protein 6K2 is responsible for the formation of these vesicles, but how 6K2 is involved in their biogenesis is unknown. We show here that 6K2 is associated with cellular membranes. Deletion mapping and site-directed mutagenesis experiments defined a soluble N-terminal 12-amino-acid stretch, in particular a potyviral highly conserved tryptophan residue and two lysine residues that were important for vesicle formation. When the tryptophan residue was changed into an alanine in the viral polyprotein, virus replication still took place, albeit at a reduced level, but cell-to-cell movement of the virus was abolished. Yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) two-hybrid and coimmunoprecipitation experiments showed that 6K2 interacted with Sec24a, a COPII coatomer component. Appropriately, TuMV systemic movement was delayed in an Arabidopsis thaliana mutant line defective in Sec24a. Intercellular movement of TuMV replication vesicles thus requires ER export of 6K2, which is mediated by the interaction of the N-terminal domain of the viral protein with Sec24a. IMPORTANCE Many plant viruses remodel the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) to generate vesicles that are associated with the virus replication complex. The viral protein 6K2 of turnip mosaic virus (TuMV) is known to induce ER-derived vesicles that contain vRNA as well as viral and host proteins required for vRNA synthesis. These vesicles not only sustain vRNA synthesis, they are also involved in the intercellular trafficking of vRNA. In this investigation, we found that the N-terminal soluble domain of 6K2 is required for ER export of the protein and for the formation of vesicles. ER export is not absolutely required for vRNA replication but is necessary for virus cell-to-cell movement. Furthermore, we found that 6K2 physically interacts with the COPII coatomer Sec24a and that an Arabidopsis thaliana mutant line with a defective Sec24a shows a delay in the systemic infection by TuMV.
Behaviour change and Pay-As-You-Drive insurance. Rewards, punishment, and persuasive information delivery

Pay-As-You-Drive insurance (PAYD) where insurance customers can be charged directly for when, where, and how they drive, is now possible thanks to modern telematics technology. PAYD addresses many problems with traditional insurance in terms of more fairly, and transparently, charging users for their driving behaviour and lessens the impacts of insurance on lower socioeconomic groups in particular (Adkins, 2004; Bordoff & Noel, 2008; Litman, 2005a; Litman, 2011). Indeed, some estimates of PAYD in the USA have suggested that if it was implemented two thirds of households would benefit, with savings of around $270 USD per car per year (Bordoff & Noel, 2008; Litman, 2011). However, PAYD insurance does not only have the potential to benefit individuals. Rather, it is estimated to have significant societal impacts, including possible reductions in mileage of up to 8-12% (Adkins, 2004; Balcombe et al., 2004; Bordoff & Noel, 2008; Harvey & Deakin, 1998; Litman, 2005a; Litman, 2011), which could then be associated with accident reductions of 12-18% (Litman, 2011). Furthermore, it is also estimated that even an 8% reduction in mileage would reduce CO2 emissions by 2% and petrol consumption by 4%. This reduction in petrol consumption would be equivalent to the effect of a $1 USD per gallon increase in the price of petrol (Bordoff & Noel, 2008). It is also estimated that PAYD insurance may reduce the profits of insurance companies (Adkins, 2004; Bordoff & Noel, 2008; Litman, 2011). It is therefore recommended that, due to the significant societal gains associated with PAYD insurance, governments examine what they can do to help encourage PAYD insurance despite the potential costs to insurance companies (Adkins, 2004; Bordoff & Noel, 2008; Litman, 2011).
Size and type of periampullary duodenal diverticula are associated with bile duct diameter and recurrence of bile duct stones

Periampullary diverticula (PAD) are not uncommon findings during endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography, but its clinical significance had not been established. To investigate the clinical characteristics associated with PAD and their relationships with the type and size of PAD in patients with common bile duct (CBD) stones was aimed.
PAIN CONTROL AFTER HYSTERECTOMY: AN OBSERVER‐BLIND, RANDOMISED TRIAL OF LORNOXICAM VERSUS TRAMADOL

SUMMARY This 24‐hour, randomised, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled study compared the efficacy and tolerability of intravenous injections of lornoxicam 4mg and 8mg with tramadol 50mg in 78 female patients aged 20‐65 years with moderate to intolerable postoperative pain following mainly hysterectomy. Patients who received lornoxicam 8mg had a significantly (p<0.05) longer time to first remedication than placebo recipients and tended to have a greater reduction in pain intensity and a longer time to withdrawal due to ‘non‐response’ than tramadol and placebo patients. Lornoxicam was well tolerated at both doses and was associated with a lower incidence of adverse events than tramadol. Thus, intravenous lornoxicam at a dose of 8mg is superior to placebo and at least as effective as intravenous tramadol 50mg in relieving moderate to intolerable post‐hysterectomy pain. Furthermore, lornoxicam seems to possess a more favourable tolerability profile than tramadol.
Computerized Neurocognitive Testing for the Management of Sport-Related Concussions

Objectives: To describe the prevalence of computerized neurocognitive testing for the assessment of high school athletes who sustain concussions, and to describe associations between using computerized neurocognitive tests, timing of return-to-play, and medical provider managing the athlete. Methods: Concussions recorded in the High School Reporting Information Online injury surveillance system during the 2009–2010 academic year were included. Measures of association between use of computerized neurocognitive testing and outcomes were analyzed. A questionnaire was sent to athletic trainers (ATs) querying the use of computerized neurocognitive testing. χ2 analyses were conducted for categorical variables. Logistic regression analyses were used to adjust for potential confounders. Statistical significance was set at P < . 05. Results: High School Reporting Information Online recorded 1056 concussions. Athletes who underwent computerized neurocognitive testing were less likely to be returned to play within 10 days of injury (38.5% vs 55.7%, P < .001) and more likely to be returned to play by a physician (60.9% vs 45.6%, P < .001). We had a response rate of 97.3% for the survey. Of respondents, 39.9% used computerized neurocognitive testing; 93.0% of those used ImPACT. Tests were most often interpreted by ATs (78.9%) and/or physicians (78.8%), as opposed to neuropsychologists (16.9%). Conclusions: Approximately 40% of US high schools that employ an AT use computerized neurocognitive tests when managing sport-related concussions. Tests are most often interpreted by ATs and physicians, as opposed to neuropsychologists. Computerized neurocognitive tests are significantly associated with the timing of return-to-play.
A Normative Study of the Accommodative Lag in Elementary School Children

ABSTRACT Limited normative information is available regarding the accommodative lag of elementary school children. The accommodative lag of approximately 100 children in each of the grades kindergarten to grade six was measured using the Monocular Estimate Method (MEM) of dynamic retinoscopy. Children were selected on the basis of passing school screening using Modified Clinical Technique (MCT) criteria. Habitual spectacle corrections were worn and MEM retinoscopy was performed at the child's usual working distance. The mean lag for the total population of children was OD +0.33 D (±0.35), OS +0.35 D (± 0.34). Scatter plots show a weak relation between MEM and the other variables; however, the one‐way analysis of variance of MEM against age and grade show that a dependency exists.
A novel highly compact dual-band branch-line coupler utilizing left and right-handed technique

A novel dual-band coupler is proposed by utilizing microstrip coupled transmission lines and entering into combination with complementary split ring resonator (CSRR). A lucid equivalent L-C circuit is synthesized and simulated for the analysis and the initial design of this proposed dual-band resonator. Additionally, a novel technique is introduced to shift the two pass bands towards the lower microwave frequencies, and subsequently, reduce the size of suchlike components. A dual-band microwave component is analyzed, designed and simulated by this technique. The simulated dual-band BLC demonstrated the merits which are mentioned as follows: a compact size more than that of the previous ones and a ratio of less than 2 for the two operating frequencies.
Vertical transmission of HIV in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

A cohort of 297 HIV-infected pregnant women was followed from January 1996 to December 2001. The overall transmission rate was 3.57% and remained constant over time. Low birth-weight was independently associated with a higher risk of vertical transmission (P=0.0072), whereas a longer duration of antiretroviral drugs during pregnancy was independently associated with a lower risk of transmission (P=0.0084). Further decreases in transmission should be obtained by initiating prophylaxis earlier in pregnancy.
Activation of Double-stranded RNA-activated Protein Kinase (PKR) by Interferon-stimulated Gene 15 (ISG15) Modification Down-regulates Protein Translation*

Background: Double-stranded RNA-activated protein kinase (PKR) is activated by virus-derived RNA and inhibits protein translation. Results: PKR is covalently modified by interferon-stimulated gene 15 (ISG15), and ISG15-PKR fusion protein is active without virus RNA. Conclusion: PKR is able to be activated by ISG15 modification. Significance: PKR might be an anti-tumor molecule by inhibiting protein translation in ISG15-positive cancer cells. The ubiquitin-like molecule ISG15 (UCRP) and protein modification by ISG15 (ISGylation) are strongly induced by interferon, genotoxic stress, and pathogen infection, suggesting that ISG15 plays an important role in innate immune responses. However, how ISGylation contributes to innate immune responses is not clear. The dsRNA-dependent protein kinase (PKR) inhibits translation by phosphorylating eIF2α to exert its anti-viral effect. ISG15 and PKR are induced by interferon, suggesting that a relationship exists between ISGylation and translational regulation. Here, we report that PKR is ISGylated at lysines 69 and 159. ISG15-modified PKR is active in the absence of virus infection and phosphorylates eIF2α to down-regulate protein translation. The present study describes a novel pathway for the activation of PKR and the regulation of protein translation.