Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Pain extent and diagnosis: development and validation of the regional pain scale in 12,799 patients with rheumatic disease.

OBJECTIVE To develop and validate a pain scale that measures the extent of body pain. METHODS A total of 12,799 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), osteoarthritis (OA), and fibromyalgia (FM) completed a mailed survey regarding the location and intensity of their pain in 38 articular and nonarticular regions. The data were analyzed using item response theory (IRT) by nonparametric Mokken analysis followed by Rasch analysis. The resultant scale was examined for its association with clinical severity variables and its ability to distinguish patients diagnosed with and without FM. RESULTS The resultant 19 item regional pain scale (RPS) was composed primarily of nonarticular regions. The scale had strong scalability as measured by the Mokken H statistic (H = 0.52), and satisfied the Mokken monotonicity and double monotonicity criteria. The RPS also fit the Rasch model and had satisfactory reliability and separation statistics. Of all clinical variables assessed by survey, the RPS best identified patients diagnosed with FM. In addition, the scale correlated with measures of clinical severity, regardless of diagnosis, and predicted measures of utilization. CONCLUSION The RPS is a valid scale of pain extent. It can be useful to identify patients with FM or can be used to develop a new definition of FM, even among patients with concomitant illnesses such as RA and OA. In addition, it is a measure of pain extent that is disease independent, and works as well in RA and OA as in FM to identify patients with increased severity and resource utilization.
Home-based palliative care: challenges in the care of technology-dependent children.

OBJECTIVES To conceptualize palliative care and its indications in Pediatrics; to describe the difficulties involved in the delivery of such care at home for technology-dependent children; and to analyze, from a bioethical perspective, the moral dilemmas of palliative care assistance. SOURCES A literature review of palliative care for technology-dependent children and a bioethical analysis of moral dilemmas. SUMMARY OF THE FINDINGS There are several obstacles to palliative care for technology-dependent children: structural difficulties at home; social isolation of both children and families; health professionals' sense of disbelief regarding this type of care; an excessive number of medical devices at home; uncertainty of a terminal prognosis; physical, emotional, social, material, and financial burden for parents and family; changes in family dynamics to adjust to these children; paternalistic relationship between professionals and family; changes in family roles, with shifts in the caregiver role. CONCLUSIONS It is essential to outline an agenda based on the premise that the medical apparatus for technology-dependent children will change the landscape of the home, and such a change might become a problem to be faced by all those living together. Based on this assumption, actions performed in a setting other than a health care facility might exert an actual protective effect on children and family, offering support in their several needs and developing a model of care delivery that includes interventions in the different levels of burden on these vulnerated and unprotected individuals.
The effect of facilitated tucking on procedural pain control among premature babies.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES To determine the effectiveness of facilitated tucking in reducing pain when venepuncture is being performed on preterm infants. BACKGROUND Preterm neonates are exposed to a myriad of invasive, often painful, procedures throughout their stay in the neonatal intensive care unit. A growing volume of evidence shows that pain in preterm infants has both short- and long-term deleterious effects. It is within the power and ethical responsibility of neonatal nurses to help premature babies cope with procedural pain. DESIGN A quasi-experimental study with two groups: control and treatment group. METHODS A study was conducted on a cohort of preterm infants (n = 42), divided into control (n = 21) and treatment (n = 21) groups, to determine the effect of facilitated tucking on pain relief during venepuncture on preterm infants in the neonatal intensive care unit. The severity of pain was measured using the Premature Infant Pain Profile score. The primary outcome measure was reduction in the Premature Infant Pain Profile scores. RESULTS The Premature Infant Pain Profile score for the treatment group was significantly lower (M = 6·62, SD 2·598) than for the control group (6·62 ± 2·60 vs. 8·52 ± 2·99, respectively, t = -2·202, p < 0·05). CONCLUSIONS Facilitated tucking reduced the Premature Infant Pain Profile scores in preterm infants. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE The findings of this study suggest that facilitated tucking is able to alleviate pain; therefore, nurses must be able to carry out facilitated tucking when necessary.
Effect of growth hormone replacement therapy on the quality of life in women with growth hormone deficiency who have a history of acromegaly versus other disorders.

OBJECTIVE To compare the response in quality of life (QoL) to growth hormone (GH) replacement in women with GH deficiency (GHD) and a history of acromegaly with that in women with GHD of other causes. METHODS Fifty-five women with GHD were studied: 17 with prior acromegaly and 38 with other causes of GHD. We compared two 6-month, randomized, placebo-controlled studies of GH therapy in women with hypopituitarism conducted with use of the same design-one in women with a history of acromegaly and one in women with no prior acromegaly. QoL was assessed with the following questionnaires: the QoL-Assessment of Growth Hormone Deficiency in Adults (AGHDA), the Symptom Questionnaire, and the 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36). RESULTS The 2 groups had comparable mean pretreatment age, body mass index, and QoL scores and comparable mean GH dose at 6 months (0.61 ± 0.30 versus 0.67 ± 0.27 mg daily). After 6 months of GH replacement therapy, women with GHD and prior acromegaly demonstrated a greater improvement in AGHDA score, four SF-36 sub-scales (Role Limitations due to Physical Health, Energy or Fatigue, Emotional Well-Being, and Social Functioning), and the Somatic Symptoms subscale of the Symptom Questionnaire than did women with GHD of other causes. Poorer pretreatment QoL was associated with a greater improvement in QoL after administration of GH. CONCLUSION In this study, GH replacement therapy improved QoL in women with GHD and a history of acromegaly but not in women with GHD due to other hypothalamic and pituitary disorders. Further studies are needed to determine the long-term risks versus benefits of GH replacement in patients who develop GHD after definitive treatment for acromegaly.
Mapping of histone modifications in episomal HBV cccDNA uncovers an unusual chromatin organization amenable to epigenetic manipulation

Significance Chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is maintained by the persistence of episomal HBV closed circular DNA (cccDNA) in infected hepatocytes. Current therapeutic regimes have no or limited impact on cccDNA, and the development of cccDNA-targeted therapies is complicated by our limited understanding of cccDNA regulation. We present a novel approach and first detailed analysis to our knowledge of cccDNA chromatin from de novo infected cells and infected liver tissue and reveal general features of cccDNA chromatin organization, and features that are unique to each source of cccDNA. We show that cccDNA chromatin is modulated by innate immunity and manipulated with an epigenetic agent, thereby establishing the importance of chromatin for cccDNA regulation and as a potential target for therapy of chronic HBV infection. Chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection affects 240 million people worldwide and is a major risk factor for liver failure and hepatocellular carcinoma. Current antiviral therapy inhibits cytoplasmic HBV genomic replication, but is not curative because it does not directly affect nuclear HBV closed circular DNA (cccDNA), the genomic form that templates viral transcription and sustains viral persistence. Novel approaches that directly target cccDNA regulation would therefore be highly desirable. cccDNA is assembled with cellular histone proteins into chromatin, but little is known about the regulation of HBV chromatin by histone posttranslational modifications (PTMs). Here, using a new cccDNA ChIP-Seq approach, we report, to our knowledge, the first genome-wide maps of PTMs in cccDNA-containing chromatin from de novo infected HepG2 cells, primary human hepatocytes, and from HBV-infected liver tissue. We find high levels of PTMs associated with active transcription enriched at specific sites within the HBV genome and, surprisingly, very low levels of PTMs linked to transcriptional repression even at silent HBV promoters. We show that transcription and active PTMs in HBV chromatin are reduced by the activation of an innate immunity pathway, and that this effect can be recapitulated with a small molecule epigenetic modifying agent, opening the possibility that chromatin-based regulation of cccDNA transcription could be a new therapeutic approach to chronic HBV infection.
Molecular subtype and response to dasatinib, an Src/Abl small molecule kinase inhibitor, in hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines in vitro

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the fifth most common malignancy and is the third leading cause of cancer death worldwide. Recently, the multitargeted kinase inhibitor sorafenib was shown to be the first systemic agent to improve survival in advanced HCC. Unlike other malignancies such as breast cancer, in which molecular subtypes have been clearly defined (i.e., luminal, HER2 amplified, basal, etc.) and tied to effective molecular therapeutics (hormone blockade and trastuzumab, respectively), in HCC this translational link does not exist. Molecular profiling studies of human HCC have identified unique molecular subtypes of the disease. We hypothesized that a panel of human HCC cell lines would maintain molecular characteristics of the clinical disease and could then be used as a model for novel therapeutics. Twenty human HCC cell lines were collected and RNA was analyzed using the Agilent microarray platform. Profiles from the cell lines in vitro recapitulate previously described subgroups from clinical material. Next, we evaluated whether molecular subgroup would have predictive value for response to the Src/Abl inhibitor dasatinib. The results demonstrate that sensitivity to dasatinib was associated with a progenitor subtype. Dasatinib was effective at inducing cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in “progenitor‐like” cell lines but not in resistant lines. Conclusion: These findings suggest that cell line models maintain the molecular background of HCC and that subtype may be important for selecting patients for response to novel therapies. In addition, it highlights a potential role for Src family signaling in this progenitor subtype of HCC. (HEPATOLOGY 2013)
Achieving human and machine accessibility of cited data in scholarly publications

Reproducibility and reusability of research results is an important concern in scientific communication and science policy. A foundational element of reproducibility and reusability is the open and persistently available presentation of research data. However, many common approaches for primary data publication in use today do not achieve sufficient long-term robustness, openness, accessibility or uniformity. Nor do they permit comprehensive exploitation by modern Web technologies. This has led to several authoritative studies recommending uniform direct citation of data archived in persistent repositories. Data are to be considered as first-class scholarly objects, and treated similarly in many ways to cited and archived scientific and scholarly literature. Here we briefly review the most current and widely agreed set of principle-based recommendations for scholarly data citation, the Joint Declaration of Data Citation Principles (JDDCP). We then present a framework for operationalizing the JDDCP; and a set of initial recommendations on identifier schemes, identifier resolution behavior, required metadata elements, and best practices for realizing programmatic machine actionability of cited data. The main target audience for the common implementation guidelines in this article consists of publishers, scholarly organizations, and persistent data repositories, including technical staff members in these organizations. But ordinary researchers can also benefit from these recommendations. The guidance provided here is intended to help achieve widespread, uniform human and machine accessibility of deposited data, in support of significantly improved verification, validation, reproducibility and re-use of scholarly/scientific data.
Longitudinal assessment of premorbid cognitive functioning in patients with schizophrenia through examination of standardized scholastic test performance.

OBJECTIVE Studies suggest the presence of premorbid cognitive impairment in patients with schizophrenia, yet the onset and course of these deficits remain unclear. The purpose of this study was to investigate the longitudinal course of premorbid cognitive functioning in individuals with schizophrenia by using prospective data obtained from scholastic test results. METHOD Scores from grades 4, 8, and 11 on the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills and the Iowa Tests of Educational Development were obtained for 70 subjects who later developed schizophrenia. The mean percentile rank of the subjects' scores in the areas of vocabulary, reading comprehension, language, mathematics, sources of information, and an overall composite category were compared with state norms. RESULTS The subjects scored below the 50th percentile for each category in all three grades, but only language, reading, sources of information, and composite scores from grade 11 were significantly below state norms. With regard to longitudinal course, there was a significant linear decrease in language scores over time. Scores from grade 11 were positively correlated with WAIS-R IQ, verbal fluency, and Rey Auditory Verbal Learning scores at first illness episode. Scores from grade 11 were not significantly correlated with age at illness onset or ratings of disorganized, psychotic, or negative symptoms. CONCLUSIONS Scholastic test scores at grades 4 and 8 were nonsignificantly below average in this group of children who later developed schizophrenia. However, test scores dropped significantly between grades 8 and 11. This corresponds to ages 13-16 years, or the onset of puberty. Poor or declining scholastic performance may be a precursor to the cognitive impairment seen during the first episode of illness.
Depression among elderly Chinese-Canadian immigrants from Mainland China.

BACKGROUND This study examined the prevalence of depressive symptoms among elderly immigrants from Mainland China to Canada and the impact of various psychosocial factors as predictors of the number of depressive symptoms reported by the elderly Chinese immigrants. METHODS The participants were 444 elderly immigrants who migrated from Mainland China to Canada. They were a part of a random sample of 2272 elderly Chinese living in the communities and took part in a face-to-face interview to answer questions in an orally administrated questionnaire. The depressive symptoms of the participants were measured by a Chinese version of the Geriatric Depression Scale. Data obtained from the 444 elderly Chinese immigrants was analyzed to assess the impact of various psychosocial factors on the number of depressive symptoms that they reported. RESULTS The findings indicated that 23.2% of the elderly immigrants were assessed to have some depressive symptoms. When other predicting variables were adjusted, elderly immigrants with more chronic illnesses, less positive attitude towards ageing, poorer physical health, less adequate financial situation, lower level of ethnic identification as Chinese, more service barriers, lower level of life satisfaction, shorter length of residency in Canada and those who lived alone tended to have more depressive symptoms. CONCLUSIONS The findings indicate that the prevalence rate of depressive symptoms among our elderly immigrant sample is higher than the one reported in a general elderly population. While further research is recommended to examine the reasons for such a difference, culturally appropriate health services, including health promotion programs, should be promoted to reduce mental health disparities.
Boundary control of distributed port-hamiltonian systems via generalised canonical transformations

This paper presents a novel approach for the development of boundary control laws for a class of linear, distributed port-Hamiltonian systems, with one dimensional spatial domain. The idea is to determine a control action able to map the initial system into a target one, characterised not only by a different Hamiltonian function, but also by new internal dissipative and power-preserving interconnection structures. The methodology consists of two main steps, each associated to a generalised canonical transformation. In the first one, a coordinate change (based on a combination of a linear mapping and a backstepping transformation) is employed to modify the internal structure of the system. Then, in the second step, a generalised canonical transformation capable of properly shaping the Hamiltonian function is introduced. The proposed approach is illustrated with the help of an example, the boundary stabilisation of a lossless transmission line.
Reliability of the Swedish version of the Exercise Self-Efficacy Scale (S-ESES): a test–retest study in adults with neurological disease

Abstract Objective: To examine the test–retest reliability of the Swedish translated version of the Exercise Self-Efficacy Scale (S-ESES) in people with neurological disease and to examine internal consistency. Design: Test–retest study. Subjects: A total of 30 adults with neurological diseases including: Parkinson's disease; Multiple Sclerosis; Cervical Dystonia; and Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease. Method: The S-ESES was sent twice by surface mail. Completion interval mean was 16 days apart. Weighted kappa, intraclass correlation coefficient 2,1 [ICC (2,1)], standard error of measurement (SEM), also expressed as a percentage value (SEM%), and Cronbach's alpha were calculated. Results: The relative reliability of the test–retest results showed substantial agreement measured using weighted kappa (MD = 0.62) and a very high-reliability ICC (2,1) (0.92). Absolute reliability measured using SEM was 5.3 and SEM% was 20.7. Excellent internal consistency was shown, with an alpha coefficient of 0.91 (test 1) and 0.93 (test 2). Conclusion: The S-ESES is recommended for use in research and in clinical work for people with neurological diseases. The low-absolute reliability, however, indicates a limited ability to measure changes on an individual level.
Performance Analysis of Layer 1 Relays

Relays are expected to be included in 3GPP Release 10 also known as LTE-Advanced (LTE-A). Relays can be used to improve coverage and throughput and could be an important tool to improve the wireless experience. In this paper, the discussion on relay technologies in 3GPP LTE-A is overviewed firstly. Because both low cost and small delay make L1 relay more attractive than other types of relay, the SINR and information rate performance of L1 relays are analyzed mainly in this paper. With a simple one-dimensional relay model and an approximate self-interference model, the capability of L1 relays to improve cell-edge throughput is verified.
Correlation Between Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase (MTHFR) C677T Polymorphisms and Pemetrexed Chemotherapy Efficacy/Toxicity in Non-Squamous Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

Background In the present study, we aimed to retrospectively analyze the correlation between toxicity of pemetrexed (PEM) chemotherapy and methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) C677T polymorphisms in patients with advanced non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer (non-sq NSCLC). Material/Methods We used polymerase chain reaction, gene scanning, and restriction fragment length polymorphism to analyze MTHFR C677T in 51 patients with advanced non-sq NSCLC. The patients received chemotherapies with single-agent PEM (monotherapy group) or with PEM combined with cisplatin (joint group). The correlation between MTHFR C677T polymorphisms and chemotherapy efficacy/toxicity was also assessed. Results There were 40 patients in the monotherapy group and 11 patients in the joint group. Among the 40 patients received single-agent PEM chemotherapy, those with the CT/TT genotype had higher incidence of leukopenia, neutropenia, nausea, and fatigue compared to patients with the with wild-type genotype CC (all P<0.05). However, polymorphisms of MTHFR C677T were not significantly associated with other adverse events and clinical outcomes. Conclusions Compared with genotype CC (the wild type), patients with the CT/TT genotype had higher incidence of leukopenia, neutropenia, nausea, and fatigue. Therefore, the MTHFR C677T polymorphism could be a predictive factor for leukopenia, neutropenia, nausea, and fatigue toxicities in non-sq NSCLC patients treated with single-agent PEM.
Accuracy of periapical radiography in assessing bone level in implants affected by peri-implantitis: a cross-sectional study.

AIM The aim of this study was to assess the accuracy of periapical radiography in measuring peri-implant bone levels. MATERIALS AND METHODS Twenty-five subjects with 46 implants in need of surgical treatment for peri-implantitis were included in this cross-sectional study. Prior to surgery, periapical radiographs were taken, a prediction of type of defect was made and radiographic peri-implant bone levels (RxBL) were determined at the mesial and distal aspects. Intra-operatively, the peri-implant bone level (SurgBL) was assessed mesially, distally, buccally and orally and the type of defect was recorded. A paired t-test was applied to detect differences between inter-proximal RxBL and SurgBL. ANOVA was used to compare SurgBL at different circumferential positions. RESULTS The mean inter-proximal RxBL was 4.0 ± 2.2 mm and the mean inter-proximal SurgBL was 5.3 ± 2.3 mm. The difference between RxBL and SurgBL was statistically significant (p = 0.014). There were no significant differences in SurgBL at the mesial, distal, buccal and oral aspects (p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS The intra-operatively measured peri-implant bone levels were more apical than the radiographic bone levels. The intra-operatively assessed peri-implant bone levels (SurgBL) were similar at all the circumferential positions around the implant.