Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Optokinetic nystagmus correlates with severity of vection-induced motion sickness and gastric tachyarrhythmia.

PURPOSE The present study investigated the relationship of the frequency of nystagmus to the severity of optokinetic rotation-induced motion sickness. METHODS AND RESULTS Eighty-seven subjects viewed a vertically striped, rotating drum for 16 min. Subjects' electrooculograms, ratings of vection, and subjective symptoms of motion sickness (SSMS) were measured during the drum rotation period. Subjects' electrogastrograms (EGGs) were recorded throughout the baseline and drum rotation periods. The ratios of the spectral intensity of EGG 4-9 cycles per minute (cpm) between drum rotation and baseline periods were calculated. The results indicated that the frequency of nystagmus was positively correlated with the ratings of vection (r = 0.40, p < 0.0001), scores of SSMS (r = 0.61, p < 0.0001), and ratios of EGG 4-9 cpm spectral intensity between drum rotation and baseline periods (r = 0.54, p < 0.0001). CONCLUSION These results demonstrated that more rapid eye movement indexed by higher frequency of optokinetic nystagmus are related to the development of symptoms of motion sickness and gastric tachyarrhythmia.
High Bartonella spp. seroprevalence in a Swedish homeless population but no evidence of trench fever

Blood samples and epidemiological data were collected from 50 homeless patients in central Stockholm, Sweden. Sera were analysed for antibodies to B. henselae, B. quintana, B. elizabethae and B. grahamii. Whole blood was cultured and used as substrate for a newly developed quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction (QPCR) specifically targeting Bartonella spp. DNA. 61 matched blood donor sera were used as controls. Homeless patients were significantly more often seropositive to Bartonella spp. than controls (OR 7.58 (3.30–17.39), p<0.05). Reactivity to the B. elizabethae antigen was dominating, although the difference between patients and controls was most significant in seroreactivity to the B. henselae antigen. There was no evidence of an ongoing B. quintana epidemic. The absence of louse infestation could explain the lack of B. quintana bacteraemia and the failure to amplify Bartonella DNA.
Group consensus of multi-agent systems in directed networks with noises and time delays

In this paper, group consensus problems in fixed directed networks of dynamic agents are investigated. Group consensus means that the agents in each group share a consistent value while there is no agreement between any two groups. Based on algebraic graph theory, sufficient conditions guaranteeing group consensus under the proposed control protocol in the presence of random noises and communication delays are derived. The analysis uses a stability result of Mao for stochastic differential delay equations, which ensures the consensus can be achieved almost surely and exponentially fast. Numerical examples are provided to demonstrate the availability of the obtained results as well as the effect of time delay/noise intensity.
Entrepreneurship in peripheral regions: A relational perspective

The aim of this paper is to conceptually discuss differences in entrepreneurial dynamics in peripheral regions from a relational perspective. We argue that successful entrepreneurship in peripheral regions depends on two different types of relations, namely economic relations in a strict sense, consisting of relations firms form to acquire relevant business knowledge (heritage approach), and economic relations in a wider sense, consisting of relations entrepreneurs form to shape regional contexts (embeddedness approach). We assume that the competencies necessary to engage in such networks are the same for both types of relations. This aspect may explain differences between peripheral economies and their economic development.
Medicaid on the Eve of Expansion: A Survey of State Medicaid Officials on the Affordable Care Act

As of January 2014, 26 states had chosen to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) to cover individuals with incomes up to 138% of the federal poverty level. In these states, Medicaid agencies are facing one of the largest implementation challenges in the program’s history. We undertook a survey of high-ranking Medicaid officials in these states to assess their priorities, expectations, and programmatic decisions related to the coming expansion. The Medicaid expansion poses major challenges in the domains of enrollment, management of health care costs, and providing adequate access to services for beneficiaries. Previous research has documented that millions of individuals eligible for Medicaid are currently not enrolled and remain uninsured, suggesting that state outreach strategies may underpin the success or failure of the ACA’s coverage expansion.
Defensive pessimism, self‐esteem instability, and goal strivings

Defensive pessimism (Norem & Cantor, 1986a) is conceived as an adaptive motivational strategy employed in academic contexts. The present research investigates some potentially deleterious correlates of the defensively pessimistic strategy. We examined the hypothesis that defensive pessimists would have a relatively high ratio of negative‐to‐positive academically relevant self‐thoughts, and these accessible thoughts would be related to high self‐esteem instability. Mediational analyses generally supported this hypothesis. However, defensive pessimism‐optimism differences in self‐esteem seemed to partially account for the mediated effects. We also found support for the hypothesis that, relative to optimists, defensive pessimists would tend to be less oriented toward mastery goals and more oriented toward performance‐avoidance achievement goals in academic settings. Results were discussed in terms of the processing correlates and adaptive trade‐offs of defensive pessimism.
Deterioration of Speech Recognition Ability Over a Period of 5 Years in Adults Ages 18 to 70 Years: Results of the Dutch Online Speech-in-Noise Test

Objectives: The first aim of the present study was to determine the change in speech recognition in noise over a period of 5 years in participants ages 18 to 70 years at baseline. The second aim was to investigate whether age, gender, educational level, the level of initial speech recognition in noise, and reported chronic conditions were associated with a change in speech recognition in noise. Design: The baseline and 5-year follow-up data of 427 participants with and without hearing impairment participating in the National Longitudinal Study on Hearing (NL-SH) were analyzed. The ability to recognize speech in noise was measured twice with the online National Hearing Test, a digit-triplet speech-in-noise test. Speech-reception-threshold in noise (SRTn) scores were calculated, corresponding to 50% speech intelligibility. Unaided SRTn scores obtained with the same transducer (headphones or loudspeakers) at both test moments were included. Changes in SRTn were calculated as a raw shift (T1 − T0) and an adjusted shift for regression towards the mean. Paired t tests and multivariable linear regression analyses were applied. Results: The mean increase (i.e., deterioration) in SRTn was 0.38-dB signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) over 5 years (p < 0.001). Results of the multivariable regression analyses showed that the age group of 50 to 59 years had a significantly larger deterioration in SRTn compared with the age group of 18 to 39 years (raw shift: beta: 0.64-dB SNR; 95% confidence interval: 0.07–1.22; p = 0.028, adjusted for initial speech recognition level − adjusted shift: beta: 0.82-dB SNR; 95% confidence interval: 0.27–1.34; p = 0.004). Gender, educational level, and the number of chronic conditions were not associated with a change in SRTn over time. No significant differences in increase of SRTn were found between the initial levels of speech recognition (i.e., good, insufficient, or poor) when taking into account the phenomenon regression towards the mean. Conclusions: The study results indicate that hearing deterioration of speech recognition in noise over 5 years can also be detected in adults ages 18 to 70 years. This rather small numeric change might represent a relevant impact on an individual’s ability to understand speech in everyday life.
An unusual enterovirus outbreak in Denmark: clinical characteristics and molecular epidemiology

In 2000, a large enterovirus (EV) outbreak was seen in Denmark; the number of patients with a verified EV infection was 3-fold higher compared to previous y. Echovirus 30 (E30) was the dominant EV type and was detected in 31% of all 306 EV positive patients and in 61% of the 155 patients in whom typing was successful. The outbreak started in February and peaked in June, which is unusually early in a temperate climate and not registered before in Denmark. The age distribution of the patients also differed from previous y with a significantly higher proportion of older children and adults being affected. The patients had mainly symptoms consistent with aseptic meningitis. A phylogenetic analysis based upon a part of the VP1 structural gene of 21 E30 isolates showed that the Danish isolates belonged to the E30 genotype which has prevailed in Europe during the last few years. However, they constituted a separated cluster compared with 2 other outbreaks in other parts of Europe in 2000.
Stressors Over the Life Course and Neuroendocrine System Dysregulation in Costa Rica

Objectives: A key aspect of the increasingly popular allostatic load (AL) framework is that stressors experienced over the entire life course result in physiological dysregulation. Although core to AL theory, this idea has been little tested, and where it has been tested, the results have been mixed. Method: The study analyzes the Costa Rican Study on Longevity and Healthy Aging (CRELES), a new, cross-sectional, and nationally representative survey of older Costa Rican men and women (aged between 60 and 109 years). The survey period is between 2004 and 2006, and the survey has a sample size of 2,827 individuals. This article focuses on the relationship between a variety of stressors experienced over the life course and cortisol, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS), epinephrine, and norepinephrine analyzed separately and in an index. Results: There are some links between certain stressors and worse cortisol levels, but overall, almost all of the stressors examined are not associated with riskier neuroendocrine biomarker profiles. Discussion: More work is needed, in order to establish the connection between stressors experienced over the life course and resting levels of the neuroendocrine markers.
Extended-Infusion Cefepime Reduces Mortality in Patients with Pseudomonas aeruginosa Infections

ABSTRACT In an era of escalating resistance and a lack of new antimicrobial discovery, stewardship programs must utilize knowledge of pharmacodynamics to achieve maximal exposure in the treatment of Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections. We evaluated the clinical and economic outcomes associated with extended-infusion cefepime in the treatment of P. aeruginosa infections. This single-center study compared inpatients who received cefepime for bacteremia and/or pneumonia admitted from 1 January 2008 through 30 June 2010 (a 30-min infusion of 2 g every 8 h) to those admitted from 1 July 2010 through 31 May 2011 (a 4-h infusion of 2 g every 8 h). The overall mortality was significantly lower in the group that received extended-infusion treatment (20% versus 3%; P = 0.03). The mean length of stay was 3.5 days less for patients who received extended infusion (P = 0.36), and for patients admitted to the intensive care unit the mean length of stay was significantly less in the extended-infusion group (18.5 days versus 8 days; P = 0.04). Hospital costs were $23,183 less per patient, favoring the extended-infusion treatment group (P = 0.13). We conclude that extended-infusion treatment with cefepime provides increased clinical and economic benefits in the treatment of invasive P. aeruginosa infections.
Mild Reductions in Mitochondrial Citrate Synthase Activity Result in a Compromised Nitrate Assimilation and Reduced Leaf Pigmentation But Have No Effect on Photosynthetic Performance or Growth1[W]

Transgenic tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) plants, expressing a fragment of the mitochondrial citrate synthase gene in the antisense orientation and exhibiting mild reductions in the total cellular activity of this enzyme, displayed essentially no visible phenotypic alteration from the wild type. A more detailed physiological characterization, however, revealed that although these plants were characterized by relatively few changes in photosynthetic parameters they displayed a decreased relative flux through the tricarboxylic acid cycle and an increased rate of respiration. Furthermore, biochemical analyses revealed that the transformants exhibited considerably altered metabolism, being characterized by slight decreases in the levels of organic acids of the tricarboxylic acid cycle, photosynthetic pigments, and in a single line in protein content but increases in the levels of nitrate, several amino acids, and starch. We additionally determined the maximal catalytic activities of a wide range of enzymes of primary metabolism, performed targeted quantitative PCR analysis on all three isoforms of citrate synthase, and conducted a broader transcript profiling using the TOM1 microarray. Results from these studies confirmed that if the lines were somewhat impaired in nitrate assimilation, they were not severely affected by this, suggesting the presence of strategies by which metabolism is reprogrammed to compensate for this deficiency. The results are discussed in the context of carbon-nitrogen interaction and interorganellar coordination of metabolism.
Hematologic and biochemical reference intervals of free-living Red-Tailed Amazon parrot (Amazona brasiliensis) nestlings on Rasa Island, Paraná, Brazil.

BACKGROUND The Red-Tailed Amazon parrot (Amazona brasiliensis) is an endangered species of the Psittaciformes. There is little information about hematologic and biochemical variables of this species. OBJECTIVES The purpose of this study was to determine hematologic and biochemical RIs for free-living A brasiliensis nestlings on Rasa Island, Paraná, Brazil, and to compare the results between sexes. METHODS Thirty-seven parrots were taken from their nests and physically restrained for clinical examination and blood collection. The sex was diagnosed by PCR using the blood samples collected. Reference intervals were determined as recommended by the ASVCP guidelines in healthy nestlings. The difference between groups was analyzed using the Mann-Whitney test or Student's t-test. RESULTS Sexing revealed 12 females and 25 males. The RIs for the measured variables were as follows: RBC 1.1-2.6 × 106 /μL, PCV 29.1-50.3%, HGB 7.2-12.9 g/dL, MCV 152-293 fL, MCHC 22.2-28.4 g/dL, WBC 4.9-28.5 × 103 /μL, 1.2-16 × 103 /μL, lymphocytes 2.4-18.7 × 103 /μL, monocytes 0.0-1.0 × 103 /μL, eosinophils 0.0-0.9 × 103 /μL, 0.0-1.3 × 103 /μL, heterophil:lymphocyte ratio 0.0-2.2, plasma total solids 2.1-3.7 g/dL, uric acid 0.5-2.0 mg/dL, glucose 184.9-284.3 mg/dL, AST 100.3-226.6 U/L, LDH 178.1-927.7 U/L, CK 149.8-1144.0 U/L, cholesterol 137.5-256.9 mg/dL, total protein 1.8-3.0 g/dL, calcium 7.0-8.6 mg/dL, and phosphorus 2.9-6.1 mg/dL. Increased concentrations of cholesterol (P < .05) were observed in females. DISCUSSION This is the first study to establish hematologic and biochemical RIs for free-living A brasiliensis nestlings on Rasa Island. Hematologic and biochemical variables are important tools for evaluating the health status of free-living birds, and also support conservation planning for endangered species.
Extraglottic airway devices: technology update

Extraglottic airway devices (EADs) have revolutionized the field of airway management. The invention of the laryngeal mask airway was a game changer, and since then, there have been several innovations to improve the EADs in design, functionality, safety and construction material. These have ranged from changes in the shape of the mask, number of cuffs and material used, like rubber, polyvinylchloride and latex. Phthalates, which were added to the construction material in order to increase device flexibility, were later omitted when this chemical was found to have serious adverse reproductive outcomes. The various designs brought out by numerous companies manufacturing EADs resulted in the addition of several devices to the airway market. These airway devices were put to use, many of them with inadequate or no evidence base regarding their efficacy and safety. To reduce the possibility of compromising the safety of the patient, the Difficult Airway Society (DAS) formed the Airway Device Evaluation Project Team (ADEPT) to strengthen the evidence base for airway equipment and vet the new extraglottic devices. A preuse careful analysis of the design and structure may help in better understanding of the functionality of a particular device. In the meantime, the search for the ideal EAD continues.
Quality, Impact and Success of ERP Systems: A Study Involving Some Firms in the Nordic-Baltic Region

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems are among the largest information technology (IT) investments made by firms. Such systems are diffusing rapidly in the Nordic-Baltic region of Europe. While studies discuss the diffusion of ERP in the region, few studies discuss their success in adopting firms. In this study, we explored the issue of ERP success by sampling the views of private firms in two countries in the region. We employed a three-phase research approach to enhance the validity of our findings. We found that the views of ERP success in an emerging economy (Estonia) and a developed economy (Finland) were similar, and the perception of the qualities and impacts of ERP were not unique to the region, rather they are comparable to those reported in the literature. In that regard, the informational quality of ERP was the highest rated (order of importance) dimension of success for firms in our sample, and organizational impact rated the lowest. Another notable observation in the study was that ERP success in adopting firms in the region might be related to the nature of ERP being acquired, namely, less complex systems may be providing higher success levels. The implications of the findings for both practice and research are highlighted and we outlined areas for future research.
Cytologic diagnostic approach to poorly differentiated thyroid carcinoma: A single‐institution study

Fine‐needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) is a well‐established technique for the preoperative evaluation of thyroid nodules because it is minimally invasive, cost‐effective, quick, efficient, and safe. Various articles have discussed differences in the cytomorphology of different types of thyroid cancer. However, review articles on the cytologic diagnosis of poorly differentiated thyroid carcinoma (PDTC) are scarce as PDTC are rare tumors. Although the histologic diagnostic criteria are well standardized, the cytologic diagnostic criteria are not yet standardized. This prompted us to study the cytomorphological features of PDTC and assess features of distinction from differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC) and medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC).
Determinants of increased regional left atrial coagulation activity in patients with mitral stenosis.

BACKGROUND Recent evidence suggests that regional left atrial coagulation activity may be increased in mitral stenosis and perhaps contribute to the pathophysiology of left atrial thrombus. However, the relation of left atrial coagulation activity to factors that predispose to left atrial thrombus formation is unknown, and the relation between left atrial and systemic coagulation activities is unresolved. METHODS AND RESULTS Left atrial and peripheral venous levels of the coagulation marker prothrombin fragment 1 + 2 (F1 + 2) were measured in 32 patients with mitral stenosis with normal clotting times and no left atrial thrombus who were undergoing percutaneous balloon mitral valvuloplasty. Baseline peripheral venous F1 + 2 levels, measured at the beginning of the valvuloplasty procedure, did not differ from those of 30 age-matched control patients. Prevalvuloplasty left atrial F1 + 2 levels, obtained immediately after transseptal puncture, were similar to femoral venous levels in patients without left atrial spontaneous echo contrast (LASEC) (0.81 +/- 0.32 versus 0.81 +/- 0.27 nmol/L, n = 7) but greater than femoral venous levels in patients with LASEC and either sinus rhythm (1.57 +/- 0.86 versus 0.99 +/- 0.38 nmol/L, n = 16, P < .001) or atrial fibrillation (1.52 +/- 0.69 versus 0.85 +/- 0.33 nmol/L, n = 9, P < .003). Furthermore, LASEC emerged as the only significant predictor of increased regional left atrial coagulation activity (P = .005) on stepwise multivariate logistic regression analysis. CONCLUSIONS Increased regional left atrial coagulation activity in mitral stenosis occurs in the presence of LASEC, is evident in either sinus rhythm or atrial fibrillation, and is associated with normal systemic coagulation activity.
Investigation of the Coherence of Definite and Probable Vestibular Migraine as Distinct Clinical Entities

Objectives: To investigate the following: 1) associations between vestibular symptoms and migraine in a well-characterized cohort of tertiary neurotology patients, 2) effects of comorbidity on clinical presentations, and 3) validity of proposed definitions of definite (dVM) and probable vestibular migraine (pVM). Study Design: Retrospective chart review. Setting: Tertiary neurotology center. Patients: All 228 subjects with headache were selected from a larger investigation of 410 patients with vestibular symptoms who underwent comprehensive medical, surgical, and behavioral neurotologic consultations. Subjects had at least one of 4 diagnoses: dVM/pVM, Ménière's disease, benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, or chronic subjective dizziness. Interventions: Subjects were divided into migraine (n = 164) and nonmigraine headache (n = 64) groups by International Headache Society criteria, then subdivided by those with vestibular symptoms related or unrelated to headache. Subjects meeting proposed criteria for dVM (n = 46) and pVM (n = 42) were identified. Statistical analyses investigated discriminating features and cohesiveness in each group, with or without comorbidity. Main Outcome Measures: Characteristics of dVM and pVM. Results: Migraine, particularly migraine with aura, was more often related to vestibular symptoms than nonmigrainous headache. dVM and pVM groups did not differ in demographics, clinical histories, examinations, or vestibular testing. Numerous differences existed between dVM/pVM subjects with and without comorbid Ménière's disease, benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, or chronic subjective dizziness. The pVM group contained 4 subtypes. Conclusion: These results support an association between vestibular symptoms and migraine but not proposed distinctions between dVM and pVM. pVM does not appear to be a coherent diagnostic entity. Comorbid conditions are important causes of vestibular symptoms in patients with migraine.