Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Screening of Mild Dementia with a Shortened Spanish Version of the “Informant Questionnaire on Cognitive Decline in the Elderly”

Most of the present screening tests for the detection of dementia fail with mild dementia. Jorm et al. recently presented the Informant Questionnaire on Cognitive Decline in the Elderly (IQCODE), a simple instrument with good diagnostic validity that uses a close relative to obtain information on the cognitive decline of a patient. We used a Spanish adaptation of this questionnaire (S-IQCODE) validated in a population-based sample, and a shortened form (SS-IQCODE) obtained after analyzing the items and reducing them to only 17. The S-IQCODE and the SS-IQCODE have greater diagnostic validity for mild dementia than the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) (sensitivity: 86% for both versus 57%; specificity: 92 and 91% versus 84%, positive predictive value: 54 and 50% versus 29%; negative predictive value: 91 and 90% versus 81%) and, unlike the MMSE, are independent of the age, education, and previous intelligence of the subjects. According to the results of this study, the SS-IQCODE could be a useful screening test for the detection of mild dementia in the Spanish-speaking aged population, with greater diagnostic power and less contamination by independent variables than the MMSE.
Nafamostat Mesilate Reduces Blood Loss During Open Heart Surgery

BackgroundNafamostat mesilate (FUT-175) is a protease inhibitor inactivating coagulation, fibrinolysis, and platelet aggregation. A prospective, randomized trial was performed to assess the efficacy of FUT-175 in the reduction of postoperative bleeding tendency. Methods and ResultsFUT-175 was infused at a rate of 40 mg/h during cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) along with 300 IU/kg of heparin in 20 patients undergoing aortocoronary bypass surgery (FUT group). This group was compared with another group of 20 patients undergoing aortocoronary bypass surgery, who were given only heparin (control group). Blood concentrations of FUT-175 and activated clotting time increased after cooling, peaking at 2050±1190 ng/mL and 2136±983 seconds at the lowest temperature and recovered after rewarming to values of 166± 118 ng/mL and 510± 148 seconds, respectively, at the end of CPB. In the FUT group, platelet counts were significantly higher at the end of CPB than those in the control group (168±10 versus 136+9x103/mm3, P<.05). In the FUT group, serum concentrations of, 8-thromboglobulin (307±102 versus 537±391 ng/mL, P<.05), PIC (3.6±1.7 versus 5.8±3.8μg/mL, P<.05) and FDP (20.2±7.0 versus 41.4±11.9 ng/mL, P<.01) were significantly lower than those in the control group at the end of CPB. However, serum concentrations of TAT, FPA, and FPB, B 15–42 showed no significant differences between groups. FUT-175 significantly reduced heparin dosage and 24-hour postoperative blood loss (19 200±3200 versus 29 100±7700 IU, P<.01, and 382±129 versus 576±375 mL, P<.05). ConclusionsFUT-175 inhibits fibrinolysis and preserves platelet counts and function during CPB and reduces blood loss during open heart surgery.
Impact evaluation of a quality improvement intervention on maternal and child health outcomes in Northern Ghana: early assessment of a national scale-up project.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the influence of the early phase of Project Fives Alive! , a national child survival improvement project, on key maternal and child health outcomes. DESIGN The evaluation used multivariable interrupted time series analyses to determine whether change categories tested were associated with improvements in the outcomes of interest. PARTICIPANTS The evaluation used program and outcome data from interventions focused on health-care staff in 27 facilities. SETTING Northern Ghana. INTERVENTION The project uses a quality improvement (QI) approach whereby process failures are identified by health staff and process changes are tested in the health facilities and corresponding communities to address those failures. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES The maternal health outcomes were early antenatal care attendance and skilled delivery, and the child health outcomes were underweight infants attending child wellness clinics, facility-level neonatal mortality and facility-level infant mortality. RESULTS Postnatal care changes for the first 1-2 days of life (β= 0.10, P = 0.07) and the first 6-7 days of life (β = 0.10, P = 0.07) were associated with a higher rate of visits by underweight infants to child wellness clinics. There was an association between the early pregnancy identification change category with increased skilled delivery (β = 1.36 P = 0.07). In addition, a greater number of change categories tested was associated with increased skilled delivery (β = 0.05, P = 0.01). CONCLUSION The QI approach of testing and implementing simple and low cost locally inspired changes has the potential to lead to improved health outcomes at scale both in Ghana and other low- and middle-income countries.
Association of T-Bet, GATA-3, RORC, and FOXP3 Copy Number Variations With Acute Anterior Uveitis With or Without Ankylosing Spondylitis in Chinese Han.

PURPOSE Acute anterior uveitis (AAU) is the most common form of uveitis and is a frequent ocular manifestation of ankylosing spondylitis (AS). Thymocyte CD4+ cells have been reported to play an important role in the pathogenesis of both AAU and AS. To test whether the copy number variations (CNVs) of CD4+ T cell transcription factor genes including T-bet, GATA binding protein 3 (GATA)-3, related orphan receptor C (RORC) and forkhead box protein 3 (FOXP3) are associated with acute anterior uveitis either in the presence or absence of ankylosing spondylitis (AAU+AS+; AAU+AS-). METHODS The study included 676 patients with AAU, including 298 patients with AAU+AS+, 378 patients with AAU+AS-, and 596 unrelated healthy controls in a Chinese Han population. Copy number variations were examined by real-time PCR. RESULTS The frequency of a high copy number (CN) of T-bet was increased in AAU+AS+ as well as AAU+AS- patients when compared with controls (P value after Bonferroni correction [P(corr)] = 4.3 × 10(-5); odds ratio [OR] = 2.0 and P(corr) = 1.2 × 10(-8); OR = 2.3, respectively). The frequency of a high CN of GATA-3 was significantly higher in AAU+AS+ patients than in controls (P(corr) = 1.8 × 10(-7); OR = 4.9). A higher frequency of CN of FOXP3 was found in female AAU+AS+ patients and female AAU+AS- patients (P(corr) = 0.005, OR = 5.9 and P(corr) = 0.004, OR = 4.9, respectively ). No association was found between CNVs of RORC and AAU+AS- or AAU+AS+ patients. CONCLUSIONS A high copy number of T-bet and GATA-3 confers susceptibility to AAU and AS, and a high copy number of FOXP3 confers susceptibility to female patients with AAU either with or without AS.
Site of protein digestion in steers: predictability.

The nature and predictability of protein digestion in steers were examined in a series of experiments. Bypass and intestinal digestion of supplemental proteins were measured with Angus steers (203 to 254 kg) fitted with dual reentrant intestinal cannulas. Daily feed intakes were 1.8 to 1.9% of body weight. Two trials were conducted with soybean meal, cottonseed meal, a hardened casein, meat meal and two different sources of dehydrated alfalfa meal fed with an 80% concentrate diet. In the third trial, digestion of soybean meal and cottonseed meal were measured with a 60% prairie hay diet. Estimates of ruminal escape or bypass were 43, 50, 36, 76, 57, 62, 24 and 43%, respectively. Results suggest that roughage level alters bypass. A standard reference system for predicting bypass based on measurements of N solubility and in situ disappearance rates was compared with measured bypass. The correlation between observed bypass to the small intestine and bypass predicted by this system was high (r = .91, P less than .01). Combining pepsin solubility, an indicator of true intestinal digestibility, with bypass estimated by the standard reference system, allowed us to predict N disappearance from the small intestine. Predicted and measured N disappearance of fed N from the small intestine were very close.
Aciclovir selects for ganciclovir‐cross‐resistance of human cytomegalovirus in vitro that is only in part explained by known mutations in the UL97 protein *

Phenotypically, ganciclovir‐resistant human cytomegalovirus strains could be selected by aciclovir as effectively as by ganciclovir in vitro. Three clinical human cytomegalovirus isolates with different sensitivities against ganciclovir, aciclovir, foscarnet, and cidofovir, but without any mutation in the viral UL97 protein known to confer ganciclovir resistance, were propagated each in duplicate in the presence of ganciclovir or aciclovir. After drug selection, all 12 strains were less susceptible to ganciclovir (increase of 50% focus reduction dose between 2.1– and 31.5‐fold) but were still sensitive to foscarnet and cidofovir; 7/12 exhibited a ganciclovir‐resistant phenotype with a 50% focus reduction dose >30 μM, and in 6 out of these typical mutations in the UL97 coding region could be found by genotyping. All four strains selected from one isolate carried the identical UL97 mutation at amino acid position 460 (methionine to valine). The decreased sensitivity to ganciclovir and aciclovir in the other strains could neither be attributed to known UL97 mutations nor to mutations in the viral polymerase (UL54), which have been reported to induce resistance. J. Med. Virol. 65:70–76, 2001. © 2001 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Proinflammatory T-cell responses to gut microbiota promote experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis

Although the effects of commensal bacteria on intestinal immune development seem to be profound, it remains speculative whether the gut microbiota influences extraintestinal biological functions. Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a devastating autoimmune disease leading to progressive deterioration of neurological function. Although the cause of MS is unknown, microorganisms seem to be important for the onset and/or progression of disease. However, it is unclear how microbial colonization, either symbiotic or infectious, affects autoimmunity. Herein, we investigate a role for the microbiota during the induction of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), an animal model for MS. Mice maintained under germ-free conditions develop significantly attenuated EAE compared with conventionally colonized mice. Germ-free animals, induced for EAE, produce lower levels of the proinflammatory cytokines IFN-γ and IL-17A in both the intestine and spinal cord but display a reciprocal increase in CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ regulatory T cells (Tregs). Mechanistically, we show that gut dendritic cells from germ-free animals are reduced in the ability to stimulate proinflammatory T cell responses. Intestinal colonization with segmented filamentous bacteria (SFB) is known to promote IL-17 production in the gut; here, we show that SFBs also induced IL-17A–producing CD4+ T cells (Th17) in the CNS. Remarkably, germ-free animals harboring SFBs alone developed EAE, showing that gut bacteria can affect neurologic inflammation. These findings reveal that the intestinal microbiota profoundly impacts the balance between pro- and antiinflammatory immune responses during EAE and suggest that modulation of gut bacteria may provide therapeutic targets for extraintestinal inflammatory diseases such as MS.
Poor catch-up growth in late adolescent boys with eating disorders, weight loss and stunting of growth.

OBJECTIVE The study aims to investigate the catch-up growth of boys presenting with an eating disorder (ED) and a stunting of growth. METHOD Weight gain and growth of 46 boys with ED were followed up for 1-3 years. RESULTS A total of 13 boys who had not started their pubertal growth spurt at presentation started catch-up growth immediately following nutritional rehabilitation and weight gain. After 3 years, they had returned to their premorbid growth curve. Thirty-three boys who had started their pubertal growth spurt prior to presentation never caught up in height but continued to catch down despite weight gain. After 3 years, they had lost 0.64 ± 0.55 height standard deviation scores corresponding to approximately 4.5 cm of potential height. CONCLUSIONS In prepubertal boys with EDs, catch-up growth is possible. Pubertal boys are at a disadvantage in that catch-up growth may not occur despite weight gain.
Family-centred services for young children with intellectual disabilities and their families: Theory, policy and practice

This paper outlines the reported discrepancies between the aims of the welfare services in Iceland and the experiences of parents raising young children with intellectual disabilities. Prevailing views on disability and service delivery were also considered. A multi case study design was employed to reflect the situation in different parts of the country. Families of eight children with intellectual disabilities and professionals in three different municipalities formed the cases. The findings reveal a high convergence between the three cases with variations based on individual experiences rather than geographical location. Overall, parents praised the preschools but experienced support services often as fragmented and uncompromising. Particular components of the services were consistently regarded as hard to reach and not in accordance with the needs of the family. Cultural-historical activity theory is introduced as a beneficial framework for further study and system improvement.
Optimum depth of central venous catheter - Comparision by pere's, landmark and endocavitory (atrial) ECG technique: A prospective study

Context: Blind insertion of central venous catheter has many implications. Better options should be sought to perform this procedure. Aim: To evaluate various options for positioning central venous catheter tip. Settings and Design: This is institutional based randomized prospective controlled study. Materials and Methods: In this prospective study depth and position of central venous catheter were evaluated in 150 patients in intensive care unit. Three different methods: Pere's, landmark, and endocavitory (atrial) ECG control were used. Statistical Analysis: Twoway ANOVA test was applied on SPSS version 16 to test the significant difference between the three groups. Results: Patient characteristic and demographic data were similar in the three groups. The average depth of central venous catheter by Pere's, landmark, and endocavitory (ECG) technique were 14.20 ± 0.69 cm, 12.08 ± 0.98 cm, and 8.18 ± 0.74 cm, respectively. Conclusion: The correct position of central venous catheter by endocavitory (atrial) ECG appears not only to reduce the procedure related complications but also post procedure manipulation of catheter tip detected by post procedure chest X-ray.
Local constrained controllability of second order dynamical systems with delay

Abstract: The paper considers finite-dimensional dynamical control systems described by second order semilinear stationary ordinary differential state equations with delay in control. Using a generalized open mapping theorem, sufficient conditions for constrained local controllability in a given time interval are formulated and proved. These conditions require verification of constrained global controllability of the associated linear first-order dynamical control system. It is generally assumed that the values of admissible controls are in a convex and closed cone with vertex at zero. Moreover, several remarks and comments on the existing results for controllability of semilinear dynamical control systems are also presented. Finally, a simple numerical example which illustrates theoretical considerations is also given. It should be pointed out that the results given in the paper extend for the case of semilinear second-order dynamical systems constrained controllability conditions, which were previously known only for linear second-order systems.
Impact of Epstein-Barr Virus in Monomorphic B-cell Posttransplant Lymphoproliferative Disorders: A Histogenetic Study

The heterogeneity of the posttransplant lymphoproliferative disorders (PTLDs) is well recognized. However, in contrast to other immunodeficiency-associated lymphomas or diffuse large B-cell lymphomas in general, studies of the histogenetic spectrum of the large category of monomorphic B-cell cases have been more limited, produced conflicting results, and have paid little attention to the impact of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). Therefore, 30 monomorphic B-cell PTLD from 27 patients were analyzed using EBER in situ hybridization for EBV and a panel of antibodies directed against CD20, CD3/bcl-6, CD10, MUM-1/IRF4, CD138, and bcl-2. The results were correlated with the histopathologic features and clinical outcome. All PTLD were CD20+ with 23% CD10+, 53% bcl-6+, 67% MUM-1/IRF4+, 13% CD138+, 83% bcl-2+ and 67% EBV+. 30% of the PTLD had a germinal center (GC) profile (CD10±, bcl-6+, MUM-1/IRF4−, CD138−), 53% a “late GC/early post-GC” profile (CD10−, bcl-6±, MUM-1/IRF4+, CD138−), 13% a post-GC profile (CD10−, bcl-6−, MUM-1/IRF4+, CD138+) and 3% an indeterminate profile (all markers negative). EBV positivity was associated with MUM-1/IRF4 expression (P=0.005) and with a non-GC phenotype (P=0.01). All CD138+ cases were EBV+. The cases with a GC phenotype were the most likely to resemble transformed GC cells (P=0.023). No statistically significant survival differences could be documented between those with a GC versus non-GC phenotype. These results highlight the broad histogenetic spectrum of monomorphic B-cell PTLD. They demonstrate the association of EBV positivity with a non-GC phenotype and suggest that EBV− PTLD are more like lymphomas that arise in immunocompetent individuals. The lack of a demonstrable correlation with survival may relate to the relatively small number of cases studied.
Mutation Analysis of Consanguineous Moroccan Patients with Parkinson’s Disease Combining Microarray and Gene Panel

During the last two decades, 15 different genes have been reported to be responsible for the monogenic form of Parkinson’s disease (PD), representing a worldwide frequency of 5–10%. Among them, 10 genes have been associated with autosomal recessive PD, with PRKN and PINK1 being the most frequent. In a cohort of 145 unrelated Moroccan PD patients enrolled since 2013, 19 patients were born from a consanguineous marriage, of which 15 were isolated cases and 4 familial. One patient was homozygous for the common LRRK2 G2019S mutation and the 18 others who did not carry this mutation were screened for exon rearrangements in the PRKN gene using Affymetrix Cytoscan HD microarray. Two patients were determined homozygous for PRKN exon-deletions, while another patient presented with compound heterozygous inheritance (3/18, 17%). Two other patients showed a region of homozygosity covering the 1p36.12 locus and were sequenced for the candidate PINK1 gene, which revealed two homozygous point mutations: the known Q456X mutation in exon 7 and a novel L539F variation in exon 8. The 13 remaining patients were subjected to next-generation sequencing (NGS) that targeted a panel of 22 PD-causing genes and overlapping phenotypes. NGS data showed that two unrelated consanguineous patients with juvenile-onset PD (12 and 13 years) carried the same homozygous stop mutation W258X in the ATP13A2 gene, possibly resulting from a founder effect; and one patient with late onset (76 years) carried a novel heterozygous frameshift mutation in SYNJ1. Clinical analysis showed that patients with the ATP13A2 mutation developed juvenile-onset PD with a severe phenotype, whereas patients having either PRKN or PINK1 mutations displayed early-onset PD with a relatively mild phenotype. By identifying pathogenic mutations in 45% (8/18) of our consanguineous Moroccan PD series, we demonstrate that the combination of chromosomal microarray analysis and NGS is a powerful approach to pinpoint the genetic bases of autosomal recessive PD, particularly in countries with a high rate of consanguinity.
Stability, Rate, and Delay Analysis of Single Bottleneck Caching Networks

Caching has been widely considered an efficient way of reducing and balancing the growing traffic in communications networks in recent years. The cache network of interest consists of one content server connected via a shared link to a number of caching nodes, also known as a single bottleneck caching network. In this paper, for the first time, the stochastic requests traffic model in such networks is considered and a performance analysis is provided based on such a realistic assumption. In addition, we introduce new comprehensive performance metrics, which simultaneously take into account, the cache hit probability, load on the bottleneck link, and requests arrival rates. The main contribution of this paper is to present a system model based on queuing theory and provide an analysis of the stability, maximum stable throughput, load on the bottleneck link, and average response delay for various coded and uncoded caching schemes. Moreover, we propose a novel hybrid scheme that improves the shared link utilization factor, maximum stable throughput, and delay of single bottleneck caching networks compared to existing methods. Our results, validated against simulations and real trace-driven experiments, provide interesting insights into the performance of single bottleneck caching networks.
Modeling of a double-sampling switched-capacitor bandpass delta-sigma modulator for multi-standard applications

This paper presents an improved non-ideal model of a switched-capacitor bandpass delta-sigma modulator with tunable resonators, noise-coupling and 4-bit quantizer. Considering operational amplifier non-ideal effect, clock jitter, noise, double-sampling and multi-bit quantizer capacitor mismatch effect, behavioral simulation in simulink shows that it provides 83.4dB, 67.5dB, 80.2dB, 41.0dB Signal-to-Noise-and-Distortion ratio (SNDR) and 84dB, 68dB, 80dB, 55dB dynamic range (DR) for GSM, WCDMA, TD-SCDMA and WLAN respectively.
Antibodies against Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome Virus in Healthy Persons, China, 2013

In June 2013, a subclinical infection with severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus (SFTSV) was detected in Zhejiang Province, China, prompting seroprevalence studies in 6 districts within the province. Of 986 healthy persons tested, 71 had IgG antibodies against SFTSV. This finding suggests that most natural infections with SFTSV are mild or subclinical.