Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Family tracing to identify patients with Familial Hypercholesterolaemia: the second Audit of the Department of Health Familial Hypercholesterolaemia Cascade Testing Project

Background Family tracing is a method recognized to find new patients with familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH). We have implemented family tracing led by FH Nurses and have determined acceptability to patients, feasibility and costs. Methods Nurses were located at five National Health Service (NHS) Trusts; they identified FH patients and offered them family tracing. Responses and test results were recorded on a database and summarized on a family pedigree. Results The majority (∼70%) of index cases participated; the proportion was lower when patients had been discharged from the clinics and in metropolitan areas. On average, 34% (range 13–50%) of relatives lived outside the catchment area of the clinics and could not attend the nurse-led FH clinics. Of the previously untested relatives, 76% who lived in the catchment area of the clinic came forward to be tested. One-third of the relatives who came forward for testing were children ≤16 y of age. The proportion of relatives diagnosed as likely to have FH was lower than would be predicted (30% vs. 50%). This was mainly due to the uncertainty of a diagnosis based on lipid measurements. The average cost to identify and test one relative was approximately £500 but was higher in the metropolitan areas. Conclusion Cascade testing for FH in the UK is feasible, acceptable and likely to be cost-effective if it is a routine aspect of clinical care. However, national implementation would require an integrated infrastructure, so that all individuals have access to testing, and specialist services for the management of young people.
Easy access to recommendation playlists: selecting music by exploring preview clips in album cover space

This paper studies the idea of selecting music by exploring preview clips in an album cover space. In the implemented prototype, the user listens to representative audio clips until the preferred musical style has been found, and the corresponding song is then used as a seed song for generating a new playlist of music recommendations. The prototype was evaluated by 40 Finnish participants. In the initial interview, the concept was seen as an innovative and a fast way to explore different types of music without deeper musical knowledge, and it was said that the beauty of the concept is the instant feedback that the user gets when moving in the album cover space. In the longer-term use, the prototype was considered to be less fun and it would have benefited from the possibility to search for individual songs or listen to full albums. Still, the majority of the participants would have wanted to continue using the prototype to complement their other music player applications.
Prevention of healthcare-associated infections: protecting patients, saving lives -

(HAIs) are those infections which the patients acquire during the course of receiving treatment and are not present or incubating at the time of admission. It also includes infections which appear after discharge and occupational infections among healthcare staff. These infections are mostly caused by viral, bacterial or fungal pathogens and the most common types of HAIs include: blood stream infections, pneumonias (e.g. ventilator-associated pneumonia), urinary tract infections and surgical site infections. According to World Health Organization, for every 100 hospitalized patients at any given time, 7 in developed and 10 in developing countries are getting at least one HAI. Many countries lack strong surveillance system on HAIs and it remains a serious problem, which no institution or country can claim to have solved, despite huge efforts.
Adding semantics to microblog posts

Microblogs have become an important source of information for the purpose of marketing, intelligence, and reputation management. Streams of microblogs are of great value because of their direct and real-time nature. Determining what an individual microblog post is about, however, can be non-trivial because of creative language usage, the highly contextualized and informal nature of microblog posts, and the limited length of this form of communication. We propose a solution to the problem of determining what a microblog post is about through semantic linking: we add semantics to posts by automatically identifying concepts that are semantically related to it and generating links to the corresponding Wikipedia articles. The identified concepts can subsequently be used for, e.g., social media mining, thereby reducing the need for manual inspection and selection. Using a purpose-built test collection of tweets, we show that recently proposed approaches for semantic linking do not perform well, mainly due to the idiosyncratic nature of microblog posts. We propose a novel method based on machine learning with a set of innovative features and show that it is able to achieve significant improvements over all other methods, especially in terms of precision.
Isolation-Based Anomaly Detection

Anomalies are data points that are few and different. As a result of these properties, we show that, anomalies are susceptible to a mechanism called isolation. This article proposes a method called Isolation Forest (iForest), which detects anomalies purely based on the concept of isolation without employing any distance or density measure---fundamentally different from all existing methods. As a result, iForest is able to exploit subsampling (i) to achieve a low linear time-complexity and a small memory-requirement and (ii) to deal with the effects of swamping and masking effectively. Our empirical evaluation shows that iForest outperforms ORCA, one-class SVM, LOF and Random Forests in terms of AUC, processing time, and it is robust against masking and swamping effects. iForest also works well in high dimensional problems containing a large number of irrelevant attributes, and when anomalies are not available in training sample.
Evolution and early evidence of the impact of consumer-driven health plans: from e-commerce venture to health savings accounts

Using results from peer-reviewed empirical analyses we describe the development and impact of the consumer-driven health plan market over the last 5 years. The results of these analyses show that consumers are responding to the financial incentives of these new health insurance benefits. Although the results may not always be what the consumer-driven health plan developers intended, there is clear evidence of ‘consumerism’, where individuals act in a way that generally increases their access to healthcare or investments, if the opportunity is present. Just as Medicare Part D enrollment demonstrated consumers could identify differences in prescription drug plans and make rational choices, so too are prospective patients able to function as consumers in the medical marketplace when give the opportunity.
Current status of safinamide for the drug portfolio of Parkinson’s disease therapy

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is characterized by a slowly ongoing neuronal death. This alters dopaminergic and glutamatergic neurotransmission and causes a wide variety of motor and non-motor features. Safinamide has a unique pharmacological profile, which combines modulation of dopamine metabolism by reversible, highly specific monoamine oxidase-B inhibition, blockage of voltage-dependent sodium channels, modulation of calcium channels and of glutamate release induced by abnormal neuronal activity. Therefore, safinamide represents an ideal candidate for the treatment of PD. This compound asks for one time daily intake only within an optimum dose range between 50 and 100 mg. In clinical trials, safinamide was well tolerated and safe, improved motor behavior even in combination with dopamine agonist only, ameliorated levodopa-associated motor complications. Safinamide has the potential to become an important compound for the therapy of PD, since its symptomatic efficacy appears to be superior to available monoamine oxidase-B inhibitors or N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor antagonists like amantadine, according to available trial outcomes.
The educ ational and occupational aspirations of Sudanese refugee youth in an American public high school in the Midwest

Research on the educational and occupational aspirations of U.S. youth born in Africa is not only rare, but some studies have assumed that these immigrants are a monolithic group. However, they differ in experiences according to whether they are refugees, asylum seekers, or voluntary immigrants coming from various countries in Africa. These immigrants also come from different countries with different ethnicities, cultures, religions, and races. This case study makes such a needed distinction based on a small sample of high school students from Northern Sudan who lived in a small Midwest U.S. city. Diversity in ethnicities and cultures not only affects educational and occupational aspirations but also impacts how the aspirations are formed, maintained, and achieved. The Sudanese refugee youth who participated in this study had high educational and occupational aspirations, with all of them aspiring to obtain a college degree and some intending to achieve careers in medicine, dentistry, law, and engineering. These high aspirations were backed by high academic scores. Almost all students in this study came from well-educated families despite their current low socioeconomic status (SES). Their current SES and minority status (MS) did not seem to affect their aspirations and academic performance. This study showed that educational and occupational aspirations are formed when students have strong social support from parents, significant others, teachers, peers, and their community, all of whom influence and reward high educational expectations and enforce the students’ cultural obligations. Abstract Approved: __________________________________ Thesis SupervisorApproved: __________________________________ Thesis Supervisor __________________________________ Title and Department __________________________________ Date THE EDUCATIONAL AND OCCUPATIONAL ASPIRATIONS OF SUDANESE REFUGEE YOUTH IN AN AMERICAN PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOL IN THE MIDWEST by Anne Omwango Kiche A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Doctor of Philosophy degree in Educational Policy and Leadership Studies in the Graduate College of The University of Iowa
Hacia una base normativa mexicana en la medición de calidad de vida relacionada con la salud, mediante el Formato Corto 36

Objective. To present the results of the application of the short format 36 instrument (SF-36) in the Mexican states of Sonora and Oaxaca. The levels of quality of life were compared with those from Canada and the United States. Material and Methods. The data were obtained using a survey on health service access, usage, and quality. The SF-36 is composed of 36 questions, which represent eight different domains on the health-related quality of life. These domains are used to estimate the physical and mental components of health. Data analysis was performed to calculate the average scores for each domain for the total sample, by gender and age groups in each state. The regional differences were assessed by the difference of means. Results. The total response was 98.5% of the 4200 selected households. The percent response values were similar between the two states. A total of 5961 subjects older than 25 years of age completed the questionnaire. Males scored higher than females in all domains and in both components. Regardless of sex, the highest variation was observed in adults up to 64 years of age mainly in three domains: overall health, social function, and mental health; in the 65-74 year age group occurred mostly in social function and mental health; and in adults older than 75 years only in mental health. The young adult age group (25 to 44 years) showed variation in a greater number of domains, while women exhibited more variation in the “extreme” age groups, 25 to 34 years and 75 years and older. The mean scores in our sample were higher than Duran-Arenas L, Gallegos-Carrillo K, Salinas-Escudero G, Martinez-Salgado H. Hacia una base normativa mexicana en la medicion de calidad de vida relacionada con la salud, mediante el Formato Corto 36. Salud Publica Mex 2004;46:306-315. El texto completo en ingles de este articulo esta disponible en: http://www.insp. mx/salud/index.html
Albumin-to-Creatinine Ratio in Random Urine Samples Might Replace 24-h Urine Collections in Screening For Micro- and Macroalbuminuria in Pregnant Woman With Type 1 Diabetes

Pre-eclampsia, a clinical syndrome of unknown etiology, is among the most common reasons for perinatal and maternal mortality (1). The incidence of pre-eclampsia in women with type 1 diabetes is considerably higher (10–20%) than in the background population (4–5%) (2). Microalbuminuria, defined as a urinary albumin excretion from 30 to 300 mg/24 h before or in early pregnancy has proven to be a good risk marker for pre-eclampsia in women with type 1 diabetes (3). However, the urinary albumin status is often not known at booking for pregnancy. The traditional method for diagnosing microalbuminuria, collection of 24-h urine samples, is cumbersome and time consuming and may be associated with collection errors and poor compliance. The aim of this study was to determine whether measurement of the albumin-to-creatinine ratio in random urine samples can replace 24-h urine collection in screening for micro- and macroalbuminuria in pregnant women with type 1 diabetes. The study was conducted at Copenhagen University Hospital from 2000 to 2003. All women with type 1 diabetes who were admitted to our obstetric department before 14 weeks of gestation were asked to participate, and 119 women were enrolled. The women were asked to make two 24-h urine collections and two random urine samples. The samples were collected between gestational weeks 7 and 22, since we previously have found the urinary albumin excretion …
Total antioxidant capacity and total oxidant status after surfactant treatment in preterm infants with respiratory distress syndrome

Background Oxidative damage is important in the pathogenesis of respiratory distress syndrome (RDS). However, data on the effect of surfactant therapy on oxidative stress in vivo are limited. We aimed to evaluate the oxidant/antioxidant status in preterm infants with RDS via measurement of total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and total oxidant status (TOS), to determine the effect of surfactant on oxidant/antioxidant balance and to assess the association between TAC, TOS and clinical outcomes of the patients. Methods Sixty-nine infants with RDS were included. Blood samples for determining TAC and TOS were collected before and 48 h after surfactant treatment. TAC and TOS levels were analysed in serum. Patients were followed up until discharge or death. Results Post-surfactant TAC levels were significantly higher than pre-surfactant TAC levels (P = 0.029). TAC/TOS ratio significantly increased after surfactant treatment (P = 0.018). Infants <28 weeks of gestational age had lower levels of baseline TAC than those ≥28 weeks of gestational age (P = 0.020), whereas TOS levels were similar. Baseline TAC/TOS ratio was lower in infants who died in the study period than those who survived (P = 0.023). After controlling gestational age, baseline TAC levels were significantly and inversely correlated with the duration of total respiratory support (r = −0.343; P = 0.009) and hospitalization (r = −0.341; P = 0.009). TAC or TOS levels were not associated with the development of bronchopulmonary dysplasia or other complications as determined during the investigation period. Conclusions Oxidant–antioxidant balance shifts in favour of the antioxidant system after surfactant treatment. Lower TAC/TOS ratio in preterm infants may be associated with increased mortality.
The pathomechanisms underlying Parkinson's disease

Parkinson's disease (PD), one of the most frequent neurodegenerative disorders, is a progressive multi-organ proteinopathy caused by misfolded α-synuclein (αSyn) with variegated motor and nonmotor deficits owing to a spreading process of synaptic and neuronal loss in the nervous system. The motor core deficits of PD including rigidity, akinesia, rest tremor, and postural instability are attributed to the loss of dopaminergic nigrostriatal system, while the nonmotor alterations, such as hyposmia, autonomic and other dysfunctions frequently antedating motor symptoms are linked to widespread distribution of αSyn in the central, autonomic and peripheral nervous system and multiple organs. Recent studies have shown that αSyn aggregation in presynaptic terminals that predates the formation of Lewy bodies (LB), the characteristic markers of PD, is a key event in the pathogenesis of PD and other synucleinopathies. Progress in our understanding of the underlying mechanisms include insights into the functional organization of the basal ganglia and related cortico-subcortical circuits and their relations with morphological and pathophysiological lesions in the nervous system. The pathomechanisms underlying the cardinal motor abnormalities and nonmotor manifestations are briefly reviewed.
Sleep problems and their effect in ADHD

Sleep problems are common in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) to the extent that they mimic or exacerbate daytime symptoms expression. In this review, we advocate the need for a better understanding of sleep alterations in youths with ADHD and their impact on neurobehavioral functions including learning, memory and emotional regulation. An in-depth exploration of existing data showed that although extensively studied, the actual nature of sleep problems in ADHD and their effects on daytime behavior are still less well understood. Important issues, among which developmental changes in sleep architecture and role of subtle sleep electroencephalogram signatures, are generally neglected. Future research of sleep effects on behavior in ADHD would benefit from considering developmental aspects and links between brain activation patterns during sleep and wake.
Frequency of CYP1A1*2C Polymorphism in Patients with Leukemia in the Iranian Population

Background: CYP1A1, a member of the cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzymes, plays a very important role in metabolizing carcinogens. The aim of this case-control study was to detect the frequency of CYP1A1*2C polymorphism in Iranian leukemic patients and determine the role of this allele’s variants, if any, as a risk factor for developing leukemia. Methods: Thirty-nine patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), 105 with acute myeloid leukemia (AML), 95 healthy volunteers as the adult control group, 85 children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), and 94 healthy children as the children control group were studied. Genomic DNA was assayed for restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) in the CYP1A1*2C loci by amplification followed by digestion with BsrDI. Results: The frequencies of AA genotype (wild) were 82.05%, 62.85%, 84.70%, 85.10%, and 80% in CML, AML, ALL, the children control group, and the adult control group, respectively. The frequencies of AG genotype (heterogeneous) were 17.95%, 36.20%, 15.30%, 14.90%, and 18.95% in CML, AML, ALL, the children control group, and the adult control group, respectively. The frequencies of GG genotype (mutant) were 0.95% and 1.05% in AML and the adult control groups respectively; whereas, it was not observed in CML, ALL, or the children control group. Logistic regression analysis showed a significant correlation between the CYP1A1*2C polymorphism AG and AML patients (OR=2.4, 95% CI=1.3–4.7, P >0.05). Conclusion: A higher frequency of CYP1A1*2C, observed in AML patients, compared with the adult control group indicates an increased risk for AML in individuals carrying the heterozygote allele CYP1A1*2C. However, the results did not show any association between CYP1A1*2C genotypes and risk of ALL or CML. * CYP : cytochrome P450 CML : chronic myeloid leukemia AML : acute myeloid leukemia ALL : acute lymphoblastic leukemia RT-PCR : reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction IBTO : Iranian Blood Transfusion Organization EDTA : ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid RFLP : restriction fragment length polymorphism OR : odds ratio CI : confidence interval
Common microbial aetiology of abnormal vaginal discharge among sexually active women in Dhaka, Bangladesh

Abnormal vaginal discharge is a common symptom of genital infection in women. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the various causes of vaginal discharge in sexually active females. A cross-sectional study was undertaken among women aged 15 to 45 years with abnormal vaginal discharge, with or without itching attended at Sir Salimullah Medical College, Dhaka for a period of 6 months. After making the clinical diagnosis, appropriate tests for diagnosing candidiasis, trichomoniasis, gonorrhea and bacterial vaginosis were done. Among all patients, organisms responsible for abnormal vaginal discharges were found in 94.8% of the cases, of which vaginal candidiasis (53.6%) was the most common, followed by bacterial vaginosis (29.2%), trichomoniasis (10.8%), gonorrhea (1.2%) and non-specific other urogenital causes (5.2%). The most common age groups affected by vaginal candidiasis, bacterial vaginosis and trichomoniasis were 26-35 years (64.9%), 26-35 years (27.6%) and 15-25 years (52%) respectively. Gonorrhea was recorded in the age group of 15-25 years (66.7%). Most of the organisms were isolated in the age group of 30-40 years. The causative agent of vaginal candidiasis was the leading cause of vaginal discharge in the age group of sexually active women and next to it was the bacterial vaginosis. A lower rate of Trichomonas vaginalis was found in our study in comparison to other studies. DOI: http://dx.doi. org/10.3329/seajph.v1i1. 13211 South East Asia Journal of Public Health 2011:1:35-39
Recommendations for standardized reporting of protein electrophoresis in Australia and New Zealand

Background Although protein electrophoresis of serum (SPEP) and urine (UPEP) specimens is a well-established laboratory technique, the reporting of results using this important method varies considerably between laboratories. The Australasian Association of Clinical Biochemists recognized a need to adopt a standardized approach to reporting SPEP and UPEP by clinical laboratories. Methods A Working Party considered available data including published literature and clinical studies, together with expert opinion in order to establish optimal reporting practices. A position paper was produced, which was subsequently revised through a consensus process involving scientists and pathologists with expertise in the field throughout Australia and New Zealand. Results Recommendations for standardized reporting of protein electrophoresis have been produced. These cover analytical requirements: detection systems; serum protein and albumin quantification; fractionation into alpha-1, alpha-2, beta and gamma fractions; paraprotein quantification; urine Bence Jones protein quantification; paraprotein characterization; and laboratory performance, expertise and staffing. The recommendations also include general interpretive commenting and commenting for specimens with paraproteins and small bands together with illustrative examples of reports. Conclusions Recommendations are provided for standardized reporting of protein electrophoresis in Australia and New Zealand. It is expected that such standardized reporting formats will reduce both variation between laboratories and the risk of misinterpretation of results.