Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
PREVALENCE AND SOCIODEMOGRAPHIC CORRELATES OF CONSANGUINEOUS MARRIAGES IN TURKEY

Summary The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and sociodemographic correlates of consanguineous marriages in Turkey using data derived from the 2003 Turkey Demographic and Health Survey (TDHS-2003). Demographic surveys conducted in the last 40 years consistently show that Turkey is a country with a high level of consanguinity. In the latest demographic survey (TDHS-2003), a nationally representative sample of 8075 ever-married women, consanguineous marriages accounted for 22% of the total, which is equivalent to a mean coefficient of inbreeding (α) of 0·011. There are changing secular profiles in the rates of consanguinity in general and of the specific sub-types of cousin marriages in particular in Turkey. The prevalence of first cousin marriages among all consanguineous marriages presents a steady decline from one marriage cohort to the next. The changes observed over time may be attributable to several factors such as the increase in educational level of women, the nuclearization of the family system, the mobility from rural to urban settings, a better socioeconomic status of families, an increase in women’s labour force participation in formal sectors, lower fertility rates resulting in a smaller number of cousins available for marriage, and an increased awareness of the effects of consanguineous unions on child health in cases where there is an inherited recessive disease in the family. Any attempts to discourage consanguinity at the population level appear to be inappropriate and undesirable, especially when the consanguineous union remains an integral part of the cultural and social life of Turkey. Nevertheless the WHO-recommended approach to minimizing the negative effects of consanguinity on child health should be followed, i.e. the identification of families with a high risk of a genetic disease and the provision of prospective genetic counselling.
The Warning Glove: Wearable Computing Technology for Maintenance Assistance in IPS2

Abstract This paper presents an approach on how multimodality and wearable technology can be used to design an innovative device for maintenance assistance of human operators in Industrial Product-Service Systems (IPS2). Based on findings from wearable computing technology and multimodality in warning design, the concept and prototypic realization of a multimodal action-specific warning glove is introduced. This glove provides visual, auditory and haptic feedback. To test the glove's usability the maintenance scenario “changing a spindle” was used. The results of the short version of the ISONORM 9241/110 questionnaire encourage further improvements of the warning glove.
Chronic Suppurative Otitis Media, Caloric Testing, and Rotational Chair Testing

Objective: To determine the incidence of caloric and rotational chair testing (ROT) abnormalities in a group of patients with chronic suppurative otitis media (CSOM) and to correlate caloric test results with ROT. Patients: Twenty-five patients with CSOM with or without cholesteatoma who were to undergo tympanomastoid surgery. Interventions: Caloric and ROT. Main Outcome Measures: History of dizziness. Vestibular test abnormalities defined by caloric weakness (CW), reduced gain, abnormal phase, or asymmetry on ROT. Results: Among the 25 patients, 13 had bilateral CSOM-most with long-standing disease and history of previous surgical intervention. Of the 25 patients, 19 (76%) demonstrated either unilateral or bilateral CW. Eighteen (72%) demonstrated abnormalities on ROT. Eleven patients (44%) had complaints of vertigo/dizziness, although 2 of these patients had both normal caloric testing and ROT. Unilateral or bilateral CW was 80% accurate in predicting an ROT abnormality, whereas the sympton of vertigo/dizziness was only 48% accurate in predicting an ROT abnormality. Conclusion: The incidence of CW among CSOM patients in this study was high and correlated well with abnormalities on ROT. Interestingly, ROT results correlated better with CW than symptoms of dizziness/vertigo. Although CW findings can be the result of technical limitations in testing patients with CSOM, ROT corroboration of these results suggest that they are valid findings.
[Extremely Low Birthweight Infants in Iceland. Health and development.].

OBJECTIVE Survival of extremely low birthweight infants (BW<1000g) in Iceland has increased in recent years, especially since the availability of surfactant therapy for Respiratory Distress Syndrome of Prematurity. This study was part of a geographically defined national study on survival, health, development and longterm outcome of extremely low birthweight (ELBW) infants in Iceland focusing on health, development and disabilities with reference to a control group. MATERIAL AND METHODS Information from the National Birth Registry on births in Iceland of ELBW infants weighing 500-999g was collected in two periods 1982-90 and 1991-95, before and after surfactant therapy became available. Information on pregnancy, birth, diseases in the newborn period and later health problems was collected from hospital records. The ELBW infants born in 1991-95 and matched control children were enrolled to a prospective study on longterm health and development. The children undervent medical examinations and developmental testing at 5 years of age in 1996-2001. Comparison was made between the two groups of ELBW infants and between ELBW infants and control children born in 1991-95. RESULTS In 1982-90 the longterm survival of ELBW infants at 5 years of age was 22% and 52% in 1991-95. In both periods 1982-90 and 1991-95 similar data was found on ELBW infants regarding mothers health, pregnancy, birth and neonatal period. Difference was found in maternal age being significantly higher (p=0.02) and significally more deliveries by cesarian section (p=0.02) in the latter period. The two groups of ELBW infants were similar regarding sex, birthweight and diseases in the newborn period. Comparison between 35 ELBW infants and 55 control children born 1991-95 showed that significantly more mothers of ELBW children smoked during pregnancy (p=0.003) and suffered from various diseases (p=0.001). More ELBW children were born by cesarian section (p=0.001) than control children and their parents reported more longterm health problems regarding astma (p=0.001), convulsions (p=0.001), difficulties in swallowing (p=0.001) and weight gaining (p=0.005). At five years of age significantly more ELBW children born in 1991-95 compared to control children had abnormal general physical examination (p</=0.001), neurological examination (p</=0.001) and motor skills (p</=0.001). Scores on developmental testing were significantly lower (p=0.002). The proportion of ELBW children with disabilities was 16% in 1982-90 and 14% in 1991-95. CONCLUSIONS The two groups of ELBW infants born in 1982-90 and 1991-95 are similar regarding problems during pregnancy, birth and newborn period. The proportion of children with disabilities is similar in both periods although survival was significantly increased. When compared to matched control children, ELBW children born in 1991-95 suffer significantly more longterm health and developmental problems.
Ulnar Hammer Syndrome: A Systematic Review of the Literature

Background: Ulnar hammer syndrome is an uncommon form of arterial insufficiency. Many treatments have been described, and debate continues about the best option. The goal of this systematic review was to determine whether ulnar hammer syndrome has an occupational association, to identify the most reliable diagnostic test, and to determine the best treatment modality. Methods: A comprehensive literature search was conducted using the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, MEDLINE, CINAHL, and EMBASE. Data from articles meeting inclusion criteria were collected in duplicate. Methodological quality of studies was assessed using the Methodological Index for Nonrandomized Studies scale. Results: Thirty studies were included in the systematic review. No randomized controlled trials were identified. There is low-quality evidence suggestive of an association between exposure to repetitive hand trauma and vibration and ulnar hammer syndrome. Various diagnostic investigations were used, but few were compared, making it difficult to determine the most reliable diagnostic test. Numerous nonoperative and operative treatments were reported. With nonoperative treatment, 12 percent had complete resolution and 70 percent had partial resolution of their symptoms. Of patients treated operatively, 42.5 percent had complete resolution and 42.5 percent had partial resolution of their symptoms. Conclusions: The heterogeneity in study design and outcome measures limits definitive conclusions about occupational association, best diagnostic test, and treatment for ulnar hammer syndrome. However, there is low-quality evidence that suggests that most patients with ulnar hammer syndrome will have partial relief of symptoms with nonoperative treatment, and operative treatment results in complete or partial resolution of symptoms in the majority of cases. CLINICAL QUESTION/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic, IV.
Inhibition of Inflammation and Bone Erosion by RNA Interference–Mediated Silencing of Heterogeneous Nuclear RNP A2/B1 in Two Experimental Models of Rheumatoid Arthritis

The nuclear protein heterogeneous nuclear RNP A2/B1 (hnRNP A2/B1) is involved in posttranscriptional regulation of gene expression. It is constitutively expressed in lymphoid organs and highly up‐regulated in the synovial tissue of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), who may also generate autoantibodies to this protein. This study was undertaken to investigate the potential involvement of hnRNP A2/B1 in the pathogenesis of autoimmune arthritis, by silencing hnRNP A2/B1 expression in 2 animal models of RA.
In vitro antimicrobial inhibition of Mycoplasma bovis isolates submitted to the Pennsylvania Animal Diagnostic Laboratory using flow cytometry and a broth microdilution method

Mycoplasma bovis is an important pathogen of cattle, causing mastitis, pneumonia, conjunctivitis, otitis, and arthritis. Currently there are only a few reports of sensitivity levels for M. bovis isolates from the United States. Mycoplasma bovis isolates submitted to the Pennsylvania Animal Diagnostic Laboratory between December 2007 and December 2008 (n = 192) were tested for antimicrobial susceptibility to enrofloxacin, erythromycin, florfenicol, spectinomycin, ceftiofur, tetracycline, and oxytetracycline using a broth microdilution method. The most effective antimicrobials against M. bovis determined by using the broth microdilution method were florfenicol, enrofloxacin, and tetracycline with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) ranges of 2–32 µg/ml, 0.1–3.2 µg/ml, and 0.05 to >12.8 µg/ml, respectively. Spectinomycin, oxytetracycline, and tetracycline showed a wide-ranging level of efficacy in isolate inhibition with broth microdilution with MIC ranges of 4 to >256 µg/ml, 0.05 to >12.8 µg/ml, and 0.05 to >12.8 µg/ml, respectively. A significant difference in the susceptibility levels between quarter milk and lung isolates was found for spectinomycin. When MIC values of a subset of the M. bovis isolates (n = 12) were tested using a flow cytometric technique, the MIC ranges of enrofloxacin, spectinomycin, ceftiofur, erythromycin, tetracycline, oxytetracycline, and florfenicol ranges were 0.1–0.4 µg/ml, 4 to >256 µg/ml, >125 µg/ml, >3.2 µg/ml, <0.025 to >6.4 µg/ml, 0.8 to >12.8 µg/ml, and <2–4 µg/ml, respectively. Flow cytometry offers potential in clinical applications due to high-throughput capability, quick turnaround time, and the objective nature of interpreting results.
Intra-abdominal fibrosis in a recent cohort of patients with neuroendocrine ('carcinoid') tumours of the small bowel.

BACKGROUND Fibrosis is a hallmark of neuroendocrine tumours (NETs) arising in the jejunum and ileum and may manifest in the mesentery and elsewhere. It is clinically important and once-established, there are few effective therapies. AIM To examine the frequency, radiological manifestations and clinical significance of intra-abdominal fibrosis in a patient cohort using modern cross-sectional imaging. Current prevalence is compared to historical series and correlation with cardiac fibrosis evaluated. DESIGN Cross-sectional, retrospective survey of a cohort of patients with mid-gut NETs from a single centre. METHODS Review of clinical features, biochemistry and imaging of patients with sporadic mid-gut NET and available imaging between 2002 and 2008. RESULTS Thirty-one patients were included: 26 (83.9%) had liver metastases and 11 (35.4%) had small-bowel wall thickening; 17 patients (55%) had mesenteric involvement, with a mass, which contained coarse calcification in seven patients and fine calcification in a further two. There was soft-tissue stranding in 13 patients (plus in a further patient with no mass) and 'indrawing' of tissues in 11 patients. Two patients had a 'misty' mesentery and two had early retroperitoneal fibrosis. Mesenteric involvement was unrelated to gender and urinary 5HIAA excretion. CONCLUSION Intra-abdominal fibrosis can be detected radiologically in around half of patients with mid-gut NET using contemporary cross-sectional imaging. Although not statistically significant, small-bowel obstruction was seen more frequently in the group with fibrosis. There was no relationship with cardiac fibrosis. Prospective studies are needed to evaluate predictors of fibrosis onset and clinical course and determine optimal methods of prevention and treatment.
Improvement of serum aminotransferase levels after phlebotomy in patients with chronic active hepatitis C and excess hepatic iron.

OBJECTIVES Iron metabolism may be altered in patients with chronic active hepatitis C. In an attempt to evaluate whether excess iron contributes to liver injury, we used phlebotomy for removal of iron from patients with chronic hepatitis C. METHODS All 10 patients had histochemically detectable iron in the liver and underwent an initial period of weekly or monthly phlebotomy of 200 or 400 ml. A serum ferritin level of 10 ng/ml or less was chosen as the endpoint, and maintenance phlebotomy was performed if the level rebounded. RESULTS The treatment reduced mean serum alanine aminotransferase activity from 152 +/- 49 to 55 +/- 32 IU/L; this level became normal in five of the 10 patients. Anti-HCV antibodies could be detected in all patients throughout the study. Histologic abnormalities of the liver were unchanged except for disappearance of iron deposits from seven of the patients studied. CONCLUSIONS Our findings suggest that iron removal may be beneficial for patients with chronic active hepatitis C and histochemical iron in the liver.
The course of serum adenosine deaminase levels in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis.

BACKGROUND This study was done to investigate the course of serum adenosine deaminase (sADA) level during pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) and its relationship with clinical, radiological, and laboratory parameters in TB patients. MATERIAL/METHODS sADA levels were measured at the beginning and after the first, second, and sixth months in 38 smear-positive TB patients. Chest X-rays were taken. Additionally, peripheral blood leukocyte and lymphocyte counts, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), and C reactive protein (CRP) levels were measured. Fifteen healthy persons were enrolled in the study as controls. RESULTS The level of sADA at the beginning was 33.2+/-13.9 U/l in the patients and 19.0+/-7.1 U/l in controls. The specificity and sensitivity were found to be 100% and 42%, respectively. The level of sADA showed elevation (45.1+/-10.6 U/l) after one month and gradually decreased in the second (34.6+/-10.1 U/l) and sixth months (24.6+/-4.7 U/l). ANOVA (post hoc Bonferroni) showed a significant difference in sADA levels between the beginning and the first month (p=0.005), the first and second months (p=0.016), and between the first month and the end of treatment (p<0.001). There was also a significant difference between sADA level at the end of treatment and the control value (p=0.01). During these times there were significant differences in the radiological course, peripheral blood lymphocyte count, ESR, and CRP levels. CONCLUSIONS sADA levels in TB patients showed a slight elevation in the first month, but it decreased during treatment in parallel with the effectiveness. This may have an association with lymphocytic activation.
The Palomar Transient Factory Survey Camera: first year performance and results

The Palomar Transient Factory (PTF) is a new fully-automated, wide-field survey conducting a systematic exploration of the optical transient sky. The transient survey is performed using a new 8.1 square degree, 101 megapixel camera installed on the 48-inch Samuel Oschin Telescope at Palomar Observatory. The PTF Camera achieved first light at the end of 2008, completed commissioning in July 2009, and is now in routine science operations. The camera is based on the CFH12K camera, and was extensively modified for use on the 48-inch telescope. A field-flattening curved window was installed, the cooling system was re-engineered and upgraded to closed-cycle, custom shutter and filter exchanger mechanisms were added, new custom control software was written, and many other modifications were made. We here describe the performance of these new systems during the first year of Palomar Transient Factory operations, including a detailed and long term on-sky performance characterization. We also describe lessons learned during the construction and commissioning of the upgraded camera, the photometric and astrometric precision currently achieved with the PTF camera, and briefly summarize the first supernova results from the PTF survey.
A weed risk assessment model for use as a biosecurity tool evaluating plant introductions

Abstract New plant taxa from around the world continue to be imported into Australia and New Zealand. Many of these taxa have the potential to become agricultural or environmental weeds and this risk needs to be assessed before allowing their entry. A weed risk assessment system is described that uses information on a taxon's current weed status in other parts of the world, climate and environmental preferences, and biological attributes. The system is designed to be operated by quarantine personnel via a user-friendly computer interface. The model was tested against experts' scores for weediness for 370 taxa present in Australia, representing both weeds and useful taxa from agriculture, the environment, and other sectors. The model was judged on its ability to correctly ‘reject’ weeds, ‘accept’ non-weeds, and generate a low proportion of taxa which could not be decisively categorised, termed ‘evaluate’. More than 70% of the taxa were rejected or accepted. All taxa classified as serious weeds, and most minor weeds, were rejected or required further evaluation, while only 7% of non-weeds were rejected. The model was modified to New Zealand conditions and evaluated against the opinions of several groups of experts and against economic measures. The model produced a weediness score very similar to the mean of the experts scores. The latter were highly variable: agriculturalists tended to accept known weeds, conservationists tended to reject most adventive taxa, and only botanists produced scores similar to the model. The model scores also tended to be independent of economic value as measured in this study. The model could be adapted for use as a screening tool in any region of the world.
Small-signal Laplace-domain analysis of uniformly-sampled pulse-width modulators

As the performance of digital signal processors has increased rapidly during the last decade, there is a growing interest to replace the analog controllers in low power switching converters by more complicated and flexible digital control algorithms. Compared to high power converters, the control loop bandwidths for converters in the lower power range are generally much higher. Because of this, the dynamic properties of the uniformly-sampled pulse-width modulators used in low power applications become an important restriction for the maximum achievable bandwidth of control loops. After the discussion of the most commonly used uniformly-sampled pulse-width modulators, small-signal frequency- and Laplace-domain models for the different types of uniformly-sampled pulse-width modulators are derived theoretically. The results obtained are verified by means of experimental data retrieved from a test setup.
Hemojuvelin-Neogenin Interaction Is Required for Bone Morphogenic Protein-4-induced Hepcidin Expression*

Hemojuvelin (HJV) is a glycosylphosphatidylinositol-linked protein and binds both bone morphogenic proteins (BMPs) and neogenin. Cellular HJV acts as a BMP co-receptor to enhance the transcription of hepcidin, a key iron regulatory hormone secreted predominantly by liver hepatocytes. In this study we characterized the role of neogenin in HJV-regulated hepcidin expression. Both HJV and neogenin were expressed in liver hepatocytes. Knockdown of neogenin decreased BMP4-induced hepcidin mRNA levels by 16-fold in HJV-expressing HepG2 cells but only by about 2-fold in cells transfected with either empty vector or G99V mutant HJV that does not bind BMPs. Further studies indicated that disruption of the HJV-neogenin interaction is responsible for a marked suppression of hepcidin expression. Moreover, in vivo studies showed that hepatic hepcidin mRNA could be significantly suppressed by blocking the interaction of HJV with full-length neogenin with a soluble fragment of neogenin in mice. Together, these results suggest that the HJV-neogenin interaction is required for the BMP-mediated induction of hepcidin expression when HJV is expressed. Combined with our previous studies, our results support that hepatic neogenin possesses two functions, mediation of cellular HJV release, and stimulation of HJV-enhanced hepcidin expression.
Prediction of Repetition of Parasuicide: With Special Reference to Unemployment

Economically active male parasuicides admitted to the Regional Poisoning Treatment Centre, Edinburgh in 1984 were divided into two groups - those with a previous history of parasuicide and those without. The two groups were compared on a number of psychosocial and clinical characteristics to examine which were related to repetition. A further analysis (of economically active male admissions in 1985 and 1986) tested the predictive value of these discriminating characteristics. By stratification of the population, the interaction of unemployment (a discriminator and a predictor of repetition) with certain other variables was examined. A final analysis examined the risk of repetition by duration of unemployment. Unemployment discriminated those with a past history of repetition from those with no past history and also predicted repetition within a calendar year of the initial episode. The 35-64 age group were particularly vulnerable to repetition if unemployed as were those in social classes I-III and those with a past psychiatric history (inpatient or outpatient). The relationship between unemployment and parasuicide was no longer significant when the population was stratified by presence or absence of personality disorder and history of previous parasuicide, suggesting that these might be confounding variables in the relationship. The particular vulnerability of the long-term unemployed (greater than one year) to repetition was confirmed.