Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Cost-effectiveness of alternate strategies for childhood immunization against meningococcal disease with monovalent and quadrivalent conjugate vaccines in Canada

Background Public health programs to prevent invasive meningococcal disease (IMD) with monovalent serogroup C meningococcal conjugate vaccine (MCV-C) and quadrivalent meningococcal conjugate vaccines (MCV-4) in infancy and adolescence vary across Canadian provinces. This study evaluated the cost-effectiveness of various vaccination strategies against IMD using current and anticipated future pricing and recent epidemiology. Methods A cohort model was developed to estimate the clinical burden and costs (CAN$2014) of IMD in the Canadian population over a 100-year time horizon for three strategies: (1) MCV-C in infants and adolescents (MCV-C/C); (2) MCV-C in infants and MCV-4 in adolescents (MCV-C/4); and (3) MCV-4 in infants (2 doses) and adolescents (MCV-4/4). The source for IMD incidence was Canadian surveillance data. The effectiveness of MCV-C was based on published literature. The effectiveness of MCV-4 against all vaccination regimens was assumed to be the same as for MCV-C regimens against serogroup C. Herd effects were estimated by calibration to estimates reported in prior analyses. Costs were from published sources. Vaccines prices were projected to decline over time reflecting historical procurement trends. Results Over the modeling horizon there are a projected 11,438 IMD cases and 1,195 IMD deaths with MCV-C/C; expected total costs are $597.5 million. MCV-C/4 is projected to reduce cases of IMD by 1,826 (16%) and IMD deaths by 161 (13%). Vaccination costs are increased by $32 million but direct and indirect IMD costs are projected to be reduced by $46 million. MCV-C/4 is therefore dominant vs. MCV-C/C in the base case. Cost-effectiveness of MCV-4/4 was $111,286 per QALY gained versus MCV-C/4 (2575/206 IMD cases/deaths prevented; incremental costs $68 million). Conclusions If historical trends in Canadian vaccines prices continue, use of MCV-4 instead of MCV-C in adolescents may be cost-effective. From an economic perspective, switching to MCV-4 as the adolescent booster should be considered.
Crimean-Congo Hemorrhagic Fever Virus Glycoprotein Processing by the Endoprotease SKI-1/S1P Is Critical for Virus Infectivity

ABSTRACT Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever virus (CCHFV) causes severe human disease. The CCHFV medium RNA encodes a polyprotein which is proteolytically processed to yield the glycoprotein precursors PreGn and PreGc, followed by structural glycoproteins Gn and Gc. Subtilisin kexin isozyme-1/site-1 protease (SKI-1/S1P) plays a central role in Gn processing. Here we show that CCHFV-infected cells deficient in SKI-1/S1P produce no infectious virus, although PreGn and PreGc accumulated normally in the Golgi apparatus, the site of virus assembly. Only nucleoprotein-containing particles which lacked virus glycoproteins (Gn/Gc or PreGn/PreGc) were secreted. Complementation of SKI-1/S1P-deficient cells with a SKI-1/S1P expression vector restored release of infectious virus (>106 PFU/ml), confirming that SKI-1/S1P processing is required for incorporation of viral glycoproteins. SKI-1/S1P may represent a promising antiviral target.
Cities and Mental Health.

BACKGROUND More than half of the global population currently lives in cities, with an increasing trend for further urbanization. Living in cities is associated with increased population density, traffic noise and pollution, but also with better access to health care and other commodities. METHODS This review is based on a selective literature search, providing an overview of the risk factors for mental illness in urban centers. RESULTS Studies have shown that the risk for serious mental illness is generally higher in cities compared to rural areas. Epidemiological studies have associated growing up and living in cities with a considerably higher risk for schizophrenia. However, correlation is not causation and living in poverty can both contribute to and result from impairments associated with poor mental health. Social isolation and discrimination as well as poverty in the neighborhood contribute to the mental health burden while little is known about specific interactions between such factors and the built environment. CONCLUSION Further insights on the interaction between spatial heterogeneity of neighborhood resources and socio-ecological factors is warranted and requires interdisciplinary research.
ENHANCING DIVERGENT THINKING IN VISUAL ARTS EDUCATION: EFFECTS OF EXPLICIT INSTRUCTION OF METACOGNITION

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How the Immigrant has Become Muslim

Parmi les figures de l’alterite que la sociologie a conceptualisees, on a pu voir le passage de la minorite interne a l’etranger, puis a l’immigre, qui a ete longtemps l’ideal-type de « l’Autre ». Ces dernieres annees il semble remplace par le musulman. De nombreuses raisons expliquent ce passage. Les unes sont liees a la conjoncture, qu’il s’agisse des transformations de l’immigration en Europe ou de l’emergence de l’Islam comme acteur global. D’autres renvoient a des evolutions a long terme comme l’utilisation croissante des categories interpretatives fondees sur la religion dans le debat public europeen, l’Islam representant le cas extreme de cette utilisation. Cette position de l’Islam semble fondee d’une part sur la meconnaissance de ses specificites religieuses, et de l’autre sur l’utilisation de la religion comme une explication evidente, meme lorsque des raisons non religieuses sont a l’origine de certains phenomenes. La recherche, tout comme le debat politique, religieux, et surtout mediatique sur l’Islam semble donc osciller entre l’essentialisme et le reductionnisme. Le paradoxe de cette situation, est qu’alors que le processus d’integration des musulmans dans la societe europeenne est en cours, la perception des musulmans comme de l’Islam devient de plus en plus conflictuelle. En temoignent les oppositions a la presence des symboles islamiques en Europe (hijab, mosquees, etc.) et les debats intellectuels et mediatiques autour d’ouvrages comme celui d’Oriana Fallaci.
Achieving robust average consensus over wireless networks

This work addresses the average consensus problem over wireless networks that suffer from transmitter-based random communication losses. Two novel methods are proposed to compensate for the information that is lost during communication as a result of packet collisions. The speeds of convergence of the two methods are analytically estimated and compared with another compensation method from the literature: simulations illustrate and validate our results. Furthermore, we describe a time-slotted communication algorithm to implement the compensation methods.
Post-transplant acute limbic encephalitis

Background: Acute limbic encephalitis has been reported in the setting of treatment-related immunosuppression and attributed to human herpesvirus-6 (HHV6) infection. Clinical and laboratory features of the syndrome, however, have not been well characterized. Methods: We describe the clinical, EEG, MRI, and laboratory features of nine patients with acute limbic encephalitis after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). To explore the relationship between HHV6 and this syndrome, we reviewed available CSF HHV6 PCR results from all HSCT patients seen at our center from March 17, 2003, through March 31, 2005. Results: Patients displayed a consistent and distinctive clinical syndrome featuring anterograde amnesia, the syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion, mild CSF pleocytosis, and temporal EEG abnormalities, often reflecting clinical or subclinical seizures. MRI showed hyperintensities within the uncus, amygdala, entorhinal area, and hippocampus on T2, fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR), and diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) sequences. CSF PCR assays for HHV6 were positive in six of nine patients on initial lumbar puncture. All patients were treated with foscarnet or ganciclovir. Cognitive recovery varied among long-term survivors. The one brain autopsy showed limbic gliosis and profound neuronal loss in amygdala and hippocampus. Among 27 HSCT patients with CSF tested for HHV6 over a 2-year period, positive results occurred only in patients with clinical limbic encephalitis. Conclusions: Patients undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation are at risk for post-transplant acute limbic encephalitis (PALE), a distinct neurologic syndrome. Treatment considerations should include aggressive seizure control and, possibly, antiviral therapy. PALE can be associated with the CSF presence of human herpesvirus-6, but the pathogenic role of the virus requires further exploration.
Evaluating educational interventions

Recent extensive changes have taken place in medical education at all levels in both the United Kingdom and the United States. These changes need to be assessed to measure how well reforms have achieved their intended outcomes. Educational innovation can be complex and extensive, and its measurement and description is made more difficult by the confounding and complicating effects of each later stage in the continuous curriculum. The radical curriculum reform at undergraduate level in the United Kingdom, managed care in the United States, and the increasing use of community sites for learning in both countries may greatly affect how medicine is practised and managed in the next century.1 We should know more about the educational processes and outcomes that result from the new courses and programmes being developed in medical schools and postgraduate training. ### Summary points Educational evaluation is the systematic appraisal of the quality of teaching and learning.2 In many ways evaluation drives the development and change of curriculums (figure). At its core, evaluation is about helping medical educators improve education. Evaluation can have a formative role, identifying areas where teaching can be improved, or a summative role, judging the effectiveness of teaching. Although educational evaluation uses methods and tools that are similar to those used in educational research, the results of research are more …
CIRRHOSIS OF THE LIVER A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF THE FOUR MAJOR ÆTIOLOGICAL GROUPS

Four hundred and fourteen unselected patients with hepatic cirrhosis, who were admitted to the Royal Brisbane and Princess Alexandra Hospitals between 1960 and 1969, were reviewed. The incidence of the four common causes was alcoholic cirrhosis, 35·3%; cryptogenic cirrhosis, 21·2%; hæmochromatosis, 10·9%; active chronic hepatitis, 7·7%. A further 6·8% of patients, grouped as “unclassified” because of inadequate information about alcohol intake, were probably mostly alcoholic. “Latent” hepatic cirrhosis, diagnosed incidentally during life or unexpectedly at necropsy, accounted for 6·2% of alcoholics, 26·2% of patients with cryptogenic cirrhosis, and 8·8% of patients with hæmochromatosis. These four etiological groups differed with respect to sex incidence, presenting symptoms and signs, pathological features, associated diseases, complications and prognosis. However, there was little difference in the incidence of portal hypertension and hepatocellular failure between alcoholic and cryptogenic patients. Tissue antibodies were usually absent in patients with alcoholic cirrhosis or hæmochromatosis, and there was considerable overlap between the other groups. Australia antigen was present in none of 40 patients tested.
Quinidine as an ABCB1 Probe for Testing Drug Interactions at the Blood–Brain Barrier

This study provides evidence that quinidine can be used as a probe substrate for ABCB1 in multiple experimental systems both in vitro and in vivo relevant to the blood–brain barrier (BBB). The combination of quinidine and PSC-833 (valspodar) is an effective tool to assess investigational drugs for interactions on ABCB1. Effects of quinidine and substrate–inhibitor interactions were tested in a membrane assay and in monolayer assays. The authors compared quinidine and digoxin as ABCB1 probes in the in vitro assays and found that quinidine was more potent and at least as specific as digoxin in ATPase and monolayer efflux assays employing MDCKII-MDR1 and the rat brain microcapillary endothelial cell system. Brain exposure to quinidine was tested in dual-/triple-probe microdialysis experiments in rats by assessing levels of quinidine in blood and brain. Comparing quinidine levels in dialysate samples from valspodar-treated and control animals, it is evident that systemic/local administration of the inhibitor diminishes the pumping function of ABCB1 at the BBB, resulting in an increased brain penetration of quinidine. In sum, quinidine is a good probe to study ABCB1 function at the BBB. Moreover, quinidine/PSC-833 is an ABCB1-specific substrate/inhibitor combination applicable to many assay systems both in vitro and in vivo.
Performance of a Hidden Markov channel occupancy model for cognitive radio

This paper investigates the effect that various training algorithms have on the performance of a primary user (PU) channel occupancy model for cognitive radio. The model assumes that PU channel occupancy can be described as a binary process. A two state Hidden Markov Model (HMM) has thus been chosen and it is shown that the performance of the model is influenced by the algorithm employed for training the model. Traditional training algorithms are compared to certain evolutionary based training algorithms in terms of the resulting prediction accuracy and convergence time achieved. The performance of the model is important since it provides secondary users (SU) with a basis upon which channel switching and future channel allocation may be performed. Further simulation results illustrate the positive effect that our model has on channel switching under both heavy and light traffic density conditions.
Differential generation of oligodendrocytes from human and rodent embryonic spinal cord neural precursors

Human neural precursors are considered to have widespread therapeutic possibilities on account of their ability to provide large numbers of cells whilst retaining multipotentiality. Application to human demyelinating diseases requires improved understanding of the signalling requirements underlying the generation of human oligodendrocytes from immature cell populations. In this study, we compare and contrast the capacity of neural precursors derived from the developing human and rodent spinal cord to generate oligodendrocytes. We show that the developing human spinal cord (6–12 weeks of gestation) displays a comparable ventrodorsal gradient of oligodendrocyte differentiation potential to the embryonic rodent spinal cord. In contrast, fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF‐2) expanded human neural precursors derived from both isolated ventral or dorsal cultures show a reduced capacity to generate oligodendrocytes, whereas comparable rodent cultures demonstrate a marked increase in oligodendrocyte formation following FGF‐2 treatment. In addition, we provide evidence that candidate growth factors suggested from rodent studies, including FGF‐2 and platelet‐derived growth factor (PDGF) do not stimulate proliferation of human oligodendrocyte lineage cells. Finally, we show that the in vivo environment of the acutely demyelinating adult rat spinal cord is insufficient to stimulate the differentiation of immature human spinal cord cells to oligodendrocytes. These results provide further evidence for inter‐species difference in the capacity of neural precursors to generate oligodendrocytes. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Life-table analysis of etanercept with or without methotrexate in patients with psoriatic arthritis

The recent analysis of data included in the Stockholm TNFα Follow- Up (STURE) registry showed that the concomitant use of methotrexate (MTX) with etanercept (ETN), adalimumab or infliximab was associated with long-term drug survival of anti-tumour necrosis factor (TNF) agents in patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA). 1 The positive effect of MTX was primarily linked to fewer drop-outs due to adverse events.1 This analysis did not consider each anti-TNF drug subgroup. For this reason we determined the cumulative probability of taking ETN with or without MTX in a large cohort of patients. We prospectively studied 82 patients, admitted to our rheumatological unit since 2001, affected by PsA, classified …
Electromyographic Analysis of the Lower Limb Muscles in Low- and High-Handicap Golfers

Purpose: The aim of this study was to compare the electromyographic patterns of the lower limb muscles during a golf swing performed by low- and high-handicap golfers. Method: Ten golfers (5 low- and 5 high-handicap) performed 8 swings using a 7-iron. Surface electromyography (EMG) was recorded for the following lower limb muscles on both sides: biceps femoris, semitendinosus, gluteus maximus, vastus medialis and lateralis, rectus femoris, tibialis anterior, peroneus longus, and gastrocnemius medialis and lateralis. The golf-swing phases were determined by 3-dimensional high-speed video analysis. Results: Compared with the high-handicap golfers, the low-handicap golfers performed the forward swing with a shorter duration of the swing phases, with the exception of the late follow-through, where they exhibited longer duration. Considering the EMG patterns, the low-handicap golfers showed a tendency for the studied muscles to reach an activation peak earlier and presented statistically significant higher muscle activity in some of the lower limb muscles, mainly from the left side. Conclusion: Differences between low- and high-handicap golfers were found in the average duration of swing phases and in the activation level of the lower limbs, with more evidence on muscles from the left side.
Comparative evaluation of loracarbef and amoxicillin-clavulanate for acute otitis media

One hundred five infants and children with acute otitis media were randomized to therapy with loracarbef, an experimental carbacephem antibiotic, or amoxicillin-clavulanate (Augmentin), an approved drug for this disease. Ninety-two were evaluable (46 in each group). Middle ear fluid samples obtained for culture before therapy grew Haemophilus spp. in 30% of cases, pneumococci in 29% of cases, and Moraxella catarrhalis in 15% of cases. beta-Lactamase-producing bacteria were found in 37% of patients. Clinical failure occurred in four loracarbef-treated patients and one amoxicillin-clavulanate-treated patient (P = 0.361). Recurrence of acute otitis media was more common in the 2 to 3 weeks after loracarbef treatment (eight patients) than it was after amoxicillin-clavulanate therapy (three patients), but not significantly so (P = 0.197). Thus, combined failure and recurrence occurred in 12 loracarbef-treated patients and four amoxicillin-clavulanate-treated patients (P = 0.052). Gastrointestinal side effects occurred in 13 loracarbef-treated and 21 amoxicillin-clavulanate-treated patients (P = 0.13). Diaper rash was more common with amoxicillin-clavulanate (22 patients) than with loracarbef (10 patients; P = 0.016). Satisfactory results were achieved with both antibiotics, and adverse effects, although common, were minor.
Almost surely invariance principle for non-stationary and random intermittent dynamical systems

We establish almost sure invariance principles (ASIP), a strong form of approximation by Brownian motion, for non-stationary time series arising as observations on sequential maps possessing an indifferent fixed point. These transformations are obtained by perturbing the slope in the Pomeau-Manneville map. Quenched ASIP for random compositions of these maps is also obtained.
Fine‐needle aspiration biopsy of the adrenal glands: A ten‐year experience

We report on our experience in FNA biopsy of the adrenal gland: 177 biopsies performed in the last 10 years. Cytologic diagnoses were divided into four groups: nondiagnostic aspirates (28%), primary adrenal lesions (13%), metastatic neoplasms (33%), and negative cases with known extra‐adrenal malignancies (25%). Among diagnostic smears and excluding the latter group, the procedure was 100% specific for malignancy, and 98% of the lesions were correctly diagnosed. There were no known false‐positive or false‐negative samples. Quality of diagnosis improves with careful smearing (avoids artifacts) and immediate evaluation (raises adequacy rates) by the pathologist. Although the primary or secondary nature of most adrenal masses is readily apparent, it is essential to correlate the clinical, laboratory, and cytologic findings to reach the correct diagnosis. Furthermore, we believe that the primary site of many adrenal metastases must be defined on the basis of clinical data. Diagn. Cytopathol. 1999;21:92–97. © 1999 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Protein Ingestion before Sleep Increases Muscle Mass and Strength Gains during Prolonged Resistance-Type Exercise Training in Healthy Young Men.

BACKGROUND It has been demonstrated that protein ingestion before sleep increases muscle protein synthesis rates during overnight recovery from an exercise bout. However, it remains to be established whether dietary protein ingestion before sleep can effectively augment the muscle adaptive response to resistance-type exercise training. OBJECTIVE Here we assessed the impact of dietary protein supplementation before sleep on muscle mass and strength gains during resistance-type exercise training. METHODS Forty-four young men (22 ± 1 y) were randomly assigned to a progressive, 12-wk resistance exercise training program. One group consumed a protein supplement containing 27.5 g of protein, 15 g of carbohydrate, and 0.1 g of fat every night before sleep. The other group received a noncaloric placebo. Muscle hypertrophy was assessed on a whole-body (dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry), limb (computed tomography scan), and muscle fiber (muscle biopsy specimen) level before and after exercise training. Strength was assessed regularly by 1-repetition maximum strength testing. RESULTS Muscle strength increased after resistance exercise training to a significantly greater extent in the protein-supplemented (PRO) group than in the placebo-supplemented (PLA) group (+164 ± 11 kg and +130 ± 9 kg, respectively; P < 0.001). In addition, quadriceps muscle cross-sectional area increased in both groups over time (P < 0.001), with a greater increase in the PRO group than in the PLA group (+8.4 ± 1.1 cm(2) vs. +4.8 ± 0.8 cm(2), respectively; P < 0.05). Both type I and type II muscle fiber size increased after exercise training (P < 0.001), with a greater increase in type II muscle fiber size in the PRO group (+2319 ± 368 μm(2)) than in the PLA group (+1017 ± 353 μm(2); P < 0.05). CONCLUSION Protein ingestion before sleep represents an effective dietary strategy to augment muscle mass and strength gains during resistance exercise training in young men. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT02222415.