Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Burden of Serious Bacterial Infections and Multidrug-Resistant Organisms in an Adult Population of Nepal: A Comparative Analysis of Minimally Invasive Tissue Sampling Informed Mortality Surveillance of Community and Hospital Deaths

Abstract Background Bacterial diseases are the leading cause of mortality globally, and due to haphazard use of antibiotics, antimicrobial resistance has become an emerging threat. Methods This cross-sectional observational study utilized a minimally invasive tissue sampling procedure to determine the cause of death among an adult population. Bacterial cultures (blood, cerebrospinal fluid, lung tissue) and antibiotic susceptibility were evaluated, and the results were compared between community and hospital deaths. Results Of 100 deceased persons studied, 76 (76%) deaths occurred in the community and 24 (24%) in the hospital. At least 1 bacterial agent was cultured from 86 (86%) cases; of these, 74 (86%) had a bacterial disease attributed as the primary cause of death, with pneumonia (35, 47.3%), sepsis (33, 44.6%), and meningitis (3, 4.1%) most common. Of 154 bacterial isolates (76.6% from the community and 23.4% from the hospital) detected from 86 culture-positive cases, 26 (16.8%) were multidrug-resistant (MDR). Klebsiella species were the most common (13 of 26) MDR organisms. The odds of getting an MDR Klebsiella infection was 6-fold higher among hospital deaths compared with community deaths (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.37–26.40; P = .017) and almost 23-fold higher (CI, 2.45–213.54; P = .006) among cases with prior antibiotic use compared to those without. Conclusions High incidence of serious bacterial infections causing death of adults in the community, with most MDR organisms isolated from hospitalized cases, calls for robust surveillance mechanisms and infection prevention activities at the community level and evidence-driven antibiotic stewardship in healthcare settings.
Evaluation of the cardio-ankle vascular index in COVID-19 patients.

OBJECTIVE This study aimed to investigate the relationship and prognostic significance of cardio-ankle vascular index, which is a measure of arterial stiffness that can lead to endothelial dysfunction and poor cardiovascular issues in COVID-19 patients, with COVID-19. METHODS The study included 115 patients, of which 65 patients in the case group with Real time reversetranscription-polymerasechainreaction test positive and diagnosed for COVID-19 and 50 volunteers in the control group. Patients with COVID-19 were classified as moderate/severe or mild COVID-19 in the subgroup analysis based on the severity of the disease. We investigated the relationship between cardio-ankle vascular index and COVID-19 by using the VaSera VS-1000 device to automatically measure each patient's cardio-ankle vascular index and ankle-brachial pressure index. RESULTS The mean age of participants included in the study was 65.7±10.7 years. Patients and volunteers were statistically similar in terms of age, gender, comorbidities, Charlson comorbidity index scores, and body mass index values (p>0.05). The right-cardio-ankle vascular index value was 9.6±2.4 in the case group and 8.5±1.1 in the control group (p=0.004). The left-cardio-ankle vascular index value was 9.4±2.7 in the case group and 8.5±1.2 in the control group (p=0.01). The right-cardio-ankle vascular index value was 10.8±3.4 in the moderate/severe disease group and 8.8±0.9 in the mild disease group (p=0.008). The left-cardio-ankle vascular index value was 10.7±3.6 in the moderate/severe disease group and 8.5±1.5 in the mild disease group (p<0.001). The right-cardio-ankle vascular index and left-cardio-ankle vascular index values were found to be significantly higher in COVID-19 patients in our study. When receiver operating characteristic analysis was performed to distinguish moderate/severe COVID-19 patients from mild patients, right-cardio-ankle vascular index was area under the curve 0.757 (0.630-0.884), and left-cardio-ankle vascular index was area under the curve 0.782 (0.661-0.902). CONCLUSION The right-cardio-ankle vascular index and left-cardio-ankle vascular index values increased in COVID-19 patients in our study, and this was thought to be prognostically significant.
Difference in sensitivity between SARS-CoV-2-specific T cell assays in patients with underlying conditions. Reply.

The authors reply: We thank Rory D. de Vries and colleagues for bringing attention to results showing that measurement of SARS-CoV-2–specific T cell responses in whole blood can be influenced by variables like the presence of immunosuppressive drugs (1). This is an important point. Nevertheless, whether the influence of “environmental factors” makes the rapid cytokine release assay (CRA) performed by measuring cytokines in the plasma of blood stimulated with peptides (2) less “accurate” and less able to measure the overall SARS-CoV-2–specific T cell response is a matter of debate. Overall, any assay designed to measure the frequency and function of T cells in vitro is performed to gauge the level of T cell response in vivo. As such, we could argue that testing SARS-CoV-2–specific T cell function directly in the whole blood of patients treated with immunosuppressive drugs (and thus in the presence of the drug) is a closer mimic of the in vivo conditions than the testing of T cells purified from whole blood with an ELISpot assay. In the latter case, the drug has been removed and as such, the assay can overestimate the real in vivo functionality of such T cells. Van Baarle and colleagues, however, correctly pointed out that in individuals under treatment with immunosuppressive drugs, T cell assays performed in whole blood (CRA) and in […]
Nutrient modulation of viral infection-implications for COVID-19

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has put focus on the importance of a healthy immune system for recovery from infection and effective response to vaccination. Several nutrients have been under attention because their nutritional statuses showed associations with the incidence or severity of COVID-19 or because they affect several aspects of immune function. Nutritional status, immune function, and viral infection are closely interrelated. Undernutrition impairs immune function, which can lead to increased susceptibility to viral infection, while viral infection itself can result in changes in nutritional status. Here, we review the roles of vitamins A, C, D, and E, and zinc, iron, and selenium in immune function and viral infection and their relevance to COVID-19.
The Prospective Association between Periodontal Disease and Brain Imaging Outcomes: The Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study.

AIM We investigate if periodontal disease is prospectively associated with cerebrovascular and neurodegenerative markers of dementia and Alzheimer's pathology. METHODS AND MATERIALS N=1,306 participants (Visit 5 mean age=76.5[standard deviation=5.4] years) in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities study with completed dental exams at Visit 4 underwent brain magnetic resonance imaging scans at Visit 5 while N=248 underwent positron emission tomography scans. Participants were classified as edentulous or, among the dentate, by the modified Periodontal Profile Class. Brain volumes were regressed on periodontal status in linear regressions. Cerebrovascular measures and β-amyloid positivity were regressed on periodontal status in logistic regressions. RESULTS Periodontal disease was not associated with brain volumes, microhemorrhages, or elevated β-amyloid. Compared to periodontally healthy individuals, odds ratios[95% confidence interval] for all-type infarcts were 0.37[0.20, 0.65] for severe tooth loss and 0.56[0.31, 0.99] for edentulous participants. CONCLUSIONS Within the limitations of this study, periodontal disease was not associated with altered brain volumes, microhemorrhages, or β-amyloid positivity. Tooth loss was associated with lower odds of cerebral infarcts.
A Review on Efflux Time

2 Abstract: In Chemical industry, storage vessels appear in a large variety of geometries. The reasons for the choice of the typical shape or geometry may be attributed to convenience, insulation requirements, floor space, material costs, corrosion and safety considerations. The time required to drain these vessels off their liquid contents is known as efflux time and this is of crucial importance in many emergency situations besides productivity considerations. Literature reports theoretical and experimental works for arriving at efflux time. The present review focuses on the literature available on efflux time. The scope for future work is also presented in this paper.
Bipolar Disorder Treatments and Ovarian Cancer: A Systematic Review

Objective We reviewed literature on drugs for bipolar disorders (BD), utilized in ovarian cancer (OC). Method We adhered to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines in completion of this systematic review. Results We identified 73 papers. Thirty-two studies were finally included. BD is rarely diagnosed in OC patients. Limited finding from case reports is available. Drugs used to treat BD (mainly lithium and valproic acid) have been extensively studied in add-on to chemotherapy for treatment-resistant OC cells or in animal models, with promising results in vitro but not in vivo. Conclusions The clinical underestimation of BD in OC has leaded to the almost complete absence of evidences for a soundly based clinical guidance in this field. There is a urgent need for a systematic multi-disciplinary approach to OC.
Monte Carlo Physarum Machine: Characteristics of Pattern Formation in Continuous Stochastic Transport Networks

Abstract We present Monte Carlo Physarum Machine (MCPM): a computational model suitable for reconstructing continuous transport networks from sparse 2D and 3D data. MCPM is a probabilistic generalization of Jones’s (2010) agent-based model for simulating the growth of Physarum polycephalum (slime mold). We compare MCPM to Jones’s work on theoretical grounds, and describe a task-specific variant designed for reconstructing the large-scale distribution of gas and dark matter in the Universe known as the cosmic web. To analyze the new model, we first explore MCPM’s self-patterning behavior, showing a wide range of continuous network-like morphologies—called polyphorms—that the model produces from geometrically intuitive parameters. Applying MCPM to both simulated and observational cosmological data sets, we then evaluate its ability to produce consistent 3D density maps of the cosmic web. Finally, we examine other possible tasks where MCPM could be useful, along with several examples of fitting to domain-specific data as proofs of concept.
Novel nondestructive evaluation transducer for imaging of low-impedance targets

Piezoelectric materials, such as lead zirconate titanate, display high electromechanical coupling, low internal losses, and exceptional environmental durability making them the material of choice for acoustic imaging transducers. Traditionally, piezoelectric transducers are actuated in the thickness-extension mode and they often make use of “matching” films to improve the signal transmissibility into lower acoustic impedance targets. In this article, we propose the use of transducers coupled to a structure in a direction orthogonal to the resonating plane. An analytical solution for the electromechanical behavior of a piezoelectric plate coupled transversely is derived. The analytical model shows that when resonated transversely, a transducer could display significantly lower effective acoustic impedance compared to transducers actuated in the thickness-extension mode. This feature eliminates the need for the matching films, hence helping reducing manufacturing costs. General guidelines on how to optimize the design of the proposed transducer for impedance imaging are also given. Finally, this article shows one example of how using a lead zirconate titanate transducer resonated transversely can reliably detect matrix cracking in fiberglass composite plates.
Associations of plasma neurofilament light chain and progranulin with frailty in older adults

In previous studies, plasma neurofilament light chain (NfL) and progranulin (PGRN) levels are associated with cognitive and physical impairment in older individuals. However, evidence of their relationships with frailty is lacking. This study aims to explore the associations of plasma NfL and PGRN levels with frailty in community‐dwelling older adults.
Supratherapeutic Infliximab Levels Do Not Predict Risk of Short-term Complications in Adults With Crohn’s Disease

Background: It is uncertain if higher infliximab trough levels (TLs) confer a greater risk of infectious/noninfectious complications (IC/NIC). We aimed to assess the risk of IC and NIC in patients with different TLs. Methods: We retrospectively evaluated a cohort of Crohn’s disease (CD) patients treated with infliximab who underwent therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM), at a tertiary inflammatory bowel disease center, between January 1, 2010, and December 1, 2019. TDM was defined as checking of infliximab trough and antibody levels within a 48-hour period before administration. Patients with a minimum of 3-month assessment pre-TDM and post-TDM were included. In the case of multiple TDMs, the highest TL was considered, and patients were distributed across 4 predefined TL groups (A: <5 µg/mL, B: 5 to 10 µg/mL, C: 10 to 15 µg/mL, and D: ≥15 µg/mL). Rates of IC and NIC during the 3-month prior and following TDM were compared across the groups. In addition, duration of exposure, in terms of months up to TDM, was collected to analyze differences in rates of IC and NIC. Results: Our study included 341 CD patients (median age: 35 y, 58% men). IC and NIC occurred in 52 (15%) and 30 (9%) patients, respectively. Rates of IC and NIC were similar across the 4 TL groups (P=0.9 and 0.7, respectively for IC and NIC). On multivariable analysis, exposure to infliximab >40 months (as determined by receiver operating characteristic curve analysis) was associated with decreased odds for IC (adjusted odds ratio=0.51, P=0.04), but not NIC (adjusted odds ratio=0.72, P=0.46). Conclusions: In this large CD cohort, there was no association between infliximab TL and risk of short-term IC or NIC. Interestingly, a shorter duration of exposure predicted higher rates of IC. This supports the safety of targeting higher infliximab TLs when necessary and greater vigilance during the early stages of treatment.
Non-Suicidal Self-Injury Among Italian Adolescents: The Role of Parental Rejection, Self-Concept, Anger Expression, and Body Investment

Objective Parental rejection, poor self-concept, anger expression, and negative body investment have often been associated with non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI). However, research has investigated each factor separately. To address this shortcoming, the main aim of the study was to integrate these factors and test a hierarchical regression to examine the impact of each factor above and beyond the others. Method A cross-sectional sample of 481 Italian high school students aged 13-19 (Mage=15.48; SD=1.46) were screened by self-report measures that assess parental rejection, self-concept, anger expression, body emotional investment, and NSSI. A semi-structured interview was administered in order to assess the characteristics of self-injurious behaviors. Results After the interview, twenty-three (4.8%) students reported having engaged in NSSI (Mage =12.63; SD=1.58). Neither gender nor age differences were found. The hierarchical regression revealed the NSSI was associated with the inward expression of anger (ORs=1.1–1.7) and the negative body investment (ORs=.037–.281). Conclusions These findings point out that the expression of anger inwardly and the emotional investment in the body may be salient factors to consider in understanding the occurrence of NSSI among adolescents. The clinical relevance of these findings was discussed.
Investigating the predictors of breast cancer screening behaviors (breast self-examination, clinical examination or examination by physician/midwife and mammography) based on protection motivation theory (PMT) in women

Summary Background Breast cancer is one of the most common health problems worldwide. The mortality rate of this disease is due to the lack of knowledge about screening methods and late diagnosis of cancer. Objective The purpose of this study is to determine the predictors of breast cancer screening behaviors using protection motivation theory. Methods and materials The conduction of study was cross-sectional and on 400 women aged 30-59 in Kashan. The data collection instrument was a researcher-made questionnaire based on protection motivation theory. Sampling was performed from all community health service centers in Kashan and the proportional to size sampling method was used as available sampling. The statistical tests were Pearson correlation and linear regression. The software used was version 22 SPSS and the significance level was 0.05. Results The results showed that the average age of women was 39.7 ± 7.9 years. There is a direct and statistically significant relationship between perceived breast cancer screening behaviors and perceived self-efficacy (P < 0.05) and there is an inverse statistically significant relationship between breast cancer screening behaviors and perceived cost (P < 0.05). There is also a direct and significant statistical relationship between motivation of protection and perceived sensitivity, intensity, self-efficacy, cost, and perceived response efficiency (P < 0.05). Perceived self-efficacy, cost, and response efficiency are the predictors of breast cancer screening behaviors. The perceived cost is the negative predictor. Conclusion Overall, health care providers can view PMT as a framework for developing educational interventions aimed at improving behaviors related to breast cancer screening of women.
Phonological Processing, Visuospatial Skills, and Pattern Understanding in Chinese Developmental Dyscalculia

A number of previous studies have identified cognitive deficits in developmental dyscalculia (DD). Yet, most of these studies were in alphabetic languages, whereas few of them examined Chinese DD. Here, we conducted a study aiming to determine the cognitive factors associated with DD in Chinese children. Five candidate cognitive factors of DD—phonological retrieval, phonological awareness, visual–spatial attention, spatial thinking, and pattern understanding—were examined in the present study. A total of 904 Chinese children ages 8 to 11 years participated in this study. From the sample, 97 children were identified with DD through tests of arithmetic ability, and 93 age- and IQ-matched typically developing children were selected as controls. Logistic regression analysis revealed that phonological retrieval, pattern understanding, visual–spatial attention, and phonological awareness significantly predicted DD, whereas spatial thinking failed to do so. Results of logistic relative weights analysis showed that all five factors explained statistically significant amounts of variance in arithmetic scores. Phonological retrieval had the most influence on DD, followed by pattern understanding, visual–spatial attention, phonological awareness, and spatial thinking. These findings have important clinical implications for diagnosis and intervention of Chinese DD.
Pathophysiology of coronavirus-19 disease acute lung injury

Purpose of review More than 230 million people have tested positive for severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 infection globally by September 2021. The infection affects primarily the function of the respiratory system, where ∼20% of infected individuals develop coronavirus-19 disease (COVID-19) pneumonia. This review provides an update on the pathophysiology of the COVID-19 acute lung injury. Recent findings In patients with COVID-19 pneumonia admitted to the intensive care unit, the PaO2/FiO2 ratio is typically <26.7 kPa (200 mmHg), whereas lung volume appears relatively unchanged. This hypoxaemia is likely determined by a heterogeneous mismatch of pulmonary ventilation and perfusion, mainly associated with immunothrombosis, endothelialitis and neovascularisation. During the disease, lung weight, elastance and dead space can increase, affecting respiratory drive, effort and dyspnoea. In some severe cases, COVID-19 pneumonia may lead to irreversible pulmonary fibrosis. Summary This review summarises the fundamental pathophysiological features of COVID-19 in the context of the respiratory system. It provides an overview of the key clinical manifestations of COVID-19 pneumonia, including gas exchange impairment, altered pulmonary mechanics and implications of abnormal chemical and mechanical stimuli. It also critically discusses the clinical implications for mechanical ventilation therapy.
Inhibition of anandamide hydrolysis does not rescue respiratory abnormalities observed in an animal model of Parkinson's disease

What is the central question of this study? The respiratory frequency to hypercapnia is attenuated in an animal model of Parkinson's disease (PD): what is the therapeutic potential of inhibition of anandamide hydrolysis for this respiratory deficit? What is the main finding and its importance? In an animal model of PD there is an increased variability in resting respiratory frequency and an impaired tachypnoeic response to hypercapnia, which is accompanied by diminished expression of Phox2b immunoreactivity in the retrotrapezoid nucleus (RTN). Inhibition of anandamide hydrolysis also impaired the response to hypercapnia and decreased the number of Phox2b immunoreactive cells in the RTN. This strategy does not reverse the respiratory deficits observed in an animal model of PD.
Adaptive DC servo drive control taking force disturbance suppression into account

A linear adaptive DC servo drive control system to improve the drive performance of a DC servo motor is proposed. A force disturbance and parameter variations cause a steady and/or transient error in the conventional DC servo drive system. The proposed adaptive control system recovers from this error quickly and completely. This system is designed on the basis of both an observer theory and a passive adaptive control theory. Experimental results confirm the versatility and robustness of the method. >