Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Comorbidities associated with 30-day readmission following index coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) hospitalization: A retrospective cohort study of 331,136 patients in the United States

Abstract Objective: Hospital readmission is unsettling to patients and caregivers, costly to the healthcare system, and may leave patients at additional risk for hospital-acquired infections and other complications. We evaluated the association between comorbidities present during index coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) hospitalization and the risk of 30-day readmission. Design, setting, and participants: We used the Premier Healthcare database to perform a retrospective cohort study of COVID-19 hospitalized patients discharged between April 2020 and March 2021 who were followed for 30 days after discharge to capture readmission to the same hospital. Results: Among the 331,136 unique patients in the index cohort, 36,827 (11.1%) had at least 1 all-cause readmission within 30 days. Of the readmitted patients, 11,382 (3.4%) were readmitted with COVID-19 as the primary diagnosis. In the multivariable model adjusted for demographics, hospital characteristics, coexisting comorbidities, and COVID-19 severity, each additional comorbidity category was associated with an 18% increase in the odds of all-cause readmission (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.18; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.17–1.19) and a 10% increase in the odds of readmission with COVID-19 as the primary readmission diagnosis (aOR, 1.10; 95% CI, 1.09–1.11). Lymphoma (aOR, 1.86; 95% CI, 1.58–2.19), renal failure (aOR, 1.32; 95% CI, 1.25–1.40), and chronic lung disease (aOR, 1.29; 95% CI, 1.24–1.34) were most associated with readmission for COVID-19. Conclusions: Readmission within 30 days was common among COVID-19 survivors. A better understanding of comorbidities associated with readmission will aid hospital care teams in improving postdischarge care. Additionally, it will assist hospital epidemiologists and quality administrators in planning resources, allocating staff, and managing bed-flow issues to improve patient care and safety.
Cross-sectional survey of barriers and opportunities for engaging backyard poultry producers and veterinarians in addressing poultry health

ABSTRACT Aims To assess the current level of engagement between backyard poultry keepers and veterinarians in New Zealand; to understand the opportunities and barriers for improving access to poultry health care; and to gauge the interest of backyard poultry keepers in participating in a voluntary national poultry health information system. Materials and methods Backyard poultry were defined as any bird species kept for non-commercial purposes. Separate cross-sectional surveys were administered to backyard poultry keepers and veterinarians in New Zealand over 12-week periods starting 22 March 2021 and 03 May 2021 respectively. The veterinarian survey was advertised in the monthly update e-mail from the Veterinary Council of New Zealand, while the survey for backyard poultry keepers was advertised on various online platforms that focus on raising backyard poultry. Results for quantitative variables were reported as basic descriptive statistics, while qualitative free-text responses from open-ended questions were explored using thematic analysis. Results A total of 125 backyard poultry keepers and 35 veterinarians completed the survey. Almost half (56/125; 44.8%) of backyard poultry keepers reported that they had never taken their birds to a veterinarian, with common reasons being difficulty finding a veterinarian, cost of treatment, and perceptions that most visits result in the bird being euthanised. The majority (113/125; 90.4%) of backyard poultry keepers reported that a general internet search was their primary source for poultry health advice. However, it remains unclear if owners were satisfied with the advice found online, as many cited that having access to reliable health information would be an incentive for registering with a poultry health information system. Of the veterinarian responses, 29/35 (82.9%) reported treating an increasing number of poultry in the last 5 years, although many (27/35; 77.1%) suggested they would be hesitant to increase their poultry caseload due to concerns over their lack of knowledge and confidence in poultry medicine; a lack of clinic resources to treat poultry; concerns over the cost-effectiveness of treatments; and a general feeling of helplessness when treating poultry, with most consultations being for end-stage disease and euthanasia. Conclusion The results of this study highlight opportunities for increased engagement between backyard poultry keepers and veterinarians, including making available accurate poultry health information and providing veterinarians with improved training in poultry medicine. The results also support the development of a poultry health information system in New Zealand to further enhance health and welfare in backyard poultry populations. Abbreviations: MPI: Ministry for Primary Industries
Epidemiology of ICU-Onset Bloodstream Infection: Prevalence, Pathogens, and Risk Factors Among 150,948 ICU Patients at 85 U.S. Hospitals*

OBJECTIVES: Bloodstream infections (BSIs) acquired in the ICU represent a detrimental yet potentially preventable condition. We determined the prevalence of BSI acquired in the ICU (ICU-onset BSI), pathogen profile, and associated risk factors. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. DATA SOURCES: Eighty-five U.S. hospitals in the Cerner Healthfacts Database. PATIENT SELECTION: Adult hospitalizations between January 2009 and December 2015 including a (≥ 3 d) ICU stay. DATA EXTRACTION AND DATA SYNTHESIS: Prevalence of ICU-onset BSI (between ICU Day 3 and ICU discharge) and associated pathogen and antibiotic resistance distributions were compared with BSI present on (ICU) admission (ICU-BSIPOA); and BSI present on ICU admission day or Day 2. Cox models identified risk factors for ICU-onset BSI among host, care setting, and treatment-related factors. Among 150,948 ICU patients, 5,600 (3.7%) had ICU-BSIPOA and 1,306 (0.9%) had ICU-onset BSI. Of those with ICU-BSIPOA, 4,359 (77.8%) were admitted to ICU at hospital admission day. Patients with ICU-onset BSI (vs ICU-BSIPOA) displayed higher crude mortality of 37.9% (vs 20.4%) (p < 0.001) and longer median (interquartile range) length of stay of 13 days (8–23 d) (vs 5 d [3–8 d]) (p < 0.001) (considering all ICU stay). Compared with ICU-BSIPOA, ICU-onset BSI displayed more Pseudomonas, Acinetobacter, Enterococcus, Candida, and Coagulase-negative Staphylococcus species, and more methicillin-resistant staphylococci, vancomycin-resistant enterococci, ceftriaxone-resistant Enterobacter, and carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales and Acinetobacter species, respectively. Being younger, male, Black, Hispanic, having greater comorbidity burden, sepsis, trauma, acute pulmonary or gastrointestinal presentations, and pre-ICU exposure to antibacterial and antifungal agents was associated with greater ICU-onset BSI risk after adjusted analysis. Mixed ICUs (vs medical or surgical ICUs) and urban and small/medium rural hospitals were also associated with greater ICU-onset BSI risk. The associated risk of acquiring ICU-onset BSI manifested with any duration of mechanical ventilation and 7 days after insertion of central venous or arterial catheters. CONCLUSIONS: ICU-onset BSI is a serious condition that displays a unique pathogen and resistance profile compared with ICU-BSIPOA. Further scrutiny of modifiable risk factors for ICU-onset BSI may inform control strategies.
IL-15 Superagonist N-803 Enhances IFN-γ Production of MAIT Cells in SIV+ Macaques

Mucosal associated invariant T (MAIT) cells are innate T cells that recognize bacterial metabolites and secrete cytokines and cytolytic enzymes to destroy infected target cells. This makes MAIT cells promising targets for immunotherapy to combat bacterial infections. ABSTRACT Mucosal associated invariant T (MAIT) cells are innate T cells that recognize bacterial metabolites and secrete cytokines and cytolytic enzymes to destroy infected target cells. This makes MAIT cells promising targets for immunotherapy to combat bacterial infections. Here, we analyzed the effects of an immunotherapeutic agent, the IL-15 superagonist N-803, on MAIT cell activation, trafficking, and cytolytic function in macaques. We found that N-803 could activate MAIT cells in vitro and increase their ability to produce IFN-γ in response to bacterial stimulation. To expand upon this, we examined the phenotypes and functions of MAIT cells present in samples collected from PBMC, airways (bronchoalveolar lavage [BAL] fluid), and lymph nodes (LN) from rhesus macaques that were treated in vivo with N-803. N-803 treatment led to a transient 6 to 7-fold decrease in the total number of MAIT cells in the peripheral blood, relative to pre N-803 time points. Concurrent with the decrease in cells in the peripheral blood, we observed a rapid decline in the frequency of CXCR3+CCR6+ MAITs. This corresponded with an increase in the frequency of CCR6+ MAITs in the BAL fluid, and higher frequencies of ki-67+ and granzyme B+ MAITs in the blood, LN, and BAL fluid. Finally, N-803 improved the ability of MAIT cells collected from PBMC and airways to produce IFN-γ in response to bacterial stimulation. Overall, N-803 shows the potential to transiently alter the phenotypes and functions of MAIT cells, which could be combined with other strategies to combat bacterial infections.
Family Communication in Autism Spectrum Disorder: Applying the Family Caregiver Communication Typology to Parent Caregivers

ABSTRACT Parents of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) experience greater stress and caregiver burden than parents of children with other disabilities. To cope with the stress of long-term caregiving, they rely on professionals for support and guidance. However, parents continue to report unmet communication and support needs. To inform tailored communication for parents of a child with ASD, this study used the existing Family Caregiver Communication Typology framework which identifies four caregiver communication types (manager, carrier, partner, and lone) and their unique communication and support needs. In-depth, structured interviews were conducted with parents (n = 22) and ASD professionals (n = 28) to explore communication characteristics of ASD parent caregivers. A thematic analysis revealed communication behaviors among four ASD parent caregiver types, further validating the typology. Future research is needed to develop targeted interventions for improving family-centered care based on ASD parent caregiver types.
What we bet on is not only tangible money, but also good mood

ABSTRACT A surprisingly large number of lottery prizes go unclaimed every year. This leads us to suspect that what people bet on is not only money, but also good mood. We conducted three studies to explain, from an emotional perspective, why people play lottery games. We first conducted two survey studies to assess mood state reported by online (Study 1a) and offline lottery buyers (Study 1b) at different stages of lottery play. The results revealed that participants’ highest mood appeared before knowing whether they had won. In Study 2, we manipulated the means of reward (lottery tickets vs. cash) and compared participants’ mood changes at different stages of a rewards game in the laboratory. We found the following: first, lottery group participants were generally in a better mood; second, 42% of lottery group participants did not come to the laboratory to collect scratch cards; and third, lottery group participants took more time to return to the laboratory to check their tickets than participants in the cash group. In Study 3, we examined whether priming good or bad mood could influence participants’ preferences for cash versus lottery tickets. The results revealed that participants who were primed for poor mood had a higher preference for lottery tickets compared with their good mood counterparts. These findings suggest that what our participants sought in lottery play was not only money, but improved mood.
Presence and development of strabismus in children with telecanthus, epicanthus and hypertelorism

Purpose: To study the presence and development of strabismus in children with telecanthus, epicanthus, and hypertelorism. Methods: This is a prospective, longitudinal, and observational study. Sixty children aged between 6 months and 18 years with telecanthus, epicanthus, and hypertelorism in isolation or in combination were recruited. A detailed analysis of the history, determination of best corrected visual acuity, complete evaluation of strabismus, and ocular examination were carried out. The presence of telecanthus, epicanthus, and hypertelorism and associated strabismus, if any, was noted. All children were followed up for a minimum and maximum period of 12 and 18 months, respectively, to analyze the strabismus (previously present) and for detection of strabismus in those who did not have. The data were analyzed descriptively with mean and standard deviation. Chi square test and Fishers exact test were used to analyze the data between the groups. A P value less than 0.05 was considered to be statistically significant. Results: Telecanthus was the most common lid feature (55%). At baseline, ten (16.66%) children had strabismus (six: esotropia; four: exotropia). Two (3.33%) children underwent surgery. One child developed exotropia at the third follow-up (18 months). At the end of the study, 11 (18.33%) children had strabismus. No significant association was seen between lid characteristics and the type of strabismus. Conclusion: Children with telecanthus, epicanthus, and hypertelorism in isolation or in combination may or may not have associated strabismus. These features can pose difficulty in strabismus diagnosis, which mandates a careful examination, especially in younger age groups and small-angle strabismus. On the other hand, children without strabismus need longer follow-up to detect the development of strabismus and to initiate further management at the earliest.
Associations between MDMA/ecstasy use and physical health in a U.S. population-based survey sample

Introduction: 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA/“ecstasy”) is an empathogen that can give rise to increased pleasure and empathy and may effectively treat post-traumatic stress disorder. Although prior research has demonstrated associations between ecstasy use and favorable mental health outcomes, the associations between ecstasy and physical health have largely been unexplored. Thus, the goal of this study was to examine the associations between ecstasy use and physical health in a population-based survey sample. Method: This study utilized data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (2005–2018), a yearly survey that collects information on substance use and health outcomes in a nationally representative sample of U.S. adults. We used multinomial, ordered, and logistic regression models to test the associations between lifetime ecstasy use and various markers of physical health (self-reported body mass index, overall health, past year heart condition and/or cancer, past year heart disease, past year hypertension, and past year diabetes), controlling for a range of potential confounders. Results: Lifetime ecstasy use was associated with significantly lower risk of self-reported overweightness and obesity (adjusted relative risk ratio range: 0.55–0.88) and lower odds of self-reported past year heart condition and/or cancer (adjusted odds ratio (aOR): 0.67), hypertension (aOR: 0.85), and diabetes (aOR: 0.58). Ecstasy use was also associated with significantly higher odds of better self-reported overall health (aOR: 1.18). Conclusion: Ecstasy shares protective associations with various physical health markers. Future longitudinal studies and clinical trials are needed to more rigorously test these associations.
X-ray spectral evolution of TeV BL Lacertae objects : eleven years of observations with BeppoSAX, XMM-Newton and Swift satellites

Context. Many of the extragalactic sources detected in γ rays at TeV energies are BL Lac objects. In particular, they belong to the subclass of "high frequency peaked BL Lacs" (HBLs), as their spectral energy distributions exhibit a first peak in the X-ray band. At a closer look, their X-ray spectra appear to be generally curved into a log-parabolic shape. In a previous investigation of Mrk 421, two correlations were found between the spectral parameters. One involves the height S p increasing with the position Ep of the first peak; this was interpreted as a signature of synchrotron emission from relativistic electrons. The other involves the curvature parameter b decreasing as E p increases; this points toward statistical/stochastic acceleration processes for the emitting electrons. Aims. We analyse X-ray spectra of several TeV HBLs to pinpoint their behaviours in the E p - Sp and E p - b planes and to compare them with Mrk 421. Methods. We perfom X-ray spectral analyses of a sample of 15 BL Lacs. We report the whole set of observations obtained with the BeppoSAX, XMM-Newton and Swift satellites between 29/06/96 and 07/04/07. We focus on five sources (PKS 0548-322, 1H 1426+418, Mrk 501, 1ES 1959+650, PKS 2155-304) whose X-ray observations warrant detailed searching of correlations or trends. Results. Within our database, we find that four out of five sources, namely PKS 0548-322, 1H 1426+418, Mrk 501 and 1ES 1959+650, follow similar trends as Mrk 421 in the E p - S p plane, while PKS 2155-304 differs. As for the E p - b plane, all TeV HBLs follow a similar behaviour. Conclusions. The trends exhibited by Mrk 421 appear to be shared by several TeV HBLs, such as to warrant discussing predictions from the X-ray spectral evolution to that of TeV emissions.
An axis-free overset grid in spherical polar coordinates for simulating 3D self-gravitating flows

Aims. Three dimensional explicit hydrodynamic codes based on spherical polar coordinates using a single spherical polar grid suffer from a severe restriction of the time step size due to the convergence of grid lines near the poles of the coordinate system. More importantly, numerical artifacts are encountered at the symmetry axis of the grid where boundary conditions have to be imposed that flaw the flow near the axis. The first problem can be eased and the second one avoided by applying an overlapping grid technique. Methods. A type of overlapping grid in spherical coordinates is adopted. This so called “Yin-Yang” grid is a two-patch overset grid proposed by Kageyama and Sato for geophysical simulations. Its two grid patches contain only the low-latitude regions of the usual spherical polar grid and are combined together in a simple manner. This property of the Yin-Yang grid greatly simplifies its implementation into a 3D code already employing spherical polar coordinates. It further allows for a much larger time step in 3D simulations using high angular resolution (<1 ◦ ) than that required in 3D simulations using a regular spherical grid with the same angular resolution. Results. The Yin-Yang grid is successfully implemented into a 3D version of the explicit Eulerian grid-based code PROMETHEUS including self-gravity. The modified code successfully passed several standard hydrodynamic tests producing results which are in very good agreement with analytic solutions. Moreover, the solutions obtained with the Yin-Yang grid exhibit no peculiar behaviour at the boundary between the two grid patches. The code has also been successfully used to model astrophysically relevant situations, namely equilibrium polytropes, a Taylor-Sedov explosion, and Rayleigh-Taylor instabilities. According to our results, the usage of the Yin-Yang grid greatly enhances the suitability and efficiency of 3D explicit Eulerian codes based on spherical polar coordinates for astrophysical flows.
Maternal and paternal anxiety during pregnancy: Comparing the effects on behavioral problems in offspring

Prenatal maternal anxiety has been associated with both short and long-term mental health problems in the child. The current study aims to examine the association between maternal and paternal prenatal anxiety and behaviour problems in the child at 1.5 and 5 years, using three different approaches; (1) adjusting for covariates, (2) using fathers’ anxiety during pregnancy as a negative control, and (3) using a sibling-comparison design, controlling for unmeasured family factors. We used data from the Norwegian Mother, Father and Child Cohort Study (MoBa) is used. MoBa is a cohort consisting of about 114 000 pregnancies (about 34000 siblings) recruited from 1999 to 2008. Self-reported measures on maternal anxiety were obtained twice in pregnancy and 6 months after birth, while paternal anxiety was reported prenatally at 17th weeks of gestation. Maternal reports on child behaviour problems were obtained at 1.5 and 5 years of age. Results suggests that prenatal exposure to maternal anxiety was associated with behaviour problems at 1.5 years: adjusted beta (β) = 0.13 (CI = 0.12, 0.15), and at 5 years: β = 0.11 (CI = 0.09, 0.14). However, paternal anxiety was also associated with behaviour problems at 1.5 years: β = 0.03 (CI = 0.01–0.03) and at 5 years β = 0.03 (CI = 0.02, 0.03). These associations were attenuated in the sibling comparison analyses: β = -0.02 (CI = -0.02–0.05) at 1.5 years and β = -0.05 (CI = -0.10, 0.02) at 5 years. In conclusions, the sibling analyses are not consistent with a direct effect of prenatal maternal anxiety on child behaviour problems. It is more likely that genetic or shared family environment explain this association.
Association Between Blood Lipid Levels and Lower Extremity Deep Venous Thrombosis: A Population-Based Cohort Study

ObjectsTo investigate the potential clinical significance between blood lipid levels and lower extremity deep venous thrombosis (LEDVT). Methods: This cohort study included 500 participants, contains 246 patients with LEDVT and 254 patients without LEDVT. The characteristics including age, sex, body mass index (BMI), disease course, ill position, smoking history, history of current illness, drug administration were collected. And blood lipid levels and other clinical parameters including triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), apolipoprotein A1 (ApoA1), apolipoprotein B (ApoB), activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), thromboplastin time (TT), prothrombin time (PT), and fibrinogen (FIB), neutrophils (NEUT), platelet (PLT), lymphocyte count (LY) were observed. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were applied. In the present study we particularly focused on the potential associations between blood lipid levels and LEDVT. Results: The risk of LEDVT in participants with HDL-C levels of 0.965 to 1.14 mmol/L, 1.14 to 1.36 mmol/L, and >1.36 mmol/L were 0.366, 0.183, 0.203 times than in controls (<0.965 mmol/L), respectively. Compared to individuals with ApoA1 <1.06 mmol/L, individuals with ApoA1 levels of 1.06 to 1.22 mmol/L, 1.22 to 1.38 mmol/L, and >1.38 mmol/L were related to a decreased risk of LEDVT. The risk of LEDVT in patients with TG levels of 0.985 to 1.37 mmol/L, 1.37 to 1.91 mmol/L, and >1.91 mmol/L were 2.243, 2.224, and 2.540 times higher than that of those with TG <0.985 mmol/L, respectively. The risk of LEDVT in subjects with 4.57< TC <5.17 mmol/L was 0.471-fold than that of those with TC <3.97 mmol/L. Conclusion: The present study indicates that higher levesl of HDL-C and ApoA1 could be associated with a decreased risk of LEDVT, while higher TG levels might be associated with an increased risk of LEDVT. In addition, within the normal range, high TC levels were associated with decreased risk of LEDVT. These findings may help clinicals to identify early and treat those patients with a high-risk of LEDVT at proper time, which could improve patients’ life quality.