Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Accuracy of Kinovea software in estimating body segment movements during falls captured on standard video: Effects of fall direction, camera perspective and video calibration technique

Falls are a major cause of unintentional injuries. Understanding the movements of the body during falls is important to the design of fall prevention and management strategies, including exercise programs, mobility aids, fall detectors, protective gear, and safer environments. Video footage of real-life falls is increasingly available, and may be used with digitization software to extract kinematic features of falls. We examined the validity of this approach by conducting laboratory falling experiments, and comparing linear and angular positions and velocities measured from 3D motion capture to estimates from Kinovea 2D digitization software based on standard surveillance video (30 Hz, 640x480 pixels). We also examined how Kinovea accuracy depended on fall direction, camera angle, filtering cut-off frequency, and calibration technique. For a camera oriented perpendicular to the plane of the fall (90 degrees), Kinovea position data filtered at 10 Hz, and video calibration using a 2D grid, mean root mean square errors were 0.050 m or 9% of the signal amplitude and 0.22 m/s (7%) for vertical position and velocity, and 0.035 m (6%) and 0.16 m/s (7%) for horizontal position and velocity. Errors in angular measures averaged over 2-fold higher in sideways than forward or backward falls, due to out-of-plane movement of the knees and elbows. Errors in horizontal velocity were 2.5-fold higher for a 30 than 90 degree camera angle, and 1.6-fold higher for calibration using participants’ height (1D) instead of a 2D grid. When compared to 10 Hz, filtering at 3 Hz caused velocity errors to increase 1.4-fold. Our results demonstrate that Kinovea can be applied to 30 Hz video to measure linear positions and velocities to within 9% accuracy. Lower accuracy was observed for angular kinematics of the upper and lower limb in sideways falls, and for horizontal measures from 30 degree cameras or 1D height-based calibration.
Pet-Assisted Therapy for Delirium and Agitation in Hospitalized Patients with Neurocognitive Impairment: A Review of Literature

Delirium leading to agitation is a common issue in elderly people and patients with underlying neurocognitive impairment. Despite use of medications to treat agitation, polypharmacy is a major concern and might lead to multiple side effects in this patient population. Therefore, it is imperative to investigate non-pharmacological methods that can provide solutions to the problem. The objective of this review was to evaluate the impact of pet-assisted therapy on elderly patients, with a major focus on agitation and delirium. For the purposes of this study, a scoping review was performed using PubMed, Google Scholar, and ClinicalTrials. We reviewed literature from 1980 to 2021. Out of the 31 studies reviewed, 14 commented on agitation with respect to pet-assisted interventions. Of these, eight studies (57%) reported a statistically significant reduction in agitation and/or delirium in patients who were exposed to pet therapy. Pet-assisted therapy can improve the standardized care in hospital-based settings for patients with neurocognitive impairment because of better companionship, reduced agitation and mood disorders, and better stability of hemodynamic status. These interventions can pave the way for better patient and hospital satisfaction.
Kidney Disease Cohort (KidDiCo) of Southern Denmark: Design, Coverage, Generalizability and Implications for Use

Background This article provides a description of a large register of a population from the Region of Southern Denmark, the Kidney Disease Cohort (KiDiCo). Coverage and representativeness according to gender and education level are discussed. Methods Data for KiDiCo were obtained using laboratory databases from participating laboratories in the Region of Southern Denmark and were linked to individual personal 10-digit personal identification numbers. The study population includes individuals over 18 years of age living in Denmark, whose serum creatinine was analysed in one of the 27 participating laboratories in the Region of Southern Denmark during the period of 8 years from 1st January 2006 to 31st December 2013. Individually linked data consist of diagnosis codes, date and cause of death, dispensed medicine data, socioeconomic data and demographic data. Results In total, n = 669,929 individuals had their blood tested for creatinine between 2007 and 2013 in a defined geographical area. The estimated geographical coverage was 78%. The median age of the background population was 6 years lower. The cohort had a slightly higher percentage of females (53%) compared to the background population (49%). Differences in educational levels reflect the minor age gap. Conclusion Based on coverage of 78% together with similar characteristics in terms of gender and age, the KiDiCo is a representative cohort of patients in the Region of Southern Denmark. Combining laboratory data with high-quality Danish administrative registers makes diverse research feasible.
Costs and cost-effectiveness of Gene Xpert compared to smear microscopy for the diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis using real-world data from Arsi zone, Ethiopia

Background Early diagnosis and treatment are one of the key strategies of tuberculosis control globally, and there are strong efforts in detecting and treating tuberculosis cases in Ethiopia. Smear microscopy examination has been a routine diagnostic test for pulmonary tuberculosis diagnosis in resource-constrained settings for decades. Recently, many countries, including Ethiopia, are scaling up the use of Gene Xpert without the evaluation of the cost and cost-effectiveness implications of this strategy. Therefore, this study evaluated the cost and cost-effectiveness of Gene Xpert (MTB/RIF) and smear microscopy tests to diagnosis tuberculosis patients in Ethiopia. Methods We compared the costs and cost-effectiveness of tuberculosis diagnosis using smear microscopy and Gene Xpert among 1332 patients per intervention in the Arsi zone. We applied combinations of top-down and bottom-up costing approaches. The costs were estimated from the health providers’ perspective within one year (2017–2018). We employed “cases detected” as an effectiveness measure, and the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio was calculated by dividing the changes in cost and change in effectiveness. All costs and incremental cost-effectiveness ratio were reported in 2018 US$. Results The unit cost per test for Gene Xpert was $12.9 whereas it is $3.1 for AFB smear microscopy testing. The cost per TB case detected was $77.9 for Gene Xpert while it was $55.8 for the smear microscopy method. The cartridge kit cost accounted for 42% of the overall Gene Xpert’s costs and the cost of the reagents and consumables accounted for 41.3% ($1.3) of the unit cost for the smear microscopy method. The ICER for the Gene Xpert strategy was $20.0 per tuberculosis case detected. Conclusion Using Gene Xpert as a routine test instead of standard care (smear microscopy) can be potentially cost-effective. In the cost scenario analysis, the price of the cartridge, the number of tests performed per day, and the life span of the capital equipment were the drivers of the unit cost of the Gene Xpert method. Therefore, Gene Xpert can be a part of the routine TB diagnostic testing strategy in Ethiopia.
The Predictors of Moral Sensitivity Among Physicians

Purpose The continually advancing nature of health care has improved the quality of care provided to patients. However, it has also resulted in complex ethical issues healthcare providers face in Saudi Arabia. Literature concerning healthcare workers’ moral sensitivity in Saudi Arabia is limited. This study aims to estimate moral sensitivity among physicians and determine the factors that influence it. Participants and Methods A descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out among physicians working at a tertiary hospital. The Moral Sensitivity Questionnaire (MSQ) developed by Kim Lützén was used. The lowest score that can be obtained from the MSQ is 30, and the highest score is 210. Low scores demonstrate high ethical sensitivity, and high scores indicate low ethical sensitivity. Results A total of 253 physicians participated in the study. The mean score of moral sensitivity was 90.6±19.6. There is a significant difference in the overall moral sensitivity in relation to age (P = 0.049). There are significant differences in the Moral conflict dimension according to age (P = 0.002), parental status (P = 0.011), being a member of an ethical committee (P = 0.025), years of experience (P = 0.002), clinical ranking (P < 0.001), and previous training in bioethics (P = 0.029). There were significant differences in the Relational orientation dimension with the clinical ranking (P = 0.038) and specialty (P = 0.038). Membership of an ethical committee is a significant variable in the Benefit dimension (P = 0.028). Correlation coefficients between the overall moral sensitivity score and its dimensions were Autonomy (r = 0.68), Practice (r = 0.69), and Holistic approach (r = 0.69). Physicians who previously had training in bioethics (β 2.37, P = 0.022) and physicians who worked with clinical ethics committee (β 2.66, P = 0.008) were more likely to score better in Moral conflict dimension. Conclusion Implementing ethical training for medical students and physicians will help raise their moral sensitivity levels, thereby enhancing how they deal with ethical dilemmas.
COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy in the LGBTQ+ Population: A Systematic Review

The coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has disproportionately impacted lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer (LGBTQ+) people. Despite developing safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines, LGBTQ+ communities still faces challenges due to inequitable access and vaccine hesitancy. Vaccine hesitancy is a delay in the acceptance or refusal of vaccines despite the availability of vaccination services. Various studies have explored and tried to address factors influencing vaccine hesitancy. However, the LGBTQ+ population remains under- and misrepresented in many of these studies. According to the few studies that have focused on the LGBTQ+ population, several factors influencing vaccine hesitancy have been identified, with the most common factors in studies being concern about vaccine safety, vaccine efficacy, and history of bad experiences with healthcare providers. In order to rebuild the confidence of LGBTQ+ people in vaccines, governments, healthcare policymakers, and healthcare providers need to start by acknowledging, and then resolving, these disparities; building trust; dismantling systemic suppression and discrimination; and prioritizing the inclusion of LGBTQ+ people in research studies and public health policies.
A Retrospective Analysis of Clinical and Pathologic Characteristics of Recurrent Bladder Tumor in a Tertiary Hospital in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Background Previous recurrences, tumor category (Ta, T1), the presence of CIS with superficial bladder tumors, the number of tumors, tumor size and multiplicity are predictors of bladder tumor recurrence. Recurrence is better predicted by multiplicity, size and previous recurrence. Methods This is retrospective descriptive study. All patients with urinary bladder tumor admitted to TASH from January 1st, 2018 to December 31st, 2019 is the study population. Information was retrieved using structured questionnaire. Results Most of the recurrent tumors 55 (76.4%) had huge size and were multiple 62 (86.1%) in the primary presentation. Most recurrent tumors 47 (65.3%) are low grade bladder tumors. About 17 (23.6%) were high grade tumor in their primary presentation. European studies showed size and multiplicity increase risk of recurrence. However, our patients have late presentations which probably made the proportion of recurrence higher. Conclusion Most of the recurrent bladder tumors have huge size and multiple in number at their initial presentation. All histological variants of Urothelial carcinomas recur.
ANGPTL8/Betatrophin Improves Glucose Tolerance in Older Mice and Metabolomic Analysis Reveals Its Role in Insulin Resistance in HepG2 Cells

Background Insulin resistance is a determining factor in the pathophysiology of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Angiopoietin-like protein 8 (ANGPTL8, also known as betatrophin), associated with glucose homeostasis and lipid metabolism, has attracted attention. But its mechanism in glucose metabolism remains unclear. This study aimed to explore the effect of ANGPTL8/betatrophin on glucose tolerance in Kunming (KM) mice of different ages and metabolic profiles in insulin-resistant HepG2 cells. Our study may provide a new perspective of ANGPTL8/betatrophin in insulin resistance from the metabolic changes. Methods Oral glucose tolerance test was performed in KM mice of different ages. Insulin concentration was measured by using a quantitative enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). ANGPTL8/betatrophin knockouts in HepG2 cells were established with clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated (Cas) protein 9 (CRISPR/Cas9) system. Cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay was used to determine cell viability after gene knockout. The effect of ANGPTL8/betatrophin on the metabolomic changes was evaluated in high insulin-induced insulin-resistant HepG2 cells by an ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) method. Results ANGPTL8/betatrophin improved glucose tolerance in older mice not by altering the concentration of insulin. Cell growth was affected in ANGPTL8/betatrophin knockout HepG2. Based on UPLC-MS/MS, compared with wild type insulin-resistant HepG2 cells, we identified 83 differential metabolites in ANGPTL8/betatrophin knockout HepG2 cells after high insulin induction. Among the 14 differential up-regulated metabolites, D-mannose had the highest fold change. In insulin-resistant HepG2 cells, ANGPTL8/betatrophin knockout exerted an effect on the amino acid metabolism, carbohydrate metabolism, metabolism of cofactors and vitamins, lipid metabolism, nucleotide metabolism, and genetic information processing pathway. Conclusion This study identified the effect of ANGPTL8/betatrophin on glucose tolerance in mice of different ages and metabolic profiles in insulin-resistant HepG2 cells. These findings may contribute to a new understanding of its role in glucose metabolism in the context of insulin resistance.
Evaluation of Diagnostic Workup and Etiology of Hypercalcemia of Malignancy in a Cohort of 167 551 Patients Over 20 Years

Abstract Context Hypercalcemia of malignancy (HCM) has not been studied in a fashion to determine all possible mechanisms of hypercalcemia in any given patient. Objective The 2 objectives were to assess the completeness of evaluation and to determine the distribution of etiologies of HCM in a contemporary cohort of patients. Methods A retrospective analysis was performed of patients with cancer who developed hypercalcemia over 20 years at a single health system. Laboratory data were electronically captured from medical records to identify cases of parathyroid hormone (PTH)-independent hypercalcemia. The records were then manually reviewed to confirm the diagnosis of HCM, document the extent of evaluation, and determine underlying etiology(ies) of HCM in each patient. Results The initial data set included 167 551 adult patients with malignancy, of which 11 589 developed hypercalcemia. Of these, only a quarter (25.4%) had assessment of PTH with a third of the latter (30.9%) indicating PTH-independent hypercalcemia. Of those with PTH-independent hypercalcemia, a third (31.6%) had assessment of PTH-related peptide (PTHrP) and/or 1,25-dihydroxy (1,25-OH) vitamin D and constituted the 153 cases of HCM examined in this study. Eighty-three of these patients had an incomplete evaluation of their HCM. The distribution of etiologies of HCM was therefore determined from the remaining 70 patients who had assessment of all 3 possible etiologies (PTHrP, 1,25-OH vitamin D, and skeletal imaging) and was as follows: PTHrP, 27%; osteolytic metastases, 50%; and 1,25-OH vitamin D, 39%, with combinations of etiologies being common (approximately 20%). Conclusion HCM is incompletely evaluated in many patients. The distribution of etiologies of HCM in this report differs significantly from the previous literature, warranting further study to determine whether its causes have indeed changed over time.
Predictors of Adverse Events Among Chronic Total Occlusion Patients Undergoing Successful Percutaneous Coronary Intervention and Medical Therapy

Objective Limited data are available on the predictors of major adverse cardiac events (MACE) after a successful coronary chronic total occlusion (CTO) percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and medical therapy. This study aimed to identify predictors of MACE in CTO patients undergoing successful recanalization and medical therapy. Methods A total of 2015 patients with CTOs were enrolled. About 718 patients underwent successful CTO recanalization, and 1297 patients received medical therapy. The primary outcome was the frequency of MACE, defined as a composite of cardiac death, myocardial infarction, and target-vessel revascularization. Multivariate models were used to determine predictors of MACE. Results In successful CTO recanalization group, MACE occurred in 123 (17.1%) patients. In multivariate analysis, heart failure (hazard ratio [HR] 1.77, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.04–3.04, p = 0.036) was identified as independent predictors for MACE in successful CTO recanalization. Additionally, in medical therapy group, the significant predictors of MACE were male gender (HR 1.53, 95% CI: 1.13–2.05, p = 0.005), diabetes mellitus (HR 1.39, 95% CI: 1.11–1.74, p = 0.003), heart failure (HR 1.44, 95% CI: 1.10–1.87, p = 0.007), J-CTO score (HR 1.17, 95% CI: 1.07–1.28, p = 0.001) and multivessel disease (HR 2.20, 95% CI: 1.42–3.39, p < 0.001). Conclusion Heart failure was predictor for composite cardiovascular events in patients with CTO after successful recanalization. Male gender, diabetes mellitus, heart failure, J-CTO score and multivessel disease were predictors of MACE in CTO patients with medical therapy.
Neglected Needs of Family Caregivers during the COVID-19 Pandemic and What They Need Now: A Qualitative Study

COVID-19 has had a negative impact on family caregivers, whether the care receivers lived with the caregiver, in a separate community home, in supportive living, or in long-term care. This qualitative study examines the points of view of family caregivers who care in diverse settings. Family caregivers were asked to describe what could have been done to support them during the COVID-19 pandemic and to suggest supports they need in the future as the pandemic wanes. Thorne’s interpretive qualitative methodology was employed to examine current caregiver concerns. Thirty-two family caregivers participated. Family caregivers thought the under-resourced, continuing care system delayed pandemic planning, and that silos in health and community systems made caregiving more difficult. Family caregivers want their roles to be recognized in policy, and they cite the need for improvements in communication and navigation. The growth in demand for family caregivers and their contributions to the healthcare system make it critical that the family caregiver role be recognized in policy, funding, and practice.
COVID-19 Vaccination Engagement and Barriers among Mississippi Pharmacists

After the emergency use authorization of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccinations in the United States, existing pharmacy infrastructure was leveraged to disseminate vaccines. However, the national uptake of COVID-19 vaccines remains poor. This survey study of Mississippi pharmacists aimed to identify barriers to providing COVID-19 vaccination among pharmacists in practice settings that provided other vaccines. A thematic analysis was used to analyze open-ended survey responses. This study found that the greatest identified barrier to COVID-19 vaccination for pharmacists was patient willingness. The thematic analysis revealed logistical barriers, vaccine hesitancy, and rural pharmacy distribution concerns. These findings suggest that pharmacists require further training in overcoming vaccine hesitancy, and potentially indicate a need for the distribution of vaccination responsibilities to additional pharmacy staff members.
Genetics of Inner Ear Malformations: A Review

Inner ear malformations are present in 20% of patients with sensorineural hearing loss. Although the first descriptions date to the 18th century, in recent years the knowledge about these conditions has experienced terrific improvement. Currently, most of these conditions have a rehabilitative option. Much less is known about the etiology of these anomalies. In particular, the evolution of genetics has provided new data about the possible relationship between inner ear malformations and genetic anomalies. In addition, in syndromic condition, the well-known presence of sensorineural hearing loss can now be attributed to the presence of an inner ear anomaly. In some cases, the presence of these abnormalities should be considered as a characteristic feature of the syndrome. The present paper aims to summarize the available knowledge about the possible relationships between inner ear malformations and genetic mutations.
CFD study of the water production in mature heavy oil fields with horizontal wells

Excessive water production in mature heavy oil fields causes incremental costs, energy consumption, and inefficiency. Understanding multiphase flows near the wellbore is an alternative to improve production efficiency. Therefore, this study conducts a series of numerical experiments based on the full set of the Navier-Stokes equations in 3D to simulate multiphase flows in porous media for heavy oil production horizontal wells. The solution given by this advanced mathematical formulation led to the description of the movement of the fluids near the wellbore with unprecedented detail. A sensitivity analysis was conducted on different rock and fluid properties such as permeability and oil viscosity, assuming homogeneous porous media. The influence of these parameters on the prediction of the breakthrough time, aquifer movement, and the severity of water production was noticed. Finally, the numerical model was verified against field data using two approaches. The first one was conducting a history match assuming homogeneous rock properties. In contrast, the second one used heterogeneous rock properties measured from well logging, achieving a lower deviation than field data, about 20%. The homogeneous numerical experiments showed that the breakthrough occurs at the heel with a subsequent crestation along the horizontal well. Moreover, at adverse mobility ratios, excessive water production tends to happen in water connings at the heel with an inflow area less than 1% of the total inflow area of the completion liner. Different aquifer movement dynamics were found for the heterogeneous case, like the breakthrough through multiple locations along the horizontal well. Finally, critical hydraulic data in the well, such as the pressure and velocity profiles, were obtained, which could be used to improve production efficiency. The numerical model presented in this study is proposed as an alternative to conducting subsurface modeling and well designs.