Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Estimating the contribution of subclinical tuberculosis disease to transmission: An individual patient data analysis from prevalence surveys

Background Individuals with bacteriologically confirmed pulmonary tuberculosis disease (TB) that do not report symptoms (subclinical TB) represent around half of all prevalent cases of TB, yet their contribution to Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) transmission is unknown, especially compared to individuals who report symptoms at time of diagnosis (clinical TB). Relative infectiousness can be approximated by cumulative infections in household contacts, but such data are rare. Methods and Findings We reviewed the literature to identify studies where surveys of Mtb infection were linked to population surveys of TB disease. We collated individual population data for analysis and used literature on the relative durations of subclinical and clinical TB to estimate relative infectiousness through a cumulative hazard model, accounting for sputum-smear status. Relative prevalence of subclinical and clinical disease in high burden settings was used to estimate the contribution of subclinical TB to global Mtb transmission. We collated data on 414 index cases and 789 household contacts from three prevalence surveys (Bangladesh, Philippines, Viet Nam) and one case-finding trial in Viet Nam. The odds ratio of household infection prevalence was 1.2 (0.6-2.3, 95% Confidence Interval). Adjusting for duration of disease, we found a per-unit-time infectiousness of subclinical TB relative to clinical TB of 1.93 (0.62-6.18, 95% Prediction Interval (PrI)). 14 countries across Asia and Africa provided data on relative prevalence of subclinical and clinical TB, suggesting an estimated 68% (27-92%, 95% PrI) of global transmission is from subclinical TB. Conclusions Our results suggest that subclinical TB contributes substantially to transmission and needs to be diagnosed and treated for effective progress towards TB elimination.
Serotypes and Serogroups implicated in Bacterial meningitis across Ghana

Background: Bacterial meningitis is a dangerous infection that can kill children and adults alike. An estimated 1.2 million instances of bacterial meningitis are anticipated to occur globally each year, despite the discovery of polysaccharide and conjugate vaccines in recent years [1]. The study aimed to find out which bacteria isolates are linked to meningitis and to compare the culture method to the rT-PCR method. Method: This study examined data on bacterial meningitis from the Ghana Health Service's Public Health Division from 2015 to 2019. Patients' information was collected from case-based forms held at the Tamale Public Health and Reference Laboratory. The data from the case-based forms was transcribed into a pre-designed Microsoft Excel template. For analysis, the data was cleaned and loaded into Minitab version 18. Results: There were 2,446 CSM cases documented in all, 34.4 percent were confirmed. Males (52.7%) were more suspected than females (47.3%). Age group 15-44 were affected most (37.5%). The predominant pathogens were Neisseria meningitidis (W135) and Streptococcus pneumoniae (St.1) with NMX, St.14, St.19, and St. 12F/12A/12b as new emerging strains. Notwithstanding that, low NPV (72.6%), NLR (0.69), and sensitivity (31.8%) of culture method for detected pathogens of bacterial meningitis were found to produce a statistically significant false negatives compared to the gold standard (rT-PCR). Conclusion: Emergence of new strains of bacterial meningitis and the false negative results chained out by the culture method is alarming.
Exploring the knowledge and acceptance of reputed Authorship Criteria: A Pilot Study among medical researchers in India

Objectives: To determine knowledge and acceptance of authorship criteria among residents, PhD scholars and faculty involved in medical research in India. Design: A cross sectional survey was performed via Google forms (a web based platform). Results:A total of 117 participants responded to the survey, of whom 66 (56%) were faculty/professors, 23 (20%) residents and 28 (24%) PhD scholars. 33% respondents had faced conflicts with their guide, 58% responders have offered honorary authorship sometime in their careers. Only half of the respondents were aware of the ICMJE guidelines for authorship. Conclusions: Gift Authorship and pressure to publish are largely prevalent in biomedical research in India. Journals requiring author-contribution declarations, overlooking the number of publications as the sole source of offering academic promotions among others are possible solutions to curb this problem.
Clinical sensitivity and specificity of a high-throughput microfluidic nano-immunoassay combined with capillary blood microsampling for the identification of anti-SARS-CoV-2 Spike IgG serostatus

Background: We evaluate the diagnostic performance of dried blood microsampling combined with a high-throughput microfluidic nano-immunoassay (NIA) for the identification of anti-SARS-CoV-2 Spike IgG seropositivity. Methods: We conducted a serological study among 192 individuals with documented prior SARS-CoV- 2 infection and 44 SARS-CoV-2 negative individuals. Participants with prior SARS-CoV-2 infection had a long interval of 11 months since their qRT-PCR positive test. Serum was obtained after venipuncture and tested with an automated electrochemiluminescence anti-SARS-CoV-2 S total Ig reference assay, a commercial ELISA anti-S1 IgG assay, and the index test NIA. 109 participants from the positive co- hort and 44 participants from the negative cohort also participated in capillary blood collection using three microsampling devices: Mitra, repurposed glucose test strips, and HemaXis. Samples were dried, shipped by regular mail, extracted, and measured with NIA. Findings: Using serum samples, we achieve a clinical sensitivity of 98.33% and specificity of 97.62% on NIA, affirming the high performance of NIA in participants 11 months post infection. Combining microsampling with NIA, we obtain a clinical sensitivity of 95.05% using Mitra, 61.11% using glucose test strips, 83.16% using HemaXis, and 91.49% for HemaXis after automated extraction, without any drop in specificity. Interpretation: High sensitivity and specificity was demonstrated when testing micro-volume capillary dried blood samples using NIA, which is expected to facilitate its use in large-scale studies using home- based sampling or samples collected in the field. Funding: Swiss National Science Foundation NRP 78 Covid-19 grant 198412 and Private Foundation of the Geneva University Hospital.
Effects of Aerobic Exercise on Brain Age and Health in Older Adults: A Single-Arm Clinical Trial

Backgrounds: Exercise is an attractive, widely accessible intervention to promote cardiovascular health; however, evidence that exercise improves brain health is sparse. Here, we hypothesized that aerobic exercise would improve brain health of sedentary older adults, as reflected by cognition health, sleep macro- and micro-architecture, and brain age index (BAI), a biomarker of brain health derived from the overnight sleep electroencephalogram (EEG). Methods: Sedentary older adults were recruited to complete a 12-week aerobic exercise. Home wearable devices were used to monitor heart rate and overnight sleep EEG over the period. NIH Toolbox Cognition Battery, in-lab overnight polysomnography, cardiopulmonary exercise testing and multiplex cytokine assay were employed to determine pre- and post-exercise brain health, exercise capacity and plasma proteins. Results: 26 participants completed the initial assessment and exercise program, and 24 completed all procedures. Participants significantly increased maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max) and decreased resting and sleeping heart rate after the exercise regimen. Cognition performances were significantly improved following the exercise program while no significant differences were seen in BAI and sleep macro- and micro-architecture. Plasma IL-4 was elevated while IL-8 was reduced after the exercise regimen. Home sleep data revealed a 3.59% increase in the percentage of N3 sleep over a 12-week. Conclusions: We conclude that cognitive function and N3 sleep were improved by a 12-week moderate-intensity exercise program in sedentary older adults, associated with improvements in VO2max and plasma cytokine profiles. Our data show the value of integrating multi-modal assessments to study the effect of brain health targeted approaches. Funding: Dr. Westover received support during this work from the McCance Center for Brain Health, the Glenn Foundation for Medical Research and the American Federation for Aging Research through a Breakthroughs in Gerontology Grant; through the American Academy of Sleep Medicine through an AASM Foundation Strategic Research Award; by the Football Players Health Study (FPHS) at Harvard University; from the Department of Defense through a subcontract from Moberg ICU Solutions, Inc, and by grants from the NIH (R01NS102190, R01NS102574, R01NS107291, RF1AG064312, R01AG062989, R01AG073410), and NSF (2014431). Dr. Wrann was supported by a SPARC Award from the McCance Center for Brain Health. Dr. Tanzi and Dr. Zhang were supported by the Cure Alzheimer's Fund. Clinical trial number: National Clinical Trial: NCT04210882
Maintenance Actions to Address Fatigue Cracking in Steel Bridge Structures: Proposed Guidelines and Commentary

This document provides guidelines for the maintenance actions to address fatigue cracking and details at risk of constraint-induced fracture (CIF) in steel bridges. It is a synthesis of best practices from published literature, project reports, past and ongoing research projects, as well as input from industry professionals gathered through a web-based survey. Intended to be a very practical reference text, it is written with everyone in mind from a maintenance contractor to an asset manager and design engineer, providing detailed descriptions of the driving causes of fatigue cracking and CIF in steel bridges and accepted methods for repair or retrofit. A number of case studies are discussed giving context for the different detail susceptibilities and utilizing a mixture of real-world and rendered images to illustrate the problems and solutions. For each case, a suggested sequence of steps is also provided as a ‘‘how-to. ’’
Mutation Analysis of IL 2 RG in Human X-Linked Severe Combined Immunodeficiency

Severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) is a syndrome nal X chromosome inactivation, single-strand conformation polymorphism, mRNA expression, and cell surface staining of profoundly impaired cellular and humoral immunity. In humans, SCID is most commonly caused by mutations in with anti-gc antibodies were all helpful in establishing IL2RG defects as the cause of SCID, only dideoxy fingerprinting the X-linked gene IL2RG, which encodes the common g chain, gc, of the leukocyte receptors for interleukin-2 and and DNA sequence determination each detected 100% of the IL2RG mutations in our series. Abnormal gc chains may be multiple other cytokines. To investigate the frequency and variety of IL2RG mutations that cause SCID, we analyzed expressed in the lymphocytes of as many as two thirds of patients with X-linked SCID. Specific mutation diagnosis DNA, RNA, and B-cell lines from a total of 103 unrelated SCID-affected males and their relatives using a combination thus remains technically challenging, but it is important for genetic counseling and perhaps for helping to select approof molecular and immunologic techniques. Sixty-two different mutations spanning all eight IL2RG exons were found priate subjects for retroviral gene therapy trials. This is a US government work. There are no restrictions on in 87 cases, making possible correlations between mutation type and functional consequences. Although skewed materits use.
CLASSICAL AND FREE INFINITELY DIVISIBLE DISTRIBUTIONS AND RANDOM MATRICES BY FLORENT BENAYCH-GEORGES

We construct a random matrix model for the bijection between classical and free infinitely divisible distributions: for every d ≥ 1, we associate in a quite natural way to each ∗-infinitely divisible distributionμ a distribution Pμd on the space of d × d Hermitian matrices such that Pμd ∗ Pd = Pμ∗ν d . The spectral distribution of a random matrix with distribution Pμd converges in probability to (μ) whend tends to+∞. It gives, among other things, a new proof of the almost sure convergence of the spectral distribution of a matrix of the GUE and a projection model for the Marchenko–Pastur distribution. In an analogous way, for every d ≥ 1, we associate to each ∗-infinitely divisible distributionμ, a distributionLμd on the space of complex (non-Hermitian) d × d random matrices. If μ is symmetric, the symmetrization of the spectral distribution of|Md |, whenMd is Lμd -distributed, converges in probability to (μ).
AFLUID Decemer 46/6

Wang, WenHui. Regulation of the ROMK channel: interaction of the ROMK with associate proteins. Am. J. Physiol. 277 (Renal Physiol. 46): F826–F831, 1999. —The ROMK channel plays an important role in K recycling in the thick ascending limb (TAL) and K secretion in the cortical collecting duct (CCD). A large body of evidence indicates that the ROMK channel is a key component of the native K secretory channel identified in the apical membrane of the TAL and the CCD. Although the ROMK channel shares several key regulatory mechanisms with the native K secretory channel in a variety of respects, differences in the channel modulatory mechanism are clearly present between the ROMK channel and the native K secretory channel. Therefore, it is possible that additional associate proteins are required to interact with the ROMK channel to assemble the native K secretory channel. This notion is supported by recent reports showing that cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) and A kinase anchoring proteins (AKAP) interact with the ROMK channels to restore the response to ATP sensitivity and protein kinase A stimulation. This review is an attempt to summarize the up-to-date progress regarding the interaction between the ROMK channel and the associate proteins in forming the native K secretory channel.
Good HR Practices and Their Impact on Perceived Organization’s Financial Performance: A Case Study of the BoK

Today organizations are competing not on the basis of their sizes but by the quality of their inputs and the processes that they employ to convert inputs into the outputs. Keeping in view that min this study looks into the impact of some HR Practices on perceived financial performance in the Bank of Khyber. The study uses a sample of 142 managers collected from 116 bank branches from all over Pakistan. The hypothesized relationships are tested using Amos 18 through path analysis. Out of the three hypotheses the empirical data supported two while one has not been supported. Overall, the study validates the theory of good HR practices have positive relationship with perceived financial performance of the banks. The Future research should examine the impact of this perception on the actual performance. The current study is purely quantitative. Therefore there is a need of carrying out a qualitative study with the same variables to get more subtle findings. This research could also be replicated in other banks and comparison could be drawn for more holistic results and increasing the generalizablility of the results.
Real-Time Ultrasound/MRI Fusion for Suprasacral Parallel Shift Approach to Lumbosacral Plexus Blockade and Analysis of Injectate Spread Strid,

Citation for published version (APA): Strid, J. M. C. , Pedersen, E. M. , Al-Karradi, S. N. H. , Bendtsen, M. A. F. , Bjørn, S. , Dam, M. , . Bendtsen, T. F. (2017). Real-Time Ultrasound/MRI Fusion for Suprasacral Parallel Shift Approach to Lumbosacral Plexus Blockade and Analysis of Injectate Spread: An Exploratory Randomized Controlled Trial. BioMed Research International, 2017, [1873209]. https://doi.org/10.1155/2017/1873209
Optimistic bias: the more you do, the better you think it goes. Survey analysis of reverse shoulder arthroplasty

Objective: Even though heuristics are very helpful, several biases have been described related to their use. The aim of this study is to analyze the in ﬂ uence of surgery volume on the surgeon ’ s perception of pain improvement in patients after having received a reverse total shoulder arthroplasty. Design: Successive independent samples study. Setting: Shoulder surgeons attending four shoulder meetings. Participants: 149 Shoulder surgeons were included. Intervention: Physicians were asked to postulate the preoperative and postoperative pain of patients receiving a reverse shoulder arthroplasty and respond by putting a mark on two visual pain scales. Main outcome measures: Pain improvement, years of shoulder practice, number of shoulder studies read over 6 months and the number of reverse shoulder arthroplasties performed per year. To compare the answers of the survey-study, a cohort of 95 patients who had undergone reverse shoulder Arthroplasty because of a rotator cuff arthropathy were prospectively followed. Results: Regarding the pain score before and after surgery, the patient cohort showed a mean improvement of 6.84 points. In terms of the doctors, the more years of surgical practice, led them to have a greater expectation of improvement ( p =0.004). Moreover, the greater the number of prostheses they implanted, the greater the expectation of improvement ( p =0.0005). It was the same in terms of the number of studies read by them ( p =0.001). Conclusions: Years of practice, hospital position and the number of shoulder arthroplasties done per year all favor the surgeon ’ s perception that their patients obtain a greater pain relief after receiving a shoulder arthroplasty than the real improvement in pain relief the patients experience. really had before surgery. Moreover, surgeons doing a lot of surgeries think that their patients improve signi ﬁ cantly more than they really do. This fact may potentially create unrealistic patient expectations and predispose patients to acquiescing to surgery.
Tubeimoside-1 upregulates p 21 expression and induces apoptosis and G 2 / M phase cell cycle arrest in human bladder cancer T 24 cells

Tubeimoside-1 (TBMS1) is a triterpenoid saponin with potent anticancer properties. In this study, for the first, we examined the anti-proliferative effects of TBMS1 in human bladder cancer T24 cells and its ability to induce apoptosis and cell cycle arrest. Our results demonstrated that TBMS1 decreased the cell viability of bladder cancer T24 cells in a dose-dependent manner. Flow cytometric analysis showed that TBMS1 significantly triggered apoptosis in T24 cells and arrested cell cycle at G2/M phase in a dosedependent manner. Further characterization demonstrated that TBMS1induced apoptosis is associated with dissipation in mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm), down-regulation of Bcl-2, and up-regulation of Bax and p21 in TBMS1-treated T24 cells. These in vitro results suggested that TBMS1 is an effective anti-bladder cancer natural compound that worth further mechanistic and therapeutic studies in human bladder cancer. Article Info Received: 12 August 2014 Accepted: 11 September 2014 Available Online: 19 November 2014
SPECIAL SESSION SUMMARY Marketplace Motives and Consumer Meta-Skepticism

SESSION OVERVIEW Over the last ten years, there has been increasing attention focused on understanding how consumers’ beliefs about a firm’s motives affect consumer response to marketers’ actions. Much of this research has focused on beliefs about the persuasion process, or persuasion knowledge (Campbell and Kirmani 2000, Friestad and Wright 1994, 1995). Specifically, consumers often appear to question marketers’ motives, resulting in diminished trust and skepticism about relationships with firms (Fournier, Dobscha, and Mick 2000). Fournier et. al (2000) suggest that in order for companies to build strong relationships with consumers, they must be honest about their motives. Further, a consumer’s ability to accurately perceive a firm’s motive and respond accordingly is important from a consumer welfare perspective. The papers in this session examine how consumers’ make inferences about a marketer’s motives and how skepticism about such motives affects consumers’ reactions to a firm’s marketing efforts. Building on an idea suggested by Wright (2002), the research in this session investigates theoretically and empirically how meta-skepticism influences the manner in which the consumer interprets a firm’s actions. In fact, the research presented in this session suggests that marketing tactics can have a very different impact depending on how the consumer views and interprets the motives of the influence agent. The first paper, by Dan Ariely and Ayelet Gneezy establishes in a convincing way the extent of consumers’ meta-skepticism about marketers’ actions and statements. In three studies, they show that consumers’ default view is to be skeptical about marketers’ offers and to distrust statements made by companies. Importantly, this skepticism about marketers stands in contrast to peoples’ inherent trust of others in interpersonal relations. Skepticism about a firm’s motives can also influence how specific marketing tactics (i.e., changes in price) influence attitudes toward the company, as shown in the paper by Priya Raghubir and Meg Campbell. Their research shows that depending on the types of inferences consumers make about the marketer’s motives, price increase announcements can result in either positive or negative attitudes toward the firm. The third paper, by Barbara Bickart, Mimi Morrin, and Ratti Ratneshwar, examines salesperson communications. They show that the effect of admitting a lack of knowledge to a consumer’s question (versus obfuscation) depends on whether or not consumers question the salesperson’s motives. They also show that the effects of persuasion knowledge operate not only through skepticism (that is, lack of trust in the salesperson), but also via feelings towards the salesperson (i.e., the likeability of the agent). To summarize, we hope that by presenting these papers in a single session, we encouraged further dialogue on the role of metaskepticism in consumer behavior. The session included a lively discussion led by Connie Pechmann.
Femoral Closure

Vascular closure devices (VCDs) reduce the time to haemostasis and ambulation and improve patient comfort compared with manual compression in patients undergoing vascular procedures from a femoral artery access site. Recent large, single-centre studies and post hoc data from the Acute Catheterization and Urgent Intervention Triage strategY (ACUITY) trial strongly suggest that newer generations of VCD decrease rates of vascular complications compared with manual compression, in contrast to earlier evaluations of first-generation devices. Unfortunately, utilisation of VCDs remains limited and mitigates the potential benefit that could result from expanded use of these devices. Newer entrants into the VCD market such as Starclose and Mynx are based on extravascular closure methodology. These devices address concerns of intravascular components of a VCD; however, whether these devices reduce vascular complications and bleeding has not been evaluated. In this brief article, we will examine these factors in greater detail and suggest an algorithm for VCD use in clinical practice.