Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
PD Assistance and Relationship to Co-Existing Geriatric Syndromes in Incident Peritoneal Dialysis Therapy Patients

Background: Home dialysis therapies, including peritoneal dialysis (PD), are preferred treatment strategies, offering flexibility and improved wellbeing. However, patients with complex disease and comorbidity may require assistance with personal care and healthcare-related tasks. The study objective was to formally assess the type and frequency of PD assistance received by patients over 50, and the relationship to observed frailty, functional status, and cognitive ability at the time of PD therapy initiation. Methods: Using a multicentered, prospective observational study design, patients aged ≥ 50 years were recruited from those starting PD. Patients underwent formal evaluation using validated components of a Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment. The receipt and nature of assistance with PD tasks were assessed 1 month after dialysis start by questionnaire. Results: A total of 121 patients (age 69 ± 10 years, 67% male, 54% diabetic) were recruited. A total of 75 (62%) patients received assistance for a variety of tasks from friends or family (n = 41, 34%) or a paid caregiver (n = 34, 28%) 1 month after starting dialysis. At baseline, there was a high prevalence of functional dependency (79/120, 66%), frailty (71/110, 65%), and impaired cognition (68/115, 59%). Only 5% were fully independent, clinically robust, and scored within the normal range on cognitive testing. Factors associated with PD assistance included comorbidity (p < 0.03), cognitive impairment (p < 0.0001), and functional dependence (p < 0.02). Conclusion: Older patients initiating PD in the outpatient setting have high rates of frailty, functional dependence, and cognitive changes at the time they initiate dialysis. More research is required to better understand how those factors contribute to the use of PD assistance.
The changing scenario of retinopathy of prematurity in middle and low income countries: Unique solutions for unique problems

On one hand, high-quality neonatal services, better equipment, evidence-based screening protocols and improved training and access to ROP specialists in high income countries means that blindness due to ROP can usually be averted in these settings. On the other hand however, the situation is different in middle-income and low-income countries where birth rates in general and rates of preterm birth are high. [3] Many of these countries are expanding neonatal services, albeit sometimes with suboptimal care, leading to an increase in neonatal survival. However, ROP screening and treatment are either not universally available or not of sufficient quality, thus exposing the majority of the ‘at-risk’ premature infants to the risk of irreversible and permanent blindness. [4]
Novel Quasi-Solid-State Electrolytes based on Electrospun Poly(vinylidene fluoride) Fiber Membranes for Highly Efficient and Stable Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells

To obtain new highly efficient and stable quasi-solid dye-sensitized solar cells (QS-DSSCs) that can meet the requirements for the large-scale commercial application of solar cells, we have developed a novel quasi-solid-state electrolyte, based on an electrospun polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) membrane. The structure and properties of electrospun PVDF membranes were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET), thermogravimetric (TG), and mechanical testing. The results indicate that the electrospun PVDF membrane has a three-dimensional network structure with extremely high porosity, which not only acts as a barrier to prevent electrolyte leakage but also provides a channel for the transmission of ions in the electrolyte, thereby effectively guaranteeing the high photoelectric conversion efficiency of the cells. The membrane was observed to withstand the conditions of hot-press (110 °C), and exhibited good thermal stability and mechanical strength, which are critical for the long-term stability and safety of the cells. The photovoltaic characteristics and stabilities of QS-DSSCs were compared with DSSCs based on an ionic liquid electrolyte (L-DSSC). QS-DSSCs with an 80 μm thick nanofiber electrolyte membrane showed a conversion efficiency of 8.63%, whereas an identical cell based on the corresponding ionic liquid electrolyte showed an efficiency of 9.30%. The stability test showed that, under indoor and outdoor conditions, after 390 h, the L-DSSCs failed. Meanwhile, the QS-DSSCs also maintained 84% and 77% of the original efficiency. The results show that, compared to the liquid electrolyte, the design of the quasi-solid electrolytes based on electrospun PVDF nanofiber membrane not only demonstrates the high conversion efficiency of DSSCs but also enhances the stability of the DSSCs, which provides the possibility for the fabrication of solar cells with higher efficiency and stability.
Direction of Arrival Estimation in Elliptical Models via Sparse Penalized Likelihood Approach

In this paper, an l1-penalized maximum likelihood (ML) approach is developed for estimating the directions of arrival (DOAs) of source signals from the complex elliptically symmetric (CES) array outputs. This approach employs the l1-norm penalty to exploit the sparsity of the gridded directions, and the CES distribution setting has a merit of robustness to the uncertainty of the distribution of array output. To solve the constructed non-convex penalized ML optimization for spatially either uniform or non-uniform sensor noise, two majorization-minimization (MM) algorithms based on different majorizing functions are developed. The computational complexities of the above two algorithms are analyzed. A modified Bayesian information criterion (BIC) is provided for selecting an appropriate penalty parameter. The effectiveness and superiority of the proposed methods in producing high DOA estimation accuracy are shown in numerical experiments.
Effects of electrical muscle stimulation in frail elderly patients during haemodialysis (DIAL): rationale and protocol for a crossover randomised controlled trial

Introduction The phenomenon of population ageing is accompanied by increases in the number of elderly haemodialysis patients worldwide. The incidence of frailty is high in the haemodialysis population and is associated with poor clinical outcome. Although several interventions have been developed for use in general haemodialysis patients, the efficacy of such rehabilitation programmes in frail elderly patients on haemodialysis has not been elucidated. Here, we examined whether electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) would show beneficial effects in frail elderly patients on haemodialysis. Methods and analysis This is a randomised, two-period, controlled crossover trial, which will enrol 20 patients. Haemodialysis patients aged ≥65 years and defined as frail (ie, Short Physical Performance Battery score 4–9), will be randomly assigned to either group 1 (EMS intervention beginning in treatment period I, followed by reallocation as controls in treatment period II after a 5-week washout period) or group 2 (opposite schedule) in a 1:1 ratio. The two intervention periods will last 5 weeks each with an intervening washout period of 5 weeks. In the EMS intervention group, the treatment will be applied to the skeletal muscle of the entire lower extremity for 5 weeks, three times/week for 30–40 min during haemodialysis. The primary outcome of this study is the change in quadriceps isometric strength after the interventions. The secondary outcomes are the changes in physical function, physical activity, difficulty in activities of daily living, body composition, cognitive function, depressive symptoms, quality of life, blood test results and the clinical safety and feasibility of EMS therapy. Ethics and dissemination This study has been approved by the institutional review board/ethics committee of Kitasato University Allied Health Sciences. This study will be reported in peer reviewed publications and at conference presentations. Trial registration number UMIN000032501.
Reporting preclinical anesthesia study (REPEAT): Evaluating the quality of reporting in the preclinical anesthesiology literature

Poor reporting quality may contribute to irreproducibility of results and failed ‘bench-to-bedside’ translation. Consequently, guidelines have been developed to improve the complete and transparent reporting of in vivo preclinical studies. To examine the impact of such guidelines on core methodological and analytical reporting items in the preclinical anesthesiology literature, we sampled a cohort of studies. Preclinical in vivo studies published in Anesthesiology, Anesthesia & Analgesia, Anaesthesia, and the British Journal of Anaesthesia (2008–2009, 2014–2016) were identified. Data was extracted independently and in duplicate. Reporting completeness was assessed using the National Institutes of Health Principles and Guidelines for Reporting Preclinical Research. Risk ratios were used for comparative analyses. Of 7615 screened articles, 604 met our inclusion criteria and included experiments reporting on 52 490 animals. The most common topic of investigation was pain and analgesia (30%), rodents were most frequently used (77%), and studies were most commonly conducted in the United States (36%). Use of preclinical reporting guidelines was listed in 10% of applicable articles. A minority of studies fully reported on replicates (0.3%), randomization (10%), blinding (12%), sample-size estimation (3%), and inclusion/exclusion criteria (5%). Statistics were well reported (81%). Comparative analysis demonstrated few differences in reporting rigor between journals, including those that endorsed reporting guidelines. Principal items of study design were infrequently reported, with few differences between journals. Methods to improve implementation and adherence to community-based reporting guidelines may be necessary to increase transparent and consistent reporting in the preclinical anesthesiology literature.
Global epidemiology of Neisseria gonorrhoeae in infertile populations: protocol for a systematic review

Introduction A key target of the WHO’s ‘Global Health Sector Strategy on sexually transmitted infections, 2016–2021’ is achieving 90% reduction in Neisseria gonorrhoeae (gonorrhoea for short) incidence globally by 2030. Though untreated, gonorrhoea has been linked to infertility, the epidemiology of this infection in infertile populations remains poorly understood and somewhat a neglected area of reproductive health. Our proposed systematic review aims to fill this gap by characterising comprehensively gonorrhoea infection in infertile populations globally. Methods and analysis All available studies of gonorrhoea infection in infertile populations, including infertility clinic attendees, will be systematically reviewed informed by Cochrane Collaboration guidelines. Findings will be reported following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. Data sources will be searched using broad index terms exploded to cover all subheadings and free text terms with no language or year restriction. Any epidemiological measure in infertile populations based on primary data will be eligible for inclusion. Measures based on different assay types will be extracted as separate studies for different analyses. Only one biospecimen type per assay type will be considered based on a predefined priority order. Samples including fewer than 10 participants or assessing infection in the upper genital tract will be excluded. Quality assessments will be conducted for all measures included in the review. Meta-analyses will be implemented using DerSimonian-Laird random effect models to estimate the mean prevalence of gonorrhoea in infertile populations globally, and stratified by WHO region, assay type, sex, infertility type, infertility diagnosis, among other factors. Detailed heterogeneity assessment will be performed, and potential sources of between-study heterogeneity will be explored using meta-regression. Review will be conducted from 26 March 2018 to 28 July 2019. Ethics and dissemination An institutional review board clearance is not required as all data are publicly available. The findings will be disseminated through a peer-reviewed publication and international scientific meetings/workshops with key stakeholders. PROSPERO registration number CRD42018102934
Association of Data Integration Technologies With Intensive Care Clinician Performance

Key Points Question Do data integration and visualization technologies alleviate clinicians’ cognitive workload and alter decision-making performance? Findings In this systematic review and meta-analysis of 20 studies, data integration and visualization technologies were associated with improvements in self-reported performance, mental and temporal demand, and effort compared with paper-based recording systems, but no specific type is superior to others. Only 10% of studies of data integration and visualization technology evaluated them in clinical settings. Meaning Data integration and visualization technologies offer promising features to improve decision making by clinicians in the intensive care setting, but standardized test protocols are needed to generate clinician-centered evaluations and accelerate screening of technologies that support data-driven decision making.
Antagonistic Activity of Antibiotic Producing Streptomyces sp. against Fish and Human Pathogenic Bacteria

In this study, attempts were made to isolate Streptomyces sp. from soil samples of two different regions of Bangladesh and evaluate their antagonistic activity against fish and human pathogenic bacteria. A tota l of 10 isolates were identified as Streptomyces sp. based on several morphological, physiological a nd biochemical tests. Cross streak method was used to observe the antagon istic activity of the Streptomyces sp. isolates against different fish pathogens belonging to the genus Aeromonas, Pseudomonas and Edwardsiella and human clinical isolates belonging to the genus Klebsiella, Salmonella and Streptococcus . Seven Streptomyces sp . isolates showed antagonism against both fish and human pathogenic bFour isolates viz., N24, N26, N28 and N47 showed broad spectrum of antagonistic activity (80-100%) a gainst all genera of fish and human pathogenic bact eria. The isolate N49 exhibited highest spectrum of antagonis m against all fish pathogens (90-100%) but comparat ively lower degree of antagonism against human pathogens (50-60%). Rest of the two isolates (N21 and N23) sh owed variability in their antagonism. Results showed tha t broad spectrum antibiotic(s) could be developed f rom the isolates N24, N26, N28 and N47against several human and fish pathogens. The isolate N49 could be a pot ential source of antibiotic, especially for fish pathogeni c bacteria.
Cerebral bioenergetic differences measured by phosphorus‐31 magnetic resonance spectroscopy between bipolar disorder and healthy subjects living in two different regions suggesting possible effects of altitude

Increased oxidative stress in cerebral mitochondria may follow exposure to the systemic hypobaric hypoxia associated with residing at higher altitudes. Because mitochondrial dysfunction is implicated in bipolar disorder (BD) pathophysiology, this may impact the cerebral bioenergetics in BD. In this study, we evaluated the cerebral bioenergetics of BD and healthy control (HC) subjects at two sites, located at sea level and at moderate altitude.
Ca2+ signalling behaviours of intramuscular interstitial cells of Cajal in the murine colon

Colonic intramuscular interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC‐IM) exhibit spontaneous Ca2+ transients manifesting as stochastic events from multiple firing sites with propagating Ca2+ waves occasionally observed. Firing of Ca2+ transients in ICC‐IM is not coordinated with adjacent ICC‐IM in a field of view or even with events from other firing sites within a single cell. Ca2+ transients, through activation of Ano1 channels and generation of inward current, cause net depolarization of colonic muscles. Ca2+ transients in ICC‐IM rely on Ca2+ release from the endoplasmic reticulum via IP3 receptors, spatial amplification from RyRs and ongoing refilling of ER via the sarcoplasmic/endoplasmic‐reticulum‐Ca2+‐ATPase. ICC‐IM are sustained by voltage‐independent Ca2+ influx via store‐operated Ca2+ entry. Some of the properties of Ca2+ in ICC‐IM in the colon are similar to the behaviour of ICC located in the deep muscular plexus region of the small intestine, suggesting there are functional similarities between these classes of ICC.
Production of Vowels by Electrolaryngeal Speakers Using Clear Speech

Background/Aims: This study examined the effect of clear speech on vowel productions by electrolaryngeal speakers. Method: Ten electrolaryngeal speakers produced eighteen words containing /i/, /ɪ/, /ɛ/, /æ/, /eɪ/, and /oʊ/ using habitual speech and clear speech. Twelve listeners transcribed 360 words, and a total of 4,320 vowel stimuli across speaking conditions, speakers, and listeners were analyzed. Analyses included listeners’ identifications of vowels, vowel duration, and vowel formant relationships. Results: No significant effect of speaking condition was found on vowel identification. Specifically, 85.4% of the vowels were identified in habitual speech, and 82.7% of the vowels were identified in clear speech. However, clear speech was found to have a significant effect on vowel durations. The mean vowel duration in the 17 consonant-vowel-consonant words was 333 ms in habitual speech and 354 ms in clear speech. The mean vowel duration in the single consonant-vowel words was 551 ms in habitual speech and 629 ms in clear speech. Conclusion: Finding suggests that, although clear speech facilitates longer vowel durations, electrolaryngeal speakers may not gain a clear speech benefit relative to listeners’ vowel identifications.
Binding of an X-Specific Condensin Correlates with a Reduction in Active Histone Modifications at Gene Regulatory Elements

Condensins are evolutionarily conserved protein complexes that mediate chromosome compaction during cell division and have been implicated in gene regulation during interphase. Here, Street et al. analyzed the gene regulatory role of an X-specific. Condensins are evolutionarily conserved protein complexes that are required for chromosome segregation during cell division and genome organization during interphase. In Caenorhabditis elegans, a specialized condensin, which forms the core of the dosage compensation complex (DCC), binds to and represses X chromosome transcription. Here, we analyzed DCC localization and the effect of DCC depletion on histone modifications, transcription factor binding, and gene expression using chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing and mRNA sequencing. Across the X, the DCC accumulates at accessible gene regulatory sites in active chromatin and not heterochromatin. The DCC is required for reducing the levels of activating histone modifications, including H3K4me3 and H3K27ac, but not repressive modification H3K9me3. In X-to-autosome fusion chromosomes, DCC spreading into the autosomal sequences locally reduces gene expression, thus establishing a direct link between DCC binding and repression. Together, our results indicate that DCC-mediated transcription repression is associated with a reduction in the activity of X chromosomal gene regulatory elements.
A Survey on Mining High Utility Itemsets from Transactional Databases

: Mining high utility itemsets from a transactional database refers to the discovery of itemsets with high utility like profits. Frequent itemset mining (FIM) is one of the most fundamental problems in data mining. In this work, we propose a novel strategy based on the analysis of item co-occurrences to reduce the number of join operations that need to be performed (FHM: Faster High-Utility Miner). A better approach in which we characterize a differentially private FIM algorithm based on the FP-growth algorithm, which is referred to as PFP-growth. The PFP-growth algorithm consists of a preprocessing phase and a mining phase. AS another commitment, we incorporate utility into sequential pattern mining, and a generic framework for high utility sequence mining is defined. An efficient algorithm, USpan, is presented to mine for high utility sequential patterns.
Evaluation of model performance to predict survival after transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt placement

Background/Aims The MELD score was developed to predict survival after transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) placement. Given changes in practice patterns and development of new prognostic tools in cirrhosis, we aimed to evaluate common models to predict mortality after TIPS placement. Methods Analysis of consecutive patients who underwent TIPS placement for ascites or bleeding. Performance to predict 90-day mortality was assessed by C statistic for six models (MELD, MELD-Na, CLIF-C ACLF, Child-Pugh, Platelet-Albumin-Bilirubin, and Emory score). Added predictive value to MELD score was assessed for univariate predictors of 90-day mortality. Stratified analysis by TIPS indication, emergent placement status, and TIPS stent type was performed. Results 413 patients were analyzed (248 with variceal bleeding, 165 with refractory ascites). 90-day mortality was 27% (113/413). Mean MELD score was 15 ± 7.9. MELD score best predicted mortality for all patients (c = 0.779), for variceal bleeding (c = 0.844), and for emergent TIPS (c = 0.817). CLIF-C ACLF score best predicted mortality for refractory ascites (c = 0.707). Addition of sodium to the MELD score did not improve predictive value across multiple strata. Addition of hemoglobin improved MELD score’s predictive value in variceal bleeding. Addition of age improved MELD score’s predictive value in refractory ascites. Conclusions MELD score best predicted 90-day mortality. Addition of sodium to the MELD score did not improve its performance, though mortality prediction was improved using Age-MELD for ascites and Hemoglobin-MELD for bleeding. An individualized risk stratification approach may be best when considering candidates for TIPS placement.
The relationship between patellofemoral arthritis and fat tissue volume, body mass index and popliteal artery intima-media thickness through 3T knee MRI

Background/aim Evaluating the relationship of patellar chondromalacia with obesity, infrapatellar fat pad (IFP) volume and popliteal artery intima-media thickness (IMT). Materials and methods A total of 203 patients with different degree of patellar chondromalacia (103 male, 100 female) and 52 control subjects (19 male, 33 female) were included and grouped according to sex, age, body surface area (BSA), body mass index (BMI) and patellar chondromalacia classification. All measurements were completed with 3T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Articular cartilage and IFP volume were measured in saggital plane using double echo steady state (DESS) and DIXON sequences, respectively. Patellar cartilage damage was graded using modified outerbridge classification, and the relations among cartilage volume and BMI, BSA, IFP, IMT were statistically assessed. Results Popliteal artery IMT showed an independent association with the prevalence of cartilage defects and IFP volumes (P ˂ 0.001). There was an association between BMI and IFP volumes (P ˂ 0.001). However, no differences were observed between IFP volume and different chondromalacia groups. When IFP measurements were corrected using individual BMI and BSA values, a positive correlation was found between control and advanced chondromalacia groups (P ˂ 0.001). Conclusion This study demonstrates the relationship among obesity, IMT and chondromalacia and highlights this potential circle to develop effective treatments and inhibit the progression of chondromalacia.