Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Communicative Participation Item Bank: Evaluating, and Reevaluating, Its Use across Communication Disorders in Adults

Abstract Patient-reported outcomes (PROs) are essential in patient-centered, evidence-based practice in speech-language pathology. PROs respect individuals who live with communication disorders as key stakeholders providing a critically unique perspective on consequences of communication disorders, and whether interventions bring about meaningful changes. Some PROs focus on specific communication symptoms such as voice or language symptom severity, while others focus on broader constructs such as quality of life. Many PROs target specific diagnostic groups. This article presents the Communicative Participation Item Bank (CPIB), a PRO that measures communicative participation restrictions. The CPIB was based on the concept of participation, or engagement in life situations, as defined in the World Health Organization's International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health. It was designed to be relevant for adults across different communication disorders to facilitate clinical and research activities that may involve either comparing or aggregating data across communication disorders. The CPIB follows current PRO development protocols including systematic guidance from stakeholders through cognitive interviews, and the measurement methods of Item Response Theory that allow precise and adaptive assessment. This article reviews use of the CPIB across different diagnostic groups, and identifies needs for future efforts to expand the relevance of the CPIB further.
Spin-wave ferromagnetic film combiner as a NOT logic gate

An on-chip spin-wave combiner was fabricated by structuring a ferrimagnetic yttrium iron garnet film. Interference of magnetostatic spin-wave pulses in the combiner was studied using time and space resolve Brillouin light scattering spectroscopy. This investigation demonstrates functionality of the combiner as a NOT logic gate. We believe that it is an important step towards implementation of all-spin-wave on-chip logical gates.
Orexin (hypocretin) mediates light‐dependent fluctuation of hippocampal function in a diurnal rodent

Environmental lighting conditions play a central role in cognitive function, but the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Utilizing a diurnal rodent model, the Nile grass rat (Arvicanthis niloticus), we previously found that daytime light intensity affects hippocampal function in this species in a manner similar to its effects in humans. Compared to animals housed in a 12:12 h bright light–dark (brLD) cycle, grass rats kept in a 12:12 h dim light–dark (dimLD) cycle showed impaired spatial memory in the Morris water maze (MWM) and reduced CA1 apical dendritic spine density. The present study explored the neural substrates mediating the effects of daylight intensity on hippocampal function focusing on the hypothalamic orexin (hypocretin) system. First, animals housed in dimLD were treated with daily intranasal administration of orexin A peptide over five training days of the MWM task. Compared to vehicle controls, this treatment led to superior spatial memory accompanied by increased phosphorylation of Ca2+/calmodulin‐dependent protein kinase II α and glutamate receptor 1 within the CA1. To assess the role of hippocampal orexinergic signaling, an adeno‐associated viral vector (AAV) expressing an orexin receptor 1 (OX1R) shRNA was injected into the dorsal hippocampus targeting the CA1 of animals housed in brLD. AAV‐mediated knockdown of OX1R within the hippocampus resulted in deficits in MWM performance and reduced CA1 apical dendritic spine density. These results are consistent with the view that the hypothalamic orexinergic system underlies the modulatory role of daytime illumination on hippocampal function in diurnal mammals.
Swiss Frailty Network and Repository: protocol of a Swiss Personalized Health Network’s driver project observational study

Introduction Early identification of frailty by clinical instruments or accumulation of deficit indexes can contribute to improve healthcare for older adults, including the prevention of negative outcomes in acute care. However, conflicting evidence exists on how to best capture frailty in this setting. Simultaneously, the increasing utilisation of electronic health records (EHRs) opens up new possibilities for research and patient care, including frailty. Methods and analysis The Swiss Frailty Network and Repository (SFNR) primarily aims to develop an electronic Frailty Index (eFI) from routinely available EHR data in order to investigate its predictive value against length of stay and in-hospital mortality as two important clinical outcomes in a study sample of 1000–1500 hospital patients aged 65 years and older. In addition, we will examine the correlation between the eFI and a test-based clinical Frailty Instrument to compare both concepts in Swiss older adults in acute care settings. As a Swiss Personalized Health Network (SPHN) driver project, our study will report on the characteristics and usability of the first nationwide eFI in Switzerland connecting all five Swiss University Hospitals’ Geriatric Departments with a representative sample of patients aged 65 years and older admitted to acute care. Ethics and dissemination The study protocol was approved by the competent ethics committee of the Canton of Zurich (BASEC-ID 2019-00445). All acquired data will be handled according to SPHN’s ethical framework for responsible data processing in personalised health research. Analyses will be performed within the secure BioMedIT environment, a national infrastructure to enable secure biomedical data processing, an integral part of SPHN. Trial registration number NCT04516642.
Modeling and simulation of cochlear perimodiolar electrode based on composite spring-mass model

Abstract This paper proposes, a method for the physical modeling of the perimodiolar electrode, particularly for the process of recovering its preset shape with the guide wire drawn out, based on the composite spring-mass model by employing the virtual-volumetric spring inspired from the traditional spring-mass model. Simulation experiments of modeling and virtual insertion of perimodiolar electrode were carried out. The results indicated that the mean and standard deviation of the difference between the local deformation angles of the simulated and measured sets of mass points, (1, 2, 3), (2, 3, 4), …, (13, 14, 15), were 6.34 and 5.98 respectively. Additionally, the physical model of the perimodiolar electrode can reflect the overall morphological changes of the real perimodiolar electrode.
Utility of urinary albumin excretion as an index for stratifying the residual cardiovascular risk in patients undergoing antihypertensive agents treatment

Background: Patients treated with antihypertensive medication, even those with well controlled blood pressure (BP), are at higher risk for the development of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) in comparison to nonhypertensive individuals with optimal risk levels. We hypothesized that this residual risk could be stratified based on urinary albumin excretion (UAE). Methods: A total of 13 082 middle-aged and older individuals with SBP/DBP of less than 160/100 mmHg and urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratios (UACRs) of less than 300 mg/g, and who were free from ASCVD events, were followed to investigate the incidence of ASCVD. The baseline BP was classified into four categories: normal BP (BP1), high normal BP (BP2), elevated BP (BP3), and grade 1 hypertension (BP4) based on the 2019 Japanese Society of Hypertension guidelines. Results: After an average 10.6 ± 2.6 years of follow-up, the multivariable hazard ratio for the development of ASCVD (n = 994) was already increased in medicated hypertensive patients with BP1 in comparison with untreated individuals with BP1; however, among medicated hypertensive patients, this risk was separated between the UAE groups, which were classified according to the median UACR (male, 15.4 mg/g; female, 19.0 mg/g). In medicated hypertensive patients with any category of BP1-BP3, the adjusted risk of the development of ASCVD in those with lower and higher UACRs was comparable to that observed in untreated individuals in the BP1 and BP4 categories, respectively. Conclusion: In medicated patients with well controlled hypertension, UAE is useful for stratifying the residual risk of developing ASCVD in comparison to nonhypertensive individuals with optimal risk levels.
Wild Bee Response to Application of the Douglas-fir Beetle Anti-Aggregation Pheromone, 3-Methylcyclohex-2-En-1-One

Abstract Douglas-fir beetle, Dendroctonus pseudotsugae Hopkins (DFB), is the most damaging insect pest of Douglas-fir, Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco, in western North America. Individual high-value trees and stands can be protected during DFB outbreaks using the beetle's anti-aggregation pheromone, 3-methylcyclohex-2-en-1-one (MCH), which is available in several commercial formulations. However, other methylcyclohexanones similar in molecular structure to MCH have been shown to repel bees from agricultural areas. In forest systems, wild bees (Hymenoptera: Apiformes) provide essential pollination services to many forb and shrub species. Therefore, it is important to determine whether resident wild bee communities are affected in forests treated with MCH. To address this, the bee community was sampled within experimental sites located in Idaho and Montana, USA in 2016. At both sites, there was no significant difference in overall bee abundance, species richness, or diversity between MCH-treated plots and untreated control plots. Overall, these results indicate that treatment of Douglas-fir with MCH does not negatively impact the resident wild bee community.
Complete Genome Sequence of Atopobiaceae Bacterium Strain P1, Isolated from Mouse Feces

Atopobiaceae sp. strain P1 (Actinobacteria, Coriobacteriales) was isolated from mouse feces. Here, we report the complete genome sequence of this strain, which has a total size of 2,028,478 bp and a G+C content of 58.6%. ABSTRACT Atopobiaceae bacterium strain P1 (Actinobacteria, Coriobacteriales) was isolated from mouse feces. Here, we report the complete genome sequence of this strain, which has a total size of 2,028,478 bp and a G+C content of 58.6%.
Fluorescent Protein Expression as a Proxy for Bacterial Fitness in a High-Throughput Assay

We expand on an important limitation of the concept of measuring bacterial growth, which is classically limited to one strain at a time. By adopting our approach, it is possible to measure the growth of several bacterial strains simultaneously with high temporal resolution and in a high-throughput manner. This is important to investigate bacterial interactions, such as competition and facilitation. ABSTRACT Bacterial growth is classically assessed by measuring the increases in optical density of pure cultures in shaken liquid media. Measuring growth using optical density has severe limitations when studying multistrain interactions, as it is not possible to measure the growth of individual strains within mixed cultures. Here, we demonstrated that constitutively expressed fluorescent proteins can be used to track the growth of individual strains in different liquid media. Fluorescence measurements were highly correlated with optical density measurements and cell counts. This allowed us to assess bacterial growth not only in pure cultures but also in mixed bacterial cultures and determine the impact of a competitor on a focal strain, thereby assessing relative fitness. Furthermore, we were able to track the growth of two different strains simultaneously by using fluorescent proteins with differential excitation and emission wavelengths. Bacterial densities measured by fluorescence yielded more consistent data between technical replicates than optical density measurements. Our setup employs fluorescence microplate readers that allow high throughput and replication. IMPORTANCE We expand on an important limitation of the concept of measuring bacterial growth, which is classically limited to one strain at a time. By adopting our approach, it is possible to measure the growth of several bacterial strains simultaneously with high temporal resolution and in a high-throughput manner. This is important to investigate bacterial interactions, such as competition and facilitation.
Physicians’ perspectives on continuity of care for patients involved in the criminal justice system: A qualitative study

Background In 2016, over 11 million individuals were admitted to prisons and jails in the United States. Because the majority of these individuals will return to the community, addressing their health needs requires coordination between community and correctional health care providers. However, few systems exist to facilitate this process and little is known about how physicians perceive and manage these transitions. Objective The goal of this study was to characterize physicians’ views on transitions both into and out of incarceration and describe how knowledge of a patient’s criminal justice involvement impacts patient care plans. Methods Semi-structured interviews were conducted between October 2018 and May 2019 with physicians from three community clinics in Hennepin County, Minnesota. Team members used a hybrid approach of deductive and inductive coding, in which a priori codes were defined based on the interview guide while also allowing for data-driven codes to emerge. Results Four themes emerged related to physicians’ perceptions on continuity of care for patients with criminal justice involvement. Physicians identified disruptions in patient-physician relationships, barriers to accessing prescription medications, disruptions in insurance coverage, and problems with sharing medical records, as factors contributing to discontinuity of care for patients entering and exiting incarceration. These factors impacted patients differently depending on the direction of the transition. Conclusions Our findings identified four disruptions to continuity of care that physicians viewed as key barriers to successful transitions into and out of incarceration. These disruptions are unlikely to be effectively addressed at the provider level and will require system-level changes, which Medicaid and managed care organizations could play a leading role in developing.
Topographical shifts in fine root lifespan in a mixed, mesic temperate forest

Root lifespan, often is estimated in landscape- and ecosystem-level carbon models using linear approximations. In water manipulation experiments, fine root lifespan can vary with soil water content. Soil water content is generally structured by complex topography, which is largely unaccounted for in landscape- and ecosystem-scale carbon models. Topography governs the range of soil water content experienced by roots which may impact their lifespan. We hypothesized that root lifespan varied nonlinearly across a temperate, mesic, forested catchment due to differences in soil water content associated with topographic position. We expected regions of the landscape that were too wet or too dry would have soils that were not optimal for roots and thus result in shorter root lifespans. Specifically, we hypothesized that root lifespan would be longest in areas that consistently had soil water content in the middle of the soil water content spectrum, while in soils at either very low or very high soil water content, root lifespan would be relatively short. We tested this hypothesis by collecting and analyzing two years of minirhizotron and soil moisture data in plots widely distributed in the Shale Hills catchment of the Susquehanna-Shale Hills Critical Zone Observatory in Pennsylvania. We found that fine root lifespans were longer in traditionally wetter topographic regions, but detected no short term (biweekly) effect of soil moisture on root lifespan. Additionally, depth in soil, soil series, slope face orientation, and season of birth strongly affected root lifespans across the catchment. In contrast, lifespan was unaffected by root diameter or mycorrhizal association. Failure to account for these variables could result in erroneous estimates of fine root lifespan and, consequentially, carbon flux in temperate forested regions.
Emerging non-pharmacological interventions in ADPKD: an update on dietary advices for clinical practice

Purpose of review Patients with Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease (ADPKD) reach kidney failure at a median age of 58 years. There has been a strong interest in medical interventions to improve prognosis. With increasing understanding of the underlying pathophysiology, there is also a rationale for non-pharmaceutical interventions. However, these have received little attention. This review, therefore, focuses on dietary interventions in ADPKD. Recent findings Recent studies regarding salt, protein and water intake, caloric restriction, BMI, caffeine and alcohol are discussed in this review. In general, these studies suggest that advices do not need to be different from those in chronic kidney disease (CKD). On the basis of research in the general population and CKD, these advices will likely decrease cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. With respect to delaying ADPKD progression, evidence for salt restriction is growing. For increasing water intake and targeting glucose metabolism by intermittent fasting, preclinical studies are promising. Long-term randomized human intervention studies are, however, lacking. Summary In ADPKD, advices regarding dietary interventions can, in general, be the same as in CKD to decrease cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Whether these interventions also delay disease progression needs further study.
Draft Genome Sequence of Novel Filterable Rhodospirillales Bacterium Strain TMPK1, Isolated from Soil

We report the draft genome sequence of a novel Rhodospirillales bacterium strain, TMPK1, isolated from a micropore-filtered soil suspension. This strain has a genome of 4,249,070 bp, comprising 4,151 protein-coding sequences. The genome sequence data further suggest that strain TMPK1 is an alphaproteobacterium capable of carotenoid production. ABSTRACT We report the draft genome sequence of novel Rhodospirillales bacterium strain TMPK1, isolated from a micropore-filtered soil suspension. This strain has a genome of 4,249,070 bp, comprising 4,151 protein-coding sequences. The genome sequence data further suggest that strain TMPK1 is an alphaproteobacterium capable of carotenoid production.
Preparing women experiencing symptoms of menopause for shared decision making about treatment

Abstract Objective: To develop a decision support intervention that can be used with women experiencing menopausal symptoms to facilitate treatment shared decision making. Methods: Our research team contacted patients with reported menopausal symptoms by telephone to obtain consent and administer a baseline survey. Subsequently, we sent participants a booklet on the treatment of menopausal symptoms. A nurse educator then contacted participants by telephone to review the booklet and guide them through a structured decision counseling exercise designed to help clarify treatment preference. A 60-day endpoint telephone survey was completed. Results: Forty-eight consenting participants completed the baseline survey and 37 (77%) also completed a decision counseling session. At baseline, 19 of the women who had decision counseling were not being treated for menopausal symptoms and 18 were being treated. After decision counseling, 13 (68%) participants who were not being treated and 14 (78%) who were being treated identified a preferred treatment. Comparison of baseline and endpoint survey data showed that participant treatment knowledge increased (P = 0.007) and treatment decisional conflict decreased (P < 0.001). Furthermore, 71% of participants reported that they had received new information about treatment and 94% said they believed better prepared to discuss treatment with their healthcare provider. Conclusions: Nurse-led decision counseling increased participant treatment knowledge, reduced treatment decisional conflict, and helped to clarify treatment preference. Implementation of this strategy could help to facilitate provider-patient shared decision making about the treatment of menopausal symptoms.
Bacillus cytotoxicus—A potentially virulent food‐associated microbe

Bacillus cytotoxicus is a member of the Bacillus cereus group with the ability to grow at high temperatures (up to 52℃) and to synthesize cytotoxin K‐1, a diarrhoeagenic cytotoxin, which appears to be unique to this species and more cytotoxic than the cytotoxin K‐2 produced by other members of this group. Only a few isolates of this species have been characterized with regard to their cytotoxic effects, and the role of cytotoxin K‐1 as a causative agent of food poisoning remains largely unclear. Bacillus cytotoxicus was initially isolated from a food‐borne outbreak, which led to three deaths, and the organism has since been linked to other outbreaks all involving plant‐based food matrices. Other studies, as well as food‐borne incidents reported to the UK Food Standards Agency, detected B. cytotoxicus in insect‐related products and in dried food products. With insect‐related food becoming increasingly popular, the association with this pathogen is concerning, requiring further investigation and evidence to protect public health. This review summarizes the current knowledge around B. cytotoxicus and highlights gaps in the literature from a food safety perspective.
Risk factors for cerebral complications after type A aortic dissection surgery: single center's experience.

BACKGROUND The objective of this study was to retrospectively review the rate and risk factors of cerebral complications (CC) after type A aortic dissection (TAAD) surgery. METHODS A total of 746 TAAD patients who underwent hypothermic circulatory arrest (HCA) surgery were enrolled. Postoperative CC were defined as intracranial hemorrhage or ischemic infarct stroke as confirmed by cranial CT scan. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to investigate the risk factors for CC and mortality. To identify the risk role of arch repair methods and flow rate in antegrade cerebral perfusion (ACP), propensity-score matching studies were performed (conservative vs. total arch replacement, n=135; low vs. normal flow rate, n=148). RESULTS Thirty-five patients developed CC (6 with intracranial hemorrhage and 29 with ischemic stroke). Thirty-day mortality (34.3%) among patients with CC was significantly higher than that among patients without CC (12.2%). Multivariable logistic regression analysis identified preoperative cerebral ischemia, limb ischemia, end-stage renal disease, and salvage surgery as risk factors for postoperative CC. CAR (P=0.044; odds ratio, 4.587; 95% CI: 1.045-20.130) and low flow rate ACP (P=0.046; odds ratio, 2.139; 95% CI: 1.014-4.515) had protective roles. In the propensity-score matching studies, the CAR group (0.7% and 9.6%, P=0.005 and 0.175, respectively) and the low flow rate ACP group had lower rates of mortality (8.8% and 5.4%, P= 0.067 and 0.012, respectively) and CC. CONCLUSIONS CC are common and lethal after TAAD surgery. Low-flow ACP could be a safer and suitable antegrade perfusion method for cerebral protection.