Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Health literacy among caregivers of patients with heart failure: A multicentre cross‐sectional survey

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES To assess the levels of health literacy of Italian caregivers of patients with heart failure. BACKGROUND Health literacy is related to patients' health outcomes. Low health literacy has been found in older people with heart failure, and less is known on the health literacy of caregivers whose patients are suffering from heart failure. DESIGN Observational, multicentre, cross-sectional study. METHODS From July 2015-May 2016, caregivers were recruited in five hospitals from Central and Southern Italy. To assess health literacy, the Italian version of the Short Test of Functional Health Literacy tool was used. RESULTS A total of 173 caregivers participated in the research, the majority being females (60.1%), aged between 46-60 years (52.6%) and 96 (55.5%) were from Central Italy. 33.5% of caregivers were patients' children, and 16.2% were paid caregivers of foreign origins. The average level of health literacy was adequate; however, lower levels were found among patients' spouses and those of older age. CONCLUSION Our results, in contrast with previous studies, showed adequate health literacy levels of caregivers. However, caregivers older in age and with a low education level showed the lowest health literacy, emphasising the need for healthcare workers, to check caregivers' health literacy, before entrusting them with the care of patients. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE As this research gives, for the first time, an overview on Italian caregivers' levels of health literacy, its results may be used to improve Italian healthcare professionals' knowledge of caregivers' health literacy, before entrusting them with the care of patients.
Epidemiology of falls and osteoporotic fractures: a systematic review

Background and methods Fractures in elderly populations result from the combination of falls and osteoporosis. We report a systematic review of studies indexed in PubMed reporting annual rates of low-trauma falls and associated osteoporotic fractures among older community-dwelling people (age ≥ 50 years). An osteoporotic fracture was defined as either a fracture resulting from a low-impact fall in subjects with clinical osteoporosis, a fall resulting in an investigator-defined osteoporotic fracture, or a fall resulting in a low-trauma fracture. Rates are presented using descriptive statistics. Meta-analysis was conducted for statistically homogeneous data sets. Results The median (range) annual fall prevalence rates (median proportion of people who experienced one or more falls during the past year) for cohorts of women and men (10 determinations), women alone (seven determinations), and men alone (four determinations) were, respectively, 0.334 (0.217–0.625), 0.460 (0.372–0.517), and 0.349 (0.284–0.526). In studies that reported fall prevalence rates for Western men and women separately (four determinations), the pooled risk ratio (95% confidence interval [CI]) for men versus women was 0.805 (95% CI 0.721–0.900). The ranges of fall prevalence rates in East Asian women (two studies) and East Asian men (two studies) were, respectively, 0.163–0.258 and 0.087–0.184. The risk ratio (95% CI) for fall prevalence in East Asian men versus women was 0.634 (0.479–0.838) in studies (two determinations) reporting results for East Asian men and women separately. In cohorts of Western women and men (five determinations), the pooled rate (95% CI) of low-impact falls resulting in fractures was 0.041 (0.031–0.054). The proportion of low-trauma fractures attributable to falls among the Western community-dwelling elderly was within the range of 0.860–0.950 for fractures at all sites or the hip (five determinations). A range of 0.716–0.924 of all fractures were osteoporotic (eight determinations). Conclusion Fall rates are higher in women than in men in Western community-dwelling populations and lower in East Asian populations. Extrapolated to the US population, the statistics imply that low-impact falls cause approximately 0.53 million osteoporotic fractures annually among the US community-dwelling elderly.
Current-mode differential capacitance to voltage converter for position sensing

We present a second generation current conveyor (CCII) based electronic interface for differential capacitive sensors. The sensor interface performs a capacitance-to-voltage conversion and has been designed in a discrete board as well as in an integrated version showing a linear input/output characteristic. Simulated and experimental results conducted on the discrete element board employing the low cost commercial component (AD844) are in a satisfactory matching with theoretical considerations being the relative percentage error 0.028% in the worst case. Concerning the IC solution, designed in a classical CMOS tech., simulation results are here presented showing a relative percentage error with respect to theoretical results that values less than 0.14%.
Magnetic and electronic properties of iron-based superconducting systems

This thesis is motivated by the large variety of high-temperature superconductors that contain iron in the superconducting layer. This number has grown rapidly since the discovery in 2008 of the iron-pnictides (and chalcogenides), where iron and arsenic form the superconducting layer. Also of interest are the iron-cuprate hybrid materials, where one out of three copper atoms is replaced by iron. The aim is to understand the superconducting, magnetic and electronic properties of these materials in respect to their iron content. This thesis describes some of these properties for the iron-pnictide compounds of CeFeAsO₁₋xFx and AFe₂As₂ (A=Ba, Sr), and for the ironcuprate hybrids of FeSr₂YCu₂O₆₊y and FeSr₂Y₂₋xCexCu₂O₁₀₋y. Here it has been found that CeFeAsO₁₋xFx follows a 3D fluctuation conductivity above the superconducting transition and the thermal activation energy is correlated to the critical current density within a two fluid-flux creep model below the superconducting transition. NMR measurements show that there is considerable charge disorder within the superconducting doping region. The AFe₂As₂ show a positive magnetoresistance, which could be interpreted through three-carrier transport. Superconducting samples of SrFe₂As₂ display a large enhancement in the magnetoresistance below the superconducting transition up to 1600 %, which is due to three-carrier transport through metallic and superconducting regions in an inhomogeneous state. The superconducting properties of the iron-cuprate FeSr₂YCu₂O₆₊y in respect to the location of iron was studied under the influence of electron and hole doping and with additional magnetic impurities. FeSr₂Y₂₋xCexCu₂O₁₀₋y shows a disorder induced spin-glass state and strong localization depending on the doping.
Edge-Aware Spatial Denoising Filtering Based on a Psychological Model of Stimulus Similarity

Noise reduction is a fundamental operation in image quality enhancement. In recent years, a large body of techniques at the crossroads of statistics and functional analysis have been developed to minimize the blurring artifact introduced in the denoising process. Recent studies focus on edge-aware filters due to their tendency to preserve image structures. In this paper, we adopt a psychological model of similarity based on Shepard’s generalization law and introduce a new signal-dependent window selection technique. Such a focus is warranted, because blurring is essentially a cognitive act related to the human perception of physical stimuli (pixels). The proposed windowing technique can be used to implement a wide range of edge-aware spatial denoising filters, thereby transforming them into nonlocal filters. We employ simulations using both synthetic and real image samples to evaluate the performance of the proposed method by quantifying the enhancement in the signal strength, noise suppression, and structural preservation measured in terms of the peak signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR), mean square error (MSE), and structural similarity (SSIM) index, respectively. In our experiments, we observe that incorporating the proposed windowing technique in the design of mean, median, and nonlocal means filters substantially reduces the MSE while simultaneously increasing the PSNR and the SSIM.
Peri-ApatiteTM Enhances Prosthetic Fixation in Tka-A Prospective Randomised RSA Study

Objectives: The success of non-cemented knee fixation relies on the initial stability of the components. The application of ceramic coatings such as hydroxyapatite (HA) to the implant shortens the time needed to achieve adequate prosthetic fixation. The purpose of this study was to determine whether a low temperature precipitation technique, Peri-Apatite™ HA coating, reduces three-dimensional migration compared with porous coated press-fit tibial components. Methods: Sixty patients were prospectively randomised to receive either a Peri-Apatite™ or a porous coated version of the same knee prosthesis type. Three-dimensional tibial component migration was measured by radiostereometric analysis (RSA) at three months, one year and two years; clinical outcome was measured by the American Knee Society Score (AKSS) and Knee Osteoarthritis and Injury Outcome Score (KOOS). Results: The Peri-Apatite™ coated prostheses had a lower Maximum Total Point Motion than the uncoated prostheses. There were fewer Peri-Apatite™ coated prostheses showing continuous migration. Conclusions: The short term RSA findings demonstrate that Peri-Apatite™ coating improves early implant stability. Level of evidence: Level I.
Female Offspring From Chronic Hyperandrogenemic Dams Exhibit Delayed Puberty and Impaired Ovarian Reserve

Female offspring of many species exposed to high doses of androgens in utero experience endocrine dysfunction during adulthood. The phenotype of offspring from females with prepregnancy hyperandrogenemia and impaired ovulation, however, has not been examined. We developed a mouse model of hyperandrogenemia by implanting a low-dose dihydrotestosterone (DHT) pellet 15 days before conception. Female offspring born to dams with hyperandrogenemia (DHT daughters) had delayed puberty (P < 0.05) with first estrus on postnatal day (PND) 41 compared with daughters from dams with physiological levels of DHT (non-DHT daughters, PND37.5). Serum follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) levels in the DHT daughters were fourfold higher (P < 0.05) on PND21, and anti-Müllerian hormone levels were higher (P < 0.05) on PND26 than in non-DHT daughters (controls). DHT daughters showed an extended time in metestrus/diestrus and a shorter time in the proestrus/estrus phase compared with non-DHT daughters (P < 0.05). To examine ovarian response to gonadotropins, superovulation was induced and in vitro fertilization (IVF) was performed. Fewer numbers of oocytes were retrieved from the DHT daughters compared with non-DHT daughters (P < 0.05). At IVF, there was no difference in rates of fertilization or cleavage of oocytes from either group. There were fewer (P < 0.01) primordial follicles (6.5 ± 0.8 vs 14.5 ± 2.1 per ovary) in the ovaries of DHT daughters compared with non-DHT daughters. Daughters from hyperandrogenemic females exhibited elevated prepubertal FSH levels, diminished ovarian response to superovulation, impaired estrous cyclicity, delayed onset of puberty, and reduced ovarian reserve, suggesting that fetal androgen exposure had lasting effects on female reproductive function.
The novel use of peptide analogs in short bowel syndrome

The approval of the peptide analog, teduglutide, by the US FDA and EMA in 2012 for the treatment of short bowel syndrome (SBS) is anticipated to increase the awareness of this rare, serious, potentially lifethreatening, orphan condition. SBS results from surgical resection, congenital defect or disease-associated loss of absorption. Patients with intestinal insufficiency maintain their metabolic balances though oral compensation, pharmacologic or physiologic adaptation, whereas supplemental parenteral support (PS; parenteral nutrition and/or intravenous fluids) through a central catheter is required to maintain fluid, electrolytes, trace elements, vitamins, nutrient balances and ultimately life in patients with SBS with intestinal failure (SBS-IF) [1]. Patients or caregivers are educated in the aseptic technique and infusions are provided in the home setting of the patients. This ‘artificial bowel’ has enabled healthcare providers to prolong the lives of thousands of SBS-IF patients since the introduction in the late 1960s. Currently, approximately 10,000–20,000 SBS-IF patients depend on PS in the USA and an equal number is estimated in Europe. The successful long-term management of these highly complex, heterogeneous SBS patients is challenging, and the best outcomes are achieved through multidisciplinary involvement, strategy and organization. Healthcare providers should be conscious that a life without intestines is indeed possible, provided there is a proper provision of PS, and national and regional authorities should emphasize that in most cases it is ethically unacceptable to disallow patients this life-prolonging treatment. Referral should be facilitated, and, through centralization of these rare patients to centers of expertise, proper quality of care should be provided in order to achieve the best possible mental and physical rehabilitation of these patients. Subjects with SBS have impaired quality of life (QoL) both due to symptoms of malabsorption and the need to hook up to their parenteral infusions for up to 16 h per day [2]. However, their QoL compares with patients receiving chronic dialysis for renal failure. Poor catheter care technique, insertion site, tunnel and catheter-related bloodstream infections may lead to bacteremia or even septicemia, and the presence of a central catheter can cause central venous thrombosis and embolism [3]. In addition, constituents of the parenteral solutions and chronic dehydration may contribute to progressive intestinal failure associated with liver and renal disease, and eventually organ failure. However, given the right care, SBS-IF patients rarely die from PS-related complications. Medical treatments in SBS patients should aim to maximize remnant intestinal absorptive capacity, minimize the symptoms of malabsorption and avoid, The novel use of peptide analogs in short bowel syndrome
Controlled Generation of Single Microbubble at Solid Surfaces by a Nanosecond Pressure Pulse

Optical excitation of a carbon nanotube composite is used to produce a high-amplitude, nanosecond-long pressure pulse, thus generating a single microbubble with high spatial accuracy. The resulting tightly focused pressure gradient yields a deterministic nucleation process that is independent of surface heterogeneities that typically induce nucleation. This allows for applications such as selective surface modification for functional materials as well as improved ``histotripsy'': cell-level microsurgery for cancer or tissue dysplasias.
Factors regulating subcutaneous adipose tissue storage, fibrosis, and inflammation may underlie low fatty acid mobilization in insulin-sensitive obese adults.

Although the rate of fatty acid release from adipose tissue into the systemic circulation is very high in most obese adults, some obese adults maintain relatively low rates of fatty acid release, which helps protect them against the development of systemic insulin resistance. The primary aim of this study was to identify factors in adipose tissue that may underlie low vs. high rates of fatty acid mobilization in a relatively homogeneous cohort of obese adults. We measured systemic fatty acid rate of appearance (FA Ra) via 13C-palmitate isotope dilution, and we obtained subcutaneous abdominal adipose tissue samples from 30 obese adults (BMI: 38 ± 1 kg/m2, age: 30 ± 2 yr) after an overnight fast. We then measured insulin sensitivity using a hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp. Confirming our previous work, insulin sensitivity was inversely proportional to FA Ra (R2 = 0.50; P < 0.001). Immunoblot analysis of subcutaneous adipose tissue samples revealed that, compared with obese adults with high FA Ra, those with low FA Ra had lower markers of lipase activation and higher abundance of glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase, which is a primary enzyme for fatty acid esterification. Microarray and pathway analysis provided evidence of lower fibrosis and lower SAPK/JNK pathway activation in obese adults with low FA Ra compared with those with high FA Ra. Our findings suggest that alterations in factors regulating triglyceride storage in adipose tissue, along with lower fibrosis and inflammatory pathway activation, may underlie maintenance of a relatively low FA Ra in obesity, which may help protect against the development of insulin resistance.
Pramlintide regulation of extracellular matrix (ECM) and apoptosis through mitochondrial-dependent pathways in human nucleus pulposus cells

Pramlintide, an approved analog of amylin, is responsible for regulating the physiology of energy homeostasis. The goals of this study were to investigate the roles of pramlintide in the regulation of cell survival and matrix metabolism, and further explore their underlying mechanisms, in human nucleus pulposus (NP) cells. NP cells were treated with different concentrations of pramlintide in normoxic or hypoxic conditions. Cell viability, LAC concentration, calcium concentration, mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm), MMPs proteins, and apoptotic related proteins were detected. The results indicate that pramlintide could improve NP cell proliferation, glycolytic activity, and the ECM synthesis under hypoxia, which is evident from the increased precipitation of proteoglycans; increased expression of AGG, Col2, and SOX9 proteins; and decreased expression of MMP3, MMP9, and MMP13 proteins, which are Ca2+-dependent enzymes. And, pramlintide could facilitate the survival of NP cells through mitochondrial-mediated, Bcl-2/caspase-3-dependent apoptosis. In addition, activation of AKT-AMPK/mTOR signaling pathway is also observed by the treatment. These findings demonstrate that pramlintide may play a pivotal role in reversing intervertebral disk degeneration and may relieve the impairment of ECM metabolism and NP cells survival through mitochondrial-dependent apoptotic signaling pathway, thus offering a novel potential pharmacological treatment strategy.
Tissue perfusion assessment of paediatric burns by laser doppler Imaging (LDI).

Introduction: The indication for performing autologous skin grafts in cases of burns in children is based on the clinical examination by trained surgeons and on the progression of spontaneous healing during the first seven to ten days. Spontaneous regeneration of the skin after a burn depends on the presence of tissue microcirculation. Laser Doppler Imaging (LDI) is a non-invasive method for assessing tissue perfusion. The objective of this pilot study was first, to measure tissue perfusion by LDI over the course of the first few days after a burn and second, to show the usefulness of LDI when having to decide whether or not to perform a skin graft. Materials and methods: A prospective pilot study involving children with second-degree burns covering a minimum of 10% of the Total Body Surface Area (TBSA) was conducted over 14 months from May 2012 to July 2013. The treatment of the lesions followed the typical pattern of showers every other day and the use of hydrofibre dressings. LDI images of the burned skin were made under standardized conditions during hydrotherapy over the first ten days and also, at the same time, of healthy skin in order to obtain a reference value. A clinical assessment determining the degree of severity of the burns of each patient was carried out by the paediatric surgeon. The analysis of the results was performed with the EasyLDI Studio program. Results: This pilot study included seven patients. Our results show a correlation between the numerical perfusion values obtained by LDI and the depth of the burn as determined by the surgeon. The perfusion threshold requiring treatment by skin grafting is set at 74% of the perfusion of healthy skin. In 70% of the cases, the sensitivity of the Laser Doppler imager helps determine during the first few days after the burn whether a skin graft will be necessary. Discussion and conclusion: Laser Doppler Imaging (LDI) helps to numerically objectify the residual perfusion of burned tissue. In 70% of the cases, it makes it possible to estimate at an early stage whether a skin graft will be necessary.
Ancient genomes revisit the ancestry of domestic and Przewalski’s horses

Revisiting the origins of modern horses The domestication of horses was very important in the history of humankind. However, the ancestry of modern horses and the location and timing of their emergence remain unclear. Gaunitz et al. generated 42 ancient-horse genomes. Their source samples included the Botai archaeological site in Central Asia, considered to include the earliest domesticated horses. Unexpectedly, Botai horses were the ancestors not of modern domestic horses, but rather of modern Przewalski's horses. Thus, in contrast to current thinking on horse domestication, modern horses may have been domesticated in other, more Western, centers of origin. Science, this issue p. 111 The earliest herded horses were ancestors of feral Przewalski’s horses but not of modern domesticated horses. The Eneolithic Botai culture of the Central Asian steppes provides the earliest archaeological evidence for horse husbandry, ~5500 years ago, but the exact nature of early horse domestication remains controversial. We generated 42 ancient-horse genomes, including 20 from Botai. Compared to 46 published ancient- and modern-horse genomes, our data indicate that Przewalski’s horses are the feral descendants of horses herded at Botai and not truly wild horses. All domestic horses dated from ~4000 years ago to present only show ~2.7% of Botai-related ancestry. This indicates that a massive genomic turnover underpins the expansion of the horse stock that gave rise to modern domesticates, which coincides with large-scale human population expansions during the Early Bronze Age.
Genetically idiosyncratic responses of Drosophila melanogaster populations to selection for improved learning ability

To what extent is adaptive evolution over short timescales repeatable? To address this question, we studied the performance of crosses between replicate Drosophila melanogaster lines previously subject to selection for improved learning response in the context of oviposition substrate choice. Of the 10 pairwise F1 crosses among the five selection lines, four performed in the original learning assay similarly to the parental lines, whereas the remaining six showed learning scores significantly below the average of the parental lines. In particular, four F1 crosses (three involving the same line) showed no detectable learning, on a par with unselected control lines. This indicates that the response to selection in some lines involved allelic substitutions at different loci. Additional assays of crosses between two selection lines indicated that the loss of performance in hybrids generalized to another type of learning assay, and held for both short‐ and long‐term memory. Joint analysis of first‐ and second‐generation crosses between these two lines supported the hypothesis that the response to selection in these different lines was based on the spread of recessive alleles at different loci. These results show that the evolutionary trajectories of populations of the same origin subject to uniform selection may sometimes diverge over very short evolutionary timescales.