Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Schnitzler's syndrome: Successful treatment with anakinra

A 44‐year‐old man presented with a 2‐year history of an intermittent urticarial rash, malaise, weight loss, night sweats, headaches and bone pains. Initial investigations indicated an elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate, white cell count and a monoclonal immunoglobulin‐M paraprotein. Histological examination revealed a perivascular mixed inflammatory infiltrate with leukocytoclasis, nuclear dust without fibrinoid necrosis and extravasated red blood cells. A diagnosis of Schnitzler's syndrome was made. Over an 8‐year period, the patient was treated with continuous oral prednisone (minimum dose 20 mg/day) combined with multiple systemic agents. He was commenced on anakinra, a recombinant form of human interleukin‐1 receptor antagonist, at a dose of 100 mg injected subcutaneously daily. On review 1 week later, the patient's systemic symptoms had resolved, and his previously elevated white cell count and inflammatory markers had normalized. The use of anakinra in our patient resulted in resolution of symptoms and has enabled cessation of oral prednisone. Our patient remains symptom free on anakinra after 14 months of follow up.
Association of osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease in women with systemic lupus erythematosus.

OBJECTIVE Young women with lupus are at increased risk for premature osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease. Experimental evidence suggests that inflammation and immune-mediated mechanisms, key factors in the pathogenesis of lupus, play a role in osteogenesis and atherogenesis. This study investigated whether bone mineral density (BMD) was associated with the carotid plaque index, intima media thickness (IMT), or coronary artery calcium score in lupus patients. METHODS In this pilot study, 65 women with lupus underwent carotid B-mode ultrasound to measure the carotid plaque index and IMT, and dual x-ray absorptiometry to measure BMD at the lumbar spine and hip. As part of a feasibility study, 13 of these 65 patients also underwent electron-beam computed tomography to assess coronary artery calcification. RESULTS The carotid plaque index was higher (1.00, 1.00, and 0.38, respectively) in the patients in the lowest and middle tertiles of hip BMD when compared with patients in the highest tertile of hip BMD. The correlation coefficient between the coronary artery calcium score and lumbar spine BMD was -0.57 (P = 0.04), and between the coronary artery calcium score and hip BMD was -0.55 (P = 0.05). CONCLUSION These results demonstrate an association between decreased BMD and both an increased carotid plaque index and presence of coronary artery calcification in a small cohort of young women with lupus.
Analysis of vibration modes for large induction motor

Induction motors are widely used in various industrial applications. Accompanying with the increase of rating and quality requirement, more attention has to be paid to the reduction of vibration and noise for the design of large induction motors. Much research work in this area needs to be done. It is well known that large vibration will be generated when the natural frequency of the machine coincides with or is close to the frequency of the force which is applied to the stator. In this paper, the mechanical characteristics of the stator for a large induction motor are studied by means of finite element analysis. The natural frequency and harmonic response of the stator are analyzed based on the calculated electromagnetic force.
Ethical and institutional review board issues.

IRBs provide an important role in the protection of research subjects/patients. Research investigators have an inherent potential conflict of interest as health care professionals; as physicians, they are dedicated to promoting the welfare of individual patients, whereas as researchers, they seek knowledge that can be generalized and is applicable to persons other than the individual patient under study. The second goal may be in conflict with the first. IRBs have the paramount responsibility of protecting the rights and welfare of human research subjects. Although the IRB system is not perfect, conscientious IRBs reassure the public that the rights and welfare of human subjects are seriously considered by people who do not have a vested interest in the outcome of the research. By exercising their responsibilities, IRBs promote the protection of human subjects. IRB approval provides a significant affirmation of the scientific and ethical qualities of research, and therefore offers important validation to research and research investigators. IRBs, acting in accordance with the guiding principles of the Belmont Report and within the regulatory guidelines of 45.CFR. 46, are intended to provide balance between society's interest in advancing scientific knowledge and the mandate to protect the rights and welfare of human subjects.
Des îlots de littérature. Formes et représentations de la langue littéraire dans des textes de cycle 3 et de CLIS

L’article s’attache a analyser les representations de la langue litteraire chez les eleves a partir de l’etude comparee de textes ecrits en contexte de litterature vs en contexte non litteraire dans deux classes de cycle 3 et une CLIS. Inscrite dans la sphere des etudes sur les representations mobilisees spontanement lors d’activites langagieres, l’etude repose sur l’hypothese qu’en tant qu’enonciateurs de textes ecrits, les eleves se trouvent confrontes a des questions de choix lexicaux et syntaxiques dans lesquels intervient leur propre conception du type de texte qu’ils ont le projet de produire et du domaine disciplinaire dans lequel il s’inscrit. Les textes sont analyses linguistiquement, a travers le reperage de formules qui paraissent relever a priori de la langue litteraire, ou au moins d’un effort specifique d’ecriture. Les observations permettent d’affirmer l’importance du contexte disciplinaire dans les caracteristiques linguistiques mobilisees, qui varient de maniere importante selon que l’ecriture est clairement inscrite, ou pas, dans la sphere litteraire. Elle permet egalement de relativiser – sans la nier bien entendu – la difference entre les productions selon le niveau et l’aisance des eleves : deficients intellectuels / eleves en difficulte en ecriture, suivis par le reseau d’aide / eleves sans difficulte particuliere. Les eleves de toutes provenances mobilisent des structures linguistiques qui peuvent etre considerees comme inscrites dans le litteraire, meme si les formes de ces structures different selon les caracteristiques du scripteur.
A Matched Cohort Analysis Comparing Stand-Alone Cages and Anterior Cervical Plates Used for Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion

Study Design: Retrospective cohort study. Objective: To compare perioperative characteristics of stand-alone cages and anterior cervical plates used for anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF). Methods: We reviewed 40 adult patients who received a stand-alone cage for elective ACDF and matched them with 40 patients who received an anterior cervical plate. We statistically compared operative time, length of stay, proportion of ambulatory cases, overall complications necessitating a trip to the ED, readmission, or reoperation related to index procedure. Results: There were 21 women and 19 men in the plate cohort with average ages of 53 years ± 12 and 20 women and 20 men in the stand-alone group with an average age of 52 years ± 11. With no statistical difference in total number, the plate group experienced 4 short-term (within 90 days of discharge) complications, including 3 patients who visited the emergency department for dysphagia and 1 who visited the emergency department for severe back pain, while the stand-alone group experienced 0 complications. There was no significant difference in operative time between the stand-alone group (75.35 min) and the plate group (81.35 min; P = .37). There was a significant difference between the proportion of ambulatory cases in the stand-alone group (25) and the plate group (6; P < .0001). Conclusion: Our results demonstrate that stand-alone cages have fewer complications compared to anterior plating, with a lower trend of incidence of postoperative dysphagia. Stand-alone cages may offer the advantage of sending patients home ambulatory after ACDF surgery.
Arterial stiffness, body fat compartments, central hemodynamics, renal function and left atrial size

Abstract Background. Left atrial (LA) size is an important predictor of stroke, death, and atrial fibrillation. It was demonstrated recently that body fat, arterial stiffness and renal functions are associated with LA diameter. However, data are lacking for comprehensive assessments of all these risk factors in a single population. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate the association between LA size and different fat descriptors, central hemodynamics, arterial stiffness, and renal function in healthy subjects. Methods. To this end, body fat percentage, abdominal, subcutaneous fat, and general descriptors of body fat were estimated in 162 healthy subjects (mean age 51 years). Echocardiography was performed to assess LA diameter. Arterial stiffness and peripheral and central hemodynamics were estimated by digital volume pulse analysis and pulse wave analysis. Glomerular filtration rate was estimated by MDRD formula. Results. There were significant (p < 0.05) bivariate correlations between LA diameter and all descriptors of body fat (except subcutaneous fat). Arterial stiffness and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) were also significantly correlated with LA size. Multiple regression analysis including all significant confounders, such as sex, mean arterial pressure, arterial stiffness, eGFR and body fat descriptors, explained 35% of variance in LA diameter. Conclusions. In conclusion, the present study reveals significant, independent relationships between body fat, arterial stiffness, and LA size.
The pharmacokinetics, CNS pharmacodynamics and adverse event profile of brivaracetam after single increasing oral doses in healthy males.

AIMS The objective of the study was to evaluate the pharmacokinetics (and how they are affected by food), CNS pharmacodynamics and the adverse event profile of brivaracetam after single increasing doses. METHODS Healthy males (n = 27, divided into three alternating panels of nine subjects) received two different single oral doses of brivaracetam (10-1400 mg) and one dose of placebo during three periods of a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. The effect of food on its pharmacokinetics was assessed using a standard two-way crossover design in a further eight subjects who received two single oral doses of brivaracetam (150 mg) in the fasting state and after a high fat meal. RESULTS Adverse events, none of which were serious, were mostly CNS-related and included somnolence, dizziness, and decreased attention, alertness, and motor control. Their incidence, severity and duration were dose-related. The maximum tolerated dose was established to be 1000 mg. Severe somnolence lasting 1 day occurred in one subject following 1400 mg. Brivaracetam was rapidly absorbed under fasting conditions, with a median t(max) of approximately 1 h. C(max) was dose-proportional from 10 to 1400 mg, whereas AUC deviated from dose linearity above 600 mg. A high-fat meal had no effect on AUC (point estimate 0.99, 90%CI: 0.92-1.07) but delayed t(max) (3 h) and decreased C(max) (point estimate 0.72, 90%CI: 0.66-0.79). CONCLUSIONS Brivaracetam was well tolerated after increasing single doses that represent up to several times the expected therapeutic dose. Brivaracetam was found to have desirable pharmacokinetic properties. The most common adverse events were somnolence and dizziness.
Strategies for prevention of feed intolerance in preterm neonates: A systematic review

Postnatal growth restriction and failure to thrive have been recently identified as a major issue in preterm, especially extremely-low-birth-weight neonates. An increased length of time to reach full enteral feedings is also significantly associated with a poorer mental outcome in preterm neonates at 24 months corrected age. Optimization of enteral nutrition without increasing the risk of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) has thus become a priority in preterm neonates. A range of feeding strategies currently exists for preventing/minimizing feed intolerance in preterm neonates reflecting the dilemma surrounding the definition and significance of signs of feed intolerance due to ileus of prematurity and the fear of NEC. The results of a systematic review of current strategies for preventing/minimizing feed intolerance in preterm neonates are discussed. The need for clinical research in the area of signs of feed intolerance is emphasized to develop a scientific basis to feeding strategies. Only large pragmatic trials based on such strategies will reveal whether the benefits (improved growth and long term neurodevelopmental outcomes) of aggressive enteral nutrition can outweigh the risks of a potentially devastating illness like NEC, and of prolonged parenteral nutrition in preterm neonates.
Snuff use associated with abdominal obesity in former smokers

Aim: To describe the consumption of snuff in a rural male population and to explore associations between snuff use and obesity. Participants and Methods: Tobacco use was explored in 834 men aged 30—75 years old who participated in a cross-sectional population survey in the municipality of Vara (participation rate was 81%). Self-reported questionnaires assessed the habits of smoking and snuff use. Anthropometric measures were obtained during a health examination. Results: Of these men 21% (n = 179) were snuff users, 13% (n = 109) current smokers, and 65% (n = 546) were non-users. Of all snuff users 65% (n = 116) were former smokers, and 35% (n = 63) were exclusive snuff users (current users who never smoked). Among non-users 65% (n = 357) were never users and 35% (n = 189) had quit smoking without nicotine substitution. These men were characterized by abdominal obesity; OR 1.84 (1.08—3.12) (p = 0.002) (WHR 41.0) and OR 1.71 (1.08—2.72) (p = 0.022) (waist circumference 4102 cm). One can/week use of snuff among ex-smokers was associated with a 1.21 cm wider (0.05—2.36) (p = 0.041) waist circumference and 0.01 (0.00—0.02) units higher (p = 0.021) WHR. There were statistically significant associations between former smoking without current nicotine substitute and both general and abdominal obesity. No similar association with abdominal obesity was seen among exclusive snuff users. Conclusions: Abdominal obesity in current snuff users is limited to former smokers. The remaining effect of previous smoking has to be considered in future studies on obesity and related disorders in snuff users. Counselling among people who substitute snuff for smoking should include measures to prevent weight gain.
An improved network traffic classification algorithm based on Hadoop decision tree

In the current age of the Internet, network traffic increased exponentially, either based on user demand for network resources, QoS scheduling, or according to the development trend of network applications for expansion transformation of the existing network, various applications in network traffic need to be classified and identified accurately, network traffic classification is particularly important. C4.5 decision tree algorithm as a commonly used supervised classification algorithm is often applied in traffic classification, but with the increase of data volume, the efficiency of C4.5 algorithm has been reduced. Hadoop platform as open source cloud framework, in dealing with big data has a high performance, so in many cases as the preferred handle large data. On the basis of the original C4.5 algorithm, the improved algorithm is simplified, and the algorithm is parallel to the Hadoop platform, I call it HAC4.5 decision tree algorithm. Experiments show that the improved HAC4.5 decision tree algorithm not only improves the running speed, but also improves the accuracy of the calculation.
MRSA in lower limb amputation and the role of antibiotic prophylaxis.

AIM Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA) colonisation is reported in 3-20% of vascular patients. Many develop infective complications. MRSA is associated with poor prognosis. Aim of the study is to assess MRSA in lower limb amputation and efficacy of antibiotic prophylaxis. METHODS Prospective study of lower limb amputation. MRSA screen and wound swabs were taken at operation. Antibiotic prophylaxis included teicoplanin (400 mg) 1 dose at operation. RESULTS Twenty-five patients underwent 33 primary amputations. At operation 15 legs (45%) were colonised with MRSA and 18 legs (58%) had active wound infection; MRSA (4) and other (14). Following surgery 3 patients died. Twenty-two legs (76%) had primary healing. Infection developed in 7 stumps (24%), MRSA (5) and Pseudomonas (2). Stump infection increased time to wound healing (p<0.0001). MRSA stump infection increased revision amputation (p=0.009) and duration of hospital stay (p<0.0074). MRSA wound infection at operation increased the risk of MRSA stump infection (p=0.007). Non-MRSA wound infection at operation was not associated with a worse outcome. No patient colonised with MRSA at operation developed postoperative MRSA stump infection. CONCLUSIONS MRSA is more prevalent that previously reported. MRSA infection has a poor prognosis. Prophylaxis may be effective for patients colonised with MRSA.
Effect of channel layer doping on the performance of nanoscale DG MOSFETs

Layer Doped Double Gate MOSFETs (LDDG MOSFETs) with doping on two thin layers near the top and bottom oxide layers of an otherwise intrinsic channel are modeled to obtain the transport characteristics, threshold voltage and leakage current. The variation of these device parameters with a change in doping concentration or doping layer thickness is studied. It is observed that an n-doped layer in the channel reduces the threshold voltage and increases the drive current, when compared with a device of undoped channel. The reduction in threshold voltage and increase in the drain current increase with the level of doping. The leakage current is larger than that of an undoped channel, but less than that of a uniformly doped channel. For a channel with p-doped layer, the threshold voltage increases with level of doping with a reduction in drain current. The doping level of the layers can be used as a tool to adjust the threshold voltage of the device, and the rest of the channel, being intrinsic having high mobility, serves to maintain high drive current in comparison with a fully doped channel. Thus, the doping concentration of the layers can be adjusted to tune the threshold voltage of the device to the desired value, indicating the possibility of easy fabrication of ICs having FETs of different threshold voltages for better power management.
Effects of amisulpride and aripiprazole on progressive-ratio schedule performance: comparison with clozapine and haloperidol

Clozapine and some other atypical antipsychotics (e.g. quetiapine, olanzapine) have been found to exert a characteristic profile of action on operant behaviour maintained by progressive-ratio schedules, as revealed by Killeen’s Mathematical Principles of Reinforcement model of schedule-controlled behaviour. These drugs increase the value of a parameter that expresses the ‘incentive value’ of the reinforcer (a) and a parameter that is inversely related to the organism’s ‘motor capacity’ (δ). This experiment examined the effects of two further atypical antipsychotics, aripiprazole and amisulpride, on progressive-ratio schedule performance in rats; the effects of clozapine and a conventional antipsychotic, haloperidol, were also examined. In agreement with previous findings, clozapine (4, 8 mg kg−1) increased a and δ, whereas haloperidol (0.05, 0.1 mg kg−1) reduced a and increased δ. Aripiprazole (3,30 mg kg−1) increased δ but did not affect a. Amisulpride (5, 50 mg kg−1) had a delayed and protracted effect: δ was increased 3–6 hours after treatment; a was increased 1.5 hours, and reduced 12–24 hours after treatment. Interpretation based on Killeen’s model suggests that aripiprazole does not share clozapine’s ability to enhance reinforcer value. Amisulpride produced a short-lived enhancement, followed by a long-lasting reduction, of reinforcer value. Both drugs impaired motor performance.
Trends in hospital performance in acute myocardial infarction care: a retrospective longitudinal study in Japan.

OBJECTIVE To elucidate the hospital characteristics associated with hospital performance and time trends in acute myocardial infarction (AMI) care using multilevel multivariable analysis of longitudinal data. DESIGN Retrospective longitudinal study. SETTING One hundred and fourteen hospitals in Japan. PARTICIPANTS A total of 26 210 AMI patients admitted between 2008 and 2011. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE A composite score was calculated from five AMI process measures. Hospital performances and time trends were then investigated based on this composite score. Using generalized linear mixed models with random intercepts (indicating hospital baseline performance) and random slopes (indicating trends in improvement), we analyzed the associations between performance and the following factors: hospital ownership, AMI case volume, number of cardiovascular specialists per AMI patient and participation in a public disclosure program. RESULTS Hospitals that demonstrated high performance in the composite score were significantly associated with high AMI case volume, municipal ownership and agreement to named disclosure of hospital performance. The following factors were significantly associated with time trends of improvement in performance: public and private ownership, AMI case volume and number of cardiovascular specialists per AMI patient. In addition, higher performances were associated with diminished improvement. CONCLUSIONS Time trends in improvement were related to baseline performance and several hospital characteristics. Furthermore, hospitals that had agreed to named disclosure of performance were more likely to have better quality of care at the initial point of public disclosure. These findings can inform the decision-making process for quality improvement, and allow a greater understanding and interpretation of disclosed performances in quality measures.
Quality of life after stroke.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The purposes of this study were to examine overall and domain-specific quality of life in long-term stroke survivors and to identify variables that predict quality of life after stroke. METHODS The study used a cross-sectional, descriptive correlational design. Subjects were 86 stroke survivors who were interviewed 1 to 3 years after stroke. Quality of life was measured with the use of an instrument that assesses satisfaction and importance for four domains (health and functioning, socioeconomic, family, and psychological-spiritual). Independent variables were age, social class, aphasia, functional status, motor impairment, depression, comorbidity, and perceived social support. Multiple regression analysis was used to predict quality of life. RESULTS Thirty percent of subjects scored in the depressed range. The mean overall quality of life score was relatively high and was comparable to that of a normative population. Quality of life was highest for the family domain and lowest for health and functioning. Depression, perceived social support, and functional status predicted quality of life (adjusted R2 = .38) and contributed to prediction of domain quality of life. Social support and three additional variables, social class, age, and cardiovascular disease, predicted socioeconomic quality of life. CONCLUSIONS The identification of depression, social support, and functional status as predictors of quality of life suggests the need to assist stroke survivors in coping and in maintaining and strengthening their support systems.