Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Consanguinity, human evolution, and complex diseases

There is little information on inbreeding during the critical early years of human existence. However, given the small founding group sizes and restricted mate choices it seems inevitable that intrafamilial reproduction occurred and the resultant levels of inbreeding would have been substantial. Currently, couples related as second cousins or closer (F ≥ 0.0156) and their progeny account for an estimated 10.4% of the global population. The highest rates of consanguineous marriage occur in north and sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East, and west, central, and south Asia. In these regions even couples who regard themselves as unrelated may exhibit high levels of homozygosity, because marriage within clan, tribe, caste, or biraderi boundaries has been a long-established tradition. Mortality in first-cousin progeny is ≈3.5% higher than in nonconsanguineous offspring, although demographic, social, and economic factors can significantly influence the outcome. Improving socioeconomic conditions and better access to health care will impact the effects of consanguinity, with a shift from infant and childhood mortality to extended morbidity. At the same time, a range of primarily social factors, including urbanization, improved female education, and smaller family sizes indicate that the global prevalence of consanguineous unions will decline. This shift in marriage patterns will initially result in decreased homozygosity, accompanied by a reduction in the expression of recessive single-gene disorders. Although the roles of common and rare gene variants in the etiology of complex disease remain contentious, it would be expected that declining consanguinity would also be reflected in reduced prevalence of complex diseases, especially in population isolates.
The impact of epidermal melanin on objective measurements of human skin colour.

Objective measurements of human skin colour were made with a tristimulus (L*a*b*) chromameter in a range of different ethnic skin types. These were compared with biochemical measurements of melanin content, melanin composition and melanosome size in skin biopsies obtained from the same sites. L*, a* and b* values were found to vary significantly with ethnicity. In general, constitutively dark skin types have lower L* values, higher a* values and higher b* values than constitutively light skin types. Total epidermal melanin content appears to be the primary determinant of L* values in human skin (r = -0.88; P < 0.00001), whilst melanosome size also has a significant but more subtle influence on L* values (r = -0.73; P < 0.00001). There is also a strong positive contribution to a* values from epidermal melanin (r = 0.66, P < 0.00001), which accounts for the ethnic variation in a* values observed in this study. Melanin is also a major contributor to b* values in lighter skin types (r = 0.71, P < 0.00001). However, this relationship breaks down in darker skin types where b* values actually reach a maximum and then decrease as the concentration of melanin in the skin increases. This appears to be because of optical masking of yellow light by high concentrations of melanin in the epidermis. Analysis of the relationships between L*, a* and b* values in human skin indicate that they are very closely interrelated, and suggest that the optical properties of melanin in the epidermis are very similar to those of a dye on a fabric substrate.
Quality of Life Determinants and Hearing Function in an Elderly Population: Osservatorio Geriatrico Campano Study Group

Background: Hearing impairment (HI) is a very common condition in elderly people and the epidemiology together with hearing-related problems is still poorly investigated. Moreover, the cognitive status may be impaired in relation to hearing function. Objective: The goal of the study was to evaluate: (a) the prevalence of HI in a random sample of elderly people aged 65 and over (n = 1,750) living in Campania, a region of southern Italy; (b) the cross-sectional relationship between hearing function and cognitive status and also depressive symptomatology and disability, and (c) to assess the role of hearing aids on depressive symptomatology. Methods: Cross-sectional study on a random sample of elderly population. Results: The overall participation rate in the study was 74.8% (n = 1,332, mean age was 74.2 ± 6.4 years). The prevalence rate of HI (evaluated by questionnaire) was 27.2%, cognitive impairment prevalence (evaluated by the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE)) was 27.9%, mean depressive symptomatology score (evaluated by Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS)) was 11.4 ± 6.6, while disability assessed by Activity of Daily Living (ADL) was present in 7.0% of the whole population. A strong relationship was found between both decreasing hearing function and MMSE decline, independently by the effect of age and education (r = 0.97; p < 0.01). A positive relationship (r = 0.85; p < 0.01) between GDS score and hearing function was also found. Moreover, at an increased level of hearing loss, a lower ADL score was recorded (r = 0.98; p < 0.01). Finally, the use of hearing aids reduced GDS score. In logistic regression analysis, gender, age and educational level indicate that hearing loss risk increased with age (odds ratio 1.60; 95% confidence interval 1.53–1.71), whereas education plays a protective role (odds ratio 0.75; 95% confidence interval 0.72–0.80). Conclusion: HI is very prevalent among elderly people and is associated with either cognitive impairment and/or depression and reduction of functional status. This study suggests that hearing aids may protect against cognitive impairment and disability, improving quality of life of aged people.
The study of Taipei MRT service quality

This paper studied the service quality of Taipei Metropolitan Rapid Transit (MRT) System using a SERVQUAL questionnaire and Importance-Performance analysis. The original SERVQUAL question items were modified to fit the context of Taipei Metropolitan Rapid Transit characteristics. After the conduction of the survey, statistics analyses such as factor analysis and ANOVA analysis were applied to understand the expectation and experience of the customers. The results showed that the expectation of the customers were still growing and there were service areas needed to be improved. The Importance-Performance analysis was then applied to identify the areas of services to be improved.
Trapped gas and airflow limitation in children with cystic fibrosis and asthma

Trapped gas (TG) has been shown to be present in cystic fibrosis (CF) and asthma, but its relationship with airflow limitation (AL) has not been explored. TG was defined as the difference between the functional residual capacity measured by body plethysmography [FRC(BP)] and that measured by helium dilution [FRC(He)] expressed as a percentage of total lung capacity (TLC). We studied 21 children with CF and 15 with asthma who had a similar degree of AL and hyperinflation, however the children with CF had greater amounts of TG compared with asthma [15% ± 2 (mean ± 1SE) vs 8 ± 2, P < 0.05]. Mixing efficiency (ME), an index of the distribution of ventilation, was found to be lower in the CF children than in those with asthma (34 ± 4 vs 54 ± 4). In CF, TG correlated with forced expiratory flow between 25 and 75% of vital capacity (FEF25‐75), ME, RV/TLC, and maximal expiratory flow rates at 25 and 50% of vital capacity (V̇max25 and 50, respectively; r = −0.66, −0.61, 0.72, −0.71, −0.74). ME also correlated with the above measures. In asthma, TG did not correlate with the FEF25‐75, ME, RV/TLC, V̇max25, or V̇max50. Furthermore, TG was frequently found in patients with asthma with moderate AL while it was often absent in patients with severe AL. For both CF and asthma, neither the severity of AL nor the magnitude of the TG could be predicted from the increase in V̇max 50 with helium (ΔV̇50). In CF, TG and ME correlated, thus allowing for an assessment of the validity of FRC(He) in determining hyperinflation. In asthma, the presence or absence of TG could not be anticipated from tests of ME or AL, and hence the validity of FRC(He) in determining hyperinflation could not be anticipated.
Association of the renin-sodium profile with the risk of myocardial infarction in patients with hypertension.

BACKGROUND To test the prognostic value of plasma renin activity prospectively, we determined the pretreatment renin-sodium profile of 1717 subjects with mild-to-moderate hypertension (mean age, 53 years; 36 percent white; 67 percent men) in a systematic work-site treatment program. METHODS Renin profiles, obtained by plotting plasma renin activity against the urinary excretion of sodium, were classified as high (12 percent of the subjects), normal (56 percent), and low (32 percent), and there were expected variations according to age, sex, and race. Modified stepped-care treatment for hypertension, prescribed without reference to the renin profile, was similar in the three renin groups. RESULTS Mean (+/- SD) blood pressure at entry was 151 +/- 19/100 +/- 10 mm Hg in the subjects with a high renin profile, 151 +/- 19/97 +/- 10 mm Hg in those with a normal profile, and 151 +/- 20/96 +/- 11 mm Hg in those with a low profile. During 8.3 years of follow-up, there were 27 myocardial infarctions. As adjusted for age, sex, and race, the incidence of myocardial infarction per 1000 person-years was 14.7 among the subjects with a high renin profile, 5.6 among those with a normal profile, and 2.8 among those with a low profile (rate ratio for high vs. low, 5.3; 95 percent confidence interval, 3.4 to 8.3). The rate of mortality from all causes was 9.3 in the high-profile group, 5.3 in the normal-profile group, and 3.9 in the low-profile group. The independent association of a high renin profile with myocardial infarction (but not with stroke or noncardiovascular events) was affirmed by Cox analyses (rate ratio for high vs. normal plus low, 3.2; 95 percent confidence interval, 1.2 to 8.4) after adjustment for race, sex, age at entry, serum cholesterol level, smoking status, electrocardiographic evidence of left ventricular hypertrophy, blood glucose level, body-mass index, history of cardiovascular disease or treatment, blood pressure, and use of beta-blockers. CONCLUSIONS In the study population, whose blood pressure before and during treatment was in a narrow range, and after other cardiovascular risk factors had been considered, the renin profile before treatment remained independently associated with the subsequent risk of myocardial infarction.
Incidence of stereopsis after treatment of infantile esotropia with botulinum toxin A.

PURPOSE The incidence of stereoscopic vision following surgery for infantile esotropia has been reported, but not from patients treated with simultaneous bimedial injection of botulinum toxin A. We previously reported other findings from 41 patients treated with botulinum toxin A before the age of 12 months. The purpose of this study was to report the incidence of stereopsis in these patients after long-term follow-up. PATIENTS AND METHODS Data were acquired by recording the response to subjective stereoscopic testing during the postinjection follow-up period when reliable subjective responses could be obtained. At least 5 years had passed following injection, and the mean age of the patients was 8 years. RESULTS Of the 41 patients, 11 were lost to follow-up, 10 had no stereopsis, 9 had gross stereopsis (according to Titmus fly tests), 1 had 800 seconds of stereoscopic vision, 2 had 400 seconds, 2 had 200 seconds, 1 had 60 seconds, and 5 had 40 seconds. CONCLUSIONS In this study, two-thirds of the patients acquired stereopsis following simultaneous bimedial injection of botulinum toxin A for infantile esotropia. Stereopsis acquisition following injection of botulinum toxin A had a success rate comparable with that reported for surgically corrected infantile esotropia. Bimedial injection of botulinum toxin A accompanied by alternate patching prior to injection and diligent attention at ages ranging from 4 to 12 months is a simple and efficacious method for the management of infantile esotropia.
Research on relationship between private benefits of control and top executive compensation in double agent theory — An empirical study of equity transfer in China's listed companies

This paper studied the relationship between PBC and top executive compensation by simultaneous equation. Findings show according to 2SLS estimation that a coefficient between PBC and top executive compensation is 9.461 in PBC equation, and that a coefficient between expropriation and top executive compensation is 0.012 in top executive compensation equation. The results indicate that the impact of the top executive compensation to the PBC is greater than that of the expropriation interests of controlling shareholders to the top executive compensation.
Medial demons registration localizes the degree of genetic influence over subcortical shape variability: An N= 1480 meta-analysis

We present a multi-cohort shape heritability study, extending the fast spherical demons registration to subcortical shapes via medial modeling. A multi-channel demons registration based on vector spherical harmonics is applied to medial and curvature features, while controlling for metric distortion. We registered and compared seven subcortical structures of 1480 twins and siblings from the Queensland Twin Imaging Study and Human Connectome Project: Thalamus, Caudate, Putamen, Pallidum, Hippocampus, Amygdala, and Nucleus Accumbens. Radial distance and tensor-based morphometry (TBM) features were found to be highly heritable throughout the entire basal ganglia and limbic system. Surface maps reveal subtle variation in heritability across functionally distinct parts of each structure. Medial Demons reveals more significantly heritable regions than two previously described surface registration methods. This approach may help to prioritize features and measures for genome-wide association studies.
Septic shock, multiple organ failure, and disseminated intravascular coagulation. Compared patterns of antithrombin III, protein C, and protein S deficiencies.

STUDY OBJECTIVE Our aim was to document the following in patients with septic shock and disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC): (1) the influence of DIC in the mortality rate and the occurrence of organ failure; (2) the comparative prognostic value of initial antithrombin III (ATIII), protein C (PC), and protein S (PS) levels; and (3) the compared pattern of sequential ATIII, PC, and PS levels according to clinical outcome. DESIGN Demographic data, criteria of severity, mortality in ICU, frequency of organ failure, hemodynamic and oxygenation parameters, and laboratory findings were compared in patients with septic shock according to the occurrence of DIC. Initial and sequential levels of ATIII (activity), PC (antigen and activity), PS (total and free), and C4b binding protein (C4bBP) were compared according to the outcome in patients with DIC. PATIENTS Sixty patients with septic shock were studied. Forty-four entered the group DIC+; 16 entered the group DIC-. RESULTS Simplified acute physiologic score (SAPS), frequency of acquired organ failure, blood lactate, and transaminase values were significantly higher in the group DIC+. The mortality rate reached 77 percent in group DIC+ vs 32 percent in DIC- (p less than 0.001). In patients with DIC, a fatal outcome was associated with higher bilirubin and transaminase levels, lower PaO2/FIo2 ratio, Vo2, Do2 and O2 extraction. In the group DIC+, all patients but two had severe deficiencies in ATIII and PC levels. Significant correlations were found between initial ATIII and PC levels, PC and free PS levels, and free PS and C4bBP levels. Initial ATIII levels had the best prognostic value for prediction of subsequent death. Serial measurements were consistent with a prolonged ATIII and PC deficiency with significantly different levels between survivors and nonsurvivors. CONCLUSIONS DIC is a strong predictor of death and multiple organ failure in patients with septic shock. Sequential ATIII, PC, and PS measurements were consistent with prolonged consumption or inhibition that might account for a sustained procoagulant state and inhibition of fibrinolysis. The initial ATIII level was the best laboratory predictor of death in these patients.
Donepezil: an update

Donepezil hydrochloride is the most widely prescribed drug for Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The main mechanism of action through which it influences cognition and function is presumed to be the inhibition of acetylcholinesterase enzyme in the brain; however, donepezil may also impact the pathophysiology of AD at several other points. Officially approved for mild-to-moderate and severe AD, donepezil has also been shown to be effective in early-stage AD, vascular dementia, Parkinson’s disease dementia/Lewy body disease and cognitive symptoms associated with multiple sclerosis. In addition, one study suggested that donepezil may delay the onset of AD in subjects with mild cognitive impairment, a prodrome to AD. The pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, safety/tolerability profile and drug interaction properties of donepezil make it an easy and safe agent to use. However, in general, the efficacy of donepezil is limited, and ongoing studies are investigating other agents that may ultimately overtake its present position as the mainstay of anti-AD therapy.
Cardiovascular Disease and 10-Year Mortality in Postmenopausal Women with Clinical Features of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome.

BACKGROUND Women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) have greater cardiac risk factor clustering but the link with mortality is incompletely described. OBJECTIVE To evaluate outcomes in 295 postmenopausal women enrolled in the National Institutes of Health-National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NIH-NHLBI) sponsored Women's Ischemia Syndrome Evaluation (WISE) study according to clinical features of PCOS. MATERIALS AND METHODS A total of 25/295 (8%) women had clinical features of PCOS defined by a premenopausal history of irregular menses and current biochemical evidence of hyperandrogenemia, defined as the top quartile of androstenedione (≥701 pg/mL), testosterone (≥30.9 ng/dL), or free testosterone (≥4.5 pg/mL). Cox proportional hazard model estimated death (n = 80). RESULTS Women with clinical features of PCOS had an earlier menopause (p = 0.01), were more often smokers (p < 0.04), and trended toward more angiographic coronary artery disease (CAD) (p = 0.07) than women without these features. Cumulative 10-year mortality was 28% for women with (n = 25) versus 27% without clinical features of PCOS (n = 270) (p = 0.85). PCOS was not a significant predictor (p = NS) in prognostic models including diabetes, waist circumference, hypertension, and angiographic CAD. CONCLUSION From this longer-term follow up of a relatively small cohort of postmenopausal women with suspected ischemia, the prevalence of PCOS is similar to the general population, and clinical features of PCOS are not associated with CAD or mortality. These findings question whether identification of clinical features of PCOS in postmenopausal women who already have known cardiovascular disease provides any additional opportunity for risk factor intervention.
Occult Hepatitis B and Hemodialysis Patients Need Increased Precautions With the Interpretation of Results

acuity data in RheoNet is poor. RheoNet data were collected from board-certified German ophthalmologists with several academic centers among them. The suspicion that further use of rheopheresis for AMD patients would lead to serious adverse health outcomes is not comprehensible given our registry data on the safety analysis of 7722 rheopheresis treatments (5). In conclusion, we agree that the evidence level regarding the proof of efficacy of rheopheresis for dry AMD is not satisfactory. We convene our treatment recommendation to the best evidence available so far. Therefore, in countries with medical device approval, the ability to offer rheopheresis to wellinformed, high-risk patients with dry AMD seeking a treatment option is justified, rather than just abandoning patients to their fate.
Convergence between direct and indirect real estate investments

Purpose This paper aimed to examine the return/risk performance of direct and indirect real estate (listed property stock) in the Nigerian real estate market and analyzed the short-term integration between the two classes of real estate assets. It also established whether investors could achieve diversification benefits by combining both assets in a portfolio. Design/methodology/approach The data utilized comprised annual returns on direct real estate calculated from the rental and capital values of 226 direct commercial properties obtained from property valuers in Lagos, Nigeria, for a period of January 1999-December 2014. The appraisal-based direct real estate returns were de-smoothed using the Geltner (1993) procedure. The annual returns of indirect real estate were also computed from the transactions of listed property stock on the Nigerian Stock Exchange for the study period. The return-risk profiles were also broken down into short- and medium-term sub-periods, comprising 3, 5, 8 and 12 years to reflect the level of volatility in the market, whereas the nature of the short-term relationship between the two real estate assets classes was tested using Granger causality technique. Findings The results revealed that listed property stock performed better than unsmoothed direct real estate on a risk-adjusted performance basis. The performance profile, however, varies over the different sub-periods considered. Short-term integration analysis showed that there was no bidirectional relationship between direct and listed property stock, implying diversification and risk reduction possibilities in combining both assets with other asset classes in a domestic asset portfolio. Overall, the results confirm the findings of previous study that listed property stocks return is segmented from the direct real estate market upon which its pricing and trading in the stock market are based. Practical implications The conclusion of the study suggests that investors could achieve improved performance by investing in listed property stocks than direct real estate in the Nigerian real estate market. The inclusion of both assets in a domestic mixed-asset portfolio could also be expected to offer diversification and risk reduction benefits. Originality/value This is one of the few studies that examine the short-run integration between direct real estate and listed property stocks with a focus on an emerging African market.
Development of a low-cost packaging for MEMS pressure sensors

Considerable research efforts have been devoted to the development of MEMS sensor packaging based on different material types (ceramic, plastic and metal). In this work, we describe the design, fabrication and test of a metal packaging with high reliability and low cost. The novelty of our research is on the packaging assembly by mechanical interference replacing the expensive plasma welding process that is used commonly in the development of traditional metal packaging.
Low-complexity dereverberation for hands-free audio conferencing unit

This paper proposes a dereverberation method that delivers clear sound even in reverberant environments and discusses its implementation in a hands-free audio conferencing prototype unit. The proposed method is a costeffective single-channel algorithm; it estimates a power spectrum of reverberation based on a linear regression model in the power spectral domain and suppresses the reverberation components using spectral subtraction. The entire calculation complexity of the hands-free prototype unit is reduced for real-time implementation on a low-cost processor. Experiments were conducted to examine the performance of the proposed method. The results indicated that it can achieve almost the same dereverberation performance as that of the conventional method despite its lower computational complexity compared to the conventional method.