Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Resilient IoT eHealth solutions in case of disasters

Disaster-resilient solutions are those realistic, time dependent and policy driven processes to enable technical solutions working even in the case of a disaster. Two issues are tackled within this paper, what are the eHealth IoT solutions for disasters and analyze if these eHealth IoT solutions can be disaster-resilient. We present a scenario when eHealth IoT solutions can be used to manage the consequences after a natural or any other disaster as a kind of a technology-enabled crisis management. Consequences occur when the existing policies allow unpreparedness, unprotectedness, and inability to respond effectively. Technology-enabled disaster resilience, in our case, is a way-out strategy using an eHealth IoT solution. We introduce a new IoT eHealth solution to be used in an emergency after a disaster. However, the design of this solution should be also disaster resilient, without dependence on infrastructure that might be also exposed to a disaster. The corresponding architecture and solution are described and their properties analyzed.
Medically Unexplained Symptoms: an acceptable term?

Background: The term ‘Medically Unexplained Symptoms’ (MUS) is used by health professionals and researchers to refer to persistent bodily complaints, including pain and discomfort. Aims: This study explores the views held by a lay sample on the clinical terminology used to describe ‘MUS’, to ascertain reasons for particular preferences and whether preferences differ between individuals who experience more somatic symptoms. Design and methods: A sample (n = 844) of healthy adults completed an online survey, which included a questionnaire measuring somatic symptoms (Patient Health Questionnaire-15 (PHQ-15)) and a question about their preferences for terminology used to describe MUS. Results: Of 844 participants, 698 offered their preferences for terminology. The most popular terms were ‘Persistent Physical Symptoms’ (20%) and ‘Functional Symptoms’ (17%). ‘MUS’ (15%), ‘Body Distress Disorder’ (13%) and ‘Complex Physical Symptoms’ (5%) were less popular. And 24% indicated no preference, but high PHQ-15 scorers were more likely to express preferences than low scorers. Conclusion: Persistent Physical Symptoms and Functional Symptoms are more acceptable to this sample of healthy adults than the more commonly used term ‘MUS’.
A Survey of Community Pharmacists and Final-Year Student Pharmacists and their Perception of Psychotherapeutic Agents

Introduction: The World Health Organization has estimated that as many as 450 million people worldwide have mental disorders. More than 44 million people in the United States have a mental disorder annually, estimating the annual direct costs of mental illness to exceed US$69 billion. Psychotherapeutic agents are used to treat mental illnesses and improve quality of life. The purpose of the study is to assess the knowledge and knowledge perception of community pharmacists and final-year student pharmacists regarding psychotherapeutic agents dispensed to their community of patients with mental illness. Methods: A survey was distributed to pharmacists and final-year student pharmacists regarding psychotherapeutic agents. Results: In all, 100 pharmacists and 40 final-year student pharmacists completed the survey. Upon analysis of surveys returned by pharmacists, knowledge deficiency was assessed regarding anxiolytics and mood stabilizers. The analysis of student participant surveys demonstrated knowledge deficiency regarding antidepressants and anxiolytics. Conclusions: Final-year student pharmacists would benefit from the curricular incorporation of courses and advanced pharmacy practice experiences in Psychiatry. Community pharmacists caring for customers with psychiatric disorders should take advantage of continuing education series that highlight updates and new developments regarding psychotherapeutic agents in order to improve clinical outcomes of patients.
Function of the usher N‐terminus in catalysing pilus assembly

The chaperone/usher (CU) pathway is a conserved bacterial secretion system that assembles adhesive fibres termed pili or fimbriae. Pilus biogenesis by the CU pathway requires a periplasmic chaperone and an outer membrane (OM) assembly platform termed the usher. The usher catalyses formation of subunit–subunit interactions to promote polymerization of the pilus fibre and provides the channel for fibre secretion. The mechanism by which the usher catalyses pilus assembly is not known. Using the P and type 1 pilus systems of uropathogenic Escherichia coli, we show that a conserved N‐terminal disulphide region of the PapC and FimD ushers, as well as residue F4 of FimD, are required for the catalytic activity of the ushers. PapC disulphide loop mutants were able to bind PapDG chaperone–subunit complexes, but did not assemble PapG into pilus fibres. FimD disulphide loop and F4 mutants were able to bind chaperone–subunit complexes and initiate assembly of pilus fibres, but were defective for extending the pilus fibres, as measured using in vivo co‐purification and in vitro pilus polymerization assays. These results suggest that the catalytic activity of PapC is required to initiate pilus biogenesis, whereas the catalytic activity of FimD is required for extension of the pilus fibre.
Early diagnoses and psychotherapeutic medication treatment experiences of a cohort of children under 6 years old who received antipsychotic treatment in Florida's Medicaid program.

OBJECTIVE To describe the diagnostic characteristics and psychotherapeutic medication experiences of a cohort of children who received antipsychotic treatment before their sixth birthday. METHODS Children enrolled in Florida's Medicaid program were identified as having initiated an index episode of antipsychotic treatment before their sixth birthday. The characteristics of these children were compared to nonrecipients who were less than 6 years old on January 1, 2004. An index episode is described as the filling of at least two consecutive antipsychotic prescriptions with a gap no greater than 15 days between the last day supplied of the first prescription and the fill date of the second prescription. We describe the diagnoses and psychotherapeutic medication experiences of these children during the 365 days before the start of their index episodes (preindex periods) and during the 365 days immediately after the start of their index episodes (index periods). RESULTS Five hundred twenty-eight recipients were identified. Recipients were more likely than nonrecipients to be male, to be older, and to have a supplemental security income enrollment status. Recipients were exposed to psychotherapeutic medications at very early ages. Four hundred thirty-nine (83%) had already been treated with some psychotherapeutic medication during their preindex periods. Of these children, 303 (69%) filled at least one prescription for an antipsychotic medication. Index antipsychotic episodes were often lengthy. Mean ± standard deviation and median episode lengths were 266.9 ± 286.8 and 174 days, respectively. During the index periods half of the children were found to have attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and 18% had disruptive behavior disorders. Treatment during these periods included other classes of psychotherapeutic medications for 73% of children. Nearly 30% (29.6%) received two or more classes of medications in addition to antipsychotics. CONCLUSIONS We found a large group of very young children who were persistently treated with antipsychotic medications. This early and extensive exposure is a cause for concern.
Sound source localization using hearing aids with microphones placed behind-the-ear, in-the-canal, and in-the-pinna

Abstract Objective: The effect of different commercial hearing aids on the ability to resolve front-back confusions and on sound localization in the frontal horizontal and vertical plane was studied. Design: Commercial hearing aids with a microphone placed in-the-ear-canal (ITC), behind-the-ear (BTE), and in-the-pinna (ITP) were evaluated in the frontal and full horizontal plane, and in the frontal vertical plane. Study Sample: A group of 13 hearing-impaired subjects evaluated the hearing aids. Nine normal-hearing listeners were used as a reference group. Results and Conclusions: Differences in sound localization in the front-back dimension were found for different hearing aids. A large inter-subject variability was found during the front-back and elevation experiments. With ITP or ITC microphones, almost all natural spectral information was preserved. One of the BTE hearing aids, which is equipped with a directional microphone configuration, generated a sufficient amount of spectral cues to allow front-back discrimination. No significant effect of hearing aids on elevation performance in the frontal vertical plane was observed. Hearing-impaired subjects reached the same performance with and without the different hearing aids. In the unaided condition, a frequency-specific audibility correction was applied. Some of the hearing-impaired listeners reached normal hearing performance with this correction. Sumario Objetivo: Se estudio el efecto de diferentes auxiliares auditivos sobre la habilidad para resolver confusiones en dirección antero-posterior y en la localización del sonido en los planos fronto-horizontal y vertical. Diseño: Se analizaron auxiliares auditivos comerciales que tienen un micrófono localizado dentro del canal auditivo (ITC) y en la oreja (ITP) en el plano frontal, el horizontal y en el plano fronto-vertical. Muestra: Un grupo de 13 sujetos hipoacúsicos evaluaron los auxiliares auditivos. Nueve sujetos normoacúsicos sirvieron como grupo de referencia. Resultados y conclusiones: Se encontraron diferencias en la localización del sonido en la dimensión fronto-posterior con varios auxiliares auditivos. Se encontró una gran variabilidad inter-sujeto en los experimentos de dirección antero-posterior y de elevación. Uno de los auxiliares auditivos tipo curveta que está equipado con un micrófono direccional generó una cantidad suficiente de claves espectrales para poder discriminar en el plano antero-posterior. No se observó un efecto significativo de los auxiliares auditivos en el desempeño por elevación en el plano vertical. Los sujetos hipoacúsicos alcanzaron el mismo desempeño con y sin los diferentes auxiliares auditivos. Cuando los usaban se aplicó una corrección de audibilidad específica en frecuencia. Algunos de lo sujetos hipoacúsicos alcanzaron un desempeño de audición normal con esta corrección.
Voice characteristics in the progression of Parkinson's disease.

This study examined the acoustic and perceptual voice characteristics of patients with Parkinson's disease according to disease severity. The perceptual and acoustic voice characteristics of 30 patients with early stage PD and 30 patients with later stage PD were compared with data from 30 normal control subjects. Voice recordings consisted of prolongation of the vowel /a/, scale singing, and a 1-min monologue. In comparison with controls and previously published normative data, both early and later stage PD patients' voices were characterized perceptually by limited pitch and loudness variability, breathiness, harshness and reduced loudness. High modal pitch levels also characterized the voices of males in both early and later stages of PD. Acoustically, the voices of both groups of PD patients demonstrated lower mean intensity levels and reduced maximum phonational frequency ranges in comparison with normative data. Although less clear, the present data also suggested that the PD patients' voices were characterized by excess jitter, a high-speaking fundamental frequency for males and a reduced fundamental frequency variability for females. While several of these voice features did not appear to deteriorate with disease progression (i.e. harshness, high modal pitch and speaking fundamental frequency in males, fundamental frequency variability in females, low intensity and jitter), breathiness, monopitch and monoloudness, low loudness and reduced maximum phonational frequency range were all worse in the later stages of PD. Tremor was the sole voice feature which was associated only with later stage PD.
MALDI Imaging Mass Spectrometry Spatially Maps Age-Related Deamidation and Truncation of Human Lens Aquaporin-0.

PURPOSE To spatially map human lens Aquaporin-0 (AQP0) protein modifications, including lipidation, truncation, and deamidation, from birth through middle age using matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI) imaging mass spectrometry (IMS). METHODS Human lens sections were water-washed to facilitate detection of membrane protein AQP0. We acquired MALDI images from eight human lenses ranging in age from 2 months to 63 years. In situ tryptic digestion was used to generate peptides of AQP0 and peptide images were acquired on a 15T Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance (FTICR) mass spectrometer. Peptide extracts were analyzed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) and database searched to identify peptides observed in MALDI imaging experiments. RESULTS Unmodified, truncated, and fatty acid-acylated forms of AQP0 were detected in protein imaging experiments. Full-length AQP0 was fatty acid acylated in the core and cortex of young (2- and 4-month) lenses. Acylated and unmodified AQP0 were C-terminally truncated in older lens cores. Deamidated tryptic peptides (+0.9847 Da) were mass resolved from unmodified peptides by FTICR MS. Peptide images revealed differential localization of un-, singly-, and doubly-deamidated AQP0 C-terminal peptide (239-263). Deamidation was present at 4 months and increases with age. Liquid chromatography-MS/MS results indicated N246 undergoes deamidation more rapidly than N259. CONCLUSIONS Results indicated AQP0 fatty acid acylation and deamidation occur during early development. Progressive age-related AQP0 processing, including deamidation and truncation, was mapped in human lenses as a function of age. The localization of these modified AQP0 forms suggests where AQP0 functions may change throughout lens development and aging.
A novel three-dimensional stromal-based model for in vitro chemotherapy sensitivity testing of leukemia cells

Abstract The disparate response of leukemia cells to chemotherapy in vivo, compared to in vitro, is partly related to the interaction of leukemic cells and the three-dimensional bone marrow stromal microenvironment. We investigated the effects of chemotherapy agents on leukemic cell lines co-cultured with human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (hu-BM-MSCs) in a three-dimensional model (3D). Comparison was made to leukemic cells treated in suspension, or grown on a hu-BM-MSC monolayer (2D conditions). We demonstrated that leukemic cells cultured in 3D were more resistant to drug-induced apoptosis compared to cells cultured in 2D or in suspension. We also demonstrated significant differences in leukemic cell response to chemotherapy using different leukemic cell lines cultured in 3D. We suggest that the differential responses to chemotherapy in 3D may be related to the expression of N-cadherin in the co-culture system. This unique model provides an opportunity to study leukemic cell responses to chemotherapy in 3D.
The effect of endograft device on patient outcomes in endovascular repair of ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysms

Objective Endovascular aneurysm repair for ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm is being increasingly applied as the intervention of choice. The purpose of this study was to determine whether survival and reintervention rates after ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm vary between endograft devices. Methods This cohort study identified all ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysms performed at The Ottawa Hospital from January 1999 to May 2015. Data collected included patient demographics, stability index at presentation, adherence to device instructions for use, endoleaks, reinterventions, and mortality. Kruskal–Wallis test was used to compare outcomes between groups. Mortality outcomes were assessed using Kaplan–Meier survival analysis, and multivariate Cox regression modeling. Results One thousand sixty endovascular aneurysm repairs were performed using nine unique devices. Ninety-six ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysms were performed using three devices: Cook Zenith (n = 46), Medtronic Endurant (n = 33), and Medtronic Talent (n = 17). The percent of patients presented in unstable or extremis condition was 30.2, which did not differ between devices. Overall 30-day mortality was 18.8%, and was not statistically different between devices (p = 0.16), although Medtronic Talent had markedly higher mortality (35.3%) than Cook Zenith (15.2%) and Medtronic Endurant (15.2%). AUI configuration was associated with increased 30-day mortality (33.3% vs. 12.1%, p = 0.02). Long-term mortality and graft-related reintervention rates at 30 days and 5 years were similar between devices. Instructions for use adherence was similar across devices, but differed between the ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm and elective endovascular aneurysm repair cohorts (47.7% vs. 79.0%, p < 0.01). Notably, two patients who received Medtronic Talent grafts underwent open conversion >30 days post-endovascular aneurysm repair (p = 0.01). Type 1 endoleak rates differed significantly across devices (Cook Zenith 0.0%, Medtronic Endurant 18.2%, Medtronic Talent 17.6%, p = 0.01). Conclusion Although we identified device-related differences in endoleak rates, there were no significant differences in reintervention rates or mortality outcomes. Favorable outcomes of Cook Zenith and Medtronic Endurant over Medtronic Talent reflect advances in endograft technology and improvements in operator experience over time. Results support selection of endograft by operator preference for ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm.
Upregulation of cardiac angiotensin II AT1 receptors in congenital cardiomyopathic hamsters.

Angiotensin II (Ang II) is a growth factor that stimulates protein synthesis and induces cellular hypertrophy in cardiac myocytes. To gain insight into the role of Ang II in cardiac hypertrophy, we examined the expression and subtype distribution of Ang II receptors in the ventricles of embryonic and of 25- to 350-day-old inbred control and cardiomyopathic (CHF 146) hamsters. Studies were also performed with heterozygous (cardiomyopathic x control) animals. Compared with the control hamsters, cardiomyopathic hamsters presented decreased body weights and increased ratios of ventricular weight to body weight in every adult group studied. Typical histological lesions appeared in the left ventricle of cardiomyopathic animals around 70 to 75 days, and their severity increased with time. Radioligand binding studies with cardiac ventricular membranes indicated that iodinated [Sar1,Ile8]Ang II (sarile) binds to a homogeneous population of sites in membranes derived from adult normal and cardiomyopathic animals. Competition curves using specific receptor subtype antagonists revealed that 125I-sarile binding sites were exclusively of the AT1 subtype in both groups of animals. Importantly, the density of AT1 receptors was found to be significantly increased (90% augmentation at 70 to 75 days) in the ventricles of cardiomyopathic hamsters. This augmented expression was observed in all adult groups and was already present at 25 days, when no histological lesions were visible. The affinity of the receptor for losartan did not vary significantly between adult normal and cardiomyopathic animals (mean Kd, 19.6 and 16.7 nmol/L, respectively). (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Cancer cell metabolism: the essential role of the nonessential amino acid, glutamine

Biochemistry textbooks and cell culture experiments seem to be telling us two different things about the significance of external glutamine supply for mammalian cell growth and proliferation. Despite the fact that glutamine is a nonessential amino acid that can be synthesized by cells from glucose‐derived carbons and amino acid‐derived ammonia, most mammalian cells in tissue culture cannot proliferate or even survive in an environment that does not contain millimolar levels of glutamine. Not only are the levels of glutamine in standard tissue culture media at least ten‐fold higher than other amino acids, but glutamine is also the most abundant amino acid in the human bloodstream, where it is assiduously maintained at approximately 0.5 mM through a combination of dietary uptake, de novo synthesis, and muscle protein catabolism. The complex metabolic logic of the proliferating cancer cells' appetite for glutamine—which goes far beyond satisfying their protein synthesis requirements—has only recently come into focus. In this review, we examine the diversity of biosynthetic and regulatory uses of glutamine and their role in proliferation, stress resistance, and cellular identity, as well as discuss the mechanisms that cells utilize in order to adapt to glutamine limitation.
Poly(A) RNA Is Reduced by Half During Bovine Oocyte Maturation but Increases when Meiotic Arrest Is Maintained with CDK Inhibitors1

Abstract Variations in the amount of different RNA species were investigated during in vitro maturation of bovine oocytes. Total RNA content was estimated to be 2 ng before meiosis, and after meiosis resumption, no decrease was observed. Ribosomal RNA did not appear to be degraded either, whereas poly(A) RNA was reduced by half after meiosis resumption, from 53 pg to 25 pg per oocyte. Real-time polymerase chain reaction was performed on growth and differentiation factor-9 (GDF-9), on cyclin B1, and on two genes implicated in the resistance to oxidative stress, glucose-6-phosphate-dehydrogenase (G6PD) and peroxiredoxin-6 (PRDX6). When these transcripts were reverse-transcribed with hexamers, the amplification results were not different before or after in vitro maturation. But when reverse transcription was performed with oligo(dT), amplification was dramatically reduced after maturation, except for cyclin B1 mRNA, implying deadenylation without degradation of three transcripts. Although calf oocytes have a lower developmental competence, their poly(A) RNA contents were not different from that of cow oocytes, nor were they differently affected during maturation. When bovine oocytes were maintained in vitro under meiotic arrest with CDK inhibitors, their poly(A) RNA amount increased, but this rise did not change the poly(A) RNA level once maturation was achieved. The increase could not be observed under transcription inhibition and, when impeding transcription and adenylation, the poly(A) RNA decreased to a level normally observed after maturation, in spite of the maintenance of meiotic arrest. These results demonstrate the importance of adenylation and deadenylation processes during in vitro maturation of bovine oocytes.
Ultrafast pulsed magnetomotive ultrasound imaging of sentinel lymph nodes: Small animal study

Sentinel lymph nodes (SLNs) are the first draining lymph nodes while the metastatic cancer cells are spreading. A noninvasive imaging modality for SLN identification with fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) would be beneficial for staging the axillary lymph nodes without surgical intervention. Here we propose a method - ultrafast pulsed magnetomotive ultrasound (pMMUS) for noninvasive SLN identification, which leverages the MRI superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIOs) and potentially offers real-time imaging capability for SLN FNAB. Ultrafast pMMUS can localize the SPIOs drained to the SLNs and thus identify the SLNs. Experiments on rats were carried out to verify the feasibility. The SLN was identified in pMMUS images which was confirmed by the methylene blue assay while it is challenging to be localized in B-mode image. Overall, we demonstrated the feasibility of the proposed ultrafast pMMUS for noninvasive SLN identification. Proper SPIO particle size, time window of imaging, and motion-tracking algorithm will be studied to further improve the performance of the proposed method.