Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Cost-effectiveness of memantine in moderate-to-severe Alzheimer's disease patients receiving donepezil*

ABSTRACT Objective: The efficacy and safety of memantine in patients with moderate-to-severe Alzheimer's disease (AD) receiving stable doses of donepezil were recently demonstrated in a phase III trial. The cost-effectiveness of such therapy is unknown. Research design and methods: A microsimulation model was developed to depict AD progression over time and associated clinical and economic outcomes. AD progression was measured in terms of decline in cognitive function, as assessed by the Severe Impairment Battery (SIB). At model entry, patients were assumed to have moderate-to-severe AD, to be on stable doses of donepezil, and to begin combination therapy with memantine, or continue to receive donepezil alone; duration of therapy was assumed to be 1 year. Drug efficacy was based on data from a phase III trial. Key assumptions of the model included: (1) efficacy of study drugs would extend to 1 year; (2) measures of cognitive function could be mapped to one another, as well as to global measures of disease severity; and (3) following therapy discontinuation, cognitive function would revert immediately to natural history levels. Cost-effectiveness was assessed in terms of cost (2005 US$) per quality-adjusted life-year (QALY) gained over a lifetime (3% discount rate). Results: SIB scores were estimated to improve by 3.3 over 1 year from therapy with memantine plus donepezil (vs. donepezil alone). While pharmacotherapy costs were estimated to increase by $1250 during the year of memantine treatment, costs of formal and informal services were estimated to decrease by $1240 over this period and by $1493 (discounted present value) over a lifetime. Findings were sensitive to the assumed SIB score at therapy initiation; cost-effectiveness was better for patients with higher initial SIB scores (i.e., less severe disease). Conclusion: In patients with moderate-to-severe AD already receiving donepezil, treatment with memantine results in improved clinical outcomes and reduced total costs of care.
Characterization of the Enzymatic Component of Clostridium perfringens Iota-Toxin

ABSTRACT The iotaa component (ia) ofClostridium perfringens ADP ribosylates nonmuscle β/γ actin and skeletal muscle α-actin. Replacement of Arg-295 in ia with alanine led to a complete loss of NAD+-glycohydrolase (NADase) and ADP-ribosyltransferase (ARTase); that of the residue with lysine caused a drastic reduction in NADase and ARTase activities (<0.1% of the wild-type activities) but did not completely diminish them. Substitution of alanine for Glu-378 and Glu-380 caused a complete loss of NADase and ARTase. However, exchange of Glu-378 to aspartic acid or glutamine resulted in little effect on NADase activity but a drastic reduction in ARTase activity (<0.1% of the wild-type activity). Exchange of Glu-380 to aspartic acid caused a drastic reduction in NADase and ARTase activities (<0.1% of the wild-type activities) but did not completely diminish them; that of the residue to glutamine caused a complete loss of ARTase activity. Replacement of Ser-338 with alanine resulted in 0.7 to 2.3% wild-type activities, and that of Ser-340 and Thr-339 caused a reduction in these activities of 5 to 30% wild-type activities. The kinetic analysis showed that Arg-295 and Ser-338 also play an important role in the binding of NAD+ to ia, that Arg-295, Glu-380, and Ser-338 play a crucial role in the catalytic rate of NADase activity, and that these three amino acid residues and Glu-378 are essential for ARTase activity. The effect of amino acid replacement in ia on ARTase activity was similar to that on lethal and cytotoxic activities, suggesting that lethal and cytotoxic activities in ia are dependent on ARTase activity.
Performance analysis of grid connected induction motor using floating H-bridge converter

Floating capacitor voltage source power electronic converters can be used as series voltage compensators for grid supplied induction motors to improve their steady-state operating performance, namely: actively reducing the motor power losses over its entire load range; lower the motor's operating temperature to improve lifetime expectancy; the voltage supplied to the motor can be used to avoid derating the motor power rating. These features are especially useful when the motor is connected to a grid whose nominal voltage differs from the machine's rated value or that may fluctuate over time (sag or swell). By injecting a voltage in series with the grid supply, floating capacitor converters can set the motor voltage at a fixed desired value, above or below the grid voltage, under transient or continuous steady-state conditions, and over the entire range of the motor load. These features allow the losses in the motor and power electronics to be controlled, e.g. minimized, hence improve the motor and system efficiencies. For applications where frequency control is not required, the proposed power electronics is more energy efficient; hence a viable cost effective solution. Experimental tests are used to compare the proposed system with several alternatives, using performances such as: power losses and efficiency of the motor, power electronics and the system as a whole.
Human Leptin Receptor

The leptin receptor (OB-R) is a member of the class I cytokine receptor family and mediates the weight regulatory effects of its ligand through interaction with cytoplasmic kinases. The extracellular domain of this receptor is comprised of two immunoglobulin-like and cytokine-receptor homology domains each and type III fibronectin domains. The extracellular domain of human leptin receptor was expressed in and purified from Chinese hamster ovary cells and was found to contain extensive N-glycosylation (approximately 36% of the total protein). The purified protein had a molecular weight of approximately 145,000 and exhibited ligand binding ability as evidenced by formation of ligand-receptor complex, followed by chemical cross-linking. The determined disulfide motif of the soluble leptin receptor contained several distinct cystine knots as well as 10 free cysteines. The N-glycosylation analysis revealed that Asn624 of the WSXWS motif (residues 622–626) within the C-terminal cytokine receptor homology domain was glycosylated, indicating that this region is solvent-exposed. On the other hand, the N-terminal WSXWS motif was not glycosylated.
Reliability limits of the modified Thomas test for assessing rectus femoris muscle flexibility about the knee joint.

CONTEXT The modified Thomas test is commonly used in the clinical setting to assess flexibility about the thigh region. OBJECTIVE To evaluate the clinical reliability of the modified Thomas test for evaluating the flexibility of the rectus femoris muscle about the knee joint. DESIGN Descriptive laboratory study using a test-retest design. SETTING Institution-based clinical orthopaedic setting. PATIENTS OR OTHER PARTICIPANTS Fifty-seven individuals between the ages of 18 and 45 years with no history of trauma participated. Of those, 54 completed the study. INTERVENTION(S) Three Board-certified athletic therapists with an average of 12.67 years of sport medicine expertise assessed rectus femoris flexibility using pass/fail and goniometer scoring systems. A retest session was completed 7 to 10 days later. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S) Parametric and nonparametric tests were used to compare participants' test-retest results. RESULTS Chance-corrected kappa values (intrarater x = 0.40, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.30, 0.54; interrater x = 0.33, 95% CI = 0.23, 0.41) indicated generally poor levels of reliability for pass/fail scoring. Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) values (intrarater x = 0.67, 95% CI = 0.55, 0.76; interrater x = 0.50, 95% CI = 0.40, 0.60) indicated fair to moderate levels of reliability for goniometer data. Measurement error values (standard error of measurement = 7 degrees , method error = 6 degrees , and coefficient of variation = 13%) and Bland-Altman plots (with 95% limits of agreement) further demonstrated the degree of intrarater variance for each examiner when conducting the test. CONCLUSIONS These results call into question the statistical reliability of the modified Thomas test and provide clinicians with important information regarding its reliability limits when used to clinically assess flexibility of the rectus femoris muscle about the knee joint in a physically active population. More research is needed to ascertain the variables that may confound the statistical reliability of this orthopaedic technique.
Practice locations of graduates of family physician residency and nurse practitioner programs: considerations within the context of institutional culture and curricular innovation through Titles VII and VIII.

BACKGROUND Studies have described the aggregate results of federal funding for health professions education at the national level, but analysis of the long-term impact of institutional participation in these programs has been limited. PURPOSE To describe and assess federally supported curricular innovations at East Tennessee State University designed to promote family medicine and nurse practitioner graduate interest in rural and underserved populations. METHODS Descriptive analysis of a survey to determine practice locations of nurse practitioner graduates (1992-2002) and graduates of 3 family medicine residencies (1978-2002). Graduates' (N = 656) practice locations were documented using specific federal designations relating to health professions shortages and rurality. RESULTS Overall, 83% of family medicine residency and 80% of nurse practitioner graduates selected practice locations in areas with medically underserved or health professions shortage designations; 48% of family physicians and 38% of nurse practitioners were in rural areas. CONCLUSIONS Graduates who study in an educational setting with a mission-driven commitment to rural and community health and who participate in curricular activities designed to increase their experience with rural and underserved populations choose, in high numbers, to care for these populations in their professional practice.
The Relationship Between Qualified Personnel and Self-Reported Implementation of Recommended Physical Education Practices and Programs in U.S. Schools

The authors analyzed data from the School Health Policies and Programs Study 2000 to assess the associations between the presence of a district physical education coordinator and district-level physical education policies and practices recommended by federal government agencies and national organizations. The authors also examined the relationship between teacher qualifications and staff development related to physical education and self-reported implementation of recommended teaching practices. District-level data were collected by self-administered mail questionnaires from a nationally representative sample of school districts. Classroom-level data were collected by computer-assisted personal interviews with teachers of randomly selected classes in elementary schools and randomly selected required physical education courses in middle/junior high and senior high schools. Nearly two thirds (62.2%) of districts had a physical education coordinator, and those were generally more likely than other districts to report having policies and practices that corresponded with national recommendations for high-quality physical education programs. More than two thirds of teachers (66.9%) met the criteria for teacher qualifications based on their education and certification. These teachers were more likely than others to report use of certain recommended physical education teaching practices. Teachers who participated in staff development also were more likely to use recommended teaching practices in their classrooms. Using a district physical education coordinator and teachers with appropriate qualifications as well as offering staff development opportunities on physical education may enhance school physical education programs.
Increased ICAM-1 and PECAM-1 Transcription Levels in the Heart of Apo-E Deficient Mice in Comparison to Wild Type (C57BL6).

Summary Adhesion molecules and chemoattractants are thought to play a critical role in the homing of leukocytes to sites of vascular lesions. Apo-E deficiency in mice creates an atherosclerotic model that mimics vascular lesions in man. Little is known on the effect of Apo-E deficiency on expression of adhesion molecules in the hearts of these animals. In this study, male C57BL6 and Apo-E deficient mice were fed a chow diet over periods of time (0 to 20 weeks). The transcription levels of major adhesion molecules (ICAM-1, PECAM-1), present in the heart, were followed by northern blots. Immunohistochemistry was used to localize these adhesion molecules in the heart. Results show a significant increase in gene transcription levels of ICAM-1 and PECAM-1 in Apo-E animals, but not wild type, at 16 and 20 weeks of chow diet. Such increase in levels of transcription was not observed in younger Apo-E and C57BL6 animals (0, 6 weeks of diet). ICAM-1 and PECAM-1 were strongly expressed in the endocardium and heart microvessels. In contrast, VCAM-1 was poorly stained, with only an occasional expression on the endocardium and arterioles. Enhanced gene expression levels of heart ICAM-1 and PECAM-1 observed in Apo-E deficient mice, but not in control animals, appears to induce the initial stages of an inflammatory reaction. Such observations, not previously reported, may induce heart vascular remodeling.
BP-based matrix completion for near-field MIMO array imaging

The near-field array-based imaging radar systems have been widely used for concealed weapon detection, medical imaging, etc. However, traditional systems always require a large number of real antenna elements, which increase the cost and complexity of the systems. This paper firstly introduces an optimization method for near-field MIMO array design referring to the convolution principle. The antenna elements of the MIMO array are sparse which can obviously decrease the cost and complexity of the system. The back-projection (BP) algorithm is usually used for the MIMO radar imaging, which is a time-consuming operation. Thus, the paper presents a fast imaging algorithm which combines matrix completion with BP. Matrix completion is a new technique which can be applied to recover a low-rank matrix from a subset of the matrix entries. Simulations are provided to demonstrate the performance of the proposed algorithm, which proves that it is an effective way to solve the near-field sparse MIMO array imaging problem in a fast speed.
Interprofessional team assessments of the patient safety climate in Swedish operating rooms: a cross-sectional survey

Background A positive patient safety climate within teams has been associated with higher safety performance. The aim of this study was to describe and compare attitudes to patient safety among the various professionals in surgical teams in Swedish operating room (OR) departments. A further aim was to study nurse managers in the OR and medical directors’ estimations of their staffs’ attitudes to patient safety. Methods A cross-sectional survey with the Safety Attitudes Questionnaire (SAQ) was used to elicit estimations from surgical teams. To evoke estimations from nurse managers and medical directors about staff attitudes to patient safety, a short questionnaire, based on SAQ, was used. Three OR departments at three different hospitals in Sweden participated. All licensed practical nurses (n=124), perioperative nurses (n=233), physicians (n=184) and their respective manager (n=22) were invited to participate. Results Mean percentage positive scores for the six SAQ factors and the three professional groups varied, and most factors (safety climate, teamwork climate, stress recognition, working conditions and perceptions of management), except job satisfaction, were below 60%. Significantly lower mean values were found for perioperative nurses compared with physicians for perceptions of management (56.4 vs 61.4, p=0.013) and working conditions (63.7 vs 69.8, p=0.007). Nurse managers and medical directors’ estimations of their staffs’ ratings of the safety climate cohered fairly well. Conclusions This study shows variations and some weak areas for patient safety climate in the studied ORs as reported by front-line staff and acknowledged by nurse managers and medical directors. This finding is a concern because a weak patient safety climate has been associated with poor patient outcomes. To raise awareness, managers need to support patient safety work in the OR.
Efficacy of oxytetracycline for treatment of papillomatous digital dermatitis lesions on various anatomic locations in dairy cows.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate efficacy of topical treatment with oxytetracycline solution among dairy cows with papillomatous digital dermatitis (PDD) lesions on the interdigital cleft, heels, or dewclaw. DESIGN Clinical trial. ANIMALS 70 dairy cows from a single herd. PROCEDURE On the basis of anatomic location of PDD lesions, cows were allocated into 1 of 3 groups (interdigital cleft [n = 14], heels [30], or dewclaw [26]) and treated topically with oxytetracycline solution. Cows were examined 14 and 30 days after initial treatment. During each examination, pain and lesion size scores were recorded. RESULTS On the basis of pain and lesion size scores, oxytetracycline appeared significantly less effective among cows with lesions on the interdigital cleft than for cows with lesions on the heels or the dewclaw. Number of cows with signs of pain or visible lesions after treatment was significantly higher for cows with lesions on the interdigital cleft than for cows with lesions on heels or the dewclaw. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Anatomic location of PDD lesions has an effect on the efficacy of topical treatment with oxytetracycline solution in dairy cows affected with PDD. Cows with lesions on the interdigital cleft were less likely to respond to treatment, compared with cows with lesions on the heels or the dewclaw.
Functional Characterization and Regulation of gadX, a Gene Encoding an AraC/XylS-Like Transcriptional Activator of the Escherichia coli Glutamic Acid Decarboxylase System

ABSTRACT The Escherichia coli chromosome contains two distantly located genes, gadA and gadB, which encode biochemically undistinguishable isoforms of glutamic acid decarboxylase (Gad). The Gad reaction contributes to pH homeostasis by consuming intracellular H+ and producing γ-aminobutyric acid. This compound is exported via the protein product of the gadC gene, which is cotranscribed with gadB. Here we demonstrate that transcription of both gadA and gadBC is positively controlled by gadX, a gene downstream of gadA, encoding a transcriptional regulator belonging to the AraC/XylS family. The gadX promoter encompasses the 67-bp region preceding the gadX transcription start site and contains both RpoD and RpoS putative recognition sites. Transcription of gadX occurs in neutral rich medium upon entry into the stationary phase and is increased at acidic pH, paralleling the expression profile of the gad structural genes. However, PT5lacO-controlled gadX expression in neutral rich medium results in upregulation of target genes even in exponential phase, i.e., when the gad system is normally repressed. Autoregulation of the whole gad system is inferred by the positive effect of GadX on the gadA promoter and gadAX cotranscription. Transcription of gadX is derepressed in an hns mutant and strongly reduced in both rpoS and hns rpoS mutants, consistent with the expression profile of gad structural genes in these genetic backgrounds. Gel shift and DNase I footprinting analyses with a MalE-GadX fusion protein demonstrate that GadX binds gadA and gadBC promoters at different sites and with different binding affinities.
Heritability of Gestational Weight Gain – A Swedish Register-Based Twin Study

Gestational weight gain (GWG) is a complex trait involving intrauterine environmental, maternal environmental, and genetic factors. However, the extent to which these factors contribute to the total variation in GWG is unclear. We therefore examined the genetic and environmental influences on the variation in GWG in the first and second pregnancy in monozygotic (MZ) and dizygotic (DZ) twin mother-pairs. Further, we explored if any co-variance existed between factors influencing the variation in GWG of the mothers’ first and second pregnancies. By using Swedish nationwide record-linkage data, we identified 694 twin mother-pairs with complete data on their first pregnancy and 465 twin mother-pairs with complete data on their second pregnancy during 1982–2010. For a subanalysis, 143 twin mother-pairs had complete data on two consecutive pregnancies during the study period. We used structural equation modeling (SEM) to assess the contribution of genetic, shared, and unique environmental factors to the variation in GWG. A bivariate Cholesky decomposition model was used for the subanalysis. We found that genetic factors explained 43% (95% CI: 36–51%) of the variation in GWG in the first pregnancy and 26% (95% CI: 16–36%) in the second pregnancy. The remaining variance was explained by unique environmental factors. Both overlapping and distinct genetic and unique environmental factors influenced GWG in the first and the second pregnancy. This study showed that GWG has a moderate heritability, suggesting that a large part of the variation in the trait can be explained by unique environmental factors.
The Forkhead Transcription Factor AFX Activates Apoptosis by Induction of the BCL-6 Transcriptional Repressor*

The activation of the AKT/protein kinase B kinases by mutation of the PTEN lipid phosphatase results in enhanced survival of a diversity of tumors. This resistance to apoptosis is partly accomplished by the inhibition of genetic programs induced by a subfamily of forkhead transcription factors including AFX. Here we describe an AFX-regulated pathway that appears to account for at least part of this apoptotic regulatory system. Cells induced to synthesize an active form of AFX die by activating the apoptotic death pathway. An analysis of genes regulated by AFX demonstrated that BCL-6, a transcriptional repressor, is up-regulated ∼4–7-fold. An examination of the BCL-6 promoter demonstrated that AFX bound to specific target sites that could activate transcription. BCL-XL, an anti-apoptotic protein, contains potential BCL-6 target sites in its promoter. An analysis of endogenous BCL-XL levels in AFX-expressing cells revealed enhanced down-regulation of the transcript (∼1.3–1.7-fold) and protein, and BCL-6 directly binds to and suppresses theBCL-X L promoter. Finally, macrophages isolated from BCL-6−/− mice show enhanced survivalin vitro. These results suggest that AFX regulates apoptosis in part by suppressing the levels of anti-apoptotic BCL-XL through the transcriptional repressor BCL-6.
Optimal VLSI architecture for distributed arithmetic-based algorithms

Digital signal processing algorithms often use inner product as basic computation. In this paper we propose a new design methodology for synthesizing an optimal VLSI architecture implementing a real-time Distributed Arithmetic-based inner product. Our design methodology considers the design space as bidimensional one. In the first dimension we consider all possible input data parallelisations: from bit-serial to bit-parallel. In the second dimension we consider all possible lookup-table partitioning. Using a new ROM generic model, expressions are developed for area and maximum input data bandwidth, which allows to have an explicit formulation of the area-bandwidth tradeoff. Finally, for a given set of application constraints (inner product size and data bandwidth), we exhibit the optimal architectural parameters that provide the smallest chip area. <<ETX>>