Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Toxocara infection in the differential diagnosis of multiple sclerosis in the Middle East

A critical step in the diagnosis of multiple sclerosis is to rule out a heterogeneous variety of multiple sclerosis mimickers, which is crucial in the era of powerful immune-modulator treatments. In this review, we discuss the background of toxocariasis in general, present central nervous system Toxocara infection as one of the multiple sclerosis mimickers in the Middle East, and share our experience about the diagnosis and management of this condition. This entity seems very relevant in a region such as the Middle East, where displacement of populations and conflict can result in non-hygienic food and water management bundles. The diagnosis should be entertained, especially when assessing patients with myelopathy. The presence of a single lesion in the spinal cord with inflammatory features should prompt serological testing for Toxocara IgG and IgM in serum and the cerebrospinal fluid. This infection is treatable, with the regimen of high-dose albendazole being one of the most accepted treatments. Although most cases exhibit a good prognosis, some have residual deficits localized to the affected spinal cord level.
Genome-Wide Co-Expression Distributions as a Metric to Prioritize Genes of Functional Importance

Genome-wide gene expression is routinely used as a tool to gain a systems-level understanding of complex, biological processes. Numerical approaches that have been used to highlight influential genes include abundance, differential expression, differential variation, network connectivity and differential connectivity. Network connectivity tends to be built on a small subset of extremely high co-expression signals that are deemed significant, but this overlooks the vast majority of pairwise signals. Here, we aimed to assess a complementary strategy, namely whether the entire shape of the distribution of genome-wide co-expression values contains a meaningful biological signal that has hitherto remained hidden from view. We have developed a computational pipeline to assign one of 8 distributions (including normal, skewed, bimodal, kurtotic, inverted) to every gene. We then used a hypergeometric enrichment process to determine if particular genes (regulators versus non-regulators) and properties (differentially expressed or not) tend to be associated with particular distributions greater than would be expected by chance. Examination of several distinct data sets spanning 4 species indicates that there is indeed an additional biological signal present in the genome-wide distribution of co-expression values which would be overlooked by currently adopted approaches. Author summary High-throughput technologies, such as RNA-Seq, enables access to a vast amount of data. Here, we describe a new approach to interrogate these data and extract further information to help researchers to understand complex phenotypes. Our method is based on gene-level co-expression distributions which were compared to eight possible template shapes to group genes with similar behaviours. The method was tested using five different datasets and the consistency of the results indicate it can be used as a complementary strategy to analyse transcriptomic data.
Anaesthetic management in the excision of large carotid body tumours: Surgeons perspectives

Objective(s): Carotid body tumours (CBT) are considered rare. Surgical excision is the treatment of choice and poses many anaesthetic challenges especially in large tumours. In this paper we present our experience of anaesthetic management of CBT which is one of the largest series on management of large (Shamblin II, III) tumours in the world. Design: Retrospective cohort, Instituitional Review Board (IRB) Approved. Setting: Single-Centre Tertiary care institute in South India. Participants: Patients undergoing operative intervention for carotid body tumours. Interventions: nil, observational. Results: 66 tumours were excised in 62 patients (27 female, 39 male). The average age was 37.5. All tumours presented with a slow growing neck mass.7 patients complained of pain,as the presenting symptom. 2 were malignant, all were non-functional. 4 presented with preoperative neurological dysfunction- 2 with cranial nerve palsy following excision of contralateral CBT and 2 with resolved stroke following preoperative embolization. Nasotracheal intubation with mandibular subluxation was performed in 5. The average operating time was 2.5 hours. Average blood loss was 900 ml (200- 5000ml). Perioperative blood or product requirement varied from no transfusion to one patient with a very large (20cm tumour) requiring transfusion of a total of 20 products. Clamping of the carotid was necessary in 22 patients. 3 patients received heparin prior to clamp. There were 4 perioperative strokes, none of whom had any precipitous intraoperative hypotension. Transient postoperative cranial nerve palsy/paresis occurred in 50% with permanent cranial nerve deficits in 5%. There was no perioperative mortality. Tracheostomy was required in one patient for bilateral vocal cord palsy. Conclusions: Several preoperative ,intraoperative and postoperative management points (airway, intraoperative blood loss, stroke, cranial nerve dysfunction ,blood pressure control), are specific to the management of carotid body F tumours.Increased awareness of these specific scenarios and appropriate management ensures minimal perioperative morbidity and mortality.
Associations Between Nonclinical Services and Patient-Experience Outcomes in US Acute Care Hospitals

Background: Patient experience is an important measure of hospital quality and performance. Since the passage of the Affordable Care Act, patient experiences with their care encounters are embedded into the framework of payment incentives. However, drivers of patient experience in the context of the supportive, nonclinical, services that relate to patient care have not been as well understood. Aims: To assess the role of organizational factors on patient experience. Methods: This cross-sectional analysis integrates hospital patient-experience scores from Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems, and Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Service data from 2013 to 2015 (N = 3392). Based on hospitals with “top-box” responses, the aggregate proportion of hospital patients responding “always” on a Likert scale represented a top-box hospital. Domains were split at the mean for analysis (above average = 1). Multivariable logistic regression models for each domain were analyzed against hospital factors and services, including offering a patient education center, patient-enabling services, and language services. Results: Most hospitals reported a full-time hospitalist (64.4%) and a patient education center (60.4%), while fewer provided enabling/support services (33.7%). In multivariable models, small and medium hospitals performed better compared to the largest hospitals (300+ beds; P < .0001). Structurally, medium and small hospitals reported significantly greater odds of top-box patient-experience versus large hospitals. Across all domains, only hospitals with patient education centers returned better performance (adjusted odds ratio: 1.27-1.64; P = .0002-.0166). Discussion/Conclusion: Patient education centers provide relevant information at the point of service and may improve overall patient experience of care. Given the growing reliance on accountable care delivery models, opportunities to partner with community health education partners may be profitable.
The use of HPV-DNA testing combined with Pap smear in detection of pre-invasive disease of the cervix

Background: Cancer cervix constitutes a major health problem worldwide. It is one of the most common female malignancy in both incidence and mortality. Cancer cervix has many risk factors, the most important one is persistent infection with one of HPV high risk types. Its morbidity and mortality can be reduced by frequent screening and early diagnosis. So that, several studies have been conducted in recent years in order to find better tests for screening for pre-invasive disease of the cervix and so early intervention and better prognosis. This study aimed to compare the sensitivity of Pap test and HPV DNA test as screening tests for pre-invasive disease of the cervix. Methods: 100 females from those attending Alexandria University gynaecologic clinic for causes rather than cancer cervix were subjected to Pap smear and cervical swab for HPV-DNA testing at the same setting. Cases of HSIL or positive HPV were subjected to VIA test, colposcopy and cervical punch biopsy was taken if aceto-whitening of the cervix or any other abnormality was found. Cases with ASCUS or LSIL were re-smeared after 3-6 months, if persistent or progressive pathology, colposcopy and punch biopsy from acetowhite areas were taken. Results: 21 cases (21%) were HPV positive and 66 cases (66%) were positive for intraepithelial lesions (37% ASCUS, 18% LSIL and 11% HSIL) with re-smearing there were 3 persistent ASCUS cases (8.1%) and 5 LSIL cases (27.78%). Colposcopy done, and biopsies were taken from 10 HSIL cases (90.1%), 5 LSIL (27.8%), 3 ASCUS (8.1%) and 10 HPV positive cases (62.5%). With significant relationship between colposcopic findings and HPVDNA positivity and abnormal cytology. Biopsies were 18; 14 were CIN I and 4 were CIN II. Conclusions: HPV-DNA positivity has positive association with HSIL. Pap smear is an easy cheap method for screening. HPV-DNA test is less sensitive than cytology as a method for screening.
A case study of leadership initiatives in a diverse charter school: values in agreement and conflict

ABSTRACT This case study offers an in-depth analysis of the initiatives implemented by a principal in an intentionally diverse charter school. Through extensive interviews with the principal, assistant principals, classroom teachers, and data gathered from surveys, classroom observations, and school documents, this research identifies the successful initiatives and challenges implemented by an experienced principal to affect curricular change and policies in a charter school committed to equity, social justice, and educational excellence. In this research, Lukes’ theoretical framework of power was applied to examine the leadership of a charter school principal. Lukes’ conceptualization provides a model to analyze power in a social system and determine how an individual exerts power, whether consensus or conflict exists or it is not observable. Findings from this case study identify a charter school principal’s circumscribed role of leadership to affect change and propose a governing structure for charter schools that reframes the roles and responsibilities for those in positions of leadership.
Moisture Sources for Wintertime Intense Precipitation Events Over the Three Snowy Subregions of the Tibetan Plateau

Wintertime intense precipitation events often lead to severe snow disasters. In this study, a Lagrangian approach is employed to examine the evaporative moisture sources for wintertime intense precipitation events over the three snowy subregions of the Tibetan Plateau (TP) during 1979–2016, including the western TP (WTP), south central TP (SCTP), and southeastern TP (SETP). More than 80.0% of the moisture for intense precipitation over each subregion originates from terrestrial areas. Although prevailing westerly winds dominate above the TP and its surrounding areas during winter, half of the precipitation over the three subregions is supplied by evaporation from the south (i.e., the Indian Peninsula). Specifically, evaporation from the Indian Peninsula contributes 68.0%, 65.0%, and 45.0% of the moisture for intense precipitation over the WTP, SCTP, and SETP, respectively. The two primary oceanic moisture source regions for intense precipitation are the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal, playing complementary roles in supplying moisture. The relative contributions of the Arabian Sea to intense precipitation over the WTP, SCTP, and SETP are 9.2%, 6.9%, and 1.1%, while those of the Bay of Bengal are 1.1%, 12.1%, and 8.6%. Southerly winds downstream of a cyclonic anomaly over the Indian Peninsula are crucial for the low‐level moisture transport from the south to the Himalayan foothills. Under the combined effects of orographic lifting and favorable large‐scale circulation patterns, moisture ascends further into the three subregions. Changes in the position and intensity of the cyclonic anomaly are particularly crucial to facilitating moisture contributions from the key source regions.
Characterisation of human peptidyl prolyl isomerase-like protein 1 (PPIL1) mutations

A novel brain malformation syndrome was previously reported in six individuals from four families. Patients presented with profound microcephaly (OFC 7-9 SD < mean), severe cortical dysplasia, profound cerebellar hypoplasia of both vermis and hemispheres and brainstem hypoplasia. In previous work, autozygosity mapping and whole exome sequencing suggested variants in peptidyl-prolyl isomerase 1 (PPIL1) were responsible for the disease. All patient variants were homozygous and cause the following PPIL1 protein changes: p.A99T, p.T107A, p.R131Q and p.G109C;A101_D106dup. PPIL1 is expressed ubiquitously in humans and is part of the spliceosome, a complex RNA and protein enzyme responsible for splicing introns from pre-mRNA. To gain an insight into the mechanism of this disease, PPIL1 WT and mutant proteins have been expressed and purified from E. coli. This work has shown that two PPIL1 patient mutations significantly affect protein stability. Using SPR, a further patient mutation has been shown to abolish an interaction with SKIP, a protein which is thought to recruit PPIL1 to the spliceosome. PPIL1 is also a peptidyl prolyl-isomerase enzyme and using NMR it has been shown that a further patient mutation reduces this enzymatic activity on a model substrate. Currently the biological target of PPIL1 peptidyl prolyl-isomerase enzyme activity in the spliceosome is unknown. By studying published cryo-EM data and using NMR and ITC experiments it has been shown that PRP17, is a plausible biological target of PPIL1 in the spliceosome. Taken together these results confirm the deleterious effect of the identified patient variants and provide novel insights into the role of PPIL1.
When IoT Meets Blockchain: Challenges in Distributed Consensus

The blockchain is seen as a beneficial development for IoT (Internet of Things), as it offers vital answers for a package which can fix security and trust checks, major help expenses, etc. Blockchain's decentralization will be mainly due to the consensus mechanism which awards specific trade during a distributed path without the ties between others. It begins with the basic message of blockchain and explains why the accepted component recognizes a particular career during a blockchainIoT process. Two basic ideas of commended mechanisms such as Proof of Stake (PoS) and Proof of Work (PoW) are addressed and reports are demanded in IoT. The Direct Acyclic Graphs(DAG) is used to show why it is reactive than IoTPoS and PoW structure. Hashgraph and Tangle are mainly based on consensus mechanisms.
Predição de Risco de Evasão de Alunos Usando Métodos de Aprendizado de Máquina em Cursos Técnicos

Every year the number of vacancies in technical courses offered by public educational institutions increases. However, the number of student dropouts has alerted educators and researchers, not just for its social impact but also for economic losses. This work proposes the induction of decision tree based classification models to predict potential dropout students in technical courses. For this, we used only basic information about students and their attendances during the first week. Results show that classification models were able to identify 25% of potential student dropouts with 86% of precision. The models were considered promising to help educational managers to better control student dropout rates. Resumo. Anualmente presenciamos o aumento de vagas em cursos técnicos em instituições públicas. No entanto o número de evasões de alunos vem alertando educadores e pesquisadores, pois é responsável não apenas por perdas de ordem social mas também de ordem econômica. Neste trabalho é proposto a construção de modelos de classificação baseados em árvores de decisão para predição de potenciais alunos evasores em cursos de nível técnico. Para isso foram utilizadas informações básicas dos alunos e as suas frequências nos primeiros sete dias de aula. Os modelos construídos conseguiram recuperar 25% dos potências evasores com uma precisão de 86%. Os modelos foram considerados promissores para o gerenciamento de ações de permanência e êxito.
Participación de mujeres en el movimiento sindical. Análisis desde la perspectiva de los recursos de poder

Los sindicatos, como organizaciones masculinizadas o regímenes de desigualdad, son un espacio en disputa, en el que hombres y mujeres pugnan empleando una pluralidad de recursos de poder (principalmente, posicional, personal, colectivo y simbólico). Utilizando la perspectiva interseccional de los recursos de poder, y a partir de relatos de vida de una muestra de mujeres sindicalistas, en este artículo se analizan los obstáculos para la plena participación de las mujeres en los sindicatos y las estrategias que éstas desarrollan para hacer frente a la desigualdad. Se identifican dos grandes barreras para la participación femenina: la dificultad para conciliar trabajo, familia y sindicato, y la construcción masculina del sindicalismo. Frente a ello, se identifican cuatro tipos de estrategias de las mujeres sindicalistas para lograr su participación en el sindicato. Estas estrategias, que pueden ser complementarias, se diferencian en el tipo de recurso de poder que se persigue adquirir.
Consistent community detection in multi-layer network data

We consider multi-layer network data where the relationships between pairs of elements are reflected in multiple modalities, and may be described by multivariate or even high-dimensional vectors. Under the multi-layer stochastic block model framework we derive consistency results for a least squares estimation of memberships. Our theorems show that, as compared to single-layer community detection, a multi-layer network provides much richer information that allows for consistent community detection from a much sparser network, with required edge density reduced by a factor of the square root of the number of layers. Moreover, the multi-layer framework can detect cohesive community structure across layers, which might be hard to detect by any single-layer or simple aggregation. Simulations and a data example are provided to support the theoretical results.
Biological Profile of HIV-Positive Patients in Bangui, Central African Republic, in 2017

Background: The biological profile of HIV-positive patients is essential for diagnosing treatment failure and the prognosis of infection. We determined the virological and immunological profiles and biological anomalies of HIV-positive people on antiretroviral therapy (ART) in Bangui, Central Afri-can Republic. Methods: We conducted an analytical, descriptive study be-tween 4 April and 30 September 2017 of all patients who had received ART for more than 12 months and who attended the Medical Analysis Laboratory of the Institut Pasteur in Bangui for a complete biological work-up, including viral load. A blood sample was taken for quantification of RNA HIV-1, CD4 lymphocytes and blood count in two tubes containing ethylenediamine te-traacetic acid, and another sample was taken in a dry tube for measurement of creatinine and transaminases. Results: The total population comprised 1748 patients, with a mean age of 38.7 years (±14.3; median, 41 years; range, 2 - 79 years); 33.3% of patients were between 40 and 49 years old. Females predo-minated (71.3%), for a sex ratio of 0.4. Immunological failure was observed in 20.2% of patients (CD4 < 200 cells/μL), and 44.5% of patients had a load of RNA HIV-1 ≥ 1000 copies/mL. The main haematological anomalies were anaemia (28.0%), leukopenia (26.7%), neutropenia (42.1%) and lymphopenia (27.2%). Blood creatinine was abnormal in 61.0% of patients, ALAT in 57.0% and ASAT in 66.9%. Conclusion: The abnormalities observed in this study concerned the haematopoietic system, the liver and the kidneys. As other or-gans and systems may be affected, periodic multidisciplinary biological and clinical follow-up is necessary for people living with HIV in order to improve their management.
The Relationship between Chronic Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms and Psychological Disorders in Women Referring to Baqyiatallah Hospital Clinic in Tehran City

Introduction: Lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) refer to a group of medical symptoms with the prevalence of 62.5% in men and 66.6% in women. LUTS (Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms) was associated with increased risk of having clinically relevant depressive symptoms or depression and vice versa. We assumed that patients with chronic lower urinary tract symptoms who referred to urology clinic and have negative urologic evaluations, may suffer from psychological symptoms such as anxiety, depression or obsession. Methods and Materials: This was a cross-sectional, single group survey of women living in Tehran province. Patients who were suffering from lower urinary tract symptoms for over than 6 months, were included in the study. We evaluate the presence of LUTS by asking the patients about their problems of urinary tract in two major categories: Filling or irritative symptoms e.g. frequency, urgency, dysuria, nocturia, stress incontinence, urge incontinence. Chi square and Original Research Article Heidari et al.; JPRI, 31(6): 1-7, 2019; Article no.JPRI. 52561 2 independent T tests were used to evaluate the correlation between study variables. All statistical analysis was performed using SPSS software version 16. Results: There was a positive correlation between irritative symptoms and depression symptoms (p‹0.001) and a negative correlation between obstructive symptoms and depression (p‹0.001). There was no association between LUTS and symptoms of OCD (ObsessiveCompulsive disorder). The mean age of participants with positive BDI (Beck depression inventory) was higher than those with negative BDI. (p= 0.007). Discussion: The results of this study emphasized the important association of LUTS and depression. In conclusion, depressive disorder can increase the risk of developing LUTS or accelerate this process. So when a patient with either urinary or depression symptoms referred to a psychiatry center, he should be screened for the other disease. This requires an adequate interaction between urology and psychiatry departments to achieve.
Physiological cell death of chondrocytes in vivo is not confined to apoptosis

Chondrocytes at the lower zone of the growth plate must be eliminated to facilitate longitudinal growth; this is generally assumed to involve apoptosis. We attempted to provide definitive electron-microscopic evidence of apoptosis in chondrocytes of physes and chondroepiphyses in the rabbit. We were, however, unable to find a single chondrocyte with the ultrastructure of ‘classical’ apoptosis in vivo, although such a cell was found in vitro. Instead, condensed chondrocytes had a convoluted nucleus with patchy chromatin condensations while the cytoplasm was dark with excessive amounts of endoplasmic reticulum. These cells were termed ‘dark chondrocytes’. A detailed study of their ultrastructure combined with localisation methods in situ suggested a different mechanism of programmed cell death. In addition, another type of death was identified among the immature chondrocytes of the chondroepiphysis. These cells had the same nucleus as dark chondrocytes, but the lumen of the endoplasmic reticulum had expande.