Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Predicting emotion perception abilities for cochlear implant users

Abstract Objective In daily life, failure to perceive emotional expressions can result in maladjusted behaviour. For cochlear implant users, perceiving emotional cues in sounds remains challenging, and the factors explaining the variability in patients' sensitivity to emotions are currently poorly understood. Understanding how these factors relate to auditory proficiency is a major challenge of cochlear implant research and is critical in addressing patients' limitations. Design To fill this gap, we evaluated different auditory perception aspects in implant users (pitch discrimination, music processing and speech intelligibility) and correlated them to their performance in an emotion recognition task. Study sample Eighty-four adults (18–76 years old) participated in our investigation; 42 cochlear implant users and 42 controls. Cochlear implant users performed worse than their controls on all tasks, and emotion perception abilities were correlated to their age and their clinical outcome as measured in the speech intelligibility task. Results As previously observed, emotion perception abilities declined with age (here by about 2–3% in a decade). Interestingly, even when emotional stimuli were musical, CI users’ skills relied more on processes underlying speech intelligibility. Conclusions These results suggest that speech processing remains a clinical priority even when one is interested in affective skills.
On the Impact of Line-of-Sight and Spatial Correlation on NOMA Performance

Non-orthogonal multiple access based zero-forcing beamforming (NOMA-ZFBF) systems require both semi- orthogonal users (SU) in beams and highly correlated (HC) users within a beam to maximize the spectral efficiency of the system. Hence, channel models where different users are likely to experience both similar and near-orthogonal channel vectors are likely to give good NOMA performance. In order to explore this, we analyze the variance of the interference power between two users, where a large variance indicates this channel behavior is more likely. Moreover, we have compared the Rician and Rayleigh channels in correlated and independent and identically distributed (I.I.D.) environments in order to provide some new insights into the role of line- of-sight (LoS) and correlated components with respect to NOMA beam formation and clustering of HC users. Analysis and numerical results show that correlated channels with similar channel statistics result in a higher variance that in turn increases the cluster percentage and enhances the cluster rate.
The impact of an integrated, interprofessional knowledge translation intervention on access to inpatient rehabilitation for persons with cognitive impairment

Introduction Stroke rehabilitation teams’ skills and knowledge in treating persons with cognitive impairment (CI) contribute to their reduced access to inpatient rehabilitation. This study examined stroke inpatient rehabilitation referral acceptance rates for persons with CI before and after the implementation of a multi-faceted integrated knowledge translation (KT) intervention aimed at improving clinicians’ skills in a cognitive-strategy based approach, Cognitive Orientation to daily Occupational Performance (CO-OP), CO-OP KT. Methods CO-OP KT was implemented at five inpatient rehabilitation centres, using an interrupted time series design and data from an electronic referral and database system called E-Stroke. CO-OP KT included a 2-day workshop, 4 months of implementation support, health system support, and a sustainability plan. A mixed effects model was used to model monthly acceptance rates for 12 months prior to the intervention and 6 months post. Results The dataset was comprised of 2604 pre-intervention referrals and 1354 post. In the mixed effects model, those with CI had a lower pre-intervention acceptance rate than those without. Post-intervention the model showed the acceptance rate for those with CI increased by 8.6% (p = 0.02), whereas those with no CI showed a non-significant increase of less than 1%. Conclusions Proportionally more persons with CI gained access to inpatient stroke rehabilitation following an integrated KT intervention.
Single-cell profiling of environmental enteropathy reveals signatures of epithelial remodeling and immune activation

Environmental enteropathy (EE) is a subclinical condition of the small intestine that is highly prevalent in low- and middle-income countries. It is thought to be a key contributing factor to childhood malnutrition, growth stunting, and diminished oral vaccine responses. Although EE has been shown to be the by-product of a recurrent enteric infection, its full pathophysiology remains unclear. Here, we mapped the cellular and molecular correlates of EE by performing high-throughput, single-cell RNA-sequencing on 33 small intestinal biopsies from 11 adults with EE in Lusaka, Zambia (eight HIV-negative and three HIV-positive), six adults without EE in Boston, United States, and two adults in Durban, South Africa, which we complemented with published data from three additional individuals from the same clinical site. We analyzed previously defined bulk-transcriptomic signatures of reduced villus height and decreased microbial translocation in EE and showed that these signatures may be driven by an increased abundance of surface mucosal cells—a gastric-like subset previously implicated in epithelial repair in the gastrointestinal tract. In addition, we determined cell subsets whose fractional abundances associate with EE severity, small intestinal region, and HIV infection. Furthermore, by comparing duodenal EE samples with those from three control cohorts, we identified dysregulated WNT and MAPK signaling in the EE epithelium and increased proinflammatory cytokine gene expression in a T cell subset highly expressing a transcriptional signature of tissue-resident memory cells in the EE cohort. Together, our work elucidates epithelial and immune correlates of EE and nominates cellular and molecular targets for intervention. Description Single-cell genomic profiling identifies epithelial and immune correlates of environmental enteropathy. Profiling environmental enteropathy Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) has been shown to be a powerful tool for understanding the pathophysiology of numerous disorders. Here, Kummerlowe et al. applied scRNA-seq on small intestine biopsies from patients with environmental enteropathy (EE), an intestinal subclinical condition prevalent in low-income countries, caused by exposure to environmental enteropathogens. The authors identified common pathways associated with the disease- and cell-type contribution to EE severity. Samples from patients with EE showed increased proinflammatory molecules and alterations in WNT- and MAPK-associated signaling, suggesting that targeting these pathways could be effective for treating EE.
Medical–surgical nurse leaders' experiences with safety culture: An inductive qualitative descriptive study

Abstract Aim The aim of this study is to describe safety culture as experienced by medical–surgical nurse leaders. Background Safety culture remains a barrier in safer patient care. Nurse leaders play an important role in creating and supporting a safety culture. Methods We used an inductive qualitative descriptive study using semistructured interviews, document review and observations in a Midwestern community hospital in the United States. Results Results of the study are as follows: making sure nurses are keeping patients safe, making sure nurses have nursing interventions in place, expecting nurses to stop unsafe acts or escalate when they feel uncomfortable, making sure nurses have what they need to provide safe care, organization prioritizes patient safety and making sure nurses are learning and growing emerged as themes describing safety culture. Conclusions Nurse leaders made sure patients were safe by making sure everyone was doing their best to provide safe care. Insufficient time, too many priorities, insufficient resources, poor physician behaviours and lack of respect for their role emerged as barriers to leading a safety culture. Implications for Nursing Management Organizations must remove barriers for nurse leaders to develop and lead a safety culture. Nurse leaders must learn to advocate successfully for safe nursing care and professional work environments.
The Low-Frequency Array (LOFAR) and EoR Key-Science Project

The Low-Frequency ARray (LOFAR) is a novel radio-telescope facility with its core and operation center in the Netherlands. LOFAR is one of several current pathfinders toward SKA. One of LOFAR's key science projects is the detection and characterization of the redshifted 21-cm emission from neutral hydrogen coming from the Epoch of Reionization and Dark Ages at redshifts beyond 6. With role-out of the core and outer stations in the Netherlands and related computational facilities nearing completion, science operations are expected to commence soon. I will present a short overview of the current status of LOFAR and that of our Epoch-of-Reionization Key Science Project.
A lysosomal regulatory circuit essential for the development and function of microglia

As the primary phagocytic cells of the central nervous system, microglia exquisitely regulate their lysosomal activity to facilitate brain development and homeostasis. However, mechanisms that coordinate lysosomal activity with microglia development, chemotaxis, and function remain unclear. Here, we show that embryonic macrophages require the lysosomal guanosine triphosphatase (GTPase) RagA and the GTPase-activating protein Folliculin to colonize the brain in zebrafish. We demonstrate that embryonic macrophages in rraga mutants show increased expression of lysosomal genes but display significant down-regulation of immune- and chemotaxis-related genes. Furthermore, we find that RagA and Folliculin repress the key lysosomal transcription factor Tfeb and its homologs Tfe3a and Tfe3b in the macrophage lineage. Using RNA sequencing, we establish that Tfeb and Tfe3 are required for activation of lysosomal target genes under conditions of stress but not for basal expression of lysosomal pathways. Collectively, our data define a lysosomal regulatory circuit essential for macrophage development and function in vivo.
African Caribbean Ethnicity Is an Independent Predictor of Significant Decline in Kidney Function in People With Type 1 Diabetes.

OBJECTIVE The aim of the study was to identify the demographic and clinical features in an urban cohort of people with type 1 diabetes who developed a ≥50% decline in estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS We evaluated 5,261 people with type 1 diabetes (51% female, 13.4% African Caribbean) with baseline eGFR >45 mL/min/1.73 m2 between 2004 and 2018. The primary end point was an eGFR decline of ≥50% from baseline with a final eGFR <30 mL/min/1.73 m2. eGFR was calculated using the Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration equation. RESULTS Of the cohort, 263 (5%) reached the primary end point. These individuals were more likely to be of African Caribbean ethnicity, be older, have a longer duration of diabetes, have higher systolic blood pressure and HbA1c, have more prevalent retinopathy, and have higher albuminuria (all P < 0.05). In multivariable Cox regression models, African Caribbean ethnicity emerged as a significant risk factor for the primary end point (hazard ratio 1.57, 95% CI 1.19, 2.08) compared with other ethnicities and independent of established risk factors (P < 0.01). The incidence rate for the primary end point in African Caribbean people was double that in non-African Caribbean people (16 vs. 7.7 per 1000 patient-years, P < 0.001). A similar significant independent impact of African Caribbean ethnicity for secondary end points (≥40% and ≥30% fall in eGFR) was observed. CONCLUSIONS We report a novel observation that African Caribbean ethnicity increased the risk of kidney function loss in people with type 1 diabetes, an effect that was independent of traditional risk factors. Further studies are needed to examine the associated pathophysiology that may explain this observation.
Southwestern national park service employee risk, knowledge, and concern for triatomine exposure: A qualitative analysis using a novel knowledge, attitudes, and practices survey

Chagas disease (CD), caused by the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, is a neglected parasitic infection in the United States (US). In the Southwestern US, National Park Service (NPS) employees are a unique population with potential exposure to CD. This population lives in close contact with several species of sylvatic triatomine bugs, the vectors of T. cruzi, that may enter residential buildings at night. Despite the higher potential risk of CD transmission for southwestern NPS employees, the socio-cultural factors that impact autochthonous CD transmission in the US remain unknown. To address this gap, we investigated how NPS employee knowledge and attitudes impact their triatomine preventive behaviors. We distributed a 42-item online questionnaire to NPS employees at four national parks in Arizona and Texas. We detected high self-reported bite exposure in NPS housing, despite moderate- to high-frequency of prevention behaviors. Specific behaviors, such as often or always repairing window screens, were associated with a decreased risk of putative triatomine bug exposure. Additionally, NPS employees had low knowledge of CD. For those with greater knowledge of CD, it was not associated with increased frequency of prevention behavior. We found that increased CD anxiety was associated with increased personal agency to reduce the risk of CD. These results demonstrate the influence of knowledge and attitudes regarding CD on triatomine prevention behavior within a potential high-risk population in the US, and the importance of utilizing strategies beyond provision of education to influence behaviors.
Detection of Copy-Move Forgery of Images Using Discrete Wavelet Transform

Digital images are used everywhere and it is easy to manipulate and edit because of availability of various image processing and editing software. In a copy-move image forgery, a part of an image is copied and then pasted on a different location within the same image. A copy-move image forgery is done either for hiding some image object, or adding more details resulting in at least some part being cloned. In both the case, image reliability is lost. In this paper an improved algorithm based on Discrete Wavelet Transform (DWT) is used to detect such cloning forgery. In this technique at first DWT (Discrete Wavelet Transform) is applied to the input image for a reduced dimensional representation. Then the compressed image is divided into overlapping blocks. After that Lexicographic sorting is performed, and duplicated blocks are identified. Due to DWT usage, detection is first carried out on lowest level image representation. This approach increases accuracy of detection process and reduces the time needed for the detection process.
Parenting style in childhood and attitudes toward caregiving in adulthood: a qualitative study

ABSTRACT This study aims to explore how relationships with parents during childhood can influence an individual’s attitude toward caregiving later in life. The qualitative data came from 47 respondents who care for adult loved ones, with a caregiver mean age of 46.7. The respondents reflected on their recent experience of providing care for their loved ones and how experiences with their caregivers growing up may have influenced their caregiving attitudes. Using a codebook thematic analysis, themes were generated linking childhood experiences to current attitudes toward caregiving. Themes included reciprocating good care, performing obligatory care, and stopping the generational transference of negative care. For most participants, providing quality care for adult loved ones happened regardless of whether the one’s childhood experiences with caregivers were positive or negative. Knowledge about the impact of childhood experiences can help health professionals develop interventions to support family caregivers that consider childhood experiences with parents.
From Good to Great

concern that using case series studies (level 4) and observation studies (level 3) to perform a systematic review or meta-analysis limits the accuracy of the conclu-sions and renders the systematic review ineffectual. When referring to review articles, I have frequently heard the adage, ‘‘Garbage in equals garbage out. ’’ I often wonder how the authors of the original case series or observational studies would feel about such a pejorative term being used to describe their work. More importantly, if a systematic review is done correctly, with low heterogeneity and rigorous scientific methods, those studies can be invaluable in
Gradual changes in microarchitectural properties of cortex and juxtacortical white matter: Observed by anatomical and diffusion MRI

Characterization of cerebral cortex is challenged by the complexity and heterogeneity of its cyto‐ and myeloarchitecture. This study evaluates quantitative MRI metrics, measured across two cortical depths and in subcortical white matter (WM) adjacent to cortex (juxtacortical WM), indicative of myelin content, neurite density, and diffusion microenvironment, for a comprehensive characterization of cortical microarchitecture.
Glucosyltransferase‐modulated Streptococcus mutans adhesion to different surfaces involved in biofilm formation by atomic force microscopy

Biofilm on dental restorative materials is an important determinant in the etiology of secondary caries development. Formation of biofilm involves adhesion of bacteria onto substrate, bacterial cell, and biofilm surfaces. Glucosyltransferase B and C (GtfB and GtfC) are essential factors for regulation of Streptococcus mutans biofilm formation, but the mechanisms involving different kinds of bacterial adhesion still lack detailed description. In this study, nanoscale adhesion force measurement was performed using atomic force microscopy. Bacteria‐coated cantilevers were used to probe S. mutans adhesion to substrates, bacterial cells, and early biofilms. Two representative dental materials, glass ionomer cement (GIC) and composite resin, served as substrates. It was found that deletion of gtfB and gtfC genes both reduced adhesion forces of S. mutans toward substrate and bacterial cell surfaces (P < 0.05). Notably, reduction of the gtfB gene remarkably decreased bacterial adhesion to biofilm surfaces (P < 0.05), while gtfC showed no obvious effect during this stage. Biofilms cultured on GIG further decreased cell–biofilm adhesion, compared with those on resin (P < 0.05). Confocal fluorescence images and scanning electron microscopy images showed that deletion of gtfB lead to reduced microcolony formation and less production of exopolysaccharides (EPSs) in the biofilm, and after bacterial culturing on GIC, the EPS content was further decreased. Our findings suggest that EPSs mainly mediate bacterial adhesion to early biofilm surface. Deletion of gtfB and coculture with GIC could significantly reduce the cell–biofilm adhesion, which is probably through decreasing of EPS production. gtfB exerts a critical role in the bacterial adhesion for the whole process of biofilm development, while gtfC possibly works only in the early stages.
Partial Error Bound Conditions and the Linear Convergence Rate of the Alternating Direction Method of Multipliers

In the literature, error bound conditions have been widely used to study the linear convergence rates of various first-order algorithms. Most of the literature focuses on how to ensure these error bound conditions, usually posing numerous assumptions or special structures on the model under discussion. In this paper, we focus on the alternating direction method of multipliers (ADMM) and show that the known error bound conditions for studying the ADMM's linear convergence rate can indeed be further weakened if the error bound is studied over the specific iterative sequence it generates. An error bound condition based on ADMM's iterations is thus proposed, and linear convergence under this condition is proved. Furthermore, taking advantage of a specific feature of ADMM's iterative scheme by which part of the perturbation is automatically zero, we propose the so-called partial error bound condition, which is weaker than known error bound conditions in the literature, and we derive the linear convergence rate.
p53 inhibits Bmi-1-driven self-renewal and defines salivary gland cancer stemness.

PURPOSE Mucoepidermoid carcinoma (MEC) is a poorly understood salivary gland malignancy with limited therapeutic options. Cancer stem cells (CSC) are considered drivers of cancer progression by mediating tumor recurrence and metastasis. We have shown that clinically relevant small molecule inhibitors of MDM2-p53 interaction activate p53 signaling and reduce the fraction of CSC in MEC. Here we examined the functional role of p53 in the plasticity and self-renewal of MEC CSC. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN Using gene silencing and therapeutic activation of p53 we analyzed the cell cycle profiles and apoptosis levels of CSCs in MEC cell lines (UM-HMC-1, -3A, -3B) via flow cytometry and looked at the effects on survival/self-renewal of the CSCs through sphere assays. We evaluated the effect of p53 on tumor development (N=51) and disease recurrence (N=17) using in vivo subcutaneous and orthotopic murine models of MEC. Recurrence was followed for 250 days after tumor resection. RESULTS Although p53 activation does not induce MEC CSC apoptosis, it reduces stemness properties such as self-renewal by regulating Bmi-1 expression and driving CSC towards differentiation. In contrast, downregulation of p53 causes expansion of the CSC population while promoting tumor growth. Remarkably, therapeutic activation of p53 prevented CSC-mediated tumor recurrence in preclinical trials. CONCLUSION Collectively, these results demonstrate that p53 defines the stemness of MEC and suggest that therapeutic activation of p53 might have clinical utility in patients with salivary gland mucoepidermoid carcinoma.
Outcomes of de novo belatacept‐based immunosuppression regimen and avoidance of calcineurin inhibitors in recipients of kidney allografts at higher risk for underutilization

To describe an experience using a protocol using de novo belatacept (DNB) based maintenance immunosuppression in the setting of lymphocyte depletion. A retrospective, observational study was performed on 37 kidney transplant recipients treated with the DNB protocol, which was defined as belatacept initiated within 7 days after a kidney transplant with steroids and mycophenolate with anti‐thymocyte globulin (ATG) induction without concomitant calcineurin inhibitors (CNIs). Patients who received a deceased donor kidney meeting one or more of the following criteria: anticipated cold ischemia time (CIT) greater than 24 h, donation after cardiac death, donor acute kidney injury, and a Kidney Donor Profile Index (KDPI) >85% during the study period were included. Patient survival at 1 year was 97.3% and graft survival was 94.6%. Delayed graft function (DGF) occurred in 40.54% of the patients. Two patients experienced a Banff 1B acute cellular rejection. BK viremia was detected in 32.4% of patients. The mean estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) calculated with the use of modification of diet in renal disease (MDRD) equation at 1 year in the study group was 54.7 ml/min/1.73 m2. We believe that utilization of the DNB protocol, which allows early CNI avoidance, may decrease organ discard rates.