Channel noise induced stochastic effect of Hodgkin-Huxley neurons in a real classification task.

Noise is generally considered to have negative effects on information processing performance. However, it has also been proven that adding random noise or a certain level of stochastic (random) variability to a nonlinear system can increase its performance or sensitivity to weak signals. Despite the studies on this concept, called stochastic resonance in computational neuroscience, this phenomenon is still among the topics that need detailed research, especially in machine learning.

Trends in Prevalence and Treatment of Diabetic Macular Edema and Vision-Threatening Diabetic Retinopathy Among Medicare Part B Fee-for-Service Beneficiaries.

Importance: While diabetes prevalence among US adults has increased in recent decades, few studies document trends in diabetes-related eye disease.

Objective: To examine 10-year trends (2009-2018) in annual prevalence of Medicare beneficiaries with diabetes with a diagnosis of diabetic macular edema (DME) or vision-threatening diabetic retinopathy (VTDR) and trends in treatment.

Design, Setting, And Participants: In this cross-sectional study using Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services research identifiable files, data for patients 65 years and older were analyzed from claims.

The Prevalence of Diagnosis of Major Eye Diseases and their Associated Payments in the Medicare Fee-for-Service Program.

Purpose: To estimate the prevalence of diagnosis of major eye disorders and their associated payments, in total and per-person diagnosed, among Medicare fee-for-service (FFS) beneficiaries in 2018.

Methods: We analyzed 100% Medicare Part B FFS claims and Part D Events among beneficiaries continuously enrolled for 12 months in 2018 to calculate the proportion of beneficiaries with ≥1 claim indicating age-related macular degeneration (AMD), cataract, diabetic retinopathy (DR), or glaucoma, and their associated payments, including Medicare and patient out-of-pocket. Eye disease and eye care services were identified using case definitions from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Vision & Eye Health Surveillance System (VEHSS).

Impacts of autapse on chaotic resonance in single neurons and small-world neuronal networks.

Chaotic resonance (CR) is a new phenomenon induced by an intermediate level of chaotic signal intensity in neuronal systems. In the current study, we investigated the effects of autapse on the CR phenomenon in single neurons and small-world (SW) neuronal networks. In single neurons, we assume that the neuron has only one autapse modelled as electrical, excitatory chemical and inhibitory chemical synapse, respectively.

Metformin decreases testicular damages following ischaemia/reperfusion injury in rats.

The effects of metformin on a testicular torsion injury in adolescent rat testis after I/R were evaluated in the present study. Forty adolescent rats were divided into five groups with eight rats per group: a control group; a sham-operated group; an ischaemia group, where torsion was applied for 4 hr and testis was examined immediately after detorsion; an I/R group, where torsion was applied for 4 hr and the testis was examined 4 hr after detorsion; and an I/R + M group, where the metformin (300 mg/kg) administration was added to the identical procedures used for the I/R group. Spermatogenesis, basal membrane integrity and cleaved caspase-3 expression were assessed.

Results of intracytoplasmic sperm injection performed with sperm retrieved by microscopic testicular sperm extraction in azoospermic patients.

Objective: The absence of any sperm in the ejaculate is called azoospermia and it is detected in 1% of males and 10-15% of those with infertility complaints. Azoospermia may be due to obstructive (OA) and non-obstructive (NOA) causes. Today, healthy pregnancies can be achieved in azoospermic patients by intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) performed using sperm retrieved from microscopic testicular sperm extraction (m-TESE).

Health Indicators for Older Sexual Minorities: National Health Interview Survey, 2013-2014.

Purpose: Advances in lesbian, gay, and bisexual (sexual minority [SM]) acceptance and equality have been made in the past decade. However, certain SM subgroups continue to be disadvantaged due to lack of data and, thus, lack of knowledge about these populations. Data for older sexual minorities are especially lacking and will be increasingly important as more sexual minorities enter older age.

Osteogenesis imperfecta Type IV: a newly identified variant at position c.560 (G > T; p.Gly187Val) in the COL1A2 gene.

Osteogenesis imperfecta is a clinically heterogenous disease caused by defective collagen syntesis associated with a mutation in the COL1A1 or COL1A2 genes. In this report, we present a case of osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) type IV, seen in a female fetus with incurved femurs at 18 weeks of gestation. Molecular analysis of the newborn revealed a novel mutation at position c.

Gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist triggering with concomitant administration of low doses of human chorionic gonadotropin or a freeze-all strategy in high responders.

To compare the live birth rates and moderate/severe ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) rates of 2 different approaches using gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonist triggering in high responder women. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was performed to evaluate intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) and embryo transfer (ET) outcomes in high responder women who underwent ovulation induction with a GnRH antagonist protocol between April 2011 and March 2015. In group 1 (n=74), GnRH agonist was used for ovulation triggering with the concomitant use of 1500 IU of urinary human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) immediately after oocyte retrieval followed by fresh ET and standard luteal support.

A retrospective analysis of nebulized versus intravenous fentanyl for renal colic.

Study Objective: To assess the effectiveness of nebulized fentanyl used for analgesia in renal colic.

Materials/methods: This research was planned as a randomized, blinded study in which prospectively collected data were analyzed retrospectively to compare nebulized and intravenous (iv) fentanyl therapies. Patients with renal colic with 'moderate' or worse pain on a four-point verbal pain score (VPS) or with pain of 20mm or above on a 100-mm visual analogue score (VAS) at time of presentation were randomized into iv fentanyl (n=62) or nebulized fentanyl (n=53) study groups.

The High Risk of Contrast-induced Nephropathy in Patients with Suspected Pulmonary Embolism Despite Three Different Prophylaxis: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Objective: The objective was to compare the protective effects of N-acetylcysteine (NAC) plus normal saline (NS), sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO ) plus NS, and NS alone in the prevention of contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN) after computed tomography pulmonary angiography (CTPA) in emergency patients.

Methods: This study was planned as a randomized, controlled clinical research. Patients undergoing contrast-enhanced CTPA on suspicion of pulmonary embolism (PE) in the emergency department and with at least one risk factor for development of CIN were included in one of three different prophylaxis groups.

Medicare claims data as public use files: a new tool for public health surveillance.

Claims data are an important source of data for public health surveillance but have not been widely used in the United States because of concern with personally identifiable health information and other issues. We describe the development and availability of a new set of public use files created using de-identified health care claims for fee-for-service Medicare beneficiaries, including individuals 65 years and older and individuals with disabilities younger than 65 years, and their application as tools for public health surveillance. We provide an overview of these files and their attributes; a review of beneficiary de-identification procedures and implications for analysis; a summary of advantages and limitations for use of the public use files for surveillance, alone and in combination with other data sources; and discussion and examples of their application for public health surveillance using examples that address chronic conditions monitoring, hospital readmissions, and prevalence and expenditures in diabetes care.

Self-management program participation by older adults with diabetes: Chronic Disease Self-Management Program and Diabetes Self-Management Program.

The Chronic Disease Self-Management Program and the Diabetes Self-Management Program offer evidence-based self-management for persons with diabetes. We examined participation and completion rates for older adults in the Communities Putting Prevention to Work initiative and found that completion is more likely (1) in Diabetes Self-Management Program for individuals with diabetes; (2) for Chronic Disease Self-Management Program and Diabetes Self-Management Program with introductory class zero; and (3) in small classes. We also found that participants reporting depression were less likely to complete either workshop.

Prevalence of chronic conditions among Medicare Part A beneficiaries in 2008 and 2010: are Medicare beneficiaries getting sicker?

Introduction: Medicare beneficiaries who have chronic conditions are responsible for a disproportionate share of Medicare fee-for-service expenditures. The objective of this study was to analyze the change in the health of Medicare beneficiaries enrolled in Part A (hospital insurance) between 2008 and 2010 by comparing the prevalence of 11 chronic conditions.

Methods: We conducted descriptive analyses using the 2008 and 2010 Chronic Conditions Public Use Files, which are newly available from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and have administrative (claims) data on 100% of the Medicare fee-for-service population.

Racial and ethnic minority participants in chronic disease self-management programs: findings from the Communities Putting Prevention to Work initiative.

Background: The Communities Putting Prevention to Work: Chronic Disease Self-Management Program (CDSMP) Initiative funded grantees in 45 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico to implement and expand delivery of CDSMP to older adults. We examine whether there are differences in the enrollment and completion rates of members of racial and ethnic minority groups and what sites have done to enhance their delivery of the CDSMP to such groups.

Method: This study used a multi-method approach including: site visits to 6 states, telephone interviews with the 47 program grantees and delivery sites, review of program reports, and analysis of administrative data on participants, completers, workshops and leaders.

What do researchers say about proposed Medicare claims public use files?

Background: Medicare claims data sets have been used widely in outcomes research over the last decade. In 2010, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services established a program to create de-identified basic standalone public use files (PUFs) from Medicare claims data, each one containing claims information from a 5% sample of beneficiaries.

Methods: We conducted a series of structured key informant interviews with research stakeholders to compile recommendations that would guide the creation of these PUFs.

Medicare payments: how much do chronic conditions matter?

Objective: Analyze differences in Medicare Fee-for-Service utilization (i.e., program payments) by beneficiary characteristics, such as gender, age, and prevalence of chronic conditions.

The effect of vascular endothelial growth factor on spermatogenesis and apoptosis in experimentally varicocele-induced adolescent rats.

Objective: To investigate the effect of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) injection into the testes on spermatogenesis and apoptosis in a varicocele-induced adolescent rat model.

Setting: University hospital urology research laboratory.

Animal(s): Six-week-old male Wistar rats (n = 32).

Ham's F-10 medium and Ham's F-10 medium plus vitamin E have protective effect against oxidative stress in human semen.

Objectives: To investigate possible protective effects of vitamin E and Ham's F-10 medium (HF-10) on lipid peroxidation, apoptosis, motility, and vitality of spermatozoa.

Methods: Normozoospermic semen samples were obtained from 35 volunteers. Normal saline solution, HF-10 only, or HF-10 with vitamin E were added to split semen samples (control, group 1, and group 2, respectively).