Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Is presence of ANCA in crescentic IgA nephropathy a coincidence or novel clinical entity? A case series.

BACKGROUND There are few anecdotal reports of circulating antineutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibodies (ANCAs) in patients with immunoglobulin A (IgA) nephropathy. STUDY DESIGN Retrospective case series. SETTING & PARTICIPANTS We studied 8 patients with crescentic IgA nephropathy associated with ANCAs against myeloperoxidase (n = 5) and proteinase 3 (n = 3) followed up for 2.4 +/- 1.7 years. They were compared with 26 patients with IgA nephropathy with > 10% crescentic glomeruli, but negative for ANCAs. OUTCOMES We analyzed clinical and histologic features of patients and their response to treatment. MEASUREMENTS Screening for ANCAs was performed using indirect immunofluorescence, and positive results were verified using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS All patients with crescentic IgA nephropathy and positive for ANCAs, compared with only one-third of ANCA-negative patients, presented with the clinical syndrome of rapid progressive glomerulonephritis. ANCA-positive patients reached a higher peak serum creatinine level within the first 3 months (4.2 +/- 2.2 vs 2.5 +/- 1.9 mg/dL; estimated glomerular filtration rate, 19.3 +/- 10.2 vs 45.9 +/- 30.1 mL/min/1.73 m(2)). ANCA-positive patients with IgA nephropathy had a higher percentage of crescentic glomeruli (54.3% +/- 18%) compared with ANCA-negative patients with crescentic IgA nephropathy (34.5% +/- 26%). ANCA-positive patients were treated using cyclophosphamide and corticosteroids. Kidney function improved in all these patients: serum creatinine level decreased from the peak of 4.2 +/- 2.2 to 1.7 +/- 0.7 mg/dL at the end of follow up (estimated glomerular filtration rate, 19.3 +/- 10.2 to 44.6 +/- 11.1 mL/min/1.73 m(2)). In contrast, no significant improvement was achieved in ANCA-negative patients. CONCLUSION Patients with IgA nephropathy, crescents, and positive for ANCAs represent a clinical entity with a diverse more exaggerated clinical and histologic picture. However, disease in these patients responded well to aggressive immunosuppressive therapy.
Fractional flow reserve vs. angiography in guiding management to optimize outcomes in non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction: the British Heart Foundation FAMOUS–NSTEMI randomized trial

Aim We assessed the management and outcomes of non-ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) patients randomly assigned to fractional flow reserve (FFR)-guided management or angiography-guided standard care. Methods and results We conducted a prospective, multicentre, parallel group, 1 : 1 randomized, controlled trial in 350 NSTEMI patients with ≥1 coronary stenosis ≥30% of the lumen diameter assessed visually (threshold for FFR measurement) (NCT01764334). Enrolment took place in six UK hospitals from October 2011 to May 2013. Fractional flow reserve was disclosed to the operator in the FFR-guided group (n = 176). Fractional flow reserve was measured but not disclosed in the angiography-guided group (n = 174). Fractional flow reserve ≤0.80 was an indication for revascularization by percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) or coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG). The median (IQR) time from the index episode of myocardial ischaemia to angiography was 3 (2, 5) days. For the primary outcome, the proportion of patients treated initially by medical therapy was higher in the FFR-guided group than in the angiography-guided group [40 (22.7%) vs. 23 (13.2%), difference 95% (95% CI: 1.4%, 17.7%), P = 0.022]. Fractional flow reserve disclosure resulted in a change in treatment between medical therapy, PCI or CABG in 38 (21.6%) patients. At 12 months, revascularization remained lower in the FFR-guided group [79.0 vs. 86.8%, difference 7.8% (−0.2%, 15.8%), P = 0.054]. There were no statistically significant differences in health outcomes and quality of life between the groups. Conclusion In NSTEMI patients, angiography-guided management was associated with higher rates of coronary revascularization compared with FFR-guided management. A larger trial is necessary to assess health outcomes and cost-effectiveness.
Role of Context in Social Networks

We propose to apply a context-based approach used in AI for discussing of social networks and virtual communities in the enterprise area. We point out that making context explicit it is possible to provide a global picture of the main aspects of social networks. A first result of this study is that the explicit consideration of contexts—especially shared contexts—could improve notably the collaborative-work processes in an enterprise. A second result is the interest of simultaneously considering the paradigms of context and social network when ICT is at the core of the enterprise. A third result is to point out that different types of context account for the flux of information between groups as well as inside each group. Finally, a parallel is lead between the couple proceduralized context versus contextual knowledge in AI and virtual community versus social networks. This parallel allows to assimilate a virtual community to a contextualization of a social network, i.e. a kind of “chunk of actors”.
Investigation of the M/G/R processor sharing model for dimensioning of IP access networks with elastic traffic

This paper addresses the problem of dimensioning IP access networks for elastic traffic, which is carried by the TCP protocol. The M/G/R Processor Sharing model (M/G/R PS) is used as the basis for capacity computations. The model is extended to take into account TCP specific properties, thus, giving more accurate values, especially for increasing round-trip times. The applicability of the model to TCP Internet traffic is shown through simulations.
Concomitant Administration of Bevacizumab, Irinotecan, 5-Fluorouracil, and Leucovorin: Nonclinical Safety and Pharmacokinetics

Bevacizumab (Avastin) is a humanized monoclonal antibody against vascular endothelial growth factor approved for use in combination with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU)-based chemotherapy for first-line treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer. The Saltz regimen (irinotecan/5-FU/leucovorin [LV]) is a first-line treatment for this indication. The objective of this study was to evaluate the safety of bevacizumab when administered concomitantly with the Saltz regimen to cynomolgus monkeys, and to determine if the pharmacokinetics of bevacizumab, irinotecan, SN38 (the active metabolite of irinotecan), or 5-FU were affected by combined administration. Male cynomolgus monkeys were intravenously administered the Saltz regimen (125 mg/m2 irinotecan, 500 mg/m2 5-FU, 20 mg/m2 LV) alone (n = 4) or concomitantly with 10 mg/kg bevacizumab (n = 5) on days 1 and 8. All animals survived to euthanasia on day 15. Adverse effects associated with the Saltz regimen included diarrhea and neutropenia. Macroscopically, two animals from each group had small thymus glands that correlated microscopically with lymphoid depletion. Myeloid hypoplasia and/or erythroid hyperplasia was observed in the sternal bone marrow of most animals. These effects were considered to be associated with the Saltz regimen; concomitant bevacizumab administration did not alter the severity of these findings. Irinotecan and 5-FU were observed to be rapidly eliminated (t 1/2 = 1 h and 0.5 h, respectively). Although the number of animals in each group was small and no statistical comparison between groups was performed, bevacizumab did not affect the disposition of either agent. These results indicate that bevacizumab can be safely administered in combination with the Saltz regimen without pharmacokinetic interaction.
The Wisdom of Crowds: Impact of Collective Size and Expertise Transfer on Collective Performance

We explore the performance of collectives on judgments tasks along two dimensions: crowd-size and expertise transferability. Based on an experimental investigation of the judgment ability of 478 subjects and sub-samples thereof, we identify that crowd-size matters, but only within limits. We also identify limited transferability of expertise, largely based on an anchor-and-adjust heuristic. Collective size and expertise transfer effects are moderated by task difficulty and are strongest for tasks in a medium difficulty range.
Reliability and accuracy of cirtometry in healthy adults.

OBJECTIVE To determine the intrarater and interrater reliability of cirtometry (measurements of the circumference of the chest and abdomen taken during respiratory movements) as well as its correlation with pulmonary volumes measured by respiratory inductive plethysmography. METHODS A total of 40 healthy individuals were evaluated. The mean age was 28 years. The measurements were taken in the supine position at three different time points: at rest, at maximal inspiration, and at maximal expiration. Two trained investigators, each of whom was blinded as to the results obtained by the other, performed the measurements. The Friedman test was used to determine intrarater reliability, and the Wilcoxon test, together with the intraclass correlation coefficient, were used to determine interrater reliability. The correlation between the cirtometry measurements and the plethysmography results was obtained using Spearman's correlation coefficient. The level of significance was set at 0.05 for all tests. RESULTS Intrarater reliability was satisfactory. Regarding interrater reliability, statistically significant differences (2.8 cm at the most) were found in all sets of measurements. However, through the analysis of the intraclass correlation coefficient, the investigators were found to be responsible only for a small portion of the variability (1.2-5.08%) found among the measurements. When the cirtometry measurements were compared to the volumes measured by respiratory inductive plethysmography, low correlations (range, r = 0.170-0.343) were found. CONCLUSIONS The findings of this study suggest that, although cirtometry is a reliable measurement, it does not accurately measure pulmonary volumes.
Impact of Cigarette Smoking on Outcome of Hepatocellular Carcinoma after Surgery in Patients with Hepatitis B

Background and Objectives Cigarette smoking is a potential risk factor for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) initiation, partially through interaction with hepatitis B virus (HBV). We examined the hypothesis that cigarette smoking might be associated with HBV-related HCC recurrence and patient survival after curative surgery. Patients and Methods Data of 302 patients with HBV infection who had undergone curative resection for HCC were prospectively collected from 2008 to 2011. Smoking status and smoking quantity (pack-years, PY) were asked at admission. Factors affecting recurrence-free survival (RFS) were examined. RFS and liver-specific mortality (LSM) stratified by risk factors were compared with log-rank test. Results 109 were current smokers. Current smokers were not different from non-smokers in tumor burden and surgical procedure. Univariate and multivariate analysis identified that heavy smoking (PY ≥20) was the most significant factor associated with HBV-related HCC recurrence after curative surgical resection (p = 0.001), followed by anti-HBV treatment (p<0.01), current smoking (p = 0.028), surgical margin <1 cm (p = 0.048) and blood transfusion >600 ml (p = 0.028). The median RFS in non-smokers, ex-smokers and current smokers was 34 months, 24 months and 26 months, respectively (p = 0.033). Current smokers had significantly worse RFS rate and increased 5-year cumulative LSM than non-smokers (p = 0.024, and p<0.001, respectively). Heavy smokers had significantly worse RFS than non- and light smokers (0<PY<20) (p<0.001, respectively) and higher cumulative LSM than non-smokers and light smokers (p = 0.003 and 0.001, respectively). Furthermore, in current smokers, continuing smoking postoperatively was strongly associated with poorer RFS and higher LSM than those who quit smoking postoperatively (p = 0.016 and p = 0.003, respectively). Conclusions Smoking history and quantity appears to be risk factors for HBV-related HCC recurrence and LSM of patients after surgery. For smokers, continued smoking postoperatively might accelerate tumor recurrence and patient death. Therefore, smoking abstinence should be strongly recommended to patients pre- and postoperatively.
Kernel Regression in the Presence of Correlated Errors

It is a well-known problem that obtaining a correct bandwidth and/or smoothing parameter in nonparametric regression is difficult in the presence of correlated errors. There exist a wide variety of methods coping with this problem, but they all critically depend on a tuning procedure which requires accurate information about the correlation structure. We propose a bandwidth selection procedure based on bimodal kernels which successfully removes the correlation without requiring any prior knowledge about its structure and its parameters. Further, we show that the form of the kernel is very important when errors are correlated which is in contrast to the independent and identically distributed (i.i.d.) case. Finally, some extensions are proposed to use the proposed criterion in support vector machines and least squares support vector machines for regression.
Splice-shifting oligonucleotide (SSO) mediated blocking of an exonic splicing enhancer (ESE) created by the prevalent c.903+469T>C MTRR mutation corrects splicing and restores enzyme activity in patient cells

The prevalent c.903+469T>C mutation in MTRR causes the cblE type of homocystinuria by strengthening an SRSF1 binding site in an ESE leading to activation of a pseudoexon. We hypothesized that other splicing regulatory elements (SREs) are also critical for MTRR pseudoexon inclusion. We demonstrate that the MTRR pseudoexon is on the verge of being recognized and is therefore vulnerable to several point mutations that disrupt a fine-tuned balance between the different SREs. Normally, pseudoexon inclusion is suppressed by a hnRNP A1 binding exonic splicing silencer (ESS). When the c.903+469T>C mutation is present two ESEs abrogate the activity of the ESS and promote pseudoexon inclusion. Blocking the 3′splice site or the ESEs by SSOs is effective in restoring normal splicing of minigenes and endogenous MTRR transcripts in patient cells. By employing an SSO complementary to both ESEs, we were able to rescue MTRR enzymatic activity in patient cells to approximately 50% of that in controls. We show that several point mutations, individually, can activate a pseudoexon, illustrating that this mechanism can occur more frequently than previously expected. Moreover, we demonstrate that SSO blocking of critical ESEs is a promising strategy to treat the increasing number of activated pseudoexons.
Usability evaluation of high-level user assistance for robot mission specification

MissionLab is a mission specification system that implements a hybrid deliberative and reactive control architecture for autonomous mobile robots. The user creates and executes the robot mission plans through its graphical user interface. As robot deployments become more common in highly stressful situations, such as in dealing with explosives or biohazards, the usability of their mission specification system becomes critical. To address this need, a mission-planning "wizard" has been recently integrated into MissionLab. By retrieving and adapting past successful mission plans stored in its database, this new feature is designed to simplify the user's planning process. The latest formal usability experiments, reported in this paper, testing for usability improvements in terms of speed of the mission planning process, accuracy of the produced mission plans, and ease of use is conducted. This paper introduces the mission-planning wizard, describes the usability experiments (including design), and discusses the results in detail.
Bounds and capacity results for the cognitive Z-interference channel

We study the discrete memoryless Z-interference channel (ZIC) where the transmitter of the pair that suffers from interference is cognitive. We first provide upper and lower bounds on the capacity of this channel. We then show that, when the channel of the transmitter-receiver pair that does not face interference is noiseless, the two bounds coincide and therefore define the capacity region. The obtained results imply that, unlike in the Gaussian cognitive ZIC, in the considered channel superposition encoding at the non-cognitive transmitter as well as Gel'fand-Pinsker encoding at the cognitive transmitter are needed in order to minimize the impact of interference. As a byproduct of the obtained capacity region, we obtain the capacity result for a generalized Gel'fand-Pinsker problem.
GENETIC SIGNATURE OF ADAPTIVE PEAK SHIFT IN THREESPINE STICKLEBACK

Transition of an evolving population to a new adaptive optimum is predicted to leave a signature in the distribution of effect sizes of fixed mutations. If they affect many traits (are pleiotropic), large effect mutations should contribute more when a population evolves to a farther adaptive peak than to a nearer peak. We tested this prediction in wild threespine stickleback fish (Gasterosteus aculeatus) by comparing the estimated frequency of large effect genetic changes underlying evolution as the same ancestor adapted to two lake types since the end of the ice age. A higher frequency of large effect genetic changes (quantitative trait loci) contributed to adaptive evolution in populations that adapted to lakes representing a more distant optimum than to lakes in which the optimum phenotype was nearer to the ancestral state. Our results also indicate that pleiotropy, not just optimum overshoot, contributes to this difference. These results suggest that a series of adaptive improvements to a new environment leaves a detectable mark in the genome of wild populations. Although not all assumptions of the theory are likely met in natural systems, the prediction may be robust enough to the complexities of natural environments to be useful when forecasting adaptive responses to large environmental changes.
Emerging Stent and Balloon Technologies in the Femoropopliteal Arteries

Endovascular procedures for the management of the superficial femoral (SFA) and popliteal artery disease are increasingly common. Over the past decade, several stent technologies have been established which may offer new options for improved clinical outcomes. This paper reviews the current evidence for SFA and popliteal artery angioplasty and stenting, with a focus on randomized trials and registries of nitinol self-expanding stents, drug-eluting stents, dug-coated balloons, and covered stent-grafts. We also highlight the limitations of the currently available data and the future routes in peripheral arterial disease (PAD) stent and balloon technology.
Hypergeometric approximations to polylogarithms

We present three applications of the hypergeometric method to the arithmetic study of polylogarithm values and, in particular, of zeta values. Part 1 is joint work with Khodabakhsh and Tatiana Hessami Pilehrood on the irrationality of certain numbers involving di- and trilogarithms. In Part 2 we give three hypergeometric constructions leading to simultaneous approximations to (2) and (3). Part 3 contains a curious hypergeometric identity for the known rational approximations to (4); the identity suggests an extension of the hypergeometric technique which might lead to a natural way to prove the so-called Denominator Conjectures for zeta values. It seems that a dominating technique in the study of arithmetic properties of values of the polylogarithmic functions
Rapid cycling in bipolar disorder: a systematic review.

OBJECTIVE THE long-term course of bipolar disorder is typified by recurring mood episodes of opposite polarity as well as mixed states. Rapid-cycling bipolar disorder refers to the presence of at least 4 mood episodes in the previous 12 months that meet the criteria for manic, hypomanic, or major depressive episode. The purpose of this study was to synthesize data regarding prevalence, clinical correlates, and familial/genetic aspects related to rapid cycling in bipolar disorder. DATASOURCES we searched the MEDLINE database through September 7, 2013 for articles regarding rapid cycling in bipolar disorder. Searches were performed using the keywords rapid cycling or rapid-cycling. The search strategy was augmented through the inspection of reference lists of relevant review articles. Eligible articles included original studies in English on rapid-cycling bipolar patients according to the criteria defined by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. STUDY SELECTION This study followed the recommendations of the Preferred Items for Reporting of Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses statement. The initial search returned 2,715 articles; 2,594 were excluded for several reasons (not aligned with objectives, pertaining to bipolar disorder but not focusing on rapid cycling, case reports, and case series). The final review included 119 articles. DATA EXTRACTION Two investigators (K.N.F. and D.D.) independently reviewed articles for eligibility. Final decisions regarding eligibility were made by consensus following the full-text review. RESULTS The literature suggests that rapid cycling affects a significant proportion of bipolar patients and is related to a longer course of illness, an earlier age at onset, and more illegal drug and alcohol abuse and increased suicidality. Year prevalence of rapid cycling among all bipolar patients ranges between 5%-33.3%, while lifetime prevalence ranges between 25.8%-43%. The etiology remains unclear, although a causal or triggering role for the use of antidepressants and hypothyroidism is implicated. Rapid cycling seems to represent a transitory phenomenon rather than a stable pattern that characterizes the individual patient and probably is related to a worse outcome. CONCLUSIONS Rapid cycling is a frequent, although underrecognized, condition in bipolar disorder, and it constitutes a worsening of the primary disorder. There is no good evidence that rapid cycling represents a discrete subtype. Early recognition of this pattern can lead to better treatment strategy and improvement of the long-term course. Conceptualizing rapid cycling according to Research Domain Criteria will be an important advance.
Stomatal Dimorphism of Neodiplogaster acaloleptae (Diplogastromorpha: Diplogastridae)

Several genera belonging to the nematode family Diplogastridae show characteristic dimorphism in their feeding structures; specifically, they have microbial feeding stenostomatous and predatory eurystomatous morphs. A diplogastrid satellite model species, Pristionchus pacificus, and its close relatives have become a model system for studying this phenotypic plasticity, with intensive physiological and structural studies having been undertaken. However, the many other species that are morphologically and phylogenetically divergent from P. pacificus have not been examined to date. In the present study, the detailed stomatal structure and induction of dimorphism in Neodiplogaster acaloleptae were examined. N. acaloleptae has a fungal feeding stenostomatous morph and a predatory eurystomatous morph. The predatory morph was induced by starvation, high population density, and co-culturing with its potential prey, Caenorhabditis elegans. The feeding behavior of the stenostomatous and eurystomatous morphs of N. acaloleptae was confirmed, demonstrating that 1) the stomatal and pharyngeal movements of the two morphs were basically identical, and 2) the stomatal elements were protracted to cut open the hyphae and/or prey to feed when a N. acaloleptae flips its dorsal movable tooth dorsally and tilts its subventral stegostomatal cylinder ventrally, forming a pair of scissors to cut the food source. The stoma morphology of N. acaloleptae with a single movable tooth and a long stoma is markedly different from that of Pristionchus, which has two movable teeth and a short stoma. It is, however, similar to that of Mononchoides, tentatively a sister to Neodiplogaster.