Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Nasolacrimal recanalization as an alternative to external dacryocystorhinostomy for treating failed nasolacrimal duct intubation

AbstractTo compare the surgical duration and clinical outcomes of nasolacrimal recanalization versus external dacryocystorhinostomy (DCR) in the treatment of failed nasolacrimal duct intubation.This is a retrospective, comparative, and interventional study. We evaluated the outcomes of 66 consecutive patients undergoing either nasolacrimal recanalization (n = 32) or DCR (n = 34) in a tertiary lacrimal disease referral center. Length of surgical duration, clinical outcomes, and rate of recurrence at 18 months postoperatively were compared.The mean surgical duration was 18.5 minutes (range, 15–25 minutes) for nasolacrimal recanalization and 48.2 minutes (range, 45–61 minutes) for DCR, respectively (P < 0.001). The rate of success was 84.4% in the recanalization group and 85.3% in the DCR group, respectively (P = 0.91). The time to recurrence was 2.6 ± 1.1 months in the recanalization group and 5.6 ± 2.1 months in the DCR group (P < 0.001). Five failed cases in each group received a secondary DCR surgery with the same resolution rate (40%). The absence of ocular discharge at baseline was a significant predictor for a successful outcome in the recanalization group (P = 0.04) but not in the DCR group (P = 0.63). Nasolacrimal recanalization is an effective, safe, and time-saving alternative to DCR for the treatment of failed nasolacrimal duct intubation. Clinicians should be cautious in patients with discharge.
In vitro three-dimensional models in cancer research: a review

Three-dimensional (3D) cell cultures have recently garnered great attention because they promote levels of cells differentiation and tissue organisation not possible in conventional two-dimensional (2D) culture systems. Cancer development is a complex process regulated by interactions between epithelial cells, activated stromal cells, and soluble and insoluble components of the extracellular matrix (ECM). As a consequence, in the field of cancer biology a 3D tumour model that accurately recreates the in vivo tumour phenotype would be a valuable tool for studying tumour biology and would allow better pre-clinical evaluation of anticancer drug candidates. Here, we review the 3D tumour models currently available and the more advanced techniques from the tissue-engineering field used to create a more clinically accurate ex vivo tumour model. Moreover, we highlight the drastic differences in drug responses between 3D and 2D models and give a glance to the emerging multi-organ microdevices that can mimic in vivo tissue–tissue interactions.
Constructing Weyl group multiple Dirichlet series

Let Φ be a reduced root system of rank r. A Weyl group multiple Dirichlet series for Φ is a Dirichlet series in r complex variables s1, . , sr, initially converging for Re(si) sufficiently large, that has meromorphic continuation to C and satisfies functional equations under the transformations of C corresponding to the Weyl group of Φ. A heuristic definition of such series was given in [BBC06], and they have been investigated in certain special cases in [BBC06,BBF06,BBFH07, BBF08, BBFa, CG07, CFG08, CG, Chi05]. In this paper we generalize results in [CG] to construct Weyl group multiple Dirichlet series by a uniform method, and show in all cases that they have the expected properties.
ICRP Publication 138: Ethical Foundations of the System of Radiological Protection

Abstract – Despite a longstanding recognition that radiological protection is not only a matter of science, but also ethics, ICRP publications have rarely addressed the ethical foundations of the system of radiological protection explicitly. The purpose of this publication is to describe how the Commission has relied on ethical values, either intentionally or indirectly, in developing the system of radiological protection with the objective of presenting a coherent view of how ethics is part of this system. In so doing, it helps to clarify the inherent value judgements made in achieving the aim of the radiological protection system as underlined by the Commission in Publication 103. Although primarily addressed to the radiological protection community, this publication is also intended to address authorities, operators, workers, medical professionals, patients, the public, and its representatives (e.g. NGOs) acting in the interest of the protection of people and the environment. This publication provides the key steps concerning the scientific, ethical, and practical evolutions of the system of radiological protection since the first ICRP publication in 1928. It then describes the four core ethical values underpinning the present system: beneficence/ non-maleficence, prudence, justice, and dignity. It also discusses how these core ethical values relate to the principles of radiological protection, namely justification, optimisation, and limitation. The publication finally addresses key procedural values that are required for the practical implementation of the system, focusing on accountability, transparency, and inclusiveness. The Commission sees this publication as a founding document to be elaborated further in different situations and circumstances.
Thermal Effects on Physico-Mechanical Properties of Ultra-High-Performance Fiber-Reinforced Concrete

Material characterization tests of an Ultra High Performance Fiber Reinforced Concrete (UHPFRC) were performed at various ages. A linear relationship was obtained between the mechanical properties and the degree of hydration. In parallel, the influence of curing conditions on the physico-mechanical properties and the time dependent behavior of this UHPFRC was investigated. A temperature increase accelerated the hydration process at early age and therefore improved the material’s compressive strength and the carrying capacity in four point bending tests, but at a long term, a higher temperature had inverse effects on the mechanical properties. Moreover, at a 20 °C temperature cure, the UHPFRC exhibited autogenous shrinkage at long term comparable to normal concrete. An increase of curing temperature increased the autogenous shrinkage. This effect may be due to the hydration and the self-desiccation processes which are accelerated at high temperatures.
Tropical forests are thermally buffered despite intensive selective logging

Tropical rainforests are subject to extensive degradation by commercial selective logging. Despite pervasive changes to forest structure, selectively logged forests represent vital refugia for global biodiversity. The ability of these forests to buffer temperature‐sensitive species from climate warming will be an important determinant of their future conservation value, although this topic remains largely unexplored. Thermal buffering potential is broadly determined by: (i) the difference between the “macroclimate” (climate at a local scale, m to ha) and the “microclimate” (climate at a fine‐scale, mm to m, that is distinct from the macroclimate); (ii) thermal stability of microclimates (e.g. variation in daily temperatures); and (iii) the availability of microclimates to organisms. We compared these metrics in undisturbed primary forest and intensively logged forest on Borneo, using thermal images to capture cool microclimates on the surface of the forest floor, and information from dataloggers placed inside deadwood, tree holes and leaf litter. Although major differences in forest structure remained 9–12 years after repeated selective logging, we found that logging activity had very little effect on thermal buffering, in terms of macroclimate and microclimate temperatures, and the overall availability of microclimates. For 1°C warming in the macroclimate, temperature inside deadwood, tree holes and leaf litter warmed slightly more in primary forest than in logged forest, but the effect amounted to <0.1°C difference between forest types. We therefore conclude that selectively logged forests are similar to primary forests in their potential for thermal buffering, and subsequent ability to retain temperature‐sensitive species under climate change. Selectively logged forests can play a crucial role in the long‐term maintenance of global biodiversity.
Clinical outcomes of carbon ion radiotherapy with concurrent chemotherapy for locally advanced uterine cervical adenocarcinoma in a phase 1/2 clinical trial (Protocol 1001)

We conducted a phase 1/2 study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of carbon ion radiotherapy (C‐ion RT) with concurrent chemotherapy for locally advanced uterine cervical adenocarcinoma. Thirty‐three patients were enrolled between April 2010 and March 2014. Treatment consisted of C‐ion RT with concurrent weekly cisplatin at a dose of 40 mg/m2. In the phase 1 component, the total dose was escalated from 68.0 Gy (relative biological effectiveness [RBE]) to 74.4 Gy (RBE) to determine the maximum tolerated dose of C‐ion RT. In the phase 2 component, the efficacy and safety of C‐ion RT with concurrent chemotherapy were evaluated using the dose determined in the phase 1 component. The median follow‐up duration was 30 months. Two patients did not receive chemotherapy because of anemia or leukocytopenia immediately prior to commencing treatment; 31 patients were analyzed. None of the patients developed dose‐limiting toxicities. The recommended dose (RD) was determined to be 74.4 Gy (RBE). In the phase 2 component, two patients developed Grade 3–4 toxicities in the gastrointestinal tract, due to repeated laser coagulation or peritonitis caused by appendicitis. In the patients treated with the RD, the 2‐year local control, progression‐free survival, and overall survival rates were 71%, 56%, and 88%, respectively. C‐ion RT with concurrent weekly cisplatin was well tolerated in patients with locally advanced uterine cervical adenocarcinoma. Our findings support further investigations into the efficacy of this strategy.
A critical review on the use of artificial neural networks in olive oil production, characterization and authentication

ABSTRACT Artificial neural networks (ANN) are computationally based mathematical tools inspired by the fundamental cell of the nervous system, the neuron. ANN constitute a simplified artificial replica of the human brain consisting of parallel processing neural elements similar to neurons in living beings. ANN is able to store large amounts of experimental information to be used for generalization with the aid of an appropriate prediction model. ANN has proved useful for a variety of biological, medical, economic and meteorological purposes, and in agro-food science and technology. The olive oil industry has a substantial weight in Mediterranean's economy. The different steps of the olive oil production process, which include olive tree and fruit care, fruit harvest, mechanical and chemical processing, and oil packaging have been examined in depth with a view to their optimization, and so have the authenticity, sensory properties and other quality-related properties of olive oil. This paper reviews existing literature on the use of bioinformatics predictive methods based on ANN in connection with the production, processing and characterization of olive oil. It examines the state of the art in bioinformatics tools for optimizing or predicting its quality with a view to identifying potential deficiencies or aspects for improvement.
Clinical Utility of a STAT3-Regulated miRNA-200 Family Signature with Prognostic Potential in Early Gastric Cancer

Purpose: The majority of gastric cancer patients are diagnosed with late-stage disease, for which distinct molecular subtypes have been identified that are potentially amenable to targeted therapies. However, there exists no molecular classification system with prognostic power for early-stage gastric cancer (EGC) because the molecular events promoting gastric cancer initiation remain ill-defined. Experimental Design: miRNA microarrays were performed on gastric tissue from the gp130F/F preclinical EGC mouse model, prior to tumor initiation. Computation prediction algorithms were performed on multiple data sets and independent gastric cancer patient cohorts. Quantitative real-time PCR expression profiling was undertaken in gp130F/F-based mouse strains and human gastric cancer cells genetically engineered for suppressed activation of the oncogenic latent transcription factor STAT3. Human gastric cancer cells with modulated expression of the miR-200 family member miR-429 were also assessed for their proliferative response. Results: Increased expression of miR-200 family members is associated with both tumor initiation in a STAT3-dependent manner in gp130F/F mice and EGC (i.e., stage IA) in patient cohorts. Overexpression of miR-429 also elicited contrasting pro- and antiproliferative responses in human gastric cancer cells depending on their cellular histologic subtype. We also identified a miR-200 family–regulated 15-gene signature that integrates multiple key current indicators of EGC, namely tumor invasion depth, differentiation, histology, and stage, and provides superior predictive power for overall survival compared with each EGC indicator alone. Conclusions: Collectively, our discovery of a STAT3-regulated, miR-200 family–associated gene signature specific for EGC, with predictive power, provides a molecular rationale to classify and stratify EGC patients for endoscopic treatment. Clin Cancer Res; 24(6); 1459–72. ©2018 AACR.
Bacterial Community Shift and Coexisting/Coexcluding Patterns Revealed by Network Analysis in A Bioreduced Uranium Contaminated Site after Reoxidation

Li, B. , Wu, W-M. , Watson, D. B. , Cardenas, E. , Chao, Y. , Phillips, D. , Mehlhorn, T. , Lowe, K. , Kelly, S. D. , Li, P., Tao, H. , Tiedje, J. M. , Criddle, C. S. , & Zhang, T. (2018). Bacterial Community Shift and Coexisting/Coexcluding Patterns Revealed by Network Analysis in A Bioreduced Uranium Contaminated Site after Reoxidation. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 84(9), [e02885-17]. https://doi.org/10.1128/AEM.02885-17
Correlation and Causality between Inflation and Selected Macroeconomic Variables: Empirical Evidence from Pakistan (1990-2012)

Inflation is regarded as one of the most chronic problems in Pakistan and the recent surge of inflation (10.8) in consumer price index is a matter of serious concern in the economy [1]. Inflation imposes high cost on economies and societies; disproportionately hurts the poor and fixed income groups, creates uncertainty throughout the economy and undermines macroeconomic stability. It also results in inefficient resource allocation and hence reduces potential economic growth. High inflation has always penalized the poor. Lowering inflation therefore, directly benefits the low and fixed income groups. The present study focuses to examine the impact of various macroeconomic variables on inflation in Pakistan and to find their correlation and causal relationship with economic and econometric criterion by using time series data over the period of 1990 to 2012. To achieve this objective, regression analysis, correlation coefficient and granger causality test are used. Results from regression analysis indicate that money supply, government expenditure, government revenue, foreign direct investment and gross domestic product have positive impact on inflation in Pakistan, while interest rate shows negative impact. Correlation analysis confirms that there exists a positive association of inflation with money supply, government revenue, interest rate, foreign direct investment, gross domestic product, exchange rate and trade openness. The findings of the study also reveal that money supply as well as balance of trade granger causes inflation in the selected time period. I recommend that monetary and fiscal measures should be wisely coordinated in order to control the consistent increase in prices. The government should curtail expenditure and reduce money supply. Similarly, domestic production should be encouraged and trade deficit should be narrowed by increasing exports in the country.
Insights in the treatment of congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction

Introduction: Congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction is one of the most common causes of epiphora in newborns and the main cause of this condition is the persistence of Hasner membrane. Several treatment options are available, like conservative treatment, probing, irrigation, or more complex techniques. Objective: The objective of this paper is to discuss the efficiency of different treatment options addressing congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction based on trials reported in literature. Methods: Clinical trials were identified on PubMed. The results were discussed regarding patient age, type of treatment and efficiency of the treatment. Results: 41 trials were reviewed. The rate of resolution according to different treatment options was the following: conservative treatment 14.2-96%, probing 78-100%, irrigation 33-100%, silicon tube intubation 62-100%, inferior turbinate fracture 54.7-97%, balloon dacryocystoplasty 77%, endoscopic intranasal surgery 92.72%, and dacryocystorhinostomy 88.2-93.33%. Conclusions: The first choice in uncomplicated cases should be a conservative treatment, which can be followed until the age of 1 year, while in complicated cases other solutions should be considered. Abbreviations: CNDO = Congenital nasolacrimal duct obstruction, DCR = Dacryocystorhinostomy, MCI = Monocanalicular intubation, BCI = Bicanalicular intubation
Early changes of brain connectivity in primary open angle glaucoma

Our aim was to assess in primary open angle glaucoma (POAG), a major cause of irreversible blindness worldwide, whether diffuse brain changes recently shown in advanced stage can be detected since the early stage. We used multimodal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in 57 patients with the three POAG stages and in 29 age‐matched normal controls (NC). Voxelwise statistics was performed with nonparametric permutation testing. Compared with NC, disrupted anatomical connectivity (AC) was found in the whole POAG group along the visual pathway and in nonvisual white matter tracts (P < 0.001). Moreover, POAG patients showed decreased functional connectivity (FC) in the visual (P = 0.004) and working memory (P < 0.001) networks whereas an increase occurred in the default mode (P = 0.002) and subcortical (P < 0.001) networks. Altered AC and FC were already present in early POAG (n = 14) in both visual and nonvisual systems (P ≤ 0.01). Only severe POAG (n = 30) showed gray matter atrophy and this mapped on visual cortex (P < 0.001) and hippocampus (P < 0.001). Increasing POAG stage was associated with worsening AC in both visual and nonvisual pathway (P < 0.001), progressive atrophy in the hippocampus and frontal cortex (P < 0.003). Most of the structural and functional alterations within and outside the visual system showed correlation (P < 0.001 to 0.02) with computerized visual field and retinal nerve fiber layer thickness. In conclusion, the complex pathogenesis of POAG includes widespread damage of AC and altered FC within and beyond the visual system since the early disease stage. The association of brain MRI changes with measures of visual severity emphasizes the clinical relevance of our findings. Hum Brain Mapp 37:4581–4596, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Presenilin PS1∆E9 disrupts mobility of secretory organelles in rat astrocytes

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is largely considered a neuron‐derived insult, but also involves failure of astroglia. A recent study indicated that mutated presenilin 1 (PS1M146V), a putative endoplasmic reticulum (ER) Ca2+ channel with decreased Ca2+ conductance, impairs the traffic of astroglial peptidergic vesicles. Whether other pathogenically relevant PS1 mutants, such as PS1ΔE9, which code for ER channel with putative increased Ca2+ conductance, similarly affect vesicle traffic, is unknown.
Effects of topical and subconjunctival bevacizumab in high-risk corneal transplant survival.

PURPOSE To investigate whether corneal graft survival could be improved by topical or subconjunctival bevacizumab in a murine model of vascularized high-risk corneal transplantation. METHODS Before corneal transplantation, intrastromal sutures were placed for 2 weeks in the corneas of BALB/c mice, inducing intense angiogenesis. Allogeneic corneal transplantation was performed using C57BL/6 donor mice. Topical bevacizumab (2.5%) was delivered 3 times a day for 3 weeks in one treatment group, and 0.02 mL (0.5 mg) bevacizumab was injected subconjunctivally at days 0, 4, 8, and 15 after transplantation in the other treatment group. The control group received no treatment. Grafts were examined twice a week for 8 weeks by slit-lamp microscopy and were photographed once a week by slit-lamp digital camera and scored for opacity. For assessment of corneal neovascularization (NV), a quantitative method was used to measure three primary metrics including neovascular area, vessel caliber, and neovessel invasion area. RESULTS Both topical and subconjunctival bevacizumab treatment reduced neovascular area and vessel caliber; however, the regression of corneal NV was more profound when treated subconjunctivally. The mean percentage reduction of neovascular area was 55% (P < 0.05) by week 8 in the subconjunctival treatment group and 33% (P = 0.15) in the topical group. Only subconjunctival bevacizumab treatment resulted in significant regression of neovessel invasion area (P < 0.05). All corneal transplants in both the control and the topical groups were rejected by 4 weeks after transplantation. However, in the subconjunctival treatment group, 33% of corneal grafts survived (P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS Subconjunctival bevacizumab may offer an adjunctive measure to conventional therapies in preventing graft rejection in high-risk corneal transplantation.
Multisite generalizability of schizophrenia diagnosis classification based on functional brain connectivity

Our objective was to assess the generalizability, across sites and cognitive contexts, of schizophrenia classification based on functional brain connectivity. We tested different training-test scenarios combining fMRI data from 191 schizophrenia patients and 191 matched healthy controls obtained at 6 scanning sites and under different task conditions. Diagnosis classification accuracy generalized well to a novel site and cognitive context provided data from multiple sites were used for classifier training. By contrast, lower classification accuracy was achieved when data from a single distinct site was used for training. These findings indicate that it is beneficial to use multisite data to train fMRI-based classifiers intended for large-scale use in the clinical realm.