Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Enrichment of C5a-C5aR axis predicts poor postoperative prognosis of patients with clear cell renal cell carcinoma

Anaphylatoxin C5a and its receptor C5aR on cancer cells constitute a vital axis to cancer progression. In this study, we measured C5aR level by immunohistochemistry in the same cohort of our previous C5a research, and C5a-C5aR axis status was determined by synthesizing C5a and C5aR data. C5aR was an adverse independent prognostic factor for ccRCC patients. Kaplan-Meier analyses revealed the unique position of both C5a and C5aR high population in postoperative survival, based on which patients were then shunted into C5a-C5aR enriched and non-enriched groups. Obviously, C5a-C5aR enriched patients significantly had a poorer overall survival (OS) and recurrence free survival (RFS) compared with non-enriched ones, and the independence of C5a-C5aR axis was verified by multivariable analyses (HR 2.118, P = 0.001 for OS, HR 1.715, P = 0.035 for RFS). Established nomograms based on our findings reflected much better predicting accuracy in contrast with most common used TNM and Fuhrman systems. Meanwhile, consistent with HR, C5a-C5aR axis in this study held its advantages over C5a and C5aR for OS prediction by c-index analyses, rather than RFS prediction.
Mean Platelet Volume and Platelet Distribution Width Are Associated with Gallbladder Cancer

Gallbladder cancer (GBC) represents the most common biliary tract malignancy. Activated platelets play an essential role in cancer development and progression. Mean platelet volume (MPV) and platelet distribution width (PDW) are commonly used indexes of activated platelets in clinical practice. The aim of the current study was to investigate the association of MPV and PDW with GBC. 104 GBC patients and 109 normal control subjects were entered in this study between January 2015 and December 2015. We collected all participants’ clinical and laboratory characteristics at initial diagnosis. The odds ratios (ORs) for GBC were calculated using multivariate logistic regression analysis after adjusting for confounding variables across MPV and PDW quartiles. MPV levels were markedly lower and PDW levels were remarkably higher in GBC patients than control subjects. A significant correlation between PDW and lymph node metastasis was detected. In addition, after adjusting for other risk factors, the ORs (95% CIs) for GBC in each MPV quartile were 5.117 (1.939-13.506), 2.444 (0.917-6.516), 3.718 (1.381-10.007), and 1.000, respectively. The ORs (95% CIs) for GBC in each PDW quartile were 1.000, 2.063 (0.825-5.162), 3.070 (1.108-8.507), and 12.108 (4.243-34.553), respectively. In conclusion, decreased MPV and elevated PDW were independently associated with GBC. Our findings suggest that MPV and PDW are available parameters for early detection of GBC.
High-resolution Rayleigh-wave velocity maps of central Europe from a dense ambient-noise data set

SUMMARY We present a new database of surface wave group and phase-velocity dispersion curves derived from seismic ambient noise, cross-correlating continuous seismic recordings from the Swiss Network, the German Regional Seismological Network (GRSN), the Italian national broad-band network operated by the Istituto Nazionale di Geosica e Vulcanologia (INGV). To increase the aperture of the station array, additional measurements from the Mediterranean Very Broad-band Seismographic Network (MedNet), the Austrian Central Institute for Meteorology and Geodynamics (ZAMG), the French, Bulgarian, Hungarian, Romanian and Greek stations obtained through Orfeus are also included. The ambient noise, we are using to assemble our database, was recorded at the above-mentioned stations between 2006 January and 2006 December. Correlating continuous signal recorded at pairs of stations, allows to extract coherent surface wave signal travelling between the two stations. Usually the ambient-noise cross-correlation technique allows to have informations at periods of 30 s or shorter. By expanding the database of noise correlations, we seek to increase the resolution of the central Europe crustal model. We invert the resulting data sets of group and phase velocities associated with 8–35 s Rayleigh waves, to determine 2-D group and phase-velocity maps of the European region. Inversions are conducted by means of a 2-D linearized tomographic inversion algorithm. The generally good agreement of our models with previous studies and good correlation of well-resolved velocity anomalies with geological features, such as sedimentary basins, crustal roots and mountain ranges, documents the effectiveness of our approach.
Associations of multiplicity of comorbid health conditions, serious mental illness, and health care costs

ABSTRACT Using a nationally representative U.S. sample, this study analyzed the effects of serious mental illness (SMI) and comorbid medical conditions on the cost of health care. The results of path model indicated that SMI and comorbid health conditions each increased total health care costs. Additionally, individuals with SMI were likely to have more comorbid medical conditions, which in turn, increased total health care costs. Findings raise awareness of an increased risk of medical conditions among individuals with SMI and the concern of high expenditures associated with comorbid SMI and medical conditions.
Traffic Externalities and Housing Prices: Evidence from the London Congestion Charge

This study exploits the introduction of the London Congestion Charge (CC) that greatly improves traffic conditions in Central London to provide new evidence on the capitalization of traffic externalities onto housing values. The Congestion Charge restricts traffic into the cordoned area by imposing a flat fee on drivers whenever they enter during charging periods. I show that the introduction of the CC in the Western Extension Zone (WEZ) increases home prices by 3.68\% relative to untreated housing units within 1 kilometre away from the CC boundary. These estimates, which measures the marginal willingness to pay to avoid negative traffic externalities, are robust to many changes in specifications, suggesting that homeowners pay to avoid traffic so as to reduce commuting time, to enjoy better air quality and less traffic noise, and to travel on safer roads.
Graph-based time-space trade-offs for approximate near neighbors

We take a first step towards a rigorous asymptotic analysis of graph-based approaches for finding (approximate) nearest neighbors in high-dimensional spaces, by analyzing the complexity of (randomized) greedy walks on the approximate near neighbor graph. For random data sets of size $n = 2^{o(d)}$ on the $d$-dimensional Euclidean unit sphere, using near neighbor graphs we can provably solve the approximate nearest neighbor problem with approximation factor $c > 1$ in query time $n^{\rho_q + o(1)}$ and space $n^{1 + \rho_s + o(1)}$, for arbitrary $\rho_q, \rho_s \geq 0$ satisfying \begin{align} (2c^2 - 1) \rho_q + 2 c^2 (c^2 - 1) \sqrt{\rho_s (1 - \rho_s)} \geq c^4. \end{align} Graph-based near neighbor searching is especially competitive with hash-based methods for small $c$ and near-linear memory, and in this regime the asymptotic scaling of a greedy graph-based search matches the recent optimal hash-based trade-offs of Andoni-Laarhoven-Razenshteyn-Waingarten [SODA'17]. We further study how the trade-offs scale when the data set is of size $n = 2^{\Theta(d)}$, and analyze asymptotic complexities when applying these results to lattice sieving.
A Systematic Review of Tools to Measure Respiratory Rate in Order to Identify Childhood Pneumonia

&NA; Pneumonia is the leading infectious cause of death in children worldwide, with most deaths occurring in developing countries. Measuring respiratory rate is critical to the World Health Organization's guidelines for diagnosing childhood pneumonia in low‐resource settings, yet it is difficult to accurately measure. We conducted a systematic review to landscape existing respiratory rate measurement technologies. We searched PubMed, Embase, and Compendex for studies published through September 2017 assessing the accuracy of respiratory rate measurement technologies in children. We identified 16 studies: 2 describing manual devices and 14 describing automated devices. Although both studies describing manual devices took place in low‐resource settings, all studies describing automated devices were conducted in well‐resourced settings. Direct comparison between studies was complicated by small sample size, absence of a consistent reference standard, and variations in comparison methodology. There is an urgent need for affordable and appropriate innovations that can reliably measure a child's respiratory rate in low‐resource settings. Accelerating development or scale‐up of these technologies could have the potential to advance childhood pneumonia diagnosis worldwide.
Amelioration of Diabetic Dyslipidemia by GTF – 231 (Gymnemic acid, Trigonelline and Ferulic acid- 2:3:1), a phytochemical preparation Studied in High Fat Diet Fed-Low Dose STZ Induced Experimental Type 2 Diabetes in Rats

*Corresponding author: Dr. S. Subramanian, Department of Biochemistry, University of Madras, Guindy campus, Chennai – 600 025, Tamilnadu, India, Tel: +91-44-22202732; E-mail: subbus2020@yahoo.co.in Abstract: Background: Persistent hyperglycemia in diabetes is associated with profound changes in lipid and lipoprotein abnormalities which result in particle distribution within lipoprotein classes. Recently, we have reported the antidiabetic properties of GTF-231 (Gymnemic acid, Trigonelline and Ferulic acid2:3:1) a phytochemical preparation in experimental type 2 diabetic rats. The present study was aimed to evaluate the effect of GTF-231 on the regulation of lipid homeostasis in T2DM induced rats. Materials and methods: High fat diet fed-low dose STZ induced experimental type 2 diabetes was used as the animal model. GTF at a concentration of 300mg/kg.b. w. /rat/day was orally administered for 30 days to experimental type 2 diabetic rats. The alterations in the levels of lipid profile in plasma, hepatic and renal tissues were studied. The activities of HMG CoA reductase was assayed in liver and kidney tissues of control and experimental groups of rats. The levels of lipid metabolizing enzymes such as lipoprotein lipase and lecithin cholesterol acyltransferase in the plasma and hepatic tissues were assayed. Results: Oral administration of GTF-231significantly normalized the altered levels of lipid profile in plasma, hepatic and renal tissues. Likewise, the decreased levels of HDL-c and increased levels of LDL-c and VLDL-c in plasma of diabetic rats were normalized upon treatment with GTF. Additionally,GTF-231 treatment significantly decreased the activity HMG-CoA reductase in the liver and kidney tissues. Decreased activities of lipid metabolizing enzymes such as lipoprotein lipase and lecithin cholesterol acyltransferase in the plasma and hepatic tissues were normalized upon oral treatment with GTF-231. Conclusion: The data obtained are claimed to display synergistic, efficacious and agonistic/antagonistic actions of GTF-231 and the mixture of species in the phytochemical preparation shows better therapeutic effects at a relatively less concentration than either species on its own and the ameliorative potential of GTF-231 in diabetic dyslipidemia was comparable with metformin (200 mg/kg.b.w.).
Role of Functional IFNL4, IFNLR1, IFNA, IFNAR2 Polymorphisms in Hepatitis B virus‐related liver disease in Han Chinese population

Recent studies show that variants in some interferon genes together with interferon receptor genes are associated with the outcome of infectious diseases. We examined the association between the risk of hepatitis B virus (HBV)‐related liver disease and the functional polymorphisms within IFNL4, IFNLR1, IFNA1, IFNA2, IFNA5 and IFNAR2 genes (14 loci in all) in a Han Chinese population. A total of 3128 people participated and were divided into 5 groups: healthy controls, natural clearance, chronic hepatitis B(CHB), liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Significant associations were observed for 4 variants in IFNAR2, IFNLR1 with HBV infection, and IFNLR1‐rs4649203 was associated with HBV recovery. Moreover, we demonstrated the clear relevance of 5 polymorphisms in IFNA1, IFNA2, IFNL4 with HCC. Three SNPs in IFNL4 gene may be important susceptible factors for the progression of HBV‐related liver disease by trend chi‐square test. The IFNL4 haplotype conformed by rs12971396_G, rs8113007_T and rs7248668A was more frequent in HCC than CHB and LC group. Three polymorphisms in the 5′ region of the IFNL4 gene are associated with the progression of HBV‐related liver disease. IFNA1‐ rs1831583 and IFNA2‐ rs649053 are associated with the development of HCC. IFNLR1‐ rs4649203, rs7525481 are predictors for HBV infection, and rs4649203 is a predictor of spontaneous clearance. IFNAR2 ‐rs1051393, rs12233338 may be predictive markers of HBV infection in the Chinese population.
Left-molar Approach Improves the Laryngeal View in Patients with Difficult Laryngoscopy

Background The molar approach of laryngoscopy is reported to improve glottic view in sporadic cases of difficult laryngoscopy. The authors studied the effect of molar approaches and optimal external laryngeal manipulation (OELM) using the Macintosh blade. Methods A series of 1,015 adult patients who underwent general anesthesia and tracheal intubation was studied. Laryngoscopy was carried out using a Macintosh no. 3 or 4 standard blade. Three consecutive trials of direct laryngoscopy using the midline and left- and right-molar approaches were carried out under full muscle relaxation with optimal head and neck positioning. The best glottic views were recorded for each approach with and without OELM. Results Difficult laryngoscopy with a midline approach accounted for 6.5% (66 cases) before OELM and 1.97% (20 cases) after OELM. A left-molar approach with OELM further reduced difficult laryngoscopy to seven cases (P < 0.001 vs. midline approach with OELM); a right-molar approach with OELM reduced difficult laryngoscopy to 18 cases (P = 0.48). Conclusions The left-molar approach with OELM improves the laryngeal view in patients with difficult laryngoscopy.
On the Prevalence of Multiple-Account Cheating in Massive Open Online Learning

Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) are a promising form of online education. However, the occurrence of academic dishonesty has been threatening MOOC certificates’ effectiveness as a serious tool for recruiters and employers. Recently, a large-scale study on the log traces from more than one hundred MOOCs created by Harvard and MIT has identified a specific cheating strategy viable in MOOCs: Copying Answers using Multiple Existences Online (CAMEO). In essence, learners create several accounts on a MOOC platform, request assessment solutions via some of the accounts, and then submit these “harvested” solutions in their main account to receive credit. In our work, we replicate the CAMEO implementation and apply it to ten edX MOOCs created by the Delft University of Technology. Our results show that in those MOOCs, 1.9% of certificates were likely earned through CAMEO cheating, a number comparable to the fraction of cheating observed in Harvard and MIT MOOCs.
A computational cognitive modeling approach to the development of second-order theory of mind

Most 3-year-olds fail on the hide and seek game. For example, they close their eyes as if: “Nobody knows where I am if I do not see them”. When they turn 4, they understand that others can have different beliefs and knowledge, and this theory of mind makes them successful at hide and seek. Theory of mind is also crucial in more socially complex situations, such as catching others’ lies and keeping a secret. Imagine, a father and his son want to surprise the mother and want to keep secret what they bought for her until her birthday. To keep this as a secret, the son should reason: “Mom should not know that I know what her birthday present will be. ” If the son is younger than 6, it is not likely that he will apply this more complex theory of mind reasoning, and probably will reveal information before the mother’s birthday. Why does this development take another two years? This dissertation combines computational cognitive modeling with empirical research to provide an answer to this question. Simulating children’s minds with a computer program allowed us to generate a new prediction: 5-year-olds’ development can be accelerated with exposure to complex theory of mind. We trained 5-year-olds with many examples of complex theory of mind. Confirming the prediction, 5-year-olds were able to use complex theory of mind after two weeks of training but also after four months from the training. Coming back to the question, the answer is: “`Just lack of experience! ”
Response of otolith microchemistry to environmental variations experienced by larval and juvenile Atlantic croaker (Micropogonias undulatus)

Minor and trace elements incorporated into otoliths during growth may permanently record environmental conditions experienced by fishes. To determine the validity of this approach, we used laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA‐ICPMS) to assay sectioned otoliths from juvenile Atlantic croaker (Micropogonias undulatus) collected from each of three sites in the Neuse River, North Carolina, and the Elizabeth River, Virginia. Elemental concentrations at the center of the otoliths did not differ between locations, although both Mg:Ca and Ba:Ca were significantly higher at the edge of otoliths from the Neuse River than from the Elizabeth River. Three of the elements (Mg:Ca, Sr:Ca, and Ba:Ca) showed significant variation across otoliths. Sr:Ca, and to a lesser extent Mg:Ca, showed progressive decreases as the fish moved from offshore spawning sites to estuarine nursery areas. The opposite pattern was shown by Ba: Ca. We hypothesize that: these patterns were related to the elemental concentrations within oceanic and estuarine water masses. Although both Sr: Ca and Ba: Ca seem to be useful tracers of offshore‐inshore migration of estuarine‐dependent species, the sensitivity of the technique to more subtle changes in water chemistry remains to be determined.
Modelling the cost-effectiveness of adjuvant lapatinib for early-stage breast cancer

Abstract Background. It has been shown in the NeoALTTO trial that a neoadjuvant regimen containing paclitaxel, lapatinib and trastuzumab is superior to regimens which include only one of the HER2 antagonists with paclitaxel. In light of these results, we modelled the potential cost-effectiveness of adjuvant lapatinib for patients with HER2-positive early-stage breast cancer. Material and methods. We constructed a Markov state-transition model with three different health states: disease free, relapse, and death. We assumed an 18-week course of lapatinib was added to the TCH arm of the BCIRG 006 trial. Since no efficacy data are available for combining adjuvant lapatinib with trastuzumab, we ran the model assuming five different hypothetical hazard ratios for disease free survival when lapatinib is added to TCH (TCH was used as the control group). The hazard ratios were 0.9, 0.8, 0.7, 0.6, and 0.5. Outcomes are given in quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs). Both costs and QALYs were discounted at the 4% rate. We calculated the cost per QALY from the perspective of the Irish health care system. Probabilistic sensitivity analysis and one-way sensitivity were performed and confidence intervals were bootstrapped. Results. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) for the five hazard ratios are €53 089/QALY, €27 893/QALY, €18 463/QALY, €13 527/QALY and €10 490/QALY, respectively. Using the €45 000/QALY threshold, an adjuvant lapatinib regimen is cost-effective at the 0.8 hazard ratio. Adjuvant lapatinib becomes cost-effective at the 0.879 hazard ratio where the ICER is €44 825/QALY. Conclusion. In the Irish setting, an adjuvant lapatinib regimen would be considered cost-effective for patients with HER2-positive early-stage breast cancer for four of the five hypothesised hazard ratios. Data from both adjuvant and neoadjuvant trials suggest that the hazard ratio required to achieve cost-effectiveness for adjuvant lapatinib is both possible and plausible.
Quantitative and qualitative analysis of collagen types in the fascia transversalis of inguinal hernia patients.

BACKGROUND Inguinal hernia is the second most common surgical case in our field. The anatomical factors alone are not enough to explain the inguinal hernia. Studies show changes in the proportion and quantity of collagen fibers in the developing of inguinal hernia. The greater production of collagen type III compared to the type I could justify the thinning of the fascia transversalis and its weakness. AIM To determine the quantitative and qualitative changes of collagen in the fascia transversalis in inguinal hernia patients and compare them to findings from corpses without inguinal hernia. METHOD Prospective case-control study based on the biopsy of fascia transversalis of 27 patients and 24 corpses. The technique used was hematoxylin-eosin and picrosirius colorimetry. RESULTS The medium percent area of collagen (types I + III) and collagen type I, in both groups, show no statistic difference. The quantity of collagen type III was greater in the patients. Patients classified with Nyhus IIIa presented greater quantity of collagen type III. CONCLUSION There is no significant difference in the quantity of collagen in the fascia transversalis of patients compared to the controls. An increase in the quantity of collagen type III was found in patients with inguinal hernia and a greater quantity in those patients classified with Nyhus IIIa.
Comparison of aircraft‐derived observations with in situ research aircraft measurements

Mode Selective Enhanced Surveillance (Mode‐S EHS) reports are aircraft‐based observations that have value in numerical weather prediction (NWP). These reports contain the aircraft's state vector in terms of its speed, direction, altitude and Mach number. Using the state vector, meteorological observations of temperature and horizontal wind can be derived. However, Mode‐S EHS processing reduces the precision of the state vector from 16‐bit to 10‐bit binary representation. We use full precision data from research‐grade instruments, on board the UK's Facility for Atmospheric Airborne Measurements, to emulate Mode‐S EHS reports and to compare with derived observations. We aim to understand the observation errors due to the reduced precision of Mode‐S EHS reports. We derive error models to estimate these observation errors. The temperature error increases from 1.25 to 2.5 K between an altitude of 10 km and the surface due to its dependency on Mach number and also Mode‐S EHS precision. For the cases studied, the zonal wind error is around 0.50 m s−1 and the meridional wind error is 0.25 m s−1. The wind is also subject to systematic errors that are directionally dependent. We conclude that Mode‐S EHS‐derived horizontal winds are suitable for data assimilation in high‐resolution NWP. Temperature reports may be usable when aggregated from multiple aircraft. While these reduced precision, high‐frequency data provide useful, albeit noisy, observations, direct reports of the higher‐precision data would be preferable.