Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
International validation of a preoperative nomogram for prostate cancer recurrence after radical prostatectomy.

PURPOSE We evaluated the predictive accuracy of a recently published preoperative nomogram for prostate cancer that predicts 5-year freedom from recurrence. We applied this nomogram to patients from seven different institutions spanning three continents. METHODS Clinical data of 6,754 patients were supplied for validation, and 6,232 complete records were used. Nomogram-predicted probabilities of 60-month freedom from recurrence were compared with actual follow-up in two ways. First, areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves (AUCs) were determined for the entire data set according to several variables, including the institution where treatment was delivered. Second, nomogram classification-based risk quadrants were compared with actual Kaplan-Meier plots. RESULTS The AUC for all institutions combined was 0.75, with individual institution AUCs ranging from 0.67 to 0.83. Nomogram predictions for each risk quadrant were similar to actual freedom from recurrence rates: predicted probabilities of 87% (low-risk group), 64% (intermediate-low-risk group), 39% (intermediate-high-risk group), and 14% (high-risk group) corresponded to actual rates of 86%, 64%, 42%, and 17%, respectively. The use of neoadjuvant therapy, variation in the prostate-specific antigen recurrence definitions between institutions, and minor differences in the way the Gleason grade was reported did not substantially affect the predictive accuracy of the nomogram. CONCLUSION The nomogram is accurate when applied at international treatment institutions with similar patient selection and management strategies. Despite the potential for heterogeneity in patient selection and management, most predictions demonstrated high concordance with actual observations. Our results demonstrate that accurate predictions may be expected across different patient populations.
Gangrenous Cholecystitis – a case report

Gangrenous cholecystitis (GC) is a complicated variant of acute cholecystitis. It can present with varied signs and symptoms, from biliary colic to gallbladder perforation. A high index of suspicion is required to diagnose this condition in the high-risk group to avoid morbidity. Herein we report a case, a 33yrs old female Patient presented in emergency with pain abdomen which was colicky in nature and more on the right hypochondria radiating to back. It was moderate to severe in intensity didn’t relived on taking oral analgesics. Open cholecystectomy showed gangrenous patches on the gallbladder wall, cholecystectomy was done and histopathology revealed gangrenous cholecystitis. So, in case of acute cholecystitis and in the presence of risk factors, gangrenous cholecystitis should be one of the differential diagnoses in order to avoid serious complications.
Physical Activity in German Adolescents Measured by Accelerometry and Activity Diary: Introducing a Comprehensive Approach for Data Management and Preliminary Results

Introduction Surveillance of physical activity (PA) is increasingly based on accelerometry. However, data management guidelines are lacking. We propose an approach for combining accelerometry and diary based PA information for assessment of PA in adolescents and provide an example of this approach using data from German adolescents. Methods The 15-year-old participants comprised a subsample the GINIplus birth cohort (n = 328, 42.4% male). Data on PA was obtained from hip-worn accelerometers (ActiGraph GT3X) for seven consecutive days, combined with a prospective activity diary. Major aspects of data management were validity of wear time, handling of non-wear time and diary comments. After data cleaning, PA and percentage of adolescents meeting the recommendations for moderate-to-vigorous activity (MVPA) per day were determined. Results From the 2224 recorded days 493 days (25%) were invalid, mainly due to uncertainties relating to non-wear time (322 days). Ultimately, 269 of 328 subjects (82%) with valid data for at least three weekdays and one weekend day were included in the analysis. Mean MVPA per day was 39.1 minutes (SD ±25.0), with boys being more active than girls (41.8±21.5 minutes vs. 37.1±27.8 minutes, p<0.001). Accordingly, 24.7% of boys and 17.2% of girls (p<0.01) met the WHO recommendations for PA. School sport accounted for only 6% of weekly MVPA. In fact, most MVPA was performed during leisure time, with the majority of adolescents engaging in ball sports (25.4%) and endurance sports (19.7%). Girls also frequently reported dancing and gymnastics (23%). Conclusion For assessment of PA in adolescents, collecting both accelerometry and diary-based information is recommended. The diary is vital for the identification of invalid data and non-compliant participants. Preliminary results suggest that four out of five German adolescents do not meet WHO recommendations for PA and that school sport contributes only little to MVPA.
Automated Model‐Based Finding of 3D Objects in Cluttered Construction Point Cloud Models

Finding construction components in cluttered point clouds is a critical pre‐processing task that requires intensive and manual operations. Accurate isolation of an object from point clouds is a key for further processing steps such as positive identification, scan‐to‐building information modeling (BIM), and robotic manipulation. Manual isolaton is tedious, time consuming, and disconnected from the automated tasks involved in the process. This article adapts and examines a method for finding objects within 3D point clouds robustly, quickly, and automatically. A local feature on a pair of points is employed for representing 3D shapes. The method has three steps: (1) offline model library generation, (2) online searching and matching, and (3) match refinement and isolation. Experimental tests are carried out for finding industrial (curvilinear) and structural (rectilinear) elements. The method is verified under various circumstances in order to measure its performance toward addressing the major challenges involved in 3D object finding. Results show that the method is sufficiently quick and robust to be integrated with automated process control frameworks.
Passive voice constructions in written texts: A cross-linguistic developmental study

The distribution of passive constructions is examined in written texts produced by native speakers of five Languages (Dutch, English, French, Hebrew, and Spanish), from four Age groups (aged 9–10, 12–13, 15–16 years, and adults). These languages contrast in the variety of structures available to promote a patient and to downgrade an agent in event encoding. The results show significant effects of Language and Age. When a language has productive alternative rhetorical options for the two functions, it relies less on passive constructions. Across all five languages, passives increase with Age. However, even our youngest subjects show a language-specific rhetorical bias.
Redundant Neuromodulatory Mechanisms That Control Fear Memory Consolidation

The ability to reliably and powerfully store memories for frightening experiences is crucial to survival in an ever-changing and potentially dangerous environment. Consolidation is the process by which long-term memories are stored in the brain, and much is understood about the processes that occur within a neuron in the hours after a learning event that stabilize learning-induced changes. However, the specific mechanisms through which fear exacerbates those processes remains unclear. Neuromodulators are a prime object of research to understand the consolidation of fear memory given that their release is a hallmark of the fear response. While several neuromodulatory systems are known to facilitate consolidation, no individual system yet appears to be essential. This dissertation explores the hypothesis that several neuromodulators work together to ensure proper consolidation of fear memory. The research contained in this dissertation employs pharmacologic and genetic manipulation of individual neuromodulatory receptor systems and associated intracellular signaling pathways to determine the essential neurobiology for consolidating of Pavlovian fear conditioning in mice. The results of this investigation reveal that β2-adrenergic, D5-dopaminergic and M1-muscarinic receptors in the basolateral amygdala (BLA) are essential to fear conditioning in a redundant manner, wherein two or more receptor types must be blocked in order to prevent consolidation. Furthermore, these three receptors are observed to redundantly activate phospholipase C (PLC), which this dissertation shows is necessary for consolidation in the BLA. Finally, evidence is provided to suggest that PLC promotes fear memory consolidation by inhibiting a voltage-dependent potassium channel (KCNQ/M) that regulates neuronal excitability and also appears to control consolidation. Together, this dissertation proposes that fearinduced neuromodulatory release promotes consolidation through redundant neuromodulatory activation of PLC, which puts the BLA in an excitable state that does not persist into the consolidation window after emotionally neutral experiences. Degree Type Dissertation Degree Name Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Graduate Group Neuroscience First Advisor Steven A. Thomas
Empty Follicle Syndrome: The Possible Cause of Occurrence.

OBJECTIVES Empty follicle syndrome (EFS), although rare, is a disappointing condition in which no oocytes are retrieved from mature follicle after ovulation induction in in vitro fertilization (IVF) cycles. The aim of this study was to estimate the incidence and factors associated with EFS. METHODS All cycles resulting in EFS from May 2012 to September 2013 were retrospectively identified at a tertiary referral infertility center. Among the 3,356 cycles performed, 58 (1.7%) women who underwent their first IVF cycle and had no oocyte retrieval were enrolled in the study. Three different stimulation protocols (long, antagonist, and miniflare) were mainly used for induction of follicular growth. Data relating to the age, follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) level, anti-Müllerain hormone (AMH) level, and the number of ampules and follicles for each patient was obtained. RESULTS Out of 58 individuals, 10 (17.2%) showed false type and 48 (82.8%) showed genuine EFS. The most frequent findings in our study were diminished ovarian reserve, low anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH; ≤0.5 ng/mL), and less than four mature follicles, indicating EFS in 1.7% of the patients. CONCLUSION Low serum AMH levels and a small number of follicles after ovarian stimulation is the manifestation of diminished ovarian reserve. Thus, we suggest that EFS could be a manifestation of low ovarian reserve.
This Week's Citation Classic

" To systematically study man's behavior, it is necessary to carefully control the circumstances, which is often possible only in a psychological experiment. Yet it seemed to me that the experiment itself changes the circumstances of observation. I felt it would be necessary to examine the effects of being in an experiment in order to make inference from those circumstances to a larger life situation. It seemed naive to assume that human subjects respond only to those aspects of the experiment that we define as stimuli. Rather, they, as well as the experimenter, realized that there was a larger purpose in an experiment and that their perception of this larger purpose would affect how they perceived what was happening in the microcosm of the experiment and could dramatically alter their response. In a number of demonstrations it was possible to show how powerful the experimental setting is and how different some observations obtained in that setting would be from those obtained in another setting. " This paper reported work done at the Massachusetts Mental Health Center, Boston. It appeared at a time when there was an increasing dissatisfaction with the naive behavioral approach. The observations affected all research with human subjects, and I proposed procedures for assessing the extent to which being in an experiment is likely to affect a subject's behavior. This explains why the paper became widely cited. It also helped focus attention on the subject as an active, thinking individual rather than as a passive responder. To the extent that this and other An effort was made to analyze the An effort was made to analyze the An effort was made to analyze the An effort was made to analyze the An effort was made to analyze the psychological experiment as a unique social psychological experiment as a unique social psychological experiment as a unique social psychological experiment as a unique social psychological experiment as a unique social form of interaction, emphasizing that the form of interaction, emphasizing that the form of interaction, emphasizing that the form of interaction, emphasizing that the form of interaction, emphasizing that the subject is not merely a passive responder to subject is not merely a passive responder to subject is not merely a passive responder to subject is not merely a passive responder to subject is not merely a passive responder to stimuli but an active participant whose stimuli but an …
Network theory applied to linguistics: new advances in language classification and typology

This thesis bridges between two scientific fields -- linguistics and computer science -- in terms of Linguistic Networks. From the linguistic point of view we examine whether languages can be distinguished when looking at network topology of different linguistic networks. We deal with up to 17 languages and ask how far the methods of network theory reveal the peculiarities of single languages. We present and apply network models from different levels of linguistic representation: syntactic, phonological and morphological. The network models presented here allow to integrate various linguistic features at once, which enables a more abstract, holistic view at the particular language. From the point of view of computer science we elaborate the instrumentarium of network theory applying it to a new field. We study the expressiveness of different network features and their ability to characterize language structure. We evaluate the interplay of these features and their goodness in the task of classifying languages genealogically. Among others we compare network features related to: average degree, average geodesic distance, clustering, entropy-based indices, assortativity, centrality, compactness etc. We also propose some new indices that can serve as additional characteristics of networks. The results obtained show that network models succeed in classifying related languages, and allow to study language structure in general. The mathematical analysis of the particular network indices brings new insights into the nature of these indices and their potential when applied to different networks.
Comparison between Conventional Radiography (IOPA) and Digital Radiography Using Bitewing Technique in Detecting the Depth of Alveolar Bone Loss

The objective of present study is to assess the depth of alveolar bone loss by using Conventional radiography (IOPA) and Digital radiography (RVG) technique in periodontitis as it affects the connective tissue attachment and supporting bone around the teeth. The study was carried out on 40 males and 10 females aged between 20 – 65 years who have generalized mild to severe chronic periodontitis. A series of conventional bitewing radiographs and digital bitewing radiographs (15,16,17,25,26,27,35,36,37,45,46,47) were taken for each patient. The Statistical software namely SPSS version 16.0 was used for data analysis. Paired t-test was performed on all the variables to evaluate between both the groups at p ≤ 0.05. The overall results showed the mean statistical difference between both the conventional and digital bitewing radiographs as 0.4595. It was observed that overall digital bitewing radiographs averaged about 0.4mm greater bone loss than conventional bitewing radiographs. It was concluded that digital radiographs showed better results when compared to conventional radiographs in terms of alveolar bone loss as RVG has superior image recording capabilities.
Behaviour and cognitive outcomes from middle ear disease

OBJECTIVES To resolve controversies over associations between a history of middle ear disease and psychosocial or cognitive/educational outcomes DESIGN Multipurpose longitudinal birth cohort study. Original cohort comprised all UK births between 5 and 11 April 1970; data were available for approximately 12 000 children at 5 years old and 9000 children at 10 years old. METHODS For 5 year old children, parent reported data were available on health, social, and behavioural factors, including data on two validated markers of middle ear disease. Cognitive tests were administered at 5 and 10 years of age, and behavioural problems rated at 10 years by the child’s teacher. RESULTS After adjustment for social background and maternal malaise, the developmental sequelae of middle ear disease remained significant even at 10 years. The largest effects were observed in behaviour problems and language test data at age 5, but effect sizes were modest overall. IMPLICATIONS These results provide an epidemiological basis for policies that aim to minimise the sequelae of middle ear disease by awareness in parents and preschool teachers, early referral, and intervention for more serious or persistent cases.
Human Urinary Composition Controls Antibacterial Activity of Siderocalin* ♦

Background: During urinary tract infections, humans secrete the protein siderocalin to block bacterial iron uptake. Results: Human urinary pH and metabolite composition strongly affect siderocalin's antibacterial activity. Conclusion: Siderocalin uses a subset of urinary metabolites as cofactors to withhold iron from E. coli in competition with the bacterial siderophore enterobactin. Significance: Therapeutic control of urinary composition may facilitate an important innate antibacterial defense. During Escherichia coli urinary tract infections, cells in the human urinary tract release the antimicrobial protein siderocalin (SCN; also known as lipocalin 2, neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin/NGAL, or 24p3). SCN can interfere with E. coli iron acquisition by sequestering ferric iron complexes with enterobactin, the conserved E. coli siderophore. Here, we find that human urinary constituents can reverse this relationship, instead making enterobactin critical for overcoming SCN-mediated growth restriction. Urinary control of SCN activity exhibits wide ranging individual differences. We used these differences to identify elevated urinary pH and aryl metabolites as key biochemical host factors controlling urinary SCN activity. These aryl metabolites are well known products of intestinal microbial metabolism. Together, these results identify an innate antibacterial immune interaction that is critically dependent upon individualistic chemical features of human urine.
Targeted enrichment and high-resolution digital profiling of mitochondrial DNA deletions in human brain

Due largely to the inability to accurately quantify and characterize de novo deletion events, the mechanisms underpinning the pathogenic expansion of mtDNA deletions in aging and neuromuscular disorders remain poorly understood. Here, we outline and validate a new tool termed ‘Digital Deletion Detection’ (3D) that allows for high‐resolution analysis of rare deletions occurring at frequencies as low as 1 × 10−8. 3D is a three‐step process that includes targeted enrichment for deletion‐bearing molecules, single‐molecule partitioning of genomes into thousands of droplets for direct quantification via droplet digital PCR, and breakpoint characterization using massively parallel sequencing. Using 3D, we interrogated over 8 billion mitochondrial genomes to analyze the age‐related dynamics of mtDNA deletions in human brain tissue. We demonstrate that the total deletion load increases with age, while the total number and diversity of unique deletions remain constant. Our data provide support for the hypothesis that expansion of pre‐existing mutations is the primary factor contributing to age‐related accumulation of mtDNA deletions.
Conversion from sirolimus to everolimus in maintenance renal transplant recipients within a calcineurin inhibitor-free regimen: results of a 6-month pilot study.

AIM To provide data on conversion of kidney transplant patients from sirolimus to everolimus. MATERIALS AND METHODS In this 6-month prospective, open-label pilot study, maintenance renal transplant patients receiving sirolimus, mycophenolic acid and corticosteroids without concomitant calcineurin inhibitor (CNI) therapy were converted to everolimus 8 mg/day (8 - 15 ng/ml), and followed for 6 months. Mycophenolic acid and corticosteroid therapy were continued unchanged. Patients with acute rejection within the previous 3 months were excluded. RESULTS 11 patients were recruited and completed the study (mean 5.1 +/- 1.8 years post transplant). Mean everolimus trough level remained within target throughout the study. Mean GFR remained stable (Day 0, 48.4 +/- 8.4 ml/min/1.73 m2, Month 6, 49.5 +/- 17.3 ml/ min/1.73 m2 (p = 0.966), as did mean renal phosphate threshold (TmPO4/GFR) (Day 0, 0.41 +/- 0.15 mmol/l, Month 6, 0.40 +/- 0.17 mmol/l (p = 0.966)). Serum phosphates increased significantly from 0.71 to 0.77 mmol/l (p = 0.01), but tubular reabsorption of phosphates and 24-h phosphaturia remained unchanged and mean PTH concentration tended to decrease. No patient died, lost their graft or experienced biopsy-proven acute rejection after conversion. There were no cases of CMV infection. Tolerability remained similar post conversion. Hematological and lipid parameters remained stable. Liver enzymes and sex hormones remained within normal ranges. CONCLUSION This pilot study suggests that converting kidney transplant patients receiving CNI-free maintenance immunosuppression from sirolimus to everolimus, at relatively high exposure levels, is safe and easily manageable. There was no consistent evidence for a change in GFR or proximal tubular function.