Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effects of screening on cervical cancer incidence and mortality in New South Wales implied by influences of period of diagnosis and birth cohort

STUDY OBJECTIVES Cervical cancer incidence and mortality in NSW during 1972–1996 is examined under counterfactual assumptions to estimate the number of new cervical cancer cases averted and deaths avoided, with projections to 2006. SETTING Cervical cancer incident cases and deaths in NSW for 1972–96 were obtained from the NSW Central Cancer Registry, Sydney, Australia. DESIGN Data were analysed by age-period-cohort (APC) modelling, using Poisson regression. Projection of incidence to 2006 was based on a linear trend for period effects. A counterfactual scenario was constructed assuming stable period effects (1972–74), but modelled cohort effects. Modelled rates were converted to cases and deaths (using mortality:incidence ratios for cervical cancer), and compared with actual data to estimate cancers prevented and deaths averted due to screening. RESULTS Rising cohort effects with recency of birth were found after controlling for age and period of diagnosis, and declining period effects were identified after controlling for age and birth cohort. The estimated cumulated number of new cases of cervical cancer prevented during 1972–1996 was 3440. The cumulated number of averted deaths over 1972–1996, derived from incident cases, was estimated to be 1610 (including actual declines in the M/I ratio). With no change in the M/I ratio from 1972, estimated cumulated mortality averted due to cervical cancer for 1972–1996 was 1210 deaths. CONCLUSIONS Cervical screening has prevented a substantial number of new cases of cervical cancer and deaths. In addition, secondary prevention and improved treatment has contributed further to cervical cancer deaths averted.
Dual scattering approximation for fast multiple scattering in hair

When rendering light colored hair, multiple fiber scattering is essential for the right perception of the overall hair color. In this context, we present a novel technique to efficiently approximate multiple fiber scattering for a full head of human hair or a similar fiber based geometry. In contrast to previous ad-hoc approaches, our method relies on the physically accurate concept of the Bidirectional Scattering Distribution Functions and gives physically plausible results with no need for parameter tweaking. We show that complex scattering effects can be approximated very well by using aggressive simplifications based on this theoretical model. When compared to unbiased Monte-Carlo path tracing, our approximations preserve photo-realism in most settings but with rendering times at least two-orders of magnitude lower. Time and space complexity are much lower compared to photon mapping-based techniques and we can even achieve realistic results in real-time on a standard PC with consumer graphics hardware.
CYSTIC LUNG DISEASE IN INFANTS AND CHILDREN

Cysts within the lung are one of the more common pulmonary pathological findings seen in an active pediatric surgical pathology service. Of both developmental and acquired origin, they may present as respiratory distress in infants or may be asymptomatic lesions incidentally discovered by images studies of the thoracic for “non-pulmonary” reasons. The most frequently seen developmental cysts of the lung are those of Congenital Pulmonary Airway Malformations, types 1, 2 & 4. Other congenital cystic lesions include bronchogenic cysts (usually in older patients) and some of the enteric duplication lesions that contain cysts. Acquired cystic lung lesions include acute and persistent pulmonary interstitial emphysema, postinfarction peripheral cysts, postinfectious pulmonary cysts, and the cystic form of pleuropulmonary blastoma.
Trapping and dissociation of propafenone derivatives in HERG channels

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Human ether‐a‐go‐go related gene (HERG) channel inhibitors may be subdivided into compounds that are trapped in the closed channel conformation and others that dissociate at rest. The structural peculiarities promoting resting state dissociation from HERG channels are currently unknown. A small molecule‐like propafenone is efficiently trapped in the closed HERG channel conformation. The aim of this study was to identify structural moieties that would promote dissociation of propafenone derivatives.
Fixpoints and Iterated Updates in Abstract Argumentation

Fixpoints play a key role in the mathematical set up of abstract argumentation theory but, we argue, have been relatively underexamined in the literature. The paper studies the logical structure underlying the computation via approximation sequences of the sort of fixpoints relevant in argumentation. Concretely, it presents a number of novel results on the fixed point theory underpinning the main Dung's semantics and, inspired by recent literature on the logical analysis of equilibrium computation in games, it provides a characterization of those semantics in terms of iterated model updates.
The Relationship between Parental Rearing Patterns and Teenagers Teasing

This paper examines how and to what extent parental rearing patterns influence the type of teenage teasing and its impact by making use of a Chinese version Egna Minnen Barndoms Uppfostran (EMBU). The participants include 582 adolescents in 7th-, 8th-, 9th-, 10th-, 11th- and 12th- grades from 2 schools in 2 cities in Sichuan province, China. The results show that teasing of physical appearance and social behavior occurs often, and that the impact of social behavior and performance is the greatest. The study finds that teenage teasing varies significantly depending on the subject’s gender, whether it occurs in urban or rural settings, whether the teenagers are left-behind or non-left-behind, as well as the level of paternal educational. Positive parental rearing practices (that involve emotional warmth) are also found to be negatively correlated with teenage teasing and its influence (except academics); while negative parental rearing patterns (rejection, punishment, control and favoring subject) are positively correlated with teenage teasing and its influence, among which paternal rejection and parental control have the greatest influence on teenagers teasing and its influence.
Regulation of the erythropoietin gene.

I N HUMANS AND OTHER mammals, decreased oxygen tension triggers specific and tightly regulated cellular, vascular, and erythropoietic responses. An association between polycythemia and people living at high altitudes was first reported in 1863. 1 Erythropoietin (Epo), a 34.4-kD glycoprotein hormone, was subsequently identified as the humoral regulator of red blood cell production. Decreased tissue oxygen tension modulates Epo levels by increasing expression of the Epogene. Since the cloning of theEpo gene in 1985, 2,3 considerable progress has been made in understanding the molecular mechanisms by which theEpo gene is regulated by environmental, tissue-specific, and developmental cues. Erythropoiesis, which normally proceeds at a low basal level to replace aged red blood cells, is highly induced by loss of red blood cells, decreased ambient oxygen tension, increased oxygen affinity for hemoglobin, and other stimuli that decrease delivery of oxygen to the tissues. In states of severe hypoxia, production of Epo is increased up to 1,000-fold. The secreted hormone circulates in the blood and binds to receptors expressed specifically on erythroid progenitor cells, thereby promoting the viability, proliferation, and terminal differentiation of erythroid precursors, resulting in an increase in red blood cell mass. The oxygen carrying capacity of the blood is thus enhanced, increasing tissue oxygen tension, thereby completing the negative feedback loop (Fig 1). 4,5
Compartmental and Temporal Dynamics of Chronic Inflammation and Airway Remodelling in a Chronic Asthma Mouse Model

Background Allergic asthma is associated with chronic airway inflammation and progressive airway remodelling. However, the dynamics of the development of these features and their spontaneous and pharmacological reversibility are still poorly understood. We have therefore investigated the dynamics of airway remodelling and repair in an experimental asthma model and studied how pharmacological intervention affects these processes. Methods Using BALB/c mice, the kinetics of chronic asthma progression and resolution were characterised in absence and presence of inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) treatment. Airway inflammation and remodelling was assessed by the analysis of bronchoalveolar and peribronichal inflammatory cell infiltrate, goblet cell hyperplasia, collagen deposition and smooth muscle thickening. Results Chronic allergen exposure resulted in early (goblet cell hyperplasia) and late remodelling (collagen deposition and smooth muscle thickening). After four weeks of allergen cessation eosinophilic inflammation, goblet cell hyperplasia and collagen deposition were resolved, full resolution of lymphocyte inflammation and smooth muscle thickening was only observed after eight weeks. ICS therapy when started before the full establishment of chronic asthma reduced the development of lung inflammation, decreased goblet cell hyperplasia and collagen deposition, but did not affect smooth muscle thickening. These effects of ICS on airway remodelling were maintained for a further four weeks even when therapy was discontinued. Conclusions Utilising a chronic model of experimental asthma we have shown that repeated allergen exposure induces reversible airway remodelling and inflammation in mice. Therapeutic intervention with ICS was partially effective in inhibiting the transition from acute to chronic asthma by reducing airway inflammation and remodelling but was ineffective in preventing smooth muscle hypertrophy.
‘My Virtual Dream’: Collective Neurofeedback in an Immersive Art Environment

While human brains are specialized for complex and variable real world tasks, most neuroscience studies reduce environmental complexity, which limits the range of behaviours that can be explored. Motivated to overcome this limitation, we conducted a large-scale experiment with electroencephalography (EEG) based brain-computer interface (BCI) technology as part of an immersive multi-media science-art installation. Data from 523 participants were collected in a single night. The exploratory experiment was designed as a collective computer game where players manipulated mental states of relaxation and concentration with neurofeedback targeting modulation of relative spectral power in alpha and beta frequency ranges. Besides validating robust time-of-night effects, gender differences and distinct spectral power patterns for the two mental states, our results also show differences in neurofeedback learning outcome. The unusually large sample size allowed us to detect unprecedented speed of learning changes in the power spectrum (~ 1 min). Moreover, we found that participants' baseline brain activity predicted subsequent neurofeedback beta training, indicating state-dependent learning. Besides revealing these training effects, which are relevant for BCI applications, our results validate a novel platform engaging art and science and fostering the understanding of brains under natural conditions.
Manual method for liquid‐based cytology: A demonstration using 1,000 gynecological cytologies collected directly to vial and prepared by a smear‐slide technique

We report on the formulation and use of an alcoholic‐agar additive solution generally useful for rapid, inexpensive liquid‐based cytology slide preparation. Gynecological cytology specimens were collected from 1,000 women. Two hundred fifty aliquots each of CytoRich, CytoRich Red (Tripath Imaging, Inc., Burlington, NC), Preservcyt (Cytyc Corp., Boxborough, MA), and DINA*TRANS (DINA*CYT Corp., Portland, OR) fixatives were used for this study. Fixed cell suspensions from 1,000 women, seen consecutively by a general obstetrics and gynecology practice, were vortex‐mixed and transferred into a premeasured amount of alcoholic‐agar in test tubes. Test tubes were conventionally centrifuged, cells were trapped in a spontaneously formed agar‐gel, and the supernatant solutions were decanted. Vortex‐mixing cell buttons caused a rapid gel‐to‐sol transition, affording viscous cell suspensions that were applied to slides, smeared, and stained using Papanicolaou stains. Slides showed unclumped, monolayered, uniform, random cell‐spreads. All of the fixatives afforded crisp presentation of normal and abnormal cells. There was an about 3‐fold increase in HSIL+ (0.7–1.8%) and LSIL diagnoses (1.3–4.4%), and a 45% reduction in ASCUS diagnoses (3.3–1.8%), as compared to our cytology laboratory's previous year's patients' statistics with a concurrent 0.2% unsatisfactory rate, due solely to inadequate sampling. This manual method makes liquid‐based cytology inexpensive and does not require specialized preparative devices. Diagn. Cytopathol. 25:334–338, 2001. © 2001 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Inter- and Intraobserver Variability of 99mTc-DMSA Renal Scintigraphy: Impact of Oblique Views

99mTc-Dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA) scintigraphy is a frequently used diagnostic test to assess the presence and severity of cortical damage. The aim of this study is to investigate the variability in the interpretation of 99mTc-DMSA scans, evaluate the usefulness of oblique images, and assess their impact on scan interpretation. Methods: Two experienced nuclear medicine physicians independently interpreted 100 99mTc-DMSA scans (197 kidneys) 4 times. Interpretation was twice based on posterior projection images and twice based on posterior and posterior oblique projection images. For each kidney, the observers had to choose between the following results: normal, abnormal, and indeterminate. The indices of variability used were the percentage of agreement, κ-statistic, and marginal homogeneity. Results: Intraobserver and interobserver reproducibility (κ-values) varied between 0.683 and 0.708 and between 0.609 and 0.671, respectively, for posterior images. Disagreement in 99mTc-DMSA scan interpretation occurred in 18% of kidneys within observers and in 21% of kidneys between observers when only posterior images were used. Oblique views changed the interpretation in 14% and 11.5% of kidneys for the first and second observers, respectively. The use of oblique views increased the agreement rate within and between observers (κ-values, 0.725–0.812 and 0.768–0.732, respectively; mean agreement, 86.5 and 87.25, respectively). Conclusion: Oblique views were found useful in approximately 13% of kidneys and affected inter- and intraobserver variability. Our results suggest that oblique views should be used routinely in children with clinically suspected urinary tract infection to reliably interpret images.
Integrin β‐3 is required for the attachment, retention and therapeutic benefits of human cardiospheres in myocardial infarction

Cardiovascular diseases remain the leading causes of death worldwide. Stem cell therapy offers a promising option to regenerate injured myocardium. Among the various types of stem cells, cardiosphere cells represent a mixture of intrinsic heart stem cells and supporting cells. The safety and efficacy of cardiosphere cells have been demonstrated in recent clinical trials. Cell–matrix interaction plays an important role in mediating the engraftment of injected stem cells. Here, we studied the role of integrin β‐3 in cardiosphere‐mediated cell therapy in a mouse model of myocardial infarction. Our results indicated that inhibiting integrin β‐3 reduced attachment, retention and therapeutic benefits of human cardiospheres in mice with acute myocardial infarction. This suggests integrin β‐3 plays an important role in cardiosphere‐mediated heart regeneration.
Phase 1 dose‐escalation study of single‐agent veliparib in Japanese patients with advanced solid tumors

Veliparib (ABT‐888) is a potent, orally bioavailable poly(ADP‐ribose) polymerase‐1 and ‐2 inhibitor. This phase 1 study evaluated the tolerability, pharmacokinetic profile, safety, and preliminary antitumor activity of single‐agent veliparib in Japanese patients with advanced solid tumors. Eligible patients were assigned to treatment with veliparib at 200 or 400 mg dose; veliparib was self‐administered orally twice daily on days 1–28 of 28‐day cycles. Dose escalation, following a 3 + 3 design, defined dose‐limiting toxicities, the maximum tolerated dose, and the recommended phase 2 dose. Sixteen patients were enrolled (median age, 59 years). Fourteen patients had high‐grade serous ovarian cancer, one had primary peritoneal cancer, and one had BRCA‐mutated breast cancer. The most frequent treatment‐emergent adverse events were nausea and vomiting (93.8% each), decreased appetite (62.5%), abdominal pain, diarrhea, and malaise (31.3% each). A grade ≥3 toxicity was observed in 50% of patients; one patient each in the 200 mg (n = 4) and 400 mg (n = 12) cohorts experienced serious adverse events. Dose‐limiting toxicities were observed for one patient at the 400 mg dose. No toxicities leading to death were reported. The recommended phase 2 dose was defined as 400 mg twice daily. The veliparib pharmacokinetic profile was consistent with that reported for the Western population. Two patients, both with ovarian cancer, had a RECIST partial response. Veliparib monotherapy showed manageable tolerability and safety profiles and a predictable pharmacokinetic profile at a 400 mg twice‐daily dose, and supports the inclusion of Japanese patients in the multinational phase 3 study (NCT02470585).
Exact Soft Confidence-Weighted Learning

In this paper, we propose a new Soft Confidence-Weighted (SCW) online learning scheme, which enables the conventional confidence-weighted learning method to handle non-separable cases. Unlike the previous confidence-weighted learning algorithms, the proposed soft confidence-weighted learning method enjoys all the four salient properties: (i) large margin training, (ii) confidence weighting, (iii) capability to handle non-separable data, and (iv) adaptive margin. Our experimental results show that the proposed SCW algorithms significantly outperform the original CW algorithm. When comparing with a variety of state-of-the-art algorithms (including AROW, NAROW and NHERD), we found that SCW generally achieves better or at least comparable predictive accuracy, but enjoys significant advantage of computational efficiency (i.e., smaller number of updates and lower time cost).
A High Excision Potential of TALENs for Integrated DNA of HIV-Based Lentiviral Vector

DNA-editing technology has made it possible to rewrite genetic information in living cells. Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) provirus, an integrated form of viral complementary DNA in host chromosomes, could be a potential target for this technology. We recently reported that HIV proviral DNA could be excised from the chromosomal DNA of HIV-based lentiviral DNA-transduced T cells after multiple introductions of a clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR)/Cas9 endonuclease system targeting HIV long terminal repeats (LTR). Here, we generated a more efficient strategy that enables the excision of HIV proviral DNA using customized transcription activator-like effector nucleases (TALENs) targeting the same HIV LTR site. A single transfection of TALEN-encoding mRNA, prepared from in vitro transcription, resulted in more than 80% of lentiviral vector DNA being successfully removed from the T cell lines. Furthermore, we developed a lentiviral vector system that takes advantage of the efficient proviral excision with TALENs and permits the simple selection of gene-transduced and excised cells in T cell lines.
Mobile- vs. fixed-bearing total knee replacement

Background and purpose — It is unclear whether mobile-bearing (MB) total knee arthroplasties reduce the risk of tibial component loosening compared to fixed-bearing (FB) designs. This randomized study investigated implant migration, periprosthetic bone mineral density (BMD), and patient-reported outcomes (Oxford knee score)—all at 2 years—for the P.F. C. Sigma Cruciate Retaining total knee arthroplasty. Patients and methods — 50 osteoarthritis patients were allocated to either FB or MB tibial articulation. Resultsand interpretation — At 2 years, the mean total translation (implant migration) was higher for the FB implant (0.30 mm, SD 0.22) than for the MB implant (0.17 mm, SD 0.09) (p = 0.04). BMD decreased between baseline and 1-year follow-up. At 2-year follow-up, BMD was close to the baseline level. The knee scores of both groups improved equally well. The FB tibial implant migrated more than the MB, but this was not clinically significant. The mobile polyethylene presumably partly absorbs the force transmitted to the metal tibial tray, thereby reducing micromotion.
A Truthful Heuristic for Efficient Scheduling in Network-Centric Grid OS

The Grid is a promising concept to solve the dilemma of increasingly complex and demanding applications being confronted with the need for a more efficient and flexible use of existing resources. Network-centric Grid Operating Systems (OS) aim at providing users and applications with transparent and seamless access to heterogeneous Grid resources across different administrative domains. Scheduling in these heterogeneous environments becomes the key issue since scarce resources must be distributed between strategic and self-interested users. Market-based algorithms are deemed to provide a good fit to the Grid environment by accounting for its distinct properties and the needs of the users. Current market mechanisms, however, leave room for inefficiency and are computationally intractable. The speed of heuristics becomes a desirable feature in interactive, largescale Grid OS settings. Heuristics achieve a fast, approximately efficient allocation of resources but generally fail in preserving truthfulness, i.e. users can benefit from cheating the mechanism. The contribution of this paper is the proposal of a greedy, market-based scheduling heuristic for networkcentric Grid OS which does achieve this distinct trade-off: it is designed so as to obtain an approximately efficient allocation schedule at low computational cost while accounting for strategic, self-interested users in a heterogeneous environment.
Incisional Negative Pressure Therapy to Prevent Wound Complications Following Cesarean Section in Morbidly Obese Women

Objective. We sought to evaluate the efficacy of incisional negative pressure therapy in decreasing postoperative wound complications when placed prophylactically over clean, closed incisions following cesarean section in obese patients. Study design. This was a retrospective cohort study comparing rates of wound complications following cesarean sections in morbidly obese women prior to and following the institution of standard use of prophylactic incisional negative pressure therapy. All women with a body mass index greater than 45 kg/m2 undergoing cesarean section in a 2-year period in a single institution were included. The exposure was incisional negative pressure therapy, which began in September 2009, versus standard wound dressing used in the previous year. The main outcome was wound complication identified by ICD-9 codes. Demographic and wound outcomes were compared with χ2 and t tests. Stata version 11.0 was used for all analysis. Results. A total of 63 women met the inclusion criteria, 21 of whom received negative pressure wound therapy. The historical comparison and exposure groups were similar in all characteristics studied with the exceptions of length of surgery (64 vs 76 minutes, P = .03), length of labor (78 vs 261 minutes, P = .02), scheduled versus nonscheduled (77% vs 52%, P = .04), and mean age (29.5 vs 26.1 years, P = .04), respectively. There were 5 wound complications in the control group (10.4%) and none (0%) in the study group (P = .15). Conclusions. This pilot study suggests a decrease in wound complications in morbidly obese women receiving incisional negative pressure therapy following cesarean section.