Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Salivary Gland Tumours at Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Ghana

In African studies on salivary gland tumours, there are considerable epidemiological differences in different parts of the continent. There is no study of salivary gland tumours from the second largest hospital in Ghana, Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital. Aim: This study was to look at the prevalence and demographic distribution of salivary gland tumours at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH). Method: Histopathologically diagnosed salivary gland tumours of consecutive patients were evaluated. The study duration was from 1999 to 2010 October. Result: The total number of salivary gland tumours were 121. Male to female ratio was 1.75:1. Out of the total of 34 salivary malignancies seen, male to female ratio was 1.8:1. Malignant tumour was 28.1% while 71.9% were benign. Mean age for malignancy was 53.5 years (SD = 9.7) and that for benign was 35.5 years (SD = 8.2). Conclusion: The commonest benign tumour of the parotid was Pleomorphic adenoma (48.3%) which is consistent with most of the African and western reports. Warthin’s tumour prevalence was higher than most of the studies from Africa.
Confidence Scoring Using Whitebox Meta-models with Linear Classifier Probes

We propose a novel confidence scoring mechanism for deep neural networks based on a two-model paradigm involving a base model and a meta-model. The confidence score is learned by the meta-model observing the base model succeeding/failing at its task. As features to the meta-model, we investigate linear classifier probes inserted between the various layers of the base model. Our experiments demonstrate that this approach outperforms various baselines in a filtering task, i.e., task of rejecting samples with low confidence. Experimental results are presented using CIFAR-10 and CIFAR-100 dataset with and without added noise. We discuss the importance of confidence scoring to bridge the gap between experimental and real-world applications.
Transcutaneous Bilirubin Measurements Can Be Used to Measure Bilirubin Levels during Phototherapy

Objective To determine whether transcutaneous bilirubin measurements (TcB) before and during phototherapy taken from covered skin during phototherapy correlate with total serum bilirubin (TSB) levels. Study Design In this prospective observational study, healthy term newborns who required TSB measurements were included. TcB measurements were taken from the forehead before starting and during phototherapy using the BiliChek device. Before starting phototherapy, part of the forehead was covered. Blood for TSB measurement was collected within 5 minutes of TcB measurements. Correlations and mean differences between TcB and TSB before and during phototherapy were calculated. Result Paired TSB and TcB measurements before and during phototherapy in 151 newborns were performed. The mean gestational age was 38.8 weeks and birth weight was 3.1 kg; 53% were male. Before starting phototherapy, TSB and TcB were 183.8 ± 41.6 and 190.5 ± 43 μmol/l, respectively. During phototherapy, TSB and TcB were 191.8 ± 39.4 and 187.8 ± 45.3 μmol/l, respectively. Linear regression analysis showed a significant correlation between TcB and TSB before starting phototherapy and during phototherapy (r: 0.85; p < 0.001 and r: 80.0; p < 0.001), respectively. Before starting phototherapy, the mean difference between TSB and TcB was 6.2 ± 23.2 μmol/l, with a 95% CI of −39.3 to 51.7 μmol. During phototherapy, the mean difference was −2.8 ± 23.5 μmol/l, with a 95% CI of −48.9 to 43.3 μmol/l. Conclusion TcB measurements from covered skin in jaundiced term infants during phototherapy correlate with TSB and can be used to monitor bilirubin levels during phototherapy.
Hormone therapy and the impact of estrogen intake on the risk of ovarian cancer.

BACKGROUND The association between menopausal hormone therapy (HT) and risk of ovarian cancer is as yet equivocal, and the effect of estrogen and estrogen-progestogen therapy, specifically the effect of the cumulative hormone intake, is unclear. METHODS We conducted a nationwide population-based case-control study in Denmark. Cases were women aged 35 to 79 years with incident ovarian cancer diagnosed between January 1, 1995, and May 30, 1999. Controls were frequency age-matched women from the Danish Central Population Register. The analyses included data on 376 cases who have not undergone hysterectomy and 1111 controls. RESULTS The risk of ovarian cancer in relation to oral HT increased with the cumulative intake of the estrogen component of HT but not with the duration or the cumulative intake of the progestogen component when the 3 variables were mutually adjusted. A simple trend was found such that each additional gram of estrogen was associated with the same relative increase. The odds ratio was constant throughout the range of cumulative intake. After adjustment for established risk factors, the estimated odds ratio per each additional gram of cumulative estrogen was 1.056 (95% confidence interval, 1.003-1.112), corresponding to an odds ratio of 1.31 (95% confidence interval, 1.01-1.70) per 5 g of estrogen. CONCLUSIONS Oral HT is associated with risk of ovarian cancer in women who have not undergone hysterectomy. Our results imply that the risk increases with cumulative oral estrogen intake but not with duration of HT, indicating that the increased ovarian cancer risk associated with oral HT may be diminished substantially by minimizing the daily dose of estrogen from oral HT.
General Practitioners’ adherence to prescribing guidelines for statins in the United Kingdoms

Objective In this retrospective cohort study we aimed to assess, in 202,247 people who started a statin therapy between 2007-2014, the factors that led to the initiation of the drug. To do this we explored CVD risk factors singularly and in combinations as recorded in electronic health records in the year before they receive their first prescription and we compared the risk scores with that suggested by the NICE guideline at that time. Methods We summarised demographic characteristics and proportions of people with a risk score below the threshold. Regression-based analyses are performed to evaluate the association between the missingness of the risk score and relevant risk score components. Results 45,364 individuals (22.4%) were prescribed statins without a record of a risk score being available in the year prior to the prescription date. When the risk score was available, 68,174 out of 156,883 patients were prescribed statins even with a score below the 20% threshold. Smoking status was the most frequently recorded variable (74.9% of the instances), followed by systolic blood pressure (71.6%) and total cholesterol (70%), while HDL cholesterol was the least recorded (34.1%). Cholesterol levels are positively associated with the missingness of the risk score, while systolic blood pressure shows a negative association. Conclusions GPs often start statins on people with no risk score recorded in their clinical records or in those with risk scores below the recommended threshold. Higher cholesterol values may result in a GP starting statin therapy without recording the other relevant components required to calculate a risk score. STRENGTHS AND LIMITATIONS OF THIS STUDY Our cohort contains a large number of individuals: the study provide a representative picture of initiation of statins in UK primary care. We specifically focus on which variables and factors GPs record in electronic databases in the year prior statin treatment initiation: this is the first study to directly tackle the issue of statins prescribing in the absence of all the information required by the NICE guideline We are not able to verify if GPs actually used the records of the individual health indicators, when these were available, to calculate the risk score.
Low‐dose irradiated mesenchymal stromal cells break tumor defensive properties in vivo

Solid tumors, including gliomas, still represent a challenge to clinicians and first line treatments often fail, calling for new paradigms in cancer therapy. Novel strategies to overcome tumor resistance are mainly represented by multi‐targeted approaches, and cell vector‐based therapy is one of the most promising treatment modalities under development. Here, we show that mouse bone marrow‐derived mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs), when primed with low‐dose irradiation (irMSCs), undergo changes in their immunogenic and angiogenic capacity and acquire anti‐tumoral properties in a mouse model of glioblastoma (GBM). Following grafting in GL261 glioblastoma, irMSCs migrate extensively and selectively within the tumor and infiltrate predominantly the peri‐vascular niche, leading to rejection of established tumors and cure in 29% of animals. The therapeutic radiation dose window is narrow, with effects seen between 2 and 15 Gy, peaking at 5 Gy. A single low‐dose radiation decreases MSCs inherent immune suppressive properties in vitro as well as shapes their immune regulatory ability in vivo. Intra‐tumorally grafted irMSCs stimulate the immune system and decrease immune suppression. Additionally, irMSCs enhance peri‐tumoral reactive astrocytosis and display anti‐angiogenic properties. Hence, the present study provides strong evidence for a therapeutic potential of low‐dose irMSCs in cancer as well as giving new insight into MSC biology and applications.
Arterial Spin Labeling MRI for Quantitative Assessment of Cerebral Perfusion Before and After Cerebral Revascularization in Children with Moyamoya Disease

Objective To determine the correlation between cerebral blood flow (CBF) on arterial spin labeling (ASL) MRI and the degree of postoperative revascularization assessed on digital subtraction angiography in children with moyamoya disease (MMD). Materials and Methods Twenty-one children (9 boys and 12 girls; mean age, 8.4 ± 3.6 years; age range, 3–16 years) with MMD who underwent both pseudocontinuous ASL MRI at 1.5T and catheter angiography before and after superficial temporal artery encephaloduroarteriosynangiosis were included in this retrospective study. The degree of revascularization in the middle cerebral artery (MCA) territory was evaluated on external carotid angiography and was graded on a 3-point scale. On ASL CBF maps, regions of interest were manually drawn over the MCA territory of the operated side at the level of the centrum semi-ovale and over the cerebellum. The normalized CBF (nCBF) was calculated by dividing the CBF of the MCA territory by the CBF of the cerebellum. Changes in nCBFs were calculated by subtracting the preoperative nCBF values from the postoperative nCBF values. The correlation between nCBF changes measured with ASL and the revascularization grade from direct angiography was evaluated. Results The nCBF value on the operated side increased after the operation (p = 0.001). The higher the degree of revascularization, the greater the nCBF change was: poor revascularization (grade 1), −0.043 ± 0.212; fair revascularization (grade 2), 0.345 ± 0.176; good revascularization (grade 3), 0.453 ± 0.182 (p = 0.005, Jockheere-Terpstra test). The interobserver agreement was excellent for the measured CBF values of the three readers (0.91–0.97). Conclusion The nCBF values of the MCA territory obtained from ASL MRI increased after the revascularization procedure in children with MMD, and the degree of nCBF change showed a significant correlation with the degree of collateral formation evaluated via catheter angiography.
Measuring Moisture Content of Wood Using a Transient Hot-Wire Technique

Wood easily acquires a large amount of moisture when it is exposed to high-humidity conditions. The high moisture content influences the service life of wood. Thus, there is a need for an accurate, rapid, nondestructive, and simple measurement technique for wood’s moisture content. This investigation proposes a method to measure the moisture content of wood by the wood volumetric heat capacity using a transient hot wire (THW) technique. The moisture content was inferred from the change of the volumetric heat capacity before and after the wood acquired moisture; the volumetric heat capacity is the ratio of the thermal conductivity to the thermal diffusivity. The results were validated by the gravimetric method, displaying good agreement, with discrepancies within 4%.
Neuropsychiatric and neurological problems among Vitamin B12 deficient young vegetarians

Objective: To assess the frequency of neuropsychiatric and neurological problems in apparently healthy young vegetarians and estimate serum Vitamin B12, methylmalonic acid (MMA), and folic acid levels. Methods: This prospective study was conducted in the Department of Biochemistry, Basic Medical Sciences Institute (BMSI), Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Center (JPMC), Karachi, Pakistan, in the years of 2012 and 2013. The data of 100 vegetarians and 100 omnivores were analyzed and compared. Results: The serum concentration of Vitamin B12 was significantly lower in the vegetarian group compared with the omnivore group (238±71 pg/ml vs. 401±170 pg/ml, p<0.001). In the vegetarian group, MMA level was significantly higher compared with the omnivores (285±89.4 nmol/L vs. 191±40.5 nmol/L, p<0.001). Regarding the neuropsychiatric and neurologic problems in the vegetarian group, the frequency of depression was 31% compared with 12% in the omnivore (p=0.002), paresthesias were 11% compared with 3% in the omnivores (p=0.04), peripheral neuropathy was 9% compared with 2% in the omnivores (p=0.05), psychosis was found in 11% subjects compared with 3% in the omnivores (p=0.04). Conclusion: Vegetarians have Vitamin B12 deficiency and are more prone to developing neuropsychiatric and neurological problems.
Preparation and Antioxidant Activity of Ethyl-Linked Anthocyanin-Flavanol Pigments from Model Wine Solutions

Anthocyanin-flavanol pigments, formed during red wine fermentation and storage by condensation reactions between anthocyanins and flavanols (monomers, oligomers, and polymers), are one of the major groups of polyphenols in aged red wine. However, knowledge of their biological activities is lacking. This is probably due to the structural diversity and complexity of these molecules, which makes the large-scale separation and isolation of the individual compounds very difficult, thus restricting their further study. In this study, anthocyanins (i.e., malvidin-3-glucoside, cyanidin-3-glucoside, and peonidin-3-glucoside) and (–)-epicatechin were first isolated at a preparative scale by high-speed counter-current chromatography. The condensation reaction between each of the isolated anthocyanins and (–)-epicatechin, mediated by acetaldehyde, was conducted in model wine solutions to obtain ethyl-linked anthocyanin-flavanol pigments. The effects of pH, molar ratio, and temperature on the reaction rate were investigated, and the reaction conditions of pH 1.7, molar ratio 1:6:10 (anthocyanin/(–)-epicatechin/acetaldehyde), and reaction temperature of 35 °C were identified as optimal for conversion of anthocyanins to ethyl-linked anthocyanin-flavanol pigments. Six ethyl-linked anthocyanin-flavanol pigments were isolated in larger quantities and collected under optimal reaction conditions, and their chemical structures were identified by HPLC-QTOF-MS and ECD analyses. Furthermore, DPPH, ABTS, and FRAP assays indicate that ethyl-linked anthocyanin-flavanol pigments show stronger antioxidant activities than their precursor anthocyanins.
Demographic Study of Hip Fractures in the Maltese Islands

Introduction: Despite hip fractures being a great public health burden, only few studies have analyzed the relationship between hip fracture incidence and socioeconomic status. Many studies found an association; however, results are in part conflicting. Objective: To analyze the impact of regional-level socioeconomic status on the incidence of hip fractures in the Maltese Islands. Method: All individuals older than 50 years who presented to the acute care hospitals in Malta and Gozo with low-energy hip fractures between December 1, 2015, and November 30, 2016, were selected. Data on individual demographics, hip fracture type, surgical intervention, and hospital stay were collected. The percentage of hip fracture and socioeconomic status of each region in the Maltese Islands were calculated. These were then analyzed for any statistical association. Results: A moderate negative correlation (r = −0.5987, N = 454, P < .05) was found between the socioeconomic status and the incidence of hip fracture in each region. There was 5.9% (n = 27) mortality rate posed by these hip fractures. The average duration of hospital stay was 14 days, with an average delay to surgical intervention of 2 days. Conclusion: Despite the Maltese Islands having a small population (429 344 people) and a free universal national health service, our results show that districts with low socioeconomic status had a higher incidence of hip fracture. Further studies using individual socioeconomic data and longer duration are required.
Report on the 10th IWSLT evaluation campaign

The paper overviews the tenth evaluation campaign organized by the IWSLT workshop. The 2013 evaluation offered multiple tracks on lecture transcription and translation based on the TED Talks corpus. In particular, this year IWSLT included two automatic speech recognition tracks, on English and German, three speech translation tracks, from English to French, English to German, and German to English, and three text translation track, also from English to French, English to German, and German to English. In addition to the ofﬁcial tracks, speech and text translation optional tracks were offered involving 12 other languages: Arabic, Spanish, Portuguese (B), Italian, Chinese, Polish, Persian, Slovenian, Turkish, Dutch, Romanian, Russian. Overall, 18 teams participated in the evaluation for a total of 217 primary runs submitted. All runs were evaluated with objective metrics on a current test set and two progress test sets, in order to compare the progresses against systems of the previous years. In addition, submissions of one of the ofﬁcial machine translation tracks were also evaluated with human post-editing.
Realization and performance analysis of FPGA based offset quadrature phase shift keying (OQPSK) modem

Phase Shift Keying is a modulation technique employed in transmitting digital baseband data (message) from one point to other over a channel such that there is no corruption in information. This technique involves alteration of phase of the carrier signal according to base band data. Quadrature Phase Shift Keying (QPSK) is a phase shift keying technique which is most recurrently employed scheme in modern satellite communication systems. Offset Quadrature phase shift keying (OQPSK) is a variant of Quadrature Phase Shift Keying (QPSK) which has an advantage over conventional QPSK data transmission scheme in terms of mitigating spectral regrowth when data transmission takes place in nonlinear channels. This modulation scheme is commonly used in various communication and remote sensing satellites for payload data transmissions, telemetry and tele command systems. This paper describes design and hardware implementation of OQPSK modulator and demodulator. The proposed design is designed and implemented using Xilinx ISE software and Xilinx System Generator for MATLAB. The proposed design is implemented on Virtex 5 XUPV5110T FPGA. Bandwidth analysis, transmission characteristics, Bit Error Rate (BER), Power Analysis of proposed OQPSK modem is also presented in this paper.
Distinct neural mechanisms for reading Arabic vs. verbal numbers: An ERP study

In this electroencephalogram/event‐related potential (EEG/ERP) study, 16 volunteers were asked to compare the numerical equality of 360 pairs of multidigit numbers presented in Arabic or verbal format. Behavioural data showed faster and more accurate responses for digit targets, with a right hand/left hemisphere advantage only for verbal numerals. Occipito‐temporal N1, peaking at approximately 180 ms, was strongly left‐lateralized during verbal number processing and bilateral during digit processing. A LORETA (low‐resolution electromagnetic tomography) source reconstruction performed at the N1 latency stage (155–185 ms) revealed greater brain activation during coding of Arabic than of verbal stimuli. Digit perceptual coding was associated with the activation of the right angular gyrus (rAG), the left fusiform gyrus (FG,BA37), and left and right superior and medial frontal areas. N1 sources for verbal numerals included the left FG (BA37), the precuneus (BA31), the parahippocampal area and a small right prefrontal activation. In addition, verbal numerals elicited a late frontocentral negativity, possibly reflecting stimulus unfamiliarity or complexity. Overall, the data suggest distinct mechanisms for number reading through ciphers (digits) or words. Information about quantity was accessed earlier and more accurately if numbers were in a nonlinguistic code. Indeed, it can be speculated that numerosity processing would involve circuits originally involved in processing space (i.e., rAG/rIPS).
Dispersal altering local states has a limited effect on persistence of a metapopulation

ABSTRACT Metapopulations are collections of local populations connected by dispersal. Metapopulation models often assume would-be colonists affect the states of local populations they disperse from and those they disperse to. Here, we build a new framework to include that effect and to assess the impact of dispersal. Our model predicts that a metapopulation will, in general, be found either in the state of global extinction or in the state of persistence. Our key finding is that dispersal, and the state changes associated with dispersal, have significant qualitative and quantitative effects on long-term dynamics only in a narrow range of parameter space. We conclude that life history features other than dispersal (e.g. mortality rate) have a greater influence over metapopulation persistence. We discuss the implications of our results for conservation biology, the future application of our model to the study of cooperative breeding, as well as our model's limitations.