Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Investigation of the Feature Selection Problem for Sentiment Analysis in Arabic Language

Sentiment analysis, which is also known as opinion mining, can be defined as the process of the automatic detection of the attitude of an author towards a certain subject in textual contents. In this study we design and implement a document-level supervised sentiment analysis system for Arabic context and investigate its performance. We use three different feature extraction methods in order to generate three different datasets (unigrams, bigrams and trigrams) from the Opinion Corpus for Arabic (OCA). In order to find the optimal number of features and to obtain the best time performance in sentiment analysis, we employ two feature ranking methods (Information Gain based and Chi-Square based) and calculate the score of each feature with respect to the class labels. This feature ranking step selects only the features that are relevant to the class labels and re-moves the irrelevant features that cause unnecessary processing. Hence, it helps to increase the classification performance and reduce the processing time. Finally, we evaluate the performance of three standard classifiers for polarity on the previously generated unigram and bigram based data sets, namely Support Vector Machines, K-Nearest Neighbor and Decision Tree, known by their effectiveness over these types of datasets. In our study SVM classifier has showed superior classification performance compared to the other two classifiers. Our experimentation results also prove the effectiveness of the two feature selection methods we use in order to reduce the feature space of the generated datasets and provide higher classification performance.
Response of the Main Pulmonary Artery of Dogs to Neuronally Released Versus Blood‐Borne Norepinephrine

The effects of sympathetic nerve stimulation and of norepinephrine infusions on the dynamic elastic properties of the main pulmonary artery were studied in 20 anesthetized, open-chest dogs. Pulmonary arterial pressure and diameter were linearly related between 5 to 45 mm Hg and at heart rates of 40 to 200 beats/min. Sympathetic nerve stimulation changed the stiffness (pressure-diameter slope) of the pulmonary artery by +35%; infusion of norepinephrine (0.25 μg/kg/min) by only +14%. Diameter intercepts, determined by extrapolation of the linear pressure-diameter line, were unchanged during stimulation, but decreased significantly during the infusion of norepinephrine. Local application of norepinephrine to the wall duplicated the changes produced by sympathetic nerve stimulation. Histologically, the arrangement of smooth muscle in the outer layers of the media of the artery suggested linkage of smooth muscle with continuous elastic fibers, whereas smooth-muscle cells of the deeper layers of the media appeared to connect with each other, and elastic fibers were discontinuous. The topical application of elastase to the outer wall effected a loss of elastic fibers in the outer layers of the media. After elastase, neither stimulation nor norepinephrine infusions increased stiffness; diameter intercepts decreased with both. The observations are consistent with the idea that stiffening of this artery during nerve stimulation is produced by contraction of smooth muscle attached to elastic fibers and that the anatomical arrangement for stiffening is located in the outer layer of the media, where the sympathetic nerve endings are located. In contrast, blood-borne norepinephrine stimulates predominantly the inner layers.
The relationship between habitual patient-reported symptoms and clinical signs among patients with dry eye of varying severity.

PURPOSE To investigate symptom profiles and clinical signs in subjects with dry eye and normal subjects in a cross-sectional multicenter study. METHODS Subjects aged 35 to 65 were recruited according to dry eye diagnostic codes and telephone interview and completed the Dry Eye Questionnaire 2001, among others, and underwent dry eye clinical tests. RESULTS Subjects (122) included 28 control subjects (C), 73 with non-Sjögren's keratoconjunctivitis sicca (non-SS KCS) and 21 with Sjögren's syndrome (SS). Subjects with SS or non-SS KCS reported discomfort and dryness most frequently and that many symptoms worsened over the day and were quite bothersome. Groups were significantly different in corneal fluorescein staining, conjunctival lissamine green staining, Schirmer 1 tear test, and tear break-up time (TBUT; chi2 and Kruskal-Wallis, P<0.0001). Statistically significant, but moderate, correlations were found between the frequency and evening intensity of dryness and discomfort and TBUT, Schirmer's tear test, overall corneal fluorescein staining, and temporal lissamine green conjunctival staining (Spearman r=0.31-0.45, P<0.01). Symptoms were moderately to highly correlated with the clinician's global grading of severity and highly correlated to patient's self-assessment of severity (r=0.46-0.86, P<0.0001), whereas signs showed lower correlations (r=0.22-0.46, P<0.0001). CONCLUSIONS Subjects with SS or non-SS KCS reported frequent and intense ocular surface symptoms in the evening, some of which correlated moderately with clinical test results. The global clinician grade of dry eye correlated more highly with patient symptoms than did clinical signs, suggesting that patient symptoms influence dry eye diagnosis and grading of dry eye more than clinical test results.
Using “Big Data” Versus Alternative Measures of Aggregate Data to Predict the U.S. 2016 Presidential Election

To what extent could “Big Data” predict the results of the 2016 U.S. presidential election better than more conventional sources of aggregate measures? To test this idea, the present research used Google search trends versus other forms of state-level data (i.e., both behavioral measures like the incidence of hate crimes, hate groups, and police brutality and implicit measures like Implicit Association Test (IAT) data) to predict each state’s popular vote for the 2016 presidential election. Results demonstrate that, when taken in isolation, zero-order correlations reveal that prevalence of hate groups, prevalence of hate crimes, Google searches for racially charged terms (i.e., related to White supremacy groups, racial slurs, and the Nazi movement), and political conservatism were all significant predictors of popular support for Trump. However, subsequent hierarchical regression analyses show that when these predictors are considered simultaneously, only Google search data for historical White supremacy terms (e.g., “Adolf Hitler”) uniquely predicted election outcomes earlier and beyond political conservatism. Thus, Big Data, in the form of Google search, emerged as a more potent predictor of political behavior than other aggregate measures, including implicit attitudes and behavioral measures of racial bias. Implications for the role of racial bias in the 2016 presidential election in particular and the utility of Google search data more generally are discussed.
Oral contraceptives, menopausal hormone replacement treatment and breast cancer risk

The relationship between oral contraceptives (OC), menopausal hormone replacement treatment (HRT) and breast cancer risk was analysed in a case—control study conducted in the Swiss canton of Vaud on 230 cases below the age of 75, linked with the Vaud cancer registry, and 507 controls in hospital for a wide spectrum of acute, non-neoplastic, non-hormone-related diseases. A total of 77 (37.4%) cases and 134 (31.6%) of controls below the age of 70 had ever used OC, corresponding to a multivariate odds ratio (OR) of 1.5, of borderline significance. The risk was related to duration of use, but this might be partly due to a recency effect. In fact, with reference to time since last OC use, the OR was above unity for up to 14 years, but declined to 1.0 for women who had stopped OC use for ≥ 15 years. With reference to HRT, ever users were 64 (27.8%) of cases and 113 (23.3%) of controls, yielding a multivariate OR of 1.3. Also, for HRT the association was stronger for shorter time since last use; the OR was 1.5 for women who had stopped for<10 years, but declined to 0.8 for those who had stopped for 10 years or longer. The association with HRT was stronger for women aged ≥ 65. Thus, the present study confirms that breast cancer risk is moderately related to OC and HRT. The association, however, is essentially restricted to the 10—15 years after stopping use. This pattern of risk is consistent with a late-stage effect of steroid hormone preparations on the process of breast carcinogenesis, and has relevant implications for any risk/benefit assessment and public health evaluation.
Trends in the incidence of polycythemia vera among olmsted county, Minnesota residents, 1935–1989

To investigate the suggestion that the incidence of polycythemia vera has increased in recent decades, we ascertained secular trends in the incidence of polycythemia vera in Olmsted County, Minnesota, over the 55‐year period, 1935–1989. The inpatient and outpatient medical records of all potential cases of polycythemia vera in Olmsted County residents were reviewed and the diagnostic criteria of the Polycythemia Vera Study Group were applied. We found no indication of an increase in the age‐ and sex‐adjusted incidence of polycythemia vera, which averaged 1.9 per 100,000 person‐years (95% C.I., 1.4–2.5) over the study period. Incidence rates increased with age, and age‐adjusted incidence rates were greater for men (2.8 per 100,000 person‐years; 95% C.I., 1.8–3.9) than for women (1.3 per 100,000 person‐years; 95% C.I., 0.7–1.9), with the highest incidence rate (23.5 per 100,000 person‐years) among men aged 70–79 years. Survival was reduced in this inception cohort of 50 cases, compared to that expected for individuals of like age and sex (P < 0.0001); median survival following diagnosis was 7.2 years. © 1994 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Identification of Two Forms of TNF Tolerance in Human Monocytes: Differential Inhibition of NF-κB/AP-1– and PP1-Associated Signaling

The molecular basis of TNF tolerance is poorly understood. In human monocytes we detected two forms of TNF refractoriness, as follows: absolute tolerance was selective, dose dependently affecting a small group of powerful effector molecules; induction tolerance represented a more general phenomenon. Preincubation with a high TNF dose induces both absolute and induction tolerance, whereas low-dose preincubation predominantly mediates absolute tolerance. In cells preincubated with the high TNF dose, we observed blockade of IκBα phosphorylation/proteolysis and nuclear p65 translocation. More prominent in cells preincubated with the high dose, reduced basal IκBα levels were found, accompanied by increased IκBα degradation, suggesting an increased IκBα turnover. In addition, a nuclear elevation of p50 was detected in tolerant cells, which was more visible following high-dose preincubation. TNF-induced phosphorylation of p65-Ser536, p38, and c-jun was inhibited, and basal inhibitory p65-Ser468 phosphorylation was increased in tolerant cells. TNF tolerance induced by the low preincubation dose is mediated by glycogen synthesis kinase-3, whereas high-dose preincubation-mediated tolerance is regulated by A20/glycogen synthesis kinase-3 and protein phosphatase 1–dependent mechanisms. To our knowledge, we present the first genome-wide analysis of TNF tolerance in monocytic cells, which differentially inhibits NF-κB/AP-1–associated signaling and shifts the kinase/phosphatase balance. These forms of refractoriness may provide a cellular paradigm for resolution of inflammation and may be involved in immune paralysis.
Safety profile of two novel antiepileptic agents approved for the treatment of refractory partial seizures: ezogabine (retigabine) and perampanel

Introduction: Complex-partial seizures are frequently resistant to antiepileptic therapy. Two new medications with mechanisms of action novel within the antiepileptic class have recently received approval for the adjunctive treatment of partial (focal) seizures. Areas covered: A Medline search was conducted to identify preclinical and clinical studies of ezogabine and perampanel. This was supplemented with additional articles obtained from online sources and information provided by the FDA and the manufacturers. The focus of this review is on the safety profiles of ezogabine (retigabine), a novel antiepileptic that targets voltage-gated potassium channels, and perampanel, a noncompetitive α-amino-3-hydroxyl-5-methyl-4-isoxazole-propionate glutamate receptor antagonist. Expert opinion: Central nervous system effects are predominant within the adverse event profiles of both ezogabine and perampanel. In addition, ezogabine exerts its inhibitory effects on potassium channels in the urogenital tract potentially resulting in urinary retention and related outcomes. Recent reports of blue discoloration of the skin and in the retinas of long-term ezogabine users have surfaced. Both drugs have demonstrated the ability to induce neuropsychiatric symptoms. Though both are welcome additions to the antiepileptic drug class, additional monitoring, appropriate counseling, and careful selection of patients are warranted to minimize adverse events.
A biomechanical evaluation of different plates for fixation of canine radial osteotomies.

BACKGROUND AND METHODS The biomechanical properties of plates depend on their geometries and elastic moduli. The low contact-dynamic compression plate (LC-DCP) with relieved undersurfaces is a modification of the dynamic compression plate (DCP). Little attention has been directed toward comparison of the biomechanical properties of the LC-DCP and the DCP. This study compared the stiffness and strength of bone-plate constructs using plates of various designs and materials for fixation of radial osteotomies. In 20 matched pairs of canine radii, midshaft transverse osteotomies were created and fixed with 3.5-mm eight-hole plates on the volar surface. In 10 pairs, stainless-steel LC-DCPs and stainless-steel DCPs were applied. In the other 10 pairs, stainless-steel LC-DCPs and titanium LC-DCPs were placed. Bending and torsional stiffness were determined. The plates were removed, and a 5-mm gap was created at the osteotomy site. The plates were reapplied to the bones with the interfragmental gap. Stiffness and yield point in the anteroposterior direction were determined. RESULTS In the absence of a bone gap, no statistically significant differences in construct stiffness were seen between the paired groups. In the presence of a gap, the stainless-steel LC-DCP construct was stiffer than the titanium LC-DCP construct (p = 0.02), and the DCP construct was stiffer than the LC-DCP construct (p = 0.002). The yield point of the DCP-bone construct was 59% greater than that of the stainless-steel LC-DCP construct (p = 0.02). However, the yield points of the titanium and stainless-steel LC-DCP-constructs were similar (p = 0.35). CONCLUSION The similar results between constructs in the absence of a gap indicate that plate design and material properties may be less significant for achieving adequate stability after plate fixation of simple fractures. The use of the stiffer dynamic compression plate may be advantageous when maximum stability is required, such as with comminution or bone loss.
Gene therapy with human and mouse T-cell receptors mediates cancer regression and targets normal tissues expressing cognate antigen.

Gene therapy of human cancer using genetically engineered lymphocytes is dependent on the identification of highly reactive T-cell receptors (TCRs) with antitumor activity. We immunized transgenic mice and also conducted high-throughput screening of human lymphocytes to generate TCRs highly reactive to melanoma/melanocyte antigens. Genes encoding these TCRs were engineered into retroviral vectors and used to transduce autologous peripheral lymphocytes administered to 36 patients with metastatic melanoma. Transduced patient lymphocytes were CD45RA(-) and CD45RO(+) after ex vivo expansion. After infusion, the persisting cells displayed a CD45RA(+) and CD45RO(-) phenotype. Gene-engineered cells persisted at high levels in the blood of all patients 1 month after treatment, responding patients with higher ex vivo antitumor reactivity than nonresponders. Objective cancer regressions were seen in 30% and 19% of patients who received the human or mouse TCR, respectively. However, patients exhibited destruction of normal melanocytes in the skin, eye, and ear, and sometimes required local steroid administration to treat uveitis and hearing loss. Thus, T cells expressing highly reactive TCRs mediate cancer regression in humans and target rare cognate-antigen-containing cells throughout the body, a finding with important implications for the gene therapy of cancer. This trial was registered at www.ClinicalTrials. gov as NCI-07-C-0174 and NCI-07-C-0175.
Aromatase inhibition reduces expression of FOXL2 in the embryonic chicken ovary

P450‐aromatase is the terminal estrogen‐synthesizing enzyme and a key gene in avian sex determination. Aromatase is expressed specifically in female gonads, but not male gonads, at the onset of sexual differentiation. This enzyme shows temporal and spatial colocalization with the forkhead transcription factor FOXL2 in the embryonic chicken ovary, suggesting a causal link. Mutations in FOXL2 are associated with premature ovarian failure in humans. Foxl2 null mice also present with premature ovarian failure. Here, we show that FOXL2 expression is reduced but not abolished in chicken embryos subjected to experimental female to male sex‐reversal with an aromatase inhibitor. This finding suggests that FOXL2 lies upstream of aromatase in avian sex determination, but that it responds to depleted estrogen synthesis. The reduction in FOXL2 expression may be accounted for by interruption of a positive feedback loop by means of estrogen, or the influence of testis promoting factors such as SOX9 and DMRT1 in the masculinized gonads. Developmental Dynamics 233:1052–1055, 2005. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Gait rehabilitation for a patient with an osseointegrated prosthesis following transfemoral amputation

ABSTRACT Background: In patients with a transfemoral amputation socket-related problems are associated with reduced prosthetic use, activity, and quality of life. Furthermore, gait asymmetries are present that may explain secondary complaints. Bone-anchored prostheses (BAPs) may help these patients. Two types of BAP are available, screw and press-fit implants. Rehabilitation following surgery for a press-fit BAP is poorly described. Purpose: To describe a rehabilitation program designed to minimize compensation strategies and increase activity using a case-report of an active, 70-year-old man with a traumatic transfemoral amputation who had used a socket prosthesis for 52 years and received a press-fit BAP [Endo-Exo Femoral Prosthesis — EEFP]. Intervention: A 13-week physiotherapy program. Outcomes: Outcomes were assessed before surgery, at the end of rehabilitation, and six-month and one-year follow-ups. After rehabilitation gait had improved, the patient had more arm movement, more pelvic shift, less hip rotation during swing phase on the prosthetic side, and absence of vaulting on the sound side. Isometric hip abductor strength was 15% higher on the sound side and 16% higher on the prosthetic side, and walking distance increased from 200 m to 1500 m. At the six-month follow-up, the patient had lower back complications and reduced hip abductor strength and walking distance. At one-year follow-up, walking distance had recovered to 1000 m and gait pattern had improved again, with yielding and absence of terminal impact on the prosthetic side. Conclusion: The described rehabilitation program may be an effective method of improving gait in patients with an EEFP even after long-term socket usage.
Laparoscopic gastric and biliary bypass: a single-center cohort prospective study.

PURPOSE Relief of gastric outlet and distal biliary obstruction may be accomplished by open surgery or by minimally invasive techniques including endoscopic and laparoscopic approaches. We examined the feasibility and safety of laparoscopic gastric and biliary bypass in all patients with malignant and benign disease requiring surgical relief of obstructive symptoms. MATERIALS AND METHODS Patients with benign duodenal stricture or inoperable malignancy underwent therapeutic laparoscopic bypass surgery. Prophylactic gastric or biliary bypass was added in selected patients with nonmetastatic malignancy. RESULTS Twenty-eight patients (17 of them female) with a median age of 67 years (range, 26-81 years) underwent 29 laparoscopic bypass procedures for malignant (n = 23) or benign (n = 6) disease. One patient who underwent a Roux-en-Y gastrojejunostomy for non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug induced ulcer disease developed stenosis of the stoma that required laparoscopic refashioning 2 months later, accounting for the 29th procedure reported herein in 28 patients. Surgery included the construction of a single gastric (n = 16) or biliary (n = 5) bypass or a double bypass (n = 8), and an additional prophylactic bypass in 5 of 23 cancer patients (21.8%). All procedures were completed laparoscopically. The median operative time was 90 minutes (range, 60-153 minutes) and mean postoperative hospital stay was 4 days (range, 3-6 days). Complications developed following 4 procedures (13.8%) and 1 patient died (3.4%). No complications occurred in patients with prophylactic bypass. One patient required laparoscopic revision of the gastroenterostomy 2 months postoperatively, for benign disease. No recurrence of obstructive symptoms was observed in cancer patients during follow-up. CONCLUSION Laparoscopic bypass surgery for distal biliary and gastric obstruction in patients with benign or malignant disease results in low morbidity and mortality and short postoperative hospital stay. The addition of prophylactic bypass in patients with nonmetastatic unresectable malignancy appears safe and effective.
Hearing-aid outcomes in Chinese adults: clinical application and psychometric properties of the Chinese version of the Satisfaction with Amplification in Daily Life questionnaire.

OBJECTIVE To adapt the Satisfaction with Amplification in Daily Life questionnaire into Chinese (the SADL-CH questionnaire) and investigate hearing-aid satisfaction in a group of adult Hong Kong Chinese fitted with free hearing aids. DESIGN Cross-sectional survey. STUDY SAMPLE One hundred and twenty-five experienced hearing-aid users. METHODS The subjects completed a history form seeking demographic data and a questionnaire combining the SADL-CH instrument with questions seeking subjects' subjective ratings of satisfaction with some hearing-aid features and overall satisfaction with their hearing aid. RESULTS The SADL-CH questionnaire had a good internal consistency reliability estimate (α = 0.79) comparable to that of the original version. SADL-CH scores were observed to have significant correlations with other satisfaction ratings on some hearing-aid features and the overall satisfaction measure. A high degree of test-retest reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.79) was observed. Confirmatory factor analysis revealed that the SADL-CH questionnaire had a four-factor structure. Interim norms were derived for the SADL-CH questionnaire. The level of hearing-aid satisfaction in Chinese adults was generally lower than that reported in studies conducted among Western populations. CONCLUSION The SADL-CH questionnaire is a reliable and valid instrument for measuring hearing-aid satisfaction.