Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Language Dysfunction After Stroke and Damage to White Matter Tracts Evaluated Using Diffusion Tensor Imaging

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Knowledge of the anatomic basis of aphasia after stroke has both theoretic and clinical implications by informing models of cortical connectivity and providing data for diagnosis and prognosis. In this study we use diffusion tensor imaging to address the relationship between damage to specific white matter tracts and linguistic deficits after left hemisphere stroke. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty patients aged 38–77 years with a history of stroke in the left hemisphere underwent diffusion tensor imaging, structural MR imaging, and language testing. All of the patients were premorbidly right handed and underwent imaging and language testing at least 1 month after stroke. RESULTS: Lower fractional anisotropy (FA) values in the superior longitudinal and arcuate fasciculi of the left hemisphere, an indication of greater damage to these tracts, were correlated with decreased ability to repeat spoken language. Comprehension deficits after stroke were associated with lower FA values in the arcuate fasciculus of the left hemisphere. The findings for repetition were independent of MR imaging ratings of the degree of damage to cortical areas of the left hemisphere involved in language function. There were no findings for homotopic tracts in the right hemisphere. CONCLUSION: This study provides support for a specific role for damage to the superior longitudinal and arcuate fasciculi in the left hemisphere in patients with deficits in repetition of speech in aphasia after stroke.
CD56‐positive lymphocyte infiltration in relation to human papillomavirus association and prognostic significance in oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma

Human papillomavirus (HPV)‐related squamous cell carcinoma of the oropharynx (OSCC) are clinical and biological distinct from their HPV‐unrelated counterparts. Patients with HPV‐related OSCC display improved prognosis and therefore we investigated possible immune cell infiltrations associated with this tumor phenotype. We retrospectively analyzed a randomly selected cohort of 140 OSCC for presence of immune cells and HPV by immunohistochemistry and PCR followed by bead‐based hybridization (Luminex technology). HPV prevalence was 24.3% as determined by positive staining of p16INK4a and detection of high risk HPV‐DNA. We found significantly higher numbers of CD56 positive (CD56+) cells in tumor and surrounding microenvironment in HPV‐associated compared to HPV‐negative OSCC (t‐test: p = 0.004 and p = 0.002). For the entire cohort presence of CD56+ cells was associated with increased overall survival independent from HPV (Kaplan–Meier: p = 0.002; Cox regression: p = 0.042). Presence of CD56+ cells also correlated with a better outcome in HPV‐negative and especially in HPV‐negative OSCC with alcohol consumption ≤2 standard drinks per day (Kaplan–Meier: p = 0.05 and p = 0.003). Immunofluorescence localization of granular Granzyme B (GZMB) within CD56+ cells and coexpression of CD16 and CD56 suggests that detected CD56+ cells mainly represent cytotoxic Natural Killer (NK) cells. The fraction of potentially cytotoxic NK cells was significantly higher in HPV‐associated compared to HPV‐negative OSCC (Mann‐Whitney‐U‐Test: p = 0.011). The elevated abundance and activity of cytotoxic NK cells in OSCC with HPV driven carcinogenesis might contribute to favorable outcome in HPV‐related OSCC.
Count-Based Exploration in Feature Space for Reinforcement Learning

We introduce a new count-based optimistic exploration algorithm for Reinforcement Learning (RL) that is feasible in environments with high-dimensional state-action spaces. The success of RL algorithms in these domains depends crucially on generalisation from limited training experience. Function approximation techniques enable RL agents to generalise in order to estimate the value of unvisited states, but at present few methods enable generalisation regarding uncertainty. This has prevented the combination of scalable RL algorithms with efficient exploration strategies that drive the agent to reduce its uncertainty. We present a new method for computing a generalised state visit-count, which allows the agent to estimate the uncertainty associated with any state. Our \phi-pseudocount achieves generalisation by exploiting same feature representation of the state space that is used for value function approximation. States that have less frequently observed features are deemed more uncertain. The \phi-Exploration-Bonus algorithm rewards the agent for exploring in feature space rather than in the untransformed state space. The method is simpler and less computationally expensive than some previous proposals, and achieves near state-of-the-art results on high-dimensional RL benchmarks.
Proteome, Phosphoproteome, and Hydroxyproteome of Liver Mitochondria in Diabetic Rats at Early Pathogenic Stages*

It has been proposed that mitochondrial dysfunction is involved in the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes (T2D). To dissect the underlying mechanisms, we performed a multiplexed proteomics study on liver mitochondria isolated from a spontaneous diabetic rat model before/after they were rendered diabetic. Altogether, we identified 1091 mitochondrial proteins, 228 phosphoproteins, and 355 hydroxyproteins. Mitochondrial proteins were found to undergo expression changes in a highly correlated fashion during T2D development. For example, proteins involved in β-oxidation, the tricarboxylic acid cycle, oxidative phosphorylation, and other bioenergetic processes were coordinately up-regulated, indicating that liver cells confronted T2D by increasing energy expenditure and activating pathways that rid themselves of the constitutively increased flux of glucose and lipid. Notably, activation of oxidative phosphorylation was immediately related to the overproduction of reactive oxygen species, which caused oxidative stress within the cells. Increased oxidative stress was also evidenced by our post-translational modification profiles such that mitochondrial proteins were more heavily hydroxylated during T2D development. Moreover, we observed a distinct depression of antiapoptosis and antioxidative stress proteins that might reflect a higher apoptotic index under the diabetic stage. We suggest that such changes in systematic metabolism were causally linked to the development of T2D. Comparing proteomics data against microarray data, we demonstrated that many T2D-related alterations were unidentifiable by either proteomics or genomics approaches alone, underscoring the importance of integrating different approaches. Our compendium could help to unveil pathogenic events in mitochondria leading to T2D and be useful for the discovery of diagnosis biomarker and therapeutic targets of T2D.
Urban Protests, Coups d’état and Post-Coup Regime Change

Abstract This study investigates the impact of urban protests on coup attempts and subsequent regime change in a sample of 39 Sub-Saharan African countries for the period from 1990 to 2007. Widespread public discontent, especially when occurring in urban centers, can act as a trigger of coups d’état in autocratic regimes. Yet, it is less clear how elites respond to protests in terms of post-coup institutional change and democratization. To account for potential endogeneity of protests and coups, variation in rainfall is used as an instrument for urban protests. The results show that rainfall-related urban protests raise the likelihood that a coup is staged, but have no effect on subsequent democratization.
Deep Predictive Learning: A Comprehensive Model of Three Visual Streams

How does the neocortex learn and develop the foundations of all our high-level cognitive abilities? We present a comprehensive framework spanning biological, computational, and cognitive levels, with a clear theoretical continuity between levels, providing a coherent answer directly supported by extensive data at each level. Learning is based on making predictions about what the senses will report at 100 msec (alpha frequency) intervals, and adapting synaptic weights to improve prediction accuracy. The pulvinar nucleus of the thalamus serves as a projection screen upon which predictions are generated, through deep-layer 6 corticothalamic inputs from multiple brain areas and levels of abstraction. The sparse driving inputs from layer 5 intrinsic bursting neurons provide the target signal, and the temporal difference between it and the prediction reverberates throughout the cortex, driving synaptic changes that approximate error backpropagation, using only local activation signals in equations derived directly from a detailed biophysical model. In vision, predictive learning requires a carefully-organized developmental progression and anatomical organization of three pathways (What, Where, and What * Where), according to two central principles: top-down input from compact, high-level, abstract representations is essential for accurate prediction of low-level sensory inputs; and the collective, low-level prediction error must be progressively and opportunistically partitioned to enable extraction of separable factors that drive the learning of further high-level abstractions. Our model self-organized systematic invariant object representations of 100 different objects from simple movies, accounts for a wide range of data, and makes many testable predictions.
In the Face of Success: A Study About CEO Facial Traits and Business Performance

The main goal of this study is to examine the possible relationship between the facial width to height ratio of CEO’s and the financial performance of their firms in Europe and to compare these results to a study by Wong et al. (2011) performed in the United States. A positive relationship was expected to be found in Europe as was in the United States. The effect was expected to be less strong in Europe than in the United States, because of differences in leadership. CEO facial width to height ratio was measured using photographs, while firm performance was measured by calculating return on assets and net profit margin. Correlation and regression analysis was performed to test the relationship. No significant evidence was found that supports the hypothesis that CEO facial width to height ratio influences firm performance
Bright Light Induces Choroidal Thickening in Chickens

Purpose Bright light is a potent inhibitor of myopia development in animal models. Because development of refractive errors has been linked to changes in choroidal thickness, we have studied in chickens whether bright light may exert its effects on myopia also through changes in choroidal thickness. Methods Three-day-old chickens were exposed to “bright light” (15,000 lux; n = 14) from 10 AM to 4 PM but kept under “normal light” (500 lux) during the remaining time of the light phase for 5 days (total duration of light phase 8 AM to 6 PM). A control group (n = 14) was kept under normal light during the entire light phase. Choroidal thickness was measured in alert, hand-held animals with optical coherence tomography at 10 AM, 4 PM, and 8 PM every day. Results Complete data sets were available for 12 chicks in bright light group and nine in normal light group. The striking inter-individual variability in choroidal thickness (coefficient of variance: 23%) made it necessary to normalize changes to the individual baseline thickness of the choroid. During the 6 hours of exposure to bright light, choroidal thickness decreased by −5.2 ± 4.0% (mean ± SEM). By contrast, in the group kept under normal light, choroidal thickness increased by +15.4 ± 4.7% (difference between both groups p = 0.003). After an additional 4 hours, choroidal thickness increased also in the “bright light group” by +17.8 ± 3.5%, while there was little further change (+0.6 ± 4.0%) in the “normal light group” (difference p = 0.004). Finally, the choroid was thicker in the “bright light group” (+7.6 ± 26.0%) than in the “normal light group” (day 5: −18.6 ± 26.9%; difference p = 0.036). Conclusions Bright light stimulates choroidal thickening in chickens, although the response is smaller than with experimentally imposed myopic defocus, and it occurs with some time delay. It nevertheless suggests that choroidal thickening is also involved in myopia inhibition by bright light.
Basal ganglia–premotor dysfunction during movement imagination in writer's cramp

The pathophysiology of idiopathic focal hand dystonia (writer's cramp) is characterized by deficient inhibitory basal ganglia function and altered cortical sensorimotor processing. To explore if this is already a primary finding in dystonia for internal movement simulation independent of dystonic motor output or abnormal sensory input, we investigated the neural correlates of movement imagination and observation in patients with writer's cramp. Event‐related fMRI was applied during kinesthetic motor imagery of drawing simple geometric figures (imagination task) and passively observing videos of hands drawing identical figures (observation task). Compared with healthy controls, patients with writer's cramp showed deficient activation of the left primary sensorimotor cortex, mesial and left dorsal premotor cortex, bilateral putamen, and bilateral thalamus during motor imagery. No significant signal differences between both groups were found during the observation task. We conclude that internal movement simulation and planning as tested during imagination of hand movements appear to be dysfunctional in patients with writer's cramp, whereas visual signal processing and observation‐induced activation are unaffected. Deficient basal ganglia–premotor activation could be a correlate of impaired basal ganglia inhibition and focusing during the selection of motor programs in dystonia. This finding seems to be an intrinsic deficit, as it is found during motor imagery in the absence of dystonic symptoms. © 2012 Movement Disorder Society
Epidemiologic and Microbiologic Characteristics of Culture-Positive Spontaneous Otorrhea in Children With Acute Otitis Media

Objectives: We aimed to describe the epidemiologic and microbiologic characteristics of acute otitis media (AOM) with spontaneous otorrhea in children and compare it with AOM with intact tympanic membrane in children who underwent tympanocentesis. Patients and Methods: All infants and young children aged <3 years with culture-positive AOM of ≤7 days duration diagnosed during 1999 to 2006 and in whom epidemiologic and microbiologic data were available, were analyzed. Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, Moraxella catarrhalis, and Streptococcus pyogenes were considered true AOM pathogens. Multivariable regression analysis models adjusting for age, gender, ethnicity, seasonality, previous antibiotics, AOM history, tympanocentesis history, and pathogens isolated, were used. Results: Of 12,617 AOM patients from whom a middle ear fluid was obtained, 5247 (42%) culture-positive patients were enrolled; spontaneous otorrhea was observed in 822 (15%) patients. Patients with spontaneous otorrhea were older than patients with AOM who underwent tympanocentesis (15.8 ± 8.2 vs. 9.7 ± 6.7 months, respectively, P < 0.01; 36.9% vs. 69.1%, respectively, were <12 months, P < 0.01). S. pyogenes was found in a higher proportion (47/822, 5.7% vs. 44/4425, 1%, P < 0.01) and H. influenzae in a lower proportion (264/822, 32.1% vs. 1805/4425, 40.8%, P < 0.01) among patients with spontaneous otorrhea than in patients with AOM and tympanocentesis. In the multivariate model, Bedouin ethnicity (OR: 1.5, 95% CI: 1.2–1.7, P < 0.001), age (OR: 1.1, 95% CI: 1.0–1.11, P < 0.001) for each consecutive month, lack of antibiotic treatment for the 48 hours preceding diagnosis (OR: 2.1, 95% CI: 1.7–2.6, P < 0.001), ≥1 previous AOM episode (OR: 3.2, 95% CI: 2.6–4.0, P < 0.001), >1 previous tympanocentesis (OR: 1.4, 95% CI: 1.4–1.7, P = 0.001), and infection with S. pyogenes (OR: 8.2, 95% CI: 5.4–12.3, P < 0.001) were independent risk factors for AOM presenting as spontaneous otorrhea. Conclusions: AOM presenting as spontaneous otorrhea in patients less than 3 years of age is characterized by older age, previous repeated tympanocenteses, ≥1 previous AOM episodes, lack of recent antibiotic treatment, and infection with S. pyogene.
The Cochliobolus carbonum SNF1 Gene Is Required for Cell Wall–Degrading Enzyme Expression and Virulence on Maize

The production of cell wall–degrading enzymes (wall depolymerases) by plant pathogenic fungi is under catabolite (glucose) repression. In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the SNF1 gene is required for expression of catabolite-repressed genes when glucose is limiting. An ortholog of SNF1, ccSNF1, was isolated from the maize pathogen Cochliobolus carbonum, and ccsnf1 mutants of HC toxin–producing (Tox2+) and HC toxin–nonproducing (Tox2–) strains were created by targeted gene replacement. Growth in vitro of the ccsnf1 mutants was reduced by 50 to 95% on complex carbon sources such as xylan, pectin, or purified maize cell walls. Growth on simple sugars was affected, depending on the sugar. Whereas growth on glucose, fructose, or sucrose was normal, growth on galactose, galacturonic acid, maltose, or xylose was somewhat reduced, and growth on arabinose was strongly reduced. Production of HC toxin was normal in the Tox2+ ccsnf1 mutant, as were conidiation, conidial morphology, conidial germination, and in vitro appressorium formation. Activities of secreted β-1,3-glucanase, pectinase, and xylanase in culture filtrates of the Tox2+ ccsnf1 mutant were reduced by 53, 24, and 65%, respectively. mRNA expression was downregulated under conditions that induced the following genes encoding secreted wall-degrading enzymes: XYL1, XYL2, XYL3, XYL4, XYP1, ARF1, MLG1, EXG1, PGN1, and PGX1. The Tox2+ ccsnf1 mutant was much less virulent on susceptible maize, forming fewer spreading lesions; however, the morphology of the lesions was unchanged. The Tox2– ccsnf1 mutant also formed fewer non-spreading lesions, which also retained their normal morphology. The results indicate that ccSNF1 is required for biochemical processes important in pathogenesis by C. carbonum and suggest that penetration is the single most important step at which ccSNF1 is required. The specific biochemical processes controlled by ccSNF1 probably include, but are not necessarily restricted to, the ability to degrade polymers of the plant cell wall and to take up and metabolize the sugars produced.
Detection of rearrangement of anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) and mutation of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) in primary pulmonary lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma.

BACKGROUND Primary pulmonary lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma (LELC) is a distinct rare subtype of lung cancer. The prevalence of anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) rearrangement and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation in primary pulmonary LELC had not been thoroughly investigated. METHODS We investigated a cohort of 42 patients with primary pulmonary LELC and genotyped for ALK rearrangement and EGFR mutation. ALK rearrangement was detected by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). EGFR mutational analysis of exons 18 through 21 was analyzed by TaqMan real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). RESULTS Epstein-Barr virus-encoded RNAs (EBERs) showed positive signals in all 42 patients. By immunohistochemistry staining, all patients demonstrated positive expression of CK5/6 and P63, but almost all patients were negative for TTF-1 (34/34, 100%) or CK7 (34/35, 97.1%). None of the 42 patients had ALK rearrangement. Of 42 patients tested, only one patient (2.4%) harbored L858R mutation and gefitinib was applied to this case, however no objective response was observed and the progression free survival (PFS) time was only 1 month. CONCLUSIONS Primary pulmonary LELC is a unique histological subtype of lung cancer. ALK rearrangement and EGFR mutation are lack and they may not be the oncogenic driver gene in pulmonary LELC. Future efforts should be made to explore other oncogenic driver gene to guide targeted therapy in this rare disease to determine the optimal treatment.
Evaluation of the estimated variables for scaling glomerular filtration rate of renal patients: A repeated measures-based method

Abstract Objective. Using a best variable to scale glomerular filtration rate (GFR) is important for clinical practice. The variables, estimated by equations regressed from a healthy population, are usually used in scaling GFR of renal patients. However, because the predicted variables may deviate in renal patients, it is necessary to verify whether these variables can be used to reduce the variability of GFR of renal patients. This study was designed to use repeated measures analyses to identify the best variable for scaling GFR of renal patients. Methods. Patients with non-obstructive renal diseases were enrolled in this study. The absolute GFRs of 99mTc-DTPA renography (gGFR) and plasma clearance (pGFR) were measured. The indices relating to between-subjects variability, such as Passing and Bablok regression, intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and concordance correlation coefficient (CCC) were used to identify the best variable from body surface area (BSA), extracellular fluid volume (ECV), lean body mass (LBM), total body water (TBW), body mass index (BMI), and metabolic rate (MR). Results. For the scaled indices related to between-subjects variability, ICC and CCC identified the same ranking sequence (BMI < LBMB(B; Boer) < LBMJ(J; James) < TBW < ECVB(B; Bird) < ECVS(S; Silva) < BSA < MR). In the Passing and Bablok regression, the ratio of residual standard deviation to pooled standard deviation (RSD/PSD) produced the same ranking sequence as that identified by ICC and CCC. Conclusion. The estimated metabolic rate can explain most between-subjects variability of GFR, and seems to be the best variable for scaling GFR of renal patients.
Clinical features of the differentiated and undifferentiated types of advanced gastric carcinoma: Univariate and multivariate analyses

This study was done to define clinical features for the different pathological types of advanced gastric carcinoma. One thousand one hundred three patients were identified and classified into two groups: 479 patients (43.4%) had a differentiated adenocarcinoma and 624 patients (56.6%) had an undifferentiated adenocarcinoma. Patients with the undifferentiated type were more likely to have large invasive tumors and a higher incidence of peritoneal dissemination. Conversely, the patients with the differentiated type were more likely to have a liver metastasis. Multivariate analysis, using Cox' proportional hazard model adjusted for sex, age, and other factors, suggested that tumor size was one of the seven most independent prognostic factors in patients with the undifferentiated type (relative risk = 1.01), but this parameter lost prognostic value in patients with the differentiated type. With regard to correlation between survival time and tumor size, the larger the tumor (over 10 cm), the shorter the survival time of patients with the undifferentiated type, as compared to findings in patients with the differentiated type (P < 0.01). Thus, differences in clinical characteristics, including characteristics in the individual patients, extent of tumor, distant metastasis, prognostic factors, and prognosis correlate with the histopathological type of gastric carcinoma.