Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Factors associated with survival in patients with clear cell sarcoma.

Aims Clear cell sarcoma (CCS) of soft-tissue is a rare melanocytic subtype of mesenchymal malignancy. The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical and therapeutic factors associated with increased survival, stratified by clinical stage, in order to determine the optimal treatment. Methods The study was a retrospective analysis involving 117 patients with histologically confirmed CCS, between July 2016 and November 2017, who were enrolled in the Bone and Soft Tissue Tumour Registry in Japan. Results The five- and ten-year survival rates were 41% (95% confidence interval (CI) 29 to 52) and 37% (95% CI 25 to 49), respectively. On multivariable analysis, the size of the tumour of > 10 cm (p = 0.006), lymph node metastasis at the time of diagnosis (p < 0.001), distant metastases at the time of diagnosis (p < 0.001), and no surgery for the primary tumour (p = 0.019) were independently associated with a poor survival. For N0M0 CCS (n = 68), the development of distant metastases was an independent prognostic factor for survival (early (< 12 months), hazard ratio (HR) 116.78 (95% CI 11.69 to 1,166.50); p < 0.001; late (> 12 months), HR 14.79 (95% CI 1.66 to 131.63); p = 0.016); neoadjuvant/adjuvant chemotherapy (p = 0.895) and/or radiotherapy (p = 0.216) were not significantly associated with survival. The five-year cumulative incidence of local recurrence was 19% (95% CI 8 to 35) and the size of the tumour was significantly associated with an increased rate of local recurrence (p = 0.012). For N1M0 CCS (n = 18), the risk of mortality was significantly lower in patients who underwent surgery for both the primary tumour and lymph node metastases (HR 0.03 (95% CI 0.00 to 0.56); p = 0.020). For M1 CCS (n = 31), excision of the primary tumour was independently associated with better survival (HR 0.26 (95% CI 0.09 to 0.76); p = 0.013). There was no significant difference in survival between the different types of systemic treatment (p = 0.523). Conclusion Complete excision of the primary tumour and lymph nodes is associated with a better survival in patients with CCS. Systemic treatment appears to provide limited benefits, demonstrating a pressing need for novel systemic agents.
Constraining a compositional flow model with flow‐chemical data using an ensemble‐based Kalman filter

Isothermal compositional flow models require coupling transient compressible flows and advective transport systems of various chemical species in subsurface porous media. Building such numerical models is quite challenging and may be subject to many sources of uncertainties because of possible incomplete representation of some geological parameters that characterize the system's processes. Advanced data assimilation methods, such as the ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF), can be used to calibrate these models by incorporating available data. In this work, we consider the problem of estimating reservoir permeability using information about phase pressure as well as the chemical properties of fluid components. We carry out state‐parameter estimation experiments using joint and dual updating schemes in the context of the EnKF with a two‐dimensional single‐phase compositional flow model (CFM). Quantitative and statistical analyses are performed to evaluate and compare the performance of the assimilation schemes. Our results indicate that including chemical composition data significantly enhances the accuracy of the permeability estimates. In addition, composition data provide more information to estimate system states and parameters than do standard pressure data. The dual state‐parameter estimation scheme provides about 10% more accurate permeability estimates on average than the joint scheme when implemented with the same ensemble members, at the cost of twice more forward model integrations. At similar computational cost, the dual approach becomes only beneficial after using large enough ensembles.
The Impact of the Perceived Physical and Social Environments on Personal Happiness of Residents in Kanchanaburi Province, Thailand

Existing literature recognizes that physical and social environments are important determinant of happiness. Studies have shown that the perceived environment more influence on happiness than the observed environment. The relationship of perceived physical and social environments with personal happiness should be examined in Thailand in communities in which there are current development projects. This study aims at examining levels of happiness and their relationship with perceived levels of pollution and perceptions about the social environment in Kanchanaburi province, Thailand. The results of the study confirm the hypothesis that a lower perceived level of pollution and a higher perceived level of the social environment increase levels of happiness. The results highlight the need to pay attention to perceived levels of the environment among people in Kanchanaburi communities. Community policies and programs should take these perceptions into account.
Peritumoral SPARC expression induced by exosomes from nasopharyngeal carcinoma infected Epstein‐Barr virus: A poor prognostic marker

Epstein‐Barr virus (EBV)‐associated nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) cells have high metastatic potential. Recent research has revealed that the interaction of between tumor cells and the surrounding stroma plays an important role in tumor invasion and metastasis. In this study, we showed the prognostic value of expression of SPARC, an extracellular matrix protein with multiple cellular functions, in normal adjacent tissues (NAT) surrounding NPC. In the immunohistochemical analysis of 51 NPC biopsy specimens, SPARC expression levels were significantly elevated in the NAT of EBER (EBV‐encoded small RNA)‐positive NPC compared to that in the NAT of EBER‐negative NPC. Moreover, increased SPARC expression in NAT was associated with a worsening of overall survival. The enrichment analysis of RNA‐seq of publicly available NPC and NAT surrounding NPC data showed that high SPARC expression in NPC was associated with epithelial mesenchymal transition promotion, and there was a dynamic change in the gene expression profile associated with interference of cellular proliferation in NAT, including SPARC expression. Furthermore, EBV‐positive NPC cells induce SPARC expression in normal nasopharyngeal cells via exosomes. Induction of SPARC in cancer‐surrounding NAT cells reduced intercellular adhesion in normal nasopharyngeal structures and promoted cell competition between cancer cells and normal epithelial cells. These results suggest that epithelial cells loosen their own binding with the extracellular matrix as well as stromal cells, facilitating the invasion of tumor cells into the adjacent stroma by activating cell competition. Our findings reveal a new mechanism by which EBV creates a pro‐metastatic microenvironment by upregulating SPARC expression in NPC.
Key roles of glial cells in the encephalopathy of prematurity

Across the globe, approximately one in 10 babies are born preterm, that is, before 37 weeks of a typical 40 weeks of gestation. Up to 50% of preterm born infants develop brain injury, encephalopathy of prematurity (EoP), that substantially increases their risk for developing lifelong defects in motor skills and domains of learning, memory, emotional regulation, and cognition. We are still severely limited in our abilities to prevent or predict preterm birth. No longer just the “support cells,” we now clearly understand that during development glia are key for building a healthy brain. Glial dysfunction is a hallmark of EoP, notably, microgliosis, astrogliosis, and oligodendrocyte injury. Our knowledge of glial biology during development is exponentially expanding but hasn't developed sufficiently for development of effective neuroregenerative therapies. This review summarizes the current state of knowledge for the roles of glia in infants with EoP and its animal models, and a description of known glial‐cell interactions in the context of EoP, such as the roles for border‐associated macrophages. The field of perinatal medicine is relatively small but has worked passionately to improve our understanding of the etiology of EoP coupled with detailed mechanistic studies of pre‐clinical and human cohorts. A primary finding from this review is that expanding our collaborations with computational biologists, working together to understand the complexity of glial subtypes, glial maturation, and the impacts of EoP in the short and long term will be key to the design of therapies that improve outcomes.
(Re)animation of a stuffed plush bunny

An expressed and constant wish of the first author's oldest daughter to enhance interaction with her favourite toy animal led to a (re)animation/resuscitation attempt of a 1½-year-old stuffed plush bunny. Initial physical examination found no vital signs. Based on the lack of identifiable airways, we hypothesised that tissue oxygenation might be caused by passive diffusion throughout the body. Hence, animation was attempted by mechanical chest compressions without including airway management or positive-pressure ventilation. Multimodal monitoring of arterial blood pressure (by proxy), intra-’cranial’ pressure and oxygen tension, near-infrared spectroscopy of the head and laser-Doppler blood flow was successfully initiated, whereas an attempt at intracranial microdialysis was unsuccessful. Despite achieving measurable arterial blood pressure (by proxy) (12/3 mmHg) and an increase of cerebral perfusion by 30 points, spontaneous circulation or diffusion was not achieved apparently, and ultimately, animation attempts were ceased. Clinical experience, as well as common sense, forces us to conclude that our measurements were contaminated by the intervention, and that we must rethink the method for the animation of stuffed plush bunnies.
Effects of stochastic coding on olfactory discrimination in flies and mice

Sparse coding can improve discrimination of sensory stimuli by reducing overlap between their representations. Two factors, however, can offset sparse coding’s benefits: similar sensory stimuli have significant overlap and responses vary across trials. To elucidate the effects of these 2 factors, we analyzed odor responses in the fly and mouse olfactory regions implicated in learning and discrimination—the mushroom body (MB) and the piriform cortex (PCx). We found that neuronal responses fall along a continuum from extremely reliable across trials to extremely variable or stochastic. Computationally, we show that the observed variability arises from noise within central circuits rather than sensory noise. We propose this coding scheme to be advantageous for coarse- and fine-odor discrimination. More reliable cells enable quick discrimination between dissimilar odors. For similar odors, however, these cells overlap and do not provide distinguishing information. By contrast, more unreliable cells are decorrelated for similar odors, providing distinguishing information, though these benefits only accrue with extended training with more trials. Overall, we have uncovered a conserved, stochastic coding scheme in vertebrates and invertebrates, and we identify a candidate mechanism, based on variability in a winner-take-all (WTA) inhibitory circuit, that improves discrimination with training.
La salinidad en el nuevo regadío de Quinto (Zaragoza)

the initial salinity status of the soils within this district. Analyses of samples from soils, water tables and effluents indicate high concentrations of calcium, sulphate and magnesium. Horizons of pure gypsum are common, making the soi1:water extract 1:5 unsuitable to assess soil salinity; an acetone assay using the same extract is proposed. electromagnetic predict results conditions such as shallow auger-impenetrable limestone important in the lower salinity range and should be evaluated when deeper sampling in feasible.
EVALUATION OF COWPEA VARIETIES (VIGNA UNGUICULATA, L WALP) FOR INTERCROPPING WITH OKRA (ABELMOSCHUS ESCULENTA, L MOENCH)

The study on the evaluation of cowpea varieties for intercropping with okra was conducted during the late cropping seasons of 2008 and 2009 at the experimental farm of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria. The experiment was laid out in Randomised Complete Block Design replicated three times. Four cowpea varieties (oloyin, sokoto, IT84S 2246-6 and IT90K 2772-2) with determinate and indeterminate growth habits were planted as sole crop or intercropped with NHAe-47-4 variety of okra. Land equivalent ratio (LER) used to assess the productivity of the mixtures was consistently greater than unity in all treatments. Okra yield was not significantly reduced by intercropping in both years except in okra + IT84S 22466. Leaf area, LAI, number of flowers/plant and number of pods/plant were not significantly different (P=0.05) except in okra + IT84S 2246-6 in sole and intercrop mixtures. Intercropping enhanced the growth and yield of cowpea varieties compared to sole cropping. Oloyin, IT90K 2772-2 and Sokoto gave yield advantages of 147, 133 and 92% respectively.
Ambiguity, Volatility, and Credit Risk

We explore the implications of ambiguity for the pricing of credit default swaps (CDSs). A model of heterogeneous investors with independent preferences for ambiguity and risk shows that, because CDS contracts are assets in zero net supply, the net credit risk exposure of the marginal investor determines the sign of the impact of ambiguity on CDS spreads. We find that ambiguity has an economically significant negative impact on CDS spreads, on average, suggesting that the marginal investor is a net buyer of credit protection. A 1-standard-deviation increase in ambiguity is estimated to decrease CDS spreads by approximately 6%. (JEL C65, D81, D83, G13, G22) Authors have furnished an Internet Appendix, which is available on the Oxford University Press Web site next to the link to the final published paper online.
Are islands insular? Landscape vs seascape in the case of the Arawe Islands, Papua New Guinea

On considere que les iles du Pacifique prehistorique etaient isolees, et que ceci constitue la cle de leur developpement. Cette etude propose donc un examen de ce modele de developpement insulaire, et souligne egalement que la mer a permis le rassemblement de ces iles dans un espace plus large, a la fin de la periode prehistorique. Les donnees sur l'habitat, les moyens de subsistance et le commerce des iles d'Arawe aident a preciser la nature de ces liens, et a montrer l'importance des liens maritimes dans l'emploi des paysages et la colonisation des terres
Astronomical studies of solar system bodies 2060 Chiron and 1 Ceres

In this thesis two separate projects are investigated, a stellar occultation by 2060 Chiron and rotationally resolved spectra of 1 Ceres. On 29 November 2011 UT, 2060 Chiron occulted a 14-mag star; data were successfully obtained at the 3-m IRTF on Mauna Kea and 2-m Faulkes North Telescope at Haleakala. The IRTF lightcurve shows a solid-body detection of Chiron's nucleus with a chord lasting 16.0t1. 4 seconds, corresponding to a chord length of 158t14 km. Symmetric, dual extinction features in the Faulkes light curve indicate the presence of optically thick material roughly 300 km from the body midpoint. The duration of the features indicates a ~ 3 km feature separated by 10-14 km from a second 7 km feature. The symmetry, optical thickness, and narrow size of these features allows for the intriguing possibility of a near-circular arc or shell of material. Rotationally resolved spectra of Ceres in the 0.43-0.85 micron range were observed using the DeVeny spectrograph on the Perkins 72-inch telescope at Lowell Observatory. Spectral differences as a function of phase were investigated. It is concluded that Ceres' surface is uniform at the 1% level at visible wavelengths. Additionally, the 0.6 and 0.67 pm features reported by Vilas and McFadden [1992] and Fornasier et al. [1999] are not seen at any phase at the 1% level. Thesis Supervisor: Richard P. Binzel Title: Professor of Planetary Sciences
Anemia in the Elderly

: Introduction: Anemia is an important risk factor in the development of several complications and morbidities especially in the elderly. It is associated with higher rates of hospital admissions worse survival outcomes. Anemia in the elderly is divided into 4 main types according to cause: nutrient deficiencies anemia, chronic disease (chronic inflammation), chronic kidney disease, and unexplained anemia. The risk of anemia increases after an individual passes fifty years of age, with a prevalence of more than twenty percent in individuals older than eighty-five years, therefore, it is important to establish the best ways to approach anemic seniors and determine best work-up methods. Aim of work: In this review, we will classify the common types of anemia in the elderly population and discuss the most recent approaches for management of anemia in the elderly. Methodology: We conducted this review using a comprehensive search of MEDLINE, PubMed, and EMBASE, January 1985, through February 2017. The following search terms were used: Anemia, elderly, management, anemia of chronic diseases, unexplained anemia, elderly anemia evaluation, recent advances Conclusions: The main challenge in the management of anemia is the proper assessment and evaluation of the condition as this will determine later treatments and management plans, thus knowing the cause is essential to determine. Most common causes of anemia in the elderly population include the presence of a chronic disease, the presence of a nutritional deficiency (most likely iron), or chronic kidney disease. Chronic blood loss is also an important cause that will eventually lead to the development of an iron deficiency anemia. Chronic blood loss could be an indicator of serious illnesses like colorectal cancer, therefore, it should be taken seriously. Treatment of anemia usually aims at achieving two outcomes: target the underlying cause and treat it (if possible) and improve blood quality. If underlying cause cannot be treated, or acute blood loss is present, blood transfusion can be indicated to give a rapid recovery of blood stores. Later, the use of recombinant erythropoietin will improve the general condition.
Effect of Attenuated Light Through Translucent Zirconia on the Interfacial Adaptation and Polymerization of Resin Cements.

PURPOSE The first objective was to determine if dual-curing of resin cement with reduced light could affect interfacial adaptations of zirconia restoration. The second objective was to examine whether cement type and pretreatment method of universal adhesive affected interfacial adaptation. The final objective was to compare the polymerization degree of cement under different reduced-light conditions. MATERIALS AND METHODS Inlay cavities were prepared on extracted third molars. Translucent zirconia restorations were milled using Katana UTML (Kuraray Noritake) in three groups with restoration thicknesses of 1, 2, and 3 mm, respectively. Each group had three subgroups using different cementation methods. For subgroup 1, restorations were cemented with self-adhesive cement. For subgroup 2, universal adhesive was applied and light cured. After the restoration was seated with conventional resin cement, light curing was performed. For subgroup 3, after adhesive was applied, the restoration was seated with conventional resin cement. Light curing was performed for the adhesive and cement simultaneously. After thermocycling, interfacial adaptation at the restoration-tooth interface was investigated using swept-source optical coherence tomography imaging. Finally, polymerization shrinkage of the cement was measured using a linometer and compared under the conditions of different zirconia thicknesses and light-curing durations. RESULTS Interfacial adaptation varied signficantly depending on the zirconia thickness, pretreatment, polymerization mode and cements used (p < 0.05). The effects of the adhesive and polymerization shrinkage differed signficantly, depending on the reduced light under the zirconia (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION Lower curing-light irradiance may lead to inferior adaptation and lower polymerization of the cement. Polymerization of resin cement can differ depending on the light irradiance and exposure duration.
In situ U-Pb and trace element analysis of accessory minerals in the Kiruna District, Norrbotten, Sweden: new constraints on the timing and origin of mineralization

Northern Norrbotten, Sweden is a key part of Baltic Shield and provides a record of magmatic, tectonic and related, superimposed, Fe oxide–apatite and iron oxide–copper–gold (IOCG) mineralization, during the Svecokarelian orogeny. Titanite and allanite from a range of mineral deposits in the area have been analysed for U–Pb isotope systematics and trace element chemistry using laser ablation quadrupole inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS). Analyses of a single sample from the regional scapolite–albite alteration give an age of 1903 ± 8 Ma (2σ) and may be contemporaneous with the early stages of Fe mineralization (1890–1870 Ma). Analyses of titanite and allanite from undeformed IOCG deposits indicate initial alteration at 1862 ± 16 Ma. In many deposits subsequent metamorphic effects reset titanite isotope systematics from 1790 to 1800 Ma, resulting in a spread of U–Pb isotope analyses along concordia. In some instances core regions may record evidence of early thermal events at around 2050 Ma. Titanite and allanite from deformed IOCG deposits on major shear zones record ages from 1785 ± 21 Ma to 1777 ± 20 Ma, corresponding to deformation, metamorphism and secondary hydrothermal alteration as a result of late orogenic movements. The lack of intracrystalline variations in titanite and allanite trace element chemistry suggests that hydrothermal fluid chemistry and metal source were the main controls on mineral trace element chemistry. Titanite from undeformed Fe oxide–apatite and IOCG deposits is typically light rare earth element (LREE) enriched, and shows low U/Th ratios and low Ni in both intermediate to acid and basic volcanic-hosted deposits. This is consistent with a granitic source for metals. Minor variations in trace element patterns are consistent with the influence of aqueous complex formation on relative REE solubility. Deposits related to the Nautanen Deformation Zone have relatively heavy REE (HREE)-enriched titanite, and LREE-depleted allanite, with high U/Th ratios and elevated Ni contents, consistent with leaching of metals from the local basic volcanic rocks. All hydrothermal titanites are high field strength element enriched (Nb, Ta, Zr) indicating their transport as a result of either high salinities or high F contents, or both. The data overall support models of IOCG-type mineralization as a result of regional circulation of saline hydrothermal fluids in association with major crustal structures, with at least some metallic components derived from the granitoid rocks of the area. All the deposits here show evidence of subsequent metamorphism, although penetrative fabrics are restricted to regional-scale deformation zones.