Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Intracochlear Electrocochleography: Influence of Scalar Position of the Cochlear Implant Electrode on Postinsertion Results.

HYPOTHESIS Electrocochleography (ECochG) recorded during cochlear implant (CI) insertion from the apical electrode in conjunction with postinsertion ECochG can identify electrophysiologic differences that exist between groups with and without a translocation of the array from the scala tympani (ST) into the scala vestibuli (SV). BACKGROUND Translocation of the CI electrode from ST into SV can limit performance postoperatively. ECochG markers of trauma may be able to aid in the ability to detect electrode array-induced trauma/scalar translocation intraoperatively. METHODS Twenty-one adult CI patients were included. Subjects were postoperatively parsed into two groups based on analysis of postoperative imaging: 1) ST (n = 14) insertion; 2) SV (n = 7) insertion, indicating translocation of the electrode. The ECochG response elicited from a 500 Hz acoustic stimulus was recorded from the lead electrode during insertion when the distal electrode marker was at the round window, and was compared to the response recorded from a basal electrode (e13) after complete insertion. RESULTS No statistically significant change in mean ECochG magnitude was found in either group between recording intervals. There was a mean loss of preoperative pure-tone average of 52% for the nontranslocation group and 94% for the translocation group. CONCLUSIONS Intraoperative intracochlear ECochG through the CI array provides a unique opportunity to explore the impact of the CI electrode on the inner ear. Specifically, a translocation of the array from ST to SV does not seem to change the biomechanics of the cochlear region that lies basal to the area of translocation in the acute period.
Learned Features for the Assessment of Percussive Music Performances

The automatic assessment of (student) music performance involves the characterization of the audio recordings and the modeling of human judgments. To build a computational model that provides a reliable assessment, the system must take into account various aspects of a performance including technical correctness and aesthetic standards. While some progress has been made in recent years, the search for an effective feature representation remains open-ended. In this study, we explore the possibility of using learned features from sparse coding. Specifically, we investigate three sets of features, namely a baseline set, a set of designed features, and a feature set learned with sparse coding. In addition, we compare the impact of two different input representations on the effectiveness of the learned features. The evaluation is performed on a dataset of annotated recordings of students playing snare exercises. The results imply the general viability of feature learning in the context of automatic assessment of music performances.
A short note on Goppa codes over Elementary Abelian $p$-Extensions of $\mathbb{F}_{p^s}(x)$

In this note, we investigate Goppa codes which are constructed by means of Elementary Abelian $p$-Extensions of $\mathbb{F}_{p^s} (x)$, where $p$ is a prime number and $s$ is a positive integer. We give a simple criterion for self-duality of these codes and list the second generalized Hamming weight of these codes.
Omalizumab for severe asthma: toward personalized treatment based on biomarker profile and clinical history

Asthma is a heterogeneous syndrome with numerous underlining molecular and inflammatory mechanisms contributing to the wide spectrum of clinical phenotypes. Multiple therapies targeting severe asthma with type 2 (T2) high inflammation are or soon will be available. T2 high inflammation is defined as inflammation associated with atopy or eosinophilia or an increase in cytokines associated with T-helper 2 lymphocytes. Omalizumab is a humanized anti-IgE monoclonal antibody and the first biologic therapy approved for moderate–severe allergic asthma. Despite the specificity of biologic therapies like omalizumab, clinical response is variable, with approximately 50% of treated patients achieving the primary outcome. A prior identification of the ideal candidate for therapy would improve patient outcomes and optimize the use of health care resources. As the number of biologic therapies for asthma increases, the goal is identification of biomarkers or clinical phenotypes likely to respond to a specific therapy. This review focuses on potential biomarkers and clinical history that may identify responders to omalizumab therapy for asthma.
Geometric quantization of coupled
Kähler–Einstein metrics

We study the quantization of coupled Kahler-Einstein (cKE) metrics, namely we approximate cKE metrics by means of the canonical Bergman metrics, so called the "balanced metrics". We prove the existence and weak convergence of balanced metrics for the negative first Chern class, while for the positive first Chern class, we introduce some algebro-geometric obstruction which interpolates between the Donaldson-Futaki invariant and Chow weight. Then we show the existence and weak convergence of balanced metrics on cKE manifolds under the vanishing of this obstruction. Moreover, restricted to the case when the automorphism group is discrete, approximate solutions and a gradient flow method towards the smooth convergence are also discussed.
Scandium and terbium radionuclides for radiotheranostics: current state of development towards clinical application

Currently, different radiometals are in use for imaging and therapy in nuclear medicine: 68Ga and 111In are examples of nuclides for positron emission tomography (PET) and single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), respectively, while 177Lu and 225Ac are used for β−- and α-radionuclide therapy. The application of diagnostic and therapeutic radionuclides of the same element (radioisotopes) would utilize chemically-identical radiopharmaceuticals for imaging and subsequent treatment, thereby enabling the radiotheranostic concept. There are two elements which are of particular interest in this regard: Scandium and Terbium. Scandium presents three radioisotopes for theranostic application. 43Sc (T1/2 = 3.9 h) and 44Sc (T1/2 = 4.0 h) can both be used for PET, while 47Sc (T1/2 = 3.35 d) is the therapeutic match—also suitable for SPECT. Currently, 44Sc is most advanced in terms of production, as well as with pre-clinical investigations, and has already been employed in proof-of-concept studies in patients. Even though the production of 43Sc may be more challenging, it would be advantageous due to the absence of high-energetic γ-ray emission. The development of 47Sc is still in its infancy, however, its therapeutic potential has been demonstrated preclinically. Terbium is unique in that it represents four medically-interesting radioisotopes. 155Tb (T1/2 = 5.32 d) and 152Tb (T1/2 = 17.5 h) can be used for SPECT and PET, respectively. Both radioisotopes were produced and tested preclinically. 152Tb has been the first Tb isotope that was tested (as 152Tb-DOTATOC) in a patient. Both radionuclides may be of interest for dosimetry purposes prior to the application of radiolanthanide therapy. The decay properties of 161Tb (T1/2 = 6.89 d) are similar to 177Lu, but the coemission of Auger electrons make it attractive for a combined β−/Auger electron therapy, which was shown to be effective in preclinical experiments. 149Tb (T1/2 = 4.1 h) has been proposed for targeted α-therapy with the possibility of PET imaging. In terms of production, 161Tb and 155Tb are most promising to be made available at the large quantities suitable for future clinical translation. This review article is dedicated to the production routes, the methods of separating the radioisotopes from the target material, preclinical investigations and clinical proof-of-concept studies of Sc and Tb radionuclides. The availability, challenges of production and first (pre)clinical application, as well as the potential of these novel radionuclides for future application in nuclear medicine, are discussed.
Ultrastructural study and lipid formation of Isochrysis sp. CCMP1324

This study investigates methods for extracting lipids from microalgae and analyzes the effects of culture media as well as culture conditions on PUFA yields and total fatty acid contents. Experimental results of an optimal culturing of Isochrysis spp. were based on a 3.2% salinity culture medium. These microalgae were cultured in a 1- 2 L Roux's flat-flask and a 5 L jar fermentor. The optimum culture temperature and initial pH for DHA production were 25°C and 8.0, respectively. Pigments included chlorophylls a and c. The DHA yield increased with cultivation time until the eighth day. Optimum DHA amounts in the cells were reached under aeration with 10% CO 2 and with continuous illumination of 10 klux. The biomass dry weight reached 4 g per liter of culture, and the DHA produc- tion reached 16 mg per liter of culture. Lipid bodies in Isochrysis spp. and related genera were observed during culture by light and transmission electron microscopy; 0.5~3.0 µm sized lipid bodies were confirmed by staining with Sudan Black B in cells from log stage to stationary stage cultures. These results demonstrated that DHA- containing lipid bodies in cells can be produced and accumulated in marine Isochrysis spp.
We, the developing rete testis, efferent ducts, and Wolffian duct, all hereby agree that we need to connect

The mechanisms by which the rete testis joins the efferent ducts, which joins the Wolffian duct during development, are not known. Mouse and chick models have been helpful in identifying genes that are important for the development of each part, but genes have not been identified as to those that play a role in the joining of each part. Clinical implications of the failure of the male reproductive tract to form a fully functional conduit for spermatozoa are not trivial. Epididymal disjunction, the failure of the efferent ducts to join the testis, is one of several epididymal anomalies that have been observed in some boys who were cryptorchid at birth.
The Effect of Ad Blocking on User Engagement with the Web

Web users are increasingly turning to ad blockers to avoid ads, which are often perceived as annoying or an invasion of privacy. While there has been significant research into the factors driving ad blocker adoption and the detrimental effect to ad publishers on the Web, the resulting effects of ad blocker usage on Web users' browsing experience is not well understood. To approach this problem, we conduct a retrospective natural field experiment using Firefox browser usage data, with the goal of estimating the effect of adblocking on user engagement with the Web. We focus on new users who installed an ad blocker after a baseline observation period, to avoid comparing different populations. Their subsequent browser activity is compared against that of a control group, whose members do not use ad blockers, over a corresponding observation period, controlling for prior baseline usage. In order to estimate causal effects, we employ propensity score matching on a number of other features recorded during the baseline period. In the group that installed an ad blocker, we find significant increases in both active time spent in the browser (+28% over control) and the number of pages viewed (+15% over control), while seeing no change in the number of searches. Additionally, by reapplying the same methodology to other popular Firefox browser extensions, we show that these effects are specific to ad blockers. We conclude that ad blocking has a positive impact on user engagement with the Web, suggesting that any costs of using ad blockers to users' browsing experience are largely drowned out by the utility that they offer.
Abandon Statistical Significance

ABSTRACT We discuss problems the null hypothesis significance testing (NHST) paradigm poses for replication and more broadly in the biomedical and social sciences as well as how these problems remain unresolved by proposals involving modified p-value thresholds, confidence intervals, and Bayes factors. We then discuss our own proposal, which is to abandon statistical significance. We recommend dropping the NHST paradigm—and the p-value thresholds intrinsic to it—as the default statistical paradigm for research, publication, and discovery in the biomedical and social sciences. Specifically, we propose that the p-value be demoted from its threshold screening role and instead, treated continuously, be considered along with currently subordinate factors (e.g., related prior evidence, plausibility of mechanism, study design and data quality, real world costs and benefits, novelty of finding, and other factors that vary by research domain) as just one among many pieces of evidence. We have no desire to “ban” p-values or other purely statistical measures. Rather, we believe that such measures should not be thresholded and that, thresholded or not, they should not take priority over the currently subordinate factors. We also argue that it seldom makes sense to calibrate evidence as a function of p-values or other purely statistical measures. We offer recommendations for how our proposal can be implemented in the scientific publication process as well as in statistical decision making more broadly.
Association between CXCL 12 and CXCR 4 polymorphisms and inflammatory bowel disease risk in a Guangxi Zhuang population

Objective: To explore the association of the CXCL12 gene polymorphism rs1801157 and the CXCR4 gene polymorphism rs2228014 and susceptibility to inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in a Zhuang population from Guangxi, China. Methods: A case control study was performed, which included intestinal tissue samples of 245 Zhuang patients with IBD in the experimental group and 202 healthy Zhuang subjects in the control group from January 2013 to February 2016. All patients and healthy subjects were from the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region of China. Genomic DNA was extracted from intestinal tissue by the centrifugal column method. CXCL12 rs1801157 and CXCR4 rs2228014 polymorphisms were amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and then genotyped by restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis and sequencing. Results: The allele and genotype distributions of CXCL12 rs1801157 and CXCR4 rs2228014 were all in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium for the IBD group and the control group. The genotypes of CXCL12 rs1801157 and CXCR4 rs2228014, including the homozygous mutant, heterozygous mutant and wild-type genotype, were found in both IBD patients and healthy controls. No significant differences were noted in genotype and allele frequencies of CXCL12 rs1801157 among UC/CD and control groups (P > 0.05). Differences in allele frequency between UC/CD patients and control group for CXCR4 rs2228014 were statistically significant (χ2 = 11.589, P = 0.001; χ2 = 14.365, P < 0.001). Conclusion: The CXCL12 gene rs1801157 polymorphism may not be associated with IBD in the Guangxi Zhuang population, but CXCR4 rs2228014 may be associated with IBD in the Guangxi Zhuang population.
Effects of local-scale removals on feral swine populations in southern Texas

Feral swine (Sus scrofa) are one of the most threatening mammalian pest species in North America owing to the damage they cause to natural habitats and agroecosystems, and the risk of disease transmission they pose to wildlife, livestock, and humans. The long-term (> 1 year) effects of lethal control efforts on feral swine populations at local scales are largely unknown. Using a panel of molecular markers, we assessed the effects of lethal control efforts on selected populations of feral swine in southern Texas. We collected tissue samples from two sites during removal campaigns, extracted and amplified DNA, and assessed population structure, genetic clustering, and immigration. We removed 145 individuals (9.7 swine per km2) at one site and 204 individuals (6.6 swine per km2) at another site. Fixation indices, Bayesian clustering, and assignment tests based on allele frequencies all produced similar results, indicating little or no differentiation among removals at either site. Localized feral swine removals aimed at reducing damage had no long-term impact on population parameters. Removals occurred at sites in which the swine groups were contiguous with neighboring feral swine family units and groups. This may have resulted in immigration of adjacent, but not genetically distinct, feral swine onto sites following the initial removals. To achieve long-term reduction of damage by feral swine populations, additional information is needed to enable genetic populations and corresponding management units to be defined.
Evaluation of T‐lymphocyte subpopulations in actinic keratosis, in situ and invasive squamous cell carcinoma of the skin

Tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) represent important regulators of carcinogenesis. Cutaneous invasive squamous cell carcinoma (inSCC) develops through precursor lesions, namely in situ squamous cell carcinoma (isSCC) and actinic keratosis (AK), representing a natural model of carcinogenesis. The study evaluates TIL subpopulations in inSCC and its precursors by comparing 2 semiquantitative scoring systems, and assesses the presence of regulatory T‐cells (Tregs) in these lesions.
Differences between carcinoma of the cecum and ascending colon: Evidence based on clinical and embryological data

Developing rapidly from the cecal diverticulum in a 5-week-old embryo, the cecum, which is developed from the caudal limb of the midgut loop, is different from the ascending colon. The aim of this study was to analyze the different clinicopathological and biological characteristics of patients with carcinoma of the cecum and ascending colon. We accessed data for 59,035 patients with adenocarcinomas of the cecum and ascending colon from the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results database to explore the potential associations between the clinicopathological characteristics and overall survival. Furthermore, we analyzed the differences in gene expression between the two segments in the Gene Expression Omnibus database. The results were validated in The Cancer Genome Atlas database, as well as with another independent dataset from the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University. The results of this study revealed the potential prognostic differences between adenocarcinoma of the cecum and ascending colon, which may be caused by the differential expression levels of the SLCO1B3 gene. When including the expression levels of SLCO1B3 in intraoperatively examined lymph nodes, 8 factors were found able to predict the prognosis of patients with carcinomas of the cecum and ascending colon. As regards the surgical therapeutic strategies, the resection of >15 local lymph nodes is appropriate for improving the prognosis of patients.
MiR-34c-5p plays a protective role in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease via targeting CCL22

Abstract Objective: To study the role of miR-34c-5p targeting CCL22 in affecting the progression of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Methods: The dual-luciferase reporter gene assay was applied to verify the targeting relationship of miR-34c-5p and CCL22. The rats were randomly assigned into Control, COPD, COPD + empty plasmids, COPD + agomir, COPD + CCL22 shRNA and COPD + agomir + CCL22 groups. COPD model was built by using cigarette smoke exposure and LPS instillation. After 28 days, the pulmonary function was examined. ELISA method was used to detect TNF-α and IL-8 levels in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), HE staining and Masson staining to observe the pathomorphological changes of lung tissues, qRT-PCR and/or Western blot to determine miR-34c-5p and CCL22 levels, and immunohistochemical staining to measure the expression of MMP-9 and TIMP-1. Results: MiR-34c-5p could target CCL22 to down-regulate its expression. Both miR-34c-5p agomir and CCL22 shRNA could reduce breathing frequency (f), airway resistance (RI), and the levels of IL-8 and TNF-α in BALF of COPD rats with increased Cydn (dynamic lung compliance) and PIF (peak inspiratory flow). Besides, the inflammatory cell infiltration, rupture of partial alveolus, enlarged alveolar cavity, and increased deposition of collagen fibers were observed in COPD rat tissues, with rise in mean linear intercept (MLI) and reduction in mean alveolar number (MAN), which could be reversed by miR-34c-5p agomir or CCL22 shRNA. Conclusion: MiR-34c-5p may promote inflammation response and maintain the protease-antiprotease balance via targeting CCL22, which provides scientific basis for the clinical treatment of COPD.
Preliminary results of a randomized controlled trial carried out with a fixed combination of S-adenosyl-L-methionine and betaine versus amitriptyline in patients with mild depression

Background S-adenosyl-L-methionine (SAMe), a safe, endogenous, pleiotropic methyl donor well known for its antidepressant role, has been assumed to have a possible role in increasing plasma levels of compounds known to be able to raise cardiovascular risk. Although the issue is still being debated, betaine (trimethylglycine), a specific methyl donor involved in the homocysteine circuit, may be able to reduce such a risk and/or, by determining a sparing effect on endogenous SAMe, may be able to improve the clinical efficiency of SAMe itself. Indeed, preliminary results have shown clinical improvement determined by an add-on therapy with betaine administered along with SAMe, versus SAMe alone, to patients affected by mild/moderate depression. Aim To evaluate the safety and antidepressant role played by the association of SAMe plus betaine versus amitriptyline administered in untreated individuals with a recent diagnosis of mild depression. Methods This small, open-label, randomized, observational study enrolled 64 individuals with a diagnosis of mild depression according to the Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale. After randomization, they were treated with either Laroxyl® (amitriptyline, 75 mg/day) or DDM Metile® (enteric-coated SAMe, 500 mg/day, plus betaine, 250 mg/day) for 12 months. Assessment of clinical scores and tolerability was performed at T=0 and after 3, 6, and 12 months. Results After 3 months, both treatments showed a small and not statistically significant improvement. After 6 and 12 months, both treated groups demonstrated a more noticeable improved response, although the group treated with SAMe plus betaine showed better results in terms of score, number of individuals in remission, and side effects. Compliance was overlapping in both treatments. Conclusion The association of SAMe plus betaine seems to be a safe and effective tool to counteract mild depression and also when used as monotherapy in subjects with a recent diagnosis.