Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Improved Results on Models of Greedy and Primal-dual Algorithms Improved Results on Models of Greedy and Primal-dual Algorithms Improved Results on Models of Greedy and Primal-dual Algorithms Table of Contents

A class of priority algorithms that capture reasonable gree dy-like algorithms was introduced by Borodin, Nielson, and Rackoff [7]. Later, Borodin, Cashman, and Magen [4] introduced the stack algorithms, advocating that they capt ure reasonable primal-dual and local-ratio algorithms. In this thesis, some NP -hard graph optimization problems Maximum Acyclic Subgraph (MAS) problem and Minimum Steiner Tree (MST) problem are studied in priority and stack models. First, a 2 − 1 k priority lower bound in the edge model is shown for the MAS problem. Secondly, a 4 3 priority lower bound in the edge model is presented for the MST problem, improving the result of Davis nd Impagliazzo [10]. Making variations on input instances and the stack model, we sho w a2 − 2 k stack lower bound improving the 3 stack lower bound in Borodin, Cashman, and Magen [4].
Expanding Training Opportunities for Parents of Children with Autism

The purpose of this study was to demonstrate that parents who have children diagnosed with autism can learn and accurately apply knowledge regarding a research-based practice for their children by utilizing a prescribed, self-directed, online program. Using a quasi-experimental, non-equivalent control group, pretest-posttest design, this study assessed (a) parent knowledge of visual supports, (b) creation of an appropriate visual support, and (c) social validity regarding the program. Results demonstrated that parents who receive training using an online program can accurately apply a research-based practice, and participant feedback indicated strong satisfaction with this method of obtaining and applying knowledge. Results suggested that using a self-directed, online program may serve to give families another method of obtaining informational support and training and thereby address some of the need made more urgent by lacking or delayed services for their children with autism.
The effect of mindfulness-based therapy on symptoms of anxiety and depression in adult cancer patients and survivors: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE The use of mindfulness-based therapy (MBT) in oncology settings has become increasingly popular, and research in the field has rapidly expanded. The objective was by means of a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the current evidence for the effect of MBT on symptoms of anxiety and depression in adult cancer patients and survivors. METHOD Electronic databases were searched, and researchers were contacted for further relevant studies. Twenty-two independent studies with a total of 1,403 participants were included. Studies were coded for quality (range: 0-4), and overall effect size analyses were performed separately for nonrandomized studies (K = 13, n = 448) and randomized controlled trials (RCTs; K = 9, n = 955). Effect sizes were combined using the random-effects model. RESULTS In the aggregated sample of nonrandomized studies (average quality score: 0.5), MBT was associated with significantly reduced symptoms of anxiety and depression from pre- to posttreatment corresponding to moderate effect sizes (Hedges\'s g) of 0.60 and 0.42, respectively. The pooled controlled effect sizes (Hedges\'s g) of RCTs (average quality score: 2.9) were 0.37 for anxiety symptoms (p < .001) and 0.44 for symptoms of depression (p < .001). These effect sizes appeared robust. Furthermore, in RCTs, MBT significantly improved mindfulness skills (Hedges\'s g = 0.39). CONCLUSION While the overall quality of existing clinical trials varies considerably, there appears to be some positive evidence from relatively high-quality RCTs to support the use of MBT for cancer patients and survivors with symptoms of anxiety and depression.
Analysis of frequency‐modulated and complex sounds by single auditory neurones of bats

1. Single unit activity in the inferior colliculus of bats was studied in relation to the analysis of frequency‐modulated (FM) and complex sounds. Complex sounds were composed of tone pulse I (pure or FM tone) delivered simultaneously with tone pulse II (pure or sometimes FM tone). It was assumed that in relevant complex sounds produced by animals, an important component (e.g. a formant in human speech) occurred at the best frequency (BF) of a given neurone. Tone pulse I represented such a component (called BF component). Tone pulse II was assumed to correspond to higher or lower components according to its relation to BF. Depending on characteristics of responses to tonal stimuli, collicular neurones were classified into five types: symmetrical, asymmetrical, FM‐insensitive, FM‐sensitive (or FM‐specialized) and upper‐threshold units.
Evaluation of a vibrotactile feedback device for spatial guidance

In the present study, a vibrotactile feedback device for spatial guidance was evaluated in a tracking task paradigm. Participants (N = 18) had to translate and rotate virtual objects according to the vibrotactile vs. verbal cues without visual information. Both types of spatial guidance were evaluated using objective performance data (i.e. speed, accuracy) as well as subjective judgments. Results indicate that distinguishing spatial cues during the translational task was more difficult when being guided by vibrotactile feedback compared to verbal feedback. Nevertheless, individuals with vibrotactile guidance showed better performance at rotational tasks. Implications for the further design process and other areas of application are discussed.
Clinical Conference De Novo Hypertension After Liver Transplantation

Hypertension developing in normotensive patients after organ transplantation is a common and important element of posttransplant care. It has been encountered primarily in the last decade since the introduction of cyclosporine A (CSA) as a major immunosuppressive agent. The entity of de novo hypertension in previously normotensive subjects should be distinguished from worsening preexisting hypertension after transplant, which is the case in most patients with end-stage renal disease, for example. For that reason, this article will focus on hypertension developing after liver transplantation. Blood pressure rises in nearly all transplant recipients treated with CSA and steroids. Liver and cardiac transplant recipients, for example, develop hypertension needing therapy in 80% to 90% of cases. Medical management of the transplant recipient requires treating hypertension effectively while avoiding interactions between antihypertensive regimens and CSA. Defining the mechanisms underlying this process represents a challenge, and an opportunity, for the hypertension community. Hypertension develops uniformly and rapidly in human subjects but rarely in animals. "Conventional" pressor mechanisms seen in other disorders, such as the circulating renin-angiotensin system, are not obviously disturbed in this disorder. Initial reports from the renal transplant literature dealt with hypertension primarily as an extension of cyclosporine nephrotoxicity,in which impaired kidney function and sodium retention produced volume expansion and "salt-sensitive" hypertension. However, subsequent data have indicated that nephrotoxicity and hypertension during cyclosporine administration are not absolutely linked. Our current hypothesis is that posttransplant hypertension represents primary abnormalities of vascular endothelial function. Thus, posttransplant hypertension may be a distinct form of acquired hypertension that merits close scrutiny. In this discussion, we will review a case of acquired hypertension after liver transplantation. The clinical data are from studies undertaken in the cyclosporine
Formin Homology 2 Domain Containing 3 ( FHOD 3 ) Variants Associated with Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy

Molecular Cardiology Rsrch Inst Ctr for Translational Genomics, Dept of Medicine, Cardiology Division, Tufts Medical Ctr, Boston, MA;Dept of Medicine, Division of Cardiovascular Diseases, Dept of Molecular Pharmacology & Experimental Therapeutics, Dept of Pediatric & Adolescent Medicine/Division of Pediatric Cardiology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN;Dept of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC *contributed equally as first authors / **senior authors
A Well Conditioned Integral Formulation for Maxwell Equations in Three Dimensions

This paper presents a new boundary integral equation dedicated to the solution of the perfect electrical conductor (PEC) problem of electromagnetism in unbounded domain. Our approach consists in establishing a new integral formulation of this scattering problem such that its discretization directly produces a well-conditioned linear system. To achieve this, the strategy for acoustics are applied to Maxwell equations, leading to equations which are always well-posed at any frequency and very well-conditioned
Loss of phosphatidylinositol 4-kinase 2α activity causes late onset degeneration of spinal cord axons

Phosphoinositide (PI) lipids are intracellular membrane signaling intermediates and effectors produced by localized PI kinase and phosphatase activities. Although many signaling roles of PI kinases have been identified in cultured cell lines, transgenic animal studies have produced unexpected insight into the in vivo functions of specific PI 3- and 5-kinases, but no mammalian PI 4-kinase (PI4K) knockout has previously been reported. Prior studies using cultured cells implicated the PI4K2α isozyme in diverse functions, including receptor signaling, ion channel regulation, endosomal trafficking, and regulated secretion. We now show that despite these important functions, mice lacking PI4K2α kinase activity initially appear normal. However, adult Pi4k2aGT/GT animals develop a progressive neurological disease characterized by tremor, limb weakness, urinary incontinence, and premature mortality. Histological analysis of aged Pi4k2aGT/GT animals revealed lipofuscin-like deposition and gliosis in the cerebellum, and loss of Purkinje cells. Peripheral nerves are essentially normal, but massive axonal degeneration was found in the spinal cord in both ascending and descending tracts. These results reveal a previously undescribed role for aberrant PI signaling in neurological disease that resembles autosomal recessive hereditary spastic paraplegia.
Increasing running step rate reduces patellofemoral joint forces.

PURPOSE Increasing step rate has been shown to elicit changes in joint kinematics and kinetics during running, and it has been suggested as a possible rehabilitation strategy for runners with patellofemoral pain. The purpose of this study was to determine how altering step rate affects internal muscle forces and patellofemoral joint loads, and then to determine what kinematic and kinetic factors best predict changes in joint loading. METHODS We recorded whole body kinematics of 30 healthy adults running on an instrumented treadmill at three step rate conditions (90%, 100%, and 110% of preferred step rate). We then used a 3-D lower extremity musculoskeletal model to estimate muscle, patellar tendon, and patellofemoral joint forces throughout the running gait cycles. In addition, linear regression analysis allowed us to ascertain the relative influence of limb posture and external loads on patellofemoral joint force. RESULTS Increasing step rate to 110% of the preferred reduced peak patellofemoral joint force by 14%. Peak muscle forces were also altered as a result of the increased step rate with hip, knee, and ankle extensor forces, and hip abductor forces all reduced in midstance. Compared with the 90% step rate condition, there was a concomitant increase in peak rectus femoris and hamstring loads during early and late swing, respectively, at higher step rates. Peak stance phase knee flexion decreased with increasing step rate and was found to be the most important predictor of the reduction in patellofemoral joint loading. CONCLUSION Increasing step rate is an effective strategy to reduce patellofemoral joint forces and could be effective in modulating biomechanical factors that can contribute to patellofemoral pain.
Potential impact of screening for fatty liver disease by transient elastography with liver stiffness and controlled attenuation parameter measurements: a pilot study

Abstract Background The prevalence of chronic liver diseases is high in developed countries, and the leading causes are amenable to prevention. The German Lebertag is to increase awareness of the burden of chronic liver diseases in the general public. We performed a pilot study using transient elastography with liver stiffness measurement (LSM) and the controlled attenuation parameter (CAP) as a screening tool for previously unrecognized liver diseases. Patients and methods LSM and CAP was performed in 60 individuals, and participants filled in a questionnaire reporting basic characteristics and past medical history. Results Median LSM and CAP values were within the normal range. Participants with self-reported diabetes mellitus had significantly elevated LSM (p = 0.02) and CAP values (p = 0.002). Participants with a BMI > 30 kg/m2 or dyslipidemia had significantly elevated CAP values (p = 0.007 and p = 0.01, respectively) with normal LSM values. Overall, 35 % of participants had elevated CAP values, indicating a high prevalence of hepatic steatosis. Discussion In a German pilot study, diabetes mellitus was a key risk factor for increased LSM and CAP values. Prevalence of steatosis was high and comparable to other Western countries. Transient elastography is a valuable tool to identify patients with increased risk for metabolic liver diseases. In people without risk factors, LSM and CAP values were within the normal range, indicating that screening for chronic liver injury was not warranted.
Activity-Dependent Acceleration of Endocytosis at a Central Synapse

Accumulated evidence indicates the existence of rapid and slow endocytosis at many synapses. It has been proposed that rapid endocytosis is activated by intense stimulation when vesicle recycling needs to be speeded up to supply vesicles at hippocampal synapses. However, the evidence, as obtained with imaging techniques, which are somewhat indirect in indicating rapid endocytosis, is controversial. Furthermore, a slower time course of endocytosis is often found after more intense nerve activity, casting doubt on the role of rapid endocytosis at synapses. Here, we addressed this issue at a mammalian central synapse, the calyx of Held, using a capacitance measurement technique that provides a higher time resolution than imaging techniques. We found that rapid endocytosis with a time constant of ∼1–2 s was activated during intense nerve activity. Reducing the presynaptic calcium current or buffering the intracellular calcium with EGTA significantly inhibited rapid endocytosis, suggesting that calcium triggers rapid endocytosis. During intense stimulation, rapid endocytosis retrieved up to approximately eight vesicles per second per active zone, approximately eightfold larger than reported in the hippocampus, and thus played a dominant role during and within 3 s after intense stimulation. Slow endocytosis became dominant 3 s after intense stimulation likely because of the fall of the intracellular calcium level that deactivated rapid endocytosis. These results underscore the importance of calcium-triggered rapid endocytosis, which offers the nerve terminal the plasticity to speed up vesicle cycling during intense nerve activity.
Surgical errors and risks – the head and neck cancer patient

Head and neck surgery is one of the basic principles of head and neck cancer therapy. Surgical errors and malpractice can have fatal consequences for the treated patients. It can lead to functional impairment and has impact in future chances for disease related survival. There are many risks for head and neck surgeons that can cause errors and malpractice. To avoid surgical mistakes, thorough preoperative management of patients is mandatory. As there are ensuring operability, cautious evaluation of preoperative diagnostics and operative planning. Moreover knowledge of anatomical structures of the head and neck, of the medical studies and data as well as qualification in modern surgical techniques and the surgeons ability for critical self assessment are basic and important prerequisites for head and neck surgeons in order to make out risks and to prevent from mistakes. Additionally it is important to have profound knowledge in nutrition management of cancer patients, wound healing and to realize and to be able to deal with complications, when they occur. Despite all precaution and surgical care, errors and mistakes cannot always be avoided. For that it is important to be able to deal with mistakes and to establish an appropriate and clear communication and management for such events. The manuscript comments on recognition and prevention of risks and mistakes in the preoperative, operative and postoperative phase of head and neck cancer surgery.
Temporal Behavior of Lake Size-Distribution in a Thawing Permafrost Landscape in Northwestern Siberia

Arctic warming alters regional hydrological systems, as permafrost thaw increases active layer thickness and in turn alters the pathways of water flow through the landscape. Further, permafrost thaw may change the connectivity between deeper and shallower groundwater and surface water altering the terrestrial water balance and distribution. Thermokarst lakes and wetlands in the Arctic offer a window into such changes as these landscape elements depend on permafrost and are some of the most dynamic and widespread features in Arctic lowland regions. In this study we used Landsat remotely sensed imagery to investigate potential shifts in thermokarst lake size-distributions, which may be brought about by permafrost thaw, over three distinct time periods (1973, 1987–1988, and 2007–2009) in three hydrological basins in northwestern Siberia. Results revealed fluctuations in total area and number of lakes over time, with both appearing and disappearing lakes alongside stable lakes. On the whole basin scales, there is no indication of any sustained long-term change in thermokarst lake area or lake size abundance over time. This statistical temporal consistency indicates that spatially variable change effects on local permafrost conditions have driven the individual lake changes that have indeed occurred over time. The results highlight the importance of using multi-temporal remote sensing data that can reveal complex spatiotemporal variations distinguishing fluctuations from sustained change trends, for accurate interpretation of thermokarst lake changes and their possible drivers in periods of climate and permafrost change.
Silicate-Substituted Calcium Phosphate Ceramic Bone Graft Replacement for Spinal Fusion Procedures

Study Design. Retrospective study. Objective. To assess the clinical and radiographical outcomes in spinal fusion procedures using silicate-substituted calcium phosphate (Si-CaP). Summary Of Background Data. Si-CaP is a newer-generation synthetic ceramic designed to maximize osteoinduction and osteoconduction. Methods. This is a retrospective analysis of a prospectively collected patient database including 108 patients (204 individual spinal levels). Different surgical procedures performed included 25 anterior cervical discectomy and fusions, 17 posterior cervical fusions, 7 combined anterior and posterior cervical fusions, 10 thoracic fusion surgeries, 18 transforaminal lumbar interbody fusions with 12 axial lumbar interbody fusions, 11 transpsoas discectomy and fusions, and 8 combined thoracolumbar fusion procedures. Si-CaP was used as bone extender without any additional graft material, bone marrow aspirate, or bone morphogenetic protein. Clinical outcomes were assessed using the visual analogue scale (VAS), Oswestry Disability Index, and Neck Disability Index. Fusion was determined by the presence of bony bridging on 2 consecutive sections in at least 2 planes on computed tomographic imaging. Results. At a follow-up of 12 (±4.7) months, 90% of all patients demonstrated radiographical fusion. Fusion rates were highest in the cervical spine (97%) followed by thoracic and lumbar spines (86% and 81%, respectively). There were significant improvements in all clinical outcome measures—Oswestry Disability Index, 11.1 (±10.2) and Neck Disability Index, 9.0 (±11.4); VAS-back, 3.1(±3.0); VAS-leg, 3.5 (±3.6); VAS-neck, 3.7 (±2.5); and VAS-arm 4.0 (±3.2). There was no radiographical loosening of instrumentation due to infection or nonunion in this series, and no subsequent revisions for nonunion were required. Conclusion. Si-CaP is an alternative to autogenous bone graft in spinal arthrodesis procedures. At 12-month follow-up, we detected high levels of bony fusion using Si-CaP in combination with various surgical spinal techniques.
Optimal Therapy for Adults with Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis Bone Lesions

Background There is little data on treatment of Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) in adults. Available data is on small numbers of patients with short follow-up times and no comparison of results from different treatment regimens. We analyzed the responses of adult LCH patients with bone lesions to three primary chemotherapy treatments to define the optimal one. Methods and Findings Fifty-eight adult patients with bone lesions, either as a solitary site or as a component of multisystem disease, were analyzed for disease location and response to surgery, curettage, steroids, radiation, vinblastine/prednisone, 2-Chlorodeoxyadenosine (2-CdA), or cytosine arabinoside (ARA-C). The mean age of patients was 32 years, with equal gender distribution. Twenty-nine patients had 1 lesion; 16, 2 lesions; 5, 3 lesions; and 8 had 4 or more. Most bone lesions were in the skull, spine, or jaw. Chemotherapy, surgery, curettage, or radiation, but not steroids alone, achieved improvement or resolution of lesions in a majority of patients. Comparison of the three chemotherapy regimens revealed 84% of patients treated with vinblastine/prednisone either did not respond or relapsed within a year, whereas 59% of patients treated with 2-CdA and 21% treated with ARA-C failed. Toxicity was worse with the vinblastine/prednisone group as 75% had grade 3–4 neuropathy. Grade 3–4 cytopenias occurred in 37% of the 2-CdA -treated patients and 20% of the ARA-C-treated patients. The major limitation of this study is it is retrospective and not a clinical trial. Conclusions ARA-C is an effective and minimally toxic treatment for LCH bone lesions in adults. In contrast, vinblastine/prednisone results in poor overall responses and excessive toxicity.