Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Population-based experience on primary central nervous system lymphoma 2000–2012: the incidence is increasing

Abstract Background: Primary central nervous system lymphomas (PCNSL) are rare lymphomas with a poor prognosis. Recently, an increased incidence has been reported. The present study is a population-based study of all patients with PCNSL in the Uppsala/Örebro region of middle Sweden. Patients and methods: All patients diagnosed with a PCNSL at Uppsala University Hospital 2000–2012 were identified. Altogether, 96 patients (50 women and 46 men) were included. The median age at diagnosis was 66 years (17–95). Results: There was a statistically significant increase in age-standardized incidence during the study period, 30 patients were diagnosed in the first half and 66 in the second half of the period. No patient had an HIV-infection. Two patients had undergone kidney transplantation and were treated with immunosuppressive drugs. A high proportion of the patients, 29%, had a history of an autoimmune or inflammatory disease. The prognosis was poor with a median survival of only four months. In the 70 (73%) patients treated with curative intention the median survival was 12 months. Patients treated with high-dose methotrexate, radiotherapy and/or temozolomide appeared to have a better survival. There was no improvement in survival during the study period or after the introduction of rituximab. There also was no difference in any of the analyzed variables that could explain the increased incidence. Conclusion: In this population-based study we could confirm the previously described increased incidence of PCNSL. The prognosis remains poor despite the inclusion of treatment with rituximab during the study period. A high proportion of the patients had a history of an autoimmune or inflammatory disease not previously described but there was no increase during the study period.
How mutational epistasis impairs predictability in protein evolution and design

There has been much debate about the extent to which mutational epistasis, that is, the dependence of the outcome of a mutation on the genetic background, constrains evolutionary trajectories. The degree of unpredictability introduced by epistasis, due to the non‐additivity of functional effects, strongly hinders the strategies developed in protein design and engineering. While many studies have addressed this issue through systematic characterization of evolutionary trajectories within individual enzymes, the field lacks a consensus view on this matter. In this work, we performed a comprehensive analysis of epistasis by analyzing the mutational effects from nine adaptive trajectories toward new enzymatic functions. We quantified epistasis by comparing the effect of mutations occurring between two genetic backgrounds: the starting enzyme (for example, wild type) and the intermediate variant on which the mutation occurred during the trajectory. We found that most trajectories exhibit positive epistasis, in which the mutational effect is more beneficial when it occurs later in the evolutionary trajectory. Approximately half (49%) of functional mutations were neutral or negative on the wild‐type background, but became beneficial at a later stage in the trajectory, indicating that these functional mutations were not predictable from the initial starting point. While some cases of strong epistasis were associated with direct interaction between residues, many others were caused by long‐range indirect interactions between mutations. Our work highlights the prevalence of epistasis in enzyme adaptive evolution, in particular positive epistasis, and suggests the necessity of incorporating mutational epistasis in protein engineering and design to create highly efficient catalysts.
The Actin Filament Content of Hair Cells of the Bird Cochlea Is Nearly

By direct counts off scanning electron micrographs, we determined the number of stereocilia per hair cell of the chicken cochlea as a function of the position of the hair cell on the cochlea. Micrographs of thin cross sections of stereociliary bundles located at known positions on the cochlea were enlarged and the total number of actin filaments per stereocilium was counted and recorded. By comparing the counts of filament number with measurements of actin filament bundle width of the same stereocilium, we were able to relate actin filament bundle width to filament number with an error margin (r 2) of 16%. Combining this data with data already published or in the process of publication from our laboratory on the length and width of stereocilia, we were able to calculate the total length of actin filaments present in stereociliary bundles of hair cells located at a variety of positions on the cochlea. We found that stereociliary bundles of hair cells contain 80,000-98,000 l~m of actin filament, i.e., the concentration of actin is constant in all hair cells with a range of values that is less than our error in measurement and/or biological variation, the greatest variation being in relating the diameters of the stereocilia to filament number. We also calculated the membrane surface needed to cover the stereocilia of hair cells located throughout the cochlea. The values (172-192 lxm 2) are also constant. The implications of our observation that the total amount of actin is constant even though the length, width, and number of stereocilia per hair cell vary are
Surgical anatomy of the lower eyelid relating to lower blepharoplasty

The aim of this review is to familiarize the reader with the critical lower eyelid anatomy as is related to lower blepharoplasty or a midface lift. The contents include 1) the lacrimal canaliculus in the lower eyelid: the depth and width (diameter) of the vertical portion were 2.58±0.24 mm and 0.44±0.07 mm, respectively. A vertical portion of the canaliculus was about 1 mm (1.11±0.16 mm) deep, and the horizontal portion was about 2~3 mm (2.08±2.74 mm) long 2 mm below the mucocutaneous junction, which is where an incision may be made when performing epicanthoplasty. 2) Motor innervation to the lower orbiculis oculi muscle: the pretarsal and preseptal OOMs were innervated by five to seven terminal twigs of the zygomatic branches of the facial nerve that approached the muscle at a right angle. The mean horizontal distance between the lateral canthus and the zygomatic branch was 2.31±0.29 cm (range: 1.7~2.7 cm) and the vertical distance was 1.20±0.20 cm (range: 0.8~1.5 cm). 3) Sensory innervation of the lower eyelid skin: the majority of the terminal branches (93.8%) of the ION were distributed to the medial to the lateral canthus. Most (99.4%) of the terminal branches of the ZFN were distributed to lateral to the lateral canthus. 4) Retractor of the lower eyelid; capsulopalpebral fascia (CPF): the orbital septum blended with the CPF most closely at 3.7~5.4 mm beneath the lower tarsal border and differently at 3.7±0.7 mm on the medial limbus line, 4.3±0.8 mm on the midpupillary line and 5.4±1.0 mm on the lateral limbus line. 5) Arcuate expansion (AE): The AE was a fibrous band expanding from the inferolateral orbital rim to the medial canthal ligament. A sector (fan-shaped) of the AE originated in the angle of 5 to 80 degrees at the circumference of the inferolateral orbital rim circle, falling within the range of 3 to 5.5 o'clock, and then it tapered and attached to the inferior border of the medial canthal ligament. 6) Suborbicularis oculi fat (SOOF) in the lower eyelid: the SOOF was located in the inferolateral side of the orbit within a range between medial +15 and lateral -89 degrees to a vertical midpupillary line. Histologically, the SOOF was situated deep to the Orbicularis oculi muscle and superficial to the orbital septum and periosteum. The SOOF consisted more of fibrofatty tissue rather than being the pure fatty nature like orbital fat. I hope surgeons can achieve desirable outcomes with the knowledge reviewed in this article.
In-school and out-of-school physical activity in primary and secondary school children

Abstract The aim of this study was to compare in-school and out-of-school physical activity within a representative sample. Socio-demographic, physical activity, and anthropometric data were collected from a random sample of children (250 boys, 253 girls) aged 3–16 years attending nine primary and two secondary schools. Actigraph GT1M accelerometers, worn for seven days, were used to estimate physical activity levels for in-school (typically 09.00–15.00 h), out-of-school (weekday), and weekend periods. Physical activity as accelerometer counts per minute were lower in school versus out of school overall (in school: 437.2 ± 172.9; out of school: 575.5 ± 202.8; P < 0.001), especially in secondary school pupils (secondary: 321.6 ± 127.5; primary: 579.2 ± 216.3; P < 0.001). Minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity accumulated in school accounted for 29.4 ± 9.8% of total weekly moderate-to-vigorous physical activity overall but varied by sector (preschool: 37.4 ± 6.2%; primary: 33.6 ± 8.1%; secondary: 23.0 ± 9.3%; F = 114.3, P < 0.001). Approximately half of the children with the lowest in-school activity compensated out of school during the week (47.4%) and about one-third at the weekend (30.0%). Overall, physical activity during the school day appears to be lower than that out of school, especially in secondary school children, who accumulate a lower proportion of their total weekly moderate-to-vigorous physical activity at school than younger children. As low in-school activity was compensated for beyond the school setting by less than half of children, promoting physical activity within the school day is important, especially in secondary schools.
Gene Transfer from Bacteria and Archaea Facilitated Evolution of an Extremophilic Eukaryote

Hot, Toxic Eukaryote Unusually, the single-celled eukaryote red alga, Galdieria sulphuraria, can thrive in hot, acidic springs. This organism is endowed with extraordinary metabolic talents and can consume a variety of strange carbohydrates, as well as turn on photosynthesis when the food runs out. Schönknecht et al. (p. 1207; see the Perspective by Rocha) discerned from phylogenetic analysis of its genome that during its evolution, G. sulphuraria appears to have commandeered at least 75 bacterial and archaeal genes by horizontal gene transfer and then applied gene expansion to boost its metabolic repertoire. A mosaic of genes acquired from various phyla enable a red alga to grow abundantly in hot, acidic, and toxic niches. [Also see Perspective by Rocha] Some microbial eukaryotes, such as the extremophilic red alga Galdieria sulphuraria, live in hot, toxic metal-rich, acidic environments. To elucidate the underlying molecular mechanisms of adaptation, we sequenced the 13.7-megabase genome of G. sulphuraria. This alga shows an enormous metabolic flexibility, growing either photoautotrophically or heterotrophically on more than 50 carbon sources. Environmental adaptation seems to have been facilitated by horizontal gene transfer from various bacteria and archaea, often followed by gene family expansion. At least 5% of protein-coding genes of G. sulphuraria were probably acquired horizontally. These proteins are involved in ecologically important processes ranging from heavy-metal detoxification to glycerol uptake and metabolism. Thus, our findings show that a pan-domain gene pool has facilitated environmental adaptation in this unicellular eukaryote.
Computer Applications Assessment of Visually Lossless Irreversible Image Compression: Comparison of Three Methods by Using an Image-comparison Workstation

1 PURPOSE: To determine the degree of irreversible image compression detectable in conservative viewing conditions. MATERIALS AND METHODS: An image-comparison workstation, which alternately displayed two registered and magnified versions of an image, was used to study observer detection of image degradation introduced by irreversible compression. Five observers evaluated 20 16-bit posteroanterior digital chest radiographs compressed with Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG) or wavelet-based trellis-coded quantization (WTCQ) algorithms at compression ratios of 8:1–128:1 and ϫ2 magnification by using (a) traditional two-alternative forced choice; (b) original-revealed two-alternative forced choice, in which the noncompressed image is identified to the observer; and (c) a resolution-metric method of matching test images to degraded reference images. RESULTS: The visually lossless threshold was between 8:1 and 16:1 for four observers. JPEG compression resulted in performance as good as that with WTCQ compression at these ratios. The original-revealed forced-choice method was faster and as sensitive as the two-alternative forced-choice method. The resolution-metric results were robust and provided information on performance above visually lossless levels. CONCLUSION: The image-comparison workstation is a versatile tool for comparative assessment of image quality. At ϫ2 magnification, images compressed with either JPEG or WTCQ algorithms were indistinguishable from unaltered original images for most observers at compression ratios between 8:1 and 16:1, indicating that 10:1 compression is acceptable for primary image interpretation. For the past 2 decades, many researchers in radiology have predicted the replacement of hard copy–based, manually administered, diagnostic imaging operations by electronic picture archiving and communication systems (PACS). Re-engineering of radiology operations with PACS can dramatically improve health care delivery by enabling rapid distribution of images and information, improving resource utilization, and providing better service to caregivers (1,2). Although advances in technology have allowed successful demonstration of this concept, the high cost of systems (3) and the low comfort level of health care delivered with new and unfamiliar techniques has impeded widespread deployment. An important factor in the cost of PACS is the large amount of information contained in radiologic images, which results in terabytes of data that must be managed and distributed (1,2). The requirements for storage devices and networks thus constitute a substantial investment and ongoing costs to achieve the benefits of PACS. Data compression, a technology that reduces the size of image files, provides immediate
Online adaptive optimal control for continuous-time nonlinear systems with completely unknown dynamics

An online adaptive optimal control is proposed for continuous-time nonlinear systems with completely unknown dynamics, which is achieved by developing a novel identifier-critic-based approximate dynamic programming algorithm with a dual neural network (NN) approximation structure. First, an adaptive NN identifier is designed to obviate the requirement of complete knowledge of system dynamics, and a critic NN is employed to approximate the optimal value function. Then, the optimal control law is computed based on the information from the identifier NN and the critic NN, so that the actor NN is not needed. In particular, a novel adaptive law design method with the parameter estimation error is proposed to online update the weights of both identifier NN and critic NN simultaneously, which converge to small neighbourhoods around their ideal values. The closed-loop system stability and the convergence to small vicinity around the optimal solution are all proved by means of the Lyapunov theory. The proposed adaptation algorithm is also improved to achieve finite-time convergence of the NN weights. Finally, simulation results are provided to exemplify the efficacy of the proposed methods.
Can Corporations be Citizens? Corporate Citizenship as a Metaphor for Business Participation in Society

Abstract: This paper investigates whether, in theoretical terms, corporations can be citizens. The argument is based on the observation that the debate on “corporate citizenship” (CC) has only paid limited attention to the actual notion of citizenship. Where it has been discussed, authors have either largely left the concept of CC unquestioned, or applied rather unidimensional and decontextualized notions of citizenship to the corporate sphere. The paper opens with a critical discussion of a major contribution to the CC literature, the work of Logsdon and Wood (Wood and Logsdon 2001; Logsdon and Wood 2002). It continues with a consideration of the nature and role of metaphors for business and of the contestable nature of the political concept of citizenship. It evaluates corporations as citizens through a four-dimensional framework of democratic citizenship offered by Stokes (2002). The analysis suggests that corporations do not easily fit the “liberal minimalist” model of citizenship. It finds, however some possibilities for fit with the three more participatory models. The paper concludes by cautioning against basing corporate citizenship on legal and administrative status or identity, and mapping out specific criteria by which we might determine whether corporations could be considered as citizens by virtue of their participation in processes of governance.
Management of laryngeal premalignant lesions in the netherlands

To investigate the current clinical management of laryngeal mucosal premalignant lesions (LMPLs) among otorhinolaryngologists working in university hospitals (tertiary referral centers) and nonuniversity hospitals (secondary referral centers) in The Netherlands. Then to compare the investigated practice with the results published in the literature.
3D shape recognition and reconstruction based on line element geometry

This paper presents a new method for the recognition and reconstruction of surfaces from 3D data. Line element geometry, which generalizes both line geometry and the Laguerre geometry of oriented planes, enables us to recognize a wide class of surfaces (spiral surfaces, cones, helical surfaces, rotational surfaces, cylinders, etc.), by fitting linear subspaces in an appropriate seven-dimensional image space. In combination with standard techniques such as PCA and RANSAC, line element geometry is employed to effectively perform the segmentation of complex objects according to surface type. Examples show applications in reverse engineering of CAD models and testing mathematical hypotheses concerning the exponential growth of sea shells
Bounds on the Average Number of Products in the Minimum Sum-of-Products Expressions for Multiple-Valued Input Two-Valued Output Functions

The authors derive an upper and a lower bound on the average number of products in the minimum sum-of-products expressions (SOPEs). The upper bound is obtained by using the minimization results of functions with fewer variables. The lower bound is based on an assumption, so it is incorrect until this assumption is proven. A lower bound L/sub p/(n,u) and an upper bound U/sub p/(n,u) on S/sub p/(n,u) are derived, where S/sub p/(n,u) is the average number of products in minimum SOPE for p-valued input two-valued output functions, n is the number of the inputs, and u is the number of minterms. The values of S/sub p/(n,u) are obtained by minimizing randomly generated functions, and they are compared to the calculated values of U/sub p/(n,u) and L/sub p/(n,u). These bounds are useful for estimating the size of programming logic arrays. >
Premature atrial complexes in an ischemic stroke population and risk of recurrent stroke: a systematic review

ABSTRACT Introduction: Premature atrial complexes (PACs) have been proposed as a possible mediator between normal sinus rhythm and atrial fibrillation (AF). The aim of this study was to summarize the available knowledge of association between PACs and recurrent stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA) in ischemic stroke patients. Areas covered: In this systematic review, we investigated the risk of recurrent events in patients who experienced ischemic stroke or TIA. Occurrence of PACs in electrocardiographic monitoring after index stroke/TIA was required. We identified and included three observational cohort studies, investigating in total 1005 patients. The studies reported that a significant burden of PACs occurred in a high proportion of stroke and TIA patients. More PACs were independently associated with an increased risk of recurrent stroke or TIA or the composite of recurrent stroke/TIA or death. Definition of PACs cut-off as well as patient characteristics differed between groups. Expert Commentary: This review supports an association between higher burden of PACs and recurrent stroke, and stresses the need for studies on PACs in stroke patients. A special awareness of stroke patients with a high PACs load is recommendable particularly for assessing the intensity and duration toward AF progression, and possible future treatment recommendations.
Osteointegration of a Bisphenol-a-Glycidyl-Dimethacrylate Composite and Its Use in Anterior Skull Base Defects: An Experimental Study in an Experimental Design Model of Cerebrospinal Fluid Leak

Object Promising clinical results were reported in watertight closure of anterior skull base defects (ASBDs) with bisphenol-a-glycidyl-dimethacrylate (bis-GMA)–based materials to prevent the cerebrospinal fluid leaks. However, interrelation of these materials with surrounding bones in histologic level, referred to as the osteointegration, has not been reported in the anterior skull base. In addition, an illustrative case with an ASBD that was repaired using a bis-GMA composite has been presented. Methods Twenty New Zealand rabbits were divided into 4 groups: control and sham groups consisted of 2 and 6 rabbits, respectively. The “skull base defect” group (n = 6) underwent a unifrontal craniectomy and an iatrogenic ASBD followed by creating a dural defect to obtain a cerebrospinal fluid leak. Similar bony and dural defects were acquired in the “repair with bis-GMA based allograft” group (n = 6), but the bony defect was closed with bis-GMA–based allograft. Results All animals in the “skull base defect” group died in 3 weeks after surgery. There were no animal losses in the “repair with bis-GMA based allograft” group at the sixth month. Histologic evaluation revealed complete osteointegration of bis-GMA composite with surrounding bones. Conclusions bis-GMA based allograft achieved a watertight repair of the ASBD. Histologic findings of this study showed that bis-GMA composite is a reliable material to be used in the closure of anterior skull base bony defects.