Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Triamcinolone acetonide extended-release in patients with osteoarthritis and type 2 diabetes: a randomized, phase 2 study

Abstract Objective Approximately 30% of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus have knee osteoarthritis. IA corticosteroids used to manage osteoarthritis pain can elevate blood glucose in these patients. We compared blood glucose levels following intra-articular injection of triamcinolone acetonide extended-release (TA-ER), an extended-release, microsphere-based triamcinolone acetonide formulation, vs standard triamcinolone acetonide crystalline suspension (TAcs) in patients with knee osteoarthritis and comorbid type 2 diabetes. Methods In this double-blind, randomized, parallel-group, phase 2 study (NCT02762370), 33 patients with knee osteoarthritis (American College of Rheumatology criteria) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (HbA1c 6.5–9.0% [48–75 mmol/mol]; 1–2 oral hypoglycaemic agents) were treated with intra-articular TA-ER (32 mg n = 18) or TAcs 40 mg (n = 15). Continuous glucose monitoring-measured glucose (CGMG) was assessed from 1 week pre-injection through 2 weeks postinjection. Endpoints included change in average daily CGMG from baseline (days −3 to −1) to days 1–3 postinjection (CGMGdays1–3) (primary) and percent time average hourly CGMG levels remained in prespecified glycaemic ranges. Results The change CGMGdays1–3 was significantly lower following TA-ER vs TAcs (14.7 vs 33.9 mg/dl, least-squares-mean-difference [95% CI]: −19.2 [−38.0, −0.4]; P = 0.0452). The percentage of time over days 1–3 that CGMG was in the target glycaemic range (70–180 mg/dl) was numerically greater for TA-ER (63.3%) vs TAcs (49.7%), and that CGMG was >180 mg/dl was lower for TA-ER (34.5%) vs TAcs (49.9%). Non-glycaemic adverse events were mild and comparable between groups. Conclusion TA-ER may enable intra-articular corticosteroid treatment with minimal blood glucose disruption in patients with knee osteoarthritis and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov, https://clinicaltrials.gov, NCT02762370.
Revision of Eocene electric rays (Torpediniformes, Batomorphii) from the Bolca Konservat-Lagerstätte, Italy, reveals the first fossil embryo in situ in marine batoids and provides new insights into the origin of trophic novelties in coral reef fishes

The Eocene electric ray †Titanonarke Carvalho, 2010 from the Bolca Konservat-Lagerstätte, north-eastern Italy, is redescribed in detail based upon new material from recent excavations. This taxon exhibits a combination of features (large voids between the pectoral and the axial skeleton filled in life by electric organs, anteriorly directed fan-shaped antorbital cartilages, lack of dermal denticles, long prepelvic processes, and rounded basibranchial copula with a small caudal tab) that clearly supports its assignment to the order Torpediniformes. The analysis of new material also demonstrates that the previous apparent absence of typical narcinoid characters used to diagnose †Titanonarke was the result of taphonomic biases. †Titanonarke shares at least three synapomorphies (presence of a rostral fontanelle, low number of ribs, and rostral cartilage connected to the antorbital cartilage through lateral appendices) with the extant genera Benthobatis, Diplobatis, Discopyge and Narcine, with which it forms a clade (family Narcinidae) recognized herein as unquestionably monophyletic. Moreover, based upon a single specimen of †Titanonarke that exhibits a unique combination of morphometric and meristic features, a new species of Eocene numbfish, †T. megapterygia sp. nov., is recognized. The presence of several specimens representing different ontogenetic stages of at least two species of numbfishes suggests a close association of this taxon with shallow-water habitats corresponding to coral reefs as hypothesized for the Monte Postale palaeoenvironment. The occurrence of a fossilized marine batoid embryo is reported here for the first time. Moreover, the analysis of the gut contents suggests that the dietary adaptations of †Titanonarke can be related, at least in part, to an opportunistic strategy in the context of abundant larger foraminifera in the Monte Postale palaeobiotope, suggesting that this kind of feeding mode, known to occur in present-day reefs, already was realized 50 million years ago. http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:EDD6E170-CA64-4FFB-8DD1-AED2D61D5504
A Moral Framework for Understanding of Fair ML through Economic Models of Equality of Opportunity

We map the recently proposed notions of algorithmic fairness to economic models of Equality of opportunity (EOP)---an extensively studied ideal of fairness in political philosophy. We formally show that through our conceptual mapping, many existing definition of algorithmic fairness, such as predictive value parity and equality of odds, can be interpreted as special cases of EOP. In this respect, our work serves as a unifying moral framework for understanding existing notions of algorithmic fairness. Most importantly, this framework allows us to explicitly spell out the moral assumptions underlying each notion of fairness, and interpret recent fairness impossibility results in a new light. Last but not least and inspired by luck egalitarian models of EOP, we propose a new family of measures for algorithmic fairness. We illustrate our proposal empirically and show that employing a measure of algorithmic (un)fairness when its underlying moral assumptions are not satisfied, can have devastating consequences for the disadvantaged group's welfare.
The effect of abdominal contrast-enhanced CT on DNA double-strand breaks in peripheral blood lymphocytes: an in vitro and in vivo study

Background As abdominal computed tomography (CT) radiation dose can be higher compared with other organ systems, monitoring the radiation exposure from this exam type is especially important. Purpose To evaluate the effect of abdominal contrast-enhanced CT (CE-CT) on levels of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) in peripheral blood lymphocytes. Material and Methods This study was performed in two parts: (i) an in vitro study: venous blood samples from 12 volunteers were divided into four groups. Samples in group A did not undergo radiation exposure, while groups B, C, and D received one CT scan with 1–3 times the radiation dose equivalent to abdominal CE-CT scan, respectively; and (ii) an in vivo study: blood was taken before CT and 5 min after CT in 30 patients. Lymphocytes were isolated and stained by immunofluorescence of γ-H2AX protein. DSB levels were compared by variance analysis or paired t-test. The relationship between radiation dose and γ-H2AX focus increase was analyzed using Pearson correlation analysis. Results In the in vitro study, DSBs levels in groups B, C, and D were 49.4%, 96.6%, and 149.4% higher than those in Group A, respectively (all P < 0.001). Radiation dose in the four subgroups had a linear correlation to DSB levels (P < 0.001). In the in vivo study, the DSB level was 43.5% higher after CT (P < 0.001). Conclusion Abdominal CE-CT significantly increased DSB levels in both in vitro and in vivo experiments. A positive linear correlation of CT radiation dose with intracellular DSBs levels was observed in the in vitro study.
SEGA: Variance Reduction via Gradient Sketching

We propose a randomized first order optimization method--SEGA (SkEtched GrAdient method)-- which progressively throughout its iterations builds a variance-reduced estimate of the gradient from random linear measurements (sketches) of the gradient obtained from an oracle. In each iteration, SEGA updates the current estimate of the gradient through a sketch-and-project operation using the information provided by the latest sketch, and this is subsequently used to compute an unbiased estimate of the true gradient through a random relaxation procedure. This unbiased estimate is then used to perform a gradient step. Unlike standard subspace descent methods, such as coordinate descent, SEGA can be used for optimization problems with a non-separable proximal term. We provide a general convergence analysis and prove linear convergence for strongly convex objectives. In the special case of coordinate sketches, SEGA can be enhanced with various techniques such as importance sampling, minibatching and acceleration, and its rate is up to a small constant factor identical to the best-known rate of coordinate descent.
Domain-specific Named Entity Recognition with Document-Level Optimization

Previous studies normally formulate named entity recognition (NER) as a sequence labeling task and optimize the solution in the sentence level. In this article, we propose a document-level optimization approach to NER and apply it in a domain-specific document-level NER task. As a baseline, we apply a state-of-the-art approach, i.e., long-short-term memory (LSTM), to perform word classification. On this basis, we define a global objective function with the obtained word classification results and achieve global optimization via Integer Linear Programming (ILP). Specifically, in the ILP-based approach, we propose four kinds of constraints, i.e., label transition, entity length, label consistency, and domain-specific regulation constraints, to incorporate various entity recognition knowledge in the document level. Empirical studies demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach to domain-specific document-level NER.
Complexity of MLDP

We carry out an explicit examination of the NP-hardness of a bi- objective optimization problem to minimize distance and latency of a single-vehicle route designed to serve a set of client requests. In addition to being a Hamiltonian cycle the route is to minimize the traveled distance of the vehicle as well as the total waiting time of the clients along the route.
Recent Efforts to Prevent Undesirable Reactions From Fractionation to Depolymerization of Lignin: Toward Maximizing the Value From Lignin

Lignin is a major component of lignocellulosic biomass along with cellulose and hemicellulose, currently underutilized with the bulk of technical lignin being combusted for heat generation in plant. From the technoeconomic perspective, the success of a future biorefinery is highly dependent on lignin valorization. However, structural complexity, heterogeneity of lignin, and several undesirable reactions associated with the nature of lignin and process conditions obstruct the effective utilization of lignin. Lignin condensation has been a long-lasting problem from conventional to recent biorefineries, which makes the recovered lignin more difficult to decompose. Also, the undesirable condensation and repolymerization during the depolymerization of lignin is more problematic as this significantly limits its ability to be depolymerized to low molecular weight products at high yields. To solve this problem, which ultimately enables maximizing lignin utilization, there have been many efforts in various aspects. In this review, we focus on the undesirable reactions occurring during the fractionation and depolymerization process of lignin and introduce recent efforts to suppress or minimize those unwanted reactions. The aim of all these efforts is to maximize lignin conversion to low molecular weight products.
What Social, Program, and Behavioral Factors Influence the Healthy Eating Index for EFNEP and SNAP-Ed Adult Participants?

The main objectives of this article were to determine the demographic factors, the program related factors and the behavioral factors that influence Michigan Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program–Education outcomes. Secondarily, we sought to understand the trends and changes in Healthy Eating Index (HEI) scores across the differing baseline score groups. The data were collected by nutrition instructors in a pretest, posttest design to capture change in healthy eating habits through changes in HEI scores. The participants were all low-income program participants during the years of 2011 and 2012, living in Michigan. Findings show that eating habits improved most in households with weekly per-person income within $100 to $500, and with Caucasian females living in cities or suburbs. Improvements were also greater with those who took part in the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program, where the participants exhibited higher baseline frequency of planning meals before grocery shopping, comparing prices, and budgeting enough money for food and food related purchases. Overall, the average change in HEI scores increased by 2.3 points, however, the variability between the participants’ changes was high, suggesting that more targeted program lessons might increase program efficacy, especially for those participants with high baseline HEI scores.
Hypothalamic CCL2/CCR2 Chemokine System: Role in Sexually Dimorphic Effects of Maternal Ethanol Exposure on Melanin-Concentrating Hormone and Behavior in Adolescent Offspring

Clinical and animal studies show that ethanol exposure and inflammation during pregnancy cause similar behavioral disturbances in the offspring. While ethanol is shown to stimulate both neuroimmune and neurochemical systems in adults, little is known about their anatomical relationship in response to ethanol in utero and whether neuroimmune factors mediate ethanol's effects on neuronal development and behavior in offspring. Here we examined in female and male adolescent rats a specific population of neurons concentrated in lateral hypothalamus, which coexpress the inflammatory chemokine C-C motif ligand 2 (CCL2) or its receptor CCR2 with the orexigenic neuropeptide, melanin-concentrating hormone (MCH), that promotes ethanol drinking behavior. We demonstrate that maternal administration of ethanol (2 g/kg/d) from embryonic day 10 (E10) to E15, while having little impact on glia, stimulates expression of neuronal CCL2 and CCR2, increases density of both large CCL2 neurons colocalizing MCH and small CCL2 neurons surrounding MCH neurons, and stimulates ethanol drinking and anxiety in adolescent offspring. We show that these neuronal and behavioral changes are similarly produced by maternal administration of CCL2 (4 or 8 μg/kg/d, E10–E15) and blocked by maternal administration of a CCR2 antagonist INCB3344 (1 mg/kg/d, E10–E15), and these effects of ethanol and CCL2 are sexually dimorphic, consistently stronger in females. These results suggest that this neuronal CCL2/CCR2 system closely linked to MCH neurons has a role in mediating the effects of maternal ethanol exposure on adolescent offspring and contributes to the higher levels of adolescent risk factors for alcohol use disorders described in women. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Ethanol consumption and inflammatory agents during pregnancy similarly increase alcohol intake and anxiety in adolescent offspring. To investigate how neurochemical and neuroimmune systems interact to mediate these disturbances, we examined a specific population of hypothalamic neurons coexpressing the inflammatory chemokine CCL2 and its receptor CCR2 with the neuropeptide, melanin-concentrating hormone. We demonstrate in adolescent offspring that maternal administration of CCL2, like ethanol, stimulates these neurons and increases ethanol drinking and anxiety, and these effects of ethanol are blocked by maternal CCR2 antagonist and consistently stronger in females. This suggests that neuronal chemokine signaling linked to neuropeptides mediates effects of maternal ethanol exposure on adolescent offspring and contributes to higher levels of adolescent risk factors for alcohol use disorders in women.
Neurobiology of Wild and Hatchery-Reared Atlantic Salmon: How Nurture Drives Neuroplasticity

Life experiences in the rearing environment shape the neural and behavioral plasticity of animals. In fish stocking practices, the hatchery environment is relatively stimulus-deprived and does not optimally prepare fish for release into the wild. While the behavioral differences between wild and hatchery-reared fish have been examined to some extent, few studies have compared neurobiological characteristics between wild and hatchery-reared individuals. Here, we compare the expression of immediate early gene cfos and neuroplasticity marker brain-derived neurotrophic factor (bdnf) in telencephalic subregions associated with processing of stimuli in wild and hatchery-reared Atlantic salmon at basal and 30 min post (acute) stress conditions. Using in situ hybridization, we found that the expression level of these markers is highly specific per neuronal region and affected by both the origin of the fish, and exposure to acute stress. Expression of cfos was increased by stress in all brain regions and cfos was more highly expressed in the Dlv (functional equivalent to the mammalian hippocampus) of hatchery-reared compared to wild fish. Expression of bdnf was higher overall in hatchery fish, while acute stress upregulated bdnf in the Dm (functional equivalent to the mammalian amygdala) of wild, but not hatchery individuals. Our findings demonstrate that the hatchery environment affects neuroplasticity and neural activation in brain regions that are important for learning processes and stress reactivity, providing a neuronal foundation for the behavioral differences observed between wild and hatchery-reared fish.
An Automatic Speech Transcription System for Manipuri Language

Development of speech technologies in Indian languages has witnessed a steep improvement recently. In this work, we present our efforts in building various speech technology applications for Manipuri language. For the language at hand, we initially perform Language identiﬁcation (LID) task. This is followed by speech-to-text (STT) and Keyword Search (KWS). In addition, we build a Speaker Diarization (SD) framework as well. The speech modules are integrated together to extract information from the speech signal. Currently, the platform is build for Manipuri and English language and can be extended to other languages as well. A User Interface (UI) is available for demonstration purpose where given a set of speech ﬁles the services from all the mentioned speech modules can be used.
The soluble transhydrogenase UdhA affecting the glutamate-dependent acid resistance system of Escherichia coli under acetate stress

ABSTRACT The soluble transhydrogenase (UdhA) is one of two transhydrogenases that play a role in maintaining the balance between NAD(H) pools and NADP(H) pools in Escherichia coli. Although UdhA has been extensively used in metabolic engineering and biocatalysis for cofactor regeneration, its role in acid resistance has not been reported. Here we used DNA microarray to explore the impact of UdhA on transcript levels. We demonstrated that during growth on acetate, the expression of genes involved in the respiratory chain and Gad acid resistance system was inhibited in the udhA-knockout strain. The deletion of udhA significantly repressed the expression of six genes (gadA, gadB, gadC, gadE, hdeA and hdeB) which are involved in Gad acid resistance and resulted in low survival of the bacterium at a low pH of 4.9. Moreover, UdhA was essential for NADH production which is important for the adaptive growth of E. coli on acetate, while NADH concentration in the udhA-knockout strain was quite low and supplemental NADH significantly increased the expression of acid resistance genes and survival of the udhA-knockout strain. These results demonstrated that UdhA is an important source of NADH of E. coli growth on acetate and affects Gad acid resistance system under acetate stress. Summary: UdhA function stated in this study helps us to understand the physiological roles of UdhA affecting NADH production and Gad acid resistance system in E.coli in acetate environment.
The Effect of a Regular Auditory Context on Perceived Interval Duration

In the auditory domain, the perceived duration of time intervals is influenced by background sounds – the auditory context in which the intervals are embedded – even when the background may be ignored. Previous research has shown that a regular context made of evenly spaced sounds improves participants’ discrimination of intervals close in duration to the context intervals. These results have been explained in terms of attention and anticipation. The present study reconsiders the effect of context regularity, focusing on the relationships among the intervals in the context and the interval to be estimated. The influence of a regular compared to a non-regular auditory context on interval discrimination was examined with a two interval forced choice task, which required participants to discriminate between the durations of two time intervals. Duration perception was more precise when the intervals to be discriminated were preceded by a regular compared to a non-regular context. This effect of the regular context, however, was not selective for the duration of the first interval to be estimated, contrary to suggestions based on previous evidence.
Persistent Mesorectal Inflammatory Activity is Associated With Complications After Proctectomy in Crohn’s Disease

BACKGROUND AND AIMS Rectal resection in inflammatory bowel disease [IBD] is frequently complicated by disturbed perineal wound healing. Close rectal dissection, where the mesorectum remains in situ, is hypothesized to reduce complications by minimizing dead space, compared to total mesorectal excision. The aim of this study was to analyse post-operative outcomes of both techniques. In addition, immune activity in mesorectal tissue was assessed. METHODS Perineal complications and healing were retrospectively assessed in a series of 74 IBD patients undergoing proctectomy using close rectal dissection or total mesorectal excision. The mesorectums of 15 patients were analysed by fluorescence-activated cell sorting, immunofluorescence and in situ hybridization. Based on the clinical and in vitro findings, a novel surgical approach for Crohn's disease patients with disturbed perineal healing after proctectomy was developed. RESULTS In Crohn's disease, perineal complications were more frequent after close rectal dissection than after total mesorectal excision [59.5% vs 17.6%; p = 0.007] with lower healing rates [51.4% vs 88.2%; p = 0.014]. No differences were observed in ulcerative colitis. The mesorectal tissue in Crohn's disease contained enhanced numbers of tumour necrosis factor α-producing CD14+ macrophages, with less expression of the wound-healing marker CD206. Based on these findings, mesorectal excision with omentoplasty was performed in eight patients with perineal complications after close rectal dissection, resulting in complete perineal wound closure in six. Pro-inflammatory characteristics remained present in the mesorectum after close rectal dissection in these patients. CONCLUSIONS In Crohn's disease, close rectal dissection resulted in more perineal complications, associated with a pro-inflammatory immune status of the mesorectal tissue. Excision of this pro-inflammatory mesenteric tissue resulted in improved perineal healing rates.