Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Grading of diffusely infiltrating astrocytomas by quantitative histopathology, cell proliferation and image cytometric DNA analysis

The aim of the study was to evaluate the applicability of quantitative histopathology as an aid for grading diffusely infiltrating astrocytomas. Primary astrocytomas were analysed for parameters (mean nuclear size, mitosis count, area fraction of endothelial cells and tumour necrosis, area fraction of nuclei, and Ki‐67 (MIB‐1) labelling index), which are closely related to the World Health Organization (WHO) 1979 and WHO 1993 grading criteria. All estimates correlated with the WHO histopathological grade and patient outcome. According to the receiver–operating characteristics curve, the presence of tumour necrosis and mitosis count (cut‐off at 3 mitoses/mm2 of neoplastic tissue) showed the best sensitivity and specificity in separating patients with different survival. The multivariate survival analyses confirmed this result. A decision‐tree model was constructed based on these two variables: twig I with less than 3 mitoses/mm2, twig II with equal or more than 3 mitoses/mm2 but no necrosis, and twig III with tumour necrosis. This model was found to be more strongly associated with survival than the WHO 1979 or WHO 1993 grading schemes. Low‐malignancy astrocytomas (WHO grade II or twig I tumours) could be further divided into two prognostic categories by the image cytometric DNA analysis. The results put an emphasis on astrocytoma grading on mitosis counts (grade II vs. III) and tumour necrosis (grade III vs. IV). To standardize the sampling for mitosis counting, it is suggested that a parallel Ki‐67 immunostaining be used for the identification of the most proliferative areas.
Formación e innovación en las empresas industriales

El objetivo de este articulo es analizar las relaciones entre la formacion y la innovacion dentro de las empresas industriales. El trabajo se inicia con la exposicion de los factores que, en las investigaciones realizadas al efecto, se han encontrado mas asociados con ambas estrategias empresariales. El analisis empirico se basa en la informacion obtenida por medio de una encuesta realizada a las industrias de mas de treinta trabajadores ubicadas en el Principado de Asturias. Mediante tecnicas de regresion logistica, se analizan las relaciones entre determinados aspectos de la formacion (tasa de cobertura, deteccion de necesidades, tipo de formacion, organizacion de las acciones formativas, evaluacion y valoracion de la formacion) y la actividad innovadora. Los resultados muestran una fuerte asociacion entre ambas practicas empresariales, asi como diferencias significativas en la implementacion y valoracion de la formacion segun el grado de innovacion de las empresas.
Intense pulsed light source for the treatment of dye laser resistant port‐wine stains

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this clinical study was to evaluate the efficacy of an intense pulsed light (IPL) irradiator system for the treatment of port‐wine stains (PWS) resistant to multiple pulsed dye laser (PDL) treatments. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifteen PWS patients, who were previously found to be resistant to multiple PDL treatments, were treated four times with a second generation IPL system. The clinical efficacy was evaluated on close‐up photographs 2 months after the last treatment. RESULTS: Patients with dye laser resistant PWS could be divided into two groups: responders to IPL treatments (46.7%) and non‐responders (53.3%). All responders obtained more than 50% reduction, and 85.7% of the responders obtained between 75% and 100% reduction of their lesions. The group of non‐responders was defined as patients who obtained less than 25% clearance. CONCLUSIONS: Approximately half of a group of PWS patients, who did not respond to previous PDL treatments, obtained good or excellent clinical effect after four treatments with the IPL system. All PWS, except those located in the V2 area of the face, responded to the treatments. The IPL treatment modality was found to be safe and efficient for the treatment of PWS, except for those located in the V2 area.
Photochemical Speciation of Oxygen Isotopes in the Solar Nebula

We have performed time-dependent photochemical calculations of CO selfshielding in the surface region of a turbulent nebula, and demonstrated that substantial mass-independent fractionation in bulk oxygen isotopes in the nebula was possible on timescales of 10 5 years. CO photodissociation in the presence of abundant H2 yields Gvalues for nebular H2O with G 17 O/G 18 O near 1.0, consistent with measurements in CaAl-rich inclusions. This mechanism provides a self-consistent explanation for the oxygen isotope values of nebular water inferred from secondary minerals in unequilibrated chondrites, and places constraints on the far-ultraviolet radiation in the solar nebula environment and the strength of turbulent vertical mixing in the nebula.
Geographic variation in rates of selected surgical procedures within Los Angeles County.

OBJECTIVE We explore the contribution of income and ethnicity to geographic variation in utilization of surgical procedures. DATA SOURCES/STUDY SETTING We assessed the use of eight procedures from 1986 through 1988 among residents of Los Angeles County using data from the California Discharge Dataset, the 1980 census, and other secondary sources. Procedures chosen for evaluation were coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), coronary artery angioplasty, permanent pacemaker insertion, mastectomy, simple hysterectomy, transurethral prostate resection (TURP), carotid endarterectomy, and appendectomy. STUDY DESIGN The amount of inter-zip code variation for each procedure was first measured using various estimates including the analysis of variance coefficient of variation (CVA). Population-weighted multivariate regression analysis was used to model variation in age- and gender-adjusted rates of procedure use among 236 residential zip codes. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS Highest-variation procedures were coronary artery angioplasty (CVA = .392) and carotid endarterectomy (CVA = .374). The procedures with the lowest degree of variation were cardiac pacemaker implantation (CVA = .194) and hysterectomy (CVA = .195). Variation was significantly related to income (carotid endarterectomy) and either African American or Latino zip code ethnicity for all procedures except pacemaker implantation. For all procedures except appendectomy, the direction of the effect was toward fewer procedures with lower income. However, the effect of African American or Latino population ethnicity varied. CONCLUSIONS In this large urban area both population ethnicity and socioeconomic status are significantly associated with the geographic utilization of selected surgical procedures.
Third European Evidence-based Consensus on Diagnosis and Management of Ulcerative Colitis. Part 1: Definitions, Diagnosis, Extra-intestinal Manifestations, Pregnancy, Cancer Surveillance, Surgery, and Ileo-anal Pouch Disorders.

aDepartment of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, University of Porto; MedInUP, Centre for Drug Discovery and Innovative Medicines; Centro Hospitalar São João, Porto, Portugal bIBD Unit, DIMEC, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy cDepartment of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Chaim Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, Israel dGastrointestinal Unit ASST Fatebenefratelli Sacco—University of Milan—Milan, Italy eIBD Unit Complesso Integrato Columbus, Gastroenterological and Endocrino-Metabolical Sciences Department, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Gemelli Universita’ Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy fDepartment of Gastroenterology, IBD Unit, University Hospital Santiago De Compostela (CHUS), A Coruña, Spain gDepartment of Gastroenterology, North Zealand University Hospital, Frederikssund, Denmark hFirst Department of Medicine, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary iIBD Unit, St Mark’s Hospital, Middlesex, UK jDepartment of Gastroenterology, University Hospital of Ghent, Ghent, Belgium kInstitute of Pathology, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria lDepartment of Gastroenterology, Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust; Institute of Inflammation and Repair, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK mUnit of General Surgery, Second University of Naples, Napoli, Italy nMaria Skłodowska-Curie Memorial Cancer Centre and Institute of Oncology, Department of Oncological Gastroenterology Warsaw; Medical Centre for Postgraduate Education, Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Clinical Oncology, Warsaw, Poland oDepartment of Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK pImperial College London; Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, London, UK qDepartment of Pathobiology /NC22, Lerner Research Institute; Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition/A3, Digestive Disease and Surgery Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH, USA
Genetic and functional analysis of the multiple antibiotic resistance (mar) locus in Escherichia coli

A 7.8-kbp fragment of chromosomal DNA from a region controlling multiple antibiotic resistance (Mar) in Escherichia coli has been sequenced. Within the fragment is a potential divergent promoter region including marO, which contains two pairs of direct repeats, suggesting possible operator-regulatory sites. To the left of marO (region I) are one or two transcriptional units with three putative open reading frames (ORFs) encoding 64, 157, and 70 amino acids. To the right (region II) is a transcriptional unit containing three putative ORFs (ORF125/144, ORF129, and ORF72). Of six independent Mar mutants, four had mutations within the ORF encoding the first putative protein (ORF125/144) downstream of marO, including three different single-point mutations and an IS2 insertion. One of the other mutations occurred in marO (20-bp duplication), and the other occurred in a site in marO or ORF144 (a 1-bp change). All six mutations led to increased transcription of the region II transcript. High-copy-number plasmids containing marO and the adjacent ORF125/144 region from a wild-type source but not from a Mar mutant reduced the antibiotic resistance of a Mar mutant to levels comparable to those of wild-type cells. High-copy-number plasmids containing wild-type marO alone caused an increase in resistance to tetracycline, chloramphenicol, and norfloxacin in a wild-type strain. The nature of the Mar mutations and the results of the complementation studies suggest that ORF125/144 encodes a repressor (designated MarR) which acts at marO. The second ORF (ORF129), designated marA, would encode a protein, MarA, whose sequence shows strong similarity to those of a family of positive transcriptional regulators. A Tn5 insertion in marA inactivated the multiresistance phenotype of Mar mutants. The function of ORF72, designated marB, encoding the third putative protein in the operon, and that of other ORFs detected within the 7.8-kb fragment have not yet been determined.
Predicting the Development of Macrovascular Disease in People with Type 1 Diabetes

Abstract: The aim of the article was to use prospectively collected data on people with type 1 diabetes to assess which routinely collected clinical measures predict the development of macrovascular disease in people with type 1 diabetes. Data have been collected in a structured format at an annual review since 1985. For this study, all people with type 1 diabetes in the database in both 1992 and 2001 were ascertained. Data were extracted for a diagnosis of coronary artery disease, stroke, and peripheral vascular disease (macrovascular complications). Presence of other microvascular complications was also ascertained. Forty‐one of 404 (10.1%) people had macrovascular disease at the index visit in 1992 and 61 others developed macrovascular complications during follow‐up. People who developed macrovascular complications were older (48 ± 12 versus 36 ± 11 [SD] years; P= 0.000), had longer duration of diabetes (28 ± 12 versus 18 ± 11 years; P= 0.000), higher BMI (26.7 ± 4.6 versus 25.4 ± 3.6 kg/m2; P= 0.041), higher base line serum cholesterol (5.9 ± 1.7 versus 5.2 ± 1.1 mmol/L, P= 0.007), higher median base line triglyceride levels (1.5 [IQ range 0.9–2.6] versus 1.1 [0.8–1.7] mmol/L; P= 0.002), higher systolic BP (145 ± 21 versus 129 ± 20 mmHg; P= 0.000), and higher serum creatinine (102 ± 57 versus 86 ± 17 μmol/L; P= 0.038) than those who did not. We found no significant difference in the base line glycated hemoglobin in the two groups. The multivariate model showed that age, duration of diabetes, systolic BP, and serum cholesterol and creatinine levels predicted the development of macrovascular complications, which were also associated with the later development of microalbuminuria. Macrovascular complications developed in 16.8% of people with type 1 diabetes over a 9‐year follow‐up, and were predicted by potentially modifiable factors including higher BP, BMI, and serum triglyceride and cholesterol levels.
Gibberellic acid in plant

Gibberellic acid (GA), a plant hormone stimulating plant growth and development, is a tetracyclic di-terpenoid compound. GAs stimulate seed germination, trigger transitions from meristem to shoot growth, juvenile to adult leaf stage, vegetative to flowering, determines sex expression and grain development along with an interaction of different environmental factors viz., light, temperature and water. The major site of bioactive GA is stamens that influence male flower production and pedicel growth. However, this opens up the question of how female flowers regulate growth and development, since regulatory mechanisms/organs other than those in male flowers are mandatory. Although GAs are thought to act occasionally like paracrine signals do, it is still a mystery to understand the GA biosynthesis and its movement. It has not yet confirmed the appropriate site of bioactive GA in plants or which tissues targeted by bioactive GAs to initiate their action. Presently, it is a great challenge for scientific community to understand the appropriate mechanism of GA movement in plant’s growth, floral development, sex expression, grain development and seed germination. The appropriate elucidation of GA transport mechanism is essential for the survival of plant species and successful crop production.
DIGICON: It's Not Digital But It Is Confronting

Designing games for learning is a complex process requiring deep understanding of socio-cultural elements to be represented in the activity, as well as knowledge of technologies with which to bring the action to life. Digicon is a leadership training simulation-game. It uses no digital technology, yet generates intense discussion about topics as diverse as linguistic competence, learned helplessness and behavioural inhibitions. In the context of a conference on digital games and interactive entertainment, Digicon is link between a pre-digital age when designers of games for learning relied solely on analysis and imagination to create synthetic environments such as those now available via large-scale technology-supported learning activities. Games and simulations have long provided learning opportunities. In the 21st Century play and fun are more widely accepted as valid learning strategies than in the 19th and 20th centuries. However, while there is much design-oriented knowledge available to educators and game designers, there are big gaps in awareness of relationships among various forms of play for learning. Digicon dates from a pre-digital games era, yet models the continuity of design and application principles in using games for learning.
Palmitoylation of the V2 Vasopressin Receptor Carboxyl Tail Enhances β-Arrestin Recruitment Leading to Efficient Receptor Endocytosis and ERK1/2 Activation*

A large number of G protein-coupled receptors are palmitoylated on cysteine residues located in their carboxyl tail, but the general role of this post-translational modification remains poorly understood. Here we show that preventing palmitoylation of the V2 vasopressin receptor, by site-directed mutagenesis of cysteines 341 and 342, significantly delayed and decreased both agonist-promoted receptor endocytosis and mitogen-activated protein kinase activation. Pharmacological blockade of receptor endocytosis is without effect on the vasopressin-stimulated mitogen-activated protein kinase activity, excluding the possibility that the reduced kinase activation mediated by the palmitoylation-less mutant could result from altered receptor endocytosis. In contrast, two dominant negative mutants of β-arrestin which inhibit receptor endocytosis also attenuated vasopressin-stimulated mitogen-activated protein kinase activity, suggesting that the scaffolding protein, β-arrestin, represents the common link among receptor palmitoylation, endocytosis, and kinase activation. Coimmunoprecipitation and bioluminescence resonance energy transfer experiments confirmed that inhibiting receptor palmitoylation considerably reduced the vasopressin-stimulated recruitment of β-arrestin to the receptor. Interestingly, the changes in β-arrestin recruitment kinetics were similar to those observed for vasopressin-stimulated receptor endocytosis and mitogen-activated protein kinase activation. Taken together the results indicate that palmitoylation enhances the recruitment of β-arrestin to the activated V2 vasopressin receptor thus facilitating processes requiring the scaffolding action of β-arrestin.
On the stability of grasping: three fingers and a planar polygon

The approach in a stable grasp is examined for the 2-D case of a triangle in contrast with two fixed fingers and one moving finger without mass or friction. A large class of motions is found to result in an equilibrium grip. Realistic application of these results in three dimensions is discussed. Optimum target points for grasping poorly known objects are given. <<ETX>>
Training nurses and educating the public using a virtual operating room with Oculus Rift

The purpose of this work is to contribute to the design and development of a virtual university hospital as a place for educational activities. The findings presented in this paper are based on two exploratory studies using a virtual operating room with both medical and non-medical participants. The room was designed to recreate a real one at St. Olav's university hospital in Trondheim, Norway. The first participant category was represented by surgical and anesthesia postgraduate nursing students who conducted role-play of realistic and relevant scenarios in the virtual operating room. The non-medical participants went on a virtual guided tour around in the same operating room. Both participant groups provided suggestions for further development of the virtual hospital. We have also investigated the use of the Oculus Rift, a head mounted display, as a way of enhancing the immersion at the virtual operating room. The paper highlights and discusses the most important findings, with suggestions of future work.
Staphylococcus aureus Isolates with Reduced Susceptibility to Glycopeptides Belong to Accessory Gene Regulator Group I or II

ABSTRACT We used multiplex PCR to determine the agr group membership of 18 European glycopeptide heterointermediate and intermediate-resistant Staphylococcus aureus strains. Of the 15 agr group I strains, 13 were resistant and 2 were susceptible to methicillin. The remaining three strains, like the United States and Japanese control strains, belonged to agr group II.
South African Zulu Widows in a Time of Poverty and Social Change

Interviews were carried out with 16 South African Zulu widows. Much of what the widows had to say seemed like what one might hear from widows in economically developed countries, but there were also striking differences. All the widows lived in poverty, and for some their grief seemed much more about the poverty than about the husband's death. Most widows observed a year of traditional ukuzila mourning practices, which made them a threat to others and which is difficult to carry out in the social upheaval of modern South Africa. Widowhood was in some cases a struggle with witchcraft—as cause of the death or as an accusation directed at the widow.
A Proposal for Wide-Coverage Spanish Named Entity Recognition

This paper presents a proposal for wide--coverage Named Entity Recognition for Spanish. First, a linguistic description of the typology of Named Entities is proposed. Following this definition an architecture of sequential processes is described for addressing the recognition and classification of strong and weak Named Entities. The former are treated using Machine Learning techniques (AdaBoost) and simple attributes requiring non tagged corpora complemented with external information sources (a list of trigger words and a gazetteer). The latter are approached through a context free grammar for recognizing syntactic patterns. A deep evaluation of the first task on real corpora to validate the appropriateness of the approach is presented. A preliminar version of the context free grammar is qualitatively evaluated with also good results on a small hand--tagged corpus.
The role of disc cell heterogeneity in determining disc biochemistry : a speculation

The nucleus pulposus is a key player in very early disc degeneration. In the young disc, by acting as a water-like fluid, as opposed to a solid, it resists compression and instantaneously distributes forces evenly in all directions to the inner annulus. The disc anlage notochordal cells contribute not only to how the disc develops, but also to the matrix of the young disc at a time when the nucleus is at its most fluid-like. In humans, the notochordal cells disappear early, when there is a transformation of the nucleus into a more solid cartilaginous tissue. In cell culture, the co-cultures of the notochordal cells and chondrocytic cells enhance proteoglycan synthesis by the opposite cell type due, at least partly, to soluble factors. The continued presence of notochordal cells in vivo may provide protection. In work by others, in vivo reinsertion of notochordal-rich nucleus pulposus in a damaged disc will delay annular degeneration. The notochordal cells in the nucleus may have a different phenotype from when they are in the notochord and they may go through a changing programme of expression critical to disc development and maintaining a fluid-like nucleus. Little is known about why, in many species, the notochordal cells die early during growth and only the chondrocytic cells persist. This area offers an interesting avenue of research that may lead to very early intervention in disc degeneration.
Signal Transduction in Early Heart Development (I): Cardiogenic Induction and Heart Tube Formation

Heart development begins with the induction of cardiogenic cells from the embryonic mesoderm, followed by the coalescing of these cells into a linear heart tube. Subsequent looping of the heart tube brings the rudimentary atria and ventricles into alignment for further development into the four-chambered heart. Underlying these morphologic events is a complex program of signaling between cells and tissues that orchestrates their participation in heart development. Among these signals are bone morphogenetic proteins, fibroblast growth factors, Wnts, Hedgehog, and members of the transforming growth factor-β family of signaling molecules. We review here the various properties of these signaling molecules and their signal transduction pathways in hopes of providing a greater appreciation of the molecular events driving heart development.