Publications by authors named "BECKER A"

The main dilemma in the case of classification tasks is to find-from among many combinations of methods, techniques and values of their parameters-such a structure of the classifier model that could achieve the best accuracy and efficiency. The aim of the article is to develop and practically verify a framework for multi-criteria evaluation of classification models for the purposes of credit scoring. The framework is based on the Multi-Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) method called PROSA (PROMETHEE for Sustainability Analysis), which brought added value to the modelling process, allowing the assessment of classifiers to include the consistency of the results obtained on the training set and the validation set, and the consistency of the classification results obtained for the data acquired in different time periods.

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Cutaneous melanoma ranks as the fifth most common cancer in the United States and represents one of the deadliest forms of skin cancer. While recent advances in systemic targeted therapies and immunotherapies have positively impacted melanoma survival, the survival rate of stage IV melanoma remains at a meager 32%. Unfortunately, tumor resistance can impede the effectiveness of these treatments.

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  • Various cellular quality control mechanisms, like ribosome-associated chaperones, help maintain proteostasis by preventing misfolding of proteins during translation.
  • This study hypothesizes that importins, which usually assist in transporting proteins into the nucleus, might also bind to newly formed protein chains during translation, rather than just after.
  • By analyzing all importins in yeast, the researchers found some that associate with potentially unstable proteins, indicating that importins and other chaperones work together to ensure proper protein folding and prevent aggregation.
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  • - Autoimmune limbic encephalitis (ALE) is characterized by new seizures, memory issues, and changes in behavior and cognition, primarily affecting the mesial temporal lobe.
  • - CD8 T cells are important in cases without detectable autoantibodies, but identifying these patients is challenging, highlighting the need for better imaging techniques.
  • - The use of [F]DPA-714-PET-MRI to visualize microglia activation in the hippocampus and amygdala shows promise for assessing innate immunity in patients with CD8 T cell-mediated ALE, and findings were supported by results in a mouse model.
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Immunoparalysis is a compensatory and persistent anti-inflammatory response to trauma, sepsis or another serious insult, which increases the risk of opportunistic infections, morbidity and mortality. Here, we show that in cultured primary human monocytes, interleukin-4 (IL4) inhibits acute inflammation, while simultaneously inducing a long-lasting innate immune memory named trained immunity. To take advantage of this paradoxical IL4 feature in vivo, we developed a fusion protein of apolipoprotein A1 (apoA1) and IL4, which integrates into a lipid nanoparticle.

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  • This study looked at how often a bacteria called C. burnetii was found in various samples (like vaginal mucus, feces, and milk) from pregnant and new mother ewes on Saint Kitts.
  • They found that about 87% of the ewes were shedding this bacteria in at least one of those ways, with pregnant ewes showing more bacteria in their vaginal mucus and feces than the new mothers.
  • The study also discovered that even though many ewes had antibodies against C. burnetii, there wasn't a clear connection between having those antibodies and shedding the bacteria, making it the first detection of this bacteria in the Caribbean.
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There is renewed interest in the use of lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) in psychiatric research and practice. Although acute subjective effects of LSD are mostly positive, negative subjective effects, including anxiety, may occur. The induction of overall positive acute subjective effects is desired in psychedelic-assisted therapy because positive acute experiences are associated with greater therapeutic long-term benefits.

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The centromere is essential for ensuring high-fidelity transmission of chromosomes. CENP-A, the centromeric histone H3 variant, is thought to be the epigenetic mark of centromere identity. CENP-A deposition at the centromere is crucial for proper centromere function and inheritance.

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Mescaline, lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), and psilocybin are classic serotonergic psychedelics. A valid, direct comparison of the effects of these substances is lacking. The main goal of the present study was to investigate potential pharmacological, physiological and phenomenological differences at psychoactive-equivalent doses of mescaline, LSD, and psilocybin.

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Background And Objectives: Limbic encephalitis (LE) is an autoimmune disease often associated with temporal lobe epilepsy and subacute memory deficits. It is categorized into serologic subgroups, which differ in clinical progress, therapy response, and prognosis. Using longitudinal MRI analysis, we hypothesized that mesiotemporal and cortical atrophy rates would reveal serotype-specific patterns and reflect disease severity.

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Koi herpesvirus (KHV) is the causative agent of a koi herpesvirus disease (KHVD) inducing high mortality rates in common carp and koi (Cyprinus carpio). No widespread effective vaccination strategy has been implemented yet, which is partly due to side effects of the immunized fish. In this study, we present an evaluation of the purification of infectious KHV from host cell protein and DNA, using the steric exclusion chromatography.

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Cyclic AMP (cAMP) is a ubiquitous second messenger synthesized by most living organisms. In bacteria, it plays highly diverse roles in metabolism, host colonization, motility, and many other processes important for optimal fitness. The main route of cAMP perception is through transcription factors from the diverse and versatile CRP-FNR protein superfamily.

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Background: Array-CGH is the first-tier genetic test both in pre- and postnatal developmental disorders worldwide. Variants of uncertain significance (VUS) represent around 10~15% of reported copy number variants (CNVs). Even though VUS reanalysis has become usual in practice, no long-term study regarding CNV reinterpretation has been reported.

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N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT) is distinct among classic serotonergic psychedelics because of its short-lasting effects when administered intravenously. Despite growing interest in the experimental and therapeutic use of intravenous DMT, data are lacking on its clinical pharmacology. We conducted a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled crossover trial in 27 healthy participants to test different intravenous DMT administration regimens: placebo, low infusion (0.

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  • - Aspergillosis in gorgonian sea fans is a widespread Caribbean disease that causes purple lesions and tissue loss, prompting researchers to study the associated microorganisms and pathology through a comprehensive diagnostic approach.
  • - Biopsies from affected and unaffected sea fans revealed various microorganisms like algae, fungi, and protists, with specific histological changes indicating tissue damage and infection, although some samples showed no fungi at all.
  • - The research highlighted the presence of multiple fungi and the complexity of infections in sea fans, emphasizing the need for further studies to fully understand how these infections develop and progress.
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Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) patients may present with genetic deformities, such as trochlear dysplasia, or deformities related to osteoarthritis. This pathologic morphology should be corrected by TKA to compensate for related functional deficiencies. Hence, a reconstruction of an equivalent physiological knee morphology would be favorable for detailed preoperative planning and the patient-specific implant selection or design process.

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Neonatal calf diarrhea (NCD) is frequently associated with single or mixed viral, bacterial and/or protozoal infections. Consequently, laboratory diagnostic of NCD usually requires specific tests for each potential agent; a time-consuming, laborious and expensive process. Herein, we describe an end-point multiplex PCR/reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR) for detection of five major NCD agents: bovine rotavirus (BRV), bovine coronavirus (BCoV), Escherichia coli K99 (E.

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Background: Human milk-based human milk fortifier (HMB-HMF) makes it possible to provide an exclusive human milk diet (EHMD) to very low birth weight (VLBW) infants in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). Before the introduction of HMB-HMF in 2006, NICUs relied on bovine milk-based human milk fortifiers (BMB-HMFs) when mother's own milk (MOM) or pasteurized donor human milk (PDHM) could not provide adequate nutrition. Despite evidence supporting the clinical benefits of an EHMD (such as reducing the frequency of morbidities), barriers prevent its widespread adoption, including limited health economics and outcomes data, cost concerns, and lack of standardized feeding guidelines.

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Changes in transcription factor binding sites (TFBSs) can alter the spatiotemporal expression pattern and transcript abundance of genes. Loss and gain of TFBSs were shown to cause shifts in expression patterns in numerous cases. However, we know little about the evolution of extended regulatory sequences incorporating many TFBSs.

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  • Interhospital transport of ARDS patients using mobile ECMO units does not increase mortality risks for COVID-19 patients compared to those treated at established ECMO centers.
  • Overall patient characteristics were similar in terms of age, sex, and health scores, suggesting comparable conditions for both transport groups.
  • The study recommends early referral of suitable COVID-19 patients with ARDS to local ECMO centers for optimized care, as transport outcomes align with those treated at specialized facilities.
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. Positron emission tomography (PET) imaging of tau deposition using [F]-MK6240 often involves long acquisitions in older subjects, many of whom exhibit dementia symptoms. The resulting unavoidable head motion can greatly degrade image quality.

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Background Radiology is a major contributor to health care's climate footprint due to energy-intensive devices, particularly MRI, which uses the most energy. Purpose To determine the energy, cost, and carbon savings that could be achieved through different scanner power management strategies. Materials and Methods In this retrospective evaluation, four outpatient MRI scanners from three vendors were individually equipped with power meters (1-Hz sampling rate).

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  • A study explored how dermoscopy and the 3-GEP pigmented lesion assay (PLA) improve the detection of melanoma by identifying specific genetic markers.
  • Researchers analyzed images from 393 pigmented skin lesions to find dermoscopic features linked to the presence of three melanoma-associated genes: LINC00518, PRAME, and TERT.
  • Key findings showed that color asymmetry indicated PRAME expression, blue color and absence of pigment network were linked to LINC00518, and atypical vessels predicted TERT mutations, aiding in better evaluation and treatment of skin lesions.
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  • The interaction between mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (MTLE) and Alzheimer's disease (AD) is complex and worth exploring further from an epilepsy research standpoint.
  • The cognitive impairments in epilepsy arise from various factors, highlighting the intricacies of this condition.
  • Key pathological features in MTLE include hippocampal sclerosis and other abnormal brain formations, but the effects of anti-seizure medication on cognition can complicate treatment outcomes.
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