Comparison of an effectiveness of artificial neural networks for various activation functions

Activation functions play an important role in artificial neural networks (ANNs) because they break the linearity in the data transformations that are performed by models. Thanks to the recent spike in interest around the topic of ANNs, new improvements to activation functions are emerging. The paper presents the results of research on the effectiveness of ANNs for ReLU, Leaky ReLU, ELU, and Swish activation functions. Four different data sets, and three different network architectures were used. Results show that Leaky ReLU, ELU and Swish functions work better in deep and more complex architectures which are to alleviate vanishing gradient and dead neurons problems but at the cost of prediction speed. Swish function seems to speed up training process considerably but neither of the three aforementioned functions comes ahead in accuracy in all used datasets

The rising incidence of type 1 diabetes in south-eastern Poland. A study of the 0-29 year-old age group, 1980-1999

Wstęp: Badania przeprowadzone w ostatnich latach dostarczają informacji o wzroście zapadalności na cukrzycę typu 1 w różnych regionach świata, w tym także w krajach sąsiadujących z Polską. Celem badania było określenie długoterminowych trendów zapadalności na cukrzycę typu 1 w latach 1980-1999 i porównanie zapadalności między dwoma dekadami tego okresu, przyjmując 1989 rok za początek ekonomicznej i politycznej transformacji w Polsce. Materiał i metody: Rejestr zapadalności na cukrzycę typu 1 prowadzono zgodnie z rekomendacjami DERI, używając 3 źródeł danych o chorych. Wyliczono standaryzowaną zapadalność w 5-letnich przedziałach wiekowych oraz określono długoterminowy trend zapadalności na cukrzycę typu 1 w południowo-wschodniej Polsce. Wyniki: Wykazano znamienny trend wzrostowy w populacji od 0 do 29. roku życia zamieszkującej byłe województwo rzeszowskie w latach 1980-1999. Średnia zapadalność standaryzowana według wieku wynosiła 6,1/100 000 oraz istniała statystycznie znamienna różnica zapadalności pomiędzy dekadą lat 80. i 90., odpowiednio 5,3 (95% CI 4,5-6,0) i 6,8 (95% CI 5,9-7,6). Zapadalność była statystycznie znamiennie wyższa u mężczyzn w porównaniu do kobiet i wynosiła odpowiednio 6,7 i 5,5/100 000. Zapadalność była wyższa w grupie od 0 do 14. roku życia w porównaniu z grupą osób w wieku 15-29 lat, odpowiednio 6,4 i wobec 5,8/100 000. Najwyższą zapadalność zarejestrowano u chłopców w wieku 10-14 lat - 11,5/100 000, ponadto stwierdzono znamiennie rosnący trend zapadalności u dzieci w wieku 0-4 lat. Wnioski: Podsumowując, można stwierdzić, że zapadalność na cukrzycę typu 1 w badanej populacji była niska. Niemniej wykazano rosnący trend zapadalności w czasie 20-letniej obserwacji. Zapadalność w dekadzie lat 90. zarówno ogólna, jak i wśród mężczyzn była znamiennie wyższa w porównaniu do dekady lat 80.Introduction: Studies carried out over the last few years have provided information about the increase in the incidence of type 1 diabetes in different parts of the world including the European countries bordering Poland. The aim of study: The aim of this study was to determine the long-term trends in the incidence of type 1 diabetes over the 20 years between 1980 and 1999 and to compare the incidence during the decades preceding and following the 1989 economic and political transformation in Poland. Material and methods: The registration of type 1 diabetes among people aged 0-29 was drawn up according to the DERI recommendations using three data sources. We calculated the age-standardised incidence rates for five-year age groups and determined the long-term trend in the incidence of type 1 diabetes in south-eastern Poland. Results: A significant growth in the incidence of type 1 diabetes was observed among people aged 0-29 in the Rzeszów Province in the period between 1980 and 1999. The mean age-standardised incidence rate was 6.1/100 000, and a statistically significant difference was noted between the 1980s and the 1990s (5.3 [95%CI 4.5-6.0] and 6.8 [95%CI 5.9-7.6]). The male incidence of 6.7 significantly exceeded that for females - 5.5/100 000. There was also a higher in-cidence in the group aged 0-14 in comparison with the group aged 15-29 (6.4 and 5.8/100 000 respectively). The highest incidence was found in boys aged 10-14 (11.5/100 000) and a significantly rising trend was observed in children of 0-4 years old. Conclusions: The mean incidence of type 1 diabetes among the study population was low. Nevertheless, we demonstrated a significantly increasing trend in the incidence during the 20-year observation period. The incidence in the 1990s, both in general and for males, was significantly higher when compared to the 1980s

Two cases of serious hepatic injury caused by antithyroid drugs

W pracy przedstawiono dwa przypadki istotnego uszkodzenia wątroby spowodowanego przez tyreostatyki u kobiet z chorobą Gravesa- Basedowa leczonych z powodu nietolerancji kolejno metimazolem i propylotiouracylem. Dominującym objawem była żółtaczka trwająca ogółem około 3 miesięcy. W leczeniu poza odstawieniem tyreostatyków stosowano prednison oraz kwas ursodezoksycholowy. Pozytywny wpływ na przebieg choroby miała także likwidacja tyreotoksykozy po podaniu 131I. W podsumowaniu podkreślono znaczenie szybkiego odstawienia tyreostatyku w momencie wystąpienia istotnych objawów toksycznych oraz zaniechanie próby zamiany tyreostatyku na inny na rzecz leczenia radiojodem.We present two cases of severe hepatotoxicity caused by antithyroid drugs in women with Graves disease. The first medication in both cases was methimazole replaced by propylhiouracil due to intolerance. The main symptom was jaundice lasting about 2 months. As a first step in the treatment we terminated the antithyroid drug administration and introduced prednisone and ursodesoksycholic acid therapy. The termination of thyrotoxicosis by means of 131 I administration had also positive influence on the course of disease. In summary we emphasise the significance of prompt discontinuation of antithyroid drug once toxic symptoms appeared and avoid replacement one thyrostatic drug for another in fovour of radioiodine treatment

Differences in sex hormone levels in the menstrual cycle due to tobacco smoking — myth or reality?

Introduction: Tobacco smoke contains, among others, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), heterocyclic analogues, aromatic amines, N-nitrosamines, volatile hydrocarbons, aldehydes, phenols, miscellaneous organic compounds, metals, and inorganic compounds. Tobacco smoking can harm women’s reproductive system and may reduce fertility. The objective of the study was to explore the effect of tobacco smoke on the menstrual cycle due to smoking and second-hand smoke-exposure. Material and methods: The study was performed on 153 women of reproductive age, who received care at the Gynaecological-Obstetric Clinical Hospital of the Poznan University of Medical Sciences. They were divided into three treatment groups: non-smokers, secondhand smokers, and smokers. Comprehensive assessment of all hormone levels: follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), 17β-oestradiol (E2), and progesterone (P), in the various phases of the menstrual cycle and with concomitant determinations of serum cotinine concentrations was performed. The menstrual cycle was observed with ultrasonography. Results: Cigarette smoking may be an important factor in disrupting reproduction: 1. The increase in the oestradiol E2 level was accompanied by significantly lowered serum cotinine concentrations in tobacco smokers; 2. In smoking patients, the serum level of LH significantly increased on the first days of the menstrual cycle; 3. The higher levels of P (in the 14th and 21st days) were assumed to be the result of a longer menstrual cycle. Conclusions: Active and passive smoking may be an important contributor to reproductive health issues and deserves greater focus in health education programs directed towards women of reproductive age

Retrospective analysis of nilotinib and dasatinib efficacy in second line treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia in Polish hematological centers

Until now, there has been no randomized study directly comparing the activity of second-generation BCR-ABL tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI-2G) nilotinib and dasatinib in chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). The aim of our study was to retrospectively analyze efficacy of nilotinib and dasatinib in the real life setting of CML with resistance or intolerance of imatinib. Of 108 included patients treated in polish hematology centers, 75 received dasatinib and 33 patients received nilotinib. Rates of complete cytogenetic response (CCyR) did not differ between the two groups of patients. After six months of therapy, CCyR was achieved in 34.7% of patients treated with dasatinib and 38.7% treated with nilotinib (p=0.86), while after 12 months, the CCyR rates were 60.0% and 77.0% in dasatinib and nilotinib groups, respectively (p=0.11). Moreover, we have not observed any significant difference in the probability of progression-free survival (p=0.89) or overall survival (p=0.99) between patients treated with these two TKI-2G. In conclusion, the results of our analysis indicate that nilotinib and dasatinib have comparable and satisfactory efficacy in the treatment of CML patients refractory or intolerant to imatinib. Our findings support current strategy of choice of IKT-2G according to drug toxicity profile and risk of specific adverse events in an individual patient

Population genomics of the Viking world.

The maritime expansion of Scandinavian populations during the Viking Age (about AD 750-1050) was a far-flung transformation in world history1,2. Here we sequenced the genomes of 442 humans from archaeological sites across Europe and Greenland (to a median depth of about 1×) to understand the global influence of this expansion. We find the Viking period involved gene flow into Scandinavia from the south and east. We observe genetic structure within Scandinavia, with diversity hotspots in the south and restricted gene flow within Scandinavia. We find evidence for a major influx of Danish ancestry into England; a Swedish influx into the Baltic; and Norwegian influx into Ireland, Iceland and Greenland. Additionally, we see substantial ancestry from elsewhere in Europe entering Scandinavia during the Viking Age. Our ancient DNA analysis also revealed that a Viking expedition included close family members. By comparing with modern populations, we find that pigmentation-associated loci have undergone strong population differentiation during the past millennium, and trace positively selected loci-including the lactase-persistence allele of LCT and alleles of ANKA that are associated with the immune response-in detail. We conclude that the Viking diaspora was characterized by substantial transregional engagement: distinct populations influenced the genomic makeup of different regions of Europe, and Scandinavia experienced increased contact with the rest of the continent

Exhumations or archaeological research?

The article discusses the current legal status regarding the methods of dealing with closed, threatened with destruction or accidentally discovered early modern cemeteries and burial sites, especially the war related