Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Extraosseous Ewing's sarcoma / primitive neuroectodermal tumor of the sacral nerve plexus

Abstract We report an unusual case of Ewing′s sarcoma / primitive neuroectodermal tumor (PNET) of the sacral nerve plexus in a 9-year-old boy who presented with a soft tissue swelling and severe piercing pain in the lower back region. MRI of the lumbosacral spine showed a lobulated soft tissue mass with clubbed finger-like projections along the path of the sacral nerves, which had caused widening of the spinal canal and the sacral foramina (S2-S4 level). There was presacral extension and posterior scalloping of the sacral vertebrae. Histopathology of the lesion confirmed Ewing′s sarcoma / PNET of the sacral spinal nerve plexus. The patient responded favorably to chemotherapy and radiotherapy, showing clinical and radiological improvement.
Treatment of acromegaly improves myocardial abnormalities.

BACKGROUND Treatment for acromegaly decreases left ventricular (LV) mass, but it is not clear whether diastolic dysfunction is also reversible. With Doppler echocardiography, before and after effective therapy, we assessed the LV morphology and function of patients with acromegaly who were free of complications. METHODS In 15 patients with active acromegaly (age range, 33.4 +/- 9.3 years), we compared LV Doppler echocardiographic indices, before and after transsphenoidal surgery or radiotherapy or before and after both procedures, noting a significant drop in plasma levels of growth hormone (<2.0 ng/mL after oral glucose tolerance testing). Patients did not have arterial hypertension, diabetes mellitus, thyroid dysfunction, or coronary artery disease. Occasionally, in this series, patients had no symptoms of heart failure, and patients who underwent treatment with somatostatin analog drugs were not included because they did not have a significant hormonal drop. The follow-up period after hormonal control was 2.7 +/- 1.7 years. We also studied 15 healthy control subjects matched for age, sex, and body surface area. RESULTS Patients with acromegaly compared with healthy control subjects had increased LV mass index, relative wall thickness, and deteriorated diastolic function. After therapy, most of the abnormalities improved: LV mass index (104 +/- 21 g/m(2) x 87 +/- 21 g/m(2); P <. 01), LV relative wall thickness (0.40 +/- 0.06 x 0.35 +/- 0.04; P <.01), proto/telediastolic transmitral peak flow velocity ratio (1.17 +/- 0.33 x 1.49 +/- 0.34; P <.001), and isovolumetric relaxation period (126 +/- 18 ms x 113 +/- 13 ms; P <.05). CONCLUSION Treatment of acromegaly in patients without clinical heart failure improves both LV morphology and diastolic function. Avoidance of progression to more advanced forms of acromegalic cardiomyopathy should be possible.
Genetic Algorithm for FPGA Placement

Field-Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) are flexible circuits that can be (re)configured by the designer. The efficient use of these circuits requires complex CAD tools. One of the steps of the design process for FPGAs is represented by placement. In this paper we present a genetic algorithm for the FPGA placement problem, in particular for the Atmel FPGA circuits. Because of the limited routing resources of these circuits, the algorithm allocates a number of empty cells as part of the placement process, in order to use these cells for routing. The cost function used optimizes several different metrics, which include wirelength as well as measures of the routability of the placement. The experiments performed on a set of standard benchmark circuits are promising.
Cytochrome P450 3A5 Plays a Prominent Role in the Oxidative Metabolism of the Anti-Human Immunodeficiency Virus Drug Maraviroc

Maraviroc is an anti-human immunodeficiency virus drug that acts by blocking viral entry into target cells. With use of ultra-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry several monooxygenated, dioxygenated, and glucuronidated metabolites of maraviroc were identified both in vitro and in vivo. Characterization of the enzymes involved in the production of these metabolites determined that cytochrome P450 3A5 was the principal enzyme responsible for the formation of an abundant metabolite of maraviroc that resulted from oxygenation of the dichlorocyclohexane ring. For the formation of this metabolite, the Vmax values for CYP3A4 and CYP3A5 were 0.04 and 0.93 pmol · min−1 · pmol P450−1, and the Km values were 11.1 and 48.9 μM, respectively. Furthermore, human liver microsomes isolated from donors homozygous for the loss-of-function CYP3A5*3 allele exhibited a 79% decrease in formation of this metabolite compared with those homozygous for the wild-type CYP3A5*1 allele. To probe which divergent residues between CYP3A4 and CYP3A5 might play a role in the differential activities of these enzymes toward maraviroc, mutations were introduced into both enzymes and metabolism of maraviroc was measured. A CYP3A5 L57F mutant exhibited a 61% decrease in the formation of this metabolite, whereas formation by a CYP3A4 F57L mutant was increased by 337% compared with that of the wild type. Taken together, these data provide novel insights into the biotransformation of maraviroc as well as the potential role of CYP3A4 and CYP3A5 divergent residues in the enzymatic activities of these two highly homologous enzymes.
Production, Manufacturing and Logistics Coherent risk measures in inventory problems

We analyze an extension of the classical multi-period, single-item, linear cost inventory problem where the objective function is a coherent risk measure. Properties of coherent risk measures allow us to offer a unifying treatment of risk averse and min–max type formulations. For the single period newsvendor problem, we show that the structure of the optimal solution of the risk averse model is similar to that of the classical expected value problem. For a finite horizon dynamic inventory model, we show that, again, the optimal policy has a similar structure as that of the expected value problem. This result carries over even to the case when there is a fixed ordering cost. We also analyze monotonicity properties of the optimal order quantity with respect to the degree of risk aversion for certain risk measures. 2006 Published by Elsevier B.V.
Can Inner Peace be Improved by Mindfulness Training: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

This article reports a randomized controlled trial to investigate whether mindfulness training can successfully improve inner peace in participants with no known mental disorder. Fifty-seven participants were randomized to either mindfulness training (n = 29) or wait-list control (n = 28). The experience sampling method was used to measure the fleeting momentary experience of inner peace in participants. In addition, we used an experimental approach to assessing ability to focus attention: the Meditation Breath Attention Score, as well as the self-report Five-Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ). Compared with the wait-list control group, mindfulness training led to an increase in scores of inner peace, Meditation Breath Attention Score and FFMQ, using analysis of repeated measures analysis of variance. Change in inner peace was not, however, mediated by changes in self-rated mindfulness (FFMQ) nor by increased attentional focus. The findings provide first evidence suggesting that using mindfulness training improves the participants' inner peace. The focus here was on the immediate effects and future studies need to use follow-up.
Speedier sequential tests via stochastic resonance

Stochastic resonance (SR) is a phenomenon long investigated by physicists that has recently attracted some interest in the signal processing literature. In this paper, we explore the potential benefits of the SR effect for shift-in-mean detection problems, specifically focusing on sequential decision rules. Amenable formulas for the optimal distribution of the SR noise, as well as an asymptotic comparison with the traditional Neyman-Pearson approach are obtained.
Normal, bound and nonbound testosterone levels in normally ageing men: results from the Massachusetts Male Ageing Study

Objective There is little consensus on what androgen levels are ‘normal’ for healthy, ageing men. Using data from the Massachusetts Male Ageing Study (MMAS), we estimated age‐specific, normal androgen levels for men aged 40–79 years while accounting for health status and behavioural factors known to influence hormone levels.
Beyond perceptual load and dilution: a review of the role of working memory in selective attention

The perceptual load and dilution models differ fundamentally in terms of the proposed mechanism underlying variation in distractibility during different perceptual conditions. However, both models predict that distracting information can be processed beyond perceptual processing under certain conditions, a prediction that is well-supported by the literature. Load theory proposes that in such cases, where perceptual task aspects do not allow for sufficient attentional selectivity, the maintenance of task-relevant processing depends on cognitive control mechanisms, including working memory. The key prediction is that working memory plays a role in keeping clear processing priorities in the face of potential distraction, and the evidence reviewed and evaluated in a meta-analysis here supports this claim, by showing that the processing of distracting information tends to be enhanced when load on a concurrent task of working memory is high. Low working memory capacity is similarly associated with greater distractor processing in selective attention, again suggesting that the unavailability of working memory during selective attention leads to an increase in distractibility. Together, these findings suggest that selective attention against distractors that are processed beyond perception depends on the availability of working memory. Possible mechanisms for the effects of working memory on selective attention are discussed.
FEM analyses of acoustic streaming in a water droplet at the center of an ultrasonic stage

In this work, a droplet-ultrasonic stage system, in which a micro droplet located at the center of the ultrasonic stage is used to concentrate nanoscale material in the droplet, is modeled and analyzed by the finite element method. The computation method is verified by experimental results, and the acoustic streaming pattern inside the droplet is revealed. The result can well explain the operating principle. Moreover, the effects of the vibration velocity and droplet size on the acoustic streaming field are also investigated and clarified. The results show that the concentrating capability can be maximized without sacrificing the concentrating stability by properly increasing the droplet volume.
Interests, Aspirations, Self-Estimates, and the Self-Directed Search

This article discusses the meaning of vocational aspirations, competency self-estimates, and ability self-ratings assessed by the Self-Directed Search (SDS). It describes views on the role of learning in the development of vocational interests expressed by E. L. Thorndike and E. K. Strong and the more recent views on interest development expressed by J. L. Holland. The article suggests that self-estimates and self-ratings may be interpreted as type-specific self-efficacy expectations as described by A. Bandura and that vocational aspirations may often resemble goals. Evidence of the predictive value of classified aspirations and of self-estimates is discussed. It is concluded that Holland’s theory of vocational personalities provides an organizing typology that is compatible with ideas derived from social-cognitive theory and goal theory, and the SDS provides a tool for assessing constructs drawn from the latter theories.
Use of an ex vivo ATP luminescence assay to direct chemotherapy for recurrent ovarian cancer

Chemotherapy for recurrent ovarian carcinoma (ROC) produces response rates of 10-80% depending on the prevalence of platinum resistance. Most patients relapse within 1 year and median progression-free survival (PFS) is generally no more than 6 months. Previous pretherapeutic chemosensitlvity assays mostly failed to improve the outcome of patients with ROC. Newly developed ATP assays show promising retrospective correlation with clinical outcome. We report here the first results of ATP assay-directed chemotherapy in patients with ROC. Therapy was selected by the ATP tumor chemosensitivity assay (ATP-TCA) in a prospective open-label pilot trial for ROC. Objective response rate (ORR), PFS and overall survival (OAS) of the first 25 evaluable patients were retrospectively compared with those of 30 others having similar characteristics who were treated empirically within the same period. The actuarial median observation times were 80 weeks for the ATP-TCA group and 83.5 weeks for the control group, respectively. In the control group, a 37% ORR [two complete responses (CR) and nine partial responses (PR)] was followed by a median PFS of 20 weeks and a median OAS of 69 weeks, mainly related to the use of single-agent chemotherapy. The ORR in the ATP-TCA group was 64% (eight CR and eight PR) (p=0.04) with the majority of responses (11 of 16) achieved with novel combinations. The median PFS in this group was 50 weeks (p=0.003) and the median OAS was 97 weeks (p=0.145). Survival of responding patients was similar in both groups. Chemotherapy guided by the ATP-TCA produced a greater benefit with regard to both ORR and PFS in platinum-refractory patients. ATP-TCA-directed chemotherapy for ROC compares favorably with chemotherapy chosen by a clinician and often leads to the choice of novel drug combinations. These promising results now warrant confirmation by prospective randomized trials.
Phytoremediation of Phosphorous and Ammonia with Eichhornia crassipes and Azolla pinnata in Waste Waters from Estero de San Miguel Mendiola Manila Philippines

Wastewater treatment and removal of pollutants by phytoremediation, remain a major concern of the 21th century. This study is focused on the phytoremediation study in Philippine setting, specifically in one of the tributaries of Pasig river-the Estero de San Miguel. It determined the pH, Ammonia and Phosphorous before, 7th and 14th day of phytoremediation with the use of A. pinnata and E. crassipes. Twelve improvised water ponds/troughs, 3 ponds per treatment were used for 14 days. T- control (only wastewater), T1 for A. pinnata + wastewater, T2 for E. crassipes + wastewater and T3 for A. pinnata E. crassipes + wastewater. Potential hydrogen, Ammonia-N mg/L, phosphorous mg/L were analyzed before, on the 7th and 14th day of the study. Data gathered was analyzed using ANOVA and Fisher Least Significant Difference test as post hoc test. Result revealed that T1 (A. pinnata) lowered the pH and ammonia-N (mg/L) of wastewaters from Estero de San Miguel. T3 (combination of A. pinnata + E. crassipes) has significantly lowered the Phosphorous level of the wastewaters. Thus both aquatic macrophytes can be used as phytoremediation agents in the said Estero.
HIV Type 1 Group M Clades Infecting Subjects From Rural Villages in Equatorial Rain Forests of Cameroon

Summary: Though the HIV‐1 subtypes infecting patients living in urban and semiurban areas in Cameroon have been reported, information on the subtypes infecting patients in rural villages is lacking. To begin to understand the diversity of the HIV‐1 group M subtypes infecting persons living in rural villages in the equatorial rain forest regions of Cameroon, 49 plasma samples from 14 rural villages in four provinces of Cameroon were analyzed using heteroduplex mobility analysis (HMA), DNA sequencing, and phylogenetic tree analysis on the basis of env C2V5, gag, or pol regions. Sixty‐one percent of the group M infections were clade A or CRF02_AG‐like as subtyped by env and gag. Of the remaining group M infections, 12% were either A or CRF02_AG‐like or CRF01_AE‐like in recombination with other clades; 25% were infections that were entirely non‐A or non‐CRF02_AG‐like; and 2% were CRF1l_cpx. The HIV‐1 group M clades identified included A, D, F (F2), G, and H. The CRF strains identified were CRF02_AG‐like, CRF01_AE‐like, and CRF11_cpx. Two new intersubtype recombinant infections, H/G and A/F2, were identified. This study suggests that the HIV‐1 diversity in rural villages in the equatorial rain forest of Cameroon is at least as broad as has been observed in major cities of Cameroon and that multiple HIV‐1 group M subtypes are infecting persons living in the countryside of Cameroon.
Posterior internal fixation plus vertebral bone implantation under navigational aid for thoracolumbar fracture treatment

The aim of this study was to investigate the method of posterior thoracolumbar vertebral pedicle screw reduction and fixation combined with vertebral bone implantation via the affected vertebral body under navigational aid for the treatment of thoracolumbar fractures. The efficacy of the procedure was also measured. Between June 2005 and March 2011, posterior thoracolumbar vertebral pedicle screw reduction and fixation plus artificial bone implantation via the affected vertebral pedicle under navigational aid was used to treat 30 patients with thoracolumbar fractures, including 18 males and 12 females, ranging in age from 21 to 57 years. Compared with the values prior to surgery, intraspinal occupation, vertebral height ratio and Cobb angle at the follow-up were significantly improved. At the long-term follow-up, the postoperative Cobb angle loss was <1° and the anterior vertebral body height loss was <2 mm. Posterior thoracolumbar vertebral pedicle screw reduction and fixation combined with vertebral bone implantation via the affected vertebral body under navigational aid may increase the accuracy and safety of surgery, and it is an ideal method of internal implantation. Bone implantation via the affected vertebral body may increase vertebral stability.
Population genomics and local adaptation in wild isolates of a model microbial eukaryote

Elucidating the connection between genotype, phenotype, and adaptation in wild populations is fundamental to the study of evolutionary biology, yet it remains an elusive goal, particularly for microscopic taxa, which comprise the majority of life. Even for microbes that can be reliably found in the wild, defining the boundaries of their populations and discovering ecologically relevant phenotypes has proved extremely difficult. Here, we have circumvented these issues in the microbial eukaryote Neurospora crassa by using a “reverse-ecology” population genomic approach that is free of a priori assumptions about candidate adaptive alleles. We performed Illumina whole-transcriptome sequencing of 48 individuals to identify single nucleotide polymorphisms. From these data, we discovered two cryptic and recently diverged populations, one in the tropical Caribbean basin and the other endemic to subtropical Louisiana. We conducted high-resolution scans for chromosomal regions of extreme divergence between these populations and found two such genomic “islands. ” Through growth-rate assays, we found that the subtropical Louisiana population has a higher fitness at low temperature (10 °C) and that several of the genes within these distinct regions have functions related to the response to cold temperature. These results suggest the divergence islands may be the result of local adaptation to the 9 °C difference in average yearly minimum temperature between these two populations. Remarkably, another of the genes identified using this unbiased, whole-genome approach is the well-known circadian oscillator frequency, suggesting that the 2.4°–10.6° difference in latitude between the populations may be another important environmental parameter.
Fractality of sensations and the brain health: the theory linking neurodegenerative disorder with distortion of spatial and temporal scale-invariance and fractal complexity of the visible world

The theory that ties normal functioning and pathology of the brain and visual system with the spatial–temporal structure of the visual and other sensory stimuli is described for the first time in the present study. The deficit of fractal complexity of environmental influences can lead to the distortion of fractal complexity in the visual pathways of the brain and abnormalities of development or aging. The use of fractal light stimuli and fractal stimuli of other modalities can help to restore the functions of the brain, particularly in the elderly and in patients with neurodegenerative disorders or amblyopia. Non-linear dynamics of these physiological processes have a strong base of evidence, which is seen in the impaired fractal regulation of rhythmic activity in aged and diseased brains. From birth to old age, we live in a non-linear world, in which objects and processes with the properties of fractality and non-linearity surround us. Against this background, the evolution of man took place and all periods of life unfolded. Works of art created by man may also have fractal properties. The positive influence of music on cognitive functions is well-known. Insufficiency of sensory experience is believed to play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of amblyopia and age-dependent diseases. The brain is very plastic in its early development, and the plasticity decreases throughout life. However, several studies showed the possibility to reactivate the adult’s neuroplasticity in a variety of ways. We propose that a non-linear structure of sensory information on many spatial and temporal scales is crucial to the brain health and fractal regulation of physiological rhythms. Theoretical substantiation of the author’s theory is presented. Possible applications and the future research that can experimentally confirm or refute the theoretical concept are considered.
Synthesis of feedback systems with nonlinear time-varying uncertain plants to satisfy quantitative performance specifications

A synthesis procedure for systems with a nonlinear time-varying constrained part (plant) with uncertain parameters, subjected to a finite set of deterministic command and disturbance inputs I = {iα} is presented. The design must guarantee that in response to iα, the system output cα∈ Sα, despite the plant uncertainty, where Sαis a prescribed set of acceptable responses, for that α value. The basic design philosophy is to convert the uncertain nonlinear plant set into an "equivalent" uncertain-linear time-invariant plant set. A synthesis procedure exists for the latter problem. Schauder's fixed-point theorem is used to prove that the resulting design satisfies the nonlinear problem. The final design emerges, in general, with linear and nonlinear time-varying compensation networks. Two design examples are included.
Cortisol Exerts bi-phasic Regulation of Inflammation in Humans

Natural and synthetic glucocorticoids (GCs) have been used for decades to suppress inflammation. In this paper, we re-examine the role of the endogenous GC, cortisol, as a primary homeostatic regulator of the human inflammatory response to injury. Our data show that cortisol regulation of innate immunity can be both pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory. Using a human model of in vivo cortisol depletion, we first show that baseline (diurnal) cortisol concentrations do not exert an anti-inflammatory effect. This is the first clue that cortisol regulation of inflammation is not represented by a linear dose-response relationship. We next show in surgical patients that cortisol does exert an acute anti-inflammatory effect over a carefully regulated range of physiologic cortisol concentrations. Finally, transient pre-treatment of healthy humans with cortisol induces a bi-phasic response during a later, delayed systemic inflammatory response: an intermediate cortisol concentration augments inflammation while a high cortisol concentration is neither pro- nor anti-inflammatory. Based on these findings and the work of others, we propose a new paradigm that identifies cortisol regulation of human inflammation as both dualistic—it is pro- and anti-inflammatory—and dynamic, it evolves over time.