Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Thyroid as a Result of Anaplastic Transformation from BRAF-Positive Papillary Thyroid Cancer

Papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) is the most common malignant neoplasm of the thyroid. Majority of the PTC carries an excellent prognosis. However, patients with tall cell variant (TCV) of papillary thyroid carcinoma have a worse prognosis than those with the classic variant. On the other hand, squamous cell carcinoma of the thyroid (SCT) is an unusual neoplasm thought to arise as a primary tumor or as a component of an anaplastic or undifferentiated carcinoma. We report a patient with TCV of PTC presenting years later with squamous transformation. In addition, the patient was found to have BRAF mutation. Such dedifferentiation is considered to be a rare phenomenon and has been reported only in the form of case reports in the literature. The relationship between BRAFV600E mutation and squamous cell transformation of papillary thyroid cancer is unknown at this time. Meticulous pathology is needed to identify such variants. Our patient responded to treatment with concurrent chemotherapy with carboplatin and paclitaxel along with radiation.
The single crystalline elastic constants for the MgCu2-MgZn2 system

This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Iowa State University Capstones, Theses and Dissertations at Iowa State University Digital Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in Retrospective Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Iowa State University Digital Repository. For more information, please contact digirep@iastate.edu. Recommended Citation Shannette, Gary Wayne, "The single crystalline elastic constants for the MgCu2-MgZn2 system " (1968). Retrospective Theses and Dissertations. 4630. https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/rtd/4630 brought to you by CORE View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac. uk
Structural Basis for Interactions between Lung Surfactant Protein C and Bacterial Lipopolysaccharide*

In the respiratory tract, recognition of bacterial endotoxin (lipopolysacharide, LPS) is a critical step of the innate host defense system directed against invading pathogens. Secretions of the airways contain proteins that have direct antimicrobial activity (lysozyme, lactoferrin, defensins, and cathelicidins) as well as complement factors and surfactant proteins that contribute to host defense. The hydrophobic surfactant protein C (SP-C) recognizes LPS (Augusto, L., Le Blay, K., Auger, G., Blanot, D., and Chaby, R. (2001) Am. J. Physiol. 281, L776–L785). In the present study, using synthetic analogs of SP-C, we demonstrate that the palmitoyl residues of SP-C are not required for the interaction with LPS and that both the hydrophilic and hydrophobic regions of SP-C are required for specific binding of a radiolabeled rough-type LPS. In addition, using LPS submitted to different chemical treatments as well as synthetic analogs of the lipid A moiety of LPS, we established that the terminal phosphate group at the reducing end of the lipid A disaccharide in α configuration is of crucial importance for recognition by SP-C. The N-linked fatty acyl chain on the reducing glucosamine of lipid A also takes part in the interaction. Dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine is not specifically required for the LPS-binding activity of SP-C, although a lipid environment significantly increases the binding. These results provide a basis for experiments on the role of SP-C in presentation of LPS to alveolar cells and for the design of drugs for the management of endotoxin-induced lung injury.
Differential Protein Kinase C Isoform Abundance in Ascending Aortic Aneurysms From Patients With Bicuspid Versus Tricuspid Aortic Valves

Background— It is recognized that different events contribute to the initiation of ascending thoracic aortic aneurysms (ATAAs) in patients with bicuspid aortic valves (BAV) versus patients with tricuspid aortic valves (TAV), but the molecular signaling pathways driving aneurysm formation remain unclear. Protein kinase C (PKC) is a superfamily of kinases which differentially mediate signaling events that lead to altered gene expression and cellular function, and may regulate downstream mediators of vascular remodeling. The present study tested the hypothesis that ATAA development in patients with BAV versus TAV proceeds by independent signaling pathways involving differential PKC signaling. Methods and Results— ATAA samples were collected from BAV (n=57) and TAV (n=55) patients and assessed for 10 different PKC isoforms by immunoblotting. Results were expressed as a percent change in abundance (mean±SEM) from a nonaneurysmal control group (100%, n=21). Correlation analysis was performed, and relationships between PKC and matrix metalloproteinase abundance were reported. In the BAV group, classic and novel PKC isoforms (PKC-&agr;, &bgr;&Igr;, &ggr;, ϵ, &thgr;) were increased, whereas PKC-&eegr; and atypical PKC-&zgr; were decreased. In the TAV group, classic and novel isoforms were decreased and atypical PKC-&zgr; was elevated. Positive correlations between PKC and matrix metalloproteinase abundance were identified. Conclusions— Differential PKC isoform abundance was observed in ATAA samples from patients with BAV versus TAV, suggesting independent molecular signaling pathways may be operative. Induction of independent transcriptional programs may result and may provide a mechanistic foundation for developing selective diagnostic/therapeutic strategies for patients with ATAAs secondary to BAV or TAV.
The Rice Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Transcription Factor TDR INTERACTING PROTEIN2 Is a Central Switch in Early Anther Development[C][W]

This report identifies the rice bHLH protein TIP2 as a key switch for the meristemoid transition and cell differentiation during early anther development. TIP2 directly triggers the expression of the developmental regulators TDR and EAT1 and interacts with TDR, forming a central cascade regulating differentiation, morphogenesis, and degradation of anther somatic cell layers. In male reproductive development in plants, meristemoid precursor cells possessing transient, stem cell–like features undergo cell divisions and differentiation to produce the anther, the male reproductive organ. The anther contains centrally positioned microsporocytes surrounded by four distinct layers of wall: the epidermis, endothecium, middle layer, and tapetum. Here, we report that the rice (Oryza sativa) basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) protein TDR INTERACTING PROTEIN2 (TIP2) functions as a crucial switch in the meristemoid transition and differentiation during early anther development. The tip2 mutants display undifferentiated inner three anther wall layers and abort tapetal programmed cell death, causing complete male sterility. TIP2 has two paralogs in rice, TDR and EAT1, which are key regulators of tapetal programmed cell death. We revealed that TIP2 acts upstream of TDR and EAT1 and directly regulates the expression of TDR and EAT1. In addition, TIP2 can interact with TDR, indicating a role of TIP2 in later anther development. Our findings suggest that the bHLH proteins TIP2, TDR, and EAT1 play a central role in regulating differentiation, morphogenesis, and degradation of anther somatic cell layers, highlighting the role of paralogous bHLH proteins in regulating distinct steps of plant cell–type determination.
Characteristics of childhood glial tumors, management approaches and life expectancy of the patients.

PURPOSE To evaluate the clinical characteristics, management approaches and life expectancy in pediatric patients with neuroepithelial glial tumors except ependymal tumors. METHODS Between January 2003 and August 2008, 48 patients (30 boys, 18 girls; mean age: 10.9 ± 4.6 years) who were diagnosed with neuroepithelial glial tumors except ependymal tumors and underwent curative radiotherapy (RT) for inoperable, postoperative adjuvant or palliative for residual/recurrent disease at Dr. Abdurahman Yurtsalan Ankara Oncology Education and Research Hospital, Radiation Oncology Clinic, were retrospectively analyzed. Progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were evaluated in relation to sex, previous surgical procedure, pathological diagnosis, low/high grade and the histopathological grade of disease. RESULTS The mean follow-up was 28.8 ± 4.8 months. The mean and median PFS were 36.2 months and 20 months, respectively, while mean and median OS were 40.3 months and 23 months, respectively. One-year PFS and OS were 65.8% and 71%, respectively, whereas 3-year PFS and OS were 36.3% and 42.3%, respectively. Univariate Cox regression model and Log-Rank test revealed no statistical significance. Prolonged PFS and OS were observed in boys compared to girls, those who underwent total/gross total resection compared to subtotal resection, those with low grade tumors compared to high-grade tumors, and those with histopathological grade I disease compared to grade IV disease (p>0.05). The PFS and OS times were shortened in patients who developed side effects at any time following surgery and RT, compared to those without any side effects (p>0.05). CONCLUSION Low-grade disease and total/gross total resection prolong PFS and OS in patients with childhood glial tumors.
Determinants of team-sport performance: implications for altitude training by team-sport athletes

Team sports are increasingly popular, with millions of participants worldwide. Athletes engaged in these sports are required to repeatedly produce skilful actions and maximal or near-maximal efforts (eg, accelerations, changes in pace and direction, sprints, jumps and kicks), interspersed with brief recovery intervals (consisting of rest or low-intensity to moderate-intensity activity), over an extended period of time (1–2 h). While performance in most team sports is dominated by technical and tactical proficiencies, successful team-sport athletes must also have highly-developed, specific, physical capacities. Much effort goes into designing training programmes to improve these physical capacities, with expected benefits for team-sport performance. Recently, some team sports have introduced altitude training in the belief that it can further enhance team-sport physical performance. Until now, however, there is little published evidence showing improved team-sport performance following altitude training, despite the often considerable expense involved. In the absence of such studies, this review will identify important determinants of team-sport physical performance that may be improved by altitude training, with potential benefits for team-sport performance. These determinants can be broadly described as factors that enhance either sprint performance or the ability to recover from maximal or near-maximal efforts. There is some evidence that some of these physical capacities may be enhanced by altitude training, but further research is required to verify that these adaptations occur, that they are greater than what could be achieved by appropriate sea-level training and that they translate to improved team-sport performance.
Seroprevalence of Rift Valley fever virus in sheep and goats in Zambézia, Mozambique

Background The Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV) is a vector-borne virus that causes disease in ruminants, but it can also infect humans. In humans, the infection can be asymptomatic but can also lead to illness, ranging from a mild disease with fever, headache and muscle pain to a severe disease with encephalitis and haemorrhagic fever. In rare cases, death can occur. In infected animals, influenza-like symptoms can occur, and abortion and mortality in young animals are indicative of RVFV infection. Since the initial outbreak in Kenya in the 1930s, the virus has become endemic to most of sub-Saharan Africa. In 2000, the virus appeared in Yemen and Saudi Arabia; this was the first outbreak of RVF outside of Africa. Rift Valley fever epidemics are often connected to heavy rainfall, leading to an increased vector population and spread of the virus to animals and/or humans. However, the virus needs to be maintained during the inter-epidemic periods. In this study, we investigated the circulation of RVFV in small ruminants (goats and sheep) in Zambézia, Mozambique, an area with a close vector/wildlife/livestock/human interface. Materials and methods Between September and October 2013, 181 sheep and 187 goat blood samples were collected from eight localities in the central region of Zambézia, Mozambique. The samples were analysed for the presence of antibodies against RVFV using a commercial competitive ELISA. Results and discussion The overall seroprevalence was higher in sheep (44.2%) than goats (25.1%); however, there was a high variation in seroprevalence between different localities. The data indicate an increased seroprevalence for sheep compared to 2010, when a similar study was conducted in this region and in overlapping villages. No noticeable health problems in the herds were reported. Conclusions This study shows an inter-epidemic circulation of RVFV in small ruminants in Zambézia, Mozambique. Neither outbreaks of RVF nor typical clinical signs of RVFV have been reported in the investigated herds, indicating subclinical infection.
Improving communication energy efficiency in wireless networks powered by Renewable energy sources

Energy efficiency is an important issue in wireless networks where the nodes are powered by batteries. In this work, we analyze the energy consumption in one-transmitter-multiple-receiver communication and develop scheduling schemes to improve energy efficiency at the transmitter. Our focus is on systems powered by a renewable energy source such as solar power. We consider an environment where both energy and time to access the wireless channel and transmit data are limited, and data destined for different receivers have different values and incur different energy costs. We present optimal scheduling algorithms that selectively transmit data at calculated rates so that the throughput or the total transmission value is maximized under given time limits and energy constraints.
Efficiency of a Regenerative Direct-Drive Electromagnetic Active Suspension

The efficiency and power consumption of a direct-drive electromagnetic active suspension system for automotive applications are investigated. A McPherson suspension system is considered, where the strut consists of a direct-drive brushless tubular permanent-magnet actuator in parallel with a passive spring and damper. This suspension system can both deliver active forces and regenerate power due to imposed movements. A linear quadratic regulator controller is developed for the improvement of comfort and handling (dynamic tire load). The power consumption is simulated as a function of the passive damping in the active suspension system. Finally, measurements are performed on a quarter-car test setup to validate the analysis and simulations.
Resolving Seasonal Ice Velocity of 45 Greenlandic Glaciers With Very High Temporal Details

Seasonal glacier ice velocities are important for understanding controlling mechanisms of ice flow. For many Greenlandic glaciers, however, these measurements are limited by low temporal resolution. We present seasonal ice velocity changes, melt season onset and extent, and ice front positions for 45 Greenlandic glaciers using 2015–2017 Sentinel‐1 synthetic aperture radar data. Seasonal velocity fluctuations of roughly half of the glaciers appear to be primarily controlled by surface melt‐induced changes in the subglacial hydrology. This includes (1) glaciers that speed up with the onset of surface melt and (2) glaciers with comparable late winter and early melt season velocities that show significant slowdown during most of the melt season and speedup during winter. In contrast, less than a quarter of the study glaciers show strong correspondence between seasonal ice speed and terminus changes. Our results pinpoint seasonal variations across Greenland, highlighting the variable influence of meltwater on year‐round ice velocities.
Evaluation of carbonic anhydrase IX as a therapeutic target for inhibition of breast cancer invasion and metastasis using a series of in vitro breast cancer models

Triple negative, resistant or metastatic disease are major factors in breast cancer mortality, warranting novel approaches. Carbonic anhydrase IX (CAIX) is implicated in survival, migration and invasion of breast cancer cells and inhibition provides an innovative therapeutic strategy. The efficacy of 5 novel ureido-substituted sulfamate CAIX inhibitors were assessed in increasingly complex breast cancer models, including cell lines in normoxia and hypoxia, 3D spheroids and an ex-vivo explant model utilizing fresh biopsy tissue from different breast cancer subtypes. CAIX expression was evaluated in a tissue microarray (TMA) of 92 paired lymph node and primary breast cancers and 2 inhibitors were appraised in vivo using MDA-MB-231 xenografts. FC11409B, FC9398A, FC9403, FC9396A and S4 decreased cell proliferation and migration and inhibited 3D spheroid invasion. S4, FC9398A and FC9403A inhibited or prevented invasion into collagen. FC9403A significantly reversed established invasion whilst FC9398A and DTP348 reduced xenograft growth. TMA analysis showed increased CAIX expression in triple negative cancers. These data establish CAIX inhibition as a relevant therapeutic goal in breast cancer, targeting the migratory, invasive, and metastatic potential of this disease. The use of biopsy tissue suggests efficacy against breast cancer subtypes, and should provide a useful tool in drug testing against invasive cancers.
Ecological and evolutionary implications of spatial heterogeneity during the off-season for a wild plant pathogen

While recent studies have elucidated many of the factors driving parasite dynamics during the growing season, the ecological and evolutionary dynamics during the off-season (i.e. the period between growing seasons) remain largely unexplored. We combined large-scale surveys and detailed experiments to investigate the overwintering success of the specialist plant pathogen Podosphaera plantaginis on its patchily distributed host plant Plantago lanceolata in the Åland Islands. Twelve years of epidemiological data establish the off-season as a crucial stage in pathogen metapopulation dynamics, with c. 40% of the populations going extinct during the off-season. At the end of the growing season, we observed environmentally mediated variation in the production of resting structures, with major consequences for spring infection at spatial scales ranging from single individuals to populations within a metapopulation. Reciprocal transplant experiments further demonstrated that pathogen population of origin and overwintering site jointly shaped infection intensity in spring, with a weak signal of parasite adaptation to the local off-season environment. We conclude that environmentally mediated changes in the distribution and evolution of parasites during the off-season are crucial for our understanding of host–parasite dynamics, with applied implications for combating parasites and diseases in agriculture, wildlife and human disease systems.
Minimization of ℓ1-2 for Compressed Sensing

We study minimization of the difference of $\ell_1$ and $\ell_2$ norms as a nonconvex and Lipschitz continuous metric for solving constrained and unconstrained compressed sensing problems. We establish exact (stable) sparse recovery results under a restricted isometry property (RIP) condition for the constrained problem, and a full-rank theorem of the sensing matrix restricted to the support of the sparse solution. We present an iterative method for $\ell_{1-2}$ minimization based on the difference of convex functions algorithm and prove that it converges to a stationary point satisfying the first-order optimality condition. We propose a sparsity oriented simulated annealing procedure with non-Gaussian random perturbation and prove the almost sure convergence of the combined algorithm (DCASA) to a global minimum. Computation examples on success rates of sparse solution recovery show that if the sensing matrix is ill-conditioned (non RIP satisfying), then our method is better than existing nonconvex compre.
The Efficacy and Safety of Chinese Herbal Medicine Jinlida as Add-On Medication in Type 2 Diabetes Patients Ineffectively Managed by Metformin Monotherapy: A Double-Blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Multicenter Trial

Background Metformin plays an important role in diabetes treatment. Studies have shown that the combined use of oral hypoglycemic medications is more effective than metformin monotherapy. In this double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, multicenter trial, we evaluated whether Jinlida, a Chinese herbal medicine, enhances the glycemic control of metformin in type 2 diabetes patients whose HbA1c was ineffectively controlled with metformin alone. Methods A total of 186 diabetes patients were enrolled in this double-Blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, multicenter trial. Subjects were randomly allocated to receive either Jinlida (9 g) or the placebo TID for 12 consecutive weeks. All subjects in both groups also continuously received their metformin without any dose change. During this 12-week period, the HbA1c, FPG, 2h PG, body weight, BMI were assessed. HOMA insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) and β-cell function (HOMA- β) were also evaluated. Results At week 12, compared to the HbA1c level from week 0, the level of the Jinlida group was reduced by 0.92 ± 1.09% and that of the placebo group was reduced by 0.53 ± 0.94%. The 95% CI was 0.69 - 1.14 for the Jinlida group vs. 0.34 - 0.72 for the placebo group. There was a very significant HbA1c reduction between the two groups after 12 weeks (p < 0.01). Both FG and 2h PG levels of the Jinlida group and placebo group were reduced from week 0. There were a very significant FG and 2h PG level reductions between the two groups after 12 weeks (both p < 0.01). The Jinlida group also showed improved β-cell function with a HOMA-β increase (p < 0.05). No statistical significance was observed in the body weight and BMI changes. No serious adverse events were reported. Conclusion Jinlida significantly enhanced the hypoglycemic action of metformin when the drug was used alone. This Chinese herbal medicine may have a clinical value as an add-on medication to metformin monotherapy. Trial Registration Chinese Clinical Trial Register ChiCTR-TRC-13003159
Real-Time, Full 3-D Reconstruction of Moving Foreground Objects From Multiple Consumer Depth Cameras

The problem of robust, realistic and especially fast 3-D reconstruction of objects, although extensively studied, is still a challenging research task. Most of the state-of-the-art approaches that target real-time applications, such as immersive reality, address mainly the problem of synthesizing intermediate views for given view-points, rather than generating a single complete 3-D surface. In this paper, we present a multiple-Kinect capturing system and a novel methodology for the creation of accurate, realistic, full 3-D reconstructions of moving foreground objects, e.g., humans, to be exploited in real-time applications. The proposed method generates multiple textured meshes from multiple RGB-Depth streams, applies a coarse-to-fine registration algorithm and finally merges the separate meshes into a single 3-D surface. Although the Kinect sensor has attracted the attention of many researchers and home enthusiasts and has already appeared in many applications over the Internet, none of the already presented works can produce full 3-D models of moving objects from multiple Kinect streams in real-time. We present the capturing setup, the methodology for its calibration and the details of the proposed algorithm for real-time fusion of multiple meshes. The presented experimental results verify the effectiveness of the approach with respect to the 3-D reconstruction quality, as well as the achieved frame rates.