Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Analyses of ERG in a patient with intraocular lymphoma

Purpose To follow the changes in the electroretinograms (ERGs) in a patient with primary intraocular lymphoma (PIOL) who had a complete remission after chemotherapy. Methods ERGs were recorded in a 41-year-old woman with PIOL during and after complete remission with chemotherapy. The patient was diagnosed with PIOL from both the ocular signs and the medical history of cranial lymphoma. Results The ERGs were depressed in the subject. The amplitudes of the bright white flash b-waves were smaller than the a-waves, resulting in a “negative type” ERG. Six weeks after the beginning of chemotherapy, the ocular changes had resolved, and the ERGs, although not of the “negative type”, still showed signs that the amplitude had not returned to normal levels. Conclusion The negative type ERGs indicated that the inner retina had been damaged to a greater extent than the outer retina. In the convalescent stage, when the ocular manifestations were resolved, the ERGs were still not fully recovered. Although only one case was studied, we suggest that ERGs can be used to evaluate and follow patients with a PIOL.
A Tale of Two Indices

Pricing options involves a volatility input. Since volatility is not directly observable and it also varies stochastically over time, volatility risk is a significant concern for most option traders. Not surprisingly, then, there has always been considerable interest in the CBOE's VIX volatility index, although relatively little trading of derivatives based on it. The original VIX was a weighted average of Black-Scholes implied volatilities, which made it (in principle) a good estimator of future volatility, but hard to replicate with traded securities. The original VIX has been recently replaced by a new formula that is not model dependent. In this article, Carr and Wu review the old VIX (now called the VXO) and the new VIX and present a wide variety of results on their behavior. An interesting difference is that the new VIX, squared, is a good hedge for realized variance. This makes the new VIX a better underlier for volatility derivative contracts, which are now being launched into the marketplace by the CBOE. The article examines the performance of the two indices as forecasts of realized volatility, and shows how the VIX responds around an uncertainty diminishing information event, meetings of the Federal Open Market Committee. Carr and Wu also obtain interesting results on the market's volatility risk premium from direct measurement of risk neutral volatility in the VIX.
Nuclear expression of histone deacetylases and their histone modifications predicts clinical outcome in colorectal cancer

Epigenetic changes are of crucial importance in cancer development and are potentially reversible; they are therefore targets of interest for anti‐cancer therapy. The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical prognostic value of the histone deacetylases SIRT1, HDAC1 and HDAC2 and the histone modifications H4K16Ac and H3K56Ac in colorectal cancer.
Happy New Year Homo erectus? More evidence for interbreeding with archaics predating the modern human/Neanderthal split

A range of a priori hypotheses about the evolution of modern and archaic genomes are further evaluated and tested. In addition to the well-known splits/introgressions involving Neanderthal genes into out-of- Africa people, or Denisovan genes into Oceanians, a further series of archaic splits and hypotheses proposed in Waddell et al. (2011) are considered in detail. These include signals of Denisovans with something markedly more archaic and possibly something more archaic into Papuans as well. These are compared and contrasted with some well-advertised introgressions such as Denisovan genes across East Asia, archaic genes into San or non-tree mixing between Oceanians, East Asians and Europeans. The general result is that these less appreciated and surprising archaic splits have just as much or more support in genome sequence data. Further, evaluation confirms the hypothesis that archaic genes are much rarer on modern X chromosomes, and may even be near totally absent, suggesting strong selection against their introgression. Modeling of relative split weights allows an inference of the proportion of the genome the Denisovan seems to have gotten from an older archaic, and the best estimate is around 2%. Using a mix of quantitative and qualitative morphological data and novel phylogenetic methods, robust support is found for multiple distinct middle Pleistocene lineages. Of these, fossil hominids such as SH5, Petralona, and Dali, in particular, look like prime candidates for contributing pre-Neanderthal/Modern archaic genes to Denisovans, while the Jinniu-Shan fossil looks like the best candidate for a close relative of the Denisovan. That the Papuans might have received some truly archaic genes appears a good possibility and they might even be from Homo erectus.
Cellulase Production by Trichoderma koningii AS3.4262 in Solid-State Fermentation Using Lignocellulosic Waste from the Vinegar Industry

Summary Cellulase production was carried out in solid-state fermentation using the waste from the vinegar industry as the substrate for Trichoderma koningii AS3.4262. This waste is porous and easy to degrade by cellulolytic fungi. The effects of water content, initial pH value in solid substrate and culture temperature on cellulase synthesis were observed for optimal production in flask fermentors. An orthogonal layout was employed in the statistical process and better cellulase activity was obtained in the fermentation batch. The optimal filter paper cellulase (FPAse) activity of 6.90 IU/g of substrate dry matter (SDM), and carboxylmethyl cellulase (CMCase) activity of 23.76 IU/g SDM were obtained after 84 h of incubation with media containing vinegar waste, with optimal moisture content of 50 %, pH=5.0, incubation temperature of 30 °C, and additional nutrients of inorganic salts in a certain amount. To produce cellulase on a larger scale, a deep trough fermentor with forced aeration was used, so that FPAse activity of 5.87 IU/g SDM and CMCase activity of 12.98 IU/g SDM were reached after 84 hours of solid-state fermentation. Results indicate the excellent scope of utilizing vinegar waste as solid substrate for commercial production of cellulase employing fungi.
Ischemia-Induced Neuroinflammation Is Associated with Disrupted Development of Oligodendrocyte Progenitors in a Model of Periventricular Leukomalacia

Microglial activation in crossing white matter tracts is a hallmark of noncystic periventricular leukomalacia (PVL), the leading pathology underlying cerebral palsy in prematurely born infants. Recent studies indicate that neuroinflammation within an early time window can produce long-lasting defects in oligodendroglial maturation, myelination deficit, as well as disruption of transcription factors important in oligodendroglial maturation. We recently reported an ischemic mouse model of PVL, induced by unilateral neonatal carotid artery ligation, leading to selective long-lasting bilateral myelination deficits, ipsilateral thinning of the corpus callosum, ventriculomegaly, as well as evidence of axonopathy. Here, we report that permanent unilateral carotid ligation on postnatal day 5 in CD-1 mice induces an inflammatory response, as defined by microglial activation and recruitment, as well as significant changes in cytokine expression (increased IL-1β, IL-6, TGF-β1, and TNF-α) following ischemia. Transient reduction in counts of oligodendrocyte progenitor cells (OPCs) at 24 and 48 h after ischemia, a shift in OPC cell size and morphology towards the more immature form, as well as likely migration of OPCs were found. These OPC changes were topographically associated with areas showing microglial activation, and OPC counts negatively correlated with increased microglial staining. The presented data show a striking neuroinflammatory response in an ischemia-induced model of PVL, associated with oligodendroglial injury. Future studies modulating the neuroinflammatory response in this model may contribute to a better understanding of the interaction between microglia and OPCs in PVL and open opportunities for future therapies.
Knowledge Nodes: the Building Blocks of a Distributed Approach to Knowledge

In this paper, we criticise the objectivistic approach that underlies most current sys- tems for Knowledge Management. We show that such an approach is incompatible with the very nature of what is to be managed (i.e., knowledge), and we argue that this may partially explain why most knowledge management systems are deserted by users. We propose a different ap- proach - called distributed knowledge management - in which subjective and social (in a word, contextual) aspects of knowledge are seriously taken into account. Finally, we present a general technological architecture in which these ideas are implemented by introducing the concept of knowledge node.
Flexible forming of 3-D metal panels

The process of sheet metal forming is commonly used to create 3-D surfaces in, e.g., aircrafts and automobiles. Stamping is one of most common sheet metal forming processes but traditional forming processes which have been developed for mass production are inflexible and expensive, and economically unsuitable for small-scale production. More appropriate for small-batch and prototype production are flexible forming methods such as multi-point forming (MPF) which have been developed in recent years. A pair of opposed reconfigurable tools containing pin matrices could replace traditional solid stamping tools. Based on this technique, the construction of sheet metal forming tools becomes flexible and fast. Springback, caused by elastic recovery and release of residual stress, is an unavoidable issue in all sheet metal forming and significantly affects the geometrical precision of the products. Springback is a defect, and if it is beyond permissible tolerance it will adversely affect the assembly process such as distortion of sub-assemblies and poor fit-up during welding. Estimation of springback remains an important and challenging issue for the sheet metal industry. Based on the ABAQUS software, 3-D finite element models were generated, with the required constraints and boundary conditions described and applied in the simulation. The process of multi-point forming and springback were simulated by combining explicit and implicit algorithms. The influence of some significant working parameters, such as radius of forming curvature, blank holder force and elastic cushion thickness on final product quality (springback, thickness variation and wrinkling) has been investigated.
End-Tidal CO2 as a Predictor of Survival in Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest

Abstract Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate initial end-tidal CO2 (EtCO2) as a predictor of survival in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. Methods: This was a retrospective study of all adult, non-traumatic, out-of-hospital, cardiac arrests during 2006 and 2007 in Los Angeles, California. The primary outcome variable was attaining return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) in the field. All demographic information was reviewed and logistic regression analysis was performed to determine which variables of the cardiac arrest were significantly associated with ROSC. Results: There were 3,121 cardiac arrests included in the study, of which 1,689 (54.4%) were witnessed, and 516 (16.9%) were primary ventricular fibrillation (VF). The mean initial EtCO2 was 18.7 (95%CI = 18.2–19.3) for all patients. Return of spontaneous circulation was achieved in 695 patients (22.4%) for which the mean initial EtCO2 was 27.6 (95%CI = 26.3–29.0). For patients who failed to achieve ROSC, the mean EtCO2 was 16.0 (95%CI = 15.5–16.5). The following variables were significantly associated with achieving ROSC: witnessed arrest (OR = 1.51; 95%CI = 1.07–2.12); initial EtCO2 >10 (OR = 4.79; 95%CI = 3.10–4.42); and EtCO2 dropping <25% during the resuscitation (OR = 2.82; 95%CI = 2.01–3.97). The combination of male gender, lack of bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation, unwitnessed collapse, non-vfib arrest, initial EtCO2 ≤10 and EtCO2 falling > 25% was 97% predictive of failure to achieve ROSC. Conclusions: An initial EtCO2 >10 and the absence of a falling EtCO2 >25% from baseline were significantly associated with achieving ROSC in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. These additional variables should be incorporated in termination of resuscitation algorithms in the prehospital setting.
Does Strong and Diffuse PAX-8 Positivity Occur in Primary Lung Carcinoma? An Immunohistochemical Study of 418 Cases and Review of the Literature

Although rare cases of PAX-8–positive primary lung carcinoma have been reported, details of staining distribution and intensity in such cases are limited. The aim of this study was to determine whether strong and diffuse PAX-8 staining can occur in primary lung carcinoma. Immunohistochemical staining for PAX-8 (Rabbit polyclonal, 10336-1-AP; Proteintech) was performed on whole-tissue sections from 418 resected primary lung carcinomas. PAX-8 was positive in 5/418 (1.2%) cases, all of which were large cell neuroendocrine carcinomas. Staining was weak to moderate in all 5 cases, and was seen in 5% to 30% of tumor cells. All other primary lung carcinomas (413/418) were negative for PAX-8. This study—the largest series of PAX-8-stained whole-tissue sections of primary lung carcinoma to date—shows that strong and diffuse staining for PAX-8 does not occur in primary lung carcinoma of any type. This staining pattern in a carcinoma in a lung specimen provides strong evidence of nonpulmonary origin.
The ATM/ATR Signaling Effector Chk2 Is Targeted by Epstein-Barr Virus Nuclear Antigen 3C To Release the G2/M Cell Cycle Block

ABSTRACT Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infects most of the human population and persists in B lymphocytes for the lifetime of the host. The establishment of latent infection by EBV requires the expression of a unique repertoire of genes. The product of one of these viral genes, the EBV nuclear antigen 3C (EBNA3C), is essential for the growth transformation of primary B lymphocytes in vitro and can regulate the transcription of a number of viral and cellular genes important for the immortalization process. This study demonstrates an associated function of EBNA3C which involves the disruption of the G2/M cell cycle checkpoint. We show that EBNA3C-expressing lymphoblastoid cell lines treated with the drug nocodazole, which is known to block cells at the G2/M transition, did not show a G2/M-specific checkpoint arrest. Analyses of the cell cycles of cells expressing EBNA3C demonstrated that the expression of this essential EBV nuclear antigen is capable of releasing the G2/M checkpoint arrest induced by nocodazole. This G2/M arrest in response to nocodazole was also abolished by caffeine, suggesting an involvement of the ATM/ATR signaling pathway in the regulation of this cell cycle checkpoint. Importantly, we show that the direct interaction of EBNA3C with Chk2, the ATM/ATR signaling effector, is responsible for the release of this nocodazole-induced G2/M arrest and that this interaction leads to the serine 216 phosphorylation of Cdc25c, which is sequestered in the cytoplasm by 14-3-3. Overall, our data suggest that EBNA3C can directly regulate the G2/M component of the host cell cycle machinery, allowing for the release of the checkpoint block.
Binary Payment Schemes: Moral Hazard and Loss Aversion

We modify the principal-agent model with moral hazard by assuming that the agent is expectation-based loss averse according to Koszegi and Rabin (2006, 2007). The optimal contract is a binary payment scheme even for a rich performance measure, where standard preferences predict a fully contingent contract. The logic is that, due to the stochastic reference point, increasing the number of different wages reduces the agent’s expected utility without providing strong additional incentives. Moreover, for diminutive occurrence probabilities for all signals the agent is rewarded with the fixed bonus if his performance exceeds a certain threshold.
The Utility of File Names

For typical workloads and file naming conventions, the size, lifespan, read/write ratio, and access pattern of nearly all files in a file system are accurately predicted by the name given to the file when it is created. We discuss some name-related properties observed in three contemporary NFS workloads, and present a method for automatically creating name-based models to predict interesting file properties of new files, and analyze the accuracy of these models for our workloads. Finally, we show how these predictions can be used as hints to optimize the strategies used by the file system to manage new files when they are created.
Prevalence of hepatitis B virus and risk factors in Brazilian non‐injecting drug users

Non‐injecting drug users are at high‐risk for acquiring hepatitis B virus (HBV), although the factors contributing to this increased risk are not known. In the present study, the overall and occult HBV infection prevalence rates were determined in a large population of non‐injecting drug users in the Central‐West region of Brazil. HBV genotypes and predictors of infection were also identified. A total of 852 individuals in 34 drug treatment centers were interviewed, and their serum samples were tested for the presence of HBV markers by ELISA. HBsAg and anti‐HBc‐positive samples were tested for HBV DNA by PCR. Samples with HBV DNA were genotyped by restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP). The overall prevalence of HBV infection was 14% (95% CI: 11.7–16.5). A multivariate analysis of risk factors showed that age >30 years, non‐white race/ethnicity, duration of drug use >10 years, lifetime number of sexual partners >10, non‐use of condoms, and HCV and HIV status were associated significantly with HBV infection. Of the 9 (1%) HBsAg‐reactive samples, HBV DNA was present in 2/2 of HBeAg‐positive and in 5/7 anti‐HBe‐positive samples. An occult HBV infection rate of 2.7% (3/110) was found among anti‐HBc‐positive individuals. All HBV DNA‐positive samples were genotyped: seven were genotype A, two were genotype D, and one was genotype F. Finally, few individuals (8%) had serological evidence of a previous HBV vaccination. These findings indicate that preventive interventions are needed for both sexual and drug‐related high‐risk behavior. Additionally, non‐injecting drug users should be targeted for HBV vaccination. J. Med. Virol. 81:602–609, 2009 © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Investigation on the processing of natural-synthetic hybrid fiber thermoplastic compositions in injection molding

During the injection molding of thermoplastics, proper control of shrinkage is critical for developing parts with an acceptable tolerance. This thesis investigated natural-synthetic hybrid fiber reinforced thermoplastic composite (hybrid-NFRC) as a potential alternative to NFRCs in structural designs such as an automotive battery tray. This research examined the material and process variables of hybrid-NFRCs to control shrinkage during injection molding (IM). Material variables such as melting, shear viscosity, polymer crystallinity and PVT (pressure-volume-temperature) relationship were investigated. Two nonlinear models: Cross-WLF viscosity and 2-domain Tait equation were used to investigate the process variables such as shear rates (10s to 5000 s), temperature (190 °C to 210 °C), pressure (10 MPa to 200 MPa) and cooling rates (5 °C/min to 20 °C/min). A Taguchi design of
Structural Focalization

Focusing, introduced by Jean-Marc Andreoli in the context of classical linear logic [Andreoli 1992], defines a normal form for sequent calculus derivations that cuts down on the number of possible derivations by eagerly applying invertible rules and grouping sequences of non-invertible rules. A focused sequent calculus is defined relative to some nonfocused sequent calculus; focalization is the property that every nonfocused derivation can be transformed into a focused derivation. In this article, we present a focused sequent calculus for propositional intuitionistic logic and prove the focalization property relative to a standard presentation of propositional intuitionistic logic. Compared to existing approaches, the proof is quite concise, depending only on the internal soundness and completeness of the focused logic. In turn, both of these properties can be established (and mechanically verified) by structural induction in the style of Pfenning's structural cut elimination without the need for any tedious and repetitious invertibility lemmas. The proof of cut admissibility for the focused system, which establishes internal soundness, is not particularly novel. The proof of identity expansion, which establishes internal completeness, is a major contribution of this work.
Primary esophageal cancer: heterogeneity as potential prognostic biomarker in patients treated with definitive chemotherapy and radiation therapy.

PURPOSE To determine the association between tumor heterogeneity, morphologic tumor response, and overall survival in primary esophageal cancer treated with chemotherapy and radiation therapy (CRT). MATERIALS AND METHODS After an institutional review board waiver was obtained, contrast material-enhanced computed tomographic (CT) studies in 36 patients with stage T2 or greater esophageal tumors who underwent contrast-enhanced CT before and after CRT between 2005 and 2008 were analyzed in terms of whole-tumor texture, with quantification of entropy, uniformity, mean gray-level intensity, kurtosis, standard deviation of the histogram, and skewness for fine to coarse textures (filters 1.0-2.5, respectively). The association between texture parameters and survival time was assessed by using Kaplan-Meier analysis and a Cox proportional hazards model. Survival models involving texture parameters and combinations of texture and morphologic response assessment were compared with morphologic assessment alone by means of receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. RESULTS Posttreatment medium entropy of less than 7.356 (median overall survival, 33.2 vs 11.7 months; P = .0002), coarse entropy of less than 7.116 (median overall survival, 33.2 vs 11.7 months; P = .0002), and medium uniformity of 0.007 or greater (median overall survival, 33.2 vs 11.7 months; P = .0002) were associated with improved survival time. These remained significant prognostic factors after adjustment for stage and age: entropy (filter 2.0: hazard ratio [HR] = 5.038, P = .0004; filter 2.5: HR = 5.038, P = .0004) and uniformity (HR = 0.199, P = .0004). Survival models that included a combination of pretreatment entropy and uniformity with maximal wall thickness assessment, respectively, performed better than morphologic assessment alone (area under the ROC curve, 0.767 vs 0.487 [P = .00005] and 0.802 vs 0.487 [P = .0003]). CONCLUSION Posttreatment texture parameters are associated with survival time, and the combination of pretreatment texture parameters and maximal wall thickness performed better in survival models than morphologic tumor response alone.
A potential new target for asthma therapy: A Disintegrin and Metalloprotease 10 (ADAM10) involvement in murine experimental asthma

To cite this article: Mathews JA, Ford J, Norton S, Kang D, Dellinger A, Gibb DR, Ford AQ, Massay H, Kepley CL, Scherle P, Keegan AD, Conrad DH. A potential new target for asthma therapy: A Disintegrin and Metalloprotease 10 (ADAM10) involvement in murine experimental asthma. Allergy 2011; 66: 1193–1200.