Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Phase 2 study of arsenic trioxide in patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma

Despite aggressive and innovative therapy, patients with multiple myeloma (MM) invariably relapse and die of their disease. New options for non‐cytotoxic salvage therapy and additional therapeutic strategies are needed. Arsenic trioxide, an antitumour agent with a multifaceted mechanism of action, induces apoptosis in vitro in MM cell lines and freshly isolated cells from MM patients and, in preliminary studies, displayed clinical activity in patients with late‐stage MM. A phase 2, multicentre, open‐label study of arsenic trioxide was conducted in 24 MM patients; eight had relapsed and 16 were refractory to prior therapy. Patients received arsenic trioxide 0·25 mg/kg/d for 5 d/week during the first 2 weeks of each 4‐week cycle. Sixteen patients had grade 3 or 4 neutropenia and one required antibiotics. Reductions (25% or more) in serum M‐protein levels occurred in eight of 24 (33%) patients. An additional six (25%) patients had stable disease. The median time to response was 67·5 d, with a median duration of response of 130 d. Arsenic trioxide therapy lowered serum creatinine levels in two patients with high baseline values. These data indicate that arsenic trioxide is active and reasonably well tolerated as a single‐agent salvage therapy, even in patients with late‐stage, relapsed and refractory MM.
Simulations over South Asia using the Weather Research and Forecasting model with Chemistry (WRF-Chem): chemistry evaluation and initial results

Abstract. This study presents annual simulations of tropospheric ozone and related species made for the first time using the WRF-Chem model over South Asia for the year 2008. The model-simulated ozone, CO, and NOx are evaluated against ground-based, balloon-borne and satellite-borne (TES, OMI and MOPITT) observations. The comparison of model results with surface ozone observations from seven sites and CO and NOx observations from three sites indicate the model's ability in reproducing seasonal variations of ozone and CO, but show some differences in NOx. The modeled vertical ozone distribution agrees well with the ozone soundings data from two Indian sites. The vertical distributions of TES ozone and MOPITT CO are generally well reproduced, but the model underestimates TES ozone, OMI tropospheric column NO2 and MOPITT total column CO retrievals during all the months, except MOPITT retrievals during August–January and OMI retrievals during winter. Largest differences between modeled and satellite-retrieved quantities are found during spring when intense biomass burning activity occurs in this region. The evaluation results indicate large uncertainties in anthropogenic and biomass burning emission estimates, especially for NOx. The model results indicate clear regional differences in the seasonality of surface ozone over South Asia, with estimated net ozone production during daytime (1130–1530 h) over inland regions of 0–5 ppbv h−1 during all seasons and of 0–2 ppbv h−1 over marine regions during outflow periods. The model results indicate that ozone production in this region is mostly NOx-limited. This study shows that WRF-Chem model captures many important features of the observations and gives confidence to using the model for understanding the spatio-temporal variability of ozone over South Asia. However, improvements of South Asian emission inventories and simulations at finer model resolution, especially over the complex Himalayan terrain in northern India, are also essential for accurately simulating ozone in this region.
Occupational Stress and Wellness Among Italian Secondary School Teachers

As a part of a larger cross-cultural investigation (Euroteach) which involves 11 European countries and 2 182 secondary school teachers, two were the aims of the present study: (1) to examine the relationship between job conditions and wellness/health outcomes on a group of 169 Italian secondary school teachers, by using the Job Demand-Control-Support (JDCS) Model (Karasek and Theorell, 1990); (2) to analyse the differences with other European countries in the light of specific cultural differences. Controlling for age and gender, results of hierarchical regression indicated that job control and social support combine in different additive patterns with job demands to explain the well-being outcomes (job satisfaction, emotional exhaustion, depersonalisation, somatic complaints). The predictor's linearity check indicated that the job demands variable is curvilinearly associated both with emotional exhaustion ( p<0.005) and with somatic symptoms ( p<0.01). As compared to the average of the other European countries, on the positive side, the Italian teachers manifest both a higher degree of personal accomplishment and a lesser degree of depersonalisation; on the other hand, they claim a lesser degree of social support and a higher degree of somatic complaints.
Endothelin Receptor Remodeling Induces the Portal Venous Hyper-Response to Endothelin Following Endotoxin Pretreatment

The purpose of this study was to determine the changes in endothelin (ET) receptor subtype expression and their functional significance after endotoxin pretreatment. Rats were pretreated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or sterile saline (control). After 24 h, liver samples were homogenized and competitive receptor binding assays were performed. There was no significant difference in ET receptor binding affinity between the control and LPS groups. However, the receptor subtype density showed a significant increase in ETB receptors in LPS-treated rats, whereas the amount of ETA receptors was almost identical between the two groups. In control, almost all ET receptors (95%) were displaced by using combined ETA antagonist (BQ-610) and ETB agonist (IRL-1620) as competitors, whereas only 80% (P < 0.05 versus control) was displaced in LPS group, raising the possibility of novel type of ET receptor expression. An infusion of ETB agonist (Sarafotoxin 6c, S6c) through portal vein in isolated perfused livers produced the same pressure response in both LPS and control groups; however, the portal pressure increase in response to the ET-1, which binds all ET receptors, was significantly potentiated in LPS-treated rats compared to controls. We conclude that altered regulation of ET receptors, in particular, the appearance of ET binding capacity that is not displaced by ETA or ETB competitors, may explain the hyper-response of the portal venous system to ET-1 during endotoxemia.
The Influence of Olfactory Intervention on Non-Nutritive Sucking Skills in a Premature Infant

This single-subject research design examined the influence of maternal breast milk odor on the frequency of high amplitude non-nutritive sucking of a preterm infant during gavage feeding. The participating infant sucked on the nipple of a suckometer connected to a computerized data collection system. Analysis of the data demonstrated that when the odor of maternal breast was present, the frequency of high amplitude non-nutritive sucking was greater than when no odor was present. During the last 3 days of the 14-day study, the preterm infant demonstrated an increase in the frequency of high amplitude non-nutritive sucking consistently during the time when the odor of the mother's breast milk was introduced for a 60-second period.
LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Langevin equation for the density of a system of interacting Langevin processes

We present a simple derivation of the stochastic equation obeyed by the density function for a system of Langevin processes interacting via a pairwise potential. The resulting equation is considerably different from the phenomenological equations usually used to describe the dynamics of non-conserved (model A) and conserved (model B) particle systems. The major feature is that the spatial white noise for this system appears not additively but multiplicatively. This simply expresses the fact that the density cannot fluctuate in regions devoid of particles. The steady state for the density function may, however, still be recovered formally as a functional integral over the coursed grained free energy of the system as in models A and B.
The protective role of silicon in the Arabidopsis–powdery mildew pathosystem

The role and essentiality of silicon (Si) in plant biology have been debated for >150 years despite numerous reports describing its beneficial properties. To obtain unique insights regarding the effect of Si on plants, we performed a complete transcriptome analysis of both control and powdery mildew-stressed Arabidopsis plants, with or without Si application, using a 44K microarray. Surprisingly, the expression of all but two genes was unaffected by Si in control plants, a result contradicting reports of a possible direct effect of Si as a fertilizer. In contrast, inoculation of plants, treated or not with Si, altered the expression of a set of nearly 4,000 genes. After functional categorization, many of the up-regulated genes were defense-related, whereas a large proportion of down-regulated genes were involved in primary metabolism. Regulated defense genes included R genes, stress-related transcription factors, genes involved in signal transduction, the biosynthesis of stress hormones (SA, JA, ethylene), and the metabolism of reactive oxygen species. In inoculated plants treated with Si, the magnitude of down-regulation was attenuated by >25%, an indication of stress alleviation. Our results demonstrate that Si treatment had no effect on the metabolism of unstressed plants, suggesting a nonessential role for the element but that it has beneficial properties attributable to modulation of a more efficient response to pathogen stress.
The paradox of participation in action research

Although participation is widely discussed in the action research literature, relatively few studies deal with building the participative relationship itself. This article attempts to fill that gap through a ‘first-person action research’ involving a relationship between Jewish researchers and a Palestinian Arab non-governmental organization in Israel that failed to live up to our espoused values of participation. It employs an action science method for joint critical reflecting on this relationship and analyzing the data from the reflection. It presents two ‘theories of action’: one aimed at explaining the paradox of participation and one for dealing with it more effectively. By opening our learning, including our errors, to the scrutiny of other action researchers, we hope to generate actionable knowledge that can contribute to building genuinely participative relationships in action research.
Using Acute Performance on a Comprehensive Neurocognitive, Vestibular, and Ocular Motor Assessment Battery to Predict Recovery Duration After Sport-Related Concussions

Background: A sport-related concussion (SRC) is a heterogeneous injury that requires a multifaceted and comprehensive approach for diagnosis and management, including symptom reports, vestibular/ocular motor assessments, and neurocognitive testing. Purpose: To determine which acute (eg, within 7 days) vestibular, ocular motor, neurocognitive, and symptom impairments predict the duration of recovery after an SRC. Study Design: Cohort study (prognosis); Level of evidence, 2. Methods: Sixty-nine patients with a mean age of 15.3 ± 1.9 years completed a neurocognitive, vestibular/ocular motor, and symptom assessment within 7 days of a diagnosed concussion. Patients were grouped by recovery time: ≤14 days (n = 27, 39.1%), 15-29 days (n = 25, 36.2%), and 30-90 days (n = 17, 24.6%). Multinomial regression was used to identify the best subset of predictors associated with prolonged recovery relative to ≤14 days. Results: Acute visual motor speed and cognitive-migraine-fatigue symptoms were associated with an increased likelihood of recovery times of 30-90 days and 15-29 days relative to a recovery time of ≤14 days. A model with visual motor speed and cognitive-migraine-fatigue symptoms within the first 7 days of an SRC was 87% accurate at identifying patients with a recovery time of 30-90 days. Conclusion: The current study identified cognitive-migraine-fatigue symptoms and visual motor speed as the most robust predictors of protracted recovery after an SRC according to the Post-concussion Symptom Scale, Immediate Post-concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing, and Vestibular/Ocular Motor Screening (VOMS). While VOMS components were sensitive in identifying a concussion, they were not robust predictors for recovery. Clinicians may consider particular patterns of performance on clinical measures when providing treatment recommendations and discussing anticipated recovery with patients.
An Ultra-Broadband Coplanar-Waveguide Bandpass Filter With Sharp Skirt Selectivity

An ultra-broadband coplanar-waveguide (CPW) bandpass filter (BPF) is demonstrated. The proposed CPW BPF is designed via cascading CPW lowpass and bandpass structures. As compared to the classical CPW BPFs, the ultra broadband is realized relatively easily by separately adjusting the cutoff frequencies of the CPW lowpass and bandpass structures. The cascaded CPW BPF is of greater than 120% 3-dB fractional bandwidth, very sharp skirt selectivity, good stopband rejection, and no repeated passbands
AGREEMENT BETWEEN SUBORDINATE AND SELF-RATINGS IN UPWARD FEEDBACK

This study examines measures of agreement between subordinate and self-ratings of leadership and boss/subordinate relationships in an upward feedback process conducted in a large department. Ratings were provided for 86 target managers from an average of six subordinates per manager. Individual characteristics of the target manager (sex and age) and organizational characteristics of the work unit (the target manager's organizational level and organizational unit, line or staff) were examined as correlates of agreement. Profile agreement (the correlation between self-ratings and the average subordinates’ratings across 48 items) was higher for female than male target managers, and was higher in line than staff units. Also, profile agreement increased over time for the 39 target managers rated one year later. Other findings indicated psychometric properties of upward feedback data. For instance, profile agreement was positively related to the number of subordinates in the work group. The discussion focuses on the need for research on variables that influence the reliability and usefulness of upward feedback data.
Women's Employment and Gender Attitudes: A Comparative Analysis of Britain, Norway and the Czech Republic

A series of changes in the nature and organization of productive activity, and thus in the structure of employment, are under way around the world. Manufacturing employment is in decline, and service-related employment is on the increase. Technological changes have facilitated the internationalization of finance, as well as the possibilities of employment relocation and transfer. These globalizing (or internationalizing) trends are also associated with an increase in the level of women's paid work, which seems to be universal.1 Many of the jobs created within the service sector are 'women's' jobs - e.g. in teaching, caring and the leisure industry, and electronicsrelated light assembly work is replacing jobs in heavy manufacturing. In contemporary debates, the increasing importance of such 'global' trends has been associated with theoretical arguments which suggest that the national or 'societal' level has become of less significance in sociological explanations. Global capital can bypass national attempts at control and regulation. Similarly, it is suggested that (in part because of the impact of electronic media), dominant national cultures are also becoming of less relevance. Paradoxically, however, it is argued that the decline of the 'national' is accompanied by a renewed importance of the 'local', as subnational and regional cultures become more prominent. Increasingly, therefore, there is a celebration of diversity of practice and individual identities - arguments centrally associated with the closely related theme of 'postmodernism' (Kumar 1994:122).
Jet‐based methods to print living cells

Cell printing has been popularized over the past few years as a revolutionary advance in tissue engineering has potentially enabled heterogeneous 3‐D scaffolds to be built cell‐by‐cell. This review article summarizes the state‐of‐the‐art cell printing techniques that utilize fluid jetting phenomena to deposit 2‐ and 3‐D patterns of living eukaryotic cells. There are four distinct categories of jetbased approaches to printing cells. Laser guidance direct write (LG DW) was the first reported technique to print viable cells by forming patterns of embryonic‐chick spinal‐cord cells on a glass slide (1999). Shortly after this, modified laser‐induced forward transfer techniques (LIFT) and modified ink jet printers were also used to print viable cells, followed by the most recent demonstration using an electrohydrodynamic jetting (EHDJ) method. The low cost of some of these printing technologies has spurred debate as to whether they could be used on a large scale to manufacture tissue and possibly even whole organs. This review summarizes the published results of these cell printers (cell viability, retained genotype and phenotype), and also includes a physical description of the various jetting processes with a discussion of the stresses and forces that may be encountered by cells during printing. We conclude the review by comparing and contrasting the different jet‐based techniques, while providing a map for future experiments that could lead to significant advances in the field of tissue engineering.
The Social Context of Psychiatric Rehabilitation in China

A Western psychiatrist visiting a ward, out-patient department, or sheltered workshop in China would find much that was familiar, not only in terms of clinical syndromes and medication usage but also in the paucity of resources, problems with administrative hierarchies, and lack of status accorded by medical colleagues to psychiatry. Chinese psychiatric patients able to converse with their Western counterparts would discover that they shared much of the experience in common: stigma, problems with employment, and difficulties in finding a marital partner. Patients' relatives from East and West, likewise, would be able to recite a litany of similar concerns and complaints: the need for guidance and advice in handling disturbed behaviour at home, the gossip of neighbours, and the fear of another relapse.
Multiple-quantum cross polarization in quadrupolar spin systems during magic-angle spinning.

We describe the concept of multiple-quantum cross polarization (CP) between an I = 32 and an I = 12 spin during magic-angle spinning. Experimental and theoretical results for (23)Na-(1)H pairs are presented that elucidate the transfer mechanism and the beneficial effect of adiabatic amplitude modulations of the CP field. The multiple-quantum CP approach is shown to be beneficial for improving the sensitivity of CP-MQMAS experiments and for detecting dipolar correlations.
Kisspeptin resets the hypothalamic GnRH clock in men.

CONTEXT Reproduction in all mammals is controlled by a hypothalamic clock that produces periodic secretory pulses of GnRH, but how the timing of these pulses is determined is poorly understood. The neuropeptide kisspeptin potently and selectively stimulates the secretion of GnRH. Although this property of kisspeptin is well described, the effects of kisspeptin on endogenous GnRH pulse generation remain largely unexplored. OBJECTIVE The objective of the study was to detail the effects of kisspeptin on GnRH secretion, as reflected by LH secretion, in men. PARTICIPANTS Thirteen healthy adult men participated in the study. INTERVENTION The intervention was the administration of a single iv bolus of the C-terminal decapeptide of kisspeptin (amino acids 112-121 of the parent protein). RESULTS Kisspeptin induced an immediate LH pulse, regardless of the timing of the previous endogenous pulse. The kisspeptin-induced pulses were on average larger than endogenous pulses (amplitude 5.0 ± 1.0 vs. 2.1 ± 0.3 mIU/ml, P = 0.02). Comparison of the morphology of kisspeptin-induced LH pulses in healthy men with that of GnRH-induced LH pulses in men with isolated GnRH deficiency suggests that a single i.v. bolus of kisspeptin triggered sustained GnRH release lasting approximately 17 min. Furthermore, kisspeptin reset the GnRH pulse generator, as it not only induced an immediate LH pulse but also delayed the next endogenous pulse by an interval approximating the normal interpulse interval. CONCLUSIONS As the first known agent capable of resetting the hypothalamic GnRH pulse generator, kisspeptin can be used as a physiological tool for studying GnRH pulse generation and opens a door to understanding the mechanisms of biological clocks in general.
Before and After WOWCS: A literature survey, A list of papers we wish had been submitted

The Workshop on Organizing Workshops, Conferences, and Symposia for Computer Systems (WOWCS) was organized to "bring together conference organizers (past, present, and future) and other interested people to discuss the issues they confront. " In addition to the position papers submitted to the workshop, the WOWCS program committee has collected a bibliography of previous publications in this area. We also list some topics about which we wish we had received submissions, but did not; these could be good topics for future articles.
Influence of creativity and knowledge sharing on performance

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate the influence of technological creativity for sports and knowledge sharing on individual performance, and to analyze the correlation among creativity for sports technologies, knowledge sharing, and individual performance, via the mediating effect of athletes' self‐efficacy.Design/methodology/approach – This study selected 250 current athletes, including tennis players, track and field athletes, volleyball players, etc. as the subjects. Statistical methods, such as Cronbach's α, factor analysis, Pearson's correlation, regression analysis, and path analysis, were used to perform analyses.Findings – It was found that among the technological creativity for sports, athletes' creativity and analytic capacity had significant positive influence on task performance and team performance in athletes' individual performance. In other words, the improvement in athletes' self‐efficacy may improve their creativity and level of technological capacity, which further im.
Medicinal plants Used by The Traditional Medical Practitioners of Barendra and Shamatat (Rajshahi & Khulna Division) Region in Bangladesh for treatment of Cardiovascular Disorders

Bangladesh is a developing countries where both incidence and prevalence of Ischaemic heart disease has been increasing gradually and unless concerted efforts are made and national policy of prevention of risk factors are undertaken. The objective of this study was to conduct a survey of medicinal plants used by the traditional medical practitioners in the Barandra (Rajshahi division) and Shamatat (Khulna division) region of Bangladesh for heart diseases. The practitioners advised consumption of 28 plants to prevent or reduce the chances of occurrences of various heart disorders. Since the traditional patients appeared to be generally satisfied with the treatment offered through these plants, they do not have to visit modern medical practitioners. It is important to conduct proper scientific studies towards discovery of compounds of interest in these plants, which can be used as safe and effective medicines for cure heart diseases. Keyword: Medicinal Plants, barendra, shamatat region, cardiovascular, heart diseases, Bangladesh.