Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Tumor Response to Combination Celecoxib and Erlotinib Therapy in Non-small Cell Lung Cancer Is Associated with a Low Baseline Matrix Metalloproteinase-9 and a Decline in Serum-Soluble E-Cadherin

Introduction: Cyclooxygenase-2 overexpression may mediate resistance to epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibition through prostaglandin E2-dependent promotion of epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT). Suppression of epithelial markers, such as E-cadherin, can lead to resistance to erlotinib. Prostaglandin E2 down-regulates E-cadherin expression by up-regulating transcriptional repressors, including ZEB1 and Snail. Furthermore, E-cadherin can be modulated by matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and tissue inhibitors of MMPs (TIMPs), promoting tumor invasion and metastasis. Markers of EMT and tumor invasion were evaluated in patient serum from a phase I clinical trial investigating the combination of celecoxib and erlotinib in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. Methods: Samples from 22 subjects were evaluated. Soluble E-cadherin (sEC) was evaluated by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay in patient serum at baseline, week 4, and week 8 of treatment. Other markers of EMT and angiogenesis were evaluated by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay, including MMP-9, TIMP-1, and CCL15. Results: Serum sEC, MMP-9, TIMP-1, and CCL15 levels were determined at baseline and week 8. Patients with a partial response to therapy had a significant decrease in sEC, TIMP-1, and CCL15 at week 8. In patients who responded to the combination therapy, baseline MMP-9 was significantly lower compared with nonresponders (p = 0.006). Conclusions: sEC, MMP-9, TIMP-1, and CCL15 levels correlate with response to combination therapy with erlotinib and celecoxib in patients with NSCLC. A randomized phase II trial is planned comparing erlotinib and celecoxib with erlotinib plus placebo in advanced NSCLC. This study will prospectively assess these and other biomarkers in serum and tumor tissue.
Democracy and Vulnerability

The research on the influence of democracy on terrorism renders support for two causal mechanisms. One is that democracy reduces terrorism because it creates an environment in which dissenters can pursue their interests through peaceful means. The other argument states that democracy encourages terrorism due to the intrinsic liberties and freedoms that provide an opportunity for terrorists to easily organize, recruit, and mount operations. This article contributes to this second line of thought by framing support for rebel groups as one of the contexts in which democracy’s influence on terrorism is examined. I identify a theoretical mechanism about how democratic states unknowingly facilitate terrorism by letting terrorists freely stay within their borders, raise funds, smuggle arms, and operate offices. The empirical findings provide support for the hypothesis that democracies are vulnerable and can easily be exploited by terrorists since they have an environment conducive to terrorist activities.
Use of single case study research in child speech, language and communication interventions

Evidencing the effectiveness of speech, language and communication interventions continues to be a challenge for both researchers and practitioners who work with children and young people with speech, language and communication needs (SLCN). The use of case study design as a methodology for evaluating the effectiveness of these interventions, and the value of their contribution to the evidence base, is often not recognized. In this editorial, the merits of case study design as a robust and achievable methodology for practitioners to use to evidence the effectiveness of their interventions are discussed. Child Language Teaching and Therapy has published a number of case studies or case series reports over the years. Some case studies have been descriptive, with the aim of explicating aspects of a child’s difficulties. Carvey and Bernhardt (2009) used a framework for profiling intentional communication to describe the skills of a child with a rare genetic syndrome, thus adding to the literature on this particular disorder. Worth and Reynolds (2008) presented detailed assessment findings of a boy with Asperger’s syndrome and showed how these enabled a better understanding of the nature of his difficulties. The findings were explored in relation to the research literature and the implication for assessment practices and for intervention. Murphy and Dodd (2010) used assessment findings from the case of a child with a hearing impairment and a non-dominant language home background to discuss diagnostic criteria for specific language impairment. Whilst this type of case study is useful for illuminating our understanding of children with SLCN, it neither aims, nor is designed, to evaluate interventions. However, case study research that includes some element of experimental control can and does contribute to the evidence base for speech, language and communication interventions. Within a hierarchy of evidence composed of five levels, the highest is systematic reviews, and meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials, single case studies and case study series are ranked at level 2, above observation and expert opinion (Sackett et al., 2000). Logan et al. (2008) also present levels of evidence for single case research, from those that are designed to prove causal inference of the effects of intervention, to those that can hint at or suggest causal inference. These experimental case studies are known by a number of terms, such as single subject design, single subject research, single case design/research and n of 1. The design can include more than one individual receiving the same intervention reported as a case series or case study series. Each participant serves as his or her own control (Horner et al., 2005). Studies such as these have been and are published in Child Language Teaching and Therapy and can make an important contribution to the evidence base. 457766 CLT28310.1177/0265659012457766Child Language Teaching and TherapyEditorial 2012
DEVELOPMENTAL SEQUENCES IN THE ACQUISITION OF ENGLISH L2 SYLLABLE CODAS: A Preliminary Study

This study examines the acquisition of English syllable codas by two native speakers of Vietnamese. Data were collected at three intervals over 1 year. Results indicate that a developmental sequence may exist and that this sequence may not be linear, with some longer (i.e., two and three member) codas emerging before some singleton codas. Furthermore, it was found that production type (e.g., with epenthesis or feature change) differed significantly by coda type and was indicative of acquisition processes. Finally, linguistic environment (preceding and following) and grammatical conditioning were found to significantly affect coda production and development.The author would like to thank Jun Liu, Mary Zampini, and the anonymous SSLA reviewers for their invaluable comments and suggestions on an earlier draft of this paper.
Lipid Profile in Human Frontal Cortex Is Sustained Throughout Healthy Adult Life Span to Decay at Advanced Ages

Fatty acids are key components in the structural diversity of lipids and play a strategic role in the functional properties of lipids which determine the structural and functional integrity of neural cell membranes, the generation of lipid signaling mediators, and the chemical reactivity of acyl chains. The present study analyzes the profile of lipid fatty acid composition of membranes of human frontal cortex area 8 in individuals ranging from 40 to 90 years old. Different components involved in polyunsaturated fatty acid biosynthesis pathways, as well as adaptive defense mechanisms involved in the lipid-mediated modulation of inflammation, are also assessed. Our results show that the lipid profile in human frontal cortex is basically preserved through the adult life span to decay at advanced ages, which is accompanied by an adaptive proactive anti-inflammatory response possibly geared to ensuring cell survival and function.
Transfer of nuclei from 8‐cell stage mouse embryos following use of nocodazole to control the cell cycle

Mouse 2‐, 4‐, 8‐, and 16‐cell embryos were exposed to nocodazole in M16 culture medium. The effect of different concentrations and exposure times on the efficiency of cell cycle synchronization and the development of the treated embyros after release from the drug was determined. The minimum effective concentration (95% of arrested nuclei) for 4‐, 8‐, and 16‐cell embryos was 5μM nocodazole. The effect upon subsequent development of mouse embryos depended upon both the stage of development of the embryo at treatment (P < 0.001) and the length of exposure to nocodazole (P < 0.001). Exposure to any concentration of nocodazole within the range 2.5–10 μM for 12 hr caused a reduction in the proportion of embryos that formed blastocysts. As the period of exposure to 5μM nocodazole increased from 12 to 24 hr, the proportion of embryos developing to the blastocyst stage decreased. The lower proportion of embyros developing to the blastocyst stage and to term (P < 0.01) suggests that the more advanced stages were more susceptible to damage as a result of exposure to nocodazole. The rate of development of 4‐cell embryos to blastocysts was not affected when an exposure time of 9 hr was used. Together these results show that it is possible to use nocodazole to arrest mouse embryonic cells in mitosis but that it is not appropriate to culture the embryos in the presence of this drug for prolonged periods. Individual blastomeres completed mitosis at 60–90 min and started DNA synthesis at 120–150 min after release from nocodazole. Nuclei from blastomeres thus synchronized were used to conduct studies on the effect of the cell cycle on nuclear transfer. A signficant effect was found. When nuclei from 8‐cell embryos in G1 or S‐phase were used as nuclei donors, development to blastocyst was respectively 27% and none. ©Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Candidate biomarkers in renal cell carcinoma

Although the human genome has been decoded, the knowledge about the pathogenesis of diseases including cancer is still limited. By focusing on renal cell carcinoma (RCC) we here summarize the data of various research groups analyzing the protein/peptide expression profiles of tumor lesions/cell lines or serum obtained from patients and respective controls. Different powerful approaches such as 2‐DE, PROTEOMEX/SERPA/SPEARS, and T cell epitope discovery upon elution of MHC class I‐bound peptides in combination with MS/LC‐MS/MS revealed 500 differentially expressed proteins. The overlap in target recognition limits the pool to 299 unique protein identities, but only few thereof (12%) have been validated. The management, analysis, and interpretation of the distinct data sets derived from 27 publications required bioinformatic restructuring of the results. However, the comprehensive analysis of the results expands the knowledge about the pathophysiology of RCC in particular of the most prominent clear cell subtype by providing information on the differentially expressed proteins, their regulation status in RCC compared to normal kidney epithelium next to additional information on MHC‐presented T cell epitopes and on serological targets. Despite the low number of validated differentially expressed proteins some of them might serve as candidate biomarkers for the diagnosis and/or as therapeutic targets.
Assessing Indicators Of Crime Among International Crime Data Series

Definitions of indicators of crime reported by five international data series are first compared to test hypothesized relationships for pairs of series. Subsequently, data from each series in 1970 and 1980 are analyzed to assess the degree and level of correspondence between series, taking into account the similarities and differences of crime definition. The results of a regression analysis suggest that data on murder and robbery constitute a reliable base for cross-national consistency of reports on the categories of assault, sex offenses and theft. The results suggest that if cross-national indicators of crime are narrowly defined consistent with national crime codes, data can be reliably reported by most countries.
Motives for 'Laddishness' at school: Fear of failure and fear of the 'feminine'.

'Laddish' behaviours in school have been identified as impediments to the academic progress of some boys and girls. This article provides and discusses empirical evidence to support Jackson's proposal in an earlier article that 'laddish' behaviours may act to protect the self-worth and/or social worth of many boys, and that 'laddishness' may be prompted by both a fear of academic failure and a fear of the 'feminine'. Drawing upon data from interviews with 50 boys across two secondary schools, the article focuses upon a key characteristic of 'laddishness', namely, the overt rejection of academic work. It is suggested that overtly rejecting academic work serves a dual function for some boys. First, it enables them to act in ways currently consistent with hegemonic forms of masculinity in their schools. Secondly, it provides an excuse for failure and augments success.
Connecting Home and School Literacy Practices in Classrooms with Diverse Populations

I present the cases of 5 students from diverse backgrounds and conclude that home and school are more connected for some students than for others. Home and school were tightly connected for middle-class European-American students who read at home and school, shared their writing with the class, and brought items from home to show peers. In contrast, students from non-mainstream backgrounds participated in home literacy activities that did not match school experiences. These students were more reticent in the classroom, did not share items from home, and experienced home and school as separate. In the analysis, books, tasks, and participation structures contributed to some students making stronger connections than others. Teachers having more information about some students than others; their own middle-class European-American backgrounds and the need to treat all students “equally”; and their assumptions that students could make the connections between home and school on their own contributed to the curriculum being more congruent with middle-class, home literacy experiences than working-class experiences. Although I suggest that learning about students' cultures and backgrounds is essential, I delineate some of the challenges that accompany learning about students.
Facial recognition of identical twins

Biometric identification systems must be able to distinguish between individuals even in situations where the bio metric signature may be similar, such as in the case of identical twins. This paper presents experiments done in facial recognition using data from a set of images of twins. This work establishes the current state of facial recognition in regards to twins and the accuracy of current state-of-the art programs in distinguishing between identical twins using three commercial face matchers, Cognitec 8.3. 2.0, VeriLook 4.0, and PittPatt 4.2. 1 and a baseline matcher employing Local Region PCA. Overall, it was observed that Cognitec had the best performance. All matchers, how ever, saw degradation in performance compared to an experiment where the ability to distinguish unrelated persons was assessed. In particular, lighting and expression seemed to have affected performance the most.
Stereo vision based mapping and navigation for mobile robots

This paper describes a visually guided robot that can plan paths, construct maps and explore an indoor environment. The robot uses a trinocular stereo vision system to produce highly accurate depth images at 2 Hz allowing it to safely travel through the environment at 0.5 m/s. The algorithm integrates stereo vision, occupancy grid mapping, and potential field path planning techniques to form a robust and cohesive robotic system for mapping and navigation. Stereo vision is shown to be a viable alternative to active sensing devices such as sonar and laser range finders.
Stakeholder Perceptions of Socioenvironmental Impacts from Unconventional Natural Gas Development and Hydraulic Fracturing in the Haynesville Shale

Environmental controversy over unconventional natural gas development utilizing horizontal drilling and hydraulic “fracking” has been on the rise in recent years. While most of the media attention has been focused on the conflicts in states like Pennsylvania, New York, Texas, and Colorado, the discovery of huge natural gas reserves in the Haynesville Shale formation in 2008 set off a drilling rush that has resulted in differential benefits and risks for various residents. Drawing on current research and extensive interview data collected from a relevant cross-section of community stakeholders, this study offers a descriptive and comparative analysis of the types of benefits and opportunities perceived to accompany increased unconventional natural gas development, the range of perceived negative impacts and threats associated with such development, and the extent to which respondents viewed the benefits of the Haynesville boom as outweighing the costs. While most stakeholders perceived that natural gas development offered the community a host of positive socioeconomic benefits in the form of increased jobs, tax revenues, services, and new economic opportunities for local businesses and landowners, a substantial minority of residents also associated shale development with a larger number of negative social, economic, and environmental impacts. Those included the degradation of water resources; increased road damage, noise, and traffic accidents; and other assorted threats to public health, animals, and the rural landscape. Moreover, while most Haynesville residents believed that the socioeconomic benefits of development had outweighed the collective socioeconomic/environmental costs to the region, a substantial minority of respondents was also skeptical or disagreed that the benefits to date had been worth the risks. These findings both support and extend existing sociological research in several key respects. The implications of the study, both for the region and the national debate over fracking, are discussed.
Daily interpersonal experiences and distress: Are women more vulnerable?

Abstract Women consistently report experiencing greater psychological distress than men, which may be a function of their greater reactivity to negative experiences, especially those of an interpersonal nature. Despite considerable research attention, few studies have employed the appropriate methodological designs to test adequately whether women, compared to men, exhibit greater negative mood states at times when they experience negative events. In the current study, we used a daily process methodology to examine how the within-person associations between negative interpersonal exchanges and mood varied as a function of sex. One hundred community residents (45 men, 55 women) recorded their negative interpersonal exchanges and mood every day for 30 days. Participants' mood was probed three times each day via palm-top computer; interpersonal exchanges were recorded daily in a structured diary. Men and women were reactive to negative interpersonal interactions, but at different times of day. Evidence sugge.
Intervention targeted at nurses to improve venous thromboprophylaxis.

OBJECTIVE To assess the effectiveness of an intervention targeting both physicians and nurses vs. physicians only in improving venous thromboprophylaxis for older patients. DESIGN Cluster randomized trial. SETTING Fifty hospital-based post-acute care departments in France. PARTICIPANTS Patients aged 65 years or older. INTERVENTION A multifaceted intervention to implement a clinical practice guideline addressing venous thromboprophylaxis. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES The effectiveness outcomes were elastic stocking use, ambulation or mobilization under the supervision of a physical therapist and anticoagulant-based prophylaxis. Patient outcomes included deep vein thrombosis and anticoagulant-related adverse events. RESULTS One department allocated to the intervention targeted at physicians only and seven departments allocated to the intervention targeted at both physicians and nurses dropped out of the study. Compared with the intervention targeted at physicians only (n = 497 patients), the intervention targeted at both physicians and nurses (n = 315 patients) was associated with a higher rate of mobilization (62 vs. 37%, P < 0.001) and comparable levels of elastic stocking (32 vs. 39%, P = 0.74) and anticoagulant (55 vs. 48%, P = 0.36) use. The rates of deep vein thrombosis (15 vs. 13%, P = 0.50), bleeding (1 vs. 1%, P = 0.99) and thrombocytopaenia (0 vs. 0.2%, P = 0.99) did not differ between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS A multifaceted intervention targeting nurses in addition to physicians can increase the frequency of mobilization of older patients to prevent venous thromboembolism but does not alter the use of elastic stockings and anticoagulant. A differential drop-out of departments might have contributed to creating imbalances in baseline characteristics and outcomes in this study.
Self-Corrected Reaching in a Three-Location Delayed-Response Search Task

Infants watched an experimenter hide a toy in one of three wells and then attempted to retrieve it after a brief delay. Seven-month-olds performed at chance. Nine-month-olds reached correctly on 43% of trials, which is significantly better than chance. After an incorrect reach, infants were allowed to choose between the two remaining locations. Seven-month-olds responded at a chance level on their second reach, but 9-month-olds chose correctly more often than would be expected by chance despite a 10- to 20-s delay between hiding and search. One cause of error on the initial reach was a profound bias toward the center well. In Experiment 2, the wells were covered simultaneously, and the infant's spatial orientation was disrupted during the delay; this procedure eliminated the centripetal bias. Nine-month-olds still responded correctly more often than would be expected by chance on their second reach. These findings suggest that 9-month-olds sometimes have a more durable working memory for location than is generally reported for that age group.
Study Guides to the Rescue

As general education classrooms become more diverse, teachers continue to explore ways to support students’ learning. Study guides support students in learning their material, focus their attention on important topics, and help them review for quizzes or tests. This article provides successful classroom-tested ideas for developing and using study guides in diverse inclusive settings. Names in vignette passages are pseudonyms.
An Algorithm and Demand Estimation Procedure for Retail Assortment Optimization

We consider the problem of choosing, from a set of N potential SKUs in a retail category, K SKUs to be carried at each store so as to maximize revenue or profit. Assortments can vary by store, subject to a maximum number of dierent assortments. We introduce a model of substitution behavior, in case a customer’s first choice is unavailable and consider the impact of substitution in choosing assortments for the retail chain. We view a SKU as a set of attribute levels, apply maximum likelihood estimation to sales history of the SKUs currently carried by the retailer to estimate the demand for attribute levels and substitution probabilities, and from this, the demand for any potential SKU, including those not currently carried by the retailer. We specify several alternative heuristics for choosing SKUs. We apply this approach to optimize assortments for three real examples: snack cakes, tires and automotive appearance chemicals. A portion of our recommendations for tires and appearance chemicals were implemented and produced sales increases of 5.8% and 3.6% respectively, which are significant improvements relative to typical retailer annual comparable store revenue increases. We also forecast sales shares of 1, 11 and 25 new SKUs, for the snack cakes, tires and automotive appearance chemicals applications, respectively with MAPEs of 16.2%, 19.1% and 28.7%.