Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Use of the Proposals of the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer in the Forthcoming Edition of Lung Cancer Staging System to Predict Long-Term Prognosis of Operated Patients

Purpose:To evaluate the utility of the proposals of the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC) in the forthcoming 7th edition of lung cancer staging system to classify patients submitted to radical surgical resection of non–small cell lung cancer and to compare their value in predicting long-term prognosis with the existing 6th edition of the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC)/Union Internationale Contre le Cancer (UICC) TNM classification. Methods:Nine hundred twenty-one patients received an anatomic resection and hilar-mediastinal dissection for primary non–small cell lung cancer during the period 1990 to 2005. Histopathologic staging following the actual AJCC/UICC TNM classification were as follows: 207 T1, 562 T2, 148 T3, and 4 T4; 570 N0, 149 N1, 198 N2, and 4 N3; 163 stage IA, 346 IB, 23 IIA, 157 IIB, 224 IIIA, and 8 IIIB. Stages reclassified using the proposals of IASLC for the new staging system were as follows: 101 T1a, 106 T1b, 400 T2a, 103 T2b, 210 T3, and 1 T4; 163 stage IA, 262 IB, 157 IIA, 106 IIB, 230 IIIA, and 4 IIIB. Results:Follow-up was obtained for 836 patients. Mean follow-up was 46.5 ± 48.9 months. N-status (unchanged between the 2 classifications) was confirmed to be a significant prognostic factor. Significant differences in 10-year disease-related survival were demonstrated between stages IIB and IIIA only (35% vs 14%) of the AJCC/UICC TNM classification and between stages IB and IIA (60% vs 46%) and stages IIB and IIIA (39% vs 15%) of the IASLC proposals for a new classification. Discussion:The proposals of IASLC in the forthcoming 7th edition of the lung cancer staging system are demonstrated to be better able to separate prognostically distinct groups of patients operated for non–small cell lung cancer than the accepted existing 6th AJCC/UICC TNM classification.
We Know the Yin—But Where Is the Yang? Toward a Balanced Approach on Common Source Bias in Public Administration Scholarship

Surveys have long been a dominant instrument for data collection in public administration. However, it has become widely accepted in the last decade that the usage of a self-reported instrument to measure both the independent and dependent variables results in common source bias (CSB). In turn, CSB is argued to inflate correlations between variables, resulting in biased findings. Subsequently, a narrow blinkered approach on the usage of surveys as single data source has emerged. In this article, we argue that this approach has resulted in an unbalanced perspective on CSB. We argue that claims on CSB are exaggerated, draw upon selective evidence, and project what should be tentative inferences as certainty over large domains of inquiry. We also discuss the perceptual nature of some variables and measurement validity concerns in using archival data. In conclusion, we present a flowchart that public administration scholars can use to analyze CSB concerns.
Advantages of SPECT in technetium-99m-sestamibi parathyroid scintigraphy.

UNLABELLED We demonstrate several advantages of SPECT in parathyroid scintigraphy. METHODS Forty-four parathyroid 99mTc-MIBI scintigrams were obtained before surgery in 43 patients suffering from hyperparathyroidism. For each patient, we obtained dynamic views and planar and SPECT images of the neck and thorax. For 15 patients, we also acquired a delayed static view of the neck 2 hr after tracer injection. Abnormal thyroid-area glands were detected with factor analysis of dynamic structure (FADS) of the initial dynamic acquisition. In the 15 patients with delayed views of the neck, we compared FADS and the double-phase study results to detect glands in the thyroid uptake area. Glands outside the thyroid area were demonstrated on planar views. The location of enlarged glands was more precisely defined on the tomographic slices. The anatomic and histologic findings and the evolution of hypercalcemia after surgery were taken as reference. RESULTS Sixty-four abnormal glands were found during surgery, including 39 observed in patients who underwent reoperation for persistent or recurrent hyperparathyroidism. Twenty-two of these glands were in an abnormal location, including 10 in the mediastinum. SPECT allowed the detection of three glands not demonstrated on planar views or FADS. Fifty-eight glands were correctly localized scintigraphically, including 34 in patients who underwent reoperation. Therefore, SPECT raised the sensitivity from 86% to 90.5% and from 79.5% to 87% in the reoperated patients. Tracer uptake in the low mediastinal area was better analyzed on tomographic slices than on planar views. Only seven false-positive results were depicted by planar views or FADS; none were depicted on SPECT. CONCLUSION A combination of FADS and SPECT permits detection of small glands, even in a posterior location, inside or outside the thyroid area. This scintigraphic method enables the surgeon to define more precisely details about the location of the enlarged gland and contributes to improved parathyroid surgery.
Epidemiological and Climatological Factors Influencing on Scorpion Envenoming in Baghmalek County, Iran

5 Abstract: Scorpionism is a serious public health problem throughout the globe, especially in tropical and sub-tropical areas. In Iran, Khuzistan province and its counties including Baghmalek is one of the regions most affected by this burden. This survey aimed to trace the epidemiological profile and certain risk factors including climatological factors affecting on scorpionism and some common clinical signs in Baghmalek to improve patient care. This research is a descriptive-analytical cross-sectional study on scorpion stings based on previously designed questionnaire for stung patients referred during 2006-2007. mean monthly precipitation (mm), the maximum monthly wind speed (m/s) the maximum and minimum monthly relative humidity (%) and the maximum and minimum monthly temperatures (°C) were obtained from Iran Meteorological Organization and were studied in relation to cases of scorpion sting. About 991 cases were found in this county, during the study period. There were approximately 0.96 stings/year per 100 people in the study areas. About 35.3% of the scorpion victims were from urban areas. The highest average age of victims was 15-24 years old (37.8%). The stings were more frequent in spring. Of all registered cases, 74.5% of the patients received medical aid in less than three hours after the sting. Based on the results of this study, scorpionism is of clinical importance in this area and public awareness and physician readiness along with the accessibility to effective antivenom significantly reduce scorpionism in this area.
Preparation of asymmetric PEEKWC flat membranes with different microstructures by wet phase inversion

Membranes with controlled morphology were prepared by wet phase inversion from PEEKWC, a modified polyetheretherketone. Different membrane structures were obtained by using different nonsolvent/solvent pairs. The influence of several parameters, such as the composition of the polymer solution (concentration, type of solvent), the composition of the coagulation bath, and the exposure time before immersion in the coagulation bath, on the membrane morphology was studied. The PEEKWC/solvent/nonsolvent phase diagrams, with various solvent/nonsolvent combinations, were determined and correlated to the process of phase separation during membrane formation. Using solvent/nonsolvent pairs with a high mutual affinity (DMF/water, DMA/water), porous membranes for possible application in microfiltration were obtained. The THF/water combination allowed the formation of asymmetric membranes with a dense skin layer, suitable for gas separation applications. Nitrogen permeance of all porous membranes was measured as function of pressure. Application of the Dusty Gas model permitted a qualitative description of the pore size and membrane morphology in relation to the membrane preparation conditions. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 92: 576–591, 2004
Lectin Switching During Dengue Virus Infection

Abstract Dengue virus receptors are relatively poorly characterized, but there has been recent interest in 2 C-type lectin molecules, dendritic cell–specific intercellular adhesion molecule 3 (ICAM-3)–grabbing nonintegrin (DC-SIGN) and its close homologue liver/lymph node–specific ICAM-3–grabbing integrin (L-SIGN), which can both bind dengue and promote infection. In this report we have studied the interaction of dengue viruses produced in insect cells, tumor cell lines, and primary human dendritic cells (DCs) with DC-SIGN and L-SIGN. Virus produced in primary DCs is unable to interact with DC-SIGN but remains infectious for L-SIGN–expressing cells. Skin-resident DCs may thus be a site of initial infection by insect-produced virus, but DCs will likely not participate in large-scale virus replication during dengue infection. These results reveal that differential glycosylation of dengue virus envelope protein is highly dependent on cell state and suggest that studies of virus tropism using virus prepared in insect cells or tumor cell lines should be interpreted with caution.
Stage IA2 Cervical Carcinoma: How Much Treatment Is Enough?

Objective: The current guidance for the management of women with stage IA2 cervical carcinoma is that whatever the primary surgical intervention, pelvic lymphadenectomy should be included. The role of lymphadenectomy in the management of cervical carcinoma remains somewhat confused, as the procedure has not been proven to be therapeutic, although it is claimed that the information gained is valuable in determining the need for adjuvant therapy. For lymphadenectomy to have clinical utility in the care of women with stage IA2 cervical carcinoma, a sufficiently high incidence of node positivity would be required to justify the morbidity of the procedure for the whole group. The objective of this paper was to establish the incidence of pelvic lymph node positivity in stage IA2 cervical carcinoma. Methods: A PubMed search using the words "stage IA2 cervical carcinoma," "microinvasive cervical carcinoma," "stage IA cervical carcinoma," "stage I cervical carcinoma," and "lymphadenectomy in cervical carcinoma" was performed; the articles were divided into those that adhered to the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) definition of a stage IA2 tumor and those that did not. Sentinel node studies were not included, as this procedure does not form part of the FIGO guidelines. Results: Studies adhering to the FIGO definition showed a 0.5% incidence of lymph node metastases in stage IA2 cervical carcinomas, which is not as high as was previously believed (7.3%). Conclusions: The very low rate of positive lymph nodes in correctly staged IA2 cases cannot justify the inclusion of lymphadenectomy as part of standardized care for these patients.
Activation of lysosomal P2X4 by ATP transported into lysosomes via VNUT/SLC17A9 using V‐ATPase generated voltage gradient as the driving force

SLC17A9 proteins function as a lysosomal ATP transporter responsible for lysosomal ATP accumulation. P2X4 receptors act as lysosomal ion channels activated by luminal ATP. SLC17A9‐mediated ATP transport across the lysosomal membrane is suppressed by Bafilomycin A1, the V‐ATPase inhibitor. SLC17A9 mainly uses voltage gradient but not pH gradient generated by the V‐ATPase as the driving force to transport ATP into the lysosome to activate P2X4.
A direct comparison of the fragmentation test and the microbond pull-out test for determining the interfacial shear strength

Abstract Experiments were conducted to compare the fragmentation test with the microbond pull-out test for determining the interfacial shear strength between carbon AS4 fibers and a thermoset matrix consisting of a Di-Glycidyl Ether of Bisphenol A (DGEBA) resin cured with a diamine (meta-phenylenediamine, m-PDA) curing agent. The results indicate that, for the microbond test, diffusion of the rather volatile m-PDA curing agent at early stages of cure leads to low values of interfacial shear strengths when compared with results obtained for the same system with the fragmentation test. With the microbond test, a distinct relationship between the glass transition temperature of the droplets and their size is noticed. Smaller (< 150 μm) droplets have very low Tg's and are incompletely cured. While changing to a modified curing cycle and/or using a m-PDA-rich curing environment alleviates the diffusion problem, the interfacial shear strength values are still not in good agreement with the fragmentation test re.
An examination of the impact of computer-based animations and visualization sequence on student understanding of hadley cells in atmospheric circulation

Research examining animation use for student learning has been conducted in the last two decades across a multitude of instructional environments and content areas. The extensive construction and implementation of animations in learning resulted from the availability of powerful computing systems and the perceived advantages the novel medium offered to deliver dynamic representations of complex systems beyond the human perceptual scale. Animations replaced or supplemented text and static diagrams of system functioning and were predicted to significantly improve learners' conceptual understanding of target systems. However, subsequent research has not consistently discovered affordances to understanding, and in some cases, has actually shown that animation use is detrimental to system understanding especially for content area novices (Lowe 2004; Mayer et al. 2005). This study sought to determine whether animation inclusion in an authentic learning context improved student understanding for an introductory earth science concept, Hadley Cell circulation. In addition, the study sought to determine whether the timing of animation examination improved conceptual understanding. A quasi-experimental pretest posttest design administered in an undergraduate science lecture and laboratory course compared four different learning conditions: text and static diagrams with no animation use, animation use prior to the examination of text and static diagrams, animation use following the examination of text and static diagrams, and animation use during the examination of text and static diagrams. Additionally, procedural data for a sample of three students in each condition were recorded and analyzed through the lens of self regulated learning (SRL) behaviors. The aim was to determine whether qualitative differences existed between cognitive processes employed. Results indicated that animation use did not improve understanding across all conditions. However learners able to employ animations while reading and examining the static diagrams and to a lesser extent, after reading the system description, showed evidence of higher levels of system understanding on posttest assessments. Procedural data found few differences between groups with one exception---learners given access to animations during the learning episode chose to examine and coordinate the representations more frequently. These results indicated a new finding from the use of animation, a sequence effect to improve understanding of Hadley Cells in atmospheric circulation.
Second-order Propositional Announcement Logic

In this paper we introduce Second-order Propositional Announcement Logic (SOPAL): a language to express arbitrary announcements in Public Announcement Logic, by means of propositional quantification. We present SOPAL within a multi-agent context, and show that it is rich enough to express complex notions such as preservation under arbitrary announcements, knowability, and successfulness. We analyse the model theory of SOPAL and prove that it is strictly more expressive than Arbitrary PAL [2], and as expressive as Second-order Propositional Epistemic Logic [4], even though exponentially more succinct than the latter. These results points to a rich logic, with nice computational properties nonetheless, such as a decidable model checking problem and a complete axiomatisation.
Comparison of risk prediction scores for venous thromboembolism in cancer patients: a prospective cohort study

In ambulatory patients with solid cancer, routine thromboprophylaxis to prevent venous thromboembolism is not recommended. Several risk prediction scores to identify cancer patients at high risk of venous thromboembolism have been proposed, but their clinical usefulness remains a matter of debate. We evaluated and directly compared the performance of the Khorana, Vienna, PROTECHT, and CONKO scores in a multinational, prospective cohort study. Patients with advanced cancer were eligible if they were due to undergo chemotherapy or had started chemotherapy in the previous three months. The primary outcome was objectively confirmed symptomatic or incidental deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism during a 6-month follow-up period. A total of 876 patients were enrolled, of whom 260 (30%) had not yet received chemotherapy. Fifty-three patients (6.1%) developed venous thromboembolism. The c-statistics of the scores ranged from 0.50 to 0.57. At the conventional positivity threshold of 3 points, the scores classified 13–34% of patients as high-risk; the 6-month incidence of venous thromboembolism in these patients ranged from 6.5% (95%CI: 2.8–12) for the Khorana score to 9.6% (95%CI: 6.6–13) for the PROTECHT score. High-risk patients had a significantly increased risk of venous thromboembolism when using the Vienna (subhazard ratio 1.7; 95%CI: 1.0–3.1) or PROTECHT (subhazard ratio 2.1; 95%CI: 1.2–3.6) scores. In conclusion, the prediction scores performed poorly in predicting venous thromboembolism in cancer patients. The Vienna CATS and PROTECHT scores appear to discriminate better between low- and high-risk patients, but further improvements are needed before they can be considered for introduction into clinical practice.
Fast recursion formula for weight multiplicities

The purpose of this note is to describe and prove a fast recursion formula for computing multiplicities of weights of finite dimensional representations of simple Lie algebras over C. Until now information about weight multiplicities for all but some special cases [1 ,2] has had to be found from the recursion formulas of Freudenthal [3] or Racah [4] . Typically these formulas become too laborious to use for hand computations for ranks ^ 5 and dimensions ^ 1 0 0 and for ranks — 10 and dimensions ~ 10 on a large computer [5, 6 ] . With the proposed method the multiplicities can routinely be calculated, even by hand, for dimensions far exceeding these. As an example we present a summary of calculations [7] of all multiplicities in the first sixteen irreducible representations of Es. Let ($ be a semisimple Lie algebra over C with root system A and Weyl group W relative to a Cartan subalgebra §. Let A be the positive roots with respect to some ordering and II = {at, . . . , a;} the set of simple roots. Let Q and P be the root and weight lattices respectively spanning the real vector space F C § * . If X C P we denote by X + the set of dominant elements of X relative to n. Let M be an irreducible ($ -module with highest weight A and weight system £2. An important feature of the approach is the direct determination of £2 + + without computing outside the dominant chamber. Since every W-orbit is represented by one weight X £ £2 + + of the same multiplicity, it suffices to compute such X's. The recursion formula for computing the multiplicities is a modification (Proposition 4) of the Freudenthal formula in which the Weyl group has been exploited to collapse it as much as possible. After describing the procedure, we present the E% example. Finally the necessary proofs are given.
Cabbage (Brassica oleracea L. var. capitata) phytochemicals with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory potential.

BACKGROUND The objective of this study was to investigate antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity of cabbage phytochemicals. MATERIALS AND METHODS Color coordinates were evaluated by colorimetry, and the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities were analyzed by spectrophotometer for some common cabbage varieties. RESULTS Red heads had the highest total antioxidant contents followed by Savoy, Chinese and green heads. The Chinese variety had the highest ABTS (2,2-azino-di-(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-sulfonic acid) antioxidant activity, was 5.72 μmol TE/g fw (Trolox equivalent). The green variety had the highest DPPH (free radical scavenging activity) antioxidant activity, which was 91.2 μmol TE/g fw. The red variety had the highest FRAP (ferric reducing antioxidant power) antioxidant activity, which was 80.8 μmol TE/g fw. The total phenol amounts were 17.2-32.6 mM trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC) and the total flavonoid amounts were 40.0-74.2 mg quercetin per gram. Methanolic extracts of different cabbage heads showed different anti-inflammatory activity values. Chinese, Savoy and green heads had the highest anti-inflammatory activity, while red heads had the lowest. CONCLUSIONS The results suggest that these varieties of cabbage heads could contribute as sources of important antioxidant and anti-inflammatory related to the prevention of chronic diseases associated to oxidative stress, such as in cancer and coronary artery disease.
ES 3 N : A Semantic Approach to Data Management in Sensor Networks

In this paper, we present a Data Management Tool called ES3N, which uses Semantic Web techniques to manage and query data collected from a minidome Sensor Network. Our tool supports complex queries on both continuous and archival data, by capturing important associations among data, collected and stored in a distributed dynamic ontology. The motivation behind our work stems from a desire to increase awareness of the advantages of Semantic Web techniques across the Sensor Networks spectrum and to highlight the inefficiencies in existing Data Management techniques in Sensor Networks for silos and mini-domes. We stress the advantages of semantics in this case study, and present a discussion that extrapolates the possible benefits Semantic Web techniques can bring to Sensor Networks in general.
Interleukin-7, but Not Thymic Stromal Lymphopoietin, Plays a Key Role in the T Cell Response to Influenza A Virus

The immune response to viral infection is ideally rapid and specific, resulting in viral clearance and establishment of immune memory. Some viruses such as HIV can evade such responses leading to chronic infection, while others like Influenza A can elicit a severe inflammatory response with immune-related complications including death. Cytokines play a major role in shaping the appropriate outcomes to infection. While Interleukin-7 (IL-7) has a critical role in T and B cell development, treatment with IL-7 has recently been shown to aid the adaptive T cell response in clearance of chronic viral infection. In contrast, the IL-7-related cytokine thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) has a limited role in lymphocyte development but is important in the immune response to parasitic worms and allergens. The role for these cytokines in the immune response to an acute viral infection is unclear. IL-7 and TSLP share IL-7Rα as part of their heterodimeric receptors with the gamma common chain (γc) and TSLPR, respectively. We investigated the role of IL-7 and TSLP in the primary immune response to influenza A infection using hypomorphic IL-7Rα (IL-7Rα449F) and TSLPR−/− mice. We found that IL-7, but not TSLP, plays an important role in control of influenza A virus. We also showed that IL-7 signaling was necessary for the generation of a robust influenza A-specific CD4 and CD8 T cell response and that this requirement is intrinsic to CD8 T cells. These findings demonstrate a significant role for IL-7 during acute viral infection.