Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Changes in neurologic function tests may predict neurotoxicity caused by ixabepilone.

PURPOSE To investigate baseline factors and neurologic function tests (NFTs) that may predict the development of grade 2 or higher peripheral neuropathy (PN) after treatment with ixabepilone, an epothilone microtubule-stabilizing agent with antitumor activity. PATIENTS AND METHODS Advanced breast cancer patients were treated with ixabepilone (6 mg/m2) for 5 consecutive days every 3 weeks in a phase II clinical trial. Physical examinations, questionnaires, nerve conduction studies, and NFTs, including the Jebsen Test of Hand Function (JTH) and the Grooved Pegboard Test (GPT), were performed at baseline and during subsequent cycles. RESULTS Forty-seven patients assessable for PN received a median of five cycles of therapy (range, one to 22 cycles). Nine of these patients developed grade 2 PN, and two developed grade 3 PN, with a median time to onset of 144 days (range, 6 to 189 days). Among these 11 patients, PN resolved in eight patients, with a median of 15 days (range, 6 to 346 days) after onset, but PN did not resolve in three patients during follow-ups at 76, 361, and 746 days after onset. GPT and changes of JTH scores at onset of PN were significantly different between patients with and without PN at comparable follow-up times (P = .006 and P = .002, respectively). Changes in GPT and JTH scores over the first two cycles were often associated with the development of PN by exploratory actuarial analysis. CONCLUSION Serious ixabepilone-induced neuropathy was relatively rare on the treatment schedule used. NFTs, such as JTH and GPT, may have utility for predicting PN, but further testing is needed.
Variations in the monoamine oxidase B lpar;MAOB) gene are associated with Parkinson's disease

The monoamine oxidase B gene (MAOB; Xp15.21‐4) is a candidate gene for Parkinson's disease (PD) given its role in dopamine metabolism and its possible role in the activation of neurotoxins. The association of MAOB polymorphisms (a [GT] repeat allelic variation in intron 2 and an A–G transition in intron 13) with Parkinson's disease (PD) was studied in an Australian cohort of 204 (male:female ratio 1.60) people with PD and 285 (male:female ratio 1.64) age‐ and gender‐matched control subjects. Genomic DNA was extracted from venous blood and polymerase chain reaction was used to amplify the appropriate regions of the MAOB gene. The length of each (GT) repeat sequence was determined by 5% polyacrylamide denaturing gel electrophoresis and a DNA fragment analyzer, while the G–A genotype was determined using 2% agarose gel electrophoresis. The G–A polymorphism showed no association with PD (odds ratio [OR] = 0.80; p = 0.51; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.42–1.53). There was a significant difference in allele frequencies of the (GT) repeat allelic variation between patients and control subjects (χ2 = 20.09; p <0.01). After statistical adjustment for potential confounders using a logistic regression analysis, the (GT) repeat alleles ⩾188 base pairs in the intron 2 marker of the MAOB gene were significantly associated with PD (OR = 4.60; p <0.00005; 95% CI = 1.97–10.77). The 186 base pair allele was also significantly associated with PD (OR = 1.85; p = 0.048; 95% CI = 1.01–3.42). The GT repeat in intron 2 of the MAOB gene is a powerful marker for PD in this large Australian cohort.
Comparative analyses of paediatric dental measurements using plaster and three-dimensional digital models.

AIM Recent advances in three-dimensional imaging have led to an increased interest in the application of computer-models in paediatric dentistry. However, in evidence-based paediatric dentistry the accuracy of new methods must be validated before they are introduced to clinical practice. We aimed to compare the accuracy of measurements of digital models obtained using a non-contact 3D measuring system, with direct measurements made on plaster models (gold standard) from children. MATERIALS AND METHODS Twelve pairs of plaster models were obtained from children with deciduous dentition; tooth size, arch width, and arch length were examined. The same parts on each cast were measured twice with at least a 2-week interval between measurements with each method by four examiners. Linear mixed-effects model analyses were performed for comparison of values from the 2 different measurement methods. RESULTS The average difference between the 2 methods in measured values, derived from the final model, was <0.2 mm. Random effect of examiners was always the smallest component of variance, and frequently negligible. STATISTICS Intraclass correlation coefficients were typically >90%. CONCLUSION These results suggest that primary dentition analysis of digital models has a high accuracy level, comparable to that of direct measurement of plaster models by digital calipers.
Locations that Support Social Activity Participation of the Aging Population

Social activities are an important aspect of health and quality of life of the aging population. They are key elements in the prevention of loneliness. In order to create living environments that stimulate older adults to engage in social activities, more insight is needed in the social activity patterns of the aging population. This study therefore analyzes the heterogeneity in older adults’ preferences for different social activity location types and the relationship between these preferences and personal and mobility characteristics. This is done using a latent class multinomial logit model based on two-day diary data collected in 2014 in Noord-Limburg in the Netherlands among 213 respondents aged 65 or over. The results show that three latent classes can be identified among the respondents who recorded social activities in the diary: a group that mainly socializes at home, a group that mainly socializes at a community center and a group that is more likely to socialize at public ‘third’ places. The respondents who did not record any interactions during the two days, are considered as a separate segment. Relationships between segment membership and personal and mobility characteristics were tested using cross-tabulations with chi-square tests and analyses of variance. The results suggest that both personal and mobility characteristics play an important role in social activity patterns of older adults.
Cloning the full‐length cDNA for rat connective tissue growth factor: Implications for skeletal development

The mammalian osteopetroses represent a pathogenetically diverse group of skeletal disorders characterized by excess bone mass resulting from reduced osteoclastic bone resorption. Abnormalities involving osteoblast function and skeletal development have also been reported in many forms of the disease. In this study, we used the rat mutation, osteopetrosis (op), to examine differences in skeletal gene expression between op mutants and their normal littermates. RNA isolated from calvaria and long bones was used as a template for mRNA‐differential display. Sequence information for one of the many cDNA that were selectively expressed in either normal or mutant bone suggested that it is the rat homologue of connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) previously cloned in the human, mouse, and other species. A consensus sequence was assembled from overlapping 5′‐RACE clones and used to confirm the rat CTGF cDNA protein coding region. Northern blot analysis confirmed that this message was highly (8‐ to 10‐fold) over‐expressed in op versus normal bone; it was also upregulated in op kidney but none of the other tissues (brain, liver, spleen, thymus) examined. In primary rat osteoblast cultures, the CTGF message exhibits a temporal pattern of expression dependent on their state of differentiation. Furthermore, CTGF expression is regulated by prostaglandin E2, a factor known to modulate osteoblast differentiation. Since members of the CTGF family regulate the expression of specific genes, such as collagen and fibronectin, we propose that CTGF may play a previously unreported role in normal skeletal modeling/remodeling. Its dramatic over‐expression in the op mutant skeleton may be secondary to the uncoupling of bone resorption and bone formation resulting in dysregulation of osteoblast gene expression and function. J. Cell. Biochem. 77:103–115, 2000. © 2000 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
On the Use and Usefulness of Backup Plans

In this article, we introduce the concept of backup plans as a motivational construct, defined as alternative means to an end that are intentionally developed but are not initially (or ever) used. We posit that backup plans change the way that a person pursues a goal, as well as the likelihood of achieving it, even if the backup plans are never used. In some cases, backup plans are a safety net supporting goal pursuit; however, in other cases, they constitute an unnecessary expense that can undermine motivation to persist with a first-choice plan. We propose that variations in the use and usefulness of backup plans are based on a person’s estimation and regulation of complexity value, or the additional costs and benefits that having a backup plan introduces compared with pursuing the same goal with only a single means. Although variations in the estimation and regulation of complexity value are idiosyncratic products of individual, contextual, and goal-related factors, we provide the prototypical example of age-related differences to illustrate our key points. In sum, our conceptualization of backup plans represents a new synthesis of motivation, multiple-goal, and life-span developmental research that addresses a key lacuna in the self-regulation literature.
Effect of Nickel Chloride on Cell Proliferation

Objective: Metal alloys used in dentistry and in other biomedical fields may release nickel ions in the oral environment. The release of nickel might influence the normal biological and physiological processes, including tissue wound healing, cell growth and proliferation. The aim of this study was to evaluate in vitro the effects of nickel ions on cell cycle, viability and proliferation. Materials and Methods: Human osteosarcoma cells (U2OS) and human keratinocytes (HaCat) were exposed to different nickel chloride (NiCl2) concentrations (0 - 5mM) for various periods exposure. The viability of cultured cells was estimated by flow cytometry using Annexin V-FITC and Propidium Iodide (PI). Cell proliferation was evaluated by using carboxyfluorescein diacetate succinimidyl ester (CFDA-SE) and flow cytometry. Finally, the effects of NiCl2 on cell cycle were assessed and quantified by flow cytometry. Statistical analysis was performed by means of ANOVA followed by Tukey’s test. Results: NiCl2 induced a dose and time dependent decrease in cell viability. After 24h, 1mM NiCl2 caused a similar and significant reduction of viability in U2OS and HaCat cells, while higher NiCl2 concentrations and longer exposure times showed a reduced cytotoxic effect in HaCat as compared to U2OS cells. Exposure to NiCl2 caused a dose- and time-dependent inhibition of cell proliferation in both cell lines tested, with a prominent effect on U2OS cells. Furthermore, both cell lines exposed to NiCl2 exhibited significant changes in cell cycle distribution after 24h exposure 2mM NiCl2, as compared to untreated cells (p<0.05). Conclusion: Our results indicate that release of nickel ions may affect cell proliferation. The inhibition of cell growth by NiCl2 is mediated by both cell cycle arrest and by induction of cell death.
Identification of mycobacteria by high-performance liquid chromatography

Mycolic acids extracted from saponified mycobacterial cells were examined as p-bromophenacyl esters by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Standard HPLC patterns were developed for species of Mycobacterium by examination of strains from culture collections and other well-characterized isolates. Relative retention times of peaks and peak height comparisons were used to develop a differentiation scheme that was 98% accurate for the species examined. A rapid, cost-effective HPLC method which offers an alternative approach to the identification of mycobacteria is described.
‘ Hausdorff distance ’ via conical cocompletion Isar

In the context of quantaloid-enriched categories, we explain how each saturated class of weights defines, and is defined by, an essentially unique full sub-KZ-doctrine of the free cocompletion KZ-doctrine. The KZ-doctrines which arise as full sub-KZ-doctrines of the free cocompletion, are characterised by two simple “fully faithfulness” conditions. Conical weights form a saturated class, and the corresponding KZ-doctrine is precisely (the generalisation to quantaloid-enriched categories of) the Hausdorff doctrine of [Akhvlediani et al., 2009].
Sdn Security: A Survey

The pull of Software-Defined Networking (SDN) is magnetic. There are few in the networking community who have escaped its impact. As the benefits of network visibility and network device programmability are discussed, the question could be asked as to who exactly will benefit? Will it be the network operator or will it, in fact, be the network intruder? As SDN devices and systems hit the market, security in SDN must be raised on the agenda. This paper presents a comprehensive survey of the research relating to security in software-defined networking that has been carried out to date. Both the security enhancements to be derived from using the SDN framework and the security challenges introduced by the framework are discussed. By categorizing the existing work, a set of conclusions and proposals for future research directions are presented.
Activation of Downstream Signals by the Long Form of the Leptin Receptor*

The adipocyte-derived hormone leptin signals the status of body energy stores by activating the long form of the leptin receptor (LRb). Activation of LRb results in the activation of the associated Jak2 tyrosine kinase and the transmission of downstream phosphotyrosine-dependent signals. We have investigated the signaling function of mutant LRb intracellular domains under the control of the extracellular erythropoietin (Epo) receptor. By using this system, we confirm that two tyrosine residues in the intracellular domain of murine LRb become phosphorylated to mediate LRb signaling; Tyr985 controls the tyrosine phosphorylation of SHP-2, and Tyr1138 controls STAT3 activation. We furthermore investigated the mechanisms by which LRb controls downstream ERK activation and c-fos and SOCS3 message accumulation. Tyr985-mediated recruitment of SHP-2 does not alter tyrosine phosphorylation of Jak2 or STAT3 but results in GRB-2 binding to tyrosine-phosphorylated SHP-2 and is required for the majority of ERK activation during LRb signaling. Tyr985 and ERK activation similarly mediate c-fos mRNA accumulation. In contrast, SOCS3 mRNA accumulation requires Tyr1138-mediated STAT3 activation. Thus, the two LRb tyrosine residues that are phosphorylated during receptor activation mediate distinct signaling pathways as follows: SHP-2 binding to Tyr985 positively regulates the ERK → c-fospathway, and STAT3 binding to Tyr1138 mediates the inhibitory SOCS3 pathway.
C-type natriuretic peptide expression and pulmonary vasodilation in hypoxia-adapted rats.

Atrial and brain natriuretic peptides (ANP and BNP, respectively) are potent pulmonary vasodilators that are upregulated in hypoxia-adapted rats and may protect against hypoxic pulmonary hypertension. To test the hypothesis that C-type natriuretic peptide (CNP) also modulates pulmonary vascular responses to hypoxia, we compared the vasodilator effect of CNP with that of ANP on pulmonary arterial rings, thoracic aortic rings, and isolated perfused lungs obtained from normoxic and hypoxia-adapted rats. We also measured CNP and ANP levels in heart, lung, brain, and plasma in normoxic and hypoxia-adapted rats. Steady-state CNP mRNA levels were quantified in the same organs by relative RT-PCR. CNP was a less potent vasodilator than ANP in preconstricted thoracic aortic and pulmonary arterial rings and in isolated lungs from normoxic and hypoxia-adapted rats. Chronic hypoxia increased plasma CNP (15 ± 2 vs. 6 ± 1 pg/ml; P < 0.05) and decreased CNP in the right atrium (35 ± 14 vs. 65 ± 17 pg/mg protein; P < 0.05) and in the lung (3 ± 1 vs. 14 ± 3 pg/mg protein; P < 0.05) but had no effect on CNP in brain or right ventricle. Chronic hypoxia increased ANP levels fivefold in the right ventricle (49 ± 5 vs. 11 ± 2 pg/mg protein; P < 0.05) but had no effect on ANP in lung or brain. There was a trend toward decreased ANP levels in the right atrium (2,009 ± 323 vs. 2,934 ± 397 pg/mg protein; P = not significant). No differences in CNP transcript levels were observed between the two groups of rats except that the right atrial CNP mRNA levels were lower in hypoxia-adapted rats. We conclude that CNP is a less potent pulmonary vasodilator than ANP in normoxic and hypoxia-adapted rats and that hypoxia raises circulating CNP levels without increasing cardiopulmonary CNP expression. These findings suggest that CNP may be less important than ANP or BNP in protecting against hypoxic pulmonary hypertension in rats.
Synchronizing Concurrent Objects in the Pi-Calculus

eutilisables et de plus haut niveau. abstract. The development of concurrent object-based programming languages has suered from the lack of any generally accepted formal foundation for dening their semantics. Therefore we are seeking for a minimal semantic foundation for dening features of concurrent object-based languages. Our previous work has shown that the -calculus is a promising formal foundation for modelling objects, and we have dened an object model integrating common features of object-oriented programming languages. Our goal is to dene a black-box framework for modelling objects. As a rst extension of our -calculus based object model, we present in this work the integration of abstractions for synchronizing concurrent objects. Our results show that objects are most easily synchronized when synchronization policies are reied as
Relevant Exposure to Environmental Tobacco Smoke Surrogate Does Not Produce or Modify Secretory Otitis Media in the Rat

Parental smoking is a possible risk factor in the development of secretory otitis media (SOM) in children. This experiment was designed to determine, using rats as an experimental model, whether exposures to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) produce SOM and whether ETS exposure affects the rate of clearance of an experimentally induced effusion. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to 3 different concentrations of aged and diluted sidestream smoke, a surrogate for ETS, from 1R4F research cigarettes for 6 hr per day for 5 days. Experimental SOM was induced bilaterally in subgroups of animals from each group, by cold air exposure to the external auditory canals. Ears of rats were examined during the in-life portion of the study. Histopathologic examination of the middle ear was conducted at the termination of the 5-day period. The production of SOM was not induced by ETS exposure, nor were there differences noted between the groups in the rates of clearance of the experimentally induced SOM. Short-term exposure to ETS did not affect the acquisition or clearance of SOM in the rat.
A Channel Under Simultaneous Jamming and Eavesdropping Attack—Correlated Random Coding Capacities Under Strong Secrecy Criteria

We give a complete characterization of the correlated random coding secrecy capacity of arbitrarily varying wiretap channels (AVWCs). We apply two alternative strong secrecy criteria, which both lead to the same multi-letter formula. The difference of these criteria lies in the treatment of correlated randomness; they coincide in the case of uncorrelated codes. On the basis of the derived formula, we show that the correlated random coding secrecy capacity is continuous as a function of the AVWC, in contrast to the discontinuous uncorrelated coding secrecy capacity. In the proof of the secrecy capacity formula for correlated random codes, we apply an auxiliary channel, which is compound from the sender to the intended receiver and arbitrarily varying from the sender to the eavesdropper.
Analysis of Arbovirus Isolates from Australia Identifies Novel Bunyaviruses Including a Mapputta Group Virus from Western Australia That Links Gan Gan and Maprik Viruses

The Mapputta group comprises antigenically related viruses indigenous to Australia and Papua New Guinea that are included in the family Bunyaviridae but not currently assigned to a specific genus. We determined and analyzed the genome sequences of five Australian viruses isolated from mosquitoes collected during routine arbovirus surveillance in Western Australia (K10441, SW27571, K13190, and K42904) and New South Wales (12005). Based on matching sequences of all three genome segments to prototype MRM3630 of Trubanaman virus (TRUV), NB6057 of Gan Gan virus (GGV), and MK7532 of Maprik virus (MPKV), isolates K13190 and SW27571 were identified as TRUV, 12005 as GGV, and K42904 as a Mapputta group virus from Western Australia linking GGV and MPKV. The results confirmed serum neutralization data that had linked SW27571 to TRUV. The fifth virus, K10441 from Willare, was most closely related to Batai orthobunyavirus, presumably representing an Australian variant of the virus. Phylogenetic analysis also confirmed the close relationship of our TRUV and GGV isolates to two other recently described Australian viruses, Murrumbidgee virus and Salt Ash virus, respectively. Our findings indicate that TRUV has a wide circulation throughout the Australian continent, demonstrating for the first time its presence in Western Australia. Similarly, the presence of a virus related to GGV, which had been linked to human disease and previously known only from the Australian southeast, was demonstrated in Western Australia. Finally, a Batai virus isolate was identified in Western Australia. The expanding availability of genomic sequence for novel Australian bunyavirus variants supports the identification of suitably conserved or diverse primer-binding target regions to establish group-wide as well as virus-specific nucleic acid tests in support of specific diagnostic and surveillance efforts throughout Australasia.
Robotic Grasp Initiation by Gaze Independent Brain-controlled Selection of Virtual Reality Objects

Assistive devices controlled by human brain activity could help severely paralyzed patients to perform everyday tasks such as reaching and grasping objects. However, the continuous control of anthropomorphic prostheses requires control of a large number of degrees of freedom which is challenging with the currently achievable information transfer rate of noninvasive Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCI). In this work we present an autonomous grasping system that allows grasping of natural objects even with the very low information transfer rates obtained in noninvasive BCIs. The grasp of one out of several objects is initiated by decoded voluntary brain wave modulations. A universal online grasp planning algorithm was developed that grasps the object selected by the user in a virtual reality environment. Our results with subjects demonstrate that training effort required to control the system is very low (<10 min) and that the decoding accuracy increases over time. We also found that the system works most reliably when subjects freely select objects and receive virtual grasp feedback.