Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Approaching a Scientific Consensus on the Association between Allergies and Glioma Risk: A Report from the Glioma International Case-Control Study

Background: Several previous studies have found inverse associations between glioma susceptibility and a history of allergies or other atopic conditions. Some evidence indicates that respiratory allergies are likely to be particularly relevant with regard to glioma risk. Using data from the Glioma International Case-Control Study (GICC), we examined the effects of respiratory allergies and other atopic conditions on glioma risk. Methods: The GICC contains detailed information on history of atopic conditions for 4,533 cases and 4,171 controls, recruited from 14 study sites across five countries. Using two-stage random-effects restricted maximum likelihood modeling to calculate meta-analysis ORs, we examined the associations between glioma and allergy status, respiratory allergy status, asthma, and eczema. Results: Having a history of respiratory allergies was associated with an approximately 30% lower glioma risk, compared with not having respiratory allergies (mOR, 0.72; 95% confidence interval, 0.58–0.90). This association was similar when restricting to high-grade glioma cases. Asthma and eczema were also significantly protective against glioma. Conclusion: A substantial amount of data on the inverse association between atopic conditions and glioma has accumulated, and findings from the GICC study further strengthen the existing evidence that the relationship between atopy and glioma is unlikely to be coincidental. Impact: As the literature approaches a consensus on the impact of allergies in glioma risk, future research can begin to shift focus to what the underlying biologic mechanism behind this association may be, which could, in turn, yield new opportunities for immunotherapy or cancer prevention. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 25(2); 282–90. ©2016 AACR.
On the pressure dependence of a charge density wave state in 2H-Tas 2

2014 The onset of a charge density wave has been studied by resistivity measurements in 2H-TaS2 up to 33 kbar. The pressure coefficient of TCDW is ~ ln TCDW/~P = 2.9 10-3 kbar-1 at ambient pressure. A larger pressure dependence occurs at higher pressure and suggests that the normal metallic state of 2H-TaS2 may be stable down to 0 K above 43 kbar. The relation between a CDW state and the pressure enhanced superconductivity is discussed. LE JOURNAL DE PHYSIQUE LETTRES
Application of an XMM-Newton EPIC Monte Carlo Technique to Analysis and Interpretation of Data for the Abell 1689, RX J0658–55, and Centaurus Clusters of Galaxies

We propose a new Monte Carlo method to study extended X-ray sources with the European Photon Imaging Camera (EPIC) aboard XMM-Newton. The smoothed particle inference (SPI) technique, described in a companion paper, is applied here to the EPIC data for the clusters of galaxies Abell 1689, Centaurus, and RX J0658-55 (the "bullet cluster"). We aim to show the advantages of this method of simultaneous spectral and spatial modeling over traditional X-ray spectral analysis. In Abell 1689 we confirm our earlier findings about structure in the temperature distribution and produce a high-resolution temperature map. We also find a hint of velocity structure within the gas, consistent with previous findings. In the bullet cluster, RX J0658-55, we produce the highest resolution temperature map ever to be published of this cluster, allowing us to trace what looks like the trail of the motion of the bullet in the cluster. We even detect a south-to-north temperature gradient within the bullet itself. In the Centaurus cluster we detect, by dividing up the luminosity of the cluster in bands of gas temperatures, a striking feature to the northeast of the cluster core. We hypothesize that this feature is caused by a subcluster left over from a substantial merger that slightly displaced the core. We conclude that our method is very powerful in determining the spatial distributions of plasma temperatures and very useful for systematic studies in cluster structure.
Hippocampus and remote spatial memory in rats

Damage to the hippocampus typically produces temporally graded retrograde amnesia, whereby memories acquired recently are impaired more than memories acquired remotely. This phenomenon has been demonstrated repeatedly in a variety of species and tasks. It has also figured prominently in theoretical treatments of memory and hippocampal function. Yet temporally graded retrograde amnesia has not been demonstrated following hippocampal damage in spatial tasks like the water maze. We have assessed recent and remote spatial memory following hippocampal lesions in three different tests of spatial memory: (1) the standard water maze; (2) the Oasis maze, a dry‐land version of the water maze; and (3) the annular water maze, where training and testing occur within a circular corridor. Training protocols were developed for each task such that retention of spatial memory could be expressed after very long retention intervals. In addition, retention in each task was assessed with single probe trials so that the assessment of remote memory did not depend on the ability to relearn across multiple trials. The findings were consistent across the three tasks. In the standard water maze (Experiment 1), spatial memory was impaired after training–surgery intervals of 1 day, 8 weeks, or 14 weeks. Similarly, in the Oasis maze (Experiment 2), spatial memory was impaired after training–surgery intervals of 1 day and 9 weeks. Finally, in the annular water maze (Experiment 3), spatial memory was impaired after training–surgery intervals of 9 weeks and 14 weeks. Dorsal hippocampal lesions impaired performance to the same extent as complete lesions. The impairment in remote spatial memory could reflect disruption of previously acquired spatial information. Alternatively, it is possible that in these tasks hippocampal lesions might produce an impairment in performance that prevents the expression of an otherwise intact spatial memory. Published 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Antiviral activity of medicinal plants of Nilgiris.

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES Medicinal plants have been traditionally used for different kinds of ailments including infectious diseases. There is an increasing need for substances with antiviral activity since the treatment of viral infections with the available antiviral drugs often leads to the problem of viral resistance. Herpes simplex virus (HSV) causes a variety of life threatening diseases. Since the chemotherapeutic agents available for HSV infections are either low in quality or limited in efficiency, there is a need to search for new and more effective antiviral agents for HSV infections. Therefore in the present study 18 plants with ethnomedical background from different families were screened for antiviral activity against HSV-1. METHODS Different parts of the plants collected from in and around Ootacamund, Tamil Nadu were extracted with different solvents to obtain crude extracts. These extracts were screened for their cytotoxicity against Vero cell line by assay microculture tetrazolium (MTT) trypan blue dye exclusion, proteins estimation and 3H labeling. Antiviral properties of the plant extracts were determined by cytopathic effect inhibition assay and virus yield reduction assay. RESULTS Three plant extracts Hypericum mysorense, Hypericum hookerianum and Usnea complanta exhibited significant antiviral activity at a concentration non toxic to the cell line used. The extracts of Melia dubia, Cryptostegia grandiflora and essential oil of Rosmarinus officinalis showed partial activity at higher concentrations. INTERPRETATION & CONCLUSION Some of the medicinal plants have shown antiviral activity. Further research is needed to elucidate the active constituents of these plants which may be useful in the development of new and effective antiviral agents.
A conservative scheme for distributed low-delay routing in MANETs

Delay-based routing is proved to improve the network's round-trip time without enhancing its throughput [1]. The reason is that optimising the end-to-end delay -as any load-based metric- creates route instability which results in packet reordering. This problem is detrimental for TCP. In the present work, we couple delay-based routing with a mechanism that locks, upon each node, the next-hop for each TCP flow, unless that hop becomes unavailable. The routes for future flows are proactively discovered by optimized link-state routing (OLSR) and reside in the node's routing table, so the proposed mechanism is fully distributed. Simulation experiments in static and mobile scenarios for small pedestrian networks show that the use of path-locking in conjunction with delay-based routing alleviates the route oscillations and improves the TCP's throughput1.
Hypovitaminosis D among rheumatology outpatients in clinical practice

Objectives. A role for vitamin D in the pathogenesis of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases is emerging. We undertook an audit of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) investigation and treatment in rheumatology outpatients. Methods. Serum 25OHD requests were matched to electronic medical records from rheumatology and metabolic bone clinics (April 2006–March 2007). Data were analysed separately for two groups, ‘Documented osteoporosis/osteopaenia’ (Group 1) and ‘General rheumatology outpatients’ (Group 2, sub-divided by diagnosis). Hypovitaminosis D was defined by 25OHD levels <50 nmol/l. Values were compared with healthy adults to calculate geometric z-scores. Results. A total of 263 patients were included (Group 1, n = 122; Group 2, n = 141) with an overall median 25OHD of 44 nmol/l.The 25OHD level among general rheumatology patients (median 39 nmol/l, mean z score −1.2, was statistically significantly lower than among osteoporotic/osteopaenic patients (median 49 nmol/l, mean z score of −0.9, p < 0.05 for the difference). 25OHD was lower in inflammatory arthritis and chronic pain/fibromyalgia than in other groups. Prescribing was recorded in 100 in Group 1 (of whom 95% were prescribed calcium/800 IU cholecalciferol) and 83 in Group 2 (91% calcium/800 IU). Only 31% of the patients with 25OHD <50 nmol/l would have been identified using general guidelines for screening patients at ‘high risk’ of hypovitaminosis D. Conclusions. Improved guidelines for managing hypovitaminosis D in rheumatology patients are needed. We found a high prevalence of hypovitaminosis D among secondary care patients in rheumatology and widespread supplementation with 800 IU cholecalciferol. Substantially reduced levels of serum 25OHD were identified among patients with inflammatory arthritis and chronic pain.
Continental crust beneath southeast Iceland

Significance The Iceland hotspot is widely thought to be the surface expression of a deep mantle plume from the core–mantle boundary that can be traced back in time at least 62 My. However, some lavas contain continental material, which has previously been proposed to have been recycled through the plume. Here, we argue that the plume split off a sliver of continent from Greenland in the Early Eocene. This sliver is now located beneath southeast Iceland where it locally contaminates some of the plume-derived magmas. The magmatic activity (0–16 Ma) in Iceland is linked to a deep mantle plume that has been active for the past 62 My. Icelandic and northeast Atlantic basalts contain variable proportions of two enriched components, interpreted as recycled oceanic crust supplied by the plume, and subcontinental lithospheric mantle derived from the nearby continental margins. A restricted area in southeast Iceland—and especially the Öræfajökull volcano—is characterized by a unique enriched-mantle component (EM2-like) with elevated 87Sr/86Sr and 207Pb/204Pb. Here, we demonstrate through modeling of Sr–Nd–Pb abundances and isotope ratios that the primitive Öræfajökull melts could have assimilated 2–6% of underlying continental crust before differentiating to more evolved melts. From inversion of gravity anomaly data (crustal thickness), analysis of regional magnetic data, and plate reconstructions, we propose that continental crust beneath southeast Iceland is part of ∼350-km-long and 70-km-wide extension of the Jan Mayen Microcontinent (JMM). The extended JMM was marginal to East Greenland but detached in the Early Eocene (between 52 and 47 Mya); by the Oligocene (27 Mya), all parts of the JMM permanently became part of the Eurasian plate following a westward ridge jump in the direction of the Iceland plume.
Carbon Flow of Heliobacteria Is Related More to Clostridia than to the Green Sulfur Bacteria*

The recently discovered heliobacteria are the only Gram-positive photosynthetic bacteria that have been cultured. One of the unique features of heliobacteria is that they have properties of both the photosynthetic green sulfur bacteria (containing the type I reaction center) and Clostridia (forming heat-resistant endospores). Most of the previous studies of heliobacteria, which are strict anaerobes and have the simplest known photosynthetic apparatus, have focused on energy and electron transfer processes. It has been assumed that like green sulfur bacteria, the major carbon flow in heliobacteria is through the (incomplete) reductive (reverse) tricarboxylic acid cycle, whereas the lack of CO2-enhanced growth has not been understood. Here, we report studies to fill the knowledge gap of heliobacterial carbon metabolism. We confirm that the CO2-anaplerotic pathway is active during phototrophic growth and that isoleucine is mainly synthesized from the citramalate pathway. Furthermore, to our surprise, our results suggest that the oxidative (forward) TCA cycle is operative and more active than the previously reported reductive (reverse) tricarboxylic acid cycle. Both isotopomer analysis and activity assays suggest that citrate is produced by a putative (Re)-citrate synthase and then enters the oxidative (forward) TCA cycle. Moreover, in contrast to (Si)-citrate synthase, (Re)-citrate synthase produces a different isomer of 2-fluorocitrate that is not expected to inhibit the activity of aconitase.
Integrated experimental and simulation study of the response to sequential treatment with erlotinib and gemcitabine in pancreatic cancer

The combination of erlotinib with gemcitabine is one of the most promising therapies for advanced pancreatic cancer. Aiming at optimizing this combination, we analyzed in detail the response to sequential treatments with erlotinib → gemcitabine and gemcitabine → erlotinib with an 18 h interval, adopting a previously established experimental/computational approach to quantify the cytostatic and cytotoxic effects at G1, S and G2M checkpoints. This assessment was achieved by contemporary fits of flow cytometric and time-lapse experiments in two human pancreatic cancer cell lines (BxPC-3 and Capan-1) with a mathematical model reproducing the fluxes of cells through the cycle during and after treatment. The S-phase checkpoint contributes in the response to erlotinib, suggesting that the G1 arrest may hamper S-phase cytotoxicity. The response to gemcitabine was driven by the dynamics of the progressive resumption from the S-phase arrest after drug washout. The effects induced by single drugs were used to simulate combined treatments, introducing changes when required. Gemcitabine → erlotinib was more than additive in both cell lines, strengthening the cytostatic effects on cells recovering from the arrest induced by gemcitabine. The interval in the erlotinib → gemcitabine sequence enabled to overcome the antagonist effect of G1 block on gemcitabine efficacy and improved the outcome in Capan-1 cells.
Student perceptions about learning anatomy

This research study was conducted to examine student perceptions about learning anatomy and to explore how these perceptions shape the learning experience. This study utilized a mixed-methods design in order to better understand how students approach learning anatomy. Two sets of data were collected at two time periods; one at the beginning and one at the end of the academic semester. Data consisted of results from a survey instrument that contained open-ended questions and a questionnaire and individual student interviews. The questionnaire scored students on a surface approach to learning (relying on rote memorization and knowing factual information) scale and a deep approach to learning (understanding concepts and deeper meaning behind the material) scale. Students were asked to volunteer from four different anatomy classes; two entry-level undergraduate courses from two different departments, an upper-level undergraduate course, and a graduate level course. Results indicate that students perceive that they will learn anatomy through memorization regardless of the level of class being taken. This is generally supported by the learning environment and thus students leave the classroom believing that anatomy is about memorizing structures and remembering anatomical terminology. When comparing this class experience to other academic classes, many students believed that anatomy was more reliant on memorization techniques for learning although many indicated that memorization is their primary learning method for most courses. Results from the questionnaire indicate that most students had decreases in both their deep approach and surface approach scores with the exception of students that had no previous anatomy experience. These students had an average increase in surface approach and so relied more on memorization and repetition for learning. The implication of these results is that the learning environment may actually amplify students’ perceptions of the anatomy course at all levels and experiences of enrolled students. Instructors wanting to foster deeper approaches to learning may
Subarcsecond-Resolution Radio Maps of Nearby Spiral Galaxies

We report subarcsecond-resolution Very Large Array imaging of four nearby spiral galaxies: IC 342, Maffei II, NGC 2903, and NGC 6946. In each galaxy, compact radio continuum sources are identified in the central ∼15″ × 15″ region. These compact sources are responsible for 20%-30% of the total emission from the central kiloparsec of the host galaxies at 2 cm but only ∼5%-10% at 6 cm. More than half of the compact sources appear to be H II regions. The H II regions with rising spectra must be fairly dense (ni ∼ 104 cm-3) and are presumably very young. The largest of these H II regions require the excitation of 500-800 O stars within regions only a few parsecs in extent. These clusters approach the sizes expected for globular clusters. Thermal free-free emission from compact sources contributes more significantly at 2 cm, while diffuse synchrotron emission dominates at 6 cm. The radio H II regions are found near the centers of giant molecular clouds in projection and do not have obvious visual counterparts.
A Nesting-L Slot Antenna With Enhanced Circularly Polarized Bandwidth and Radiation

In this letter, a new coplanar waveguide (CPW)-fed circularly polarized (CP) antenna with enhanced bandwidth and radiation is proposed for IEEE 802.16 Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX) and IEEE 802.11a wireless local area network (WLAN) applications. By protruding a symmetric T-type strip from CPW feedline, a broad input impedance bandwidth is obtained. To widen CP radiation bandwidth, a nesting-L slot (NLS) structure is introduced in the ground. The NLS is formed by an L-shaped perturbation implanted in the corner of an initial L-slot. The CP radiation bandwidth is enhanced by merging the first and second bands. The first band is generated by the initial L-slot, whereas the second band is obtained by the L-shaped perturbation. According to the measured results, the 10-dB return-loss bandwidth is about 110%, and the 3-dB axial-ratio bandwidth (ARBW) is about 60.9%. Finally, by placing a reflector underneath the antenna, one can obtain unidirectional radiation patterns with greatly improved gains.
Revisão de estudos sobre o Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) para o ensino de linguagem a indivíduos com autismo e outras dificuldades de fala

O Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) e um sistema de comunicacao frequentemente utilizado em individuos com autismo e/ou pouca fala funcional. Ate a data, nenhuma revisao sobre intervencoes com o PECS foi publicada no Brasil. Assim, os objetivos deste estudo foram revisar as literaturas brasileira e estrangeira sobre o estado da arte do PECS como um instrumento de ensino de linguagem a individuos com autismo e dificuldades de fala, apontar o que tem sido pesquisado, os resultados mais encontrados e direcoes para novos estudos, principalmente para a literatura brasileira. Quatro artigos foram encontrados na literatura estrangeira e seis na literatura brasileira. Dados referentes ao numero de participantes, delineamento de pesquisa, duracao do estudo, setting, fases implementadas, resultados encontrados, fidedignidade inter-observador e de procedimento, validade social, manutencao e generalizacao foram sumarizados. Os estudos revisados mostraram que, em consonância com a literatura, o PECS parece ser efetivo no ensino da comunicacao a individuos com autismo ou com pouca fala funcional, apesar de o pequeno numero de participantes de cada estudo indicar que o PECS e uma estrategia de ensino individual.
The Significance of Serum CA-125 Elevation in Chinese Patients with Primary Budd-Chiari Syndrome: A Multicenter Study

Objective. To investigate the serum level of CA-125 and its corresponding clinical significance in Chinese patients with primary BCS. Methods. Serum CA-125 was measured in 243 patients with primary BCS receiving interventional treatment in the participating hospitals and in 120 healthy volunteers. The correlation between serum CA-125 levels and ascites volume, liver function, and prognosis was analyzed. Results. Serum CA-125 was significantly elevated in BCS patients compared to healthy volunteers (P < 0.001). Higher levels of CA-125 were found in BCS patients with abnormal hepatic function and low serum albumin levels and in patients with high volume of ascites compared to patients without these abnormalities. Serum CA-125 levels significantly correlated with ascites volume, serum level of alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, albumin, and Rotterdam BCS scores. The follow-up study indicated that the survival rate and asymptomatic survival rate after interventional treatment were lower in BCS patients with serum CA-125 > 175 U/mL (P < 0.05). Conclusion. Serum CA-125 was significantly higher in patients with primary BCS and had a positive correlation with the volume of ascites, severity of liver damage, and poor prognosis. Thus the serum CA-125 levels may be used to estimate the severity and prognosis of BCS in Chinese patients.