Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Defining the Appropriate Dosage of Folinic Acid After High-Dose Methotrexate for Childhood Acute Lymphatic Leukemia That Will Prevent Neurotoxicity Without Rescuing Malignant Cells in the Central Nervous System

Neurotoxicity after the administration of methotrexate continues to worry physicians. However, inadequate folinic acid rescue is often not considered as a cause of this complication. To clarify whether adequate folinic acid rescue prevents methotrexate-induced neurotoxicity without reducing the cure rate in childhood ALL, published evidence that supported or refuted this claim was investigated. A literature search was conducted and the authors of the relevant studies were contacted. The published data supported the contention that neurotoxicity can be prevented by adequate folinic acid rescue even after very high doses of methotrexate. The safe minimum dose of folinic acid can be defined in terms of the dose of methotrexate given; the time to start of rescue is probably less important. There was no evidence that higher doses of folinic acid, such as those used after methotrexate in the treatment of osteosarcoma, rescue leukemia cells. No change in cure rate was found in relation to changes in scheduling or clinically relevant doses of folinic acid rescue. The accumulation of folinic acid in the cerebrospinal fluid did not seem to be of clinical relevance. No studies indicate that doses of folinic acid after high-dose methotrexate administration interfere with the killing of leukemia cells, nor that delaying the start of rescue beyond a certain point increases the antileukemic effect; neurotoxicity will, however, be increased. Review of current protocols that use low-dose folinic acid rescue and are associated with neurotoxicity is highly recommended.
A Controlled Trial of Bupropion Added to Nicotine Patch and Behavioral Therapy for Smoking Cessation in Adults With Unipolar Depressive Disorders

Although there is a strong relationship between depression and smoking, most nicotine dependence treatment trials exclude depressed smokers. Our objective was to determine whether bupropion improves abstinence rates and abstinence-associated depressive symptoms when added to transdermal nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) and group cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) in smokers with unipolar depressive disorder (UDD). Adult smokers with current (n = 90) or past (n = 109) UDD were randomly assigned to receive bupropion or placebo added to NRT and CBT for 13 weeks. In the primary analysis, with dropouts considered smokers, 36% (35/97) of those on bupropion and 31% (32/102) on placebo attained biochemically validated 7-day point prevalence abstinence at end of treatment (not significant). Because of a high dropout rate (50%) and a significant difference in abstinence status at dropout by treatment group, a traditional intent-to-treat analysis with last observation carried forward imputation of abstinence status was performed. In this secondary analysis, 56% (54/97) of those on bupropion and 41% (42/102) on placebo met criteria for abstinence at end of trial, &khgr;2 = 4.18, P = 0.04. Nicotine replacement therapy usage and absence of a comorbid anxiety disorder predicted abstinence. Abstinence was associated with increased depressive symptoms, regardless of bupropion treatment. Thus, in the primary analysis, bupropion neither increased the efficacy of intensive group CBT and NRT for smoking cessation in smokers with UDD nor prevented abstinence-associated depressive symptoms. Bupropion seemed to provide an advantage for smoking cessation for those who remained in the trial. The dropout rate was high and was characterized by a higher prevalence of current comorbid anxiety disorder. Given the high abstinence rate achieved with CBT plus NRT, a ceiling effect related to the high level of intervention received by all subjects may have prevented an adequate test of bupropion.
TOWARD UNBIASED GALAXY CLUSTER MASSES FROM LINE-OF-SIGHT VELOCITY DISPERSIONS

We study the use of red-sequence-selected galaxy spectroscopy for unbiased estimation of galaxy cluster masses by using a publicly available simulated galaxy catalog. We explore the impact of selection using galaxy color, projected separation from the cluster center, galaxy luminosity, and spectroscopic redshift. We identify and characterize each of the following sources of bias and scatter in velocity dispersion at fixed mass: the intrinsic properties of halos in the form of halo triaxiality, sampling noise, the presence of multiple kinematic populations within the cluster, and the effect of interlopers. We show that even in red-sequence and spectroscopically selected galaxy samples, the interloper fraction is significant, and that the variations in the interloper population from cluster to cluster provide the dominant contribution to the velocity dispersion scatter at fixed mass. We present measurements of the total scatter in dispersion at fixed mass as a function of the number of redshifts. Results indicate that improvements in scatter are modest beyond samples of ∼30 redshifts per cluster. Our results show that while cluster velocity dispersions extracted from a few dozen red-sequence-selected galaxies do not provide precise masses on a single cluster basis, an ensemble of cluster velocity dispersions can be combined to produce a precise calibration of a cluster survey–mass-observable relation. Currently, disagreements in the literature on simulated subhalo velocity dispersion–mass relations place a systematic floor on velocity dispersion mass calibration at the 5% level in dispersion.
Survival of hypothermia by men immersed in the ocean.

The survival time of men immersed in cold water has not as yet been adequately determined, although it is a matter of practical importance when disasters occur at sea. The shortening of survival time in water is apparently related to the acceleration of body heat loss in water as compared with air, but the amount of hypothermia that can be tolerated and the reasons for greater heat loss in water have not been clearly defined. The usual explanation, that water conducts heat from the body twenty to twenty-five times more rapidly than air, is inadequate, as will be shown later. The immersion experiments of Lefevre 1 were, on the whole, of too short duration to establish tolerance limits. Refrigeration of patients (Fay, 2 Talbott, 3 Dill and Forbes 4 ) showed that man's body temperature may be reduced by several degrees without endangering life, but the environments employed during induction were
Don't burn your mobile!: safe computational re-sprinting via model predictive control

Computational sprinting has been recently proposed as an effective solution to mitigate the upcoming dark silicon utilization wall problems. As most applications do not require constantly the maximum performance level and parallelism, computational sprinting uses the intrinsic thermal capacitance of the heat dissipation system, possibly augmented with Phase Change Materials, as heat buffer for tolerating bursts of intensive computational resource usage largely exceeding the steady-state thermal design power. It is clear that sprinting poses peculiar challenges on the dynamic thermal control policy. In this paper we introduce and evaluate an innovative and low-overhead hierarchical model-predictive controller that enables thermally-safe sprinting while guaranteeing a predictable re-sprinting rate.
Identification of children presenting with fever in chemotherapy-induced neutropenia at low risk for severe bacterial infection.

BACKGROUND Febrile neutropenia (FN) remains a frequent complication in pediatric oncology, requiring emergency hospitalization and empirical broad spectrum antibiotics. The distinction of patients at high versus low risk for severe bacterial infection (SBI) is not fully established. The purpose of this study was to define a rule predicting the risk to develop SBI in children and adolescents with FN, based on information accessible at presentation. PROCEDURE Information accessible within 2 hr from presentation was collected retrospectively on all pediatric cancer patients presenting with FN from 1993 to 2001 in a single institution. Patients with established SBI at presentation were excluded. After univariate analyses, two multivariate models predicting the risk of SBI were constructed and their performance evaluated using crossvalidation. RESULTS An SBI developed in 106 (37%) of 285 episodes of 111 children. The logistic regression model outperformed the decision tree model in predicting SBI. It was based on seven variables: bone marrow involvement, no clinical signs of viral infection, high level of C-reactive protein, high hemoglobin, low leukocyte count, presence of central venous catheter, and diagnosis of pre-B-cell leukemia. At 96% sensitivity, the crossvalidated specificity was 26%, and the negative predictive value 91%. CONCLUSIONS Combining selected information accessible at presentation, SBI in FN can be predicted with clinically useful specificity maintaining very high sensitivity. Induction therapy and absence of clinical signs of viral infection were identified as new predictors of SBI. The results of this study need confirmation and refinement in prospective studies, aiming at more selective management of FN in pediatric oncology.
Neurorehabilitation for two cases of post-traumatic stress disorder following traumatic brain injury

Introduction. We present two cases to illustrate the assessment and management of post-traumatic stress disorder (PtSD) in the context of traumatic brain injury (TBI). Case KE suffered a TBI in a road traffic accident (RTA) in which his girlfriend was killed. Case CM survived a penetrating neurological injury from a severe knife attack. Both suffered cognitive difficulties, primarily in attention and memory, and selective visual impairments, and had endured significant losses of social role. Method. Within a neurorehabilitation programme, goals were set regarding management of their cognitive difficulties for regaining social roles and for the management of their PtSD symptoms. Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) was provided for managing PtSD symptoms, which included use of a stress inoculation and graduated exposure to avoided situations and trauma re-experiences. Results. Both survivors reported significant improvements in managing mood state, and in redeveloping social roles. Objective measures confirmed significant gains from intervention. Conclusions. CBT, set within a neurorehabilitation programme, can lead to improvement in PtSD symptoms and psychosocial outcome in TBI survivors.
Multi-level Translation Quality Prediction with QuEst++

This paper presents QUEST++ , an open source tool for quality estimation which can predict quality for texts at word, sentence and document level. It also provides pipelined processing, whereby predictions made at a lower level (e.g. for words) can be used as input to build models for predictions at a higher level (e.g. sentences). QUEST++ allows the extraction of a variety of features, and provides machine learning algorithms to build and test quality estimation models. Results on recent datasets show that QUEST++ achieves state-of-the-art performance.
Multi-round contention in wireless LANs with multipacket reception

Multi-packet reception (MPR) has been recognized as a powerful capacity-enhancement technique for randomaccess wireless local area networks (WLANs). As is common with all random access protocols, the wireless channel is often under-utilized in MPR WLANs. In this paper, we propose a novel multi-round contention random-access protocol to address this problem. This work complements the existing randomaccess methods that are based on single-round contention. In the proposed scheme, stations are given multiple chances to contend for the channel until there are a sufficient number of ¿winning¿ stations that can share the MPR channel for data packet transmission. The key issue here is the identification of the optimal time to stop the contention process and start data transmission. The solution corresponds to finding a desired tradeoff between channel utilization and contention overhead. In this paper, we conduct a rigorous analysis to characterize the optimal strategy using the theory of optimal stopping. An interesting result is that the optimal stopping strategy is a simple threshold-based rule, which stops the contention process as soon as the total number of winning stations exceeds a certain threshold. Compared with the conventional single-round contention protocol, the multi-round contention scheme significantly enhances channel utilization when the MPR capability of the channel is small to medium. Meanwhile, the scheme automatically falls back to single-round contention when the MPR capability is very large, in which case the throughput penalty due to random access is already small even with single-round contention.
An Evaluation of Statistical Methods for the Determination of Age of Death Using Dental Root Translucency and Periodontosis

Abstract: Lamendin and colleagues (1992) proposed to assess age‐at‐death from root translucency and periodontosis. Several teeth from the same individual were included in their study. In our work, we evaluate the reliability of their formulas without introducing this bias. Our sample was constituted of 214 individuals (114 males and 100 women) selected from the Terry collection (U.S.A.). The R2 between age and both indicators is equal to 0.33 and 0.08 (p < 0.001). Based on linear regression, the mean of standard error for individual age prediction was equal to 13.67 years, and the mean interval length is equal to 53.89 years. Multinomial logistic regression and Bayesian approach failed to give satisfactory results when classifying the individuals in age categories. Therefore, the use of root translucency and periodontosis may lead to incorrect age‐at‐death assessment, and it is thus necessary to complement this approach with other techniques to assess age‐at‐death.
High-Q microcavities in 2D photonic crystal slabs studied by FDTD techniques and Pade approximation

A series of microcavities in 2D hexagonal lattice photonic crystal slabs (PCS’s) are studied. A combination of FDTD techniques and Pade approximation with Baker's algorithm is used to accurately determine the resonant frequencies and quality factors of the cavity modes simultaneously. Q factor larger than 106 is obtained for a one missing hole cavity. Another cavity with smaller and simpler design keeps Q factor larger than 105. Microcavities in silicon-on-insulator-type (SOI-type) PCS’s are also studied. Simulations show that Q factors of cavities in SOI-type PCS’s are much smaller than those in the membrane PCS’s. Deep etching of air holes is still required to obtain relatively high Q cavities in SOI-type PCS’s.
Fresh-register automata

What is a basic automata-theoretic model of computation with names and fresh-name generation? We introduce Fresh-Register Automata (FRA), a new class of automata which operate on an infinite alphabet of names and use a finite number of registers to store fresh names, and to compare incoming names with previously stored ones. These finite machines extend Kaminski and Francez's Finite-Memory Automata by being able to recognise globally fresh inputs, that is, names fresh in the whole current run. We examine the expressivity of FRA's both from the aspect of accepted languages and of bisimulation equivalence. We establish primary properties and connections between automata of this kind, and answer key decidability questions. As a demonstrating example, we express the theory of the pi-calculus in FRA's and characterise bisimulation equivalence by an appropriate, and decidable in the finitary case, notion in these automata.
Study on Indoor Air Quality Characteristics and Air Contaminants Control Strategies in Urban Residential Environment in Xi'an

Investigates the space-time distribution of indoor air pollution from five newly decorated residences in Xi'an and proposes its control methods. From Oct. 2007 to Nov. 2008, according to the GB/T18883-2002 Indoor Air Quality Standard , the airborne total volatile organic compounds (TVOC), benzene, formaldehyde, radon and dust PM 10 concentration were tracking test in difference spatial distribution in these residences 1,6 and 12 months after decorating. Through model experiment, TVOC divergence 1 month after decorating can be forecasted. After decorated 6 months, except for the individual measuring point (eg. stock room), the TVOC concentrations of other positions are below its standard value; However, after decorated 12 months, the exceeing standard rate of benzene concentration remains up to 62%; The concentration of formaldehyde and radon does not exceed its standard value during 12 months after decorating; the variation of PM 10 with time is not obvious. Indoor various spatial positons, the most seriously polluted rooms of TVOC and benzene are study and stock room. The inhomogeneity of spatial distribution changed with time is not obvious; But the dimensionless concentration of TVOC and benzene changed with time are followed the logarithmic function attenuation. Indoor air changes of ventilation is suggested not to be lower than 5.5 times /h -1 for TVOC concentration reaching its standard requirement when inhabitants moved in 1 month after decorating.
Iron status in Danish women aged 35–65 years

Iron status was assessed by serum (S‐) ferritin and hemoglobin (Hb) in a population survey comprising 883 non‐gravid Danish women in age cohorts of 35, 45. 55, and 65 years. Premenopausal women (n = 676) had lower S‐ferritin, median 42 μg/1, than postmenopausal women (n = 207), median 80 μg/1 (p<0.0001). Of premenopausal women, 12.1% had S‐ferritin ≤ 20 μg/1 (i.e. depleted iron stores), and 35.6% S‐ferritin of 21–40 μg/1 (i.e. small iron stores). Corresponding figures in postmenopausal women were 0.5%, and 13.2%. Premenopausal blood donors (n = 88) had lower S‐ferritin than non‐donors (p<0.001). In premenopausal women, S‐ferritin levels were strongly dependent on the duration of menstrual bleeding (p < 0.0001). which in turn was related to the method of contraception. Women (n = 64) using hormonal contraceptives (the pill) had menstrual bleeding of shorter duration than those (n = 511) not using pills or intrauterine devices (IUD), who in turn had bleeding of shorter duration than those (n= 101) using IUD. Median S‐ferritin in pill users was 62 μg/L in those not using pills or IUD 42 μg/L and in IUD users 36 μg/l. S‐ferritin values < 40 μg/l (i.e. small and depleted iron stores) were seen in 25%) of pill users. in 48% of those not using pills nr IUD, and in 61% of IUD users. Hb values in premenopausal women were mean 134 ± 10 (SD) g/1 (8.3±0.6 mmol/l), median 132 g/l (8.2 mmol/l). being slightly lower than in postmenopausal women, mean 137 ± 10 g/l (8.5±0.6 mmol/1), median 135 g/l (8.4 mmol/ 1) (p<0.001). Iron deficiency anemia (i.e. S‐ferritin ≤20 μg/l and Hb < 121 g/l) was found in 3.0%) of premenopausal and in none of postmenopausal women.
P53 mutations in stromal fibroblasts sensitize tumors against chemotherapy

The efficacy of chemotherapy is usually viewed as the outcome of cancer‐cell‐autonomous processes while the contribution of stroma is being overseen. Here we show that p53 mutations in stromal fibroblasts, a genetic lesion that is detectable in primary breast, prostate and probably other cancers, while they accelerate tumorigenesis they also sensitize tumours against conventional chemotherapy by doxorubicin and cis‐platinum. The mechanism by which p53 of stromal fibroblasts affects the response of a tumour against chemotherapy is likely to involve the induction of senescence in the fibroblasts which in turns results in the production of growth factors acting onto the cancer cells by paracrine mechanisms. Our findings identify stromal fibroblasts as important modulators of the efficacy of anticancer therapy. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Neutrophil accumulation induced by bacterial lipopolysaccharide: effects of dexamethasone and annexin 1

Annexin 1 (ANX‐1) can reduce leucocyte migration in response to cytokines and chemokines in some rodent models of inflammation. However, its effectiveness against an inflammatory stimulus as strong as bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is unknown. Thus, we have examined whether ANX‐1 can modulate LPS‐induced neutrophil accumulation in the rat, as assessed by intravital microscopy and by myeloperoxidase (MPO) assay. The anti‐inflammatory glucocorticoid, dexamethasone (DEX) was also studied for comparison. LPS superfusion induced adhesion of leucocytes to the endothelium and a subsequent increase in emigration from rat post‐capillary venules over 2 h as assessed by intravital microscopy. Either ANX‐1 or DEX was able to attenuate this adhesion and emigration of leucocytes. MPO activity in the lung, kidney and ileum was elevated after a 6‐h exposure to LPS (intraperitoneal), indicating accumulation of neutrophils in these tissues. DEX attenuated the LPS‐induced increase in MPO in the ileum but had no effect on MPO in the lungs or kidneys. This would suggest that the underlying mechanism by which neutrophils accumulate in the ileum, and more generally in the gastrointestinal compartment, is different from other vascular beds. ANX‐1 had no effect on the LPS‐induced increase in MPO activity in any of the tissues studied. Thus, from these data, ANX‐1 appears to reduce leucocyte adhesion and emigration induced by a short‐term (2 h), but not a longer (6 h) exposure to LPS.
Proteomic Analysis of Stage-II Breast Cancer from Formalin-Fixed Paraffin-Embedded Tissues

Breast cancer is the most frequently occurring disease among women worldwide. The early stage of breast cancer identification is the key challenge in cancer control and prevention procedures. Although gene expression profiling helps to understand the molecular mechanism of diseases or disorder in the living system, gene expression pattern alone is not sufficient to predict the exact mechanisms. Current proteomics tools hold great application for analysis of cancerous conditions. Hence, the generation of differential protein expression profiles has been optimized for breast cancer and normal tissue samples in our organization. Normal and tumor tissues were collected from 20 people from a local hospital. Proteins from the diseased and normal tissues have been investigated by 2D gel electrophoresis and MALDI-TOF-MS. The peptide mass fingerprint data were fed into various public domains like Mascot, MS-Fit, and Pept-ident against Swiss-Prot protein database and the proteins of interest were identified. Some of the differentially expressed proteins identified were human annexin, glutathione S-transferase, vimentin, enolase-1, dihydrolipoamide dehydrogenase, glutamate dehydrogenase, Cyclin A1, hormone sensitive lipase, beta catenin, and so forth. Many types of proteins were identified as fundamental steps for developing molecular markers for diagnosis of human breast cancer as well as making a new proteomic database for future research.