Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Preferential Susceptibility of Brain Tumors to the Antiangiogenic Effects of an &agr;v Integrin Antagonist

OBJECTIVE Brain tumors are highly angiogenic, and their growth and spread depend on the generation of new blood vessels. We examined the effect of the cyclic peptide antagonist pentapeptide EMD 121974, an antiangiogenic agent, on orthotopic and heterotopic brain tumor growth. METHODS The human brain tumor cell lines DAOY (medulloblastoma) and U87 MG (glioblastoma) were injected into either the forebrain (orthotopic) or the subcutis (heterotopic) of nude mice, and daily systemic treatment with the active peptide was initiated after tumors were established. RESULTS All control animals with orthotopic brain tumors and that received the inactive peptide EMD 135981 daily died as a result of tumor progression within 4 to 6 weeks; tumors measured 3 to 5 mm in diameter. In contrast, mice with orthotopic tumors that were treated daily with the active peptide survived for more than 16 weeks, and histological examination of the brains after 4, 8, and 12 weeks showed either no tumors or microscopic residual tumors. The growth of these brain tumor cells injected simultaneously or separately into the subcutis of nude mice (heterotopic model) was not affected by the active peptide, suggesting that the brain environment is a critical determinant of brain tumor susceptibility to growth inhibition by this pentapeptide. CONCLUSION The cyclic pentapeptide EMD 121974 may become a treatment option specific to brain tumors. Because of its antiangiogenic effect, its use may be especially indicated after tumors are removed surgically.
HeidelTime: Tuning English and Developing Spanish Resources for TempEval-3

In this paper, we describe our participation in the TempEval-3 challenge. With our multilingual temporal tagger HeidelTime, we addressed task A, the extraction and normalization of temporal expressions for English and Spanish. Exploiting HeidelTime’s strict separation between source code and languagedependent parts, we tuned HeidelTime’s existing English resources and developed new Spanish resources. For both languages, we achieved the best results among all participants for task A, the combination of extraction and normalization. Both the improved English and the new Spanish resources are publicly available with HeidelTime.
Nonconformance between programs and contracts: a study on C#/code contracts open source systems

Detecting nonconformances between contracts and code is critical in contract-based programs, although detection is only the first step in correction; one needs to pinpoint their causes. For example, a nonconformance may be due to a method precondition that is weaker than it should be, or maybe the program behavior breaks the corresponding contracts. Previous research on contract-based programs lacks evidence about the most frequent causes for nonconformances. Either, no previous work elaborate on the effort required for establishing a likely cause. In this work, from 63 automatically-detected nonconformances found in 12 open source C#/Code Contracts systems, we manually analyze their likely causes, among contract or code defects. We observe nonconformances are frequently due to the weakness of preconditions, or to programs failing to fulfill contracts that seem appropriate to the problem at hand, although most nonconformances cause failures at the exit of operations (postcondition and invariant nonconformances sum up to 35). We also report on the obstacles in determining a likely cause, in which context information about the affected program fragment is often relevant.
Phenotypic and Genotypic Characteristics of Mastocytosis According to the Age of Onset

Adult's mastocytosis is usually associated with persistent systemic involvement and c-kit 816 mutation, while pediatrics disease is mostly limited to the skin and often resolves spontaneously. We prospectively included 142 adult patients with histologically proven mastocytosis. We compared phenotypic and genotypic features of adults patients whose disease started during childhood (Group 1, n = 28) with those of patients whose disease started at adult's age (Group 2, n = 114). Genotypic analysis was performed on skin biopsy by sequencing of c-kit exons 17 and 8 to 13. According to WHO classification, the percentage of systemic disease was similar (75 vs. 73%) in 2 groups. C-kit 816 mutation was found in 42% and 77% of patients in groups 1 and 2, respectively (p<0.001). 816 c-kit mutation was associated with systemic mastocytosis in group 2 (87% of patients with systemic mastocytosis vs. 45% with cutaneous mastocytosis, p = 0.0001). Other c-kit activating mutations were found in 23% of patients with mastocytosis' onset before the age of 5, 0% between 6 and 15 years and 2% at adults' age (p<0.001). In conclusion, pathogenesis of mastocytosis significantly differs according to the age of disease's onset. Our data may have major therapeutic relevance when considering c-kit-targeted therapy.
Evolution of seismicity in relation to fluid injection in the North-Western part of The Geysers geothermal field

The Geysers geothermal field located in California, USA, is the largest geothermal site in the world, operating since the 1960s. We here investigate and quantify the correlation between temporal seismicity evolution and variation of the injection data by examination of time-series through specified statistical tools (binomial test to investigate significant rate changes, cross correlation between seismic and injection data, b-value variation analysis). To do so, we utilize seismicity and operational data associated with two injection wells (Prati-9 and Prati-29) which cover a time period of approximately 7 yr (from November 2007 to August 2014). The seismicity is found to be significantly positively correlated with the injection rate. The maximum correlation occurs with a seismic response delay of ∼2 weeks, following injection operations. Those results are very stable even after considering hypocentral uncertainties, by applying a vertical shift of the events foci up to 300 m. Our analysis indicates also time variations of b-value, which exhibits significant positive correlation with injection rates.
Pharmacokinetic Study of Intravenous Acetaminophen Administered to Critically Ill Multiple‐Trauma Patients at the Usual Dosage and a New Proposal for Administration

The pharmacokinetic profile of intravenous acetaminophen administered to critically ill multiple‐trauma patients was studied after 4 consecutive doses of 1 g every 6 hours. Eleven blood samples were taken (predose and 15, 30, 45, 60, 90, 120, 180, 240, 300, and 360 minutes postdose), and urine was collected (during 6‐hour intervals between doses) to determine serum and urine acetaminophen concentrations. These were used to calculate the following pharmacokinetic parameters: maximum and minimum concentrations, terminal half‐life, area under serum concentration‐time curve from 0 to 6 hours, mean residence time, volume of distribution, and serum and renal clearance of acetaminophen. Daily doses of acetaminophen required to obtain steady‐state minimum (bolus dosing) and average plasma concentrations (continuous infusion) of 10 μg/mL were calculated (10 μg/mL is the presumed lower limit of the analgesic range). Data are expressed as median [interquartile range]. Twenty‐two patients were studied, mostly young (age 44 [34‐64] years) males (68%), not obese (weight 78 [70‐84] kg). Acetaminophen concentrations and pharmacokinetic parameters were these: maximum concentration 33.6 [25.7‐38.7] μg/mL and minimum concentration 0.5 [0.2‐2.3] μg/mL, all values below 10 μg/mL and 8 below the detection limit; half‐life 1.2 [1.0‐1.9] hours; area under the curve for 6 hours 34.7 [29.7‐52.7] μg·h/mL; mean residence time 1.8 [1.3‐2.6] hours; steady‐state volume of distribution 50.8 [42.5‐66.5] L; and serum and renal clearance 28.8 [18.9‐33.7] L/h and 15 [11‐19] mL/min, respectively. Theoretically, daily doses for a steady‐state minimum concentration of 10 μg/mL would be 12.2 [7.8‐16.4] g/day (166 [112‐202] mg/[kg·day]); for an average steady‐state concentration of 10 μg/mL, they would be 6.9 [4.5‐8.1] g/day (91 [59‐111] mg/[kg·day]). In conclusion, administration of acetaminophen at the recommended dosage of 1 g per 6 hours to critically ill multiple‐trauma patients yields serum concentrations below 10 μg/mL due to increased elimination. To reach the 10 μg/mL target, and from a strictly pharmacokinetic point of view, continuous infusion may be more feasible than bolus dosing. Such a change in dosing strategy requires appropriate, pharmacokinetic‐pharmacodynamic and specific safety study.
Enhancing teacher competence through collaborative worksheet development: an empirical investigation

This study examined the efficacy of collaborative teaching using a projectbased learning (PjBL) worksheet on plastic waste and climate change. The research design followed a type-II development approach, with two distinct phases: exploration and development, and collaborative teaching. The study involved five science teachers, two lecturers, and 45 seventh-grade students in three limited field trials. The study found that collaborative teaching through worksheet development could increase science teachers’ professionalism, particularly in the collegial phase. Furthermore, the study developed a valid PjBL-based worksheet on plastic waste and climate change, aligning with the 2013 curriculum for science instruction in junior high school, involving three core competencies. The research design employed a lesson study framework, which allowed for a thorough exploration of the research topic, leading to the development of effective instructional material. The findings of this study have significant implications for science education in junior high school, particularly in promoting active learning and fostering a deeper understanding of complex environmental issues. Overall, the study highlights the importance of collaborative teaching and the potential of PjBL-based worksheets in enhancing teacher competence and developing relevant instructional materials that align with the curriculum.
Ignoring biased feedback: Membership in a stigmatized group as a moderator of mnemic neglect

ABSTRACT A personal history of being the target of biased negative evaluation may lead individuals to habitually divert attention from negative feedback when it is possible to do so. Two studies tested for the first time the hypothesis that people belonging to a stigmatized group (Black students on a predominantly White campus) will, relative to non-stigmatized people, be more likely to engage in mnemic neglect—that is, they will reveal a greater tendency to insulate themselves from the effects of negative self-relevant feedback by means of motivated forgetting. The results of Study 1 supported that hypothesis. In Study 2, priming the concept of egalitarianism reduced the tendency of Black participants to engage in higher levels of mnemic neglect, consistent with the idea that the higher observed levels of mnemic neglect among stigmatized individuals derives from expecting biased, discriminatory responses from other people.
Trigger enzymes: bifunctional proteins active in metabolism and in controlling gene expression

All regulatory processes require components that sense the environmental or metabolic conditions of the cell, and sophisticated sensory proteins have been studied in great detail. During the last few years, it turned out that enzymes can control gene expression in response to the availability of their substrates. Here, we review four different mechanisms by which these enzymes interfere with regulation in bacteria. First, some enzymes have acquired a DNA‐binding domain and act as direct transcription repressors by binding DNA in the absence of their substrates. A second class is represented by aconitase, which can bind iron responsive elements in the absence of iron to control the expression of genes involved in iron homoeostasis. The third class of these enzymes is sugar permeases of the phosphotransferase system that control the activity of transcription regulators by phosphorylating them in the absence of the specific substrate. Finally, a fourth class of regulatory enzymes controls the activity of transcription factors by inhibitory protein–protein interactions. We suggest that the enzymes that are active in the control of gene expression should be designated as trigger enzymes. An analysis of the occurrence of trigger enzymes suggests that the duplication and subsequent functional specialization is a major pattern in their evolution.
Characterization of a Fermented Beverage from Discarded Bread Flour Using Two Commercial Probiotics Starters

The aim of this study was to develop a plant-based fermented beverage from discarded bread flour and to analyze its characteristics as a novel functional product. Eight cereal-based probiotic beverages were produced by inoculating discarded bread flour with a monoculture of Lactobacillus rhamnosus or a co-culture consisting of lactic acid bacteria and Bifidobacterium. Two additional factors, namely, the addition of amylolytic enzymes and matrix desalting, were studied alongside the type of culture. The organic acid content and microbial growth were monitored during fermentation and storage (15 and 21 days). Proximal composition, gamma-aminobutyric acid, and volatile compounds were measured in the final product. Sensory analysis was only conducted on the enzymatically treated samples. The estimated shelf life of the bread beverage was 15 days. The variables studied significantly influenced the amountof organic acids and specific volatile compounds responsible for the aroma of fermented beverages. The beverage produced via co-culturing was preferred by consumers in the sensory test.
Long Term Channel Characterization for Energy Efficient Transmission in Industrial Environments

One of the challenges for a successful use of wireless sensor networks in process industries is to design networks with energy efficient transmission, to increase the lifetime of the deployed network while maintaining the required latency and bit-error rate. The design of such transmission schemes depend on the radio channel characteristics of the region. This paper presents an investigation of the statistical properties of the radio channel in a typical process industry, particularly when the network is meant to be deployed for a long time duration, e.g., days, weeks, and even months. Using 17-20-h-long extensive measurement campaigns in a rolling mill and a paper mill, we highlight the non-stationarity in the environment and quantify the ability of various distributions, given in the literature, to describe the variations on the links. Finally, we analyze the design of an optimal received signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) for the deployed nodes and show that improper selection of the distribution for modeling of the variations in the channel can lead to an overuse of energy by a factor of four or even higher.
How Does the Market Variance Risk Premium Vary Over Time? Evidence from S&P 500 Variance Swap Investment Returns

We explore whether the market variance risk premium (VRP) can be predicted. We measure VRP by distinguishing the investment horizon from the variance swap’s maturity. We extract VRP from actual S&P 500 variance swap quotes and we test four classes of predictive models. We find that the best performing model is the one that conditions on trading activity. This relation is also economically significant. Volatility trading strategies which condition on trading activity outperform popular benchmark strategies, even once we consider transaction costs. Our finding implies that broker dealers command a greater VRP to continue holding short positions in index options in the case where trading conditions deteriorate.
Performance Antipatterns: Detection and Evaluation of Their Effects in the Cloud

The way an application is designed and certain patterns thereof, play a significant role and might have a positive or a negative effect on the performance of the application. Some design patterns that have a negative effect on performance, also called performance antipatterns, may become important when evaluating migrating the application to the Cloud. Although there has been work done in the past related to defining performance antipatterns, there has been none that highlights the importance and effects of these performance antipatterns when an application is migrated to Cloud. In this work we present an approach to automatically detect important performance antipatterns in an application, by leveraging static code analysis and information about prospective deployment of the application components on the Cloud. We also experimentally show that these antipatterns may become prominent and pull down the application's performance if the application is migrated to the Cloud. Our results show that the performance of the parts of the application with such antipatterns suffer significantly and hence, the detection of these antipatterns has an overarching significance in the domain of software development for the Cloud. The approach we present here has also been implemented in a prototype cloud migration assessment tool.
Domestic Political Competition and Pro‐Cyclical Import Protection

Governments, especially in developing countries, routinely practice binding overhang (i.e. setting applied tariffs below binding WTO commitments) and frequently move applied tariffs for given products up and down over the business cycle. Moreover, applied tariffs are pro-cyclical in developing countries. We explain this phenomenon using a dynamic theory of lobbying between domestic interest groups. Applied tariffs are pro-cyclical when high-tariff interests (e.g. import-competing industries) capture the government these groups concede lower tariffs to low-tariff interest groups (e.g. exporting firms or firms using imported inputs) during recessions because recessions lower the opportunity cost of lobbying and thereby generate stronger lobbying threats.
Contemporaneous and Delayed Sales Impact of Location-Based Mobile Promotions

Can location-based mobile promotion LMP trigger contemporaneous and delayed sales purchases? As mobile technologies can reach users anywhere and anytime, LMP becomes a promising new channel. We unravel the dynamic sales impact of LMP on the basis of a randomized field experiment with 22,000 mobile users sponsored by one of the largest mobile service providers in the world. Our identification strategy is to gauge the marginal increases in consumer purchases of the geo-fenced treatment group of users who received LMP, above and beyond the baseline control groups. There are two controls: one group who received the same LMP but not in the virtual geo-fencing locational range nongeo-fenced control, and the other who did not receive the LMP but in the geo-fencing range geo-fenced control. The latter control serves as an organic holdout baseline from the similar population, i.e., counterfactual test of what if without the mobile LMP intervention, to identify the actual "lift" of incremental purchases caused by the treatment with the mobile LMP intervention. Findings suggest that LMP treatment has a significantly stronger impact on contemporaneous same-day purchases and delayed subsequent-days purchases than the controls. The randomized experiment design renders these findings robust to alternative explanations such as mobile usage behavior heterogeneity, product effects heterogeneity, nonrandomized sample-selection bias, and endogeneity concerns. Follow-up surveys with the field experiment users explore the nuanced mechanisms via which LMP may induce the impulsive, same-day purchases, and create product awareness for the planned subsequent-days purchases. LMP can generate six times more purchases than nongeo-fenced control with the LMP intervention, and 12 times more than geo-fenced control without the LMP intervention. LMP has a delayed sales effect for 12 days after the mobile promotions. The total sales impact of LMP could be underestimated by 54% if excluding the delayed sales impact and only including the contemporaneous impact. These findings are new to the literature and often neglected in mobile promotion practices, proffering novel implications on the sales value of LMP in the mobile era.
Index of Alpha/Theta Ratio of the Electroencephalogram: A New Marker for Alzheimer’s Disease

Objective: We evaluated quantitative EEG measures to determine a screening index to discriminate Alzheimer’s disease (AD) patients from normal individuals. Methods: Two groups of individuals older than 50 years, comprising a control group of 57 normal volunteers and a study group of 50 patients with probable AD, were compared. EEG recordings were obtained from subjects in a wake state with eyes closed at rest for 30 min. Logistic regression analysis was conducted. Results: Spectral potentials of the alpha and theta bands were computed for all electrodes and the alpha/theta ratio calculated. Logistic regression of alpha/theta of the mean potential of the C3 and O1 electrodes was carried out. A formula was calculated to aid the diagnosis of AD yielding 76.4% sensitivity and 84.6% specificity for AD with an area under the ROC curve of 0.92. Conclusion: Logistic regression of alpha/theta of the spectrum of the mean potential of EEG represents a good marker discriminating AD patients from normal controls.
Antioxidant Interactions between Major Phenolic Compounds Found in ‘Ataulfo’ Mango Pulp: Chlorogenic, Gallic, Protocatechuic and Vanillic Acids

Phenolic compounds are known to have antioxidant capacity; however, there is little information about molecular interactions between particular phenolics found in fruits at different developmental stages. Therefore, the total antioxidant capacity of the phenolic compounds of a fruit may not correspond to the sum of individual antioxidant capacity given by antioxidants from that tissue. In this study, individual antioxidant capacity and the interactions of four major phenolic compounds (chlorogenic, gallic, protocatechuic and vanillic acid) found in ‘Ataulfo’ mango pulp were tested using the DPPH assay. Significant synergism was found in the majority of the all combinations, as well as the combination of the four phenolics. However, antagonism was also observed between some molecules. This work demonstrated particular interactions that may occur in a complex environment within the complex framework of a natural food. The present results may also assist in the future design of functional foods or ingredients based on their antioxidant activity and their synergistic or antagonist interactions.