Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Human papillomavirus as a favorable prognostic factor in a subset of head and neck squamous cell carcinomas: A meta‐analysis

Many epidemical and biological studies have proposed that human papillomavirus (HPV), primarily high‐risk HPV16/18, is an etiological factor for a subset of head and neck (HN) cancers. On that premise, we systematically reviewed relevant articles and improved the understanding of HPV‐related cancers. This article comprehensively described the characteristics of HPV‐associated HN tumors according to demography, histopathology, molecular biology, and prognosis. Meta‐analyses were conducted to combine the studies that reported the association between HPV status and these variables using Rev Man 5.0. The pooled results showed that HPV‐positive tumors were not only poorly differentiated (OR = 2.77, 95% CI: 2.3–3.32) and smaller (OR = 2.21, 95% CI: 1.75–2.8) but were also strongly associated with oropharynx (OR = 5.8, 95% CI: 4.01–8.38) and node involvement (OR = 2.77, 95% CI: 2.3–3.32). HPV‐related tumors showed significantly more p16 overexpression (OR = 34.55, 95% CI: 20.91–57.09) and less TP53 mutations (OR = 0.27, 95% CI: 0.18–0.41) than HPV‐negative tumors. The patients with HPV‐positive cancers had different clinical behaviors, such as a reduced risks of death (HR = 0.32, 95% CI: 0.29–0.36). This study supported the view point that HPV is a favorable indicator of prognosis and that HPV‐related HN tumors are distinct from traditional tumors. This etiological relationship could impact future strategies of diagnosis, prevention, therapy, and prognosis for this subset of patients. J. Med. Virol. 89:710–725, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Effects of an eccentric training personalized by a low rate of perceived exertion on the maximal capacities in chronic heart failure: a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND The eccentric (ECC) training, in spite of its potential interest (slightest request of the cardiorespiratory system) compared with the concentric (CON) training, is not applied during the rehabilitation of the chronic heart failure (CHF). The main reasons are the difficulty personalizing the ECC exercises by avoiding the muscle complications and the lack of information concerning the specific effects on the maximal capacities in CHF patients. AIM To compare - following a prior study on the feasibility and on the functional impacts - the effects on maximal capacities and tolerance in CHF of ECC training tailored by a low rate of perceived exertion (RPE) and those of conventionally tailored CON training. DESIGN Prospective randomized comparative study. SETTING A Rehabilitation Department in a University Hospital. POPULATION CHF outpatients with reduced ejection fraction randomized to either ECC (N.=21) or CON training (N.=21). METHODS ECC and CON training were respectively tailored by a low RPE (RPE between 9 and 11 on the Borg scale) and a heart rate (HR) corresponding to the first ventilatory threshold. Cardiopulmonary exercise test, maximal muscle strength tests (quadriceps, triceps surae) and 6-minute walk test were performed before and after training. Tolerance to training was assessed by RPE, muscle soreness, increase of HR, blood pressure and plasma NT-proBNP. RESULTS Improvement in peak work rate was similar for both groups (+20%, P<0.01), but VO2 peak and VO2 at the first ventilatory threshold were only increased in the CON group (+13.5%, P<0.01). Maximal strength of the triceps surae was increased in the ECC group only (+23%, P<0.01). Improvement in the walk test distance was similar in both groups, but the corresponding VO2 was only increased after CON training. Tolerance to training was good in both groups, except higher increment of training HR in the CON group (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL REHABILITATION IMPACT ECC training tailored by a low RPE is well tolerated in CHF patients and induces an improvement in maximal capacities similar to that with conventional CON training despite lower demands on the cardiorespiratory system, showing a better energetic efficiency, potentially interesting for these patients with reduced energetic reserve.
Tumor necrosis factor-alpha hyporesponsiveness of rat intestinal mononuclear cells and whole portal venous blood after hemorrhagic shock.

OBJECTIVE To determine the effect of hemorrhagic shock on spontaneous and endotoxin-induced cytokine release from intestinal mononuclear cells compared with whole portal venous blood and splenic macrophages. DESIGN Random assignment to either unmanipulated control group, sham operation group, or hemorrhagic shock group. SETTING University animal laboratory. SUBJECTS Male Wistar rats, weighing between 300 and 350 g. INTERVENTIONS Rats were bled to 30 mm Hg for 30 mins by withdrawal/reinfusion of shed blood and Ringer's lactate equivalent to the shed blood volume. MEASUREMENTS Rats were killed immediately, 4 hrs, or 24 hrs after reperfusion. Portal venous blood, splenic macrophages, and small bowel mononuclear cells were obtained and spontaneous (unstimulated) and endotoxin-induced supernatant tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha (WEHI 164 subclone 13) and interleukin (IL)-6 (B 13-29 clone 9) release was measured by bioassay. MAIN RESULTS Increased endotoxin-induced TNF release from gut mononuclear cells and portal venous blood was suppressed 4 and 24 hrs after reperfusion compared with sham operated animals (p < .05). TNF release from splenic macrophages could be significantly increased (p < .05) by addition of endotoxin in all groups with no difference between control, sham, and shock animals. In shock animals, endotoxin-stimulated IL-6 release was significantly greater (p < .05) than control and sham operated rats 4 hrs after reperfusion in portal blood and from splenic macrophages. In contrast to splenic macrophages, gut mononuclear cells and portal venous blood demonstrated high spontaneous IL-6 concentrations without further stimulation by endotoxin. CONCLUSIONS Hemorrhagic shock induced a hyporesponsiveness from gut mononuclear cells and whole portal venous blood 4 and 24 hrs after reperfusion. Spontaneous and endotoxin-induced stimulation of IL-6 indicates a different modulation of cytokines in gut, portal vein and spleen. The differences of gut mononuclear cells and portal blood compared with the splenic macrophages indicate a compartmentalized cytokine response.
Flexible Optical Waveguides for Uniform Periscleral Cross-Linking

Purpose Scleral cross-linking (SXL) with a photosensitizer and light is a potential strategy to mechanically reinforce the sclera and prevent progressive axial elongation responsible for severe myopia. Current approaches for light delivery to the sclera are cumbersome, do not provide uniform illumination, and only treat a limited area of sclera. To overcome these challenges, we developed flexible optical waveguides optimized for efficient, homogeneous light delivery. Methods Waveguides were fabricated from polydimethylsiloxane elastomer. Blue light (445 nm) is coupled into the waveguide with an input fiber. Light delivery efficiency from the waveguide to scleral tissue was measured and fit to a theoretical model. SXL was performed on fresh porcine eyes stained with 0.5% riboflavin, using irradiances of 0, 25, and 50 mW/cm2 around the entire equator of the eye. Stiffness of scleral strips was characterized with tensiometry. Results Light delivery with a waveguide of tapered thickness (1.4–0.5 mm) enhanced the uniformity of light delivery, compared to a flat waveguide, achieving a coefficient of variation of less than 10%. At 8% strain, sclera cross-linked with the waveguides at 50 mW/cm2 for 30 minutes had a Young's modulus of 10.7 ± 1.0 MPa, compared to 5.9 ± 0.5 MPa for no irradiation, with no difference in stiffness between proximally and distally treated halves. The stiffness of waveguide-irradiated samples did not differ from direct irradiation at the same irradiance. Conclusions We developed flexible waveguides for periscleral cross-linking. We demonstrated efficient and uniform stiffening of a 5-mm-wide equatorial band of scleral tissue.
Supermarket refrigeration system - Benchmark for hybrid system control

This paper presents a supermarket refrigeration system as a benchmark for development of new ideas and a comparison of methods for hybrid systems' modeling and control. The benchmark features switch dynamics and discrete valued input making it a hybrid system, furthermore the outputs are subjected to a number of constrains. The objective is to develop an efficient and optimal control strategy.
Breast Reduction Performed by Liposuction

BACKGROUND Large breasts and their functional sequelae can be remedied via breast reduction. This procedure has undergone frequent modification to decrease complications inherent in the large flap-based procedures. Liposuction has fewer complications than traditional incisional approaches and less scarring. OBJECTIVE It is our hope that dermatologic and plastic surgeons reevaluate the role of liposuction breast reduction based on our results and consider it as an alternative to incisional techniques. METHODS AND MATERIALS Medical charts, photoimaging, and mammography were used to assess outcomes. Statistical data were calculated using the Fisher exact test (two-sided). RESULTS Patients reported a satisfaction rate of 93%. Nipple elevation was measured to be at a mean of 2.57 cm compared to preoperative values. Older patients (>60 years of age) were noted to have a significantly larger nipple elevation (3.16 cm vs. 1.79 cm). Changes in volume ranged between 695.57 and 712.71 mL per breast. Radiographic changes induced by liposuction were not statistically different from those found in traditional reduction techniques. Patients with a normal body mass index (BMI) were more likely to have a larger breast reduction compared via the dip test. CONCLUSIONS This study illustrates the efficacy of liposuction-based breast reduction for the properly selected patient.
Characterization of linkage disequilibrium structure, mutation history, and tagging SNPs, and their use in association analyses: ELAC2 and familial early‐onset prostate cancer

In association analyses, it is critical that informative single‐nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) be selected for study and utilized appropriately. We sequenced 38 kb, including exons of ELAC2, promoter region and conserved upstream intergenic sequences. A comprehensive characterization of linkage disequilibrium (LD) structure and mutation history was performed using our principal components analysis (PCA) method and a phylogenetic analysis. We identified a complex pattern of LD structure consistent with the occurrence of both recombination and mutation events within ELAC2. Four overlapping and noncontiguous LD groups were defined. Eight tagging SNPs (tSNPs) were identified, accounting for over 90% of the genetic variation of the 19 total variants. We tested associations between familial early‐onset prostate cancer (PRCA) and each variant independently and in haplotypes. We performed these tests using all 19 variants and the 8 tSNPs; the results using tSNP haplotypes accurately represent the association evidence for the full haplotypes. We observed increased evidence for association when SNPs were analyzed in haplotypes. The phylogenetic analysis indicated three haplotypes, clustered farthest from the root‐node, all of which were found more often in cases than controls. These three haplotypes together showed the best evidence of association with familial, early‐onset PRCA (P=0.0024; odds ratio=2.23; 95% CI, 1.33–3.74), indicating possible allelic heterogeneity. Our results suggest that 8 tSNPs are required to comprehensively assess associations in ELAC2, and that haplotypes should be considered for analysis, and that a knowledge of mutation history may be helpful in parsing allelic heterogeneity and suggesting combinations of haplotypes to be tested. Genet. Epidemiol. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
[Role of conventional pulmonary function tests and stair climbing test in the prediction of postoperative cardiopulmonary complications in non-small cell lung cancer patients after surgery].

OBJECTIVE To evaluate and compare the value of stair climbing tests and conventional pulmonary function tests in the prediction of postoperative cardiopulmonary complications in non-small cell lung cancer patients underwent surgery. METHODS From April 1, 2010 to Jan. 30, 2012, a total of 162 patients with thoracic carcinoma underwent stair climbing test (SCT) and conventional pulmonary function tests (PFT) preoperatively. The correlation of postoperative cardiopulmonary complications with the SCT and PFT parameters were analyzed retrospectively using chi-square test, independent sample t test and binary logistic regression analysis. RESULTS Of the 162 patients, 19 without operation were excluded, due to an advanced stage (9 cases), poor cardiopulmonary function (5 cases), rejecting operation (4 cases) and exploration alone (1 case). 143 cases were eligible and evaluated eventually. Forty-one of the 143 patients (28.7%) had postoperative cardiopulmonary complications, but no death occurred. The patients were stratified into groups based on the time of stair climbing 5 stories (18.36 m, t, <92 s, ≥ 92 s). Exercise oxygen desaturation (EOD) during the stair climbing test (<5%, ≥ 5%) and the difference between the pulse at resting state and the pulse at end of stair climbing test (ΔP, <55 beats/min, ≥ 55 beats/min), respectively. The rate of postoperative cardiopulmonary complications was significantly higher in the group with t ≥ 92 s, EOD ≥ 5% and ΔP < 55 beats/min (38.5%, 42.0% and 35.1%, respectively) than that in the group with t<92 s, EOD<5% and ΔP ≥ 55 beats/min (16.9%, 21.5% and 18.2%, respectively). Binary logistic regression analysis showed that postoperative cardiopulmonary complications were independently correlated with EOD and lung function which did not meet the requirement of the lung resection operation mode. CONCLUSIONS A symptom-limited stair climbing test is a safe, simple and low-cost method to evaluate the cardiopulmonary function preoperatively. It can predict the occurrence of postoperative cardiopulmonary complications in non-small cell lung cancer patients. Conventional pulmonary function tests and stair-climbing test can be recommended to be routinely performed in all patients with non-small cell lung cancer before thoracic surgery.
Production of biodiesel from babassu oil using methanol-ethanol blends

Maranhao state in Brazil presents a big potential for the cultivation of several oleaginous species, such as babassu, soybean, castor oil plant, etc. These vegetable oils can be transformed into biodiesel by the transesterification reaction in an alkaline medium, using methanol or ethanol. The biodiesel production from a blend of these alcohols is a way of adding the technical and economical advantages of methanol to the environmental advantages of ethanol. The optimized alcohol blend was observed to be a methanol/ethanol volume ratio of 80 % MeOH: 20 % EtOH. The ester content was of 98.70 %, a value higher than the target of the ANP, 96.5 % (m/m), and the biodiesel mass yield was of 95.32 %. This biodiesel fulfills the specifications of moisture, specific gravity, kinematic viscosity and percentages of free alcohols (methanol plus ethanol) and free glycerin.
Contextual Aspects in Enterprise Integration

The aim of this research is to determine the impact of contextual aspects in an Enterprise Integration (EI) process. The paper focuses on two cases where Information Systems (IS) are implemented within a Merger and Acquisition (M&A) context. The implementation is affected by various cultural issues and conflicting organizational interests, both of which include aspects like communication, management and alignment. The effect of these aspects on the implementation and adoption of IS within the context of M&A's are unclear and need further analysis. This paper looks at the role of issues regarding business and IT before the start of an EI/M&A process, illustrating that contextual aspects have an impact on EI processes that are initiated from an overall M&A integration effort and demonstrating the relevance of assessing contextual aspects and the importance to management of being aware of these aspects when defining integration policies and, in doing so, providing insight to academics by shedding light on contextual aspects and helping practitioners improve the preparation of EI/M&A processes.
A Comparative Study of Uses of the Internet among College Students with and without Internet Addiction

The current study examined uses of the Internet among college students classified as addicted to the Internet or not. Data were gathered from 384 college students. Students classified as Internet Addicted used the Internet more for social functions, leisure functions, and virtual emotional functions, when compared to students considered as Internet Nonaddicted. Effect sizes were large, indicating important group differences in uses of the Internet.
The neurochemical changes in the innervation of human colonic mesenteric and submucosal blood vessels in Ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease

Neurogenic inflammation involves vasodilation, oedema and sensory nerve hypersensitivity. Extrinsic sensory nerves to the intestinal wall mediate these effects and functional subsets of these extrinsic nerves can be characterized by immunohistochemical profiles. In this study such profiles were examined in samples from patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), in particular ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's disease (CD).
Partial trisomy 1q due to tandem duplication

Sirs, Rehder & Friedrich (1979) recently described partial trisomy l q syndrome and summarized the characteristic symptoms. These observations may be supplemented by the case of a boy (now aged 9 months) in whom similar clinical features enabled us to identify a de novo elongation of the long arm of chromosome 1 as tandem duplication. The boy is the second child of healthy, 21-year-old parents. He was born by breech delivery after 37 weeks of gestation. His birth weight was 2310 g, and his length 46 cm. Growth and development were delayed. Physical examination at the age of 6 weeks revealed a hydrocephalic configuration of the skull with large fontanelles and a wide open sagittal suture, a prominent forehead and a small triangular face with a small, pointed chin. There was mid-facial hypoplasia, deeply set eyes, upward slanting of the palpebral fissures and biepharophimosis. The bridge of the nose was depressed, the nose was beaked a t the tip with a long nasal septum and anteverted nostrils. The
Formate dehydrogenase of Clostridium pasteurianum

Formate dehydrogenase was purified to electrophoretic homogeneity from N2-fixing cells of Clostridium pasteurianum W5. The purified enzyme has a minimal Mr of 117,000 with two nonidentical subunits with molecular weights of 76,000 and 34,000, respectively. It contains 2 mol of molybdenum, 24 mol of nonheme iron, and 28 mol of acid-labile sulfide per mol of enzyme; no other metal ions were detected. Analysis of its iron-sulfur centers by ligand exchange techniques showed that 20 iron atoms of formate dehydrogenase can be extruded as Fe4S4 centers. Fluorescence analysis of its isolated molybdenum centers suggests it is a molybdopterin. The clostridial formate dehydrogenase has a pH optimum between 8.3 and 8.5 and a temperature optimum of 52 degrees C. The Km for formate is 1.72 mM with a Vmax of 551 mumol of methyl viologen reduced per min per mg of protein. Sodium azide competes competitively with formate (K1 = 3.57 microM), whereas the inactivation by cyanide follows pseudo-first-order kinetics with K = 5 X 10(2) M-1 s-1.
Neutralizing Antibody Responses against Autologous and Heterologous Viruses in Acute versus Chronic Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Infection: Evidence for a Constraint on the Ability of HIV To Completely Evade Neutralizing Antibody Responses

ABSTRACT Acute human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection is associated with the rapid development of neutralization escape mutations. The degree to which viral evolution persists in chronic infection has not been well characterized, nor is it clear if all patients develop high-level neutralization antibody escape. We therefore measured neutralizing antibody responses against autologous and heterologous viruses in a cohort of acutely and chronically infected subjects (n = 65). Neutralizing antibody responses against both autologous virus and heterologous viruses were lower among individuals with acute infection than among those with chronic infection. Among chronically infected individuals, there was a negative correlation between the level of neutralizing antibodies against autologous virus and the level of viremia. In contrast, there was a positive correlation between the level of neutralizing antibodies against a panel of heterologous viruses and the level of viremia. Viral evolution, as defined by the presence of higher neutralizing titers directed against earlier viruses than against contemporaneous viruses, was evident for subjects with recent infection but absent for those with chronic infection. In summary, neutralizing antibody responses against contemporaneous autologous viruses are absent in early HIV infection but can be detected at low levels in chronic infection, particularly among those controlling HIV in the absence of therapy. HIV replication either directly or indirectly drives the production of increasing levels of antibodies that cross-neutralize heterologous primary isolates. Collectively, these observations indicate that although HIV continuously drives the production of neutralizing antibodies, there may be limits to the capacity of the virus to evolve continuously in response to these antibodies. These observations also suggest that the neutralizing antibody response may contribute to the long-term control of HIV in some patients while protecting against HIV superinfection in most patients.
Flexible work arrangements, work engagement, turnover intentions and psychological health

Flexible work arrangements (FWAs) are often written into company policies to demonstrate organisational sensitivity to potentially difficult interfaces between employees’ work and non-work domains. The current research investigated employees’ use of FWAs and relationship to work engagement, with turnover intentions and psychological strain also used as criterion variables for comparison purposes. A heterogeneous sample of Australian employees (N = 823) responded to two waves of data collection separated by a 12-month interval. It was expected that supportive aspects of organisational culture would be consistent with increased employee utilisation of FWAs, high work engagement, low turnover and low levels of psychological strain, and the opposite would be found for hindering aspects of organisational culture. It was also expected that supportive organisational culture would demonstrate an enduring effect over time. In general, research findings supported these hypotheses. However, the research also identified a negative relationship between use of FWAs and work engagement over time. This suggests that take-up of FWAs is highly dependent on workplace cultural norms. The implications of these results are discussed.