Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Basaloid squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck: role of HPV and implication in treatment and prognosis

Basaloid squamous cell carcinoma (BSCC) is a rare variant of squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the head and neck. Wain's criteria (peripheral palisading, association with SCC, high nuclear-cytoplasmic ratio, high mitotic rate, solid growth), anti-34BE12 and CK 5/6 staining, and absence of neuroendocrine markers are mandatory for the diagnosis of BSCC. Its increasing incidence parallels that of human papilloma virus (HPV)-positive tumours for the oropharyngeal subsite. On the other hand, BSCC is frequently considered a high-grade carcinoma of poorer prognosis than its SCC counterparts, mostly due to a higher rate of distant metastases. However, BSCC has similar or better locoregional control rates and a relatively better radiosensitivity than SCC. BSCC seems to have a dual behaviour depending, at least partly, on its recently described association with HPV. The basaloid subtype of SCC, owing to its particular behaviour, should be systematically investigated along with HPV and smoking status, as those factors may be determinant in the response to treatment.
Time varying lattices and autoregressive models : Parameter estimation

Modeling of non-stationary signals can be achieved through time-dependent lattices and auto-regressive models. This method leads to an extension of several well-known techniques of stationary spectral estimation to the non-stationary case. Time varying AR models are identified by means of a fast Levinson algorithm, while the time-dependent reflexion coefficients of the lattice are estimated through an algorithm which is similar to Burg's. The context of these methods is off-line (blockwise) estimation.
Anger in the Courtroom: The Effects of Attorney Gender and Emotion on Juror Perceptions

This study sought to examine the effects of gender stereotypes of emotional expression on jurors’ perceptions of an attorney’s competence. Participants watched a video of a closing statement of a male or female attorney expressing either anger or neutral emotions and were asked to give a verdict and rate the attorney’s competence. Participants rated an angry male attorney highest in competence and an angry female attorney lowest in competence. Results also showed that participants who viewed a male attorney were more likely to attribute the attorney’s emotions to the situation compared to participants who viewed a female attorney. The implications of this study for attorney strategies are discussed. Thesis Mentor: ________________________ Dr. Amy Hackney Honors Director: _______________________ Dr. Steven Engel April 2014 Psychology Department University Honors Program Georgia Southern University 2 ANGER IN THE COURTROOM Anger in the Courtroom: The Effects of Attorney Gender and Emotion on Juror Perceptions Emotions have long been part of trial proceedings. Though the law itself is intentionally devoid of emotionality, emotions are a vital part of both criminal and civil trials. Attorneys use precious preemptory challenges to select jurors sympathetic to their respective sides during voir dire, and during the trial, they use emotions to try to arouse empathy from the jury for their case. While most attorneys at some point intentionally convey specific emotions to try to win over the jury, it is possible that the emotions they attempt to use to their advantage could unintentionally be harmful to their cases. Because of the historical stereotype that portrays men as aggressive and women as passive, gender is an interesting factor to compare to emotionality in the current study. Gender is especially apt as there is little research concerning gender differences in a courtroom setting. Despite large leaps in recent decades, law is still predominately a “man’s world. ” The most recent census by the American Bar Association reported 73% of attorneys were male in the year 2000 (American Bar Association, 2009). This ratio of almost three to one is indisputably skewed, though much less skewed than that two decades before when only 8% of attorneys were female. Because of the great increase of female attorneys in the past few decades, the examination of the differences between juries’ perceptions of male and female attorneys is a relatively new field of study, with little research having been conducted. Therefore, it is the attempt of this study to examine the effects of attorney gender and emotionality on perceived competence by
Cost-effectiveness of the lower treatment goal (of JNC VI) for diabetic hypertensive patients. Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure.

BACKGROUND The recommendation of the Sixth Report of the Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure (JNC VI) to lower blood pressure (BP) in diabetic patients to less than 130/85 mm Hg may have negative economic consequences. A formal cost-effectiveness analysis was therefore performed, comparing the costs and potential benefits of a BP goal of less than 140/90 mm Hg (as recommended by JNC V) vs less than 130/85 mm Hg (as inJNC VI). METHODS A 24-cell computer model was populated with costs (1996 dollars), relative risks, and age-specific base-line rates for death and 4 nonfatal adverse events (stroke, myocardial infarction, heart failure, and end-stage renal disease), derived from published data. Costs and benefits were discounted at 3%. RESULTS For 60-year-old diabetic persons with hypertension, treating to the lower BP goal increases life expectancy by 0.48 (discounted) years and lowers (discounted) lifetime medical costs by $1450 compared with treating BP to less than 140/90 mm Hg. The lower treatment BP goal results in an overall cost savings over a wide range of initial conditions, and for nearly all analyses for patients older than 60 years. CONCLUSIONS Any incremental treatment for 60-year-olds that costs less than $414 annually and successfully lowers BP from below 140/90 to below 130/85 mm Hg would be cost saving in the long term, due to the reduction in attendant costs of future morbidity. The lower treatment goal recommended for high-risk hypertensive patients compares favorably in cost-effectiveness with many other frequently recommended treatment strategies, and saves money overall for patients aged 60 years and older.
The 3 A crystal structure of yeast initiator tRNA: functional implications in initiator/elongator discrimination.

A significantly improved molecular model of yeast initiator tRNA (ytRNA(iMet) has been prepared that gives insight into the structural basis of eukaryotic initiator tRNA's unique function. This study was made possible by X‐ray data collected at synchrotron radiation sources with the newly developed technologies of ‘imaging plates’ and ‘storage phosphors’. These data extend beyond the resolution limit of 4.0 A reported previously to a current limit of 3.0 A and are considerably more accurate. Refinement of the model against the new data (R factor = 21.5%) clearly reveals a novel modification and a set of tertiary interactions involving sequence features characteristic of eukaryotic initiator tRNAs. We hypothesize these to be the structural elements responsible for part of the special function of yeast tRNA(iMET).
Coronary artery calcium area by electron-beam computed tomography and coronary atherosclerotic plaque area. A histopathologic correlative study.

BACKGROUND Coronary calcium identified by electron-beam computed tomography (EBCT) correlates poorly with luminal atherosclerotic narrowing, but calcium, an intimate part of coronary plaque, may be more directly related to atheromatous plaque area. METHODS AND RESULTS Thirty-eight coronary arteries from 13 autopsy hearts were dissected, straightened, and scanned with EBCT in 3-mm contiguous increments. Coronary calcium area was defined as one or more pixels with a density > 130 Hounsfield units (0.18 mm2/pixel). Each artery was divided into corresponding 3-mm segments, representative histological sections were stained, and atherosclerotic plaque area per segment (mm2) was quantified. Coronary artery calcium and coronary artery plaque areas were correlated for the hearts as a whole, for individual coronary arteries, and for individual coronary artery segments. The sums of histological plaque areas versus the sums of calcium areas were highly correlated for each heart and for each coronary artery. However, coronary plaque area was on the order of five times greater than calcium area. Furthermore, minimal diffuse segmental coronary plaque could be present despite the absence of coronary calcium detectable by EBCT. CONCLUSIONS This histopathologic study confirms an intimate relation between whole heart, coronary artery, and segmental coronary atherosclerotic plaque area and EBCT coronary calcium area but suggests that there is a threshold value for plaque area below which coronary calcium is either absent or not detectable by this methodology.
Review: Anti-adhesion molecule therapy for inflammatory bowel disease

Although biologic agents directed against tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) continue to be an effective therapeutic strategy for patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), approximately 30% of patients with Crohn’s disease (CD) who are refractory to standard treatment do not respond to induction therapy with TNFα inhibitors and, of those who initially respond, 50% or more cease to respond within a year. Moreover, their use can be associated with significant safety issues. Clearly, there is a need to target alternative pathways involved in the inflammatory process. IBD is driven by the trafficking of lymphocytes from the circulation into the gut tissue that is mediated by adhesive interactions between the lymphocytes and endothelial cells. The adhesion molecules involved represent attractive targets for the development of new therapeutics which should aid in the resolution of existing inflammation, prevent recurrence of inflammation, and may potentially lead to long-term control of disease. In this article we review current opportunities and challenges facing anti-adhesion therapy in IBD, and discusses recent clinical development efforts that have focused on having an impact on two particular adhesive interactions: α4-integrin/MAdCAM-1 and β2-integrin/ICAM-1. Of particular interest is natalizumab, a humanized monoclonal antibody against human α4 integrin that is approved for the treatment of patients with moderately-to-severely active CD and evidence of active inflammation. This agent represents an efficacious therapeutic option for patients who do not respond to, or have failed, a TNF-α inhibitor.
The role of peptides derived from Spirulina maxima in downregulation of FcεRI-mediated allergic responses.

SCOPE Spirulina has been found suitable for use as a bioactive additive. It is an excellent source of protein that can be hydrolyzed into bioactive peptides. Two peptides LDAVNR (P1) and MMLDF (P2) purified from enzymatic hydrolysate of Spirulina maxima have been reported to be effective against early atherosclerotic responses. In this study, the intracellular mechanism involved in the downregulation of these peptides on high-affinity IgE receptor-mediated allergic reaction was further investigated. METHODS AND RESULTS RBL-2H3 mast cells were pretreated with P1 or P2 and sensitized with dinitrophenyl-specific IgE antibody before stimulation of antigen dinitrophenyl-BSA. It was revealed that P1 and P2 exhibited significant inhibition on mast-cell degranulation via decreasing histamine release and intracellular Ca(2+) elevation. The inhibitory activity of P1 was found due to blockade of calcium- and microtubule-dependent signaling pathways. Meanwhile, the inhibition of P2 was involved in suppression of phospholipase Cγ activation and reactive oxygen species production. Moreover, the suppressive effects of P1 and P2 on generation of IL-4 were evidenced via depression of nuclear factor-κB translocation. CONCLUSION These findings indicate that peptides P1 and P2 from S. maxima may be promising candidates of antiallergic therapeutics, contributing to development of bioactive food ingredients for amelioration of allergic diseases.
Cultural Meanings of Childbirth

This descriptive, ethnographic study focuses on the experience of childbirth for Muslim women living in Jordan. Thirty-two childbearing women were interviewed in the early postpartum weeks. The audiotaped interviews were transcribed and translated. Themes were identified from the rich, narrative data. Motivations for having children, as well as what constitutes the motherhood feeling, were described. Themes also included the importance of relying on God or Allah for support in childbearing and child rearing. A strong sense of the spiritual dimensions of giving birth within women's traditional, religious, and cultural context was identified. Findings from this study provide insight into the meanings of childbirth for Muslim women living in Jordan. These meanings assist nurses in providing culturally competent care.
Carnivoran Ecomorphology: Patterns below the Family Level

We studied the multivariate morphospace of a sample of 216 extant carnivoran species. Emphasis was placed on statistical patterns below the family level in the five largest families. Canidae and Felidae had small morphospaces, indicating low functional richness. Their species are highly non-randomly located in morphospace, hence low functional evenness. Clades at the subfamily level showed no patterning. Mustelidae had the greatest functional richness and were non-randomly distributed. There was partial subfamily patterning, with Lutrinae standing out as distinct. Herpestidae and Viverridae had intermediate functional richness and were randomly distributed in morphospace, showing high functional evenness. Subfamilial clades showed distinct patterning, especially in Viverridae, where the four subfamilies occupy distinct parts of morphospace.
A Target-Oriented Algorithm for Citrate-Calcium Anticoagulation in Clinical Practice

Background/Aims: Because of a high monitoring demand and an ensuing need for automation of regional citrate anticoagulation (RCA), a new semi-automated target-oriented algorithm was developed. The aim of this study was the evaluation of its functionality and safety. Methods: Fourteen haemodialysis patients were treated 5 times consecutively with RCA. Samples were drawn pre- and post-infusion once per hour. Electrolytes, blood cell counts, acid-base and coagulation parameters were analyzed. Results: Mean ionized calcium (Ca2+) values pre-filter were 0.23 and 0.33 mmol/l in the 0.2 and 0.3 mmol/l target groups, respectively. Extraction ratios for citrate and total calcium through the dialysis filter were constant during the entire treatment (83 and 68%, respectively). Citrate accumulation was avoided. Conclusion: The new algorithm enables safe and accurate RCA. By regulating Ca2+ pre-filter using the target-oriented algorithm, the degree of anticoagulation may be easily controlled.
Maps of PWV Temporal Changes by SAR Interferometry: A Study on the Properties of Atmosphere's Temperature Profiles

Recently, synthetic aperture radar interferometry (InSAR) has been recognized as a promising tool to generate high-resolution maps of atmospherical precipitable water vapor temporal changes (ΔPWV) from the propagation delay of radar signal in atmosphere. The relationship between ΔPWV and propagation delay mainly depends on the vertical profiles of temperature and water vapor pressure. In this letter, we present a methodology to study the spatial and temporal variations of the temperature's vertical profile and generate more accurate high-resolution ΔPWV maps by means of InSAR.
Circadian preference and facial emotion recognition among rehabilitation inpatients.

Objective: Examined the role of circadian preference on facial emotion recognition among rehabilitation inpatients. Design: 47 patients with stroke and 24 patients with orthopedic diagnoses were screened for circadian preference and assessed at preferred and nonpreferred times of day on a computerized task of facial emotion recognition. Results: Disproportionate effects of time of day, relative to individual circadian preference, were found among persons with stroke-related cognitive impairment, compared with orthopedic patients, on facial emotion recognition. These differences were independent of differences in visual perception, subjective mood, or sleepiness. Conclusions: The circadian preference effect can be understood in terms of cognitive reserve. Among persons with acquired brain injury, the ability to access cognitive reserve appears to be affected by environmental variables (e.g., time of day), suggesting an additional component to existing models of reserve. Limited ability to recognize facial emotional expression in this population may present behavioral, occupational, and interpersonal challenges to community reintegration poststroke. Understanding this time-of-day effect adds to existing knowledge of factors affecting successful postacute outcomes in stroke rehabilitation.
High-Efficiency Planar Thin-Film Si/PEDOT:PSS Hybrid Solar Cell

We study planar Si/PEDOT:PSS hybrid solar cells fabricated using silicon thin films of various thicknesses through a simple spin-coating process. The effects of the Si absorber thickness (T) on the performance of the hybrid cells are investigated. Average power conversion efficiencies (PCE) of 5.0%, 6.2%, 7.7%, and 8.2% have been achieved for T of 2.2, 5.5, 10.6, and 15.5 μm, respectively. It is found that the hybrid cell with T = 15.5 μm is able to generate a large short-circuit current density (Jsc) of 20.4 mA/cm2, which is about 78% of that measured for a reference bulk Si cell. Optical simulation is also performed to theoretically investigate the light harvesting characteristics of the hybrid cells. It is found that Jsc increases with T and saturates at about T = 10-15 μm. By adopting a cell structure where the junction is situated at the back to minimize optical loss in PEDOT:PSS, a Jsc of 30.3 mA/cm2 can be achieved. It is predicted that the simple planar Si/PEDOT:PSS cell using only 15-μm-thick of Si thin film, without the incorporation of nanostructures for light trapping, can deliver a PCE of over 13%.
FKHRL1 and its homologs are new targets of nerve growth factor Trk receptor signaling

We report that the Forkhead family of transcription factors, FKHRL1, FKHR and AFX are novel components of neurotrophin receptor signaling. NGF rapidly induced the phosphorylation of FKHRL1 in PC12 cells. This effect is mediated by high‐affinity TrkA receptor as nerve growth factor (NGF) induced the phosphorylation of FKHRL1 only in TrkA expressing cells and not p75‐expressing cells. Additional experiments with various kinase inhibitors, the transient expression of constitutively active and dominant‐negative Akt, and in vitro kinase assay revealed that phosphatidylinositol‐3 (PtdIns3)/Akt kinase mediated the actions of NGF. Similar data were obtained for brain‐derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), neurotrophin‐3 (NT‐3) and neurotrophin‐4 (NT‐4) in primary cortical cultured neurons. These findings demonstrate for the first time that the phosphorylation of the Forkhead family of transcription factors can be modulated by neurotrophins via Trk receptors and PtdIns3K/Akt kinase (but not MAP or S6p70 kinases) in neuronal and non‐neuronal cells. Moreover, survival assays with the PtdIns3 kinase inhibitor LY294002, active and dominant‐negative forms of Akt indicate that the phosphorylation of FKHRL1 plays a role in neurotrophins‐mediated cell survival.
Evaluation of serum iron and ferritin in different treatment regimens for chronic hepatitis C virus

This work aims to develop a biochemical study on the effect of both interferon containing treatment regimens and interferon free regimens on serum iron and serum ferritin in patients with chronic hepatitis C and to evaluate the role of iron in the severity and course of disease. Blood samples from one hundred fifty patients aged from 25 to 57 years old were withdrawn; of them 30 blood samples were positive for HCV antibodies and negative for HCV RNA (control group I) and 120 blood samples were positive for HCV antibodies and positive for HCV RNA (diseased group II) which is subdivided into four groups according to the received treatment; interferon and ribavirin (group IIa), interferon, sofosbuvir and ribavirin (group IIb), sofosbuvir and ribavirin (group IIc) and herbal therapy (group IId). After treatment there was an extremely significant decrease in iron levels (94 ± 16.96 µg/dL) in group IIa, , while there was an extremely significant increase in iron levels after treatment in group IIb and group IIc (160.4 ± 37.53 µg/dL and 183.7 ± 37.36 µg/dL), respectively. Group IId showed a non significant decrease in iron levels after treatment (150.5 ± 21.35 µg/dL). For ferritin levels, group IIa, group IIb and group IIc showed significant increase in serum ferritin levels after treatment (157.6 ± 13.44, 99.5 ±14.99, and 96.63 ± 15.22 ng/mL), respectively. On the other hand, group IId showed a non significant increase in ferritin levels after treatment (90.93 ± 6.883 ng/mL). It can be concluded that serum ferritin increases in HCV patients treated with combined pegylated interferon--alfa (PEG-IFN)-ribavirin than the other treatment regimens. In addition, Serum iron decreases in HCV patients treated with combined PEG-IFN-
Abnormal autonomic cardiac response to transient hypoxia in sickle cell anemia

The objective of this study was to non-invasively assess cardiac autonomic control in subjects with sickle cell anemia (SCA) by tracking the changes in heart rate variability (HRV) that occur following brief exposure to a hypoxic stimulus. Five African–American SCA patients and seven healthy control subjects were recruited to participate in this study. Each subject was exposed to a controlled hypoxic stimulus consisting of five breaths of nitrogen. Time-varying spectral analysis of HRV was applied to estimate the cardiac autonomic response to the transient episode of hypoxia. The confounding effects of changes in respiration on the HRV spectral indices were reduced by using a computational model. A significant decrease in the parameters related to parasympathetic control was detected in the post-hypoxic responses of the SCA subjects relative to normal controls. The spectral index related to sympathetic activity, on the other hand, showed a tendency to increase the following hypoxic stimulation, but the change was not significant. This study suggests that there is some degree of cardiovascular autonomic dysfunction in SCA that is revealed by the response to transient hypoxia.
Treatment with tumour necrosis factor inhibitor oxpentifylline does not improve corticosteroid dependent chronic active Crohn's disease.

BACKGROUND: In Crohn's disease, inflammation is presumably sustained by an increased production of proinflammatory cytokines, in particular tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF alpha) and interleukin 1 beta (IL 1 beta). TNF alpha can induce a host of cellular effector events resulting in perpetuation of the inflammatory process. In vivo studies with anti-TNF alpha antibody treatment have led to impressive clinical results. AIMS: To investigate whether treatment with the TNF alpha inhibitor oxpentifylline results in clinical improvement in corticosteroid dependent chronic active Crohn's disease. METHODS: Sixteen Crohn's disease patients received oxpentifylline 400 mg four times a day in a four week open label study. RESULTS: Blockade of TNF alpha production in 16 patients with corticosteroid dependent Crohn's disease did not improve the clinical disease activity (CDAI mean (SEM) 188.75 (5.65) versus 185.13 (10.87) or the endoscopic degree of inflammation (CDEIS 14.9 (2.87) versus 14.8 (2.27) or laboratory parameters. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, use of the TNF alpha inhibitor oxpentifylline does not improve inflammation in Crohn's disease. This finding suggests that there may be more key mediators than only TNF alpha in the inflammatory process in Crohn's disease.