Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Adolescent and young adult (AYA) lymphoma survivors report lower health-related quality of life compared to a normative population: results from the PROFILES registry

Abstract Background: Trying to simultaneously achieve developmental milestones and cope with a life-threatening disease may place adolescents and young adults (AYAs) at risk for impaired health-related quality of life (HRQoL) later in life. The aim of this study was to examine differences in HRQoL between AYA lymphoma survivors and a normative population and to determine sociodemographic, clinical and long-term symptom-related factors associated with HRQoL. Material and methods: This study was part of a longitudinal, population-based survey among lymphoma survivors diagnosed between 1999 and 2012. The AYA survivor sample (18–39 years at time diagnosis) was compared to a sex- and age-matched normative population on HRQoL (EORTC-QLQ-C30) and psychological distress (HADS). Multiple linear regression analyses were conducted to determine factors associated with HRQoL among survivors. Results: One hundred and ninety-eight AYA lymphoma survivors (58%) responded to the study invitation. Compared to an age- and sex-matched normative population (N = 380), significantly and clinically relevant poorer HRQoL was observed for AYA lymphoma survivors in seven specific domains of HRQoL: physical, role, cognitive, emotional, social functioning, fatigue and financial difficulties (all p < 0.05). In addition, AYA lymphoma survivors less often had a spouse/partner and more often had a lower educational level compared to the normative population. Linear regression analyses showed that being unemployed, female gender, having one or more comorbid conditions, high levels of fatigue and psychological distress were most strongly associated with HRQoL. Conclusions: These findings identify specific domains of life in which cancer has a significant and long-term impact for AYA lymphoma survivors. Future investigations are needed to identify and test administrations and timing of psychosocial support interventions having potential to reduce long-term late effects in specific HRQoL domains and promote function and adaptability after cancer treatment.
Need for Weight Management among Postmenopausal Early Breast Cancer Patients Receiving Adjuvant Endocrine Therapy

Increasingly effective adjuvant therapies mean that the prognosis for postmenopausal women with breast cancer has never been better. Weight problems are common among breast cancer patients and worsen due to the impact of diagnosis and treatment. Recent studies have linked excess weight with the risk of recurrence of breast cancer among premenopausal women. While general obesity (body mass index) does not appear to influence the already much improved prognosis for postmenopausal women, there is some evidence that limiting central obesity and improving insulin resistance may improve survival. The focus of attention for postmenopausal breast cancer survivors is also shifting to consider the mortality and morbidity from other weight-related cancers and noncancer causes, such as cardiovascular disease, making weight control a potentially important adjunct to endocrine therapy. This paper outlines the rationale and optimal design for effective weight management strategies among postmenopausal breast cancer patients receiving endocrine therapy.
Frequency of Idiopathic Gastric Stasis and Intestinal Transit Disorders in Essential Dyspepsia

Gastric emptying, mouth-to-cecum transit (MCT), and whole-gut transit of a solid-liquid meal was measured in 30 control subjects and in 43 patients with essential dyspepsia, in whom organic digestive diseases and secondary disorders of gastric emptying had been excluded. The rate of gastric emptying was determined by an anterior gamma camera technique, MCT by the hydrogen breath test, and whole-gut transit by the first appearance of stool markers. Approximately 30% of patients with essential dyspepsia, predominantly women, in whom statistical analysis failed to reveal any specific pattern of symptoms, had significantly delayed gastric emptying suggesting idiopathic gastric stasis. Concerning MCT and whole-gut transit, significant differences between the control and study group could not be detected.
Cancer of the Brain and Nervous System and Occupational Exposures in Finnish Women

Occupational agents were evaluated for the risk of brain– nervous system cancer in a cohort of 413,877 Finnish women with blue-collar occupations in 1970. Observed and expected numbers of incident cases and the intensities of exposure to 25 agents were generated for 183 job titles from 1971 to 1995. Poisson regression models linked incidence and exposure data. Increased risks were found for medium/high intensities of iron (standardized incidence ratio [SIR], 2.15; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.96 to 4.80), oil mist (1.95; 0.97 to 3.90), any chromium compounds (1.51; 0.85 to 2.67), electromagnetic fields (1.37; 0.98 to 2.10), aliphatic and alicyclic hydrocarbon compounds (1.34; 0.80 to 2.27), lead (1.27; 0.81 to 2.01), cadmium (1.26; 0.72 to 2.22), and aromatic hydrocarbon compounds (1.20; 0.71 to 2.03). Strengths of the study include fair number of cases, virtually complete case coverage, and a high-quality job exposure matrix. Ecological design and cross-sectional job assessment introduced exposure misclassification and tended to drive risk estimates toward unity.
Biosurfactants are useful tools for the bioremediation of contaminated soil: a review

Bioremediation processes are negatively affected by the low aqueous solubility of some contaminants; therefore their bioavailability may be enhanced by the addition of surfactants. These compounds are organic molecules that can be chemically and biologically produced. Surfactants contain both hydrophilic and hydrophobic groups, therefore reducing surface and interfacial tensions of immiscible fluids and increasing the solubility and sorption of hydrophobic organic and inorganic compounds. This article provides an overview of characteristics of natural and synthetic surfactants and the effects of biosurfactants on solubility, sorption and biodegradation of hydrophobic organic contaminants; as well as the effects of biosurfactants on degrader microorganisms as white-rot fungi. Finally, some examples of application of natural surfactants for bioremediation of contaminated soils are shown. In general, this overview indicates the great potential of biosurfactants on the remediation of contaminated sites.
Epidemiological features and prognostic factors of cutaneous head and neck melanoma: a population-based study.

OBJECTIVES To describe the epidemiological features of cutaneous head and neck melanoma (CHNM) and to identify factors associated with mortality from this disease. DESIGN A population-based cohort study. SETTING Patients treated for CHNM in Ontario between January 1, 1994, and December 31, 2002, were identified through the provincial Cancer Registry. A Cox proportional hazards regression model was used to analyze the data. PATIENTS A total of 2218 patients with CHNM were identified, comprising 15.8% of all melanomas in Ontario. The mean age of the cohort was 66 years (SD, 16 years); 1363 patients (61.5%) were males. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE Patients' vital status (dead or alive). RESULTS The incidence of CHNM increased from 2.0 per 100,000 in 1996 to 2.7 per 100,000 in 2001, while mortality remained stable. The Cox proportional hazards regression model showed that increased age (hazard ratio [HR], 1.06; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.04-1.06) and male sex (HR, 1.31; 95% CI, 1.03-1.66) had a significantly higher risk of death. Patients with lesions of the scalp and neck had a 53% higher risk of death than those with lesions of the face. Nodular melanoma (HR, 1.61; 95% CI, 1.17-2.24) had the worst prognosis compared with other morphological types. Increased tumor thickness (HR, 1.05; 95% CI, 1.03-1.07), ulceration (HR, 1.53; 95% CI, 1.08-2.07), and Clark level V (HR, 1.52; 95% CI, 1.01-2.22) were significantly associated with increased mortality. CONCLUSIONS Our study demonstrated an increase in the incidence of CHNM. Advanced age, male sex, nodular morphological features, tumor thickness, ulceration, and Clark level V carried a significant risk of death, whereas facial melanomas had a favorable prognosis.
Phase I Study of Dovitinib (TKI258), an Oral FGFR, VEGFR, and PDGFR Inhibitor, in Advanced or Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma

Purpose: Signaling through the fibroblast growth factor (FGF) pathway may account for tumor resistance to antiangiogenic therapies targeting the VEGF pathway. Here, dovitinib (TKI258), a potent oral inhibitor of FGF receptor, VEGF receptor (VEGFR), and platelet-derived growth factor receptor tyrosine kinases, is studied in a dose escalation trial. Experimental Design: Patients with advanced or metastatic renal cell carcinoma (RCC) with predominant clear cell histology were treated with oral dovitinib 500 or 600 mg/day (5-days-on/2-days-off schedule). Results: Twenty heavily pretreated patients (median 3 prior regimens) were enrolled, with 16, 11, and 12 patients having previously received at least 1: VEGFR inhibitor, mTOR inhibitor, and immunotherapy, respectively. Fifteen and 5 patients were treated in 500- and 600-mg cohorts, respectively. Three patients experienced dose-limiting toxicities: grade 2 bradycardia (500 mg), grade 4 hypertensive crisis (600 mg), and grade 3 asthenia with grade 2 nausea and vomiting (600 mg). The most common adverse events related to dovitinib were nausea (75%), diarrhea (70%), vomiting (70%), and asthenia (50%), the majority of which were mild (grade 1 or 2), with grade 3 events 5% or less (except asthenia, 15%) and only one grade 4 event (hypertensive crisis). Two patients achieved a partial response (500 mg), and 12 patients had stable disease, including 2 patients with long lasting disease stabilizations (>1 year) in the 500-mg cohort. Conclusions: Dovitinib was tolerable and showed antitumor activity at a maximum tolerated dose of 500 mg on a 5-days-on/2-days-off schedule in heavily pretreated RCC patients. Clin Cancer Res; 19(5); 1257–68. ©2012 AACR.
A Study for Chloroform Formation in Chlorination of Resorcinol

In this study, resorcinol, chosen as a model humic acid, is chlorinated with sodium hypochlorite in aqueous medium. The effects of some factors, such as initial concentrations of resorcinol and chlorine, as well as their ratios, temperature, time and pH on chloroform formation, are investigated and discussed. Correlations with accuracies of \pm 10% are obtained to predict the formed chloroform concentration in terms of time, initial total organic carbon (TOC), initial chlorine to initial TOC ratio, reaction temperature and reaction pH. In the chlorination of water containing total organic carbon due to the presence of humic acids at a certain concentration, the necessary optimum chlorination time for each applied chlorine dosage, ensuring the maximum permissible chloroform concentration in the drinking water, can be determined from these correlations.
Poor prognosis for ovarian response to stimulation: results of a randomised trial comparing the flare-up GnRH agonist protocol vs. the antagonist protocol

Objective. To determine the efficacy of the flare-up agonist and the antagonist protocols in patients with poor prognosis for ovarian response. Methods. A randomised trial was conducted on two hundred and twenty-one women considered as having poor prognosis for ovarian response to stimulation, based on previous cycles or clinical criteria. All women were prospectively randomised into two groups of treatment (flare-up group and antagonist group) by computer-assisted randomisation in a 1:1 ratio. The main outcome measure was clinical pregnancy rate. Results. Groups were homogeneous in age and baseline characteristics. Duration of stimulation, gonadotropin consumption, number of oocytes retrieved and number and quality of embryos transferred did not differ significantly between the groups. E2 level the day of hCG administration was significantly higher in the flare-up group. Pregnancy rates per started cycle were 15% in the flare-up group and 14.1% in the antagonist group. Cancellation rates were 12.5% in the flare-up group and 16.3% in the antagonist group. None of these differences reached statistical significance. Conclusions. No statistically significant differences were observed between the two protocols regarding clinical pregnancy rates. In patients with poor prognosis for ovarian response, the flare-up agonist and the antagonist protocols were comparable regarding clinical pregnancy rates.
NKG2D Is Required for NK Cell Activation and Function in Response to E1-Deleted Adenovirus

Despite high transduction efficiency in vivo, the application of recombinant E1-deleted adenoviral vectors for in vivo gene therapy has been limited by the attendant innate and adaptive immune responses to adenoviral vectors. NK cells have been shown to play an important role in innate immune elimination of adenoviral vectors in vivo. However, the mechanisms underlying NK cell activation and function in response to adenoviral vectors remain largely undefined. In this study, we showed that NK cell activation upon adenoviral infection was dependent on accessory cells such as dendritic cells and macrophages and that cell contact-dependent signals from the accessory cells are necessary for NK cell activation. We further demonstrated that ligands of the NK activating receptor NKG2D were upregulated in accessory cells upon adenoviral infection and that blockade of NKG2D inhibited NK cell activation upon adenoviral infection, leading to a delay in adenoviral clearance in vivo. In addition, NKG2D was required for NK cell-mediated cytolysis on adenovirus-infected targets. Taken together, these results suggest that efficient NK cell activation and function in response to adenoviral infection is critically dependent on the NKG2D pathway, which understanding may assist in the design of effective strategies to improve the outcome of adenovirus-mediated gene therapy.
Finite Time Extinction by Nonlinear Damping for the Schrödinger Equation

We consider the Schrödinger equation on a compact manifold, in the presence of a nonlinear damping term, which is homogeneous and sublinear. For initial data in the energy space, we construct a weak solution, defined for all positive time, which is shown to be unique. In the one-dimensional case, we show that it becomes zero in finite time. In the two and three-dimensional cases, we prove the same result under the assumption of extra regularity on the initial datum.
Bruxism: Overview of Current Knowledge and Suggestions for Dental Implants Planning

Abstract Bruxism is commonly considered a detrimental motor activity, potentially causing overload of the stomatognathic structures and representing a risk factor for dental implant survival. The available literature does not provide evidence-based guidelines for the management of bruxers undergoing implant-retained restorations. The present paper reviewed current concepts on bruxism etiology, diagnosis and management, underlining its effects on dental implants in an attempt to provide clinically useful suggestions based on scientifically sound data. Unfortunately, very little data exists on the subject of a cause-and-effect relationship between bruxism and implant failure, to the point that expert opinions and cautionary approaches are still considered the best available sources for suggesting good practice indicators. By including experimental literature data on the effects of different types of occlusal loading on peri-implant marginal bone loss along with data from studies investigating the intensity of the forces transmitted to the bone itself during tooth-clenching and tooth-grinding activities, the authors were able to compile the suggestions presented here for prosthetic implant rehabilitations in patients with bruxism.
Speeded C-Tests: Some Psychometric Analyses

The C-test as a measure of first and second language proficiency suffers from ceiling effect. That is, the C-test is very easy for native speakers and for advanced second language learners and many examinees obtain full scores. Therefore, the test cannot distinguish among advanced learners or native speakers. Grotjahn, Schlak, and Aguado (2010) and Grotjahn (2010) suggested Speeded C-test or Standard-C-test as a remedy for this problem. They argued that if C-test is administrated under time constraint it can better differentiate among advanced learners and native speakers. In this study we aimed to compare the psychometric characteristics of speeded and standard C-test and investigate the relationship between standard and speeded C-test and reading comprehension. One-hundred Iranian undergraduate EFL learners studying at Islamic Azad University and Tabaran University of Mashhad, Khorasan Razavi, Iran, were selected to take part in this research. A standard (power) C-test, a speeded C-test, and a reading comprehension test were given to the students. Findings revealed that both speeded C-test and standard C-test could measure reading comprehension ability but standard C-test is a better predictor of reading comprehension ability and enjoys higher reliability. Exploratory factor analysis of the data resulted in a one-factor solution. All C-test passages (speeded and power) and reading comprehension passages loaded heavily on the single extracted factor. Nevertheless, power C-test passages had higher loadings compared to speeded passages.
Na mira do câncer: o papel da mídia brasileira Targeting cancer: the role of Brazilian media

Este estudo procura tracar um panorama sobre o tema câncer na midia brasileira on-line e impressa. Foram analisadas 195 reportagens de 54 diferentes jornais das regioes Norte, Nordeste, Sudeste, Centro-Oeste e Sul, entre os anos 2003 e 2005. Varios aspectos foram observados durante a analise, dentre os quais foram verificados: se as producoes das reportagens foram realizadas por jornalistas brasileiros ou se eram originarias de agencias de noticias internacionais; quais os tumores malignos foram mais noticiados; qual o enfoque principal das materias: prevencao, diagnostico, tratamento, epidemiologia e/ou cura; o uso de fenomenos de linguagem como as analogias para explicar determinados processos; a seriedade no tratamento dos temas versus os erros mais frequentes cometidos por jornalistas; e a referencia a periodicos internacionais e nacionais nos estudos divulgados. Palavras-chave: Neoplasias, Midia, Brasil.
The Effects of Augmented Physiological Feedback on Detection of Deception

The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of two types of augmented physiological feedback (APF) on the reliability and accuracy of probable-lie comparison question tests (CQT). Two hundred and ten college students participated in the study, half of whom were guilty of a mock crime and half innocent. During questioning, one group received skin conductance feedback, a second group received composite feedback (skin conductance, cardiograph, and respiration), and a third group received no feedback. The results indicated that APF did not increase detection rates above that of the no-feedback group in this study. However, APF did decrease the rate of habituation during repetition of the question sequences thus allowing for greater discrimination between innocent and guilty participants as the CQT progressed.
Application of the Supraorbital Endoscopic Approach to Tumors of the Anterior Cranial Base

Access to tumors of the anterior cranial fossa traditionally has required wide exposure of the surgical field, along with prolonged retraction of the frontal lobes or potentially disfiguring transfacial approaches. These approaches subject patients to undesirable neurologic and cosmetic morbidity. With the introduction of progressively less-invasive approaches, intracranial tumors with craniofacial involvement have become amenable to en bloc resection with a minimum of deleterious consequences. The authors report their experience with a supraorbital endoscopic approach. This technique is suitable for lesions situated in the region of the anterior cranial fossa, the suprasellar, and parasellar regions. The technique was applied to 24 patients. Pathologies treated were meningiomas, craniopharyngiomas, pituitary adenomas with extrasellarextensions, and other variable supratentorial pathologies. The use of endoscopy allowed thorough visualization of all critical structures at the paramedian skull base without the need for a bicoronal scalp flap, bifrontal osteotomies, or brain retraction. Most lesions were resected in their entirety with no perioperative complications and with excellent cosmetic results. These cases demonstrate how the application of endoscopy to surgery of the anterior skull base and craniofacial skeleton can eliminate the need for traditional open techniques without compromising surgical success.
Rethinking data quality as an outcome of conceptual modeling choices

: With the proliferation of unstructured data sources and the growing role of crowdsourcing, new data quality challenges are emerging. Traditional approaches that investigated quality in the context of structured relational databases viewed users as data consumers and quality as a product of an information system. Yet, as users increasingly become information producers, a reconceptualization of data quality is needed. This paper contributes by exploring data quality challenges arising in the era of user-supplied information and defines data quality as a function of conceptual modeling choices. The proposed approach can better inform the practice of crowdsourcing and can enable participants to contribute higher quality information with fewer constraints.
Prosthetic joint infections due to methicillin-resistant and methicillin-susceptible staphylococci treated with open debridement and retention of the prosthesis.

OBJECTIVES To compare the specific characteristics, the outcome and the predictors of failure of prosthetic joint infections (PJI) due to methicillin-resistant (MRS) and methicillin- susceptible staphylococci (MSS) treated with open debridement and retention of the implant. MATERIAL AND METHODS PJI due to MRS or MRS prospectively registered in a database from 1999 to 2009 were retrospectively reviewed. RESULTS During the study period, 96 patients met the inclusion criteria of the study. The mean follow-up period was 3.9 years and at least 2 years in all patients. The failure rate was 25%. The only variable significantly associated with failure in the global cohort was polymicrobial infection (59.3% vs. 40.7%, p=0.036). Thirty-four (35.4%) patients had an infection due to MRS and 62 (63.6%) due to MSS. Among MSS infections, 95.2% corresponded to primary arthroplasties while 29.4% of PJI due to MRS were after revision arthroplasties (p=0.001). CRP was significantly higher in PJI due to MSS (5.2 mg/dl vs 9.1 mg/dL, p=0.02). The failure rate (20% vs 27%, p=0.62) was very similar in MSS and MRS groups. CONCLUSION PJI due to MRS were mainly coagulase-negative staphylococci, more frequent after revision arthroplasties, had a lower inflammatory response, and had a similar failure rate than MSS infections.
High-Frame-Rate Optical Flow System

In this paper, we develop a high-frame-rate (HFR) vision system that can estimate the optical flow in real time at 1000 f/s for 1024×1024 pixel images via the hardware implementation of an improved optical flow detection algorithm on a high-speed vision platform. Based on the Lucas-Kanade method, we adopt an improved gradient-based algorithm that can adaptively select a pseudo-variable frame rate according to the amplitude of the estimated optical flow to accurately detect the optical flow for objects moving at high and low speeds in the same image. The performance of our developed HFR optical flow system was verified through experimental results for high-speed movements such as a top's spinnning motion and a human's pitching motion.