Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Describing Patterns of Care in Pancreatic Cancer: A Population-Based Study

Objectives Despite pancreatic cancer being the fifth highest cause of cancer death in developed regions, there is a paucity of population-based management details for patients with pancreatic cancer. The objective of this study was to reflect on current practice and outcomes to facilitate future improvement. Methods A comprehensive population-based patterns-of-care study in 2 Australian states was conducted. Patients diagnosed with pancreatic adenocarcinoma between July 2009 and June 2011 were identified by cancer registries, and detailed clinical data were collected from medical records. Results Data were collected for 1863 patients, 96% of those eligible. The majority resided in major cities; their median age was 72 years, and 54% were men. Over half of the cases (58%) had metastatic disease at diagnosis. Resection was attempted for 20% of patients but only completed in 15%. The uptake of adjuvant chemotherapy (76%) and the proportion alive at 1-year (22%) were higher than reported in previous population-based reports. Of those with no complete surgical resection, 43% received palliative chemotherapy. Conclusions This population-based overview of the management of patients with pancreatic cancer suggests that, despite evidence that the proportion surviving and the use of adjuvant chemotherapy has increased, there may still be underutilization of cancer-directed therapies.
Effect of probiotic lactobacillus strains in children with atopic dermatitis

BACKGROUND Recent studies suggest that oral bacteriotherapy with probiotics might be useful in the management of atopic dermatitis (AD). OBJECTIVE The purpose of this investigation was to evaluate the clinical and anti-inflammatory effect of probiotic supplementation in children with AD. METHODS In a double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study, 2 probiotic Lactobacillus strains (lyophilized Lactobacillus rhamnosus 19070-2 and Lactobacillus reuteri DSM 122460) were given in combination for 6 weeks to 1- to 13-year-old children with AD. The patients' evaluations were registered after each intervention (ie, better, unchanged, or worse). The clinical severity of the eczema was evaluated by using the scoring atopic dermatitis (SCORAD) score. As inflammatory markers, eosinophil cationic protein in serum and cytokine production by PBMCs were measured. RESULTS After active treatment, 56% of the patients experienced improvement of the eczema, whereas only 15% believed their symptoms had improved after placebo (P =.001). The total SCORAD index, however, did not change significantly. The extent of the eczema decreased during active treatment from a mean of 18.2% to 13.7% (P =.02). The treatment response was more pronounced in allergic patients (at least one positive skin prick test response and elevated IgE levels), and in this group the SCORAD score decreased (P =.02 compared with nonallergic patients). During active treatment, serum eosinophil cationic protein levels decreased (P =.03). No significant changes in the production of the cytokines IL-2, IL-4, IL-10, or IFN-gamma were found. CONCLUSIONS A combination of L rhamnosus 19070-2 and L reuteri DSM 122460 was beneficial in the management of AD. The effect was more pronounced in patients with a positive skin prick test response and increased IgE levels.
Hyperaminoaciduria identifies patients at risk of developing renal tubular toxicity associated with ifosfamide and platinate containing regimens.

We monitored renal tubular function in 18 neuroblastoma patients treated with chemotherapeutic regimens containing Ifosfamide and platinates. The total IFO dose ranged from 30 to 48 g/m2. After each IFO course and at regular intervals during follow-up 24 hour urinary exception of aminoacids, qualitative excretion of protein and glucose, tubular reabsorption of phosphate, serum pH, and liver enzyme (SGOT and SGPT) were measured. The ratio of alpha-amino-Nitrogen/total-Nitrogen (normal less than 2.5%) and the urinary excretion pattern were used to quantify the aminoaciduria in 12 out of 15 evaluable patients some degree of tubular toxicity occurred during treatment, slowly progressing to a Debré-de Toni-Fanconi syndrome (DTFS) in 7 patients. The DTFS was fully developed in most cases 3-9 months after the end of treatment and was reversible in 3 cases. Hyperaminoaciduria (HAA) occurred in all patients during treatment, preceding other signs of tubular toxicity. The maximum ratio measured before development of a DTFS was significantly higher in the patients with severe toxicity (P less than .01). HAA characterized by a ratio greater than 10% predicts the development of a DTFS with a sensitivity of 71.4% and a specificity of 87.4%.
The ClpXP ATP-Dependent Protease Regulates Flagellum Synthesis in Salmonella enterica Serovar Typhimurium

ABSTRACT The ClpXP protease is a member of the ATP-dependent protease family and plays a dynamic role in the control of availability of regulatory proteins and the breakdown of abnormal and misfolded proteins. The proteolytic activity is rendered by the ClpP component, while the substrate specificity is determined by the ClpX component that has ATPase activity. We describe here a new role of the ClpXP protease in Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium in which ClpXP is involved in the regulation of flagellum synthesis. Cells deleted for ClpXP show “hyperflagellate phenotype,” exhibit overproduction of the flagellar protein, and show a fourfold increase in the rate of transcription of the fliC encoding flagellar filament. The assay for promoter activity of the genes responsible for expression of the fliC showed that the depletion of ClpXP results in dramatic enhancement of the expression of the fliA encoding sigma factor ς28, leaving the expression level of the flhD master operon lying at the top of the transcription hierarchy of flagellar regulon almost normal. These results suggest that the ClpXP may be responsible for repressing the expression of flagellar regulon through the control of the FlhD/FlhC master regulators at the posttranscriptional and/or posttranslational levels. Proteome analysis of proteins secreted from the mutant cells deficient for flhDC and clpXP genes demonstrated that the ΔflhD mutation abolished the enhanced effect by ΔclpXP mutation on the production of flagellar proteins, suggesting that the ClpXP possibly defines a regulatory pathway affecting the expression of flagellar regulon that is dependent on FlhD/FlhC master regulators.
Measurements of airborne methylene diphenyl diisocyanate concentration in the U.S. workplace--comment.

Letters to the Editor Carrie A. Redlich MD, MPH a , Dhimiter Bello ScD, MSc b , Susan R. Woskie PhD, CIH b , Robert P. Streicher PhD c , Karroll Booth d , Barbara Cummings d , William J. Karoly e , Mark Spence f , Sharon Mullins g , William P. Robert g , Fran Lichtenberg h & J. Banta i a Yale Occupational and Environmental Medicine Program Department of Medicine , Yale University School of Medicine , New Haven , Conn. b Work Environment Department School of Health and Environment , University of Massachusetts Lowell , Lowell , Mass. c Chemical Exposure and Monitoring Branch Division of Applied Research and Technology , National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health , Cincinnati , Ohio d Bayer Material Science LLC , Pittsburgh , Pa. e IH Consultant , Landenberg , Pa. f Spence Consulting LLC , Midland , Mich. g BASF Corporation , Wyandotte , Mich. h fwl communications , Fairfield , Conn. i School of Public Health , Loma Linda University , Loma Linda , Calif. Published online: 15 Sep 2009.
Effect of ageing and diabetes on glucose‐dependent insulinotropic polypeptide and dipeptidyl peptidase IV responses to oral glucose

Aims Glucose‐dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) acts on the pancreas to potentiate glucose‐induced insulin secretion (enteroinsular axis). GIP is rapidly inactivated in vivo by the enzyme dipeptidyl dipeptidase IV (DPP‐IV). The current studies were designed to examine the effect of ageing, obesity and diabetes on GIP and DPP‐IV responses to oral glucose.
High‐Quality Black Phosphorus Atomic Layers by Liquid‐Phase Exfoliation

P. Yasaei, Dr. B. Kumar, M. Asadi, Prof. A. Salehi-Khojin Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering University of Illinois at Chicago Chicago , IL 60607 , USA E-mail: salehikh@uic.edu T. Foroozan, Prof. J. E. Indacochea Department of Civil and Materials Engineering University of Illinois at Chicago Chicago , IL 60607 , USA C. Wang, Prof. R. F. Klie Department of Physics University of Illinois at Chicago Chicago , IL 60607 , USA D. Tuschel HORIBA Scientifi c HORIBA Scientifi c Inc. Edison , NJ 08820 , USA
Sex Difference in Sleep‐Time Preference and Sleep Need: A Cross‐Sectional Survey among Italian Pre‐Adolescents, Adolescents, and Adults

The aim of this study was to examine sex differences in sleep‐time preference by age among Italian pre‐adolescents, adolescents, and adults. The final sample consisted of 8,972 participants (5,367 females and 3,605 males) from 10 to 87 yrs of age. To assess preferred sleep habits, we considered the answers to the open‐ended questions of the Morningness‐Eveningness Questionnaire (MEQ). In agreement with previous studies, we found that sleep‐time preference started to shift toward eveningness from the age of 13 yrs. Females reached their peak in eveningness earlier (about 17 yrs of age) than males (about 21 yrs of age). Thereafter, the ideal sleep‐time preference advanced in men and women with increasing age. Females presented a more significant advanced sleep phase than males only during the years when sexual hormones are typically active. Moreover, females reported a longer ideal sleep duration than males across all age groups examined, except in over 55 yrs one. (Author correspondence: vincenzo.natale@unibo.it)
Predicting early academic failure in high school from prior academic achievement, psychosocial characteristics, and behavior.

The authors examined the differential effects of prior academic achievement, psychosocial, behavioral, demographic, and school context factors on early high school grade point average (GPA) using a prospective study of 4,660 middle-school students from 24 schools. The findings suggest that (a) prior grades and standardized achievement are the strongest predictors of high school GPA and (b) psychosocial and behavioral factors (e.g., motivation, self-regulation, and social control) add incremental validity to the prediction of GPA. When comparing the relative importance of each set of predictors (the dominance analysis technique), the variance accounted for by psychosocial and behavioral factors is comparable to that accounted for by prior grades. These findings highlight the importance of effective risk assessment based on multiple measures (i.e., academic, psychosocial, and behavioral) for the purpose of identifying risk, referring students to intervention, and improving academic success.
Role of N-myc in the developing mouse kidney.

N-myc is a transcription factor expressed in the developing metanephric kidney and other organs. In mice, complete disruption of the N-myc gene results in fetal death on the first day of renal organogenesis. In addition to the null N-myc allele, others have generated a hypomorphic N-myc allele. In this study, combinations of these mutant genes were used to demonstrate that reduction in N-myc protein levels correlate with fewer developing glomeruli and collecting ducts in embryonic kidney explants. Histological sections revealed that the mutant kidneys were hypoplastic with normal developing structures. The data indicate that the hypoplasia is due to a reduction in proliferation rather than an increase in apoptosis. Thus, N-myc loss causes a decrease in numbers of ureteric bud tips and developing glomeruli in explants and hypoplastic kidneys in vivo, in a dose-dependent manner.
Flies (Diptera: Muscidae: Calliphoridae) Are Efficient Pollinators of Allium ampeloprasum L. (Alliaceae) in Field Cages

Abstract In conjunction with efforts to identify efficient insect pollinators for seed multiplication of cross-pollinated plant species stored and maintained by USDA–ARS Western Regional Plant Introduction Station (WRPIS), experiments were conducted to assess and compare the efficiency of the house fly, Musca domestica L. (Diptera: Muscidae), and Calliphora vicina Robineau-Desvoidy (Diptera: Calliphoridae), and different densities of each fly species, to pollinate leek, Allium ampeloprasum L. , plant inventory (PI) accessions in field cages for seed yield maximization and high germination. Cages with flowering plants were exposed to 0 flies or stocked with 100, 250, and 500 M. domestica or C. vicina pupae per week for 6 (2002) and 7 (2004) wk. Seed yield (weight per cage) increased linearly as fly densities (C. vicina or M. domestica) increased from 0 to 500 pupae per week, with 500 fly cages averaging 340.7 g (C. vicina) and 70.5 g (M. domestica) of seed in 2002 (PI 368343) and 615.3 g (PI 168977) and 357.5 g (PI 368343) in 2004 when only the C. vicina was used. For 0, 100, and 250 fly cages, seed yields averaged between 2.3 and 175.3 g in 2002 and 10.7 and 273.1 g in 2004. Mean 100-seed weights between treatments ranged narrowly between 0.4 and 0.5 g in 2002 and 0.3 and 0.4 g in 2004, and germination rates of seed lots from “fly cages” were mostly ≥80% in both years. The C. vicina is an efficient and cost-effective pollinator ($388.97 for pupae and shipping, compared with $2,400 for honey bee, Apis mellifera L. [Hymenoptera: Apidae], nuclei) for caged leek accessions, with 250 and 500 C. vicina pupae per week required to produce sufficient seed (130 g) to fill an accession storage bag in the WRPIS gene bank.
The varied beneficial effects of ivermectin (Mectizan) treatment, as observed within onchocerciasis foci in south–eastern Nigeria

Abstract In the treatment of humans, ivermectin (Mectizan®), a semi-synthetic macrocyclic lactone, is now primarily used as a rapid microfilaricide. The drug has several other benefits, however, and these have recently been investigated in five states in south–eastern Nigeria, where there have been mass treatments with ivermectin, for the control of Onchocerca volvulus, for more than 10 years. Between the January and December of 2005, 3125 adult onchocerciasis patients (each aged ≥20 years and known to have at least one clinical sign of onchocerciasis) were enlisted, clinically examined and interviewed. Relevant data were collected in the interviews, using a structured, pre-tested questionnaire, and in personal and focus-group discussions. Overall, 612 (19.6%) of the subjects reported that they had had nodules that had disappeared following repeated doses of ivermectin, although only 83.8% of the 612 attributed their nodule clearance to ivermectin (the other 16.2% being unsure of the cause). A larger percentage of the subjects (24.6%) reported that they had expelled intestinal helminths following the last round of ivermectin treatment (i.e. been dewormed). Other side-benefits reported in the study were improved vision (11.7% of subjects), reversal of secondary amenorrhea (4.5%), increased appetite (22.3%), reduction in arthritic or other musculo–skeletal pain (7.9%), reductions in the severity of body itching (18.5%) and skin rash (17.3%), darkening of leopard skin (6.6%), improved libido in men (6.6%), and clearance of head lice (4.5%). If, via health education, the local communities could be made more aware of the side-benefits of ivermectin treatment, the sustainability of the on-going programme of community-directed treatment with ivermectin (CDTI) in south–eastern Nigeria would probably be improved.
Connectivity of Large Scale Networks: Emergence of Unique Unbounded Component

This paper studies networks where all nodes are distributed on a unit square $A\triangleq[(-1/2,1/2)^{2}$ following a Poisson distribution with known density $\rho$ and a pair of nodes separated by an Euclidean distance $x$ are directly connected with probability $g(\frac{x}{r_{\rho}})$, independent of the event that any other pair of nodes are directly connected. Here $g:[0,\infty)\rightarrow[0,1]$ satisfies the conditions of rotational invariance, non-increasing monotonicity, integral boundedness and $g(x)=o(\frac{1}{x^{2}\log^{2}x})$; further, $r_{\rho}=\sqrt{\frac{\log\rho+b}{C\rho}}$ where $C=\int_{\Re^{2}}g(\Vert \boldsymbol{x}\Vert)d\boldsymbol{x}$ and $b$ is a constant. Denote the above network by\textmd{}$\mathcal{G}(\mathcal{X}_{\rho},g_{r_{\rho}},A)$. We show that as $\rho\rightarrow\infty$, asymptotically almost surely a) there is no component in $\mathcal{G}(\mathcal{X}_{\rho},g_{r_{\rho}},A)$ of fixed and finite order $k>1$; b) the number of components with an unbounded order is one. Therefore as $\rho\rightarrow\infty$, the network asymptotically almost surely contains a unique unbounded component and isolated nodes only; a sufficient condition for $\mathcal{G}(\mathcal{X}_{\rho},g_{r_{\rho}},A)$ to be asymptotically almost surely connected is that there is no isolated node in the network. {\normalsize{}}The contribution of these results, together with results in a companion paper on the asymptotic distribution of isolated nodes in \textmd{\normalsize $\mathcal{G}(\mathcal{X}_{\rho},g_{r_{\rho}},A)$}, is to expand recent results obtained for connectivity of random geometric graphs from the unit disk model to the more generic and more practical random connection model.
Blockchain Technology as a Regulatory Technology: From Code is Law to Law is Code

“Code is law” refers to the idea that, with the advent of digital technology, code has progressively established itself as the predominant way to regulate the behavior of Internet users. Yet, while computer code can enforce rules more efficiently than legal code, it also comes with a series of limitations, mostly because it is difficult to transpose the ambiguity and flexibility of legal rules into a formalized language which can be interpreted by a machine. With the advent of blockchain technology and associated smart contracts, code is assuming an even stronger role in regulating people’s interactions over the Internet, as many contractual transactions get transposed into smart contract code. In this paper, we describe the shift from the traditional notion of “code is law” ( i.e. , code having the effect of law) to the new conception of “law is code” ( i.e. , law being defined as code).
Quality of life after lobectomy for adult liver transplantation.

INTRODUCTION Adult-to-adult living donor liver transplants are being increasingly performed. Although considerable data are available on the quality of life after kidney donation, there is little comparable information on liver donors. METHODS Between August 1998 and July 2000, 48 adults received liver grafts from living donors. At least 2 months after donation, donors were mailed a structured questionnaire and the standardized Medical Outcomes Study Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36), a generic measure assessing health-related quality of life outcomes using eight scales: mental health, emotional limits, vitality, social function, physical function, physical limits, pain, general health. RESULTS Thirty donors (62.5%) responded at a mean of 280+/-157 days after donation. Fifteen (50%) of their recipients had major complications (two deaths, four retransplants, nine biliary complications). Regarding overall satisfaction, all said they would donate again. Compared to published U.S. norms (n=2474), our group of donors scored higher than the general population in seven of eight domains on the SF-36. Donors whose recipients had no complications scored significantly higher in mental health (P<0.007) and general health (P<0.008) compared with U.S. norms. Donors whose recipients had major complications scored significantly lower on the mental health scale than those with recipients without major complications. CONCLUSIONS Donors did not regret their decision to donate; several felt the experience had changed their lives for the better. Donors scored as well as or better than U.S. norms in general health. Quality of life after donation must remain a primary outcome measure when we consider the utility of living-donor liver transplants.
Could a regional trauma system in eastern Switzerland decrease the mortality of blunt polytrauma patients? A prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND In Europe and Switzerland, hardly any studies have been performed on regional trauma systems. We therefore decided to conduct a prospective study in our region to establish whether an organized trauma system derived from the American model would have a beneficial effect on the survival of blunt polytrauma patients. METHODS In a prospective observational cohort study conducted between 1990 and 1996, we compared the actual mortality in 280 blunt polytrauma patients admitted directly to our trauma center with the predicted mortality using the A Severity Characterization of Trauma score. The same comparison was made for 190 transferred polytrauma admissions from regional hospitals. Our hypothesis was that for the transferred admissions, the actual mortality would be significantly higher than predicted, but that there would be no difference for the directly admitted patients. Inclusion criteria were blunt trauma of at least two body sites and an Injury Severity Score of 8 or more. RESULTS Mortality in the patients admitted directly to the trauma center was 11.8% (33 of 280), which was not significantly lower than that for the transferred admissions at 14.2% (27 of 190). There were 10% (3 of 30) more deaths than predicted among the direct admissions (i.e., 3 more deaths; 95% confidence interval, -5.2-11.1; p = NS). Among the transferred admissions, there were 46% (8.6 of 18.4) more deaths than predicted (i.e., 8.6 more deaths; 95% confidence interval, 2.5-14.7; p < 0.05). CONCLUSION It is likely that a regional trauma system in eastern Switzerland for polytrauma patients with an ISS of 8 or more would have a moderately positive effect on mortality. During the period of observation, transferred admissions from regional hospitals to our trauma center had a 46% higher mortality than predicted. In absolute terms, therefore, with a regional trauma system, it might have been possible to avoid between one death every 2 to 3 years and two to three deaths every year.
Lifestyle and cancer: effect of parental divorce

According to previous studies, divorced individuals have increased risks of cancers related to alcohol and tobacco consumption and sexual habits, but the increases are balanced with decreased risks of many common cancers. In the present study, cancer risks were analyzed for 0–70-year-old offspring of divorced parents, on the basis the Swedish Family-Cancer Database with cancer data from the years 1958 to 2002. We calculated standardized incidence ratios for cancer among offspring of divorced parents (19 000 cancer patients) and compared them with offspring of stably married parents (121 000 cancer patients). Standardized incidence ratios were adjusted for many factors, including socio-economic status. Offspring of divorced parents were divided into groups depending on whether their mothers, fathers or both had had children with different partners. Offspring of divorced parents had an increased risk of upper aerodigestive tract, esophageal, anal, pancreatic, lung and cervical cancers. Decreased risks were noted for Hodgkin's disease and bone cancer. For Hodgkin's disease, the data suggest protective effects through early exposure to childhood pathogens but for bone cancer mechanisms remain to be established. The overall cancer risk for offspring of divorced parents was at or above unity. The results show that offspring of divorced parents have increased cancer risks at tobacco-related, alcohol-related and sex-related sites, in analogy to their parent, but they lack decreased risks at common sites, experienced by their parents. Divorce is becoming increasingly common in many countries and any deviant cancer patterns among offspring of divorced parents will have an impact on the population risk.