Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Randomized phase II study of two irinotecan schedules for patients with metastatic breast cancer refractory to an anthracycline, a taxane, or both.

PURPOSE A pressing need exists for agents active against anthracycline- or taxane-refractory metastatic breast cancer (MBC), or both. Previous clinical trials suggested that irinotecan might have such activity. We conducted this multicenter phase II study to assess efficacy and tolerability of two irinotecan schedules. PATIENTS AND METHODS MBC patients who experienced disease progression after one to three chemotherapy regimens, including at least one anthracycline- or taxane-based regimen, were randomly assigned to irinotecan in 6-week cycles comprising 100 mg/m(2) weekly for 4 weeks, then a 2-week rest (weekly) or 240 mg/m(2) every 3 weeks. RESULTS The weekly arm had 52 assessable patients; the every-3-weeks arm had 51 assessable patients. In the weekly arm, the objective response (complete regression [CR] + partial regression [PR]) rate was 23% (one CR, 11 PR; 95% CI, 13% to 37%). Median response duration was 4.9 months (range, 1.9 to 15.9 months), and median overall survival was 9.7 months (95% CI, 8.0 to 14.2 months). In the every-3-weeks arm, the objective response rate was 14% (nine PR; 95% CI, 6% to 26%), median response duration was 4.2 months (range, 3.1 to 13.9 months), and median overall survival was 8.6 months (95% CI, 7.0 to 12.3 months). Treatment generally was well tolerated, especially in the weekly arm. Grade 3 to 4 adverse events with > or = 10% incidence included neutropenia (29%) and diarrhea (17%) in the weekly arm and neutropenia (36%), vomiting (20%), dyspnea (18%), nausea (16%), and diarrhea (12%) in the every-3-weeks arm. CONCLUSION Irinotecan is active with good tolerability in refractory MBC. Irinotecan (especially weekly) warrants additional study as monotherapy and in combination regimens in this setting.
The Logical View on Continuous Petri Nets

Continuous Petri nets are a relaxation of classical discrete Petri nets in which transitions can be fired a fractional number of times, and consequently places may contain a fractional number of tokens. Such continuous Petri nets are an appealing object to study, since they over-approximate the set of reachable configurations of their discrete counterparts, and their reachability problem is known to be decidable in polynomial time. The starting point of this article is to show that the reachability relation for continuous Petri nets is definable by a sentence of linear size in the existential theory of the rationals with addition and order. Using this characterization, we obtain decidability and complexity results for a number of classical decision problems for continuous Petri nets. In particular, we settle the open problem about the precise complexity of reachability set inclusion. Finally, we show how continuous Petri nets can be incorporated inside the classical backward coverability algorithm for discrete Petri nets as a pruning heuristic to tackle the symbolic state explosion problem. The cornerstone of the approach we present is that our logical characterization enables us to leverage the power of modern SMT-solvers to yield a highly performant and robust decision procedure for coverability in Petri nets. We demonstrate the applicability of our approach on a set of standard benchmarks from the literature.
Model to estimate hamstrings behavior in cerebral palsy patients: As a pre-surgical clinical diagnosis tool

Crouch gait is the most common motion abnormality in children with cerebral palsy (CP). This paper presents a new biomechanical model based on a simple rescaling and adjustment to CP patients who develop crouch gait by subject-specific anthropometric data. The model estimates the length of hamstrings, as the distance between the origin and insertion of the muscle, and the velocity of shortening of hamstrings by the first derivative of the length with respect to time. This model has the potential to increase the benefits of three-dimensional biomechanical models as it can discriminate between short, spastic or normal hamstrings. The main advantage of this model in clinical use is that it does not require costly magnetic resonance imaging.
Adolescent obesity in a low-income Mexican American district in South Texas.

BACKGROUND The Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 1988-1994(NHANES III) revealed that 11.5% of adolescents were obese. The NHANES III sample size for Mexican Americans was small. OBJECTIVE To determine the prevalence of adolescent obesity in a South Texas population that is preponderantly low-income Mexican Americans. DESIGN Cross-sectional prevalence study. SETTING All secondary school campuses of one rural independent school district with a low-income Mexican American population. SUBJECTS Four thousand three hundred seventy-five students, aged between 12 and 17 years, enrolled in 4 secondary school campuses of 1 Rio Grande Valley, South Texas, independent school district for academic year 1998-1999. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Body mass index (BMI) was calculated for all 4375 students using weights and heights measured by school nurses on enrollment. Each student's BMI was then plotted on a sex-specific chart and the percentile range for age was determined. Those within the 85th to the 95th percentile were classified as at risk for obesity and those above the 95th percentile were classified as obese. RESULTS Of 2149 adolscent girls and 2226 adolescent boys, 18% were at risk for obesity and 22. 1% were obese. A total of 40.1% had a BMI at the 85th percentile or higher for age and sex. The prevalence of obesity also continues to rise even after puberty more markedly in adolescent girls than adolescent boys. Furthermore, the mean BMI progressively increases with age and is generally at the 85th percentile or higher. CONCLUSIONS Our data revealed a much higher prevalence rate of obesity in this adolescent Mexican American population than the rate obtained in NHANES III. It is even higher than the rate specific for Mexican American adolescents in NHANES III. The NHANES III significantly underestimates the prevalence of adolescent obesity in preponderantly impoverished Mexican American adolescents. This consequently leads to underestimation of the public health risks as well as the present and future cost of health care associated with obesity in this population. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2000;154:837-840
Insulin resistance in patients with colorectal cancer

The euglycaemic glucose clamp technique has been used to assess insulin resistance in patients with colorectal adenocarcinoma. Ten cancer patients were studied and compared with control subjects matched for age, sex and nutritional status. Forty‐one euglycaemic clamps were performed at one of five different insulin infusion rates (20, 30, 40, 100 or 200 milliunits min−1 m−2). Glucose disposal was significantly decreased in the cancer group at all insulin infusion rates, whilst attained insulin levels and metabolic clearance rates of insulin were comparable in the control and cancer groups. Analysis of dose‐response data allowed assessment of sensitivity (insulin concentration of half maximal glucose disposal) and responsiveness (maximal glucose disposal). Responsiveness was significantly reduced in the cancer group (40·3 versus 71·5 μmol kg−1 min−1; P<0·001), whilst sensitivity was similar (93·7 milliunits l−1 in controls versus 90·8 milliunits l−1 in cancer patients), suggesting a postreceptor defect in insulin action in the cancer group.
High seizure frequency prior to antiepileptic treatment is a predictor of pharmacoresistant epilepsy in a rat model of temporal lobe epilepsy

Purpose: Progress in the management of patients with medically intractable epilepsy is impeded because we do not fully understand why pharmacoresistance happens and how it can be predicted. The presence of multiple seizures prior to medical treatment has been suggested as a potential predictor of poor outcome. In the present study, we used an animal model of temporal lobe epilepsy to investigate whether pharmacoresistant rats differ in seizure frequency from pharmacoresponsive animals.
Seroprevalence of antibodies to hepatitis E virus in the normal blood donor population and two aboriginal communities in Malaysia

The prevalence of antibodies to hepatitis E virus (HEV) has been examined in many countries, but such studies have generally been limited to majority populations such as those represented in healthy blood donors or cross sections of urban populations. Due to its major route of enteric transmission, large differences in HEV prevalence might be expected between populations in the same country but with different living conditions. Using an ELISA based on GST‐ORF2.1 antigen, the prevalence of IgG‐class antibodies to HEV was examined in three distinct populations in Malaysia: the normal (urban) blood donor population and two aboriginal communities located at Betau, Pahang and Parit Tanjung, Perak. IgG anti‐HEV was detected in 45 (44%) of 102 samples from Betau and 15 (50%) of 30 samples from Parit Tanjung, compared to only 2 (2%) of 100 normal blood donors. The distribution of sample ELISA reactivities was also consistent with ongoing sporadic infection in the aboriginal communities, while there was no significant relationship between HEV exposure and age, sex, or malaria infection. The high prevalence of antibodies to HEV in the two aboriginal communities indicates that this group of people are at high risk of exposure to HEV compared to the general blood donors, and the results suggest that studies of HEV seroprevalence within countries must take into account the possibility of widely varying infection rates between populations with marked differences in living conditions. J. Med. Virol. 59:164–168, 1999. © 1999 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
An analysis of the impact of fair trade: a case study of tea producers in the central province of Sri Lanka

This thesis investigates the impact of fair trade on tea producers in the Central Province of Sri Lanka. A comparison study is undertaken between fair and conventional trade farmers to investigate the monetary and non-monetary benefits of fair trade involvement. The study of 7 villages in the Central Province, incorporates 40 fair trade tea producers, who are members of a cooperative, and 40 conventional trade tea producers selling to a local buyer. Undertaken in July 2009, the research analyses quantitative and qualitative data gathered by means of questionnaires and interviews, to examine the different experiences of the two types of producers in terms of monetary and non-monetary benefits. Monetary benefits examined include factors such as improved income, income sufficiency, secondary income activities, pre-finance measures and excess money. Non-monetary benefits examined include education gains, household development and labour hours on tea production. The results are compared with other impact studies with similarities and differences analysed. The empirical results presented suggest that there are no significant differences in tea income between the two groups. However, fair trade producers work fewer hours in tea production and are more likely to report both an improved and excess income. Furthermore, the fair trade producers report improved spending on food and savings and have a more diversified crop. The results are due to the increased productivity, the provision of loans and saving schemes and the increased time available to work on secondary income generating activities either on or off the farm resulting in an overall improvement in living standards. This study contributes to the existing literature on whether and how fair trade is able to improve the well-being of small producers by offering new insights into the importance of cooperative management, working hours, productivity improvement, effective savings schemes and pre-finance arrangements. These findings are considered important to the success of the cooperative and hence to fair trade producers extracting the full benefits of fair trade and as such they are recommended as focus areas for fair trade. New data is included from tea producers in the Central Province of Sri Lanka, a new region for in-depth study and a new context, as the majority of existing studies focus on coffee and banana production.
Lysosome-associated membrane protein 2 (LAMP-2) expression induced by miR-194-5p downregulation contributes to sunitinib resistance in human renal cell carcinoma cells

Sunitinib is a tyrosine kinase inhibitor that is used as the primary treatment in metastatic renal cell carcinoma (RCC). The main difficulty associated with its use is the development of drug resistance. In the present study, ACHN cells, a human renal cell carcinoma cell line, were used to establish sunitinib-resistant (SR) cells. Microarray analysis and reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction revealed that miR-194-5p expression was significantly decreased in SR-ACHN cells when compared with that observed in ACHN cells (P<0.05). Transfection of miR-194-5p, though not with negative control miR, in SR-ACHN cells could significantly inhibit cell proliferation following sunitinib treatment (2.5–40 µM; P<0.05). Western blotting demonstrated that the expression of lysosome-associated membrane protein-2 (LAMP-2), which attenuates the anti-proliferative effect of sunitinib, was significantly higher in SR-ACHN than in ACHN cells (P<0.01). In addition, LAMP-2 expression was suppressed by miR-194-5p transfection in SR-ACHN cells. These data suggested that miR-194-5p downregulation may be associated with sunitinib resistance via the induction of LAMP-2 expression in human RCC.
Legitimate E-Government -- Public E-Services as a Facilitator of Political Legitimacy

This paper addresses the critical issue of legitimacy in relation to e-government by focusing on public e-services to citizens. The discussion is framed through a tentative model on how to integrate legitimacy in design and development of e-government. In theory legitimacy is built on legality and trust towards and within the state. In practice it is developed through a socio-technical collaborative formation of local cultures based on common values, trust, interpretation of systems and practices. Legitimacy is crucial for democratic governance and is a basic prerequisite for all governments. Legitimacy is most often seen as generated through personal, face-to-face meetings, but e-government substitutes such opportunities for interaction. E-governments is neither clearly place-bound. Legitimacy thus has to be gained and sustained in slightly different ways. This paper brings a political science perspective on legitimacy into the IS discussion on e-government. Legitimacy of e-government has to be further theoretically extended to be useful and applicable for sustainable e-societies in different governmental context. Here a conceptual model on legitimacy of e-government is elaborated on in relation to local socio-technical settings and co-produced processes.
Apelin-12 Improves Metabolic and Functional Recovery of Rat Heart after Global Ischemia

This work was designed to explore efficacy of apelin-12 (A-12) as a cardioprotective agent when given before ischemia or at reperfusion using the isolated working heart model. Hearts of male Wistar rats were subjected to 30-min stabilization period followed by 35-min global ischemia and 30-min reperfusion. A short-term infusion of Krebs-Henseleit buffer (KHB) con-taining A-12 (35, 70, 140, 280 or 560 ? M) was ap-plied prior to ischemia (A-12-I) or at onset of reperfusion (A-12-R). KHB infusion was used as control. A-12 infusions induced a dose-dependent increase in recovery of coronary flow, contractile and pump function during reperfu-sion, with the largest augmentation of these indices in the A-12-I group. Both A-12 groups exhibited a significant reduction of LV diastolic pressure rise during reperfusion compared with control. Enhanced functional recovery in the A-12-I group was combined with a decrease in LDH leakage in perfusate on early reperfusion (by 36% vs. control, p < 0.05). Preischemic infusion of 140 ? M A-12 markedly increased myocardial ATP content, enhanced preservation of the total adenine nucleotide pool and improved recovery of the energy charge in reperfused hearts. There was a trend towards increase in myocardial phosphocreatine by the end of re- perfusion in the A-12-I group; however this benefit did not reach statistical significance. At the end of reperfusion, myocardial lactate and lactate/pyruvate ratio were on average 5-fold lower in A-12-I treated hearts compared with control ones and did not differ significantly from the initial values. Therefore, improved cardiac dysfunction after I/R injury and less cell mem-brane damage induced by A-12 are associated with maintaining high energy phosphates, particularly ATP, in reperfused myocardium. Changes in energy metabolism may play a role in mechanisms of cardioprotection afforded by A-12 during I/R stress.
Subcellular Localization of Zinc and Calcium in Bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) Tissues.

Two bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) cultivars differing in growth responses to zinc were examined for differences in uptake and subcellular localization of (65)Zn during a 15-day growth period. The zinc-sensitive cultivar Sanilac showed initially a much higher rate of absorption, which declined after 24 hours. The zinc-tolerant cultivar Saginaw showed a slow but steady rate of absorption for 10 days. In roots as well as in stem callus tissues of both cultivars, three-fourths of the absorbed (65)Zn was localized in the "cytoplasmic" supernatant fractions (containing ribosomes and vacuolar sap). Very little (less than 7%) (65)Zn was localized in the cell wall fraction. There was a much greater proportion of the absorbed (65)Zn localized in root mitochondria and nuclei of the zinc-sensitive Sanilac than in the zinc-tolerant Saginaw. Stem callus tissues, however, did not show such cultivar differences in zinc accumulation at the sub-cellular level.Calcium-45 distribution in the cultivar Redkote showed preferential affinity for cell walls both in roots and stem cellus tissue. The percentage of absorbed (45)Ca associated with cell wall fractions of roots gradually increased with a corresponding decline in the percentage of radioactivity associated with the cytoplasmic fraction. At 15 days, 57% of the total (45)Ca in the roots was localized in the cell walls. A similar, albeit less pronounced, preferential (45)Ca sorption on cell walls occurred for the callus tissue. Calcium-45 also accumulated at later stages in the nuclear fraction, but there was no mitochondrial accumulation.
Acetaminophen use and the risk of asthma in children and adults: a systematic review and metaanalysis.

BACKGROUND Epidemiologic studies have identified an increased risk of asthma with acetaminophen use, but the results have been conflicting. We sought to quantify the association between acetaminophen use and the risk of asthma in children and adults. METHODS We searched all the major medical databases, including MEDLINE (from 1966 to 2008) and EMBASE (from 1980 to 2008) to identify pertinent articles. All clinical trials and observational studies were considered. For observational studies, we selected those that clearly defined acetaminophen use and asthma diagnosis. Study quality was assessed by two reviewers, and data were extracted into a spreadsheet. A random-effects model was used to combine studies with asthma and wheezing among both children and adults. RESULTS Thirteen cross-sectional studies, four cohort studies, and two case-control studies comprising 425,140 subjects were included in the review. The pooled odds ratio (OR) for asthma among subjects using acetaminophen was 1.63 (95% CI, 1.46 to 1.77). The risk of asthma in children among users of acetaminophen in the year prior to asthma diagnosis and within the first year of life was elevated (OR: 1.60 [95% CI, 1.48 to 1.74] and 1.47 [95% CI, 1.36 to 1.56], respectively). Only one study reported the association between high acetaminophen dose and asthma in children (OR, 3.23; 95% CI, 2.9 to 3.6). There was an increase in the risk of asthma and wheezing with prenatal use of acetaminophen (OR: 1.28 [95% CI, 1.16 to 41] and 1.50 [95% CI, 1.10 to 2.05], respectively). CONCLUSIONS The results of our review are consistent with an increase in the risk of asthma and wheezing in both children and adults exposed to acetaminophen. Future studies are needed to confirm these results.
The Metropolitan Region of São Paulo

São Paulo is no longer a fast growing metropolitan region, but with its huge population the city is affected by a series of problems linked to social inequality, lack of adequate public policies and omission of public authorities to cope with the basic issues linked to the existence of a certain degree of urban sustainability. The metropolitan region is undergoing severe changes at the demographic and employment level. The housing deficit is an enormous challenge that is not being overcome, thus representing a very serious burden. As to air quality, the initiatives are still very limited, and the car shift that exists in the city of São Paulo is mainly directed to reduce traffic, and not as a policy of public health. The most challenging issue is the articulation of policies between levels of government that enable the building of a metropolitan program for urban sustainability thus representing the possibility of increased cooperation to overcome the degradation of the region's environment associated to the socioeconomic problems that affect its development and the living conditions of a large part of the population.
Disparities in chronic myeloid leukemia survival by age, gender, and ethnicity in pre- and post-imatinib eras in the US

Abstract Background. Since May 2001, imatinib mesylate has become the first-line therapy for chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) but the survival pattern by age, sex, and ethnicity is not clear. Material and methods. We analyzed the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER*Stat) database to compare survival rates in CML among Caucasians, African-Americans (AA), and other races, and also within each race to see survival differences from the pre-imatinib (1973–2000) to post-imatinib eras (2002–2008). We used Z-tests in SEER*Stat to compare relative survival rates categorized by race, gender, and age groups (all ages, < 50, 50+ years). Results. The three-year relative survival rates among Caucasians, AA, and other races in the pre-imatinib era were 44.9 ± 0.6%, 46.8 ± 1.8%, and 48.0 ± 2.2%, respectively, and in the post-imatinib era 64.4 ± 0.8%, 67.3 ± 2.4%, and 69.6 ± 1.6%, respectively. The relative survival increased from the pre-to post-imatinib era for all ethnic groups. In the post-imatinib era, three-year relative survival rates among young AA women were significantly lower (Z-value = −2.54, p = 0.011) than young Caucasian women, 80.5 ± 4.5% (n = 105) vs. 90.3 ± 1.4% (n = 589). Conclusions. The relative survival rates of CML patients have improved in the post-imatinib era. However, the improvement in survival rates has been modest in this population-based data compared to those reported from randomized trials. Improvement in survival among older patients is lower than in younger patients. Young (<50 years) AA women with CML had lower relative survival rates compared to young Caucasian women in the post-imatinib era.