Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Tailored Selection of First-Line Cisplatin-Based Chemotherapy in Patients with Metastatic Urothelial Carcinoma of Bladder

Purpose: Methotrexate, vinblastine, doxorubicin plus cisplatin (MVAC) and gemcitabine plus cisplatin (GC) are both effective first-line chemotherapy. We explore the responsive variables of MVAC and GC for patients with metastatic urothelial carcinoma of bladder (mUCB). Materials and Methods: Patients who were initially diagnosed to have mUCB and received MVAC or GC as metastatic first-line chemotherapy between 2000 and 2014 at Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital were reviewed. Totally, 130 patients were enrolled into our study. Univariable Cox proportional hazard models were constructed for OS. Hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) was also presented. Results: There were 50 patients (38%) in the MVAC group and 80 patients (62%) in the GC group. The median OS was insignificantly different between MVAC and GC groups, accounting for 17.0 and 14.4 months (P = 0.214), respectively. OS of MVAC group was significantly longer with regard to age ≦ 60 years (HR: 0.38, 95% CI: 0.12-0.97, P = 0.036), pure urothelial carcinoma (HR: 0.56, 95% CI: 0.34-0.90, P = 0.015), > 1 metastatic sites (HR: 0.19, 95% CI: 0.08-0.44, P = < 0.001), and neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio > 3(HR: 0.45, 95% CI: 0.25-0.81, P = 0.006), while OS with GC group was significantly longer with regard to variant urothelial carcinoma (HR: 0.56, 95% CI: 0.34-0.90, P = 0.015). Conclusions: Our study disclosed the predictive factors of different regimen for mUCB. These results have clinical implication for physicians who treat patients with mUCB.
Assessment of anthropogenic influences on littoral-zone aquatic communities of Lake Texoma, Oklahoma-Texas, USA

From 1999-2001, we evaluated the effects of anthropogenic activities in and around Lake Texoma, Oklahoma-Texas, USA, on the structure of littoral-zone fish and benthic invertebrate assemblages at 20 potentially impacted sites relative to paired reference sites. Spatial structuring of both assemblages was strongly related to variables associated with water clarity, water-column chlorophyll-a levels, and degree of site exposure to wind and waves. Fish assemblages at reference sites and impact sites exhibited minor differences, but none that were considered indicative of severe anthropogenic stress. Conversely, benthic invertebrates exhibited greater differences between reference and impact sites. Procrustean analyses and Mantel tests indicated little concordance between reference site and impact site benthic invertebrate assemblages. Greater abundances of oligochaetes at impact sites and greater abundances of chironomids at reference sites contributed most to these differences, with the largest assemblage differences found at sites influenced by agriculture and sanitary dumps. Despite the fact that fishes and benthic invertebrates were structured along similar environmental gradients, little concordance was observed between assemblages. Wide annual fluctuations in the dominant taxa of each assemblage contributed most to the general discordance. Furthermore, discordant fish and invertebrate assemblages likely resulted because responses of each assemblage to anthropogenic impacts occurred at different scales of space and time.
Open flap debridement of peri‐implantitis with or without adjunctive systemic antibiotics: A randomized clinical trial

AIMS To investigate clinical, radiographic and microbiological outcome over 12 months following open flap debridement of peri-implantitis with or without antibiotics. MATERIALS AND METHODS Peri-implantitis was surgically treated with or without Zithromax® in 19 control and 20 test individuals. Probing pocket depth (PPD), gingival inflammation (BOP), intra-oral radiographs and microbial samples were studied. Per protocol and intent-to-treat analyses were performed. RESULTS The mean difference (reduction) in PPD values between baseline and month 12 in the test and control groups was 1.7 mm (SD ± 1.1, 95% CI: 1.1, 2.3, p < .001) and 1.6 mm (SD ± 1.5, 95% CI: 0.8, 2,4, p < .001), respectively. Data analysis failed to show study group differences for BOP, PPD, radiographic bone level and microbial load. Successful treatment (per protocol: PPD ≤ 5 mm, no BOP, no suppuration and no bone loss ≥0.5 mm) at 12 months in test and control groups was 7/15 (46.7%) and 4/16 (25.0%). Bacterial load reduction was similar in study groups with a temporary reduction following treatment. CONCLUSIONS Surgical treatment of peri-implantitis with adjunctive systemic azithromycin did not provide 1-year clinical benefits in comparison with those only receiving open flap debridement.
Multifractality and quantum-to-classical crossover in the Coulomb anomaly at the Mott–Anderson metal–insulator transition

We study the interaction-driven localization transition, which a recent experiment (Richardella et al 2010 Science 327 665) in Ga1−xMnxAs has shown to come along with the multifractal behavior of the local density of states (LDoS) and the intriguing persistence of critical correlations close to the Fermi level. We show that the bulk of these phenomena can be understood within a Hartree–Fock (HF) treatment of disordered, Coulomb-interacting spinless fermions. A scaling analysis of the LDoS correlation demonstrates multifractality with the correlation dimension d2 ≈ 1.57, which is significantly larger than at a non-interacting Anderson transition and is compatible with the experimental value dexp2 = 1.8 ± 0.3. At the interaction-driven transition, the states at the Fermi level become critical, while the bulk of the spectrum remains delocalized up to substantially stronger interactions. The mobility edge stays close to the Fermi energy in a wide range of disorder strength, as the interaction strength is further increased. The localization transition is concomitant with the quantum-to-classical crossover in the shape of the pseudo-gap in the tunneling density of states, and with the proliferation of metastable HF solutions that suggest the onset of a glassy regime with poor screening properties.
Patterns of Antral Follicular Wave Dynamics and Accompanying Endocrine Changes in Cyclic and Seasonally Anestrous Ewes Treated with Exogenous Ovine Follicle-Stimulating Hormone During the Inter-Wave Interval1

Abstract In the ewe, ovarian follicular waves emerge every 4 to 5 days and are preceded by a peak in FSH secretion. It is unclear whether large antral follicle(s) in a wave suppress the growth of other smaller follicles during the inter-wave interval, as is seen in cattle. In this study, anestrous (n = 6; experiment 1) and cyclic (n = 5; experiment 2) Western white face ewes were given ovine FSH (oFSH) (0.5 μg/kg; two s.c. injections, 8 h apart) during the growth phase (based on ultrasonography) of a follicular wave (wave 1). Control ewes (n = 5 and 6, respectively) received vehicle. In oFSH-treated ewes, serum FSH concentrations reached a peak (P < 0.05) by 12 h after oFSH treatment, and this induced FSH peak did not differ (P > 0.05) from the endogenous FSH peaks. In all ewes, emergence of follicular waves 1 and 2 was seen (P > 0.05). However, in oFSH-treated ewes, an additional follicular wave emerged ∼0.5 days after treatment: during the interwave interval of waves 1 and 2 without delaying the emergence of wave 2. The growth characteristics and serum estradiol concentrations did not differ (P > 0.05) between oFSH-induced waves and waves induced by endogenous FSH peaks. We concluded that, unlike in cattle, the largest follicle of a wave in sheep has limited direct effect on the growth of other follicles induced by exogenous oFSH. In addition, the largest follicle of a wave may possibly not influence the rhythmicity of follicular wave emergence, as it does in cattle.
Benzodiazepine Receptor and Thyroid Hormones: In Vivo and In Vitro Modulation

Abstract: In rats rendered hyperthyroid by chronic treatment with L‐triiodothyronine (T3) hormone there was a 21 and 27% decrease, respectively, in the number of binding sites for [3H]flunitrazepam ([3H]FNZ) and [3H]ethyl‐β‐carboline‐3‐carboxylate ([3H]β‐CCE) without changes in affinity for the two ligands. Two weeks after thyroidectomy there was a 44% increase in [3H]FNZ sites and a 17% increase in [3H]β‐CCE binding sites. In vitro we found that T3 produces a decrease in Bmax and an increase in KD, both changes being characteristic of a mixed type of inhibition. Thyroid status dramatically affected the Ki of T3 in displacing [3H]FNZ from sites on isolated membranes of the cerebral cortex: in hypothyroid rats the Ki value was 0.9 μM, whereas in hyperthyroid rats it was 83 μM, a 92‐fold difference. In control rats, the Ki was 11 μM These findings are discussed in relation to a possible modulation of benzodiazepine receptors by thyroid hormones.
Characterization of a higBA Toxin-Antitoxin Locus in Vibrio cholerae

ABSTRACT Toxin-antitoxin (TA) loci, which were initially characterized as plasmid stabilization agents, have in recent years been detected on the chromosomes of numerous free-living bacteria. Vibrio cholerae, the causative agent of cholera, contains 13 putative TA loci, all of which are clustered within the superintegron on chromosome II. Here we report the characterization of the V. cholerae higBA locus, also known as VCA0391/2. Deletion of higA alone was not possible, consistent with predictions that it encodes an antitoxin, and biochemical analyses confirmed that HigA interacts with HigB. Transient exogenous expression of the toxin HigB dramatically slowed growth of V. cholerae and Escherichia coli and reduced the numbers of CFU by several orders of magnitude. HigB toxicity could be counteracted by simultaneous or delayed production of HigA, although HigA's effect diminished as the delay lengthened. Transcripts from endogenous higBA increased following treatment of V. cholerae with translational inhibitors, presumably due to reduced levels of HigA, which represses the higBA locus. However, no higBA-dependent cell death was observed in response to such stimuli. Thus, at least under the conditions tested, activation of endogenous HigB does not appear to be bactericidal.
Aggressive approach in the treatment of acute lead encephalopathy with an extraordinarily high concentration of lead.

OBJECTIVE To report a case of a 3-year-old child with an extraordinarily massive lead concentration, 26.4 micromol/L (550 microg/dL), following environmental exposure to lead paint in the home. LITERATURE REVIEW The relevant literature concerning the treatment of lead encephalopathy was reviewed during the treatment of this child and preparation of the manuscript. To our knowledge, the landmark article written by Julian Chisolm in 1968 is the only recent article that reported similarly high levels of lead concentration. This case, however, is the first in which 3 chelating agents were used for the treatment of lead encephalopathy. We also reviewed the literature on the use of whole bowel irrigation in heavy metal intoxications. CONCLUSIONS In this case, aggressive gut decontamination with whole bowel irrigation and triple chelation therapy with British anti-Lewisite, EDTA, and oral succimer was well tolerated and seemed effective for rapidly deleading the child. The extent to which her lead concentration increased while being treated with oral succimer alone necessitated further chelation with EDTA. Further evaluation is necessary to determine if triple chelation therapy is an appropriate method for severe lead intoxication, and if the use of whole bowel irrigation should be considered in heavy metal intoxication.
Differential Regulation of Bax, Bcl‐2, and Bcl‐X Proteins in Focal Cortical Ischemia in the Rat

Focal ischemia in the parietal cortex of the rat results in massive neuronal death in the infarct zone and penumbra between 12 hours and 6 days after photothrombosis. To examine a possible role of Bcl‐2 family proteins in this process of cell death, we investigated their expression by immunoblot assays and immunocytochemistry, and correlated expression patterns with TUNEL as well as morphological signs indicative of apoptosis. In the center of the lesion Bax immunostaining was increased in many degenerating neurons between 4 hours and 3 days after the induction of photothrombosis. At all time points examined, Bcl‐2 and Bcl‐X protein levels were markedly reduced in injured neurons as compared to the unlesioned side. At the border of the ischemic lesion, two areas were distinguished: 1 – 2 days after induction of photothrombosis, pyknotic cells located immediately adjacent to the lesion core displayed nuclear Bcl‐X and Bax immunoreactivity. In contrast, large, morphologically intact neurons located more towards the healthy brain parenchyma displayed an increase in cytoplasmic Bcl‐2 and Bcl‐X proteins. Double staining for each of the Bcl‐2 family proteins and TUNEL revealed that DNA strand breaks and nuclear fragmentation seen in cells located in the lesion core were often associated with increased levels of Bax, but not with elevated Bcl‐2 or Bcl‐X protein levels, suggesting a role for Bax in the induction of apoptotic death in these cells. The upregulation of Bcl‐2 and Bcl‐X expression in surviving neurons close to the penumbra might reflect an active survival mechanism that protects these neurons from cell death following a sublethal insult.
Comparative Evaluation of Serodiagnostic Techniques in Cystic Hydatid Disease

Summary Dot-enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (Dot-ELISA), indirect immunofluorescent antibody (IFA) and indirect haemagglutination (IHA) techniques were used for detecting anti-echinococcal antibodies caused by Echinococcus granulosus. 246 sera samples including 32 from surgically proved hydatid cyst patients, 104 of patients suffering from a disease other than hydatidosis and 110 from healthy individuals were tested. The results indicate, the Dot-ELISA with 100% sensitivity and 99.5% specificity was more sensitive and specific than other tests. IFA test with 90.6% sensitivity and 96.3% specificity as well as the IHA test with 78.1% sensitivity and 93.9% specificity was found inferior to Dot-ELISA assay, respectively.
Acute (adult clinical inpatient) care nurses’ attitudes towards and knowledge of nationally endorsed 5As smoking cessation guidelines

Nurses are expected to be involved in health promotion, including smoking cessation. This study aimed to assess nurses’ knowledge, sense of responsibility and willingness to provide smoking cessation interventions as described in the national 5As guideline. Data were collected by a survey distributed to a convenience sample of nursing staff (n = 162) from thirteen different adult acute care wards at a major metropolitan Melbourne hospital. Nearly all respondents (87%) agreed that they had a responsibility to counsel patients, and 22% were already doing so, but only 22% (n = 36) of respondents demonstrated an adequate level of knowledge of smoking cessation. Nurses were more likely to counsel patients on health conditions related to their area of practice than those that were not. The findings indicate that greater emphasis is needed in undergraduate courses and in-service programs to increase nurses’ awareness, and implementation of the 5As guideline for smoking cessation.
Cotreatment of acromegaly with a somatostatin analog and a growth hormone receptor antagonist.

CONTEXT Pegvisomant is a GH receptor antagonist that blocks the peripheral actions of GH in acromegaly. Pegvisomant, in contrast to somatostatin (SMS) analogs, does not suppress the activity of the GH-producing adenoma. OBJECTIVE We assessed the effects of cotreatment with pegvisomant and SMS in acromegaly on GH secretion, IGF-I levels, and glucose tolerance. DESIGN, PATIENTS, AND INTERVENTIONS Eleven patients with persistent disease despite previous therapy underwent the following fixed treatment algorithm: 1) on SMS therapy, 2) off therapy for 2 months, 3) 6-wk treatment with 10 mg/d pegvisomant, 4) 6-wk treatment with 15 mg/d pegvisomant, and 5) 3-month treatment with 15 mg pegvisomant plus SMS. Blood was sampled in the fasting state and during an oral glucose tolerance test. RESULTS Total serum IGF-I levels (micrograms per liter) decreased after pegvisomant, but the lowest levels were obtained with cotreatment [458 +/- 67 (SMS), 562 +/- 78 (active), 376 +/- 51 (10 mg), 269 (15 mg), 195 +/- 24 (combined) (P < 0.0001)]. Free and bioactive IGF-I changed in a similar pattern. Steady-state pegvisomant levels (micrograms per liter) were obtained, but SMS cotreatment increased pegvisomant levels by 20% (P = 0.02) [2631 +/- 616 (10 mg), 6536 +/- 1413 (15 mg), 8030 +/- 1914 (combined)]. Pegvisomant increased endogenous GH levels (micrograms per liter), which was countered by SMS cotreatment [5.1 +/- 1.3 (SMS), 8.9 +/- 2.9 (active), 14.6 +/- 4.9 (10 mg), 19.7 +/- 6.5 (15 mg), 11.8 +/- 2.8 (combined) (P < 0.01)]. Plasma glucose levels (millimoles per liter) were highest during SMS and lowest during pegvisomant 15 mg [2-h oral glucose tolerance test: 10.3 +/- 0.7 (SMS), 8.9 +/- 0.7 (active), 7.2 +/- 0.7 (10 mg), 6.5 +/- 0.5 (15 mg), 8.0 +/- 0.8 (combined) (P = 0.02)]. CONCLUSIONS Dual blockade of the GH axis with pegvisomant and a SMS analog is feasible in acromegaly.
Management of cervical pregnancy: risk factors for failed systemic methotrexate

Abstract Cervical pregnancy is a rare obstetrical complication. Conservative management with systemic methotrexate has been reported to be successful, obviating the need for surgical treatment which entails a risk for hysterectomy. We report the case of a nulliparous patient with a cervical pregnancy diagnosed at 9 weeks' gestation who after systemic methotrexate treatment necessitated conservative surgical management. This patient highlights the utility of identified risk factors for failure of methotrexate treatment.
A case of transcriptional stereotyping

In preparation for a workshop I was to lead at the Odense conference, I was sent a tape and transcripts of conversations between a Dane and a German speaking to each other in English. The Odense transcripts were produced mainly in standard orthography. One exception was frequent use of the token 'off ' for the word 'of'. My hearings often disagreed with the Odense renderings of the word 'of'. An exercise in comparison yielded results which suggest that the Odense 'off', rather than accurately depicting a pronunciational detail, was used in some independence of pronunciational details and might best be characterized as a stereotype; in the case of the Dane, a benign stereotype in that it does capture something the Dane tends to do, but in the case of the German, a malignant stereotype in that it altogether misrepresents what the German does.
Development and validation of an average mammalian estrogen receptor-based QSAR model

Development and evaluation of quantitative structure activity relationships (QSARs) for predicting estrogen receptor binding from chemical structure requires reliable algorithms for three-dimensional (3D) QSAR analysis and establishment of structurally diverse training sets of chemicals whose modes of action and measures of potency are well defined. One approach to selecting an appropriate training set is to minimize the biological variability in the model development, by using structurally restricted data sets. A second approach is to extend the structural diversity of chemicals at the cost of increased variability of biological assays. In this study, the second approach was used by organizing a training set of 151 chemicals with measured human alpha Estrogen Receptor (ER f ), mouse uterine, rat uterine, and MCF7 cell Relative Binding Affinities (RBAs). The structurally augmented training set was submitted to a 3D pattern recognition analysis to derive a model for average mammalian ER binding affinity by employing the COmmon REactivity PAttern (COREPA) approach. Elucidation of this pattern required examination of the conformational flexibility of the compounds in an attempt to reveal areas in the multidimensional descriptor space, which are most populated by the conformers of the biologically active molecules and least populated by the inactive ones. The approach is not dependent upon a predetermined and specified toxicophore or an alignment of conformers to a lead compound. Reactivity patterns associated with mammalian ER binding affinity were obtained in terms of global nucleophilicity ( E HOMO ), interatomic distances between nucleophilic sites, and local nucleophilicity (charges or delocalizabilities) of those sites. Based on derived patterns, descriptor profiles were established for identifying and ranking compounds with RBA of >150, 150-10, 10-1 and 1-0.1% relative to 17 g -estradiol. Specificity of reactivity profiles was found to increase gradually with increasing affinities associated with RBAs ranges under study. Using the results of this analysis, an exploratory expert system was developed for use in ranking relative mammalian ER binding affinity potential for large chemical data sets. The validity of the RBA predictions were confirmed by independent development and comparison with measured RBA values.
The Psychological Capital of Chinese Workers: Exploring the Relationship with Performance

Everyone knows about China's huge population and the fast-growing economy. Although macro-level sociological and economic analyses have given some attention to the linkage between the two, at the micro level, the relationship between human resources and, more specifically, psychological capital of Chinese workers and their performance has been largely ignored. Within the context of three factories (two private and one state-owned) in the People's Republic of China, this exploratory study examined the relationship of a sample (n = 422) of Chinese workers’ positive psychological capital states and their performance. Results indicated the workers’ positive states of hope, optimism, and resiliency, separately and when the three were combined into a core construct of psychological capital, significantly correlated with their performance, as rated by their supervisors. An analysis of workers in one of the factories (n = 272) also found a significant relationship between the workers’ positive psychological capital and the performance outcome of relative merit-based salary. Limitations, future research, and practical implications conclude the article.
Numerical Stroop Effect

2 male and 2 female students from an undergraduate class in experimental psychology were participants in a numerical Stroop effect experiment. Mean age for the students was 19.5 yr. , with a SD of 2.4. The Stroop effect was investigated with a numerical, as opposed to a color, task. The four conditions were Symbols (-, + + +, ===, ::, :::), versus Alphabetic Characters (C, AAA, DD, BBB, DDD), versus Matched Digits and Number of Digits (1, 4444, 333, 22, 4444), versus Mismatched Digits and Number of Digits (2, 1111, 444, 33, 3333). Participants took longer to count Mismatched Digits than Symbols or Alphabetic Characters (analogous to the color Stroop effect). Participants took longer to read Mismatched Digits than Alphabetic Characters (analogous to the color reverse Stroop effect). Participants took less time to read or count Matched Digits than Alphabetic Characters (facilitation effect).