Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Efficacy of Sorafenib for Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma and Prognostic Factors.

BACKGROUND/AIMS Sorafenib, a drug that inhibits Raf serine/threonine kinases mediating cell proliferation and receptor tyrosine kinases involved in angiogenesis, is approved for treatment of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma. The study aims to evaluate the efficacy and analyze the prognostic factors of sorafenib treatment in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). METHODOLOGY Consecutive cases of HCC were treated with sorafenib (400 mg, Bid). Baseline clinical parameters, adverse events and survival were collected. RESULTS A total of 60 patients received sorafenib and transarterial therapy. There was no CR; 2 (3.3%) patients achieved partial response, but 30 patients (50.0%) achieved stable disease. The median follow-up time was 16 months. The median OS and median TTP were 13.6 months and 4.4 months respectively. The common adverse events were dermal reaction (60.0%, 36/60), diarrhea (46.7.0%, 28/60), hypertension (5.0%, 3/60), hair loss (16.7%, 10/60), myelosuppression (20.0%, 12/60), and liver dysfunction (25.0%, 15/60). In most patients, these side effects were mild-to-moderate, and alleviated remarkably after symptomatic treatment. The patients with lower tumor burden and without extrahepatic spread had better prognosis. CONCLUSIONS Soafenib is effective for unresectable primary HCC with tolerable toxicity. Tumor stage is a predominant prognostic factor.
Putative Stress Sensors WscA and WscB Are Involved in Hypo-Osmotic and Acidic pH Stress Tolerance in Aspergillus nidulans

ABSTRACT Wsc proteins have been identified in fungi and are believed to be stress sensors in the cell wall integrity (CWI) signaling pathway. In this study, we characterized the sensor orthologs WscA and WscB in Aspergillus nidulans. Using hemagglutinin-tagged WscA and WscB, we showed both Wsc proteins to be N- and O-glycosylated and localized in the cell wall and membrane, implying that they are potential cell surface sensors. The wscA disruptant (ΔwscA) strain was characterized by reduced colony and conidia formation and a high frequency of swollen hyphae under hypo-osmotic conditions. The deficient phenotype of the ΔwscA strain was facilitated by acidification, but not by alkalization or antifungal agents. In contrast, osmotic stabilization restored the normal phenotype in the ΔwscA strain. A similar inhibition was observed in the wscB disruptant strain, but to a lesser extent. In addition, a double wscA and wscB disruptant (ΔwscA ΔwscB) strain was viable, but its growth was inhibited to a greater degree, indicating that the functions of the products of these genes are redundant. Transcription of α-1,3-glucan synthase genes (agsA and agsB) was significantly altered in the wscA disruptant strain, resulting in an increase in the amount of alkali-soluble cell wall glucan compared to that in the wild-type (wt) strain. An increase in mitogen-activated protein kinase (MpkA) phosphorylation was observed as a result of wsc disruption. Moreover, the transient transcriptional upregulation of the agsB gene via MpkA signaling was observed in the ΔwscA ΔwscB strain to the same degree as in the wt strain. These results indicate that A. nidulans Wsc proteins have a different sensing spectrum and downstream signaling pathway than those in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae and that they play an important role in CWI under hypo-osmotic and acidic pH conditions.
The Protective Functions of Relationships, Social Support and Self-Esteem in the Life Satisfaction of Children of Migrant Workers in Shanghai, China

Background: At present, China has approximately 20 million migrant school-aged children accompanying their parents in relocating to the cities. However, very little is known about them. Using a resilience framework, the present study attempted to examine the psychosocial factors affecting their life satisfaction in Shanghai, China. Methods: A total of 625 migrant children were recruited from 10 schools in Shanghai through a cross-sectional survey design using multi-stage cluster sampling method. The questionnaire included measures of life satisfaction, self-esteem, social support, relationships at school and the parent—child and peer relationships. Results: Hierarchical regression analysis was performed to explore the relative effects of different relationship domains, self-esteem and social support on the life satisfaction of migrant children. The results suggested that parent—child and peer relationships significantly influenced the life satisfaction of children of migrant workers. Relationships in school did not exert such effect. Both social support and self-esteem had significant effects on the life satisfaction of migrant children. Conclusions: Relationship factors, social support and self-esteem are critical factors affecting the life satisfaction of migrant children. The findings and implications were discussed in relation to developmental and migration-related issues and the social contexts of the lives of children of migrant workers in Shanghai, China.
1 AN IMPROVED ANALYSIS FOR THE DETERMINATION OF REQUIRED BALLAST DEPTH by

In railway engineering, in order to reduce the rate of subgrade deterioration, there is a need to know the vertical normal stress distribution, σzz(z), through the ballast for the determination of adequate ballast depth between the tie bottoms and the subgrade surface. According to the AREA Manual (Section 22, Part 3), the required ballast depth, zreq, should be such that ( ) σ zz req z lb in ≤ 20 2 .
PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL ANALYSIS OF FORMALDEHYDE ABSORPTION PROCESS

This paper presents the new approach to the physical and chemical analysis of formaldehyde absorption process on which basis possibility to propose the new more cost-effective technology based on efficient use of resources and power saving occurs. According to authors, the major way of process control over formaldehyde absorption is a liquid temperature stage control that provides grounds for the further researches. The paper is devoted to research of principles of the mechanism and kinetics of the physical and chemical processes proceeding upon formaldehyde absorption in the presence of methanol with the further preconditions on development of more effective way of formaldehyde absorption.
The Ability of Thai-FRAT’s Item to Identify Risk of Fall in Elderly With and Without History of Fall

An advancing age usually relates to an increasing risk of fall in elderly that may lead to negative impacts of physical, psychological, and socioeconomic consequences. Finally, falls resulted in decrease of quality of life and increase disability. Therefore, early fall risk screening is important. The Thai falls risk assessment test (Thai-FRAT) is developed to measure risk of fall in Thai community-dwelling elderly. However, there are some limitations to apply in elderly who lived in different cultures and environments. Therefore, the study aimed to determine the ability of each Thai-FRAT’s item for identifying risk of fall in elderly aged at least 65 years. Participants were interviewed fall history within the past 6 months to divide them into 3 groups including non-faller, single-faller, and multiple-faller groups. They were screened fall risk using the Thai-FRAT which consisted of 6 items. The results showed that the items of having fall history at least 2 falls within the past 6 months and balance impairment using tandem stand test in 10 seconds were statistically significant differences among 3 groups. The findings suggested that fall risk screening can be assessed using these two items to indicate fall risk in elderly. บทคดัย่อ อายท่ีุมากข้ึนมกัท าให้ผู สู้งอายุมีความเส่ียงต่อการหกลม้เพ่ิมข้ึน ซ่ึงกระทบทั ้งทางกาย จิตใจและเศรษฐสงัคม ส่งผลใหคุ้ณภาพชีวิตลดลงและเพ่ิมภาวะทุพลภาพในท่ีสุด ดงันั ้น การคดักรองความเส่ียงต่อการหกลม้ตั ้งแต่แรกเร่ิมจึง มีความส าคญั ซ่ึงแบบประเมินความเส่ียงต่อการหกลม้ส าหรับผู สู้งอายไุทยในชุมชนไดถู้กพฒันาข้ึน อยา่งไรก็ตาม แบบ ประเมินดงักล่าวยงัมีขอ้จ ากดัในการประยกุตใ์ชส้ าหรับผู สู้งอายท่ีุอาศยัอยู ใ่นบริบทท่ีแตกต่างกนั ดงันั ้น การศึกษาน้ีจึงมี วตัถุประสงคเ์พื่อศึกษาความสามารถของแบบประเมินดงักล่าวรายหวัขอ้ในการบ่งช้ีความเส่ียงต่อการหกลม้ในผู สู้งอายุ ท่ีมีอายตุั ้งแต่ 65 ปีข้ึนไป อาสาสมคัรไดรั้บการสมัภาษณ์ประวติัการหกลม้ในระยะ 6 เดือนท่ีผา่นมา โดยแบ่งออกเป็น 3 กลุ่ม คือกลุ่มท่ีไม่หกลม้ กลุ่มหกลม้ 1 คร้ัง และกลุ่มหกลม้ 2 คร้ังข้ึนไป และคดักรองความเส่ียงต่อการหกลม้ดว้ยแบบ ประเมินความเส่ียงต่อการหกลม้ส าหรับผู สู้งอายไุทยในชุมชนท่ีประกอบดว้ย 6 หวัขอ้ ผลพบวา่การมีประวติัการหกลม้ อยา่งน้อย 2 คร้ังในระยะ 6 เดือน และความบกพร่องของการทรงตวัเม่ือประเมินโดยการยืนต่อเทา้เป็นเวลา 10 วินาที เป็นหัวขอ้ท่ีมีความแตกต่างกนัอยา่งมีนยัส าคญัทางสถิติระหวา่งอาสาสมคัร 3 กลุ่ม ผลการศึกษาเสนอแนะว่าการคดั กรองความเส่ียงต่อการหกลม้สามารถประเมินโดยใชส้องหวัขอ้น้ี เพ่ือบ่งช้ีการมีความเส่ียงต่อการหกลม้ในผู สู้งอายไุด ้
A Diallel Cross in Black Spruce, Picea mariana

The development on an effective breeding program foi a given species depends upon information on the inheritance mechanisms of its economically important characters, particularly the relative importance of additive, dominance and epistatic genetic variances (BELLMANN and AHRENS 1965) These variances can only be obtained from experiments based on controlled crosses with specific mating designs (COMSTOCK and ROBINSON 1952). One of these designs, the diallel cross, is particularly useful for this purpose when a complete evaluation of variance components is desired including those due to selfing, maternal, and reciprocal effects (COCKERHAM 1963), and when the number of parents can be limited as in theoretical studies, as contrasted to a program of crossing and progeny testing resulting from established seed orchards (HINKELMANN and STERN 1960). In a complete diallel, a set of p parents is crossed in all combinations, leading to p2 progenies, but the selfs and reciprocals may be omitted (GRIFFING 1956). In a reduced cross of this kind efficient estimates of heritability and degree of dominance can be obtained from 8-10 parents (PEDERSON 1971). This paper reports results from a complete 7 X 7 diallel in black spruce, one of the most common species in the boreal forests of North America, which is utilized and regenerated on a large scale. Variance components are given for all sources of variation, phenotypic and genetic correlations and heritabilities are calculated, and breeding implications discussed.
Evaluation of Antibacterial and Antioxidant activities of Essential oil from Michelia champaka

The present study concludes that the MCEO possess significant antibacterial activity. And also have the antioxidant activity. This was the first report on the antibacterial and antioxidant activity of essential oil from the flowers of M.champaka extracted by hydrodistillation method. This result justifies the traditional use of M.champaka in the health care system. Further studies recommended exploring the phytoconstituents responsible for its activity and using MCEO in the discovery of leads in the area of pharmaceutical research.
Hyaluronic modified and amine-functionalized silica nanoparticles as intracellular siRNA delivery carriers in lung cancer gene therapy

Silica nanoparticles chemically modified with amine groups (NSi) were developed as potential delivery vehicles for therapeutic small interfering RNA (siRNA). The positively charged NSi nanoparticles could form stable complexes by electrostatic interactions with negatively charged siRNA-hyaluronic acid (HA) conjugate (NSi/siRNAHA). The resulted NSi/siRNA-HA complexes with a cleavable disulfide linkage could readily release siRNA under reductive cytosol condition. The resultant NSi/siRNA-HA complexes had a well-dispersed nanostructure with a mean diameter of 110 ± 8.5 nm. Cellular uptake and competitive binding assays confirmed that the nanosized NSi/siRNAHA complexes were efficiently internalized in A549 cells via CD44 mediated endocytosis, and thus enhanced the intracellular uptake of siRNA. Moreover, the NSi/siRNA-HA complexes could significantly inhibit the expression of target gene within the cancer cells without showing severe cytotoxicity. In vivo tumor imaging assay in A549 tumor bearing mice model also revealed that NSi/siRNA-HA complexes exerted strong tumor targeting ability. The current study implied that NSi/siRNA-HA complexes could be potentially applied for intracellular delivery of siRNA in lung cancer gene therapy.
Evaluating the Impact of Product Diversification on Financial Performance of Selected Nigerian Construction Firms

The need for the improved performance and continuous survival of construction firms has caused firms to diversify into other businesses. The purpose of this study is to determine the influence of diversification on the performance of some Nigerian construction firms. Financial statements from seventy construction firms were analysed. The specialisation ratio method was used to measure and categorise the firms into undiversified, moderately diversified and highly diversified firms, and profitability ratios were used to measure the group-wise performance of the firms. The Student t-test was used to test the relationship between the extent of diversification and performance. The findings reveal that undiversified firms outperform the highly diversified firms in terms of Return on Total Assets and Profit Margin. Similarly, the moderately diversified firms were found to outperform the highly diversified firms in terms of Return on Equity, Return on Total Assets and Profit Margin. However, no performance difference was found between the undiversified firms and the moderately diversified firms based on the three measures used. A nonlinear relationship was found between the extent of diversification and performance. It was concluded that diversification does not necessarily lead to an improvement in profitability. The implication is that firms are better-off remaining focused if the aim is to improve financial performance.
Centrifuge modelling of pile performance behind a failed excavation in clay

Centrifuge model tests were conducted to examine the performance of piles behind a failed excavation in clay. In these tests, the bending moment profile and pile head deflection were monitored during and after excavation. The test results revealed the behavior of pile in clay is time dependent and the development of tension cracks in the active shear failure wedge prevent the full transmission of soil pressure on the piles and hence the induced pile bending moment and deflection decrease after the failure of the retaining wall.
Y. Benkler, Peer Production and Cooperation, forthcoming in J. M. Bauer & M. Latzer (eds.), Handbook on the Economics of the Internet, Cheltenham and Northampton, Edward Elgar. Peer Production and Cooperation

Peer production is the most significant organizational innovation that has emerged from Internet-mediated social practice. Organizationally, it combines three core characteristics: (a) decentralization of conception and execution of problems and solutions, (b) harnessing diverse motivations, and (c) separation of governance and management from property and contract. Functionally, these components make peer production practices highly adept at learning and experimentation, innovation, and adaptation in rapidly changing, persistently uncertain and complex environments. Under high rates of technological innovation, and the high diversity of sources of uncertainty typical of early 21st century global markets, the functional advantages of peer production have made it an effective organizational model in diverse domains. From free software, through Wikipedia to video journalism, peer production plays a more significant role in the information production environment than predicted by standard models at the turn of the millennium.
Salmonella spp. are cytotoxic for cultured macrophages

We have shown by a variety of microscopical and biochemical techniques that Salmonella spp. are cytotoxic for cultured J774A.1 and bone marrow‐derived murine macrophages. The cytotoxicity is initially manifested by inhibition of membrane ruffling and macropinocytosis in infected macrophages, and is followed by cell death. Macrophages killed by Salmonella spp. exhibited features of apoptosis such as condensation and fragmentation of chromatin, membrane blebbing, and the presence of cytoplasmic nucleosomes and apoptotic bodies. Cytotoxicity does not require bacterial internalization as cytochalasin D, a drug that prevents bacterial uptake, did not prevent Salmonella‐induced macrophage cell death. However, the cytotoxic effects are strictly dependent upon the expression of the invasion‐associated Type III protein‐secretion system encoded at centisome 63 of the Salmonella chromosome. Wild‐type Salmonella typhimurium grown under conditions that do not allow optimal expression of this system or strains of Salmonella carrying mutations in genes that encode components of this protein‐secretion system were devoid of macrophage cytotoxicity. In addition, mutations in invJ, spaO, sipB, sipC and sipD, which encode proteins that are secreted via this secretion apparatus and are required for bacterial entry into non‐phagocytic cells, also abolished the toxicity. In contrast, mutations in sipA and sptP, which encode secreted proteins that are not required for bacterial invasion, had no effect on macrophage cytotoxicity. These results indicate a close correlation between the mechanisms of bacterial internalization into non‐phagocytic cells and those that lead to macrophage cytotoxicity. Host‐adapted serotypes of Salmonella such as S. typhi, S. gallinarum and S. dublin were also toxic for murine macrophages, indicating that this virulence property is probably present in most Salmonella spp. and is not associated with the mechanisms responsible for host range.
The Effect of Self-Efficacy on Behavior and Weight in a Behavioral Weight-Loss Intervention.

OBJECTIVE To determine whether eating self-efficacy (ESE) and physical activity self-efficacy (PASE) are predictive of dietary intake, physical activity, and weight change within a behavioral weight-loss intervention, and whether dietary intake and physical activity mediate relationships between self-efficacy and weight change. METHOD The study sample included 246 participants from a randomized trial with complete data on study variables at 12 months. ESE, PASE, calories consumed, minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), and weight were measured at baseline, 6, and 12 months. RESULTS ESE at baseline was associated with 12-month percent weight loss (PWL), and was mediated by average calories consumed at 6 and 12 months. Change in ESE from baseline to 6 months was associated with calories consumed at 12 months and 12-month percent weight loss, but the mediated relationship was not significant. Baseline PASE was not associated with average MVPA at 6 and 12 months or 12-month PWL, but change in PASE from baseline to 6 months was associated with 12-month PWL through its effect on MVPA at 12 months. CONCLUSION Increases in ESE and PASE during the active phase of the intervention are predictive of dietary intake, physical activity and weight loss at later points, but further research should include explorations of the reciprocal relationship between behavior and self-efficacy to better inform intervention strategies that target self-efficacy and promote behavior change. (PsycINFO Database Record
The Practical Use of Simplicity in Developing Ground Water Models

The advantages of starting with simple models and building complexity slowly can be significant in the development of ground water models. In many circumstances, simpler models are characterized by fewer defined parameters and shorter execution times. In this work, the number of parameters is used as the primary measure of simplicity and complexity; the advantages of shorter execution times also are considered. The ideas are presented in the context of constructing ground water models but are applicable to many fields. Simplicity first is put in perspective as part of the entire modeling process using 14 guidelines for effective model calibration. It is noted that neither very simple nor very complex models generally produce the most accurate predictions and that determining the appropriate level of complexity is an ill‐defined process. It is suggested that a thorough evaluation of observation errors is essential to model development. Finally, specific ways are discussed to design useful ground water models that have fewer parameters and shorter execution times.
Obesity: what mental health professionals need to know.

OBJECTIVE Obesity is a highly prevalent condition with significant health implications. This report summarizes recent clinically relevant findings concerning the pathogenesis and treatment of obesity and considers their implications for psychiatric diagnosis and management. METHOD The authors conducted selective reviews of the literature from the last 10 years. Topics included the biological and behavioral factors that contribute to the onset and maintenance of obesity, the relationship between obesity and psychiatric illness and treatment, and the questions of whether and how obesity should be treated. RESULTS Genetic effects, some mediated by eating behavior, contribute importantly to the potential for obesity, the expression of which is promoted by environmental factors that increase the availability of calorically dense foods and discourage activity. There appear to be behaviorally distinct subsets of obese persons who display particular patterns of disordered eating and elevated rates of psychopathology. Treatment with psychotropic medications may contribute to obesity in ways that are only partly understood. Although successful obesity treatment is associated with clear health benefits and available treatments offer benefit to some, relapse remains the rule. CONCLUSIONS Although the presence or development of obesity is a daunting problem, it should not be ignored by mental health professionals. Treatment should address not only obesity per se, but also its effects on self-esteem in a hostile cultural climate. Ongoing developments in basic and clinical research are likely to increase the range, efficacy, and acceptability of treatment options in the years ahead.
Parcel-Based Approach for the Simulation of Gas-Particle Flows

We focus on a parcel-based approach, similar to the one used by O'Rourke and Snider, 2010, which tracks the motion of a so-called “parcel” of particles. We derive a scaling law for a linear-spring dashpot interaction model that enables tracking of clouds of particles through DEM-based simulation of (scaled) pseudo-particles. This guarantees convergence to a DEM-based simulation of the unscaled system, i.e., a system where all the individual particles are tracked. We use a BGKlike relaxation term to model collisions between particles in dilute regions of the flow field. This combined approach is implemented in an in-house code that runs on GPUs (Radeke et al., 2010), and is used to study a granular jet impinging on a plane surface, as well as a simple shear flow. We find that a BGK-type relaxation model is necessary when using parcel-based approaches for capturing some prominent flow features.