Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Phase II clinical trial of sorafenib in metastatic medullary thyroid cancer.

PURPOSE Mutations in the RET proto-oncogene and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR) activity are critical in the pathogenesis of medullary thyroid cancer (MTC). Sorafenib, a multikinase inhibitor targeting Ret and VEGFR, showed antitumor activity in preclinical studies of MTC. PATIENTS AND METHODS In this phase II trial of sorafenib in patients with advanced MTC, the primary end point was objective response. Secondary end points included toxicity assessment and response correlation with tumor markers, functional imaging, and RET mutations. Using a two-stage design, 16 or 25 patients were to be enrolled onto arms A (hereditary) and B (sporadic). Patients received sorafenib 400 mg orally twice daily. RESULTS Of 16 patients treated in arm B, one achieved partial response (PR; 6.3%; 95% CI, 0.2% to 30.2%), 14 had stable disease (SD; 87.5%; 95% CI, 61.7% to 99.5%), and one was nonevaluable. In a post hoc analysis of 10 arm B patients with progressive disease (PD) before study, one patient had PR of 21+ months, four patients had SD >or= 15 months, four patients had SD <or= 6 months, and one patient had clinical PD. Median progression-free survival was 17.9 months. Arm A was prematurely terminated because of slow accrual. Common adverse events (AEs) included diarrhea, hand-foot-skin reaction, rash, and hypertension. Although serious AEs were rare, one death was seen. Tumor markers decreased in the majority of patients, and RET mutations were detected in 10 of 12 sporadic MTCs analyzed. CONCLUSION Sorafenib is reasonably well tolerated, with suggestion of clinical benefit for patients with sporadic MTC. Caution should be taken because of the rare but fatal toxicity potentially associated with sorafenib.
Caudal paramedian midbrain syndrome

Background: Caudal midbrain lesions involving the entire decussation of the superior cerebellar peduncles have a distinctive clinical picture: bilateral cerebellar ataxia, eye-movement disorders, and palatal myoclonus. Occasionally, unilateral lesions may produce a similar neurologic picture. Objective: To define the clinical and radiologic picture of patients with unilateral lower midbrain ischemic lesions of the decussation of the brachium conjunctivum. Methods: Five patients with MRI evidence of unilateral paramedian caudal midbrain infarction were investigated, after the acute stage. Results: All patients had bilateral cerebellar dysfunction characterized by dysarthric speech, truncal and gait ataxia, and dysmetric movements of the limbs, which were more pronounced on one side. Ocular movement abnormalities were observed in three cases. A constant MRI finding was a bilateral inferior olivary degeneration, but only one patient displayed a delayed palatal tremor. Conclusions: A single strategically placed unilateral lesion can cause bilateral dysfunction. In addition, a bilateral cerebellar syndrome can occur with unilateral lesions in the lower midbrain with a wide range of other clinical features.
Giant-Cell Tumor of the Appendicular Skeleton

The common objective of all surgical procedures in the treatment of giant-cell tumor of bone is to minimize the incidence of local recurrence. The purpose of this study was to determine what, if any, patient factors, tumor characteristics, or surgical practices correlate with local recurrence. Seventy-five patients treated for a giant-cell tumor of the appendicular skeleton were followed up for at least 2 years. The mean duration of followup was 62 months (range, 24–224 months). The highest proportion of patients had intralesional curettage, high-speed burring, and adjuvant treatment. Ten patients (13%) had a local recurrence. Bivariate analysis revealed that, with the numbers available, none of the patient variables, tumor variables, or surgical approaches correlated with local recurrence. Post hoc power analysis revealed the power of the study to be 33% to detect a clinically significant difference between treatment groups. The data presented here potentially could contribute to a metaanalysis, which would have the statistical power to determine which tumor-related factors and surgical techniques are most important in predicting recurrence in giant-cell tumor of bone.
Chronic caloric restriction reduces tissue damage and improves spatial memory in a rat model of traumatic brain injury

Although it has been known for some time that chronic caloric or dietary restriction reduces the risk of neurodegenerative disorders and injury following ischemia, the possible role of chronic restriction in improving outcomes after traumatic brain injury (TBI) has not been previously studied. Therefore, 2‐month‐old male Sprague‐Dawley rats were divided into two dietary groups, an ad libitum fed group (AL) and a caloric‐restriction group (CR) that was provided with 70% of the food intake of AL rats (n = 10/group). After 4 months, a weight‐drop device (300 g) was used to produce a 2‐mm bilateral medial frontal cortex contusion following craniotomy. Additional animals in each dietary group (n = 10) were used as sham‐operated controls. The CR diet resulted in body weights that were reduced by 30% compared with AL controls. Not only did CR decrease the size of the cortical lesion after injury, there were marked improvements in spatial memory as measured by Morris water maze that included an increase in the number of animals successfully finding the platform as well as significantly reduced time to finding the hidden platform. Western analysis, used to examine the expression of proteins that play a role in neuronal survival, revealed significant increases in brain‐derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the cortical region around the site of injury and in the hippocampus in CR rats after injury. These findings suggest that molecular mechanisms involved in cell survival may play a role in reducing tissue damage and improving cognition after TBI and that these mechanisms can be regulated by dietary interventions. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Trans-Synaptic Eph Receptor-Ephrin Signaling in Hippocampal Mossy Fiber LTP

The site of induction of long-term potentiation (LTP) at mossy fiber–CA3 synapses in the hippocampus is unresolved, with data supporting both pre- and postsynaptic mechanisms. Here we report that mossy fiber LTP was reduced by perfusion of postsynaptic neurons with peptides and antibodies that interfere with binding of EphB receptor tyrosine kinases (EphRs) to the PDZ protein GRIP. Mossy fiber LTP was also reduced by extracellular application of soluble forms of B-ephrins, which are normally membrane-anchored presynaptic ligands for the EphB receptors. The application of soluble ligands for presynaptic ephrins increased basal excitatory transmission and occluded both tetanus and forskolin-induced synaptic potentiation. These findings suggest that PDZ interactions in the postsynaptic neuron and trans-synaptic interactions between postsynaptic EphB receptors and presynaptic B-ephrins are necessary for the induction of mossy fiber LTP.
Total replacement of the hip joint. A review of a thousand operations.

1. A thousand arthritic hips have been replaced by an uncemented metal-on-metal prosthesis, and 942 followed by annual review. The mortality of the operation has been 1·1 per cent, the rate of deep-seated infection 0·7 per cent and the incidence of dislocation 0·3 per cent. 2. Of 169 hips replaced by an earlier type of the prosthesis and followed for five to eight years, 45 per cent have remained excellent and 29 per cent good, but 14 per cent have required revision, mainly for loosening of the femoral component. 3. The current types of prosthesis, now used for five years, have given excellent results in 69 per cent and good results in 21 per cent of 535 patients followed for one to five years. Revision for loosening has been necessary in 2 per cent. 4. The improvement in results has been obtained by the introduction of a tapered screw thread on the pelvic component, and by a range of femoral components that ensures a good cortical fit.
Differentiation of entamoeba histolytica and entamoeba dispar complex by multiplex polymerase chain reaction

Entamoeba histolytica is the causative agent of human amoebiasis. It is one of the most common parasitic infections worldwide, third only to malaria and schistosomiasis. Amoebiasis infects approximately 50 million people causing 40,000 to100,000 deaths per annum. In Africa, infection varies in different countries depending on their social economic factors. Clinical manifestation of amoebiasis is due to existence of two morphologically identical species but have different biochemical and genetic makeup. Entamoeba dispar is a commensal species, while Entamoeba histolytica is a pathogenic one, but both of them can occur together during incidences of infection. Thus, it is of clinical importance to differentiate between the two species, for correct treatment decision, management and public health. Infection occurs mainly by ingestion of viable cysts from contaminated sources such as water and food. The main objective of this study was to differentiate Entamoeba histolytica and Entamoeba dispar by multiplex polymerase reaction in stool samples. A descriptive survey research was adopted between January 2012 and April 2012 and one hundred and sixty nine (169) freshly collected stool samples from patients seeking medical services at outpatient department in Naivasha District hospital with symptoms of amoebiasis were analyzed using microscopy and multiplex polymerase chain reaction techniques. Data for the presence of the two species of Entamoeba were analysed using multivariate statistics and Chi-square (χ2). Microscopy detected 36 (21.3%) patients were infected with E. histolytica /Entamoeba dispar complex cysts or trophozoites. On the other hand, multiplex polymerase chain reaction identified 42 (24.9%) patients who had DNA of E. histolytica or Entamoeba dispar in their stool samples. Mono infection with Entamoeba dispar was the highest with 34 (20.1%), followed by Entamoeba histolytica 4 (2.4%) and co-infection with both species at 4 (2.4%). Generally multiplex polymerase chain reaction technique reduced the chances of misdiagnosis by 9 (6.7%) patients. The study showed that multiplex polymerase
Functional and clinical aspects of the myelomonocyte protein calprotectin.

Calprotectin isacalcium binding heterocomplexprotein consisting oftwoheavyandone light chain. ' 2Itbelongs totheS-100protein family andisderived predominantly fromneutrophils and monocytes. ' Thisprotein is distributed inmyelomonocytic cells, epithelial cells, andkeratinocytes andinvarious tissues andfluids inthebody,' andisa putative protective protein.3 Calprotectin and its subunits appear tohaveregulatory functions in theinflammatory process,5 6andvarious bio
Intermediate and extreme mass-ratio inspirals—astrophysics, science applications and detection using LISA

Black hole binaries with extreme (≳104:1) or intermediate (∼102–104:1) mass ratios are among the most interesting gravitational wave sources that are expected to be detected by the proposed laser interferometer space antenna (LISA). These sources have the potential to tell us much about astrophysics, but are also of unique importance for testing aspects of the general theory of relativity in the strong field regime. Here we discuss these sources from the perspectives of astrophysics, data analysis and applications to testing general relativity, providing both a description of the current state of knowledge and an outline of some of the outstanding questions that still need to be addressed. This review grew out of discussions at a workshop in September 2006 hosted by the Albert Einstein Institute in Golm, Germany.
Micropropagation of Pseudoxytenanthera stocksii Munro

SummaryAn efficient and reproducible procedure for the large-scale propagation of Pseudoxytenanthera stocksii is described. High-frequency multiple shoot induction was achieved from nodal shoot segments collected from superior/elite genotypes on Murashige and Skoog (MS) liquid medium supplemented with 1-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA; 2.68 μM) and 6-benzylaminopurine (BA; 4.40 μM) at 28±1°C and 60 μmol m−2 s−1 light intensity under 12h photoperiod. In vitro-differentiated shoots were multiplied on MS liquid medium fortified with NAA (2.68 μM), BA (2.21 μM) and additives: ascorbic acid (283.93 μM), citric acid (118.10 μM), cysteine (104.04 μM), and glutamine (342.24 μM). Subculturing was carried out every 2wk on fresh shoot multiplication medium. About 125–150 shoots per culture flask were harvested within 45–50d. In vitro-differentiated shoot clumps (three or four shoots) were successfully rooted on half-strength MS basal liquid medium with indole-3-butyric acid (4.90 μM), BA (0.44 μM), and additives. This is the first report where in vitro- and in vivo-(through tillers) raised clonal plants were acclimatized and established in the field, where they exhibited normal growth.
Movement variability in the golf swing of male and female skilled golfers.

BACKGROUND Despite the complexity of movement, the swings of skilled golfers are considered to be highly consistent. Interestingly, no direct investigation of movement variability or coupling variability during the swings of skilled golfers has occurred. PURPOSE To determine whether differences in movement variability exist between male and female skilled golfers during the downswing of the full golf swing. METHODS Three-dimensional thorax, pelvis, hand, and clubhead data were collected from 19 male (mean ± SD: age = 26 ± 7 yr) and 19 female (age = 25 ± 7 yr) skilled golfers. Variability of segmental movement and clubhead trajectory were examined at three phases of the downswing using discrete (SD) and continuous analyses (spanning set), whereas variability of intersegment coupling was examined using average coefficient of correspondence. RESULTS Compared with males, females exhibited higher thorax and pelvis variability for axial rotation at the midpoint of the downswing and ball contact (BC). Similarly, thorax-pelvis coupling variability was higher for females than males at both the midpoint of the downswing and BC. Regardless of thorax and pelvis motion, the variability of hand and clubhead trajectory sequentially decreased from the top of the backswing to BC for both males and females. CONCLUSIONS Male and female skilled golfers use different upper body movement strategies during the downswing while achieving similarly low levels of clubhead trajectory variability at BC. It is apparent that the priority of skilled golfers is to progressively minimize hand and clubhead trajectory variability toward BC, despite the individual motion or coupling of the thorax and pelvis.
The Impact of Parental Alcohol or Drug Removals on Foster Care Placement Experiences: A Matched Comparison Group Study

Research has established the coincidence of parental alcohol and other drug (AOD) use and child maltreatment, but few studies have examined the placement experiences and outcomes of children removed because of parental AOD use. The present study examines demographic characteristics and placement experiences of children removed from their homes because of parental AOD use (n = 1,333), first in comparison to the remaining sample of children in foster care (n = 4,554), then in comparison to a matched comparison group of children in foster care who were removed for other reasons (n = 1,333). Relative to the comparison sample, children removed for parental AOD use are less likely to experience co-occurring removal because of neglect and physical or sexual abuse and are more likely to be placed in relative foster care. In addition, these children remain in care longer, experience similar rates of reunification, and have significantly higher rates of adoption.
ArabOnto: experimenting a new distributional approach for building Arabic ontological resources

Ontologies are useful for modelling and retrieving knowledge in complex information systems. Ontology construction environments use statistical and linguistic information to extract knowledge from corpora. Within the great improvement in this field, there is a need to introduce the Arabic language in these environments. We present the ArabOnto architecture modelling the process of Arabic ontology extraction from corpora. ArabOnto focuses on linguistic issues related to Arabic term extraction and linking (i.e. from morphosyntactic parsing to clustering). We experiment our system by testing several alternatives on three domains. Besides, our ontologies are validated in the context of an information retrieval system.
Metabolism of melatonin and biological activity of intermediates of melatoninergic pathway in human skin cells

Indolic and kynuric pathways of skin melatonin metabolism were monitored by liquid chromatography mass spectrometry in human keratinocytes, melanocytes, dermal fibroblasts, and melanoma cells. Production of 6‐hydroxymelatonin [6(OH)M], N1‐acetyl‐N2‐formyl‐5‐methoxykynuramine (AFMK) and 5‐methoxy‐tryptamine (5‐MT) was detected in a cell type‐dependent fashion. The major metabolites, 6(OH)M and AFMK, were produced in all cells. Thus, in immortalized epidermal (HaCaT) keratinocytes, 6(OH)M was the major product with Vmax = 63.7 ng/106 cells and Km = 10.2 μM, with lower production of AFMK and 5‐MT. Melanocytes, keratinocytes, and fibroblasts transformed melatonin primarily into 6(OH)M and AFMK. In melanoma cells, 6(OH)M and AFMK were produced endogenously, a process accelerated by exogenous melatonin in the case of AFMK. In addition, N‐acetylserotonin was endogenously produced by normal and malignant melanocytes. Metabolites showed selective antiproliferative effects on human primary epidermal keratinocytes in vitro. In ex vivo human skin, both melatonin and AFMK‐stimulated expression of involucrin and keratins‐10 and keratins‐14 in the epidermis, indicating their stimulatory role in building and maintaining the epidermal barrier. In summary, the metabolism of melatonin and its endogenous production is cell type‐dependent and expressed in all three main cell populations of human skin. Furthermore, melatonin and its metabolite AFMK stimulate differentiation in human epidermis, indicating their key role in building the skin barrier. —Kim, T. ‐K. , Kleszczyński, K. , Janjetovic, Z. , Sweatman, T. , Lin, Z. , Li, W. , Reiter, R. J., Fischer, T. W. , Slominski, A. T. Metabolism of melatonin and biological activity of intermediates of melatoninergic pathway in human skin cells. FASEB J. 27, 2742‐2755 (2013). www.fasebj. org
Audit Quality of Complex Accounting Estimates: Evidence from Audit Tests of Goodwill and Special Charges

Because auditing complex accounting estimates are particularly challenging for the auditor, and given the PCAOB inspections reports indicating audit deficiencies with the valuation tests of goodwill and other complex estimates, we highlight the quality of audit stress tests of goodwill, and audit tests of impairments, restructuring charges and other types of special charges. We find that: (1) auditors charge a substantial fee premium for testing goodwill account balances and there is an auxiliary fee surcharge for impairments, restructuring and other types of special charges, (2) audit tests of goodwill, impairments and other special charges lead to longer audit report lags, but not for restructuring charges, (3) the likelihood of an impairment or a special charge increases with audit quality, and (4) investors react negatively to all types of complex accounting estimates but the reaction depends on audit quality for impairments only. Collectively, our results underscore the prominence and relevance of audits of complex accounting estimates, especially goodwill account balances, which helps explain why goodwill impairments and special charges are timely and informative for investors.
Use of the Hemostatic Agent QuikClot® for the Treatment of Massive Splenic Injury in a Rat Model

Background: In the present study, QuikClot®(QC) was used to treat intra-abdominal bleeding induced by massive splenic injury (MSI) in rats. Study Design: 40 animals were divided into five groups: (1) sham operated; (2) MSI untreated; (3) MSI treated with 41.5 ml/kg lactated Ringer’s solution (RL); (4) MSI treated with QC, and (5) MSI treated with QC and RL. Results: Untreated MSI was followed by mortality of 60%, total blood loss (TBL) of 33.69% and mean survival time (MST) of 153.9 min. MSI treatment with RL resulted in mortality of 100%, TBL of 61.8% (p < 0.001), and MST of 92.2 min (p < 0.05). MSI treated with QC was followed by TBL of 14.1% (p < 0.005) and MST of 237.5 min (p < 0.05) with no mortality. MSI treated by QC and RL led TBL of 27.4% (p < 0.001 vs. group 3), and MST of 233.3 min (p < 0.05) and no mortality. Conclusions: QC significantly reduced blood loss from the injured spleen with improved survival. Combination of RL and QC prevented the increase in blood loss and improved survival compared to RL alone.
The effects of work motivation on employee exhaustion and commitment: An extension of the JD-R model

Abstract A model that integrates and builds on the job demands-resources model and self-determination theory is proposed to better understand the role of work motivation in relation to job resources, occupational commitment and emotional exhaustion. Two forms of motivation were studied: autonomous motivation, in which employees act with volition,; and controlled motivation, in which they act under internal or external pressure. Data were collected at two time points nine months apart from a sample of 586 school principals in Quebec, Canada. SEM analysis results support the hypothesized model. Specifically, job resources had a positive effect on autonomous motivation but a negative effect on controlled motivation. In addition, taking into account the cross-lagged effects of job resources on commitment and exhaustion, autonomous motivation had a negative effect on exhaustion but a positive effect on commitment whereas controlled motivation had a positive effect on exhaustion. These results advance the understanding of why work motivation acts on employee functioning and how it can play an active role in both the motivational and energetic processes of the job demands-resources model. Practical implications and further theoretical implications are discussed.
Measurement of dynamic visual acuity in patients with vestibular areflexia

Abstract Conclusion: The test is simple and sensitive enough to separate normal subjects from patients suffering from a vestibular loss. There was also a good correlation between the objective results and the subjective complaint of oscillopsia. Objectives: Oscillopsia (i.e. blurred vision while walking) is often reported by patients suffering from vestibular loss. We developed a test to quantify oscillopsia. Methods: Visual acuity was determined in 16 normal subjects and in 8 patients suffering from a bilateral vestibular loss, at rest and while walking at increasing speed on a treadmill. Snellen optotypes were randomly projected on a screen and the visual acuity was determined with an adaptative staircase algorithm. Results: In normal subjects, the visual acuity did not decrease markedly during walking, but decreased significantly in patients with a vestibular loss.