Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Exercise in patients with non-small cell lung cancer.

PURPOSE This study aimed to evaluate the safety, feasibility, and effects of an 8-wk combined resistance and endurance exercise program in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) during in- and outpatient care. METHODS In this intervention study, 40 patients with predominantly advanced NSCLC receiving simultaneous or sequential radiochemotherapy or chemotherapy alone were enrolled. For a period of 8 wk, patients were instructed to exercise at least five times per week during the inpatient setting and at least three times per week in the outpatient setting. Physical performance status (endurance capacity: 6-min walk test; strength capacity: handheld dynamometry), quality-of-life (Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Lung), fatigue (Multidimensional Fatigue Inventory), and depression (Patient Health Questionnaire) were assessed at baseline (T0), after the exercise intervention (T1), and at a follow-up time point 8 wk later (T2). The primary end point was adequate adherence (feasibility) defined as completing at least two training sessions per week during a minimum of 6 wk. RESULTS Of 40 patients, 31 (77.5%) completed the postexercise assessment (T1) and 22 (55%) completed follow-up (T2). The stages were IIA (5%), IIIA (8%), IIIB (20%), and IV (67%), and the median age was 63 yr (range = 22-75 yr). Overall, adherence was 82% for those patients who completed T1, and 55% of the 40 participating patients fulfilled the adequate adherence criterion. Those who completed the intervention showed a significant improvement in the 6-min walk distance and in knee, elbow, and hip muscle strength after the intervention (T1). Quality of life, fatigue, and depression scores remained stable or declined slightly. Significant improvements in knee-muscle strength were also observed at T2. CONCLUSIONS Exercise training is feasible in advanced and metastatic NSCLC patients during anticancer treatment. In this pilot study, endurance and strength capacity improved over time, indicating the rehabilitative importance of the applied intervention. To investigate the potential impact of exercise training in this patient group, a larger randomized trial is warranted.
The Effect of Intensive Insulin Therapy on Infection Rate, Vasospasm, Neurologic Outcome, and Mortality in Neurointensive Care Unit After Intracranial Aneurysm Clipping in Patients With Acute Subarachnoid Hemorrhage: A Randomized Prospective Pilot Trial

It is unclear if avoiding hyperglycemia during intensive care after acute brain injury improves morbidity, mortality, and neurologic outcome. This prospective randomized trial tested whether intensive insulin therapy affected infection rates, vasospasm, mortality, or long-term neurologic outcome in subarachnoid hemorrhage patients during their intensive care unit (ICU) stay. Comparison was made against conventional insulin therapy using a randomized trial design. The primary outcome measure was infection rate until the fourteenth postoperative day in the ICU or until patient discharge. Secondary end points were the incidence of vasospasm until the fourteenth postoperative day in the ICU or until patient discharge, and neurologic outcome and mortality at 6 months follow-up. A total of 78 patients were prospectively enrolled and randomly assigned either to conventional insulin therapy or to intensive insulin therapy (38 and 40 patients, respectively). The infection rate during the study was significantly higher in patients who received conventional insulin therapy than in patients who received intensive insulin therapy (42% vs. 27%; P<0.001). The incidence of vasospasm during the study was also similar in conventional and intensive therapy groups (31.5% vs. 27.6% in the conventional and intensive insulin therapy groups; P=0.9). Overall mortality rates at 6 months were similar in the 2 groups (18% vs.15%; P=0.9), as was the neurologic outcome at 6 months [modified Rankin score >3 in 22/38 patients (57.8%) in the conventional therapy group vs. 21/40 patients (52.5%) in the intensive insulin therapy group; P=0.7]. Intensive insulin therapy in patients with acute subarachnoid hemorrhage admitted to a postoperative neurosurgical ICU after surgical clipping of intracranial aneurysms decreases infection rates. The benefit of strict glycemic control on postoperative vasospasm, neurologic outcome, and mortality rates does not seem to be affected by intensive insulin therapy.
fMRI differences in encoding and retrieval of pictures due to encoding strategy in the elderly

Functional MRI (fMRI) was used to examine the neural correlates of depth of processing during encoding and retrieval of photographs in older normal volunteers (n = 12). Separate scans were run during deep (natural vs. man‐made decision) and shallow (color vs. black‐and‐white decision) encoding and during old/new recognition of pictures initially presented in one of the two encoding conditions. A baseline condition consisting of a scrambled, color photograph was used as a contrast in each scan. Recognition accuracy was greater for the pictures on which semantic decisions were made at encoding, consistent with the expected levels of processing effect. A mixed‐effects model was used to compare fMRI differences between conditions (deep‐baseline vs. shallow‐baseline) in both encoding and retrieval. For encoding, this contrast revealed greater activation associated with deep encoding in several areas, including the left parahippocampal gyrus (PHG), left middle temporal gyrus, and left anterior thalamus. Increased left hippocampal, right dorsolateral, and inferior frontal activations were found for recognition of items that had been presented in the deep relative to the shallow encoding condition. We speculate that the modulation of activity in these regions by the depth of processing manipulation shows that these regions support effective encoding and successful retrieval. A direct comparison between encoding and retrieval revealed greater activation during retrieval in the medial temporal (right hippocampus and bilateral PHG), anterior cingulate, and bilateral prefrontal (inferior and dorsolateral). Most notably, greater right posterior PHG was found during encoding compared to recognition. Focusing on the medial temporal lobe (MTL) region, our results suggest a greater involvement of both anterior MTL and prefrontal regions in retrieval compared to encoding. Hum. Brain Mapping 21:1–14, 2004. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
[Ganzfeld and multifocal electroretinography in Malattia Leventinese and Zermatt Macular Dystrophy].

BACKGROUND To show the value of Ganzfeld electroretinography (ERG) in Malattia Leventinese (ML, or Hereditary Dominant Drusen) and Zermatt Macular Dystrophy (ZMD) and to illustrate multifocal electroretinography (mfERG) in 2 cases of ML. PATIENTS AND METHODS In 15 patients with ML and 14 with ZMD we recorded Ganzfeld ERGs along with clinical examinations. In two patients with ML, and an we also performed a mfERG and an automated and Goldmann perimetry. All patients had a genotypic confirmation of the respective disease. For ERG measurements, the UTAS-3000 system was used, the mfERG was recorded using the RetiScan system. RESULTS In ML, the visual acuity remained at 0.8 or higher until the 5 (th) or 6 (th) decade of life, followed by a rapid drop. In ZMD, the decrease in acuity began already in the 3 (rd) decade and followed a more continuous time course. The time course of the decrease of the ERG b-wave amplitudes was nearly identical for either disease. The mfERG showed in one case of ML a marked reduction in the macular response density but, in the second case, a normal density response pattern despite large degenerative changes at the posterior pole. In both of these patients, we found no visual field defects. CONCLUSIONS Patient history and clinical testing raised the suspicion of a hereditary macular dystrophy. By means of Ganzfeld and multifocal electroretinography the course of the disease could be observed. However, definite diagnosis could only be established by genetic identification.
TNF‐mediated inflammatory disease

TNF was originally described as a circulating factor that can cause necrosis of tumours, but has since been identified as a key regulator of the inflammatory response. This review describes the known signalling pathways and cell biological effects of TNF, and our understanding of the role of TNF in human disease. TNF interacts with two different receptors, designated TNFR1 and TNFR2, which are differentially expressed on cells and tissues and initiate both distinct and overlapping signal transduction pathways. These diverse signalling cascades lead to a range of cellular responses, which include cell death, survival, differentiation, proliferation and migration. Vascular endothelial cells respond to TNF by undergoing a number of pro‐inflammatory changes, which increase leukocyte adhesion, transendothelial migration and vascular leak and promote thrombosis. The central role of TNF in inflammation has been demonstrated by the ability of agents that block the action of TNF to treat a range of inflammatory conditions, including rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, inflammatory bowel disease and psoriasis. The increased incidence of infection in patients receiving anti‐TNF treatment has highlighted the physiological role of TNF in infectious diseases. Copyright © 2007 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Phenolics Isolated from Aframomum meleguta Enhance Proliferation and Ossification Markers in Bone Cells

Osteoporosis is a serious health problem characterized by decreased bone mineral density and deterioration of bone microarchitecture. Current antiosteoporotic agents exhibit a wide range of adverse effects; meanwhile, phytochemicals are effective and safer alternatives. In the current work, nine compounds belonging to hydroxyphenylalkane and diarylheptanoid groups were isolated from Aframomum meleguea seeds and identified as 6-gingerol (1), 6-paradol (2), 8-dehydrogingerdione (3), 8-gingerol (4), dihydro-6-paradol (5), dihydrogingerenone A (6), dihydrogingerenone C (7), 1,7-bis(3,4-dihydroxy-5-methoxyphenyl)heptane-3,5-diyl diacetate (8), and 1-(3,4-dihydroxy-5-methoxyphenyl)-7-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)heptane-3,5-diyl diacetate (9). The structures of isolated compounds were established by NMR and mass spectral data, in addition to referring to literature data. Exposure of MCF-7, MG-63, and SAOS-2 cells to subcytotoxic concentrations of the compounds under investigation resulted in accelerated proliferation. Among them, paradol was selected for further detailed biochemical analysis in SAOS-2 cells. DNA flowcytometric analysis of cell cycle distribution revealed that paradol did not induce any significant change in the proliferation index of SAOS-2 cells. Assessment of osteogenic gene expression revealed that paradol enhanced the expression of osteocyte and osteoblast-related genes and inhibited osteoclast and RUNX suppressor genes. Biochemically, paradol enhanced alkaline phosphatase activity and vitamin D content and decreased the osteoporotic marker acid phosphatase. In conclusion, paradol, which is a major constituents of A. melegueta seeds, exhibited potent proliferative and ossification characteristics in bone cells.
Analysis of Fur binding to operator sequences within the Neisseria gonorrhoeae fbpA promoter

The gene encoding Neisseria gonorrhoeae periplasmic binding protein FbpA contains two regions whose sequences exhibit homology with the Escherichia coli ferric uptake regulator protein (Fur) consensus binding sequence. In this study, DNase I footprinting experiments were employed to characterize the operator sequences within the fbpA promoter region to which E. coli Fur binds. A 160-bp fragment encompassing the promotor region and the putative iron boxes of the fbpA promoter was incubated with Fur, DNaseI was added, and the products of these reactions were sequenced to identify nucleotide peaks that were protected. At 50 nM Fur, a protected region that spanned 33 bp and extended 19 bp upstream and 8 bp downstream of the -35 region of the fbpA promoter was observed. At higher concentrations of Fur (75 and 100 nM), an extension of this protected region upstream of the -35 region was observed. Introduction of a plasmid carrying an fbpA-cat transcriptional fusion in E. coli H1717 (Fur+) resulted in an 88% induction of chloramphenicol acetyltransferase expression under conditions of iron restriction; however, chloramphenicol acetyltransferase expression was not responsive to iron in E. coli H1745 (Fur-), indicating that transcriptional regulation of fbpA in response to iron occurs via the negative regulator Fur. The extent of the fbpA operator sequence (42 bp), as defined by our footprinting analysis, would suggest the binding of two Fur repressor dimers.
Probing the structure of the human immunodeficiency virus surface glycoprotein gp120 with a panel of monoclonal antibodies

We have probed the structures of monomeric and oligomeric gp120 glycoproteins from the LAI isolate of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) with a panel of monoclonal antibodies (MAbs); most of these MAbs are directed against continuous epitopes. On native monomeric gp120, most of the first conserved (C1) domain is accessible to MAbs, although some regions of C1 are relatively inaccessible. All of the MAbs directed against the C2, C3, and C5 domains bind preferentially to denatured monomeric gp120, indicating that these regions of gp120 are poorly accessible on the native monomer, although the extreme C terminus in C5 is well exposed. Segments of the V1, V2, and V3 loops are exposed on the surface of monomeric gp120, although the base of the V3 loop is inaccessible. A portion of C4 is also available for MAb binding on monomeric gp120, as is the extreme C terminus in C5. However, on oligomeric gp120-gp41 complexes, only the V2 and V3 loops (and perhaps V1) are well exposed and a segment of the C4 region is partially exposed; continuous epitopes in C1 and C5 that are accessible to antibodies on monomeric gp120 are occluded on the oligomer. Although deletion of the V1, V2, and V3 loops resulted in increased exposure of several discontinuous epitopes overlapping the CD4-binding site, the exposure of most continuous epitopes on the monomeric gp120 glycoprotein was not affected. These results imply a HIV-1 gp120 structure in which the conserved continuous determinants are inaccessible; in some cases, this inaccessibility is due to intramolecular interactions between conserved regions, and in other cases, it is due to intermolecular interactions with other components of the glycoprotein spike. These findings have implications for the design of subunit vaccines based on gp120.
Iron deficiency and anaemia in children with a high prevalence of haemoglobinopathies: implications for screening.

BACKGROUND Haemoglobin (Hb) concentration is used as a sole test for iron deficiency anaemia (IDA) in most developing countries since most anaemia is believed to be due to iron deficiency and confirmatory testing is generally unavailable. Yet the validity of this approach in regions where haemoglobinopathies are endemic has not been documented. METHODS Haemoglobin and serum ferritin (SF) were measured in 559 Northern Thai children aged 6 months to 13 years of age. The sensitivity of SF to identify iron deficiency was also assessed in a subsample of children with low or low-normal Hb and normal SF by testing the Hb response to a trial of oral iron. RESULTS While anaemia was common (27%), IDA constituted 19% and none of all anaemia in preschool and school age children, respectively (P < 0.002). Iron depletion was similarly more prevalent in younger children (P < 0.002). Children with IDA were younger (P < 0.001) and the anaemia more severe (P < 0.0001) compared to those with non-IDA. Of anaemic children with normal SF values who received a therapeutic trial of iron, only 6% responded with an increase in Hb of > or = 1 g/dl. CONCLUSIONS For populations such as ours most anaemia is not due to iron deficiency and a single Hb determination is therefore not acceptable for a presumptive diagnosis of IDA.
Correlation of Sex and Myopia With Corneal Epithelial and Stromal Thicknesses

Purpose: To measure the corneal epithelial thickness (CET) and stromal thickness (ST) in normal subjects, and to also evaluate their correlation with gender, age, and myopia severity. Methods: A total of 162 normal subjects were enrolled; they were divided into 3 groups based on their refractive status: “low myopia” (−0.25 to −3.0 D), “moderate myopia” (−3.0 to −6.0 D), and “high myopia” (more than −6.0 D). The CET and total corneal thickness were obtained using optical coherence tomography, and the regional thicknesses and topographic variability were compared among the 3 myopia groups and between men and women. Furthermore, the correlation between the thickness measurements and gender, age, and refractive status was analyzed. Results: The CET and ST of the central segment (2 mm in diameter) did not significantly differ between the 3 groups. In the paracentral and midperipheral zones (annuli 2–5 mm and 5–6 mm from the center), the CET in some areas, and the ST in most areas, differed significantly among the 3 groups. The CET values of men and women in the central segment were 54.6 ± 3.5 &mgr;m and 52.8 ± 3.5 &mgr;m, respectively (P = 0.003). Similar differences were observed in the paracentral and midperipheral zones. Multiple regression analysis suggested that the CET is related to gender, whereas the ST is associated with myopia severity. Age was not correlated with either the CET or ST. Conclusions: The CET is significantly greater in men than in women, and is not correlated with myopia severity, whereas the ST is inversely correlated with myopia severity, without significant gender difference.
Semantics of communicating parallel processes

The thesis of this dissertation is that an understanding of the ordering constraints that are introduced among events of parallel process is essential to the understanding of synchronization and that therefore any language for specifying synchronization of parallel process should be based on a theory of such orderings. While it is possible to write specifications for systems of communicating parallel processes by reference to the time ordering of some global clock external to the system, such specifications cannot be as useful as ones which are in terms of orderings derivable within the system. Specifications should place constraints on intended behavior of the computer system itself rather than on the possible observations of the system''s behaviors from some global viewpoint which may in fact be totally unrealizable. The dissertation is a development of a specification language. It is based on a model of computation in which an individual process is represented by a totally ordered set of events. Synchronization properties of systems of independent processes are guarantees that in fact the set of events in the system can be ordered by a partial order which properly contains the union of the processes'' total orders. This system ordering can be caused by the presence in a system of side-effect primitives or of synchronization primitives. Thus this model applies equally well both to busy waiting synchronization based on coordinated use of storage cells by independent processes and to non-busy waiting synchronization such as that induced by semaphores and structured synchronization primitives. In addition to applying to a range of types of synchronization, the specification language is also used to define a programming language. The meaning of a program is the specification of the behavior of the system into which that program is compiled. Specifications can be written for synchronization problems and for their implementations in terms of various primitives.
A screen for genes induced in the amygdaloid area during cat odor exposure

The aim of a present study was to identify the genes activated or inactivated in the amygdaloid area after the exposure to cat odor. Cat odor exposure was used to induce the ethologically relevant anxiety reaction in male rats. Differential expression of genes was analyzed using the cDNA Representational Difference Analysis (cDNA RDA). Differentially expressed mRNAs were identified by sequencing combined with database search and subsequently verified by dot blot analysis. Exposure of rats to cat odor induced avoidance of odor stimulus and suppressed the exploratory activity of animals. We found that during the cat odor exposure several genes with various functions were activated in the amygdaloid area of rat. Moreover, reverse subtraction resulted in a different set of genes that are inactivated during anxiety response. These genes can be classified according to their function as the neurotransmission related, enzymes, cell cycle regulating proteins and transcription factors. We found that during anxiety response the genes participating directly or indirectly in the synthesis of neurotransmitters (carboxypeptidase E, tyrosine 3‐monooxygenase/tryptophan 5‐mono‐oxygenase activation protein, wolframin) were up regulated. Moreover, a number of genes involved in the signal transduction (Rho GTPase, neurochondrin, Ca/calmodulin‐dependent protein kinase) were also activated. Additionally, reverse subtraction in control animals identified several up regulated genes having the antagonistic action to these genes (nischarin, Rab geranylgeranyl transferase). In conclusion, we were able to define the possible pathways linked to the regulation of anxiety response.
Compressible viscous flows generated by oscillating flexible cylinders

The fluid dynamics of oscillating elastic beams underpin the operation of many modern technological devices ranging from micromechanical sensors to the atomic force microscope. While viscous effects are widely acknowledged to have a strong influence on these dynamics, fluid compressibility is commonly neglected. Here, we theoretically study the three-dimensional flow fields that are generated by the motion of flexible cylinders immersed in viscous compressible fluids and discuss the implications of compressibility in practice. We consider cylinders of circular cross section and flat blades of zero thickness that are executing flexural and torsional oscillations of arbitrary wave number. Exact analytical solutions are derived for these flow fields and their resulting hydrodynamic loads.